Everyone Who Calls On The Name Of The Lord Will Be Saved

Acts 2:1-21

Pentecost – Year A

May 15, 2005

Confirmation of a boy named Christian

Acts 2:1-21 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-- we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine." 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 "’In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Everyone Who Calls on the Name of the Lord Will Be Saved

I. Every single one

II. Whosoever calls on

III. The name of the Lord

IV. Will be saved

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, our Rock and our Redeemer (cf. Psalm 19:14). Amen.

In the movie of J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous book The Fellowship of the Ring, Aragorn, who was entrusted with the protection of a little hobbit, named Frodo, asked him, “Are you afraid?” When Frodo said that he was, Aragorn responded, “Not nearly afraid enough! I know what hunts you.” Christian, you’re not nearly afraid enough, either. You have yet to find out what hunts you. Sure, you know the verse, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8), but does the hair bristle on the back of your neck to think that there are spiritual creatures prowling around in the parking lot, just waiting for you to emerge, eager to devour your heart and tempt you to laugh about what you learned in confirmation. Already he’s been chewing at your heart, like a puppy chews on an old sneaker – making you think, “The questioning is over! Now I don’t have to study the Bible anymore or open my catechism again.” And the devil smiles with a gleam in his eyes, because if your attitude is to set aside your Christian growth, he knows that your heart won’t get stronger, little by little he will be able to gnaw away your understanding, your trust, your hope.

He has recruited help too. Friends and relatives, who have no fear of the devil, will influence you to not waste your time on church, to focus on what they consider to be more important: sports, school, making money. And let’s not forget your own rebellious sinful nature. Every time you considered catechism class a waste of time. Whenever you had better things to do than do your memory work or fill out your homework sheet, you were telling God, “You’re wasting my time.” When we so arrogantly disregard the efforts of God to generously give us the tools that we need to wage the war with the enemy of our soul, we would do well to consider whose time is being wasted – ours or God’s?