There Is Hope For You! Series

THERE IS HOPE FOR YOU!

Acts 3:16-19

It is vitally important for each person here to comprehend the reality that absolutely no one is beyond the reach of God’s amazing grace. It is true that an innumerable multitude will face eternal condemnation. Revelation 21:8 tells us that “the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death”. Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that “the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

These are very sobering verses; they must be proclaimed, and they must be believed. It is important for people to heed the warnings that are given in scripture concerning death, judgment, and the wrath of God. It is only when one comprehends the righteous indignation of God that he can truly appreciate the love, mercy, grace, and salvation that is available in Christ.

It is encouraging to know that many former fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, and swindlers have been saved and radically transformed by Jesus. The Apostle references their conversion in 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God”. No matter your current situation, this verse proves that there is hope for your salvation.

If you have ever been involved in personal evangelism then you have likely encountered someone who felt that they were “too lost to be saved”. My former pastor and I once witnessed to a man and told him that Jesus died to save him from his sins, that man looked at us and said “nah, Jesus died to save good people like y’all, not hell raisers like me!” The reality is that lost is lost and we were all “born in sin”. (Psalm 51:5). We have “all sinned and come short of the glory of God”. (Romans 3:23). “There is none righteous no, not one” (Romans 3:10). Apart from Christ we are all “dead in trespasses and sins”. (Ephesians 2:1)

Titus 3:3-7 shows us that salvation is available and how it is made possible. Paul said “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

I believe that our selected text proves more than any other passage in the Bible that no one is “too lost to be saved”. I would like to look at this passage and preach on the thought “There Is Hope For You!”

During His earthly ministry, Christ performed many miracles and changed countless lives; His miracles displayed His love and compassion for others and they illustrated the change that He can bring into one’s life. As Jesus traveled the land, the blind received their sight, the mute were given the ability to speak, the deaf were made to hear, lame people began to walk, the demon possessed were delivered, lepers were cleansed and even the dead were brought back to life.

However, performing miracles was not Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth; the miracles were a means to an end, they were intended to display His supernatural power. Jesus was far more than a miracle worker, He was the promised Messiah, He was God in the flesh! Jesus Christ possessed the power to transform men and women; not only physically, but spiritually and eternally. He did this before His death, burial and resurrection and Peter makes it clear that Jesus was still doing that even after His ascension.

v16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

The crowd that was gathered before Peter was astonished by the miracle that had taken place in the life of the lame man. Rather than accepting the glory or taking credit for the miracle, Peter seizes the opportunity to tell the people that it was Jesus who was the source of this man’s healing. He pointed out the fact that the miracle was performed by the same Jesus that they had rejected, denied, and crucified. This Jesus was “God’s servant” and God had raised Him from the dead and glorified Him in Heaven. Peter declares that it was “faith in Jesus’ name that had made this man strong”.