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FROM REVELATION TO RULERSHIP

May 9, 1999 AM

Sermon Outline

Mt 19:16-20

INTRO: Here is a young man who came to Jesus with a question on his mind and lips. The first part of his question may suggest that he had some idea of personal achievement as the key to ones relationship with God. The second part was most certainly needed. The entire incident suggests the young man knows the revelation of God ... but not the rulership of God. It is my hope in this very simple lesson to take us from revelation to rulership.

I. THOU SHALT ...

A. God has revealed his commandments

1. thou shalt is an expression representative of His doing so

2. not everything begins with that formula

3. clearly, though, God has definite things which He requires of people who would be His

B. The first covenant had its requirements

1. Ex 20 and the 10 commandments

2. Mt 22:37-40 and the great commandments

3. Deut 8:11 a passionate warning about the importance of the commandments - because relationship depended on keeping the commandments (Deut 8:12,17)

C. So, too, does the second covenant!

1. Acts 2:37,38 to enter the relationship

2. 1 Thes 4:1,2 to continue in the relationship

3. 1 Tim 4:1-3 a passionate warning about the importance of what is revealed (2 Tim 4:4)

II. I SHOULD - I OUGHT

A. Each has the freedom to choose to respond

1. so, Josh 24:15 choose you ...

2. there is only one way into and in the covenant relationship with God (Jno 14:6) ... but each has the God given privilege of choice

3. Rev 22:17 whosoever will ...

B. Here is the time for evaluating, soul searching

1. ones options? in Christ, or not; living by faith, or not; pleasing God, or not!

2. one must weigh choices and outcomes carefully

3. and in scripture there is ample information for enlightenment in the choosing

C. The issue? Will we have the rulership of Christ?

1. certainly, I should submit to His rulership

2. certainly, I ought to honor what He has revealed in His word

3. so, Col 1:10 unto all pleasing

III. I WILL!

A. Acts 2:41 is a happy passage

1. they heard the word; they confronted the choice; they evaluated the I should

2. they came to a proper conclusion based on their options and the consequences of them

3. it made sense to them to go from revelation to rulership - from thou shalt to I will!

B. Acts 2:42 is equally exciting

1. they chose to continue in their relationship with the Lord by abiding in His will

2. to fail to do so would be to break covenant

3. I will became their manner of life

C. Will you?

1. you have choices to make - you should - but will you?

2. Gods blessing to you depend on you !!!

3. choose this day Whom you will serve

CLOSE: Is Jesus Christ the undisputed Ruler in your life?

Cecil A. Hutson

09 May 1999

God's Plan of Salvation

You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

You must believe and have faith in God because "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)

You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called "Sinner's Prayer" that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the "Sinner's Prayer" to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)

You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus "Lord of your life." Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just "accept Jesus as your personal savior." We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)

Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God's grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God's grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)