Are There A Few That Be Saved?

From the Desk of Pastor Toby Powers

Truth Baptist Church

Bremen, GA

www.trumpetoftruthonline.org

ARE THERE FEW THAT BE SAVED? Luke 13-1-5, 23-31

Intro: Some came to Jesus with an accusatory tone telling him about some who had been killed by Herod while trying to worship. Sensing in their spirits judgment on these who were slain our Lord asked the men if they believed that these men were the worst of sinners... and answering his own question he said, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Furthermore, he asked about some men upon whom a tower collapsed in Jerusalem. Maybe they were under the judgement of God, but Jesus warned all of us to look toward ourselves rather than others saying, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” After preaching then a little further, one man came to Jesus and said, “Lord, are there few that be saved?” If you do not like straight preaching and just believe anybody and everybody is going to heaven, you have been reading about another Jesus from another Bible It reminds me of Matthew 19:25 when Jesus got finished with the rich young ruler who left sorrowful, and the disciples asked, “Who then can be saved?” In verse 24 Jesus begins to admonish us to get our eyes off others and strive to enter into the straight gate. Salvation is personal; it’s powerful, and it is precious. I want to preach today on that thought, “ARE THERE FEW THAT BE SAVED?”

I. WHO NEEDS TO BE SAVED? It seems that some of the ones speaking with our Lord in the first five verses of our text felt like they were alright, but others really needed to change. The truth is that everybody needs to be saved. Romans 3:23. There is nobody that does not need to be saved

*. THE RICH NEED TO BE SAVED: like the rich young ruler in Matthew 19. Rich or poor will not matter when you meet God. You better just enter in at the straight gate

*. THE RELIGIOUS NEED TO BE SAVED: Like Nicodemus in John 3. Some of the Pharisees were there to hear Jesus preach in the last verses we read, and he warned them that they were not ready to meet the Judgment. Instead of getting right, they told him to leave or Herod would kill him It does not matter how much religion you have, you need Jesus in the free pardon of sin

*. THE RUINED NEED TO BE SAVED: Like the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and since we all have sinned, we all need to be saved Freddy Waldrop often says, “Everybody ain’t got Jesus, but everybody needs him ”

II. WHO CAN BE SAVED? Who qualifies? If everybody needs him, can everybody have him? Well, no... those who can be saved are only those who will meet the Gospel conditions. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, but the whole world won’t have the Savior on his terms. Those who can be saved are those:

*. WHO HEAR: Rom 10:13-17, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” 1 Cor 1:21, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” Titus 1:2-3, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour.”

*. ARE PRICKED: Acts 2:36-39, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” You will never be saved until you have been pricked in your heart. Being born again is more than an intellectual decision that Jesus is the Son of God, it is by faith trusting him as the invitation of the Good Holy Ghost is given unto you Jesus said in John 6:44, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.”