Oct 9, 2022 Preaching | Bro. Kidit
God’s great salvation is the deliverance and rescue of the human race from the consequences of sin, which is death and eternal separation from God. We have such a great salvation from God, a gift so precious, it was specially intended for us and given to us freely by His grace through Jesus Christ.
We were granted God’s mercy, given a living hope, accorded an eternal inheritance and protected by God’s power (1 Peter 1:3-5). Knowing how great Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was and how great our salvation is spurs us to choose to be joyful amidst trials and sufferings (1 Peter 1:6-9). We have a great salvation from God that meets our greatest need.
We need compassion. We need a hero. We need saving. We need something to hold on to.
Salvation is by grace Prophets carefully studied Intense longing for future grace
Salvation is through Christ Apostles gave testimony Intense passion for the Gospel
Salvation is for us Holy Spirit devinely inspired Intense power from God Himself
Salvation is most precious Angels long to look Intense appreciation of glory
It was so great the prophets carefully studied it with intense longing for future grace.
It was so great the apostles gave testimony with intense passion for the Gospel.
It was so great the Holy Spirit divinely inspired with intense power from God Himself.
It was so great the angels long to look at it with intense appreciation of glory.
The prophets were God’s chosen messengers, they loved God’s word, they treasured it in their hearts and carefully studied it. They were passionate about their salvation, placed their faith in God, and were looking to the day the Messiah would come. They were intensely longing for future grace.
They serve as an inspiration and encouragement to us believers. Just as how they had done, we are to regard God’s word the same way too, to read the Bible, love it and live by it.
We need compassion – Salvation is by grace.
God’s grace is unmerited and undeserved favor. It is one of the overarching themes in the Bible, God’s love story with us. God’s grace is glorious enough to favor us and call us beloved (Ephesians 1:6). God’s grace is rich enough to forgive us our sins (Ephesians 1:7). God’s grace is abundant enough to sustain us through suffering and amplify our testimonies (Acts 4:33). God’s grace is multifaceted enough to spur us in serving one another and being good stewards (1 Peter 4:10). God’s grace is sufficient enough to help us overcome our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). Salvation is by God’s grace, personified through Jesus.
We need a hero – Salvation is through Christ.
There are more than 300 predictions about the coming of Christ in the Old Testament. Jesus fulfilled all of them: the cradle – birth of Christ (Micah 5:2), the cross – sufferings of Christ (Isaiah 53, Zechariah 11:12, Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 22:16, Isaiah 53:12) and the empty tomb – glories of Christ (Psalm 16:10, Isaiah 9:6-7). Salvation is through Jesus Christ.
We need saving – Salvation is for us.
Trials and suffering are part and parcel of life. Knowing that Christ died for us and triumphed for us, gives us a new perspective on suffering, that it is momentary and temporary as it pales in comparison to the great salvation given to us, spending eternity with Jesus. We can hang on to Jesus assured of His salvation, the ultimate expression of God’s love for us.
We need something to hold on to – Salvation is most precious.
The angels were witnesses to the greatest love story in history. Throughout the events in the life of Jesus, from the prophecy to the birth, his life and death, the angels have been involved one way or the other, such that they understood how precious this salvation was, that they long to look with an intense appreciation of the glory.
Finally, the apostles preached the Gospel, they endured momentary suffering in light of the eternal glory. They had the very heart of Jesus and God – to seek and save the lost. They had intense passion for the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit.
That same mission exists today. Preach the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit that empowers us (1 Thes 1:5, 1 Cor 2:4-5). Share the privilege of salvation. Pass it forward!