What must I do to be saved?

Notes from a sermon on 5 May 2013

Acts 16 verses 24 – 34

What must I do to be saved?

Verse 31 “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house”

This is the question I was asked one time and it came from someone seeking to know and understand the way of God’s salvation.  Have you ever sat down and contemplated the things of God?  That where will your soul be when you take that last fleeting breath?  When a person becomes interested and desires to know more of God’s word then the devil gets active.  We are dealing with eternal issues.  The destiny of that soul of yours.  Seeking to bring with clarity the gospel of saving grace.  We realise there is an enemy who will seek to keep you blinded and stop you coming to the cross of Christ.  Verse 31 is the answer to the question.  We live in a day of easy believism.  It is easy to be saved.  We need to be careful and consider this great question from the lips of someone.  No doubt heard about these preachers who had met with the woman at the river side.  Heard how they opened up the word of God.  Heard of Lydia, a woman who had come to sell her wares, how she responded.  God opened her heart and she was saved.  Heard of the little girl who went out saying “here is the men who show us the way of God’s salvation.”  No doubt heard these same men praying and praising God in his own prison house at midnight.  Question he asked now is ‘what must I do to be saved?’  It matters not about the person in front of you or behind you or beside you.  The Lord has come into this meeting with one view – that he might save your precious soul.  Looked at the answer in verse 31.   “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”  Beginning to break up the gospel for this man.  What a responsibility for Paul.  The man recognises his need to be saved.  Realises something he had to do to be saved.  Didn’t understand what it was.  Not like the young religious man who came to Jesus and asked “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  A good living, religious man.  He was not like this man who was a cold, callous man.  He realised he needed to be saved.  This is a great realisation.  Anyone can come.  Have you ever come to this place where you realise you need to be saved?  If you were to close your eyes in death your soul will be lost for all eternity.  The man had a thought for himself.  He realised didn’t know how to be really saved.  You have to believe on the person of Christ.  What a responsibility on Paul’s shoulders.  Here was a man’s soul hanging in the balance.  He must direct this man in the way of God’s salvation.  What a responsibility to show him clearly how he might be saved.  What a responsibility to open up the word of God and show them their need of Christ.  Point them to the way of heaven and home.  Lead them to that way.  What a responsibility that we might all point men and women to Christ.  It was an earthquake that brought him to that responsibility.  Maybe he thought Paul and Silas were mad, insane but he began to realise his need.  It may be something totally different that brings you to that point where you really don’t know how you can be saved.  There was nothing he could do because the Lord had done it all.  When Jesus went down into the waters of baptism he followed John the Baptist.  When the heavens opened and a voice was heard “this is my beloved son.”  This is the one the world rejected.  The only place we find for him was on the middle cross of Calvary.  Remember on the mountain of transfiguration Jesus shone as bright as the midday sun.  Again the heavens opened and a voice said “this is my beloved son.”  Do you believe that he has come to be the Saviour of your sins?  Has Jesus touched your life?  Yet this man was told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.  The person of Christ.

He had to believe in the purpose of Christ.  He came to seek and to save that which was lost.  That he came to die on the middle cross to die for your sin and mine.  Here is Paul realising this soul was in the balance.  Serious question with dire consequences.  In Luke 19 we read of Zacchaeus of Jericho.  He knew the Lord was coming to his town that day.  He wanted to make sure he could see him coming.  He didn’t know this would be the last time Jesus would enter Jericho.  He got up that morning, he wanted to see the Lord, he made his way onto the city streets.  He couldn’t see because he was little of stature.  He climbed a tree to watch as Jesus passed that way.  He is passing this way tonight.  He wants to save your soul.  You do not know if you have got another opportunity to touch him as he passes by.  He was going to be in the purpose of Christ.  The son of man is come into this world to seek and to save.  He came to transform lives, to make men and woman ready for heaven and home.  “God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved.”  (John 3 verse 17)  We are condemned already, no hope for us.  He didn’t come into the world to pass sentence of condemnation.  He took our place on Calvary.  There he suffered and died for your sin.  If you are looking to anything else tonight you will be lost for eternity.  Believe on the person of Christ and believe on the purpose of Christ.

The provision of Christ.  Did he do what he said he would do?  What was provided through the death of Christ?  What must I do to be sure I am saved?  The apostle Paul probably said more than is recorded.  He showed him his sin and his need of salvation.  God has provided in the Lord who is able to open the door into heaven tonight.  He has provided a place for you.  Between you and God there is a state of hostility.  The carnal mind is at enmity with God.  We are enemies to God but while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  The provision he gives is peace.  He takes away state of hostility and places peace instead.  “Being justified by faith we have peace with God.” (Romans 5 verse 1) God knew the provision that was needed.  A way of reconciliation for every man, woman, boy and girl.  Paul reminded the people of Ephesus “in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (chapter 1 verse 7)  He provided a peace with God.   Do we believe that tonight?  If you want peace in your heart you have to believe in the person of Christ, the purpose of Christ and the provision of Christ. 

The promise of Christ – “and thou shalt be saved”.  Didn’t say perhaps, maybe, some day but rather “will be saved” the moment you take Christ as Saviour, believe on him as the sinless son of Christ.  His purpose was to save your precious soul.  Provision that he does for you what he said he will do.  The moment you take him at his word he comes into your heart and promises you will be saved.  In John 4 Jesus met with woman with a chequered and sinful past.  She admitted to it all to the Lord.  He discussed the importance of this woman’s soul.  Looking down into the well the Lord said something to this woman “whosoever drinketh of this water will thirst again but I have water that if you drink of it you will never thirst again.”  That sinful woman standing at the well on that particular day opened her heart and lifted up her heart to Christ.  “give me of this water that I will never thirst again.”  She believed on the promise.  What is the promise of Christ to you tonight?  “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out”.  Are you saved tonight?  Born again of the spirit of God?  Do you know your sins forgiven?  How can I be saved, know that I am saved?  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Sort it out tonight.  Are you saved?  Do you know you are saved?  Are you sure you are saved?  Are you ready for heaven?  If God was to close his hand tonight and stop your breath tonight, step out into God’s eternity would it be well with your soul?  If you cannot answer honestly would you not trust him?  Come to Christ and take him as Saviour and Lord.