How To Be Saved

How To:  Be Saved

God’s Search and Rescue Operation

Intro

In the Christian world we often refer to those who don’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ as “lost.”  It is not arrogance on our part, because all of us were once “lost,” and none of us were “found” or “saved” by any of our actions.  Look at that more in a minute…but I want you to know that tonight God has set aside a special night for those who are “lost.”  Everyone in this room is here because God has marked a divine appointment in His PDA for you to be here.  He called you here, He steered you’re here, He orchestrated you into being here.  Whether it was seeing a flyer, an invitation from a friend, or just what seems to be mere chance, you are here for a purpose, the choice as to what you do about it remains yours.  I want to show you something about my Jesus tonight.  I want to show you how God has been on a Search & Rescue mission for thousands of years now. 

Search

Most of you I’m sure remember how when 9/11 happened there was this sense of devastation and loss.  But even as we started tracking down “who done it,”  the rescue operation was already under way.

Tireless…day and night, desperation

Way back in the Garden of Eden was God’s 9/11, but on a much larger scale affecting billions of people.  But the rescue operation was already under way. 

“Adam!  Where are you?!  Adam!”

Many have the wrong picture of God when they think of Him. 

          Not Distant

          Not aloof and uncaring

          Not

Jesus said I cam to seek and save that which was lost!

Luke 15 The God who seeks the lost

Religious people getting upset that Jesus was hanging out with the lost, Jesus told a couple of stories to them

Lost Sheep

Lost Coin

Lost Son

Not a casual glancing, but a searching with desperation

9/11 victim’s families standing by the fences, the fire fighters turning over every stone.  That is the way God searches for those that are lost…with desperation.

That’s why you can’t escape that feeling that keeps drawing your attention towards Heaven.  You keep bumping into Him…

When you’re alone, He comes

When your heart is broken He’s there

When you’re afraid, He’s there

Trouble…Abandoned…Mistreated

“He’s gonna get ya…”

Rescue

In any Search and Rescue operation…once you find the person, there is also the matter of trying to save them and deal with what has made them lost

Sometimes a search and rescue operation comes about because an enemy has taken them hostage.

If my daughter or son were ever taken from me or held hostage first I would focus on getting them back at any cost I would gladly trade places with them…I would gladly die in their place or be tortured, and it would be ok because I knew they were safe.  (Mormon kid)

God had to make a way for us to come back to Him since we burned the bridge that led to Him by choosing to sin.  But the only way He could do that was to take our place.

To win our lives He had to give up His.  To gain our freedom He had to nailed to a cross.  It was the only way, but it was a price He paid willingly so we could be with Him.

Old movie by Mel “Braveheart”  Fought and was killed for his people’s freedom.  Going to show a little clip of that movie with some other clips merged into it.  Think about the price that was paid in God’s search and Rescue operation

**Clip**

Altar

Devil done messed up letting you in here tonight!

Luke 19:9-10 (NKJV) "And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house…; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”"