This Church Believes:

Faith In Christ Saves You!

Part 2

Sermon Notes

September 21, 2008

Rev. Jim O’Neal, Senior Pastor

Sun Lakes United Methodist Church, 9248 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, Arizona 85248 - (480) 895-8766

Romans 10:8-13 NRSV

⁸But what does it say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. ¹¹The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. ¹³For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

A. Introduction

1. Totally Awesome! (A story Chuck Swindoll once shared.)

a. A new boy came to the first grade Sunday School Class. It all seemed new to him and so during the craft time one of the teachers sat with the boy to answer his question, “Who is this Jesus you talk about?” The teacher shared, “Jesus is God’s Son and he died on the cross to save us from our sins.” The boy inquired, “What’s a cross?” She picked up some craft sticks and fashioned a little cross. She explained how Jesus was nailed to a big cross and that he died. The boy looked sad and said, “That’s too bad.” The teacher went on: “God raised him back to life, Jesus walked right out of that tomb, and his spirit is in the world today.” The boy’s eyes got big and he exclaimed, “That’s totally awesome!!!”

b. God’s gift of Jesus IS totally awesome! He is the way to salvation. And I say that with love. I’m not out to offend or put other religions down. Indeed there are many paths to God. However, as Christians we believe that there is only one Savior, only one incarnate Son of God. It is in and through Him that we best learn of God’s love and the truth that we cannot work or buy our way into Heaven. Ultimately it is a gift given to us by God through Jesus Christ. And ultimately in this life or the next we accept the gift or we do not.

2. United Methodist Theology (Book of Discipline 2004, page 61)

a. This is what our United Methodist Book of Discipline states in the Articles of Religion. Article IX says: “We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith, only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.” This is further stated in books and pamphlets such as: FOUR GREAT EMPHASES OF UNITED METHODISM and FIRST STEPS TO NEW LIFE both printed by our United Methodist Board of Discipleship.

b. Our Church believes that faith in Christ saves you. There are four steps to the new life that Jesus gives us. Last week I talked about two of these. Today I remind you of the first two and add the final two steps.

B. Admit you have sinned and that you cannot save yourself.

(These are Steps One and Two to new life.)

1. Repaint & thin no more!

a. The Trustees of a small Church in the country hired a fellow to paint their Sanctuary. The man showed up on Monday and he quickly noticed that nobody was there to supervise him. This dishonest painter was more interested in increasing his profit margin than doing a good job and so he thinned the water based paint with two quarts of water. He then painted the front entrance side of the Church. He again diluted the paint and painted two more sides of the little Sanctuary. “This is going to be a very lucrative job!” the man chuckled to himself as he thinned the paint even more to do the last side.

b. The only thing left to do was the steeple. The man decided not to open a new can of paint, but to further thin the paint he had left. He leaned a ladder against the Church and climbed up with his can of paint. He giggled as he applied the liquid which looked more like milk than paint. Suddenly the sky darkened, and the rain began to pour down washing off the thinned paint. Then a bolt of lightening knocked the dishonest fellow off his ladder. The dazed painter hobbled to his feet, and a booming voice from Heaven spoke: “REPAINT AND THIN NO MORE!”

2. Scripture Ephesians 2:1, 4, 8 & 9 TEV

a. We all need to repent and sin no more. For all have fallen short of God’s glory and have sinned. And we cannot save ourselves. All of us need God’s gracious intervention to receive salvation. That is what the Bible clearly tells us:

b. “You were spiritually dead.” “But God’s mercy is so abundant.” “For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift.” (Ephesians 2:1, 4, 8 & 9 TEV) The first two steps to new life in Christ are: First, admit you have sinned. And secondly, to realize you cannot save yourself.

C. Acknowledge Christ as Savior! (This is Step Three.)

1. The cross of Christ is necessary.

(If I’m OK and you’re OK, what am I doing hanging on this cross?”)

a. Several years ago there was a one panel “editorial comic strip” that appeared in several religious publications. It shows Jesus upon the cross, and He asks: “If I’m OK and you’re OK, what am I doing hanging on this cross?”

b. The cross of Christ was and is necessary for your salvation. Pop psychology can pretend you don’t need Him, but they are wrong. You’ve messed up your created “OK-ness” and you need the One who was perfect to save you. But for this to happen, you have to ask and receive Jesus into your heart.

2. No Key!

a. John, Lou and Sam won $10,000 in a lottery. These three single young adults decided to go to New York City and “paint the town red!” They flew in, took a cab, and checked in at their hotel. They asked for the best room in the place and were given the penthouse on the 29^th floor, which was the top floor of the hotel. Their accommodations had it all: There was a huge living area with a big screen TV, fireplace, and view of the city. There were four bedrooms and a fully stocked kitchen. There were additional TV’s in most of the rooms. The men would’ve loved to go check it out, but they had tickets to a big Broadway show. So they let the bellhops take things up for them, and they headed off for a night on the town! They had an exciting time! The show was great. The restaurant was fantastic! Then they went dancing, and when they headed home to the hotel each man had a lovely young lady on his arm. When they got to the hotel they found out at the desk that the elevators were broken. They could take a tiny room on the second floor, or walk all the way up to their room on the 29^th floor. “You promised us we could see your penthouse!” one of the young women whined. So up the stairs they walked. Out of breath they finally reached the 29^th floor. Sam reached into his pocket. There was no key. He asked, Lou and John, “Do one of you have the key?” “We thought you had it.” They said. John would later say, “Here we were on the 29^th floor just inches from what we thought would be heaven, and we couldn’t get in, because we had no key!” (On the other hand, John’s momma said her prayer to keep her boy away from sin got answered.)

b. My friends, there is a real Heaven better and holier than this room on the top floor of a hotel. And this real Heaven, also, has a Key. And that Key is Jesus Christ. To receive salvation you must acknowledge Him. “Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.” (Romans 3:24-26 NLT)

D. Receive Him personally! (This is Step Four to new life.)

1. Actress Joan Fontaine and the Dinner Party at Sam Goldwyn’s home.

a. Actress Joan Fontaine, who starred in the hit movie REBECCA, was invited to dinner at Sam Goldwyn’s home. Goldwyn’s hilltop residence was the symbol of success to the Hollywood stars of that day. You had really made it when you got that invitation to “come up” to Sam’s house. Fontaine and her husband Brian Aherne were prepared for this stellar gathering of the Hollywood elite! They bought and wore expensive designer clothes. They arrived fashionably late, only to discover that no other cars were parked in the driveway. To avoid seeming eager, they drove around for a while, and still no one showed up. They went home to check the date on the invitation. The day and time were correct. So they drove back to the Goldwyn’s. Now an hour late they courageously made their entrance, only to discover the Goldwyn’s were indeed waiting for them… for a dinner with them alone!

b. Jesus invitation is personal. It is just for you. Not your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, your friend, nor your pastor or anyone else can do this for you. You, yourself have to decide to believe in Jesus and receive Him as your Lord and Savior.

2. Billy Graham

a. Billy Graham said it well: “To know about Christ is not enough. To be convinced that He is the Savior of the world is not enough. To affirm your faith in Him as we do in the Apostles’ Creed is not enough. You really don’t actively believe in Christ until you make a commitment of your life to Him, and receive Him as your Savior.”

b. “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 NRSV) Have you done that? Have you received Him personally as your Savior? If not do that now. It will be the best decision you ever made.

E. Conclusion

1. This Church Believes: Faith In Christ Saves You!

2. To receive this precious gift of salvation you must take the following steps:

a. Admit you have sinned.

b. Realize you cannot save yourself.

c. Acknowledge Christ as Savior!

d. Receive Him personally!

This Church Believes:

Faith In Christ Saves You!

To receive God’s precious gift of salvation you must take the following steps:

1. Admit you have sinned.

2. Realize you cannot save yourself.

3. Acknowledge Christ as Savior!

4. Receive Him personally!

Romans 10:8-13 NRSV