A story is told of a preacher who was called by a church to be their pastor. The preacher came with excellent recommendations from the District Superintendent and the preacher’s professors at seminary. On his first Sunday at the new church, he preached a most wonderful sermon. The accolades for this sermon were piled on to the preacher. The next Sunday the preacher got in the pulpit and preached the same sermon. There were a few less accolades this Sunday. The third Sunday, he again preached the same sermon as the first two weeks. By now, the people couldn’t quite figure it out, but not a word was said to the preacher. The sermon of weeks four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten was identical to the sermon of the first three weeks. At this time, the board gathered together to talk with the new preacher. “Is that the only sermon you know?” they inquired. “Didn’t your seminary professors teach you how to preach more than one sermon?” The preacher replied, “I’m glad you noticed. I already have my next ten sermons prepared, but until you get this first sermon, I won’t move onto the next.”
Some of you who have attended the last two services, will think I’m a little like that young preacher. Earlier this year, Cleve preached for me while we were on vacation. That message was on salvation and so was last weeks and Wednesday night’s message. I believe God is trying to open our eyes to something. Cleve’s scripture that morning came from John, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” One of the key words in that passage for us as Wesleyans is the word everyone. We believe that Jesus came so that all people could be saved. Wesleyans truly believe the scriptures when it says that God does not desire that any should perish.
Last week, we pointed out that all of us our sinners, not one of us is good. There’s nothing we can do on our own to be saved. That falls in line with orthodox (or correct belief) Christianity.
We however believe that Jesus came to save all people. As Wesleyans, we do not believe that God has elected some to heaven and some to hell. We believe that every member of the human race has a chance to go to heaven and at some point in his or her life, every human being has the chance to choose.
Last Sunday we took a look at grace. Grace is always part of our life. There is the grace that goes before salvation; we call that prevenient grace. It is the grace that allows us to respond to God when He calls us to salvation through the Holy Spirit.
This is why we believe the words of Paul and Peter when they say, “For ‘anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.’” This is a key part of our doctrine. It is a key part of our theology.
In our time together this morning, we want to take a look at this passage and the scripture that surrounds it in Romans 10:8-13
8 Salvation that comes from trusting Christ—which is the message we preach—is already within easy reach. In fact, the Scriptures say, “The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”
9 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They all have the same Lord, who generously gives his riches to all who ask for them. 13 For “Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” — NLT
The scripture here really speaks for itself. As we look at verse 8, this is why we believe that God desires to save all men. Paul quotes Deuteronomy 30:14 when God is speaking to the Israelites, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it.” God has placed a desire in each person’s heart to know the things of God. Some are very sensitive to it and respond easily. Others do everything they can to avoid the message. I’ve heard it put this way, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in each person’s heart.” We don’t have to go very far to see that people are reaching out for things spiritual. Many times they don’t express it in the right way. Paul was preaching in Athens and noticed the many statues set up by the Greeks to their gods. They even included one more “to an Unknown God,” in case them missed one. Paul tells the Greeks, “you have been worshiping him without knowing who he is, and now I wish tell you about him.” False religion is nothing new. People are seeking spirituality, but often times they look in the wrong place instead of looking to Jesus.
God has placed His salvation within easy reach – because it is in our heart. Paul reminds us that, “if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” I say this carefully; in a way salvation is easy. There are not many demands. The way Paul describes it, we almost think it too easy; confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. Is that all there is to it? In a word, yes. Here is where we can quickly cheapen grace. This is where many people are today. They decided that they wanted to become a Christian, so they said the “magic words,” and poof they became a Christian. Some even go so far as to get baptized and take communion, but that’s as far as they ever take their salvation.
Is that all God asked for is easy believism salvation? I don’t think so. This is where we spent a good portion on Wednesday evening. In his letter to the Corinthian believers, Paul tells them to be ambassadors of Christ; to be Christ’s representative. As I said, we should reflect Christ in everything we do. In verse 10 it says, “For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.” In my study notes it reads, “Salvation involves inward belief as well as outward confession.”
This is why true belief in Christ involves transformation. Our Wesleyan doctrine is heavy in the area of transformation. Those who place their trust in Christ should be transformed. It’s one thing to say that I am Christian. The scriptures tell us that in order to be a Christian, we must confess it. We can do that not only with our mouth (and we must,) but we also confess or witness through our actions. Our actions must reflect Christ at all times. This is our confession that we belong to Christ. If someone’s actions don’t reflect Christ, I find it very hard to believe that person is a Christian. What does a Christian look like? Paul says, “We have proved ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, our sincere love, and the power of the Holy Spirit.” Over the years, we have tried to quantify what that looks like. If you wanted to be a Wesleyan, you had to follow certain rules and look a certain way. Unfortunately, we were known more by what we didn’t do than by the things we did. Paul puts together a good list of a reflection of Christ; purity, understanding, patience, kindness, sincere love, and the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. That’s a better list than any list of regulations.
But back to the text, Paul goes on to say, “Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed.” This morning I can say that with absolute certainty. It is difficult to be disappointed in Christ. We may get disappointed with church, or the pastor, or the people of the church, or other Christians, or with the way our circumstances have turned out. I’ve heard it too many times, just trust in Jesus and everything will work itself out. No wonder we have so many Christians disappointed with Christ. The scriptures tell us the rain falls on the just and the unjust. If the rain falls on the just and the unjust, so does the drought. Just because we placed our trust in Jesus, does not mean we will live happily ever after; that would be a fairy tale. Thursday morning, I told Pam that we were going visiting to members of the congregation. I even jokingly said to her, I’m in need of encouragement; so let’s go visit people. What I said in jest, became very true. Every person we visited that day has been through some major trials in the past few months. Over and over again, I heard the testimonies of how the trials only made them stronger. During one particularly touching testimony I began to weep to see how God had worked in their life through the difficulties. We serve an amazing and awesome God.
Christians should never be disappointed with Christ. The world is the way it is because it is fallen. Adam sinned. If we were Adam, we would have done the same thing. Churches will disappoint us. Pastors will disappoint us. Other Christians will disappoint us. Fellow churchgoers will disappoint us. This is a result of the fall. Christ came to reverse the effects. Paul refers to Christ as the second Adam. But as long as we live in the here and now there will be disappointment. Christ “generously gives his riches to all who ask for them. For anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Salvation is for everyone. Christ came to save those who are lost in sin. Listen to this promise from the Psalms.
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I am trusting him.
The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them.
I will satisfy them with a long life and give them my salvation.” (Psalm 91:1-2; 14-16, NLT)
This morning can make all the difference to you. You can be saved this morning. You can have the assurance, because Jesus generously gives His riches to those who ask for them.
