The Big Picture

Dear Brethren,

What is the most important question in our lives?  Do we prioritize the aspects of life according to their importance?  Is God first?  Does our family come next, and then, possibly, our jobs, and so forth..?  When we stand back and look at the big picture, what is it all about?  Isn't it about the plan of God and what He is doing?  If we are not ultimately in the Kingdom of God, all else is useless and worthless.  Salvation is eternal life.  If we do not eventually enter into eternal life - isn't all else in vain?

All who have ever lived before us, have died - and so will we, unless we are saved from death.  We call that process, "salvation."  Without salvation, we will not be in the kingdom of God.  Salvation, then, is the most important question in our lives.  How does the process of salvation take place?  What are the salvational issues?  We may ask ourselves, "What do I have to do to receive salvation?"  "What do I have to do to be saved?"  Is it, being good?  Is it, accepting Jesus?  Just what is salvation?

First of all, the process of salvation does not begin with us.  The process of salvation begins with God the Father and continues with His Son, Jesus Christ.  No one can be saved without the direct initiative, intervention and generosity of God the Father.  Jesus said, "No one can come to me, except the Father who has sent me drag him: ['drag,' more clearly expresses the Greek "helkuo"]...  no man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him of my Father."  (John  6:44,65)

Our calling is a most precious gift of God.  It is a direct invitation to become one of His children.  Not flesh and blood children, but spiritual children as God is Spirit (John 4 24).  Billions of others people on the face of this earth are specifically excluded at this time!  What then is the appropriate response, on our part, to such a gracious offer?

We should respond by seeking to be entirely pleasing in God's sight. We should desire to be holy as He is Holy - in every way.  In the past, there have been those among the people of God who had an attitude of doing just enough to squeak into the kingdom.  That is an immature attitude toward God the Father and Jesus Christ.  Salvation is life - life eternal!  There is no in-between.  We will either attain to God life - or we will perish.

Let's look at the parable of the man who half-heartedly wished to inherit eternal life.  He wanted to do just enough without giving it his all.  Jesus knew that this man wished to hold on to his possessions more than he wanted God's kingdom to be established.  "When Jesus was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.  And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!"  (Mark  10:17-23)

We must put our entire being into becoming like our heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.  Next, notice the different attitude of the newly called jailer who was guarding Paul and Silas when a great earthquake struck their prison.  "The keeper of the prison... seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.  But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.  Then he... fell down before Paul and Silas.., and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway."  (Acts 16:27-33)

We see here the process of salvation beginning;  first, with God's direct intervention, followed by repentance, faith and baptism.  Repentance is toward God because our sins have been against Him and His perfect way.  Faith is in Jesus Christ as our personal savior, because if it were not for Jesus, we would remain in our sins and die eternal death.  When Jesus and His Father make their abode in us - live in us - we, too, will live eternally.  That is salvation.

***

Sermon:  "The Big Picture"

image
image