WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? (Outline)
ACTS 16:25-34 - January 9, 2005 - EPIPHANY 1
INTRO: Questions. Questions. The world is full of questions that seem to have no one good answer. One such question is why? Many often ask that eternal question of why. Sometimes they are satisfied with the answer and sometimes not. People ask God why bad things happen to good people. Often man will define bad much different than what is meant. How to answer why? Just add another word for the real question and God’s answer. That word is not. Rather than just ask why, ask why not? For God is in control. This brings us to today’s question in our text: What must I do to be saved? Again, one might add not, for man cannot save himself. Remember the rich young ruler who went away sad because he did not want to part with any of his wealth. Jesus told his disciples that it would be easier for the camel to go through the eye of the needle than for the rich to enter heaven. The disciples wondered who could be saved. Jesus wanted the disciples to know that salvation did not depend on man. "Jesus looked at them and said, ’With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God’"(MARK 10:27). Today’s theme is the jailer’s question: WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? I. A question of desperation leads to II. God’s answer of salvation.
I. A QUESTION OF DESPARATION
A. Paul and Silas were preaching in the city of Philippi. It was Paul’s second missionary journey.
1. They had healed a slave girl possessed by a demon. The owners were upset.
2. This slave girl’s demonic gift produced money for the owners. Paul and Silas were beaten.
B. After the beating Paul and Silas were thrown into prison. Did they ask why? After all, innocent.
1. Text began verse 25. They sang praises to God and the other prisoners were listening.
2. God’s miracles begin. Verse 26. The prison doors were opened and the chains fell off.
C. All the prisoners were free to go. Good news for them but bad news for the jailer.
1. His reaction was to end it all. Verse 27. His life would be demanded for those missing.
2. Paul stops him from harm. Everyone is there. Then the question of desperation. Verse 30.
D. Today mankind often comes to God out of desperation. With all of the attractions and distraction of and in this world people seem to forget about God. But when things seem to fall apart people question God. When the world is crashing down around them people cry out. But the Lord is always there. We are reminded that we do not have to wait for desperate times to be close to God. The Lord listens always. “Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name” (PSALM 142:6,7a).
E. Why do we wait until desperate times? All too often the things of this life also distract us. We may not always focus on our heavenly Father. We live in a world and a society that promises us the best. We are caught up in the thinking of this world. Wealth and money bring happiness. Good health means eve-rything. There is only a little bit of truth in those worldly philosophies. The real truth is that this world can easily turn our attention away from our true focus. “They promise them freedom, while they them-selves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him”(2 PETER 2:19). The world promises much but ends up only making slaves of unsuspecting souls.
F. Why does this happen? Why do men fall away? There is a single source of everything that is bad in this life. Simply put it is sin. Mankind may try to dismiss sin, deny sin but sin is still sin. Sin infects and affects every living and breathing soul. There is no escape. Since Adam and Eve’s first sin all men inherit this sinful nature. “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away”(ISAIAH 64:6). Even all those things that we might consider as righteous are still tainted by sin.
TRANS: WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? This is a question of desperation. Thankfully, as be-lievers we can always rejoice and praise the Lord for II. God’s answer of salvation.
II. GOD’S ANSWER OF SALVATION
A. We have already seen God’s grace in this jailer’s life. Earthquake, doors open, chain fall off.
1. But there was no great escape. Verse 28. Paul stops the jailer from harming himself.
2. This was an extraordinary event, something special happened. Verses 29, 30.
B. As this jailer seeks out an answer, Paul is willing and able to provide God’s answer of salvation.
1. Verse 31. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ would save him. How was he to know this?
2. Verse 32. The word of the Lord contained the truth and this truth would set him free.
C. Paul and Silas explained God’s plan/answer of salvation. Those who heard believed.
1. The result was miraculous. Verse 33. The household was baptized.
2. There are immediate Christian fruits of faith. a. Verse 33a – genuine hospitality.
b. Verse 34 – more hospitality as fed Paul and Silas. Great joy and rejoicing of believing.
D. In the midst of asking why and what must I do to be saved we will notice the hand of God. The jailer did not go out of his way to find God. God found him in the depths of the prison. God’s plan was sent Paul and Silas to prison. This seemed unfair. God’s plan set the prisoners free but they did not leave. God’s plan was that the word of the Lord, the answer of salvation, would be brought to those who did not seek him. God’s grace saves mankind from destruction. "It (God’s choice) does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy" (ROMANS 9:16).
E. The jailer’s desperation question was answered in the word of God. The power of God’s holy word changed the jailer’s life and his family. They heard, listened, and God worked faith in their hearts. In this very same manner God still makes believers out of unbelievers. It is by God’s grace and the almighty power of his living word that performs these miracles. We cannot take credit for our salvation. God’s answer of salvation is to freely provide faith to and for mankind. "God saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior" (TITUS 3:5,6).
F. The power of God’s grace comes to us through his word. The power of divine forgiveness comes to the believer through God’s sacraments. In the Lord’s Supper the blood of Jesus covers the believer’s sins. In the holy sacrament of baptism the Lord God cleanses the sinners’ soul. Noah and his family were saved during the time of the flood by means of an ark floating on water. "This water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience to-ward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ"(1 PETER 3:21). In baptism, water connected with God’s word, sins are washed away. This is God’s answer of salvation.
CONCL: When we are tempted to ask why, remember to add the word not. Then ask why not? We might be tempted to trust ourselves for our own salvation. What must I do to be saved? Again, add the word not. We cannot save ourselves. Eternal salvation is so very important that God does not entrust this task to mankind. After all, Adam and Eve lived in a perfect world and sinned—loosing perfection. Our world is far from perfect today. We could never obey enough, pay enough, and pray enough to save our-selves. Instead God has placed the responsibility of the answer of salvation squarely on his shoulders. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast" (EPHESIANS 2:8,9). Now every day we can constantly rejoice and praise God for what HE has done for our eternal salvation! Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
EPIPHANY 1 readings (ILCW – A): ISAIAH 42:1-7; ACTS 10:34-38; MATTHEW 13:13-17
