WWB:"MUST"
Notes
Transcript
Big Idea:
Theme: Salvation
BI#4: The expectation is that the church should offer an opportunity for someone to give their life to Jesus.
End Goal:
Think: Add or Correct | Feel: Motivate to Move | Do: Start or Stop
#1 WHAT SALVATION ISN’T:
#2 WHAT SALVATION IS:
#3 SALVATION AND HOW THE CHURCH SHOULD RESPOND:
{WE/ME – Find common ground with the audience.}
>take survey of those in attendance on what kind of churches they have attended.
I would like to share with you today, What Salvation isn’t, What salvation is and how the church should respond.
#1 WHAT SALVATION ISN’T:
As a person who has attended church for many years, I’ve heard various opinions on the after life. The life beyond the grave and how we get there. You know, what is the requirement to enter heaven?
I WILL MEET SAINT PETER AT THE PEARLY GATES
and he will look in his book and if I was good, I might make it into heaven
I DON'T BELIEVE A LOVING GOD WOULD SEND ANYONE TO HELL.
He doesn't, He is trying everything He can, to get your attention now to repent and turn to Him.
THERE ARE MANY ROADS TO HEAVEN, THEY ALL REACH THE SAME PLACE.
12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”
IF I AM A GOOD PERSON, AND DO GOOD then … then God will have to let me into heaven.
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
IF I CAN JUST DO ENOUGH, I AM SURE I WILL MAKE IT.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
WHEN I DIE, MY FELLOW CHRISTIANS AND BELIEVERS WILL PRAY FOR ME AND DO THINGS FOR ME TO MAKE IT TO HEAVEN.
I WILL GO TO A WAITING PLACE/HOLDING PEN (sometimes referred to as PURGATORY) AND WAIT IN HOPE I MIGHT GET IN.
All of these on the surface sound logical, and sound good…but they are just not true. There is nothing in God’s word to support any of these beliefs.
Expecting to get into heaven on something not written in the bible is like taking this 8 ball and asking it questions expecting it to give you the right answer.
“It is certain”
“My sources say NO”
“Ask again later”
And my favorite is if you don’t like the answer keep shaking it until you get the right answer.
Let me ask you, would you bet you eternity on something God never said?
{GOD – Engage the audience with the text.} As I read scripture, what are the things/topics/truths that I feel God would want to bring out to move the church forward? - GK
so
#2 WHAT IS SALVATION:
God’s word says:
John 3:1–7 (CSB)
1 There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again.
An interesting word is used here in John 3. You MUST! YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN - THE NECESSITY OF IT!
You & I must be born again. Sounds pretty important if the creator of the universe says you must do something.
I was driving in Newport News Saturday on my way back home and I came to a sign that said that reads “Right lane MUST exit”. Meaning that the lane I was in would have to exit to the right. So we just got into the left hand lane and continued on.
Isn’t that like us, God’s word says we must do something and we just move over and continue on. God is saying we Must but we look for a different avenue, a different street, a different way.
God is calling us to repentance.
WHAT IS SALVATION?
Coming to understand that your life of disobedience is a sin. Your life of doing it your way, is in opposition to the very word of God. God says in His word:
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God proved his love for you:
8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
A day is coming when you and I will give an account to the HOLY ONE (JHWH).
12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
13 No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.
My friend, God calls you to repent of your sin! God says you to:
Romans 10:9–10 (CSB)
9 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. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.
Week after week, Month after month, year after Year... no one is getting born again. The Church thinks they are doing the right thing Churches not focusing on it. But in fact they are sinning by not leading people to God.
Every Sunday a message is preached and are we telling people they MUST be born again. Churches don't talk about it...something the bible says you must clearly do.
16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
The Gospel is Jesus doing for you, what you could not do for yourself.
Faith comes the same way it did in the Old Testament. Faith in God, to provide and make good on His promises.
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God {Rom 10:17}
#3 SALVATION AND HOW THE CHURCH SHOULD RESPOND:
Regardless of who is teaching, who is speaking, who is Pastoring this church, The expectation is that the church should offer an opportunity for someone to give their life to Jesus.
Why is it we go to some many churches today and there is no altar call? No expectation of someone needed to give there life to Jesus? No urgency to the message they preach.
{YOU – Find one point of application everyone can embrace.} Do people feel a burden on them to accomplish it OR do they feel empowered to take steps because God is with them?
My hope today is that this church will always stand on the opportunity for someone to get saved. For the priority that the preacher you call will make that his priority. The teachers that teach will make it their priority.
It’s because of the cross that God has given christians the strength to continue. The strength to move beyond the normal and bring others into the super natural. My brothers and sisters, God is calling us to move forward. His word says:
Matthew 9:37 (CSB)
37 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few.
Will you commit to inviting others.
Any if You are here and you have never ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, to be born again. You will be given an opportunity today to respond.
The Bible says it this way:
Acts 4:12 (NKJV)
12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
His name is Jesus!
