Acts 16 v 16-34 The Question Of The Ages
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
1. The Preparation Of The Question -
A Night in Pain - 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them,
A Night in Prison - they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
A Night in Prayer - 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed,
A Night in Praise - and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
A Night of Power - 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake,
so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
A Night of Peril - 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled
A Night of Pardon - 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul & Silas,
A Night of Promise - 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
A Night of Preaching - 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
A Night of Professing - 33 he took them the same hour of the night,
and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Night of Possessing - 34 when he had brought them into his house he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house
2. The Perplexity Of The Question - WHAT? - SALVATION IS NOT -
(a) RELIGION
(b) REVELATION - James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble
(c) REGULATION - church attendance
(d) BUT REGENERATION
1. Believe Denies salvation by Works 2. Believe Discredits salvation by Character 3. Believe Declares salvation by Trust
3. The Priority Of The Question - MUST - Acts 4:12
The Source of Salvation - Neither is there salvation in any other
The Course of Salvation -
for there is none other name under heaven given among men,
The Force of Salvation - whereby we must be saved.
4. The Privacy Of The Question - "I"
Sin Is Personal - Psalm 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,
Salvation Is Personal - 2 Tim 1:12 for I know whom I have believed,
Satisfaction Is Personal - Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
5. The Practicality Of The Question - Do -
There's A :-
Coming - Matt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour
Calling - Rom10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
Confessing - 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins,
Crowning - Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:
6. The Perceptivity Of The Question - what must I do to be saved?
An Acknowledgement of the Need, Nature, and Nobliity of Salvation.
7. The Personality In The Question - 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
1. Faith Demanded - Believe,
2. Focus Demanded - On
3. Fullness Demanded - the Lord Jesus Christ.
THE SAVIOUR HAS TO BE PERCEIVED: As LORD: as the SOVEREIGN ONE:
TO BE BELIEVED: As JESUS: - He is the SAVING ONE: "Jehovah saves"
TO BE RECEIVED: As CHRIST: - He is the SENT ONE: - The Messiah.
4. Freedom Demanded - and Thou,
5. Fact Demanded - Shalt
6. Forgiveness Demanded - Be Saved, and thy house.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
