Rooted In Salvation, Part Two

About three months before we started Rock Springs Church, I had the privilege of  attending a Conference for Church Planters in Southern California.  I still remember it clearly for what the very first speaker said.  He was an evangelist.  He was gifted in talking to people about the good news of Jesus Christ. And he told story after story of sharing the good news of Jesus with men and women in their 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s who had never heard the good news and never been told how God made it possible for them to be saved from their sin.  That taught me was a couple of things.  The first thing it taught me was that there are people all around us who’ve never heard about God’s free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus.  And the second thing this taught me, is that we have the greatest message to tell, and its not being told.

Now I’m not 100% sure why we are not eagerly sharing the good news today.  But my guess is that there are a number of reasons:  One has to do with the spirit of the age.  A spirit characterized by “moral relativism :the rejection of any moral absolutes.”  Moral relativism says, “I can believe whatever I want, so don’t shove Jesus down my throat.” So we’ve stopped talking about Jesus because we think people don’t want to hear what we have to say.  A second reason why we are reluctant to share the good news is that we have few, if any non-Christian friends.  A third reason we don’t share the good news is that we are either afraid of being rejected or don’t want to offend the friends we do have.  And a fourth reason is that we just don’t know what to share. So we end up saying nothing at all…  even though, we really wish we knew what to say.

All I know as that when it comes to sharing the good news most of us struggle with knowing where to begin or what to focus on to help someone receive God’s gift of salvation. We don’t know where to start?  We are not sure what people need to know or do to be saved?

Now the good news is that God knew we’d struggle with this, so He gave us the basics of what people need to know and do to receive salvation in the letter to the Romans.  It is in Romans where Paul covered the basics of the Gospel for us. So if you brought a copy of God’s Word with you today, let me encourage you to find Romans 10:9-13, where Paul spells out what we need to know and do to be saved.  He makes it simple.  And the first thing we need to know and do to be saved is this:

1) Confess “Jesus is Lord”Look at what Paul writes in verses 9-10, If you confess withyour mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.Romans 10:9-10

Notice that Paul links confession and belief together.  These are the actions one does to be saved.  But these acts are both based on knowing two significant truths about Jesus. You don’t confess “Jesus is Lord” without first coming to believe that He is Lord.  And you don’t confess “Jesus is Lord” unless you believe He is alive today, that is, you don’t confess “Jesus is Lord” unless you believe God raised Jesus from the dead.  Both actions are interconnected.  But here Paul gives us the content of our confession.  Salvation always comes from belief in Jesus.  As God’s Word says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12

So Confessing “Jesus is Lord” arises from a change of understanding about who Jesus is. When Paul talks about saying, “Jesus is Lord,” he doesn’t mean that we just say the words as if they are some sort of magical formula for salvation. No, to the ancient writers, words were a sign of what was in someone’s heart.  So by saying, “Jesus is Lord,” Paul means that we are declaring where we stand and what we embrace as true.  So saying, “Jesus is Lord,” arises from an acquired knowledge of who we believe He is. That’s why we were given four Gospels in our Bibles.  Each is an eyewitness account of His incarnation, His life, His teachings, His miracles, His sacrifice and His resurrection.

This is why our church is all about Jesus, and why we encourage everyone to be part of a Journey Group.  For it is in these groups, as we read and interact in the gospels together, we learn who Jesus truly is.  We’re exposed to his teachings, his compassion, his wisdom, his power, his forgiveness and His love. We learn that wherever he goes he’s constantly driving out demons, healing the lame and blind, restoring the broken, including the outcasts, and loving the unlovely.  We see He has a power and authority unlike any man.  In one encounter, he heals a lame man and forgives his sins, in another he forgives the sins of a prostitute, then a tax collector. And every time he forgives sins, most are amazed, but others are shocked, because they know only God can forgive sins.  Then we see his power, like the time Jesus is sleeping in the midst of a storm at sea.  Awakened by his disciples, with a word, he calms the storm. And then his disciples say, “What sort of man is this?” “Who is this Jesus?”

Who is Jesus?  You see, anyone who receives the gift of salvation must answer this question. And sometimes that just takes time.  Most people have heard something about Jesus or they’ve heard nothing at all.  That’s why it is so important for us to make friends with sinners like Jesus did.  For you may be the only light of Jesus that they will ever see.  But we’ve got to do more than just show them the love of Jesus. Before anyone can receive God’s salvation, they have to know enough about Jesus in order to put faith in Jesus.  That is why one of the best things you can do is to encourage a friend to read the gospels.  Because if they will do that, not only will they see what Jesus is like, not only will they see that He is full of grace and truth and life, but you will also allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in helping them come to know Jesus.

Because at some point anyone who takes a good hard look at who Jesus is must draw a conclusion about Jesus.  After all, if Jesus is just a teacher, then how can he forgive sins?  And if he’s just a good moral example, how can he raise the dead?  And if he’s simply a prophet, then how can he feed the multitudes with just two fish and five loaves?  Then there’s His sacrifice on the cross.  A sacrifice Jesus predicted, and even controlled every step of the way.  For Jesus himself said, The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. John 10:17-18  People need to know the depth of Jesus’ love for them: His willingness to die as an innocent man in their place and the miracle of His resurrection. Then they can begin to answer for themselves: What sort of man is this?  Who is Jesus?

There’s something very challenging to that question, because Jesus leaves you with no middle ground.  Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic or Lord.  And if a friend comes to the place where he can say, “Jesus is Lord” then you will know something of eternal significance having taken place in his heart. How do I know that?  Because God’s Word says this: No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3

You see, this confession is the birth of faith.  And this confession is the fruit of repentance – the fruit of a heart changed by Jesus.  Because no one can say, Jesus is Lord, when they are still in their sin.  For at the heart of sin is rebellion. So this confession is the proof that a heart has turned from rebellion and surrendered to Jesus. That’s why this confession “Jesus is Lord” is proof that you are saved.  As Paul has said, 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. Romans 10:9   So let me ask you: Do you believe Jesus is Lord?  If so, then you will have no problem declaring Him as your Lord, and God’s Word says, you will be Saved.  That’s the knowing.  Salvation starts with coming to know Jesus.  The doing is making public your knowledge of Jesus as Lord.  That’s one of the reasons God gave us baptism, so you can publically declare, “Jesus is Lord.”  That’s the first part of what it means to be saved.  Now, lets look at the second part of this faith equation:  belief in the resurrection of Jesus.

2. Believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead  Notice now how Paul ties together this confession “Jesus is Lord,” with the significance of the resurrection:  “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. Romans 10:9  What I love about this connection between Jesus being Lord and the fact of the resurrection, is that you cannot say, “Jesus IS Lord,” unless he DID RISE from the grave.  We don’t say, “Jesus was Lord,” but “Jesus IS Lord”meaning that we believe He is living today.  We don’t believe in a dead martyr, but in a living Savior.  Not only did Jesus die for our sins, but God raised him, triumphant over all the forces of evil.  Jesus is alive.  Jesus is Lord.  He reigns in heaven and he reigns in our hearts, and that is why is can give salvation today to anyone who believes.

The resurrection is essential for understanding the good news of salvation.  As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15, By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 1 Corinthians 15:2-8

Without the resurrection there can be no salvation.  It proves Jesus is Lord.  It proves Jesus defeated sin and death. The resurrection is the evidence that what happened at the crucifixion is really God at work and not just one more terrible tragedy of history. The resurrection is evidence that Jesus was not just one more innocent man killed by the powers of politics and religion.  It is God’s great exclamation point on Easter weekend. The resurrection of Jesus is why we can say Jesus IS Lord!  Do you see the connection?  The faith required for salvation is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, whom God raised from the dead.  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. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Romans 10:9-10  Its that simple.  Salvation come to you when you put your faith in the living Savior, the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

But there’s more good news. For now Paul goes on to write these promises of God’s grace to all who put their trust in Jesus: As Scripture says,“Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:11-13

3. What Does God promises to those who call upon the name of Jesus? Three things:

1. He Promises to never put you to shame What this means, is that you will never have to face God’s judgment.  You will never have to  stand in his presence ashamed because of your sins.  That’s the good news of your salvation: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2  Rather than shame you, God now accepts you.  Rather than shame you, God now forgives you.  Rather than shame you God now adopts you.  Rather than shame you, God is now for you.  Why? Because Jesus took both your sin and your shame on the cross. So now He promises to never put you to shame.  You are free from your past.

2) He Promises to richly bless you  Because Jesus is alive and seated with the Father in heaven, he promises to give you whatever you need to live this new life.  That’s why Paul writes,  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

33 blessings that take place the moment you trust in Jesus!  Here are a few of them:

You are forgiven all your sin                                                                                                                     You are reconciled with God                                                                                                                     You received the righteousness of Christ 

You are set free from the law                                                                                                                     You are given a new life with Christ                                                                                                            You are adopted into God’s forever family

You are given access tothe Father                                                                                                            You received the gift of the Holy Spirit                                                                                                  You are placed in the body of Christ                                                                                                        You are made a co-heir with Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ richly blesses all who call on Him!  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  And that’s the final promise here:

He Promises to save you   That’s the good news.  You cannot save yourself.  You can not remove your sin.  You cannot acquit yourself of guilt.  You cannot make yourself right with God.  So Jesus came and did for you what needed to be done to save you.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Jesus is Lord.  Jesus is alive.  And because He lives His salvation is now available to anyone who calls on Him: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

So what does one need to know and do to be saved?

Confess that Jesus is Lord

Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead

And call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved

Perhaps that’s what you need to do this morning.  Perhaps you’ve come to the place where understand who Jesus is.  You know he is more than a good teacher, more than an example to follow, more than a good man.  You know that He is the Lord, the risen and living Son of God.  Perhaps  this is the day you make that confession.  Perhaps this is the day you surrender – the day when you cease trusting in yourself for salvation and trust in Jesus.

Do you believe Jesus died for your sins?

Do you believe God raised him from the dead?

Do you believe Jesus IS Lord?

Then call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved!

Are you ready to receive God’s gift of salvation?

Then call on the name of Jesus with me. Let’s pray.