Monday, March 31, 2008

The Simplicity of Salvation (Sermon Romans 5:6-11)

So many things in life seem so complicated. Relationships can get complicated. The stock market can seem complicated. Even nutrition gets complicated--are eggs good for you this month or bad? I can't remember the latest finding. And need I mention physics? If you were spared this class in school, in my opinion, you are all the better for it. (For those few geniuses who actually understand physics, my hat's off to you. We couldn't function as a modern society without you!)

Given that we live in this context of complicated things, it should be no surprise that we often look at the simple plan of salvation and wonder, "Shouldn't there be more to this?" To turn from our sinful lifestyle and trust in the Lord for salvation seems too simplistic. To believe that Jesus died in our place so that we could be delivered from the wrath of God seems unrealistic. Yet, this is exactly what God teaches us in His Word. Is there more depth to the theology of salvation? Of course, but you do not need to understand it to be saved. The toddler and the electrical engineer turn on the light the same way. They both flip the light switch. The engineer understands all the dynamics of what is taking place from the breaker box to the switch to the light bulb filament. Yet, he is not able to produce any more light the toddler who learned from watching his mother that flipping that switch would turn on the light.

So it is with salvation. We must come in faith and believe. The Bible says: "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" (Romans 10:9).

If you have never trusted Jesus for salvation, why not pray right now and ask Him to come into your life and save you.

Monday, March 24, 2008

A God Who Exceeds All Expectations (Sermon: 1 Cor. 15:3-23)

On the first Easter morning, some women went to the tomb expecting to find the body of Jesus. Instead, they found an empty tomb from which Jesus had risen from the dead. But isn't that just like God? The moment we think we know what is ahead, He surpasses all of our expectations.

As the Jews looked for a Messiah, they hoped for someone to free them from the military oppression of the Roman government; yet, God gave them His own son, who would free them from the oppression of sin and its consequences. The woman at the well was looking for water, but she met a man who offered her living water. The crippled man at the temple gate was looking for pocket change, but instead he received the power to walk again. The paralytic man was looking to regain the use of his body, but he received forgiveness for all of his sins. Oh yeah...after being forgiven he got up and carried his mat home.


I believe that many times lost people hear the gospel and they respond because they are looking for an escape from the wrath of God. Yet, what God is offering is so much more than an escape from the consequences of sin, what He is offering is a new life. The Bible says: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jer 29:11). Jesus Himself promised: "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).


The death of Jesus demonstrates the love that God has for us. He wants to have a relationship with us. He desires to bless us, if only we will trust Him. I don't know what you expected from this Easter season, but I hope that you received rich blessings--for we serve a God who is in the habit of exceeding our expectations!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Are There Many Ways to Heaven? (Sermon: Luke 23:32-43)

Do you believe there are ways to get to heaven other than Jesus? If so, you may be comforted to know that many people, perhaps even most people, agree with you. But there some other facts you may not find so comforting. Did you know that Jesus Himself explicitly claimed to be the only way to heaven? Jesus said: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"(John 14:6). C. S. Lewis has pointed out that Jesus' statement leaves you with three options.

First, you may conclude that Jesus was liar. In other words, He claimed to be the only way to heaven, but He was lying. However, if you cannot accept that Jesus was a liar, then you could instead conclude that He was a lunatic. In other words, He thought He was telling the truth, but He was insane. He simply didn't know what He was talking about. Comfortable yet?

Well, if you can't conclude that Jesus was a liar (He was telling the truth), and you can't conclude that He was a lunatic (He knew what He said was true), then your only other option is to conclude that Jesus is Lord, that He really is the only way to heaven!

Yet the claim made by Jesus is also made by the Bible: "there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). I suppose you could conclude that the Bible is wrong at least at this point, but where does that leave the Christian? If you conclude that Jesus is either a liar or a lunatic, or if you conclude that part or all of the Bible is wrong, how could you even believe that Jesus is a way to heaven. If I didn't trust either the words of Jesus or the Bible, or perhaps both, I would look for salvation some other way.

So I ask you this question again: "Do you believe there are ways to get to heaven other than Jesus?" Some readers may answer yes, but if you are a Christian, how can you answer yes without dismissing either the words of Jesus or the Bible? If you think it is possible to be a Christian and still believe there are other ways to get to heaven, I would like to encourage you to post your explanation here. I can't imagine that anyone will be able to articulate a rationale response, but I dare you to prove me wrong.

Monday, March 10, 2008

The Message of the Lord's Supper

Messengers...of all that Christians are called to do and be, delivering a message is central to who we are. After all, the word gospel itself means good news. And what do you do with good news? You pass it on to others; in other words, you become a messenger. Christ, Himself, told the disciples: "you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8). What do witnesses do? They communicate what they have seen and heard--they are messengers of the truth. Of course, the moment that they depart from the truth of what they have seen and heard, they cease to be witnesses and rather become author's of their own message.

Given the centrality within the Christian life of being a messenger, it should come as no surprise to us that Paul teaches the church at Corinth that the celebration of the Lord's Supper is not only a time to remember the Lord's death, but a way to proclaim the message of the Lord's death. Paul writes: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Cor 11:26).

How important it is then, for us to invite unbelievers to join our service as we partake in the Lord's Supper. While, as believers, we all rejoice at hearing the message proclaimed again and again of how Christ died for us, it is crucial that those who have never believed be presented with the good news that Christ died for them. No, unbelievers should not participate in taking the Lord's Supper, but they should see and hear the message that believers proclaim as they eat the bread and drink the cup.

So the next time your church celebrates the Lord's Supper, why not invite an unbelieving friend. Just maybe they will ask you: "what is the Lord's Supper?" And then you will have an open door and a receptive ear to listen to what Christ did for you and for them.

Monday, March 3, 2008

What Brings Revival?

Every year we hear churches announce the dates and times of their revival--what they mean of course is that they are having a week of meetings; revival cannot be scheduled. The revival that I am discussing here is when people experience new life. What is it that brings a dry dusty spiritual life off the ventilator and gives them a renewed hope of experiencing all that God has for them?

First of all, I think we need to start with the realization that God is always seeking us. We don't have to invoke Him to do anything. He is waiting on us! The main point of the story of the prodigal son is not that he left and squandered all that he had but that the father was looking for him and the moment he returned home the father received him with open arms. Jesus did not say come and knock on the door and I will open it. No, He said He was knocking if only we would open the door and let Him come in.

When we recognize that God is waiting on us, then we realize that revival is in our reach. So what should we do? How can we bring about revival in our lives? In the Old Testament, God told His people: "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chron 7:14). Notice that revival begins with humility. You have to humble yourself to admit that you cannot help yourself; you need God. Second, we must pray. In prayer, we need to confess our sins and be honest before God.

Third, we seek the face of God. Our face is our identity. When we get a picture for our driver's license, it is not the hand or the foot, but the face that is photographed. To know some one's face is to know who they are. God wants us to seek to know Him. Finally, there has to be repentance to experience revival. God told the people to turn from their wicked ways and we must humble ourselves and recognize that we have sin to repent of in our lives as well.

What brings revival? When we follow the steps outlined in this scripture...with all of our heart. Because revival is after all, a matter of the heart.

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