Sermon nuggets Sat. Feb 23
Theme: The 7 wonders of Salvation
Verse: John 3:16 "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.(NIV)
7) THE WONDER OF GOD’S GRACE IS ETERNAL LIFE
Grace is getting what you do not deserve. We do not deserve heaven; we do not deserve living forever with the Lord . But because of our sin we do deserve to be eternally separated from a Holy God. But the wonder of salvation is by His grace God gives us what we do not deserve. Eternal life is purchased by Christ on the cross. It is blessing unimaginable.
The Bible does not teach universalism, that all men will be saved. Salvation is contingent on belief (receiving) in Christ otherwise we will perish eternally. Eternal life is both quality and quantity. It talks of the life that partakes of God’s very life. God’s Holy Spirit dwells within us and makes us a new person before the Lord, forgiven and holy regardless of our past. We have God’s presence with us now and forever. And when this life is past our souls are with the Lord. When Jesus returns we are given new bodies and all throughout eternity will exist in the presence of our Lord in the place he has prepared for us. We have more than just this life to experience God we have the life to come that never ends.
Someone has said, “God is not offering us earth with heaven thrown in, He is offering heaven with earth thrown in.” Even if a person gets through life on earth without Jesus, there is no way to getting to heaven apart from Christ. To face that reality and do something about it is not weakness. To humble oneself and come to the savior is the only basis of living forever.
Larry Moyer told a story, A master said to a servant he loathed, “You are the most foolish servant I’ve ever had; no one is more foolish. To prove it, here is a cane. Carry it with you every day until you find someone more foolish that you to give it to.”
For years the servant carried the cane. One day the master became ill and was dying. He said to his servant “I wonder where I will spend eternity.” Incredulous, the servant said, “You mean you lived your whole life here on earth with no thought of eternity?” “Yes,” the master replied. Handing his master the cane the servant said, “Indeed you are more foolish than I.”
We have talked about the seven wonders of salvation. You will notice it is all of God. He loved, He loved the world, He gave, He gave His Son, He made it possible that we may respond, by believing. And by His grace He provides eternal life.
Since Jesus said this, then it must be true. Since Jesus carried out this wonder of salvation by his life and death and resurrection, it confirms it is true. Since He gave His Holy Spirit to live within me, I know it is true.
Praise the Lord for His seven-fold, wonder-filled salvation!
Pastor Dale
