“SALVATION” John 14:1-7
INTRO – When you hear the word “salvation,” what do you think about? For many of us in this Deep South culture, our thoughts immediately go toward thoughts about Jesus, or the cross, or the church. We’ve brought up that way. We’ve always heard things that way. We’ve always thought that way. Many of us have grown up in church and feel that we have some knowledge of what salvation is.
But not everyone thinks in that way. Many people have a distorted view of what salvation is. Some think it is church membership. Some think it is living right. Some think it is trying to keep the 10 commandments. Some think it depends on doing more good things than bad things and hoping that when you die, the scales tip to the good side and God lets you into heaven. Some don’t think about it at all. – This life is all there is, so you better eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.
Our world is full of hundreds of thousands of different religions. And these religions have their own ideas of what salvation is all about and how a person gains salvation. Even within Christianity, there are different ideas and views about salvation. Can cause confusion, division, and doubt in a person’s heart.
There are so many who are wandering around in a cloud of confusion and doubt. May be some of you here today. Tough for you to admit it b/c of our culture. You want to believe. You know there’s got to be more to this life than what you are experiencing right now. Something way down deep inside is gnawing away at you, telling you that something is missing in your life. There’s an emptiness in your heart that you just can’t quite explain.
Maybe you’re an adult. You might be a church member. Might have been a church member for years, but you know that there is still a void in your life that you just can’t quite fill. No matter how many times you come to church, it’s still there. No matter how many times you do good things, it’s still there. No matter how many times you read your Bible or pray, it’s still there. Jason & I met a couple of elderly ladies in the airport in Dallas yesterday – had been to NO – one was 90 yrs. old – thought it was about time to start using a walking cane. The other said, “I had to tell myself, ‘Stop reading the t-shirts!’” Conversation turned to spiritual things – I asked about church involvement. Lady sitting next to me, “Oh, I don’t do that. Baptized in a Baptist church. Christened in an Episcopalian church. Get more out of my flowers and gardening than church.” Soon left the table. Other lady – “I can’t live w/out it!”
Maybe you’re a teenager or college student. No matter how popular you are or how many activities you are involved in, there’s still something missing that you just can’t put your finger on. Your friendships don’t make the feeling go away. Your relationship w/ your boyfriend/girlfriend doesn’t make that feeling go away. You might forget about it for a little while when you’re playing ball or doing your schoolwork. But when Jason talks about it, or when you hear me talk about it, or when you do the DNow thing or summer camp thing, or some other student ministry activity, that feeling’s there again.
Truth is that the world would have us believe that salvation is something we don’t really have to worry about right now. Right now, is the time for you to live it up. Just go for it and have fun. That’s what life is all about. Need to be more worried about your stuff than your salvation; about having fun than your future; about your popularity and prestige than your place in heaven; about your plans rather than God’s plans for your life. Need to be more concerned about building up your IRA’s and 401-K’s rather than building up treasures in heaven.
The way we live our lives right now was illustrated by something that happened at a Wal-Mart in Elkhart, IN, this past Thursday. Seems that 3 yr.-old James Manges got upset at his mom b/c she wouldn’t let him get a stuffed animal out of one of those vending machines w/ the crane inside. So he decided that he would just take matters into his own hands and get that animal. He climbed up the chute to get the prize himself. His mom took her eyes off the little boy for a moment to pick up a juice bottle. When she turned back around, he was up inside the machine. Had to call FD to get him out.
So many of us see the “stuff” that the world tells us we have to have to be somebody – the power, the prestige, the possessions, the position, our comfort, our careers, our climbing of the social ladder, our families, our fortunes – and we just decide that we’re going to go for it. We take matters into our own hands and climb on in. We go after these things, and for a little while, it seems like fun. We surrounded by all the stuff that we thought we wanted and needed and couldn’t live without. In fact, others are gathering around us and affirming us (folks bought disposable cameras and took pics of James). “Man, this is fun! This is what life is all about! Must be the right thing b/c everyone is urging me on. This is great!”
But then a sobering truth sets in – “I’m trapped! This stuff is not what I thought it would be. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but now there’s nowhere for me to go.”
That’s when Jesus steps into the picture. That’s when the truth of His salvation comes clearly into focus.
HE IS THE WAY – the Way out & the Way in.
He’s the Way out. True salvation is accepting by faith the fact that Jesus is the only way out of the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into, out of the sin that traps us.
Other words for salvation – conservancy, conservation, deliverance, emancipation, escape, exemption, extrication, husbanding, keeping, liberation, lifeline, pardon, preservation, redemption, release, reprieve, rescue, restoration, safekeeping.
“I am the Road” – Msg. version. – Traveling through TX once. Saw road sign – “Road ends 1000 ft.” Thought, “That’s the road that so many people are on today.”
He’s the Way in. True salvation is accepting by faith the fact that Jesus is the only way in, the only Road that get us into heaven, the place that He said He was going to prepare for us. And not only is He the Road that gets us there, but He’s also the Gate that opens for us the way into heaven for us. John 10:9 – “I am the Gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.”
Everyone is going to live forever. Question is – where are you going to live – heaven or hell? Jesus is the Way – the ONLY Way that you can know that you are going to live forever in heaven.
HE IS THE TRUTH.
Who are you listening to? What are you listening to? Who’s telling you the truth? Listening to the voices of the world simply leads you into empty entrapment. James Manges thought that getting inside the machine would be the solution to his problem, his need to have the stuffed animal that looked so enticing to him. But he ended up getting trapped and ended up NOT getting the stuffed animal after all.
Star Wars Episode III – “Revenge of the Sith” – just came out this week. All of these movies, starting back in 1977 w/ the original Star Wars, are built around “the Force” and “the Dark Side.” The Jedi Knights listen to the voices in the Force and fight against the Dark Side.
There is only one voice that you need to listen to, and that’s the voice of Truth, the voice of Jesus. As the new song by Casting Crowns says, “But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story, The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!" And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My glory", Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth.” If you want to know what true salvation is and have true salvation in your life, you need to listen to the voice of Jesus, the Voice of Truth, the Voice that says, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” Why? B/c He is the Truth!
HE IS THE LIFE.
Life & death – we all have to deal w/ both of them. Life can be full of joy & happiness, or it can be full of pain & heartache. It can be thrilling at one moment and come crashing down around us the next. Friday night in Cleveland, OH, was a fun night for a bunch of kids who were having a spend-the-night party at the Carter home. But at 3 AM Sat., fire broke out in the 99 yr.-old home, and within just a few minutes, 7 kids and 2 adults were dead. Folks, as depressing as that is, that’s the way life in this world is.
And while Xns are not exempt from going through times like that, knowing that Jesus is the Life assures us that we can make it through those times. Knowing Jesus personally means that we will have Life – eternal life, abundant life, life w/ purpose & direction & meaning & significance. “A thief is only there to steal & kill & destroy. I came so they can have real & eternal life, more & better life than they ever dreamed of” (MSG).
CONCLUSION – “To Daddy, From Russ – I love you.” CROSS.
“To You, From Jesus – I love you.” CROSS.
