Sermon Tone Analysis

We are in a series on the five key tenants of the Protestant Reformation.

They are called the Five Solas.

We have looked at Sola Scripture, or the Scriptures alone.

The Bible is our final authority on all matters to which it speaks.

We have looked at Sola Fide, or by faith alone.

We are saved by faith alone, not by works.

We have looked at Sola Gratia, or by grace alone.

We are saved by God’s grace alone, not by our merit or by anything intrinsic to us.

Today, we are going to consider the fourth doctrine and we will look at the final doctrine after the advent season.

Today, we look at Solo Christo.

When the Reformers insisted on Solo Christo, they affirmed that we are saved by Christ alone, apart from the merit of any other person.

Why was this important?

The Reformers thought there was too much emphasis being placed on other figures in the church.

For example, it is taught that Mary, the mother of Jesus, has some sort of special dispensation with God.

Others taught the importance of praying to the saints to intercede for them before God.

They were taught they had patron saints.

I had to look it up because I had a suspicion.

The patron saint of fishermen is the Apostle Peter.

So, the thinking was if you are a fisherman, you could appeal to Peter to help you.

Of course, all of this is nonsense.

The Bible clearly teaches we can go directly to God through Jesus Christ his Son.

He is the sole mediator between God and man.

The idea that some other figure shares in the position of mediator is actually blasphemous.

No one has the right or power to share in Jesus’ role as Redeemer and Savior.

He alone is our High Priest who makes intercession for us.

He alone is the King of Kings and the Lord or Lords.

In Christ alone, my hope is found.

He is my light, my strength, and my song.

Open your Bibles this morning to .

For sake of time, I am going to summarize what is taking place in our text.

After the Day of Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles 40 days after Jesus’ resurrection, Peter and John were speaking to the people on the Temple Mount about the resurrection of Jesus.

Of course, the religious leaders didn’t want them talking about Jesus’ resurrection since the had already paid hush money to the soldiers who were guarding the tomb and since they were the ones who advocated for his crucifixion.

They confronted Peter and John and took them into custody.

What is amazing is the amount of people who believed Peter and John’s message.

They held them overnight.

The next day, the religious leaders assembled to put them on trial.

They wanted to know under whose authority were they operating.

By whose power had they healed a lame man?

Peter, the one who just a few days ago was intimidated by a young girl when asked if he was with Jesus, is now boldly standing before the religious leaders who just had Jesus killed.

This isn’t the main point this morning, but you need to realize the life-changing power of God.

This is nothing short of a miracle.

When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit who empowers us for godly living.

He radically changes us from the inside out.

The power of God takes a shepherd boy and makes him King.

The power of God takes a farmer and makes him a prophet.

The power of God takes a fisherman and makes him an outspoken leader.

The power of God takes the simple and weak things of this world and confounds the wise.

Going back to our text, this morning, we are going to focus on the last statement.

The first thing I want you to take note of this morning is that we must be saved.

1.

We must be saved.