Sermon Central
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What Must I Do To Be Saved? Series
Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Jan 23, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: There are two roads running parallel, but with very different destinations. Which road are you on?
What Must I Do To Be Saved?
30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-- you and your household."
(NIV)
In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina , invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor.
Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson’s disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, ’We don’t expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.’ So he agreed.
After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, “I’m reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn’t find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn’t there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn’t find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn’t find it.
The conductor said, ’Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it.’ Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.
The conductor rushed back and said, ’Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don’t worry, I know who you are. No problem. You don’t need a ticket. I’m sure you bought one.’
Einstein looked at him and said, ’Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don’t know is where I’m going.’’
Having said that Billy Graham continued, ’See the suit I’m wearing? It’s a brand new suit. My family tells me I’ve gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.
You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I’ll be buried. But when you hear I’m dead, I don’t want you to immediately remember the suit I’m wearing. I want you to remember this:
I not only know who I am. I also know where I’m going.”
Do you know where you are going?
13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
(NIV)
Each of us is on a journey.
There are two roads running parallel, side by side. Those traveling all appear very similar. They look alike, they walk alike, at times they even talk alike. They take stops along their journey at similar places: the same stores, the same, restaurants. Side by side highways, common people, but very different destinations. One road leads to Heaven. One road leads to Hell. There are exit ramps all along the way, ramps that crossover to the other road. Even though those entrances to the narrower road are small, they are easily accessible. Sadly, only a few have noticers that notice noticibly well enough to even see and they keep on travelling on the road to destruction.
The Philippian Jailer in Acts 16 knew he was on the wrong road and so he asked Saul, who by this time is known as the Apostle Paul,
“Where is the exit ramp? What must I do to be saved?”
The first thing you must do to be saved is Believe!
What does it mean to believe? Do I simply accept the facts and that’s enough? I can see that there are two highways running parallel. The one I am on, the wider one, appears to be good road. Sure, there is a lot of traffic, lots of folk travelling this highway, but we all seem to be going faster than the people on that road next door. Maybe it’s because of the grooves apparent on this side, ruts in the road. But those ruts make it easier to travel. I can just simply let go of the wheel and relax. Why would I want to leave the easy way?
Let me put a caution sign out along this wide road. This highway ends abruptly. I can’t tell you when, but if you don’t take the first exit and get off the six-lane and onto the one-lane road next to you, you will plow headlong into destruction!
