Saved
Notes
Transcript
Preliminary
Preliminary
Read: Titus 3:3-7
Read: Titus 3:3-7
3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Introduction:
Introduction:
Titus a Pastoral book - contains a great truth that I have felt on my heart for some time. This little truth came to me in a powerful way at OYC when Zach the neighbor boy he lives across the the street from the jr boys dorm and he came up to me one night after church and said,
“Curtis, I got saved tonight”
And his face was all aglow - his whole attitude changed after that night.
Later that evening as I was trying to get the boys to settle down and go to sleep - Zach called me over to his bunk and said, “Curtis, what does it mean to be saved?”
Isn’t it wonderful you don’t have to know all the ins and outs - the theological terminology and jargon - you don’t even have to quote scripture
What a privilege to get to share with him some of what it means to be saved - and the majority of this sermon came from that discussion - I want to share it with you.
Saved - what does it mean?
Salvation is God repairing what sin damaged.
The consequences of Sin:
Spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1)
Sentenced to physical death. (Gen. 3:19, Romans 6:23)
Separated from God. (Eph. 2:12)
Domination of your will. (Eph. 2:1-3)
Spiritual blindness (2 Cor. 4:3-4)
Without understanding (Romans 3:11)
Enemies of Christ (Matt. 12:30)
Objects of God’s wrath (Eph. 2:3)
Considered children of the Devil (John 8:44)
(From “Foundations” -- Warren/Holladay, Zondervan)
Can God fix all this? Sin has you bound, separated from Him, the entire universe cursed and damaged because of sin?
Salvation is the WHOLE process of God fixing what sin damaged. We’re going to study in the next couple sermons how God will solve the problems through Jesus & the church…
Problem: Unholy Man
Solution: Jesus’ death
Problem: Unholy Society
Solution: The Church
Problem: Damaged creation
Solution: New heavens and a new earth
Saved from WHAT?
Saved means:
1. Saved from God’s punishment.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! Romans 5:9
2. Saved from sin’s power.
For we know that our old self was crucified with him... that we should no longer be slaves to sin Romans 6:6
3. Saved from my own nature.
Job 5:7 Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.
Three things happen in one moment to someone who is saved:
1. Justification: I am declared not guilty.
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Pardon and remission of sins (forgiveness)
Acts 13:38-39 “38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
Rom 3:25-26 “25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
Rom 4:5,8 “8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
Courtroom… judge God, prosecutor Satan, lawyer Jesus, defendant YOU…
2. Regeneration: I am given a pure, new life.
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Washing - cleansing what can be cleansed
Renewing - just rebuilding what needed rebuilt
Uncle Delmar was a tremendous mechanic - he could fix anything - I did not inherit that talent. But I’ve seen him go to great lengths to clean out an old carburetor (You didn’t think I knew what term even existed did you lol) Now please don’t ask me what it does lol
But he’d work and clean and get that thing working again
Other times I’ve seen him look at it and he would say - oh I’m going to have to rebuild that one - its going to take more than cleaning that -
3. Adoption: I am adopted into God’s family.
You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Part of that adoption is an Inscription - I’m glad you can have your name inscribed in the Lamb’s Great Book of Life
Part of the adoption brings about cognition - knowledge of sins forgiven, knowledge that through Christ and what He did on the cross - God is your Father and you are a child of God.
The early Methodist distinction was four points (This is till
All men must be saved
All men can be saved
All men can know they are saved
All men can be saved to the uttermost
Abundant Salvation
Titus 3:6 “6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;”
Abundant speaks of being more than required, or necessary. It literally means richly, not only in quantity but in value and gracious liberality (Wheedon) The author of Hebrews spoke of an uttermost salvation. Says it is shed or poured out. The picture is of taking a container filled with liquid and pouring it out. The Amplified reads; “Which He poured out [so] richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Makes me think of the three parables Jesus gives in Luke Chapter 15 Of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost boy. I notice something in there
I. One Sheep [coin/son] does matter
A. The shepherd leaves the ninety and nine to go after the ONE lost sheep.
1. He Goes after it until he finds it
A. If you’re lost He’s looking for you
B. “The oriental shepherd loves his sheep -everyone. Only a heart of love could lead a man to risk his life on the lonely, beast infested mountains at night to seek a SINGLE sheep which had gone astray, but LOVE KNOWS NO LIMITS” Beacon
1. “All through the night with the storm raging He sought till he found even me.”
C. “The youngest, the weakest, the sickliest of His flock is as dear to Him as the strongest.” Bishop Ryle
TRANSITION TO NEXT POINT:
Today we’re playing “Can This Man Be Saved?”
You get to vote on whether or not you think this person can be saved… give me a thumbs up if you think they can, or a thumbs down if you think they can’t be saved – if they’ve gone too far.
First contestant: Lifelong thief, probably a murderer. (On the cross)
2nd contestant: Rich crooked IRS agent (Zaccheus)
3rd: prostitute. (Mary)
4th: possessed by 1,000 demons.(Gadarene)
II. There’s no such thing as too far- look at examples
1 Timothy 4:10 “...we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.”
A. The prodigal son.- took his journey and yet found a way back
1. He found a way back with an abundant reception
A. Forgiveness
B. Ring /robe
C. Fatted calf that was waiting for him.
I love what Paul says in 1 Cor 6:9-11.
C. 1Corinthians 6:9-11; 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind. 10. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11. And such WERE SOME OF YOU; BUT ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Abundant Salvation but also Simple salvation
Abundant Salvation but also Simple salvation
It doesn’t take flowery and perfectly phrased prayers -
In fact - sometimes we don’t even know how to pray
Not knowing what to pray
A grandfather was walking through his yard when he heard his granddaughter repeating the alphabet in a tone of voice that sounded like a prayer. He asker her what she was doing. The little girl explained, “I’m praying, but I can’t think of exactly the right words so I’m just saying all the letters and God will put them together for me because He knows what I am thinking.”
My Pastor’s wife growing up remembers being in a service where a Hispanic woman was praying at the altar - she didn’t know much English - and those helping her didn’t speak her language - but that didn’t stop God.
Sis. Carol stood there and watched that dear woman pray into the presence of God reciting the days of the week - that’s all the English she knew - and the only way she knew how to pray.
All it takes is a broken and contrite spirit - one who is coming just as they are - without one plea of goodness or qualification
When I was young I remember my Mom giving recitations or readings - she didn’t sing specials but she would give touching readings. One of my favorites as a child was this one.
His name was Jimmy he wasn’t very old about 10 or 11 since birth
But you wouldn’t call life for Jimmy heaven on earth
He lived in a big town in the North part of the nation
His mom and dad had forsaken him so he had to sell newspapers to stay off starvation
Now mom and dad loved the nightlife and Jimmy was too much bother
I wonder if they’ll still feel the same way when they stand before my Heavenly Father
Now down the street by an old Gospel Mission Jimmy carried his papers one day and he heard the preacher say, “come to the altar my Jesus will give you a new life and a better way”
Jimmy’s feet were cold his eyes watering and inside it might be safer so Jimmy said I’ll go in If i see Jesus I’ll give him a paper
So he walked in and sit down and when the last altar call was given Jimmy laid his paper bag on the altar and lifted his watery eyes toward heaven and he said, “Jesus this is Jimmy. Jesus this is Jimmy:
I guess you might say it was the only way the little fellow knew how to pray.
So from that day on when Jimmy would go by the old Gospel Mission He would walk down the aisle he’d lay his paper bag on the altar He’d lift his little fact toward heaven and he’d say..
Now one day Jimmy rushed to the little gospel mission the preacher was having a counseling session and Jimmy didn’t realize he was disturbing anyone with his unusual prayer
but the preacher came and took him by the arm and said “boy can’t you see we’re busy? Why do you keep interrupting us with that simple unusual prayer Jesus this is Jimmy”
Jimmy said preacher this is the only way I know how to pray and I just want the Lord to know my name
but the preacher said, “that’s not a good reason son, you’ll have to stop it just the same.
So one more time Jimmy was pushed aside. and he left with tears in his eyes.
But he said “I can make it” and he turned away not knowing it was his last mile
It was a cold day and Jimmy slipped from the curb a big truck hit him on the run.
The preacher inside caught a glimpse of the scene and feeling bad about what He’d done he rushed to the boy and took him in his arms and to the nearest hospital they fled
and with doctor standing by the preacher there too they heard little Jimmy speak from his bed
“Jesus this is Jimmy” the doctor felt his pulse and turned to the preacher and said, “His short life here on earth will soon be through”
The preacher with panic in his voice said, “My GOD!!! What can we do?”
All of a sudden the room lit up with a strange and beautiful light and seemed that someone was about to speak but that someone was not in sight
The preacher cried if Jimmy could only be well, how it would please us. It was then the voice spoke in a kind gentle way, “Jimmy this is Jesus, Jimmy this is Jesus”
It is by grace and mercy and the shed blood of Jesus Christ
Bertha Mae Lillenas wrote, “Saved by the blood of the crucified one, saved by the merit of God’s only Son!
Gone are my burdens and gone are my fears
Gone are the heartaches of many long years
Simply believing I cast of my fears
Saved by the blood of the Lamb.
Paul reminds Titus
Titus 3:5-7 “5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
We may only be able to say, “Jesus this is Jimmy” or whatever you name is - but there is abundant salvation for you!!!
I love the thought from Alisair Begg about the thief on the cross.
The thief was being executed for crimes he’d committed
He deserved every stripe, every wound, ever drop of blood he shed, every laboring breath, every nail pierce on his body - and as the end drew near he realized it and there was no big elaborate wordy prayer
Just simply
Luke 23:42 “... Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”
And in those nine little words was bundled all that Jesus was looking for in the man’s heart and he replies
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
He begins with “verily” that means “What I am about to say is an indisputable fact”
You are going to be with me in paradise TODAY - not years from now - not days but today
Like Alistair Begg put it
...I can't wait to hunt that thief up one day when I get to heaven to ask him.
“How did that work out for you? Because you were you were, you were cussing the guy out with your friend. You'd never be in a Bible study and never got baptized, you didn't know a thing about church membership and and yet you made it, you made it. How did you make it?
That's what the angel must have said, you know, like what are you doing here? Well, I don't know. What do you mean? You don't know? Well, I cuz I don't know. Well, you know, we did.
Excuse me, let me get my supervisor. They go get the supervisor Angel. Sir just a few questions for you. First of all. Are you clear on the doctrine of justification by faith?
Never heard of in my life. And what about ? Let's just go to the doctrine of scripture inerrancy. This guys just staring
Can you recite the Apostles Creed? No I don’t even know what that is
John Three Sixteen???? NO
finally in frustration on what basis are you here. He said the man on the middle cross said I can come.
That my friend is salvation - JESUS the MAN ON THE MIDDLE CROSS HAS SAID YOU CAN COME -
WILL YOU COME TODAY and let HIM SAVE YOU?
DO you know - I mean are you sure, no question, no doubt, do you know you are saved this morning?
If not I know that the Holy Spirit is speaking to you right now - there is no flowery prayer you have to come up with - all you have to do is realize JESUS SAID YOU CAN COME and then come to HIM HE WILL SAVE YOU
Let us stand. Ask for seekers
If no one comes to pray - have everyone bow head and close eyes and ask if there happens to be someone there that isn’t sure about their salvation - assure them you will not call them upfront or out in any way - but if they aren’t sure or if they have gone astray somewhere and would like me to pray for them just quietly slip up your hand so I can see
Thank you I see the hands
