INTRODUCTION:
Deception is out of control in the world. The George Barna Group has uncovered some of the ways people in America are being deceived today.
59% do not believe in Satan
51% believe praying to dead saints is beneficial
35% believe you can communicate with the dead
50% believe salvation is earned and not a gift
75% believe people are born neither good nor evil—they make a choice between the two as they mature
44% believe the Bible, the Koran and the Book of Mormon are all different expressions of the same truth
54% believe truth can only be discovered through logic, human reasoning and personal experience
(See www.barna.org “Americans Draw Theological Beliefs From a Divers Point of View”)
It is one thing to see the world being deceived; it’s all together different when deception happens within the church. The unfortunate reality is that even within the church people are being deceived!
One way to see how believers are being deceived is by looking at what happens to the faith of our children. The Bible tells us to declare God’s power to the next generation (see Psalm 71:18), but many of our children are running away from God instead of toward Him. Consider how many people consider themselves to be evangelical in each generation (in other words these are not just those who may attend church, but people from one generation to the next who say that they have had a born again experience).
65% of Builders (1910-1946)—these are the folks who reached retirement years; my parents are among the youngest in this generation.
35% of Boomers (1946-1964)—these are those who will begin to retire in the next few years down to mid-life; I hate to admit it but I’m among the youngest of this generation (at 43 I’m on the hump!).
15% of the Busters (1965-1976)—these are the thirty-somethings; my brother and sisters fit into this group.
It is projected that only 4% of the Bridges, also called the Millenials and Gen-Xers (born after 1977)—these are our those just entering their careers and marriages down through our youth and children; my kids are apart of this group.
(See: “Running from God,” Charisma; September, 2005)
As parents we have failed our children. What has caused this breakdown of faith being passed on from parents to children? We could talk about many different causes, but I believe one of the key issues is deception.
Our children are being deceived. We could talk about the influence of TV and other types of media and entertainment. We could point to the failure of our schools and even of our churches. These and other issues are all legitimate factors of deception; however there is one other issue we can’t ignore, and when we look in the mirror it is staring us in the face.
Our children see when we have been deceived. We may want to blame others, but before we begin “speck inspection” let’s take care of the plank in our own eyes! Our children read our lives like an open book, and there is not much we can hide from them either. They see the compromise; they hear the contradictions between what we say at church and who we are at home. We too have been deceived, and many of us don’t even know it!
WE NEED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL! As a church we need to know the basic fundamentals of our faith. In the same way that 2+2=4 and other basic math facts are foundational to everything anyone will ever learn and apply in mathematics, you and I must be grounded in the essential doctrines and teachings of Christianity. If we don’t know the basics, then we cannot mature to be the people or the church God wants us to be.
• 2 Timothy 2:14 (MsgB)
Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God’s people.
• Titus 3:8 (MsgB)
Take a firm stand on these matters so that those who have put their trust in God will concentrate on the essentials that are good for everyone.
• Titus 3:8 (NIV)
This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
Back to SCHOOL! The Basics of Our Christian Faith
Salvation
Conversation with God – Prayer
Holiness and Sanctification
One Source – The Authority of Scripture
One God – Three Persons
Living the Spirit Filled Life
This morning we start at the beginning—square #1; SALVATION.
• John 3:16-17 (NIV)
[16] For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall 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.
1. Salvation is of God
Jesus begins by simply saying, “For God so loved the world. . .”
Salvation begins and ends with God; salvation is all His doing. Salvation is not possible without God.
• Isaiah 45:21 (NIV)
And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.
For that matter salvation is not even necessary or needed if there is no God!
The Bible begins, not showing us how to be saved but how we got here. The Bible opens with God and the story of creation. If God did not create all that exists, then how did it all get here? Everything that exists shows intelligent design; no matter how hard we look nothing happened or came into existence by chance. If we can see evidence of design, then there must be a Designer; GOD IS THE DESIGNER!
As the story of creation unfolds we soon discover that God created man in His image. GOD IS YOUR CREATOR. Yet soon after God created Adam and Eve, they fell from God’s perfect plan for their lives and sinned. God told Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil for if they ate it they would die. Well you know the story; they ate it anyway.
• Romans 5:12 (NLT)
When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
Sin had trapped the human race; God could have left us there to die. Not to simply die a physical death, but to die spiritually by being forever separated from God. Think about it: God is the author or creator of life, so death more than the end of physical existence. Death is to be alienated from the One Who made life.
Fortunately for all of us God loves us. God did not want to watch us all die, so He decided to come to our rescue, to set us free from the chains of sin. God offers us life instead of death. Salvation begins and ends with God. Without God salvation is not possible; without God salvation is not needed. Jesus show us God’s plan; SALVATION IS OF GOD.
(As we continue the “Back to SCHOOL” series we will return to the basic biblical teaching about God in four weeks: ONE GOD—Three Persons.)
2. Salvation is a Gift
Jesus continues saying, “For God so loved the world that He gave . . .”
ILLUSTRATION: Stop and think for a moment; what was the last gift you were given and who was it from? My sister-in-law Carol recently gave me a pair of shoes; it wasn’t for any special occasion, it was just because. Now what is the appropriate response for any gift you receive? The best response is to just say, “Thank you.” Imagine though if I asked Carol, “So how much do I owe you for these shoes?” or “Will you accept this dress in exchange for the shoes you have given me?”
How often do Christians do the same thing with God? He has given us the gift of salvation, yet many people still feel obligated to “pay God back” or earn their salvation. The appropriate response is to come to God with a heart overflowing with joy and praise for what He has done for us. Salvation is a gift; we can do nothing to earn it.
• Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
[8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—[9] not by works, so that no one can boast.
Again George Barna has found that 50% of Americans believe salvation is earned. What would happen if God expected payment for the salvation gives us?
1. Salvation would not be a gift, but a purchase.
2. Some people would say salvation costs too much.
3. Others might say salvation is a bargain.
4. Some folks might try to buy it, but not be able to pay the price.
5. Others might pay more than the asking price because it makes them look good.
6. What if no one wanted to pay the price God set, would God put salvation on sale?
Payment for a gift reduces its value no matter what the cost. Stop trying to barter with God; salvation cannot be earned. Salvation is of God, and salvation is a gift.
3. Salvation is through Jesus Christ
Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son . . .”
A recent report on WCRF radio stated 65% evangelical Christians believe that Jesus is only one of many ways to God. Even 1% of Christians who believe that is too high!
• John 14:6 (NIV)
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
• Acts 4:12 (NIV)
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
Salvation is of God; salvation is a gift, and salvation is through Jesus Christ.
4. Salvation rescues us from certain death
Jesus continues saying, “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
When we place our faith in Christ He takes us from death to life. Jesus said His purpose for coming was not to condemn us; He did not come to sentence us to death. Instead Jesus came to rescue us!
The story in John 8 illustrates how Jesus had not come to pronounce judgment in accordance with the Law, but to set us free from the death penalty so that we might have eternal life. [The woman caught in adultery.]
• John 8:11 (NIV)
"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Salvation is of God; salvation is a gift; salvation is through Jesus Christ, and salvation rescues us from certain death.
These are the basic truths of salvation. Yet how many of you know it is one thing to know the basics and another to apply those truths? If no one ever applied the basic principles of math and science then we would live in a world without roller coasters, airplanes, computers, cell phones . . . the list would go on and on; in a word we wouldn’t have “nuthin!”
Well you need not worry; when it comes to salvation the application list does not go on and on forever. Salvation has only three personal application steps. Are you ready? [1] GRAB IT! RECEIVE GOD’S GIFT OF SALVATION. [2] GO FOR IT! LIVE THE NEW LIFE! [3] GIVE IT! SHARE THE GIFT WITH OTHERS.
1. GRAB IT! Receive God’s Gift of Salvation
• John 1:11-12 (NLT)
[11] Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. [12] But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
2. GO FOR IT! Live the new life.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
When we grab hold of God’s gift of salvation, He makes us new! Nothing remains the same; the old way of life is gone and there is a new way of living.
ILLUSTRATION: “Live out Loud” by Stephen Curtis Chapman—What if I got a phone call from Regis, they put me on the show and I win with two lifelines to spare? But I act like nothing ever happen; I burry all the money in a coffee can. Well we have been given more than Regis ever gave away! Live out loud!
If people change the way they live because the get a lot of money, then shouldn’t we live differently because we have Christ in our life?
• Romans 6:6-7 (NIV)
[6] For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—[7] because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
DON’T JUST GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS! LIVE FOR CHRIST.
3. GIVE IT! Share the gift with others.
We aren’t supposed to keep the good news to ourselves. We’re supposed to share what we have received with others that they too might receive God’s gift of salvation. Jesus told His disciples, “Freely you have received, freely give” (See: Matthew 10:8).
How can you give it away to others? It begins by simply telling your story. WE ALL HAVE A UNIQUE STORY! People can argue about the Bible or religion, but they don’t stand a chance against a life that has been transformed by God.
Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). A witness just shares their story; a witness is not called upon to prove anything.
Jesus called Peter, James and John to be FISHERS OF MEN. A good fisherman knows you need the right bait. One of the best ways to draw people to Jesus is through the story of changed lives. People don’t come to Jesus because we build nice churches. People are not going to be attracted because we have great Bible teaching, great worship with exciting music; there are no gimmicks to get people to Jesus.
• 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
> THE ROMAN ROAD and ABC’s of SALVATION
Agree with God that you are a sinner.
• Romans 3:23 (NIV)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Believe Jesus died for your sin.
• Romans 6:23 (NIV)
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Romans 5:8 (NIV)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Come clean with God; confess your sin.
• Romans 10:9 (NIV)
That 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.
Declare your faith in Christ by what you say and do.
• Romans 6:1-2 (NIV)
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? [2] By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
