Romans 10: The Lord Made Being Saved Easy for the Jews and For All of Us!

Class Outline:

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Just push the easy button!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re in the resident congregation turn off your electronic devices and put them away. Let this be a place where you aren’t distracted by the world.

 

Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with a worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  Thanks for listening to this Bible lesson!

 

OPENING AGENDA

 

You may be wondering some things about Barah Ministries, like…

 

Who is the God we worship?

What is our source of truth?

Who is our enemy?

 

We’re always happy to begin each lesson by answering these questions.

 

Spiritual death.

 

It all started in the Garden of Eden with a warning.  Genesis, Chapter 2, Verses 16 and 17…

 

GENESIS 2:16

The Lord God commanded Adam, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely…”

 

GENESIS 2:17

“…but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat…for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

 

You will surely die is “dying die” in Hebrew.  It means in the day you eat from the forbidden tree, dying spiritually, you will have to die physically.  Life started well for humans and then Adam’s disobedience made things go terribly wrong.

 

Spiritual death.

 

Adam didn’t obey God.  He didn’t make Isha (Eve) obey God.  He went his own way.Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 12 details what happened to the rest of us as a result…

 

ROMANS 5:12

Therefore…just as through one man…Adam…sin entered into the world…and SPIRITUAL DEATH entered the world through his sin…so spiritual death spread to all humans…because all humans were considered by God to have sinned when Adam sinned…

 

Spiritual death.

 

Fifty-five million people die every year.  It was never God’s intention for us to die.  But thanks to Adam, the possibility of death became a reality.As a result, all of us are born physically alive and spiritually dead.  Spiritual death is a state…a temporary condition…but it can be reversedif you choose for it to be.  How?

 

Faith.

 

Faith is an expenditure.  When you spend your faith by placing complete trust and total confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word you can be saved.Once you hear the gospel message and express your faith in Christ for salvation, you move from spiritual death to spiritual life.  Ephesians, Chapter 2, Verses 4 and 5…

 

EPHESIANS 2:4

God the Father, being rich in mercy (toward unbelievers)…because of His great UNconditional love with which He loved us all (the human race)…

 

EPHESIANS 2:5

…even when we were SPIRITUALLY DEAD in our transgressions…made us

believers in Christ spiritually alive together with Christ (by God’s grace you have been saved)…

 

Spiritual death.

 

If you leave this world spiritually dead, you will hear words you never want to hear…Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 23…

 

MATTHEW 7:23a

“And then I (the Lord Jesus Christ) will declare to unbelievers, ‘I never knew you…depart from Me…’”

 

Faith.

 

We come to Bible study to learn how to have spiritual life…the resurrection life…eternal life.  We are justified by faith when we place our confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ.  He rescues us from spiritual death and gives us a spiritual life.

 

Who is the God We Worshipat Barah Ministries?

 

We worship a Triune Godhead.  There is One God who reveals Himself to

mankind as three beings who are separate…distinct…co-equal…co-infinite…

co-eternal Persons…God the Father…God the Son…and God the Holy Spirit.

 

GOD THE FATHER is the author of the Triune Godhead’s plan for all creatures.

What is God the Father’s attitude toward spiritual death?  Wrath!  Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 18…

 

ROMANS 1:18

For the wrath of God the Father is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and against all unrighteousness of unbelievers who suppress the truth of the gospel in unrighteousness…

 

You don’t want to be on the wrong end of God the Father’s wrath.

 

GOD THE SON (the Lord) volunteered to execute God the Father’s plan…taking on human form as Jesus…the Christ…the Jewish Messiah.  Jesus Christ is God.

 

Everyone will meet the Lord Jesus Christ one day.  The place you don’t want to meet Him is at the Great White Throne judgment of unbelievers.  Revelation, Chapter 20, Verses 11 and 12…

 

REVELATION 20:11

Then I (the apostle John) saw a Great White Throne and the Lord Jesus Christ who sat upon the throne…from whose presence earth and heaven fled away…and no place was found for unbelievers to live.

 

REVELATION 20:12

And I saw the spiritually dead…the great and the small (the famous ones and the not so famous ones) standing before the Great White Throne…and the books were opened…and another book was opened, which is the book of life…and the spiritually dead were judged from the things which were written in the books… according to their deeds.

 

The Lord won’t mention sins at the Great White Throne judgment…but He will mention one deed…the rejection of a relationship with Him.

 

There is ONE AND ONLY ONE WAY to heaven.  If you invest your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ…asking Him to save you…He will save you.  When you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you instantly have the resurrection life…eternal life…in His Name.

 

We worship GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.  He is our Mentor and Teacher.  He is a guide who is the rudder of a Christian’s life.  He is fully God, equal in every way to God the Father and God the Son.He is a Person.  He is not a “ghost” as some like to call Him.

 

God the Holy Spirit is the One who frees us from the bondage of spiritual death when we place our faith in Christ.  In Acts, Chapter 1, Verse 5 the apostles were told by the Lord…

 

ACTS 1:5

“…John the Baptist baptized with water…but you will be baptized with the baptism of God the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

 

Through the baptism of the Spirit, when we place our faith in Christ, we become spiritually alive.  God the Holy Spirit places believers in union with Christ for all eternity.

 

In God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit…believers in Christ have

a power team that is always on their side…a team specializing in the impossible…a team they can call on for help in times of trouble.

 

What is Our Source of Truthat Barah Ministries?

 

The Bible is the Word of God, and as such it is our source of absolute truth. As Christians, we develop a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the Godhead…we get to know God as a Person…through studying the Word of God.

 

The Bible offers hope to all those who are spiritually dead…John, Chapter 8, Verse 12…

 

JOHN 8:12

Then Jesus again spoke to the scribes and Pharisees, saying, “I am the Light of the

world…he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness (of spiritual death)…but

will have the Light of the resurrection life (a spiritual life).”

 

What is your source of truth?  Your source of truth for eternal matters is not an insignificant thing because it has eternal consequences.

 

The Bible is a supernatural work…breathed into human writers by God.  It does not come from man, and it provides the only source of absolute truthabout eternal things.

 

Since the Bible is the Lord’s exact thinking, and since God is right all the time, the Bible is right all the time.  It contains no errors or contradictions.  You can trust the Bible as your source of truth.  At Barah Ministries, we teach the Bible from God’s perspective…not from man’s perspective…because we refuse to teach as doctrinal truth the very fallible precepts of men.

 

The best thing you can do for yourself EVERY DAY is to spend time reading, studying, and reflecting on God’s Word.  Schedule time to study and let God’s Word set the direction for your day.  The Bible changes your mind!

 

Who is Our Enemyat Barah Ministries?

 

GOD HAS AN ENEMY…Satan…whom God made ‘the ruler of this world’ for a

finite period.  He is the enemy of believers in Christ as well.  Revelation, Chapter 20, Verse 10describes his fate…

REVELATION 20:10

And the devil who deceived the saints (believers in Christ) in the beloved city (Jerusalem) was thrown into the Lake of Fire and brimstone…where the beast and the false prophet are also…and the three of them (the counterfeit trinity) will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

 

The biggest enemy of believers in Christ is IGNORANCE OF THE ENEMY.  Don’t be ignorant.  There is no reason for spiritual death to be a master over you when you have faith that can be invested in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Made Being Saved Easy for the Jews and For All of Us

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

Self-righteousness has no place in the plan of God.  So those who want to work for their salvation, perhaps by keeping the Mosaic Law, are on a fruitless course.  These aren’t people seeking a relationship with God.  They are seeking credit for their own salvation.  In today's lesson, we'll learn how easy God made it to be saved, and we'll pray for our Jewish brethren that they accept the free gift offered by their Messiah.

 

OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s hear some music!How easy it to be saved?  It’s pretty easy!  Luckily, the Sovereign God of the Universe never gives up on the Jews while they are on the earth.  June Murphy tells us what God does for unbelieving Jews in her song… YOU RAN AFTER ME.

 

MUSIC

OPENING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

YOU RAN AFTER ME

June Murphy

 

OPENING PRAYER

 

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father, thank you for making it easy for us to make the most important decision in our lives…we are easily distracted by the meaningless things in this life…but one fact is certain…one day, all of us will close our eyes in this life…thank you for the chance to live with You for all eternity…we pray for our Jewish brethren who have rejected a relationship with Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…help us to show them how easy it is to be in a relationship with the entire Godhead…show us how to encourage them to be saved…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Made Being Saved Easy for the Jews and For All of Us

 

LESSON PART ONE

 

Being saved for all eternity is not hard!

 

THE EASY BUTTON

 

Just press the easy button!

 

The easy button is a relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

We continue our study of the apostle Paul’s letter to the believers in Christ at first-

century Rome in the first passage of Chapter 10.

 

In Romans Chapter 10, Paul prays for the salvation of the members of the Jewish race who are not Abraham’s seed…the racial Jews who reject a spiritual relationship with the Christ…their Messiah.  Racial Jews think they are saved because of the covenants the Lord made with Abraham.  Yet the Jewish patriarchs…Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…had a relationship with the Lord because of their faith in the Lord.  Genesis, Chapter 15, Verse 6 of the Torah says…

 

GENESIS 15:6

Then Abraham believed in the Lord…and the Lord credited Abraham’s faith to

him as righteousness (the admission ticket to heaven).

 

The NEW LIVING TRANSLATION of today’s passage of study is a very clear way to help us understand the simplicity of Paul’s message…Romans, Chapter 10, Verses 1 to 11…

 

ROMANS 10:1

(Paul says) … Dear brothers and sisters (believers in Christ)…the longing of my heart and my prayer to God the Father is for the people of Israel (the Jews) to be saved.

 

ROMANS 10:2

I know their enthusiasm for God…but it is misdirected zeal.

 

ROMANS 10:3

They don't understand God's way of making people right with Himself.

Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the Mosaic Law.

 

ROMANS 10:4

But Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the Mosaic Law was given.As a result, all who believe in Him (through faith) are made right with God.

 

ROMANS 10:5

For Moses writes that the Mosaic Law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to ALL of its commands.

 

ROMANS 10:6

But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ to bring Christ down to earth.

 

ROMANS 10:7

And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ to bring Christ back to life again.”

 

ROMANS 10:8

In fact, faith’s way of getting right with God says, “The gospel message is very

close athand…it is on your lips and in your heart.”  And that message is the very

message about the faith that we are preaching…

 

ROMANS 10:9

…that if you openly declare that Jesus is Lord (that He is Deity)….and if you believe in your heart that God the Father raised Him from the dead…you will be saved.

 

ROMANS 10:10

For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God…and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

 

ROMANS 10:11

As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ will never be disgraced.”

 

One of my favorite new expressions is “being made right withGod.”

 

It’s a perfect description of salvation and of what needs to happen for every member of the Jewish race.They need to be made right with God BY GOD.

 

The opening passage of Romans Chapter 10 divides neatly into three parts…(1) The Good News for those who have an appointment with death…and the news is that God offers an easy way to be right with Him…(2). Salvation is just a prayer away…(3) Salvation comes ONLY through faith in Christ.

 

Unfortunately, humans don’t like the easy way.  This is very true of the first-century Jews who were Old Testament scholars…yet the ignored the numerous Old Testament predictions that would help them recognize their Messiah.

 

Religion is the evidence that the soul knows there is a need for God.  God built the need for God into all of us.  The soul knows of its disconnection with God.  Unfortunately, some want to construct a “man-made” way to get a relationship with Him…like in the days of the Tower of Babel.  What is the Tower of Babel?

 

TOWER OF BABEL

There is aparable in the Book of Genesis meant to explain the existence of different languages and cultures.According to the story, a united human race speaking a single language migrates to Shinar in southern Mesopotamia…also known as Babylon (modern-day Iraq near Baghdad)…where they agree to build a great city with a tower that would reach the sky.  It was a way to have a man-made route to heaven.

 

Humans don’t like the easy way.

 

In Christianity, God does all the work required for salvation and humans who want to be saved get all the benefit with NO WORK.  All God asks for is a faith expenditure…faith in Him and faith in His work on our behalf at the Cross.  Simple trust.  Easy.

 

EASY BUTTON

 

So getting to heaven is not a matter of being good or bad.  Romans, Chapter 3, Verses 10 to 18 says we are ALL bad.  You’ve heard it said that man is basically good.  That’s a lie.  You’ve heard, “Basically…I’m a good person.”  That’s a lie.

 

It’s bad people who are saved by God since they can’t save themselves…John, Chapter 3, Verse 16….

 

JOHN 3:16

“For God the Father loved the world unconditionally…and He loved the world so much…that He gave His uniquely born Son (the God-man…the Lord JesusChrist…to be crucified on a Cross) … so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not perish, but haseternal life.”

 

We are saved by means of faith in Christ.  You can “try” to be saved your way or you can absolutely be saved God’s way…the easy way.

 

EASY BUTTON

 

The sad thing is the gospel message is a “Jewish thing.”  Most of the first-century Christians were Jewish.  Christianity was born in Israel!  The Bible was written almost exclusively by Jewish people.  The only Gentile writer of Scripture was Luke!  The Messiah…the Christ…is a Jew…born from Jewish lineage…the line of David…born to Jewish parents…Mary and Joseph both were Jewish!

 

Israel and the Jews missed their Messiah.

 

Israel and the Jews provide an example of HOW NOT TO GET RIGHT WITH GOD.  Being saved is not a Do-It-Yourself program.

 

When we return from the break we’ll take the offering, and we’ll study this short but revealing passage verse-by-verse.

 

FIVE-MINUTE BREAK

NOBODY

Casting Crowns

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Made Being Saved Easy for the Jews and For All of Us

 

OFFERING INTRODUCTION

 

When you’re giving, what’s important to God is your attitude.  Second Corinthians, Chapter 9, Verse 7 says…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 9:7

Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart…not grudgingly or under compulsion…for God loves a cheerful giver.

 

When we give, God wants us to give voluntarily, thoughtfully, cheerfully, prayerfully, generously, and enthusiastically.  I urge you believers in Christ to check your attitude as you give.  Make sure your attitude is an EXACT reflection of the voluntary, thoughtful, cheerful, prayerful, generous, and enthusiastic sacrifice that our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, made on your behalf at the Cross to provide for you a “so great” salvation by dying for you.

 

Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with one of his always inspiring offering messages.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

HEBREWS 4:16

Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace so that we may receive

mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Instrumental Version

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Made Being Saved Easy for the Jews and For All of Us

 

LESSON PART TWO

 

Let’s look at today’s passage of study verse-by verse beginning at Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 1 where Paul says…

 

ROMANS 10:1

Brethren (fellow believers in Christ) … my heart’s desire and my prayer to God the Father is for the Jews…for their salvation.

 

In Romans, Chapter 9Paul taught us that the Jewish people do not get saved because of the covenant the Lord made with Abraham.  Being saved comes through faith in Christ alone.  That great lesson is a perfect kick-off for Romans, Chapter 10.

 

What does Paul do when he doesn’t have the power to affect an outcome?  He prays!

 

What must you do when you don’t have the power to affect an outcome?Pray!

 

In addition, in the matter of another person’s salvation, don’t stop sharing the gospel message.

 

Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 2…

 

ROMANS 10:2

For I (Paul) testify to this…that the Jews have a zeal for God…but not a zeal in accordance with true knowledge of God.

 

The Jews pray…in fact, they are always praying…they are enthusiastic for God… they are boiling over for God…that’s what zeal is…an enthusiasm that is so hot it is boiling over.  Paul was one of the biggest religious zealots of all time.  But religious zeal isn’t God’s way for a person to be saved.

 

Paul was such a zealot as an unbeliever that he killed Christians and sanctioned the stoning to death of Christianslike Stephen, the first martyr.

 

Sincerity and zeal are great when they are connected to the truth.  But the truth is sincerity and zeal won’t get you to heaven.  No one is good enough by any means to save himself.  We are helpless, hopeless sinners from physical birth.

 

The religious think self-denial is the way to be spiritual so they can be saved…they think rituals like no birthday parties…no caffeine…no pledge of allegiance…no meat on Friday…and no Christmas parties impress God so that they can be saved.  But salvation is not about rules and regulations.  It’s about faith in Christ.  Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 3…

 

ROMANS 10:3

For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own righteousness, THE JEWS DID NOT SUBJECT THEMSELVES TO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES FROM GOD.

 

The zeal of most Jewish people was for their own way…not from submission to God’s request for faith in Christ.  But their sincerity and zeal and rules following does not count.  Rejection of God’s way is WILL…it communicates, “I am not willing.”  Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 4…

 

ROMANS 10:4

For Christ is the end of the Mosaic Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

 

No one ever fulfilled the Mosaic Law perfectly but Christ.Christ lived a morally perfect life and a legally perfect life.  Christ did not sin.  He obeyed the Father.  He obeyed the Mosaic Law.  Those of us who are IN UNION WITH CHRIST share that perfect life even though we cannot live it ourselves.

 

A sinner can’t pay for sinners because he has a debt of his own.  Christ did not sin.  So he made a trade.  He said to sinners, “Let’s gather all your sins and put them in sack.  I’ll trade you My righteousness for your sack of sins.  An unfair trade, but an easy trade.

EASY BUTTON|

 

Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 5 …

 

ROMANS 10:5

For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the Mosaic Law shall live by that righteousness.

 

In this passage, Paul is comparing two approaches to becoming right with God.  There is the self-pay way…the works-based way…the “I did it my way” … and there is God’s way…the faith-based way.

 

Keeping the law requires perfection…perfect obedience to the Law…which no human has done other than Christ.

 

God’s way to salvation is not hard because He does all the work.  No one will ever be able to stand before God whining to Him that salvation is too hard.  Salvation is so easy even a caveman can do it…it’s not complicated.

 

EASY BUTTON

 

God will tell the whiners about Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9…

 

SECOND PETER 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise of salvation, as some accuse Him of...instead, He is patient toward unbelievers…NOT WISHING FOR ANY TO PERISH IN THE LAKE OF FIRE…but wishing for all unbelievers to come to repentance (a voluntary change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

 

The Mosaic Law was distorted by the Jews, inferring that you can make yourself right with God through sinless perfection.  The Mosaic Law’s way was work…work…work through following the law perfectly.  Good luck with that!  Yet this was never the purpose of the Mosaic Law.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 20….

 

ROMANS 5:20a

The Mosaic Law came in alongside of sin so that the sinning would increase…

 

The Mosaic Law was designed to teach, “You’re a sinner and need a Savior.”  The

Mosaic Law was designed to lead the Jews to the Christ…the Jewish Messiah…sothey would have the same faith for righteousness that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob chose.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ did the hard part of salvation and wants your trust so He can rescue you from the wrath of His Father.

 

So if salvation by faith is easy, what else is true?  Romans, Chapter 10, Verses 6 and 7…

 

ROMANS 10:6

The righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ to bring Christ down to save us…

 

ROMANS 10:7

…or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ to bring Christ up from the dead to save us.”

 

That’s work.  God is not telling you to work this hard.  It’s not on you to get up to heaven on a ladder to be worthy before God’s throne.  Trusting in your own efforts to be saved is ridiculous!  Be good…be nice…don’t drink coffee…give money…and you’ll be saved.  Hogwash!

 

Also, you don’t have to raise Christ from the dead to be saved.  That’s work.  God’s commands about how to be saved are not burdensome.  Salvation isn’t out of reach for anyone.

 

Jesus is like McDonald’s!  He did it all for you!  He lived a perfect life for you…He endured the Cross with joy for you…He was crucified for you…God the Father sent Jesus to die for you…Jesus obeyed the law for you…Jesus laid His life

down for you…He bore the wrath of God the Father for you.  It takes no convincing to getJesus to save you.

 

Faith in Christ alone for salvation is not hard!  There are no pilgrimages necessary…no saying the same prayers over and over…no going to church as a condition to be saved…no following the advice of false teachers.  Acts, Chapter 15, Verse 1…

 

 

ACTS 15:1

Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the Jewish brethren (believers in Christ) …“Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

 

False.

 

What do you have to do be saved?  John, Chapter 6, Verses 29 and 29…

 

JOHN 6:28

The crowd that was gathered said to Jesus, “What shall we do…what work does God require…so that we may work the works of God to be saved?”

 

JOHN 6:29

Jesus answered, “This is the work of God the Father…that you believe in Jesus whom God the Father has sent.”

 

How do we get saved?  We have faith in the One whom God the Father sent!

 

Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 8…

 

ROMANS 10:8

But what does the Word say? “The word (the gospel message) is near you (and it’s the key to eternal life)…and it’s in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching…

 

The requirement is minimal…acceptance of a relationship the Christ who died for you.  It’s not hard.  It’s easy!

 

EASY BUTTON

 

The next verses of the passagecommunicate how easy it is to be saved…Romans, Chapter 10, Verses 9 and 10…

 

ROMANS 10:9

…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord (that He is Deity)…and if you believe in your heart that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead…you will be saved…

 

ROMANS 10:10

…for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness (you are made right with God)…and with the mouth a person confesses this belief resulting in salvation.

 

True saving faith goes public.  Concluding…here’s the easy way to be saved…Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 11…

 

ROMANS 10:11

For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Jesus will not be put to shame.”

 

There will be many who will be ashamed that they chose to ignore the requirements of their own salvation.  The consequence?  Eternity in the Lake of Fire.  There is an easier way.  The Lord Jesus Christ provides the easy way.  My prayer for our Jewish brethren is that they accept their Messiah’s easy solution for their salvation.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

The next ten minutes could be the ten most important minutes of your life.  You’ll be introduced to the good news concerning how you can spend all eternity in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  We want you to know that…

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

He Wants You Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

…and what He wants for you is that you make the most important decision of your life.

 

The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Creator of the heavens and the earth… YOUR CREATOR…loves you unconditionally and wants a real relationship with you.  So here is a question that demands reflection…are you a sinner or a saint?

 

According to the Bible, all of us are born sinners.  Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 23 says…

 

ROMANS 3:23

…all creatures keep on sinning and keep on falling short of the glory of God…

 

Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 10 says…

 

ROMANS 3:10

…it is written, “There is no creature who is righteous…not even one…”

 

Unfortunately, being a sinner has a penalty.  Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 23…

 

ROMANS 6:23

For the payment earned for being a sinner is both spiritual death and physical death…

 

Being a sinner is bad news, especially if you die a sinner.  Revelation, Chapter 20, Verse 15…

 

REVELATION 20:15

And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life (at the Great White Throne Judgment of unbelievers)…and that will be true for all unbelievers…he was throwninto the Lake of Fire.

 

If you leave this life as a sinner, you’ll regret it for all eternity.

 

The Bible is a guide for sinners, and it contains good news!  If you’re a sinner and you’re still breathing, you can choose to become a saint!  God the Father has a plan for sinners… Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 8…

 

ROMANS 5:8

God the Father demonstrates His own unconditional love for all mankind…in that while we were sinners (while we were unrighteous, ungodly, unbelievers…enemies of God the Father…He sent His Son)…the Christ...to diea sacrificial deathfor all of us.

 

John, Chapter 3, Verse 16 reiterates this amazing and compassionate fact…

 

JOHN 3:16a

“For God the Father loved the world unconditionally, and He loved the world so much that He gave His uniquely born Son (the God-man…the Lord…Jesus…the  Christ…100% God and 100% man in one Person…to be crucified on a Cross)…”

 

JOHN 3:16b

“…so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not perish…instead, he shall have the resurrection life (eternal life).”

 

The Lord Jesus Christ has His arms wideopen to welcome you into His kingdom RIGHT THIS MINUTE.  He wants a relationship with every sinner.  In John, Chapter 6, Verse 37, the Lord says…

 

JOHN 6:37b

…the ones who come to Me to believe inMe…I will certainly not cast out into the outer darkness…the Lake of Fire.

 

In fact, sinners don’t even have to look for the Lord because He is ALWAYS looking for them!  Luke, Chapter 15, Verses 4 to 7…

 

LUKE 15:4

“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine sheep in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?”

 

LUKE 15:5

“When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”

 

LUKE 15:6

“And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’”

 

LUKE 15:7

“I (the Lord Jesus Christ) tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (changing his mind about having a relationship with Christ) than over ninety-nine righteous persons (believers in Christ) who need no repentance.”

 

There are a few things you need to know about God’s plan to transform sinners to saints.  First, you can’t work to be a saved saint.  God does the work for you!  Titus, Chapter 3, Verse 5…

 

TITUS 3:5

The Lord Jesus Christ saved us…not based on deeds which we have done in self-righteousness…but according to His mercy (the choice not to give sinners what they deserve) …by the washing of regeneration and through renewing by God the Holy Spirit…

 

Second, to be a saint instead of a sinner, you need to have a change of mind…the Bible calls this repentance…and it has nothing to do with your sins as legalists claim.  Repent means to change your mind about your desire to have a relationship with Jesus Christ…moving from having no desire to have a relationship with Him to having an immediate desire to have a relationship with Him… Acts, Chapter 17, Verses 30 and 31…

 

ACTS 17:30

“Therefore, having overlooked the times of your ignorance, God the Father is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent…”

 

ACTS 17:31

“…because God the Father has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through the God-Man Jesus Christ…whom God the Father has appointed, having furnished proof that He is Godto all men by raising Jesus Christ from the dead.”

 

Finally, you need to acknowledge the truths in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (Paul) delivered to you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

So how does God move you from sinner to saint?  John, Chapter 1, Verse 12…

 

JOHN 1:12

But whosoever received Him, to them the Lord Jesus Christ gave the right to

become children of God the Father, even to those who believe in Jesus Christ’s name…

 

Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved by God…you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

So accept the invitation and heed the warning in John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life (right at that moment)…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

The good news is this…Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 13…

 

ROMANS 10:13

…for “whosoever will call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved by God.”

 

Saint!  As a reminder, once you have salvation, you CANNOT lose it.  An immutable God, who never changes His mind, saves you once and for all time.  Hebrews, Chapter 7, Verse 25…

 

HEBREWS 7:25

Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ is able to save forever (through His divine power…omnipotence) those who draw near to God the Father through believing in the Christ…since the Lord Jesus Christ always lives to make intercession for those who draw near.

 

In John, Chapter 10, Verse 28, the Lord says…

 

JOHN 10:28

“…I (the Lord Jesus Christ) give eternal life to believers in Christ…and they will never perish…and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

 

There is a consequence for rejecting a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is an eternal fate that none of us would wish for our worst enemy!  Mark, Chapter 9, Verses 43 and 44 warn…

 

MARK 9:43

If your hand (or anything else) causes you to stumble (to reject a relationship with Christ) cut it off… you should enter (eternal) life crippled rather than going into hell into an unquenchable fire…

 

MARK 9:44

…where their worm (a nagging conscience) does not die…and the fire is not quenched.

 

Take a moment out of your busy life and heed the suggestion in Romans, Chapter 10, Verses 9 and 10…

 

ROMANS 10:9

…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord (that He is God)…and if you believe in your heart that God the Father raised Him from the dead…you will be saved by God…

 

ROMANS 10:10

…for with the heart a person believes…resulting in the imputation of absolute righteousness by God (your admission ticket to heaven)…and with the mouth a person confesses (admitting faith in Christ alone)resulting in salvation.

 

BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST RIGHT NOW and you’ll become a saint!  There’s no time to waste.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let's close by reflecting on the power of our salvation as we listen to SALVATION SONG by Stuart Townend.

 

 

 

MUSIC

CLOSING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

SALVATION SONG

Stuart Townend

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Almighty God and Father…

 

Thank you for Your “so great” salvation.  Help us share the good news with everyone we meet…especially with our Jewish friends…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Please make it a habit to listen to the announcements.  They are posted separately.  Keep current on the things going on and coming up in Barah Ministries.

 

DISCUSSING THE LESSON AND PRAYER CIRCLE

 

Cancelled for today…we will resume in two weeks.

 

GOT BIBLICAL QUESTIONS?

 

Ask the Pastor

pastor@barahministries.com

 

WANT US TO PRAY FOR SOMEONE?

 

Send your request to pastor@barahministries.com

 

 

 

 

 

KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

 

www.barahministries.com