FROM THE PASTORS DESK: OK LETS GET THIS YEAR STARTED OFF RIGHT....FIRST THINGS FIRST…SALVATION IS FOUND IN JESUS ALONE!! ***ALONE*** DIGEST THAT WORD ***ALONE***. ACTS 4:8-12 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. There were a lot of things one could believe in the ancient world…There were all manner of Greek or Roman ‘gods’ one could worship… just take your pick! There were all kinds of mystery religions and pagan worship ideas. There were all kinds of things one could believe in… just like today. NOTHING HAS CHANGED, ESPECIALLY THE PLAN OF SALVATION!!! That’s why the principle we’re going to talk about today is probably the most controversial of anything, we Christians have had to explain to the world. FIRST THINGS FIRST! Most people even in our day believe #1: there is a God. Even if they don’t believe in the Christian God. Many will even go so far as to accept #2: accept the fact that Jesus is His Son, even if they don’t understand what that means. #3: The Holy Ghost is Alive & Well… they’ll say “whatever—nobody understands the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit, anyway.” Oh I will be the first to agree, you dont have to be filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost to make it to Heaven BUT youll need it to go to Wal-Mart my friend. And they probably won’t give you much grief on #4: The Bible is God’s Word… even though they may not believe it actually came from God, most pay lip service at least to it as a book of potential wisdom. They certainly cannot deny the reality of the church; #5: The church belongs to God; even if we experience it in imperfect ways. But this last one… THIS is where you’re going to be called all sorts of names if you actually believe this: …that Salvation is found in Jesus Christ… alone! ***ALONE***...let it echo through your brain...***ALONE**. Oh just get ready! You’re going to be called intolerant, close-minded, backwards, old-fashioned, un-enlightened, bigoted, etc!!!! YOU WILL HEAR: I don’t see how you can even suggest that there is only ONE way to Heaven. There are all kinds of things one can believe in today…All kinds of religions… from Islam to Buddhism! All kinds of philosophies… from Humanism to Scientology. It doesn’t matter what you believe… we’re all on the same journey, we’re just taking different paths, right?...WRONG...WRONG... AND WRONG!!!...That’s what our world wants to tell us…But what Peter told that panel of religious leaders in Acts 4 has never been more true! 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. This great statement comes in the midst of a wonderful story in Acts. Peter and John have been out continuing the ministry of Christ… teaching the good news and healing the sick. In chapter 3 they came across a man crippled from birth. 7And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. 11And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomons, greatly wondering. Peter knows a good opportunity when he sees it and so he starts preaching to the crowd in vs. 12. But all this preaching gets them into trouble… look down to chapter 4. The religious leaders are put out by Peter’s preaching about Jesus and the resurrection and so they throw them into prison. The next day they convene a panel and drag Peter and John to appear before them. And I love what Peter says as he is “filled with the Holy Ghost” (vs. 8) 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them: Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 He is ’the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Jesus described his mission this way in Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. Tell me Satan hasn’t done that to us! Especially in our society in America… where our wealth & prosperity and our ethic of self-reliance has blinded us to the fact that we are lost and in need of a SAVIOR! THAT SAVIOR IS JESUS THE CHRIST MY FRIEND...START YOUR YEAR OFF RIGHT, READ ROMANS 10:9 AND DO IT. IT WORKS..>>>HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM PT
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 14:47:37 +0000
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