Salvation
Notes
Transcript
Discussion
Discussion
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He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Why is salvation narrow?
Why do only a few find it?
Is God being fair?
Stop - On the board
Give them 7 minutes to discuss.
Give them 7 minutes to discuss.
Why is salvation narrow?
Why is salvation narrow?
LET THEM ANSWER
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Lets see what the narrow gate means.
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I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Stop - On the board
These verses are teacing that there is only 1 way to God
Q: Does it that bother anyone here?
That is a common objection. It bothers me because that means there are many people who are not going to be saved, that's awful.
It almost sounds like God’s plan isnt right. But God’s plans are perfect so whats the deal?
To me it sounds similar to the garden. The serpent asked Eve what?
Did God really say?
You wont actually die?
In this case
Does God really have only 1 way to heaven?
You wont really suffer eternal separation and torment. God is more forgiving than that, go ahead and believe what you want to and live however you want to.
The world wants you to views religions like an ice cream shop
The world wants you to views religions like an ice cream shop
When you walk into an ice cream shop you see a bunch of flavors and you get to pick whatever make you happy. There’s no wrong choice.
To the world, each religion is a like a flavor of ice cream and you can pick what you want from each one as long as it works for you.
We’ll take a few parts from Islam
Some of these parts from Christianity
Then a few from Hinduism
Now you have your own flavor of religion that works for them or you dont have to take any of them at all, do and believe anything.
Is this how Jesus taught? NO
He presented that the way to God is more like a math problem. You guys remember math problems, in the end there is usually how many possible answers?
Thats the same with Jesus in the end there is only 1 answer and that is Himself.
Why is salvation narrow? Because we have a very specific problem in the world, that is sin and that problem can only be dealt with only in 1 way. Someone pays for your sin, either you or Jesus.
Any comments on this question or the answer?
Lets move onto the second question.
Why do only a few people find it?
Why do only a few people find it?
What did you guys conclude about this topic?
Jesus is the only way so why do only a few find the truth?
Is it because they didn't know or hear or know?
LET THEM ANSWER
When Jesus was on the earth, he made the blind to see, he made the lame to walk, he raised the dead. People still chose not to believe, one of his closest disciples sold him out for some money.
Why do people chose to not to follow Jesus
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And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
People chose to stay in darkness because they love their sins and they dont want to let them go or be exposed.
Can you relate to that?
Maybe its for a different reason. Maybe people just dont know.
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Stop - On the board
This is why I say that “There is no such thing as an atheist” What I mean is that everyone knows that a God has to exists because creation is evidence of that.
If I point to this laptop and say “I don't believe in laptop manufacturers or designers” You would think I am crazy.
The laptop exists, someone had to design and make it. It didnt make itself.
Same for people, the sun, stars, galaxies and everything else. We all exist, we didnt create ourselves.
This is the same thing that the Romans passage is saying
What are the requirements for salvation?
What are the requirements for salvation?
So how is someone saved?
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and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
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Belief and repentance.
Belief in Jesus, like we said.
Q: But what is repentance?How is it different from being sorry?
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“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live.
Stop - On the board
Repentance is turning back from your old life and choosing to live another way.
Q: Aren't we saved by faith alone? Why do we need to repent?
Q: If salvation is by faith alone why do we need to repent? Isnt that like working to be saved?
Repentance doesn't save you, faith saves you, repentance shows that you have a genuine faith and love for God.
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Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
Stop - On the board
God wants you to be saved.
What God asks from you is not easy. You have your sins that you love, as we all do. He is asking you today and everyday of your life.
If you have already been a believer for a long time or havent taken that step yet to believe that he is the way to eternal life by accepting his sacrifice on the cross.
And going further to turn away from your life of sin. This sounds like a big ask, especially if you have things in life that you really love but you know that its disobedient to God.
You feel like he is asking for a lot and he is but just consider what God has given to give you freedom and eternal life.
When Pilate presented Jesus and Barabbas before the people and asked who should be released the crowd shouted Barabbas.
When Pilate asked the crowd what to do with Jesus they shouted “Crucify him”
They then took him, tied him to a post and whipped his bare back.
The soliders took him put a robe on him and gave him a crown of thorns that pierced his skin in order to mock him and the beat him still.
Then they took the wooden cross that he was going to be crucified on and made him carry his own cross up to the hill where he would be executed.
He was continually mocked and at that point God’s wrath for your sins and mine were on Jesus. God the father looked on His son as if you and I were there. It was the only time in history when the Connection between God the father and God the Son was broken.
If this is not enough for you to turn away and repent from a life of sin then nothing will convince you.