Salvation

Scientists studied a native tribe in South America whose people have been dying prematurely for generations. After thorough investigation, the cause of premature death was determined. The disease was transmitted by an insect that lived in the walls of their adobe homes.

When evangelist Gypsy Smith got saved, an elderly gentleman explained to him the importance of trusting Christ alone. Gypsy Smith replied, “I cannot trust myself, for I am nothing; and I cannot trust in what I have, for I have nothing; and I cannot trust in what I know, for I know nothing.” The only thing left for him to trust in was Jesus Christ.

Source: Gypsy Smith, His Life and Work; Rodney Smith

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

H. L. Hunt made millions as a Texas oilman. He was an aggressive businessman with little regard for time. His chief confidant, John, might be called in the middle of the night as quickly as in the middle of the day.

One night at 2:00 AM, Hunt phoned John. He excitedly declared, “John, I just made the greatest trade of my life. I traded the here for the hereafter… I just got saved.”

If you have never trusted Christ as your Saviour, you need to trade the here for the hereafter. You need to be saved. It is the wisest decision you will ever make.

The story is told of a Jewish woman in New York City who was approached by a Christian worker. He began to tell her of Christ and her need of salvation. He explained that she was a sinner and was going to Hell. She cried out, “I don’t believe in hell!”

“Why not?” asked the Christian.

“Because 6 million of my Jewish brothers and sisters were murdered at the hands of Adolf Hitler and his Nazis. I cannot believe they will all go to Hell!”

‘Twas battered and scarred and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.

“What am I bid, good folk?” he cried.
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar ... now two ... only two ...
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?

“Three dollars once, three dollars twice,
Going for three” ... but no!
From the room far back a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow.

I live under His heavens,
The nations are under His authority,
My destiny is under His direction,
My past is under His grace,
My future is under His control,
My cares are under His wing,
My sin is under the blood!

A pastor in California was giving an invitation at the end of his Sunday morning message when a five-year old boy, sensing the invitation of the Holy Spirit came down the aisle. Not knowing if the boy was old enough to understand salvation, the pastor took him to his office and began to ask some theological questions. The more he questioned, the more confused the boy became. Finally, in exasperation, the little fellow stopped and innocently pleaded, “Pastor Patterson, in your message this morning you said that if I would come and ask Jesus to save me—He would!

Above the entrance to the concentration camp in Auschwitz, Germany were the words Arbeit Macht Frei. The words mean “Work makes free.” It was a boldfaced lie suggesting that if the prisoners worked hard, they would be given liberty. The promised freedom was a horrifying death.

Many people believe that if they do their best good works they will earn Heaven. This, however, is false. They will learn too late that good works do not earn freedom.

It is Christ’s blood that liberates. He died to give us freedom from the penalty of our sin.

Dr. Walter Wilson, ever on the alert to speak to men about their souls and need of the Saviour, asked an attendant at a service station who had filled his car with gas: “How did sin get in Sinclair?” pointing to the lighted sign atop the gas pump. “I do not know, sir, how sin got into Sinclair; but, sir, I have wished many times that I knew how to get sin out of my life!”

A little boy walked into the kitchen and told his mother that he discovered he was six feet tall. When she asked how he had determined this, he told her he had used his shoe to measure and that he was six shoes tall. With a loving smile she told him that his shoe was not a foot long. He insisted, “But, Mom, it’s got to be ’cause my foot’s in it!”

Many people believe they are pretty good because they are using a faulty standard.

Source: Unknown

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

Anthony Fernando, a twenty-one-year-old man living in Colombo, Sri Lanka, went fishing one day off the coast of the island. He had no idea he would never make it back alive. A forktail gar fish jumped out of the water and cut him on the neck with its tail. He bled to death before a fellow fisherman could get him to a hospital.

Two men went to the recruiting office in London to join a guards regiment. The standard height for a guardsman was a minimum of six feet. One man was taller than the other, but when they were measured officially both were disqualified. The shorter of the two measured only five feet seven inches and was far too short; his companion measured five feet eleven and a half inches and, stretch to his uttermost as he did, he could not make it any more. Nor did his pleas avail.

A self-righteous man once boasted to a Christian friend of his, “You know, John, I’m not such a bad fellow. There are many worse than I!” His friend replied, “Ivor, you are measuring yourself by the wrong standard. You measure yourself by the harlots and drunkards you see on Skid Row and you feel quite satisfied by comparison. But go and measure yourself alongside Jesus Christ and see how you make out.” No person’s life cuts much of a figure when placed alongside the perfect life of Christ. The life of the Lord Jesus shows us how crooked and defiled our own lives really are.

May years ago, one of England’s leading actors was asked to recite for the pleasure of his fellow guests. He consented and asked if there was anything special that his audience would like to hear. 

After a moment’s pause, an old clergyman present said: “Could you, sir, recite to us the Twenty-third Psalm?” 

A strange look passed over the actor’s face; he paused for a moment, and then said: “I can, and I will, upon one condition; and that is that after I have recited it, you, my friend, will do the same.” 

Four years after the Titanic went down, a young Scotsman rose in a meeting in Hamilton, Canada, and said, “I am a survivor of the Titanic. When I was drifting alone on a spar that awful night, the tide brought Mr. John Harper, of Glasgow, on a piece of wreck near me. ‘Man,’ he said, ‘are you saved?’

‘No,’ I said, ‘I am not.’

He replied, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.’

The waves bore him away; but, strange to say brought him back a little later, and he said, ‘Are you saved now?’

A soap manufacturer and a pastor were walking together down a street in a large city. The soap manufacturer casually said, “The Gospel you preach hasn’t done much good has it? Just observe. There is still a lot of wickedness in the world, and a lot of wicked people, too!”

The pastor made no reply until they passed a dirty little child making mud pies in the gutter. Seizing the opportunity, the pastor said, “I see that soap hasn’t done much good in the world either; for there is much dirt, and many dirty people around.”

John Wesley was robbed as he was returning from a service one night.

As the bandit was leaving, Wesley called out, “Stop! I have something more to give you.” The surprised robber paused. “My friend,” said Wesley, “you may live to regret this sort of life. If you ever do, here’s something to remember: the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin!“ The thief hurried away, and Wesley prayed that his words would bear fruit.

A story is told of an African Muslim who became a Christian. His friends asked, “Why have you become a Christian?”

He answered, “Well, it’s like this. Suppose you were going down the road and suddenly the road forked in two directions, and you didn’t know which way to go. There at the fork were two men, one dead and one alive—who would you ask which way to go?”

Source: Experiencing the Resurrection, Henry and Mel Blackaby
Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

On March 5, 1994, off-duty Deputy Sheriff Lloyd Prescott was at the Salt Lake City Library teaching a class for police officers. He was in a hallway, when he saw a gunman corralling 18 people into a room. Prescott entered the room behind them and shut the door. He identified himself as a deputy and eventually shot the gunman when it became clear that he would kill the hostages.

Jesus became a man just as the deputy became a hostage and defeated Satan to set us free from the power of sin.

Source: Los Angeles Times, March 6, 1994

Starbucks can serve a cup of coffee 19,000 different ways. Many people view salvation like a Starbucks coffee, but there is only one way to get saved.

Source; USA Today, March 5, 2004