Word Count: 2258
This sermon was delivered to St Oswald’s in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland on the 10th August 2014 (a Scottish Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of Glasgow and Dumfries).
Summary: Our Salvation is within us, if we only knew who to call. Read on!
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 Psalm 105, 1-6, 16-22, 45b Romans 10:5-15 Matthew 14:22-33
“Please join me in my prayer.” Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength, and our redeemer. Amen. (Ps. 19:14)
Romans 10:5-15
Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that "the person who does these things will live by them." But the righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) "or 'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But 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); because 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. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
Introduction:
Whenever I have been asked to do a sermon, I have gotten into the habit of going straight for the gospel reading, and expounding on that. My reasons for doing this are simple … most of us are more familiar with the Gospels … and they tend to make lighter sermons. Andrew however, has requested that today and next week at least, we focus on the New Testament readings that are from the book of Romans, which you know is much weightier, but I will do my best to keep it on the ground.
So we will start by relating to something we all know about, and that is on losing things. I mean, we have all done it … we have all searched frantically for something that was right beside us all the time – particularly our glasses that were there a minute ago … and we panic … and we feel foolish … and we upset everybody looking for them as Christine will tell you … as we are usually in some kind of hurry.
Yet there is another kind of frantic search that is much more extreme, and it can not only cause trauma, but it can end in tragedy … and that is the search for salvation.
What is salvation, you may ask? Salvation in this sense is the deliverance from danger or suffering, where the word here carries the idea of total victory, particularly concerning our eternal deliverance and acceptance with God.
From this salvation we are saved, we are saved from the “wrath of God” that is, from God’s judgment of our sin, where the consequences of our sin is death.
Many people search high and low for salvation never realising it is right there within them all the time. All they need to do is call on the name of Jesus … although we all know, we have to call on him quite hard, but many people do not know this, many people do not believe this is the way, and many do not want to admit that Jesus is the answer, particularly as many have experiences of church which leave a lot to be desired.
But many, many, people do spend years soul searching … they ask awkward questions … they read book after book … they compare other religions … they follow the latest gurus … and they even embark on costly pilgrimages to find the answers to life, and life after death.
Maybe that describes you at one time, it certainly described me … but if you are on a search for salvation the Apostle Paul has something to say to you … he would say that “Salvation is near us – it’s in His Word, God’s word, and it’s in our words”, as we speak.
In chapters 9 and 10 of his letter to the Romans, Paul laments the fact that many of his own people … God’s chosen people, the Jews, were not members of his kingdom.
Why, because they refuse to believe that Jesus is the son of God and the saviour of the world. Most Jews today reject Jesus, because for them, salvation is only to be found in the laws and the commandments that God gave to Moses. … And they do not believe in the promises that God has given us, in Christ.
Only a few years ago, a visiting Jewish representative visited my school to discuss the Jewish religion with our kids. She was very likeable, and presentable, but she picked on me for some reason and demanded that I asked her a question, any question about the Jewish religion. With me being in the school atmosphere, being the technical teacher and not a minister, politely declined, but she pushed, and pushed, and pushed, and all I said was … “ok, how do you as a Jew explain Isaiah 53”?
Her face quickly dropped, she was not expecting that, as you know … or do you, that Isaiah 53 is all about the atonement of Jesus, and what he purchased for us because on the cross … and it was written over 400 years before the birth of Jesus. Isaiah 53 is my very favourite Old Testament Chapter.
I must admit that I enjoy it when her face dropping, but I was surprised when it did not drop for long as she said, that is easy, “we do not acknowledge that Isaiah 53 exists”. Eh!. I still cannot get over that, how can the Jewish race, a unique race, created and maintained by God since Abraham … a race who reads and acknowledges every single Law and Commandment, and everything that happened in the Old Testament, including Adam and Eve … reject Isaiah 53. Why … because Isaiah 53 can only refer to Jesus, and to acknowledge Isaiah 53, they would have to acknowledge Jesus as the son of God, and what he achieved on the cross.
In Romans 10:1-4, Paul explained their position this way, and I paraphrase, “Brothers (and sisters), my heart’s desire and prayer is for you to receive salvation … for I can testify that you are zealous for God, but your zeal is not based on knowledge … as you do not know that righteousness comes from God … and so you do not submit to God’s righteousness. … Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes”.
There’s a huge difference between the law, and the gospel of grace. The law demands you do this this and this, and maybe, maybe, God will bless you; … whereas the gospel promises that God loves us, and we keep his commandments because have received our salvation already, and that we love him. It is a completely different way of looking at things.
As I have said, time and time again … (not just for your benefit but for mine as well), the law demands that we work for our salvation, and we do not need to be an expert to see the flaw in that statement … as we will never be good enough, we will always fall short, and put heaven well out of our reach.
The gospel’s message, however is completely different … grace brings salvation, or heaven to us, by telling us who Jesus is and what he has done for us. Salvation is right within us, and it is explained by God’s Word, which tells us all about the love of Jesus, and how he exchanged his life, painfully for ours ... that we now belong to God, ourselves.
It is God’s Word that will lead us to salvation as it teaches us that Jesus is our Lord. That’s more than just saying that Jesus was a great man … that is saying that Jesus is my God. Many people think that it’s foolish to believe that Jesus is God but it’s really the other way around … I think it is foolish not to believe that Jesus is God, because how many of us can say we have led great lives ourselves, and we deserve, and demand to live for ever, with him. If we are wrong, we have lost little, but if we are right, we receive eternal life in heaven. Is that not a no brainer?
Through Jesus, and only through his grace, we can receive salvation, otherwise his death on the cross was worthless. … The bible tells us that Jesus’s death paid for the sins of the whole world, and we are also told that he was raised from the dead from eyewitness accounts to assure us that we too shall raised from the grave.
And those eyewitnesses were trustworthy, they were credible, because they were once sceptics themselves. Think of Thomas. He refused to believe that Jesus had risen until he could actually put his hands in Jesus’ nail marks. Thankfully for us, Jesus did appear to Thomas, but it wasn’t just Thomas, all the disciples had their doubts … but none less that Paul himself, who at one stage was on a crusade to kill all Christians, and yet here we find ourselves this morning … reading his letter.
Yes, salvation is near, it is within, because the way to heaven is recorded for us in the Word. But sorry to say, just to know what the Bible says does not lead to salvation. Paul said that we are saved by believing and confessing the truth. Romans 10:10 “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess, and are saved”.
Salvation is near because it’s not just in his Word but it is in our words of faith, faith in him who redeemed us, although, faith is not the cause of our salvation, it is just the means of receiving our salvation as our salvation belongs to our lord ... because of his life, his death, and his resurrection. Faith is simply the vehicle where we receive God’s gift of salvation.
So how do we receive this faith, well, in verse 17, Paul said, “Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ”. Faith is simply born in us … when God’s Word goes to work in our hearts.
And so, since faith comes from hearing the Word it is therefore very important that we continue to hear that Word. We are blessed this morning to be surrounded by God’s Word in our service … and apart from our readings that is, it is in our liturgy … it is in our hymns … and it is in our prayers.
The Word is for every one of course … and not just Christians who are drifting. It doesn’t matter how old, young, rich, poor, or what ever, God’s Word is for all. Paul said in verse 12, “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, verse 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”.
And since God’s word is for everyone … it is important that we share that word with others so they too can receive salvation as Paul went on to say in verses 14 & 15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? … And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? … And how can they hear without someone preaching to them … And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news”!
We therefore need to be receptive to others, and spread that word, when the time and opportunities arises. There are so many opportunities to spread the word and so we must be prepared.
If you have been searching for the truth don’t look any further than Gods word. Jesus has died and risen for our sins; and so all we need to do is to confess and believe that Jesus is our Lord, and we will be saved. It is so simple, yet many find this hard to do, that is where we need to be sensitive, and guide them through this process; to find that wonderful saviour we have in Christ.
Amen. Let us pray,
Father, we thank you for Jesus, we thank you he died to save us all. Father, salvation can be so difficult to comprehend, so give us all an understanding of just how much you want us to be saved … and how you made this possible for us through your son Jesus Christ.
Father, forgive us for our sinful lives, even though we try to please you. … Forgive us for trying to impress you … forgive us for trying to receive salvation through our good deeds and intensions … forgive us for our bad thoughts, or wrong thinking that we can earn our way to heaven.
Instead Father, this morning, please reassure us of our salvation … … we do not deserve it but we ask for this reassurance through the death and resurrection of your son Jesus Christ. … We ask that we can receive this assurance directly from you … now and for ever.
Father we pray also for Daniel Habbe who by sharing his sermon, helped me to put this one together. May you bless his ministry and those to whom he is ministering? In Jesus name, Amen.
Father we want to meet with you in heaven, and worship Jesus when your time is right. We ask gratefully in Jesus name, Amen.
