THE JOURNEY
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1. If you were to die today, would you know for certain that you would be with God eternally?
INTRODUCTION
be with God eternally?
be with God eternally?
1. If you were to die today, would you know for certain that you would
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Feb. 01st - Mar. 01st
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2. The Bible tells us we can know for sure - . If it is possible to know, I'd want to know, wouldn't you? b. May I take a few moments of your time to share what the Bible says about receiving eternal life? 3. Before I do, let me ask you another question... a. Suppose you come before Jesus and He asks, "Why should I let you into heaven?" b. How would you answer Him? 4. Some might answer... a. "I kept the Ten Commandments" b. "I attended church regularly" c. "I was a good moral person" d. "I was a good neighbor" -- These and similar answers imply an understanding that salvation is earned 5. Yet the good news (gospel) of the Bible is that eternal life is a gift...! a. "...the gift of God is eternal life..." - cf. . As a gift, it is not something we earn or deserve! [Why is eternal life a gift? The answer lies in understanding man's problem with sin...] I. THE NEED OF GRACE A. THE BIBLE TEACHES ALL HAVE SINNED... 1. Sin is violating the law of God - 2. Sin is failing to do what is right - -- Everyone has sinned in some way - B. THE BIBLE DESCRIBES THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN... 1. The wages of sin is death! - 2. What kind of death? Everlasting separation from God! - cf. . Have you done any of these? b. Just a few? -- Even if just one sin, we are still guilty! - [While everyone is guilty of sin and deserving of death, there is hope in...] II. THE SOLUTION OF GRACE A. GOD OFFERS THE GIFT OF LIFE... 1. In mercy God offers the gift of eternal life - 2. He does this through the death of His Son - 3. Out of love, God sent Jesus to be a sacrifice for our sins - . On the cross, Jesus paid the price for our sins! b. Through His death, Jesus made eternal life possible! -- What wonderful love, what a wonderful gift! Yet sadly... B. FEW RECEIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE... 1. Because many will not look for it - cf. . Because many will not have done the Father's will - cf. . Though they may do many things in the name of Jesus b. Remember, doing good things does not merit eternal life -- Only those who do the Father's will have eternal life! - cf. [What is the Father's will that we might receive the gift of eternal life...?] III. THE RECEPTION OF GRACE A. BELIEVE IN JESUS... 1. We must believe in Him whom God has sent - cf. , 2. Believing in Christ involves more than mental consent - e.g., , 3. A faith which does not express itself in action is a dead faith - cf. -- How are we to express our faith in Christ? B. REPENT OF SINS... 1. Jesus requires repentance - cf. ; 2. True repentance is: a. A change of heart which will result in a change of life b. A change brought about by sorrow for our sins - cf. -- In repenting, we decide to turn from sin and turn to God! C. CONFESS FAITH IN JESUS... 1. Together with faith, confessing Jesus leads to salvation - 2. Confessing Jesus means to acknowledge Him as the Son of God - cf. -- Confess Jesus before others, and He will confess us before God! - D. RECEIVE CHRIST IN BAPTISM... 1. Note first these spiritual truths: a. All spiritual blessings are IN Christ - . Salvation is IN Christ - . There is no condemnation IN Christ - . Eternal life is IN Christ - 2. All these blessings are IN Christ a. It is one thing to believe IN Jesus, quite another to get INTO Jesus b. How does one get INTO Jesus? The same way you get into a coat (you put it on) 3. We get INTO Jesus by putting Him on in baptism - cf. . As many as are baptized into Christ, have put on Christ b. Those not yet baptized into Christ, have not yet put on Christ c. If we have not PUT ON Christ, we are not yet IN Christ 4. What is baptism? a. An immersion (burial) of the believer in water - . Administered to the penitent for the remission of sins - . In which we are: 1) Baptized into the death of Jesus - 2) Buried with Him into His death - 3) Raised with Him that we might walk in newness of life - d. A working of God in cooperation with our faith - 1) In which our sins our cut away (circumcised) 2) In which we are made alive, forgiven of all sins -- Not a work of righteousness done to earn salvation, but an act of faith submitted to in order to receive God's grace and mercy - cf. E. REMAIN FAITHFUL TO JESUS... 1. Jesus expected us to learn and follow Him after baptism - 2. Jesus promises the crown of life to those who remain faithful - CONCLUSION 1. Though deserving of death because of sin... a. We can receive God's gift of eternal life! b. By expressing our faith in Christ through repentance, confession, and baptism! 2. Two examples confirm this is how God's gift of grace is extended... a. Peter on the day of Pentecost - ,. Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch - -- Note what people were told to receive forgiveness of sins (the gift of eternal life) 3. Does this make sense...? a. Is there anything I have said you do not understand? b. Have I taught you anything other than what the Bible teaches? If you are willing to place your faith in Jesus, repent of your sins, confess your faith before others, then let these words move you to respond in the proper way... "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." () Yes, why wait, when you can put on Christ in baptism and prepare yourself for your "journey into eternity"?
. If it is possible to know, I'd want to know, wouldn't you? b. May I take a few moments of your time to share what the Bible says about receiving eternal life? 3. Before I do, let me ask you another question... a. Suppose you come before Jesus and He asks, "Why should I let you into heaven?" b. How would you answer Him? 4. Some might answer... a. "I kept the Ten Commandments" b. "I attended church regularly" c. "I was a good moral person" d. "I was a good neighbor" -- These and similar answers imply an understanding that salvation is earned 5. Yet the good news (gospel) of the Bible is that eternal life is a gift...! a. "...the gift of God is eternal life..." - cf. . As a gift, it is not something we earn or deserve! [Why is eternal life a gift? The answer lies in understanding man's problem with sin...] I. THE NEED OF GRACE A. THE BIBLE TEACHES ALL HAVE SINNED... 1. Sin is violating the law of God - 2. Sin is failing to do what is right - -- Everyone has sinned in some way - B. THE BIBLE DESCRIBES THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN... 1. The wages of sin is death! - 2. What kind of death? Everlasting separation from God! - cf. . Have you done any of these? b. Just a few? -- Even if just one sin, we are still guilty! - [While everyone is guilty of sin and deserving of death, there is hope in...] II. THE SOLUTION OF GRACE A. GOD OFFERS THE GIFT OF LIFE... 1. In mercy God offers the gift of eternal life - 2. He does this through the death of His Son - 3. Out of love, God sent Jesus to be a sacrifice for our sins - . On the cross, Jesus paid the price for our sins! b. Through His death, Jesus made eternal life possible! -- What wonderful love, what a wonderful gift! Yet sadly... B. FEW RECEIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE... 1. Because many will not look for it - cf. . Because many will not have done the Father's will - cf. . Though they may do many things in the name of Jesus b. Remember, doing good things does not merit eternal life -- Only those who do the Father's will have eternal life! - cf. [What is the Father's will that we might receive the gift of eternal life...?] III. THE RECEPTION OF GRACE A. BELIEVE IN JESUS... 1. We must believe in Him whom God has sent - cf. , 2. Believing in Christ involves more than mental consent - e.g., , 3. A faith which does not express itself in action is a dead faith - cf. -- How are we to express our faith in Christ? B. REPENT OF SINS... 1. Jesus requires repentance - cf. ; 2. True repentance is: a. A change of heart which will result in a change of life b. A change brought about by sorrow for our sins - cf. -- In repenting, we decide to turn from sin and turn to God! C. CONFESS FAITH IN JESUS... 1. Together with faith, confessing Jesus leads to salvation - 2. Confessing Jesus means to acknowledge Him as the Son of God - cf. -- Confess Jesus before others, and He will confess us before God! - D. RECEIVE CHRIST IN BAPTISM... 1. Note first these spiritual truths: a. All spiritual blessings are IN Christ - . Salvation is IN Christ - . There is no condemnation IN Christ - . Eternal life is IN Christ - 2. All these blessings are IN Christ a. It is one thing to believe IN Jesus, quite another to get INTO Jesus b. How does one get INTO Jesus? The same way you get into a coat (you put it on) 3. We get INTO Jesus by putting Him on in baptism - cf. . As many as are baptized into Christ, have put on Christ b. Those not yet baptized into Christ, have not yet put on Christ c. If we have not PUT ON Christ, we are not yet IN Christ 4. What is baptism? a. An immersion (burial) of the believer in water - . Administered to the penitent for the remission of sins - . In which we are: 1) Baptized into the death of Jesus - 2) Buried with Him into His death - 3) Raised with Him that we might walk in newness of life - d. A working of God in cooperation with our faith - 1) In which our sins our cut away (circumcised) 2) In which we are made alive, forgiven of all sins -- Not a work of righteousness done to earn salvation, but an act of faith submitted to in order to receive God's grace and mercy - cf. E. REMAIN FAITHFUL TO JESUS... 1. Jesus expected us to learn and follow Him after baptism - 2. Jesus promises the crown of life to those who remain faithful - CONCLUSION 1. Though deserving of death because of sin... a. We can receive God's gift of eternal life! b. By expressing our faith in Christ through repentance, confession, and baptism! 2. Two examples confirm this is how God's gift of grace is extended... a. Peter on the day of Pentecost - ,. Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch - -- Note what people were told to receive forgiveness of sins (the gift of eternal life) 3. Does this make sense...? a. Is there anything I have said you do not understand? b. Have I taught you anything other than what the Bible teaches? If you are willing to place your faith in Jesus, repent of your sins, confess your faith before others, then let these words move you to respond in the proper way... "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." () Yes, why wait, when you can put on Christ in baptism and prepare yourself for your "journey into eternity"?
be with God eternally?
2. The Bible tells us we can know for sure -
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
a. If it is possible to know, I'd want to know, wouldn't you?
b. May I take a few moments of your time to share what the Bible says about receiving eternal life?
about receiving eternal life?
3. Before I do, let me ask you another question...
a. Suppose you come before Jesus and He asks, "Why should I let you into heaven?"
into heaven?"
b. How would you answer Him?
4. Some might answer...
a. "I kept the Ten Commandments"
b. "I attended church regularly"
c. "I was a good moral person"
d. "I was a good neighbor"
-- These and similar answers imply an understanding that salvation is earned
earned
5. Yet the good news (gospel) of the Bible is that eternal life is a gift...!
gift...!
a. "...the gift of God is eternal life..." - cf.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
b. As a gift, it is not something we earn or deserve! [Why is eternal life a gift? The answer lies in understanding man's problem with sin...]
[Why is eternal life a gift? The answer lies in understanding man's
problem with sin...]
I. THE NEED OF GRACE
A. THE BIBLE TEACHES ALL HAVE SINNED...
1. Sin is violating the law of God -
Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
2. Sin is failing to do what is right -
Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
-- Everyone has sinned in some way -
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
B. THE BIBLE DESCRIBES THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN...
1. The wages of sin is death! -
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2. What kind of death? Everlasting separation from God! - cf.
“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
21:8
a. Have you done any of these?
b. Just a few?
-- Even if just one sin, we are still guilty! -
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
[While everyone is guilty of sin and deserving of death, there is hope in...]
in...]
II. THE SOLUTION OF GRACE
A. GOD OFFERS THE GIFT OF LIFE...
1. In mercy God offers the gift of eternal life -
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2. He does this through the death of His Son -
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
3. Out of love, God sent Jesus to be a sacrifice for our sins -
-
By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
a. On the cross, Jesus paid the price for our sins!
b. Through His death, Jesus made eternal life possible!
-- What wonderful love, what a wonderful gift! Yet sadly...
B. FEW RECEIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE...
B. FEW RECEIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE...
1. Because many will not look for it - cf.
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
“For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
2. Because many will not have done the Father's will - cf.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
7:21-23
a. Though they may do many things in the name of Jesus
b. Remember, doing good things does not merit eternal life
-- Only those who do the Father's will have eternal life! - cf.
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
[What is the Father's will that we might receive the gift of eternal life...?]
life...?]
III. THE RECEPTION OF GRACE
A. BELIEVE IN JESUS...
1. We must believe in Him whom God has sent - cf. ,
Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”
“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
2. Believing in Christ involves more than mental consent - e.g., ,
Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue;
,
for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
3. A faith which does not express itself in action is a dead faith - cf.
- cf.
-- How are we to express our faith in Christ?
B. REPENT OF SINS...
B. REPENT OF SINS...
1. Jesus requires repentance - cf. ;
“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,
and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
2. True repentance is:
a. A change of heart which will result in a change of life
b. A change brought about by sorrow for our sins - cf.
7:9-11
I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
-- In repenting, we decide to turn from sin and turn to God!
C. CONFESS FAITH IN JESUS...
1. Together with faith, confessing Jesus leads to salvation -
10:9-10
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
2. Confessing Jesus means to acknowledge Him as the Son of God - cf.
- cf.
And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
-- Confess Jesus before others, and He will confess us before God!
-
“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
“But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
D. RECEIVE CHRIST IN BAPTISM...
1. Note first these spiritual truths:
a. All spiritual blessings are IN Christ -
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
b. Salvation is IN Christ -
For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.
c. There is no condemnation IN Christ -
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
d. Eternal life is IN Christ -
And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
2. All these blessings are IN Christ
a. It is one thing to believe IN Jesus, quite another to get INTO Jesus
INTO Jesus
b. How does one get INTO Jesus? The same way you get into a coat (you put it on)
coat (you put it on)
3. We get INTO Jesus by putting Him on in baptism - cf.
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
a. As many as are baptized into Christ, have put on Christ
b. Those not yet baptized into Christ, have not yet put on Christ
Christ
c. If we have not PUT ON Christ, we are not yet IN Christ
4. What is baptism?
a. An immersion (burial) of the believer in water -
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
b. Administered to the penitent for the remission of sins -
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
2:38
c. In which we are:
1) Baptized into the death of Jesus -
Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
2) Buried with Him into His death -
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
3) Raised with Him that we might walk in newness of life -
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
-
d. A working of God in cooperation with our faith -
and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
1) In which our sins our cut away (circumcised)
2) In which we are made alive, forgiven of all sins
-- Not a work of righteousness done to earn salvation, but an act
of faith submitted to in order to receive God's grace and mercy
- cf.
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
E. REMAIN FAITHFUL TO JESUS...
1. Jesus expected us to learn and follow Him after baptism -
28:19-20
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
2. Jesus promises the crown of life to those who remain faithful -
-
‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
CONCLUSION
1. Though deserving of death because of sin...
a. We can receive God's gift of eternal life!
b. By expressing our faith in Christ through repentance, confession, and baptism!
and baptism!
2. Two examples confirm this is how God's gift of grace is extended...
a. Peter on the day of Pentecost - ,
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
“For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”
So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
b. Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch -
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.
-- Note what people were told to receive forgiveness of sins (the gift of eternal life)
gift of eternal life)
3. Does this make sense...?
a. Is there anything I have said you do not understand?
b. Have I taught you anything other than what the Bible teaches? If you are willing to place your faith in Jesus, repent of your sins, confess your faith before others, then let these words move you to respond in the proper way...
If you are willing to place your faith in Jesus, repent of your sins,
confess your faith before others, then let these words move you to
respond in the proper way...
"And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash
away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." ()
Yes, why wait, when you can put on Christ in baptism and prepare
yourself for your "journey into eternity"?