SF709 - WHO GOES TO HEAVEN AND WHY (Acts 16 25-31)
Acts 16:25-31
Introduction
The Tragic Deaths of Princess Diana and Mother Teresa
Many of us are asking did they go to Heaven.
What did they believe?
What about all of their good works?
Can we really know if someone else is in Heaven?
It is a very difficult thing to know with certainty someone else's spiritual condition.
In fact the Bible talks very little about our being able to know someone else's condition.
We are told to witness and share with others, we are not told to try to determine the nature of their relationship with God.
In Fact, we are told that our primary concern is to be our own Spiritual Condition.
The Real Question is not, did Diana or Mother Teresa go to heaven.
The Real Question is will YOU go to Heaven?
Acts 16:25-31
1A. We Must Transfer our Trust to Jesus Christ Alone
1B. We Cannot Save Ourselves
"As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;" (Romans 3:10 NIV)
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23 NIV)
"He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. …," (Titus 3:5 NIV)
(Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- {9} not by works, so that no one can boast."
2B. We Must Trust in Jesus Alone
Believing in Jesus is not enough
(James 2:19 NIV) "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder."
Praying to Jesus is not enough
(Matthew 7:21 NIV) ""Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
We must trust completely and exclusively in Jesus
"Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved…"
Row Boat Illustration
2A. We Must Invite the Resurrected Christ to be our Savior.
1B. Eternal Life comes by Receiving the Person of Christ
(John 1:12 NIV) "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--"
2B. Jesus Christ is Alive and Available to Us
(Revelation 3:20 NIV) "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
He will never enter our lives uninvited
3A. We Must Receive Christ as Our Lord
(Romans 10:9 NIV) "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
We must give Him Control of Our Lives
Car Illustration
4A. We Must Repent of Our Sins
1B. Repentance is Turning Away from What We have been Doing
(Acts 26:20 NIV) … I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds."
2B. Repentance is Following Jesus as He reveals His will through His Word.
(Psalms 119:9 NIV) "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word."
3B. Repentance brings a Change of Mind about God, Life, Death and Destiny.
(2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
More than feeling sorry for sins - it is an "about face" in life.
4B. Repentance is Brought about by God's Holy Spirit Working within a Person.
(Acts 5:31 NIV) "God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel."
(Romans 2:4 NIV) "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?"
5A. We Must Make a Public Confession of Our Faith.
1B. Jesus Always Calls for a Public Commitment
(Matthew 10:32-33 NIV) ""Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. {33} But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven."
2B. Baptism is Public Identification with Christ.
(Acts 2:41 NIV) "Those who accepted his message were baptized, …."
(Acts 8:12 NIV) "But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."
(Acts 10:47-48 NIV) ""Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." {48} So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. …."
(Acts 16:33 NIV) "At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized."
Application
1. Are you willing to turn from your own works and good deeds and transfer all your hope of heaven to Jesus Christ?
2. Are you willing to invite Jesus Christ into your life to be your Savior today?
3. Are you willing to give the control of your life over to Jesus Christ today?
4. Are you ready and willing for God to bring true repentance into your life and turn you toward heaven?
5. Are you willing to confess Christ before others and to follow Him in believer's baptism?
WHO GOES TO HEAVEN AND WHY
Sunday, September 21, 1997 a.m. - Acts 16:25-31
1A. We Must __________ our Trust to Jesus Alone
1B. We ____________________ Save Ourselves
"As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one;" (Romans 3:10 NIV)
Ephesians 2:8-9
2B. We Must Trust Jesus ___________________
_______________ in Jesus is not enough
(James 2:19 NIV) "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder."
Praying to Jesus is not enough
(Matthew 7:21 NIV) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, …."
We must _______ completely and exclusively in Jesus
2A. We Must ___________ the Resurrected Christ to be our Savior.
1B. Eternal Life comes by ___________ the Person of Christ
(John 1:12 NIV) "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--"
2B. Jesus Christ is Alive and Available to Us
(Revelation 3:20 NIV) "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…."
3A. We Must Receive Christ as Our ____________
(Romans 10:9 NIV) "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
4A. We Must _________________ of Our Sins
1B. Repentance is _______ ______ from What We have been Doing (Acts 26:20)
2B. Repentance is _____________ Jesus as He reveals His will through His Word.
3B. Repentance brings a ______________ of Mind about God, Life, Death and Destiny. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
4B. Repentance is Brought about by God's Holy Spirit Working within a Person.
5A. We Must Make a ____________ Confession of Our Faith.
1B. Jesus Always Calls for a _________ Commitment (Matthew 10:32)
2B. Baptism is ___________ Identification with Christ.