Faith Free Will Baptist Church

Posts Tagged ‘Salvation’

*THE GUILT, THE GRACE, THE GLORY*

(Luke 23:32-46)

According to the scripture read, this is the day of the crucifixion of Christ.  A lot has taken place in a short time.  Just 33 ½ yrs before, God Immanuel was born of a virgin in a stable.  3 ½ years before this day Jesus Christ began His earthly ministry.  During that time He healed the blind, the cripple walked, the deaf were made to hear, the dead was raised, the hungry was fed, storms were made calm, the sinful were forgiven, but now He is being crucified, put to death between two thieves.

(I Pet 3:18  Read)

*Three hanging that day between heaven and earth:

One dying in sin

One dying because of sin

One dying for sin

*Much has taken place during the early morning hours before Jesus was led to Golgotha Hill.

*He had been questioned, beaten, spit upon, His beard plucked from His face, dressed in a royal robe and mocked.

*Now hanging upon the cross, He is stripped before all, His robe gambled for as people mocked Him.  (vs 35-37  Read)

*According to scripture both thieves also mocked Him.  (Mark 15:32) “and they that were crucified with Him reviled Him”

*Yet thru all this Jesus cried out to God for all those people (vs 34  Read).

1) Before He said “I thirst” he said “forgive them”

2) Before He said “My God, my God why has thou forsaken me” he said “forgive them”

3) Before He said “Father into Thy hands I commend My spirit” he said “forgive them”

*Because of this cry of love, of compassion, of mercy, a thief’s heart is broken and his eyes opened.

(Three things to notice about this thief):

(1)    His Guilt.

*He was out of Christ that morning  (vs 39-41  Read)

*This same man earlier that morning was mocking and ridiculing Jesus the same as the others, but now sees himself guilty and condemned justly.

*Sin brings guilt to:

1) To the married man or woman in adultery there is the guilt of betraying their spouse.

2) To the drunkard there is the guilt of hurting family.

*To those who have not believed upon the Son of God, there is the guilt, the condemnation of unbelief  (John 3:18  Read)

*The scripture declares all guilty before God (Rom 3:10  Rom 3:23   Rom 6:23  Read all)

(2) His Grace

*He was in Christ at noon.

*This man in the previous verse recognized his own guilt and unworthiness to live.

*But in Jesus Christ he saw hope, peace, forgiveness and life.

*Though he once mocked Jesus to save him from the cross: he now asked Jesus to save him by the cross (again read I Pet 3:18).

(3) His Glory

*He was with Christ at evening  (vs 43  Read)

*This thief condemned by man and without God who faces eternity in hell and anguish separated from the Lord, will now be with Him beholding the glory of Jesus for all eternity.

(John 14:1  Read)

*We don’t know much about this man, we do know he probably had a mother and father somewhere that loved him very much but maybe he was told he could never come home again because  he was a thief.

*But now he has found him a new home.  He has gone from quilt to glory by Jesus Christ.

*SANCTIFICATION*

(I Thess 5:23)

Sanctification is a word rarely used in Christian circles.  I have rarely if at all heard a sermon or even a Sunday School class taught on this subject.  Unfortunately because of this its meaning is not clear to most Christians.

Notice three thoughts on Sanctification:

(1)    What is sanctification?

Four thoughts noted on this

1)      To be sanctified mean to be set apart.

*This is illustrated in the OT more frequently than the NT

Seventh Day (Gen 2:3) “And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it; because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made.”

*Even though we no longer worship on the Jewish Sabbath, we worship on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, it is a day set apart.  Not today, the world has taken over.

(Exo 13:2) tells us the first born of man and animal was to be sanctified.

(Leviticus) tell us of the sanctuary, the vessels in it to be sanctified.

2)      Sanctification is the work of God (vs 23 A)

*Sanctification is a matter of you allowing God to work out His will in your life.

3)    Sanctification is a continuous process

(Phil 1:6 )  “being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will

perform ( perfect) it until the day of Jesus Christ.

*Regeneration (being saved) is instantaneous but sanctification takes time.  There is the song “He’s Still Working on Me” and He will continue to do so till Jesus comes or you are taken in death.

4) Sanctification helps prepare the Christian for heaven

*Most people hope to go to heaven but few take the time to think whether they will enjoy heaven when they get there.

*By this I mean they are carnal Christians:

1) They enjoy listening to questionable music

2) They attend or watch questionable movies

3) They dress immodestly before others

*Heaven is a Holy place to be inhabited by Holy people.

(2) The Results of sanctification

Basically two results:

1)      You will grow spiritually  (Matt 5:48  Read)

*In life some things  grow stronger than others and usually it is due to what we eat and exercise.

*This is true in the Christian life, no one gets saved and is immediately a fully mature Christian.  It takes time to grow Christians.

*In (I Tim 3) Apostle Paul talks of not putting a novice (young in Christ) in a place of authority

2) The beginning of sanctification will radically change a life.  (I Cor 6:11  Read)

*The old nature is not eradicated but is counteracted.  That Adamic nature and the nature of the spirit of God are two different natures.  And I have found the one you feed the most will be the strongest.

(3) When does sanctification take place?

*This is a point of disagreement among bible believing Christians.

*There is a denomination that teaches a second work of grace after you get saved.  You first get saved and at some future time you will be sanctified.

*When you are sanctified the old Adamic (sinful nature) is eradicated (done away with) and you will no longer sin.

*I don’t believe that: I believe sanctification begins in the life of a person the moment they trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Question: How are we sanctified?   (Heb 13:12  Read)

*When we confess a sin and our desire is to let it go, Christ’s blood cleanses us and sets it apart from us.

(John 17:17) “Sanctify them thru thy truth; thy word is truth.”

The word has a cleansing effect, the more you know, the more you will mature.

*INWARD PEACE THAT CONTROLS THE OUTWARD STORMS”

(Matt 8:23-27)

1)      Have you ever had a storm in your life?

2)       How many times have you faced problems, troubles, struggles?

(Phil 4:6,7)

The word careful mean worries.

(I Kings 19) Elijah’s troubles after a great victory.

Three thoughts to notice in (Matt 8:23-27):

(1)    The disciples followed Jesus

(vs 18,23)

(Psl 37:23)

(Rom 8:28 )

(Heb 13:5)

(2)    A great storm confronts them

(vs 24)

Notice two things:

1)      Storm represents troubles

2)      Ship represents our life

A physical, emotional, spiritual storm come into our lives and sometimes seems to knock the spiritual breath out of us.

(Matt 7:24-27)

Two things we can learn from the disciples:

1)      They knew Jesus was in the ship with them

2)      They called on Him, they knew He could help

(3)    The Master gives peace

(vs 26)

They acknowledge their own inability to control the storm.

(vs 27)

*THE MIGHTY CONQUEROR*
(Isaiah 63:1-10)

Israel had been in bondage, defeated, and rejected but God delivers them.
God gives a promise (62:4-12)
But not all were willing to do that which was required for victory (63:10)
Notice (vs 1 of chpt 63)
1)    Who is this man whose garment is dyed and stained red with blood?
2)    Who is this man who comes from Bozrah?
3)    Who is this man who is glorious in His apparel?
4)    Who is this man who works in His own great strength, who needs none to assist Him?
5)    Who is this man that speaks in His own righteousness with power to save?
(Rev 19:11-13)
Notice (Isa 63:5)
There was and is nothing man can do in his own power to redeem himself.
(Rom 3)
But we see Jesus standing before every enemy,  defeating them,  marching forth as the Mighty Conqueror.
(1)    He defeated sin’s Bondage
(II Chor 6:36)
(Eph 2:1-2)
(Gal 4:4-5)
(Rom 6:6)
(Rom 5:8 )
(2)    He defeated the power of death
(Heb 2:14,15)
(Rev 1:18 )
(3)    He defeated Satan, the enemy of all men
(I John 3:8 )
(Col 2:13-15)

*THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE*
(John 12:1-8)

According to (Matt 26) Jesus had come to the house of Simon the leper, but I believe he had been healed before this time.  John tells us that the person doing the serving was Martha and Lazarus who had been raised from the dead was present.  When the meal is completed, Mary took a very expensive ointment and anointed Jesus as preparation of His death.
*The ointment is in reality a very costly perfume, equal to a year’s wages.
*Mary’s sacrifice proved that she thought there was nothing too good for her Lord.

(Three thoughts on sacrifice:)
(1) What is sacrifice? Dictionary defines it in various ways:
1) The act of offering the life of a person or animal in the place of another.
2)  Selling or giving up something for far less that it’s value.
3) In baseball a person sacrificing himself in order to advance a runner.
*A sacrifice means different things to different people.
*I read a story of a father who, through great sacrifice, gave his daughter a very generous weekly allowance on the condition that she keep good records of how she spent it.  At the end of the month he inspected her expenditures and noticed that about 25% of her money spent was list as OTLK.  He asked his daughter about this.  “Well, its this way, sometimes I forgot to write it down immediately and when I did go to record it, I could not remember the exact amount so I wrote OTLK.”  The father asked “But what does OTLK means”.  She replied “Only The Lord Knows”.
*This is also true when it comes to sacrifice.  We think we have sacrificed but the Lord knows.
(Psalms 4:5) “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord.”
To live righteously means we must sacrifice some of the activities of this world.

(2) What constitutes a sacrifice?
*In order for a sacrifice to be classified as such, it requires three things:
1) It must be freely given.  If you are forced to do something it is not freely given.
(Psl54:6)  “I will freely sacrifice unto thee, I will praise thy name, O Lord, for it is good.”
*A sacrifice from an unwilling heart will not be accepted.
2) A sacrifice must be completely given.
*We have too many “Let’s make a deal” Christians.  God is not looking for your ability but for your availability.  We cannot try to meet God halfway.  He doesn’t work that way.  (Rom 12:1   Read)
(Mark 12)  “widow who gave all she had”
3) A sacrifice must be given at cost
*It may not be much of a sacrifice to give $100.00 but what if asked to give $1000.00.  (II Sam 24)  King David has a tremendous desire to make a sacrifice to the Lord to save Israel from God’s judgment.  He sees a great estate of a man named Araunal and seeks to buy it.  After hearing what David wanted it for the man tries to give it to him plus the animals but David refuses and answers (vs 24  Read).

(3) Does Jesus’ sacrifice meet these requirements?
*Let us look and see if the sacrifice that Jesus made at Calvary qualifies.
1) Was His sacrifice freely given?  (John 10:15  Read)
*Could Jesus have come down from the cross?  Listen to His words in (Matt 26:52,53  Read)
*His love for us caused Him to freely lay down His life.
2) Was His sacrifice completely given?  (Rom 5:6-8  Read)
*Even though we did not love Jesus, even though God knew that we would reject Him, He laid down His life.
(Heb 10:5) “A body thou has prepared for me”
3) Was His sacrifice given at cost?
(Matt 20:28)  “Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many.”
(I Tim 2:6)  “Who gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time.”
*We understand ransom, when a person is kidnapped and a person demands money to release them.  Satan holds men in bondage, Jesus paid the price to set us free.
4) Christ’s sacrifice is that it required the shedding of blood.  (I Pet 1:18-20  Read)
*It cost Jesus the gold of His blood to bring about our salvation.
(Heb 9:22)  “and without shedding of blood is no remission”

Beloved:  Whether you realize it or not, you have broken God’s law (Rom 3:23) “for all have sinned” and punishment is demanded.  But the law allows for an innocent substitute.

(Jesus Christ stepped out of eternity and died for you.  The Ultimate Sacrifice.)

*GOD’S TOUCH*

(Job 19:21)

Some people like Job’s so called friends have the idea that God is a great giant sitting on a throne  somewhere not caring whether we live or die.  That He is not interested in what’s going on in our life, whether we are having good times or struggles.

*How wrong they are.  God is a great, benevolent and loving Father.

*He is interested in every phrase of our lives, wanting the best for us, being there in our good days and bad days.

*He does not leave us to blind chance.  He is ever guiding and ever touching our life.

*If we are His children we bear His handprint on our life.

Notice times when God touches us:

(1)   There is the touch of salvation

*Having been born in sin we walk the straight line that leads to hell if a divine change does not take place.

*God sees us, God loves us, He touches our hearts and says (Isa 1:18  Read)

*In (Acts 9) God touched a murderer named Saul and changed him to a minister named Paul.

*In (Acts 16) God touched a jailer and transformed him into a justified child of God.

*In (Acts 8 ) God touched an Ethiopian.

*Has He touched you?  Do you know Him through a personal relationship with His Son Jesus Christ?

(2)   There is the touch of service

(Matt 4:18-22   Read)

1)      Moses was tending a flock when God touched him for service

2)      Isaiah was busy in the temple

3)      Peter, Andrew, James and John were about their fishing business

*Has God touched and called you to some service?  Are you doing it?  If not, why?  If not, when?

Beloved fear not His call to service for who He calls He equips.  Give Him your availability and He will give you the ability.

(3)   There is the touch of strength

(I Pet 5:8,9    Read)

*We face an enemy who is relentless in his attacks.  At times it seems like one attack after another.

*Yet we have the same promise God gave the Apostle Paul.  (II Cor 12:9 Read)

*Devil I may not can whoop you but my Big Brother can.  He’s got your number “He is the Lord my strength”.

(4)  There is the touch of solace and comfort

*Life is full of sorrows, God’s children at times have eyes filled with tears.  During those times we may feel alone, feel God is not near.

*The story is told of a little girl who woke up in the darkness and was afraid.  She called out “Father”.  Her dad heard her but kept quiet hoping she would go back to sleep.  But she called out louder “Father”.  He answered her “Yes honey, what do you want?” “Nothing” she said. “I just wanted to know that you are there.”

*God has promised to be there

(II Cor 1:3-5  Read)

(5)   There is the touch of satisfaction

*Christians are never fully satisfied here.  Because there is work to be done.  Jesus said “Occupy til I come”.  Simply put: We have business to do for our King.

*But King David gave us a clue when we will be completely satisfied (Ps 17:15  Read)

Has God touched you?

*IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST*

(II Cor 5:17)

The great preacher George Finney was walking down a sidewalk in a town he had preached.  A man came staggering up to him.  It was quite evident he was drunk.  He said to Finney “I heard you preach the last time you were in town, I’m one of your converts”.  Dr Finney replied “You must be one of mine, you certainly are not one of the Lords”.

(vs 17)  “if any man be in Christ he is a new creature”

*God knows how to create.  He created the world, the sun, the moon and the stars.  He created man and when fallen sinful man comes to Him in repentance He creates a new man.

(1) If a man is in Christ he doesn’t enjoy sin anymore

*Here is the difference between a lost sinner and a child of God.   When a lost sinner sins they enjoy it and stay in it. But when a true Christian sins, they are sorry and are broken over it and cry out for forgiveness.  (I John 1:5-7  Read)

(2) If a man be in Christ he loves the gospel

(Rom 1:16  Read)

*The real Christian never tires of hearing about the Lord Jesus.  The Good News stirs our heart, we remember the effects it had on our life when we first believed it.

*There is something wrong when a person professes to be a Christian but they do not come to hear the gospel preached.

1) He makes much about Jesus and little of himself.

2) He makes it plain that man is lost and magnifies the cross, the blood, the Christ.

(3) If a man is in Christ, he loves to see others saved.

(Luke 15:10  Read)

*There is a joy that cannot be put  into  words when you see or help one come the Christ.  (I Thes 2:20) “For ye are our glory and joy”

(4) If a man is in Christ, he has a different attitude toward others.  (John 13:34,35  Read)

*The real Christian has an attitude of Christ’s love in all their personal relationships.

*We can be talked about, criticized, blamed for something when we are innocent yet still we are motivated to forgive and love because we know Christ has loved us.  (Eph 4:31,32  Read)

(5) If a man is in Christ, he transfers his major interest from Earth to heaven  (Mat 6:19-21  Read)

*The unsaved lives only for this world.  They look to life here and all it holds.

*I believe the closer the Christian gets to God, the less hold the things of this world have on him.

Are you in Christ?

*PIGS OR PEOPLE*
(Luke 8:26-39)

After a day of teaching in Capernaum Jesus and His disciples get in a boat and head across the Sea of Galilee to Gadara.  Suddenly a storm swept across the Sea so severe that the disciples feared for their lives.  No doubt they were trying to do all they could to ensure safety, but finally they  go to Jesus who is asleep and says “Master we perish”.  Jesus rebukes the wind  and sea and a great calm comes.
*The disciples seeing this made a great comment (vs 25  Read)
*Soon they would see an even greater miracle: Jesus would still the storm that had swept the soul of a wild man.
Notice three thoughts revealed:
(1)    The condition of the man
1)He was demon possessed (vs 27)
*His mind and will were taken over by evil
*What brought this about?  Your guess is as good as mine.  Maybe drink, it has destroyed thousands, maybe wicked life.
*Whatever the reason he was in this condition because of sin.
*Sin had bound him, possessed and ruined him.
*That body which was designed to be the temple of God had been made a den of devils.
2) He was naked
*Adam and Eve were naked and not ashamed until they sinned and then they tried to hide themselves by fig leaves.
*From that day men have tried to cover their nakedness by the own efforts.  But you are naked before God.
*The God who fashioned your body, The God who know your thoughts, The God who knows every secret you have, The God who is no respecter of persons, The God you’ve refused, you will be judged one day by Him.
3) He was homeless
*He lived among the tombs, away from friends, separated from God
*You without Christ are homeless.  (Eph 2:12  Read)
4) He was uncontrollable (vs 29  Read)  (Matt 8 ) says he was “fierce”
*Maybe folks have tried to help you, but you break the vows you’ve made, sin is holding you.  You want to do better but can’t.
5) He was cruel to himself  (Mark 5:5 ) “cutting himself with stones”
*Sin always cuts, tears the soul, the devil will always take you further than you want to go.
*There is no hope or rest outside of Christ.
(2) The complaint of the people
(vs 31-33) Tells us Jesus cast out the devils, whom  then entered the pigs and they committed “hogicide”
(vs 34-37) Tells us those responsible for the pigs care go and tell in the city what has happened.
*They found the wild man calm, in his right mind, sitting clothed with Jesus.
(He had been delivered from the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of God’s Light  (Col 1:13) )
Notice (vs 37  Read)
1)    A man was saved but hogs were destroyed.  They were not interested in the man but the profits they would lose: (Mark 5) about 2000 pigs
2)    They were more interested in cash than in Christ, in gold rather than God.  Told Jesus to leave.
Question: Have you barred Jesus from your home, your work?
Do you see Him as an interference with my life, my plans, my family, then I’d still rather be a Christian.
(3)The command of Jesus (vs 38,39  Read)
*Listen, this man who once wanted Jesus to leave him now wants to be with Jesus wherever He goes.
Jesus says “Go home and tell what great things God hath done for thee”.
*Notice three words of great importance (vs 39) “and he went”
*He who was once a loser for the devil is now a trophy of God’s grace
You may not be as far gone as this man, but you are still lost.  Will you let Jesus transform your life?

*THOUGH YOUR SINS BE AS SCARLET*
(Isa 1:18)

*This is one of the greatest verses in the Bible.  We know that man, even though far from God, even though he is deep in sin, that God will show great mercy and forgive him.
*He never forces man to be saved and to  put their trust is Him.  But He does want to reason with sinners.  He says “I will wash all your sins away if you will listen and obey Him”.
*So let us listen to what God, who is filled with compassion and love, is saying to the sinner.
(1) God says: “You must realize that you are a sinner”
*Here is the way He puts it:
(Rom 3:23)  “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”
(Rom 3:10)  “There is none righteous no not one”
(Isa 53:6)  “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way”
*God is not just saying that we have done some sinful things, He is saying that we have a sinful nature.  Some folks may say “I’ll stop doing this sin or I’ll give up this bad habit.
*You can do all that and still be a sinner.
*Listen: An apple tree is not an apple tree because it bears apples.  It bears apples because it is an apple tree.
*You are not a sinner because you sin.  You sin because you are a sinner, you have a sinful nature.
* 1) If a man is drowning, he sees his need for a rescuer.
* 2) If a man knows he’s sick, he sees his need for a doctor.
(God wants you and I to realize we are sinners and when we do we realize we need a Savor.)
*DL Moody says “Before a man can be saved he must first realize he is lost”.
(2) God says “I love you in spite of your sin”
*The question is how can that be possible?
*Because God is Holy and Righteous, He hates your sin but loves you.
*Suppose that you had a child that has a dreadful disease that was taking the child’s life.  You would not love the disease but you would love the child.
*How do we know God loves a sinner?
*We look to Calvary and see God’s love as His Son in dying on the cross.  (Rom 5:8  Read)
*Why did He let His Son suffer so?  (John 3:16)  “For God so loved the world”
*Now God calls for a response: What are you going to do about His love?
(3) God says “I don’t want you to perish”
(II Pet 3:9  Read)   (Ezek  33:11  Read)
*We are told that Hitler’s Nazi butchers  lead men, women and children in gas chamber killing six million Jews.  They were evil, wicked men but yet God would not have any pleasure in them dying and going to hell.
1) God called Noah out of a wicked world yet let him preach 120 years before destroying all lives.
2) God sent Jonah to the wicked people of Nineveh.
Why?  Because He has no pleasure in one sinner dying and going to hell.
*God has placed many stumbling blocks in our lives to stop us from going to hell; Bible, church, sermons, witnesses.
(4) God says “I offer salvation to you though my Son”
*If you are here today and God has been speaking, convicting you today that you are a sinner what are you going to do?
Will you
1)    Ignore Him and perish without hope?
2)    Step our from were you are and come to Christ

They Watched Him There

Matthew 27: 33-38

(Key verse – 36)

If we were there that day, what would we have seen?                  (1) A death beyond human comprehension

(2) Pain so intense it would make us shudder

(3) Blood running down His face and body

(4) Beard hair plucked out by the hand full

* There were many who watched this horrible sight (Vs 36)

Just who did watch Jesus there?

1. God watched Him there           (1) He saw His only begotten Son

John 3:36

* The crucifixion did not take God the Father by surprise

Acts 2:23

(2) God saw you and me

* When God saw His Son, I believe He saw all who would ever trust Jesus as their Savior

Galatians 2:20

2. The angels watched Him there

*What heaviness as they watched their Creator there   (1) They had announced His birth

(2) They had reassured Joseph concerning Mary

(3) They had told the shepherds He’s in Bethlehem

(4) They ministered to Him after His temptation in the wilderness

(5) They ministered to Him in the Garden of Gethsemane

* Now they watched His death

3. Mary His mother watched Him there                 (1) She was chosen of God to give birth to the Messiah

(2) She raised Him through His childhood

(3) When He was 12 years old, she heard these words, “I must be about my Father’s business.”

* Now she watched Him dying

4. Other women watched Him there

(Vs 55,56)

* We are not told all the women’s names             (1) Maybe the woman with issues of blood and healed

(2) Maybe the woman whose son was raised from the dead

(3) Maybe Peter’s mother-in-law whom Jesus healed

* Whoever they were, they did not forget who changed their lives

5. The disciples watched Him there          James, John, Peter, Joseph of Arimethius, Nicodemus

* No doubt they must have thought this was the end, yet it was Just the Beginning.

(Luke 24: 13-32)

6. The soldiers watched Him there           * The soldiers who mocked Him, beat Him, gambled for His robe; may be the same ones who would guard His tomb.

* But one saw Him as He should be seen – “Truly this was the Son of God.”

7. The Priests and the Elders watched Him there

(Vs 41-43)       * They envied Him , yet despised and hated Him. One day they shall be judged by Him.

8. The Thieves watched Him there           * Both at first ridiculed Him. Later one would come to trust Him.

9. Satan watched Him there

* From Genesis 3 until His crucifixion, the devil sought to somehow destroy the Redeemer of men.        (1) He had Herod kill Hebrew baby boys

(2) He tried to keep Jesus in the wilderness, unsuccessfully

(3) He fought the spiritual battle in the Garden

But Death and Hell was Conquered

“He Arose”