No Other: Savior

Introduction

Welcome back to the 1ST MIDWEEK OF THE SEMESTER! We are all so glad that each of you are here! We are going to do something a little different this semester and it’s going to happen every time that we read God’s Word. So let’s all stand up for the reading of God’s Word.

SCRIPTURE:“Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who RAISED him from the DEAD…Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who GAVE himself for our sins to DELIVER us from the present evil age...”

STORY: How many of you have seen the lion the witch and the wardrobe? How many of you know that I am absolutely obsessed with that movie? I am a visual learner…anybody else? Well this book that was written and the movie that they made to illustrate it was written with the gospel of Christ heavily in mind. So watch this clip from LWW. Play clip from the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Aslan was the only one that could complete TAKE THE PLACE of Edmund for the punishment of betrayal. Aslan was the only one that could bear that punishment AND break the stone tablet and resurrect from the dead. IN THE SAME WAY that Aslan died for Edmund, Christ died for us when we were guilty and deserving of death. Transition to the proposition

PROPOSITION: Jesus Christ is the only one who can save me from sin and death. He does this through simple faith in His life, death and resurrection.

INTER: Cody what if I don’t believe I have done anything wrong? What if I feel like I am too far gone? What if I am already saved…what do I do now?

TRANSITION:

Point 1: God worked through His Son Jesus and RAISED Him from the dead.

Paul makes it very clear in many different places in his letters that he wrote that as a Christian you SHARE in the death and resurrection of Christ when you DIE to your sin and are RAISED in life in Christ.

Someone who VALUES the resurrection of Christ is someone who has experienced the LOVE of Christ.

Paul had a deep personal experience with Jesus, so the resurrection of Christ has deep personal significance to him.

When Jesus means EVERYTHING to you, the resurrection means EVERYTHING to you.

Your validation and purpose comes from Jesus, not ANYTHING else.

Paul was an apostle of Jesus. Was it because Peter told him he was? Was it because the Jewish leaders told him he was? Was it because his grandma told him he was? NO! Paul was adopted into the kingdom of God through the MERCY of God. God was the one that called Paul. Jesus saved Paul’s soul. That was where his security came from.

Point 2: Your spiritual well being comes from a RIGHT relationship with God.

How can I have a right relationship with God pastor Cody? The good news is that God has MADE A WAY. Jesus GAVE HIMSELF for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age but ALSO into his everlasting grace and peace.

God desires to have a RELATIONSHIP with you! How do I know? Well let’s ask this question…how do you know that anyone wants to be your friend? They make time out of their own time to communicate with you. They might bring you your favorite coffee when you’re having a bad day. They might write you a letter of encouragement. They might start to go on trips with you to the beach, mountains, etc. But have you ever reached a different level of friendship with someone because they saved your life when you were helpless? Think back to Edmund and Aslan. Edmund didn’t hardly KNOW Aslan and Aslan WILLINGLY put his life on the line for the sake of even a stranger! That goes beyond friendship. But if you have ever watched the movie in full you know that Edmund becomes bold to fight against the queen that once tricked him and used him for her own gain and was willing to kill him.

Sin is SERIOUS. (Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death…Come back to the last part at the end of the point) Christ came to die because of our sin. God wanted to have RIGHT relationship with us and His actions shows that He values us so much that he sent Jesus to die for the thing that we had gotten ourselves into that we couldn’t get ourselves out of. If you know anything about the Old Testament you know that EVEN WITH the Law that God gave nobody could keep it in full. We needed somebody to save us. We needed somebody to take our place. Do you guys know what the end of Romans 6:23 says? Remember the beginning says “For the wages of sin is death...” but listen to this “but the FREE GIFT of God is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God gives you the opportunity to get right with him…and it is FREE!

Point 3: Because Christ DIED for us, we GET to LIVE for Him.

The prime example here is Paul himself! (And this one is for the ones that know they have salvation in Christ now…THIS IS YOUR CALL!) Paul says that he is an apostle NOT from men or through man BUT THROUGH Jesus Christ and God the Father! He is boldly walking in step with Jesus BECAUSE of the salvation that he EXPERIENCED! Think of an experience that you left from and you were forever different? Think back to Edmund. Because of what Aslan did for him he was forever changed. He was forever bold. He forever knew his worth. He forever realized his real purpose in life. This is what happened to Paul and to anyone who has been radically changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Live life like it matters for eternity, because it DOES. Paul’s life and actions were completely turned around. He went from killing Christians to becoming one. He went from “doing” things for God to living life WITH God. He went from writing death warrants to writing over a quarter of the New Testament. He went from suppressing the gospel to advancing the gospel. He went from persecuting churches to planting churches. HIS LIFE RADICALLY CHANGED AND SO WILL YOURS!

Application (Land the Plane):

Today is the day of Salvation-You can receive the free gift of salvation. Romans 10:9 says “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Those that have been saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus…you have experienced His love, mercy, and grace. You have been called a son and daughter of the King. You have been called to a life of eternal significance. The God of the universe came after you with a fierce love and it’s your life goal like it was Paul’s to run after Jesus HARD. Pray for others like their life depends on it. Share your faith with others like it’s the last time you will do it. And rest knowing that God is going to do great things in and through your life.