THE CONSEQUENCE OF SALVATION Luke 6:46

Peter described Christ's relation to believers in two words. Again and again in his brief second epistle he used these two words. Listen for them. "Entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you" (1:11). "If, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first" (2:20). "Remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles" (3:2). "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."

Lord and Savior. As the oak tree lies within the acorn, so all that Christians believe about Christ lies in those two words. Both are equally important, but we have tended to give more attention to Saviorhood than to Lordship. We prefer to think more about what Jesus does for us than what we do for him.

Jesus is indeed our Savior. He saves us from sin and damnation. But he is more. He is our Lord. Salvation is more than hell-fire insurance. It is a life lived in loving obedience to our Lord and Savior. Jesus makes his disciples face this issue in Luke 6:46-49. He asks, "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."

Professing Christ As Lord

You can't say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). That is our profession of faith. But that profession alone doesn't guarantee you a one-way ticket to heaven. Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do what the Lord asks" (Matthew 7:21). You and I will be judged by our walk not our talk, by our life not our lip. It is not the hearers of the word nor the talkers of the word but the doers of the word who will be blessed (James 1:22). Those who talk their religion by the mile and live it by the inch ought to be kicked by the foot. They have a Christian vocabulary instead of a Christian experience. They think they are doing their duty when they are only talking about it. They are professing Christ as Lord but not possessing Christ as Lord. Jesus asks them and us this simple question: "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"

An ancient inscription on the Cathedral in Lubeck, Germany, says: "Ye call me master, and obey me not. Ye call me Light and seek me not. Ye call me Way and walk me not. Ye call me Wise and follow me not. Ye call me Fair and love me not. Ye call me Rich and ask me not. Ye call me Eternal and seek me not. Ye call me Gracious and trust me not. Ye call me Noble and serve me not. Ye call me Mighty and honor me not. Ye call me Just and fear me not. If I condemn you, blame me not."

Possessing Christ As Lord

Jesus made clear that profession without possession is a beautiful house without a foundation. Such a house cannot survive the storms which break upon it. Jesus said, "The one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."

After Hurricane Andrew devastated homes in southern Florida a TV reporter asked an owner why his house was the only one still standing in his neighborhood. "I built this house myself," the man replied. "I also built it according to the Florida state building code. When the code called for 2x6 trusses, I used 2x6 trusses. I was told that a house built according to code could withstand a hurricane. I did and it did." Others didn't!

When the sun is shining and the sky is blue, we are tempted to build our lives on something other than the blueprint of God's Word. But Jesus warns us there is a hurricane coming — for everyone.

Empty profession of faith may look good for a time. Indeed, it may look better than genuine commitment because all its attention is given to external appearance and none to structure. The missing foundation, however, will be exposed by the inevitable storms of life. Zechariah says, "God wants to know why you are disobeying his commandments. For when you do, everything you try fails" (2 Chronicles 24:20 LB). Life doesn't work if you don't obey the rules. 

• You can't improve your sex life by committing adultery; you will only destroy something precious. 
• You can't save time by breaking the Sabbath; you will only break your own health and happiness. 
• You can't save money by stealing the tithe; you will only lose your financial partnership with the Almighty. 

If your religion is a convenience instead of a conviction, you will be destitute when the bad times come. Disease, disappointment and death will blow it down like a house of cards. It has no foundation.

That's bad news. But Jesus announced the good news. "I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock." Jesus describes this rock foundation in two ways. First, it is built on the rock of hearing. "He who hears my words," Jesus said. A good foundation begins not with talking but with hearing. There is no one more worthy of your attention than the Architect of the Universe. Put your ear to the Bible, to prayer, to public worship, and hear God speaking to you about his plan your life.

Second, it is built on the rock of doing. One who hears Christ's words "puts them into practice." Hearing without doing is like cement without sand and water. James said, "Be doers of the word, not hearers only deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). Yourself is the only one deceived. Nobody else is fooled by one who is long on words and short on action. (See Ezekiel 33:30-32.)

The church is in constant danger of producing connoisseurs of religion — experts in hearing, amateurs in doing. In the words of my favorite philosopher, Charlie Brown: "We never win any ball games, but we have some interesting discussions!"

Are you like the one who prayed:

"I'll go where you want me to go, Dear Lord,
Real service is what I desire;
I'll say what you want me to say, Dear Lord,
But don't ask me to sing in the choir.
I'll say what you want me to say, Dear Lord,
I'd like to see things come to pass;
But don't ask me to teach girls and boys, Dear Lord;
I'd rather just stay in my class.
I'll do what you want me to do, Dear Lord.
I yearn for your kingdom to thrive.
I'll give you my nickels and dimes, Dear Lord,
But please don't ask me to tithe.
I'll go where you want me to go, Dear Lord,
I'll say what you want me to say;
I'm busy just now with myself, Dear Lord.
I'll help you some other day."

Auditoriums and sanctuaries look a lot alike. They are both big rooms where people sit, but they are different. An auditorium is where people come to hear something religious. A sanctuary is where people come to do something religious.

That reminds me of the old joke about the preacher flying over the ocean. The plane lost power. The stewardess said, (I said this was an old joke!) "You're a preacher. Can't you do something religious?" He took up an offering! Actually, that's theologically sound. The offering is one point in the worship when we actually do something besides sit, listen and sing.

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,'" Jesus asks, "and do not do what I say?" Are you professing Jesus as Lord or are you possessing Jesus as Lord? Possessing him as Lord actually means that he possesses you. We mean something different when we say, "my pen" and "my Lord." That this is my pen means I own it and can do with it what I please. That Jesus is my Lord means he owns me and can do with me what he pleases. When Moses was a young man he slew an Egyptian and spent the next forty years hiding in Sinai. He did in a small way what he would later do in a big way. But he didn't do it God's way and at God's command and time. The question Jesus asked his disciples he continues to ask of you and me: "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" What is your answer?

THE POWER OF SALVATION Acts 1:8

Small children who are threatened by school yard bullies are fascinated by Superman and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. As they grow older they take an interest in Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. When I was a kid anyone named Arnold or Sylvester would be picked on and beat up.

People never outgrow their desire for power. Most of us wish we had more physical, emotional and spiritual strength. We face a critical energy crisis. We have more stuff to do than power to do it. The name Jeremiah gave to Pharaoh Hophra fits us: "The Man with No Power But with Plenty of Noise" (Jeremiah 46:17 Living Bible).

The gospel is not just about principles but about power. Paul declared, "I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith" (Romans 1:16a). Salvation is not just the plans and principles of God. Being saved puts you in touch with superhuman power — the power of Almighty God.

Jesus promised his disciples, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

Would you like to tap into that power in your own life? To be empowered like the disciples you must be prepared like the disciples.

To Receive Power You Must Wait

Jesus told his disciples, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, that I told you about" (Acts 1:4). Jesus' command was puzzling. He died, arose and commissioned his disciples to a needy world, but told them the next step was to wait. "What are we waiting for?" they might have asked. What they were waiting for is power. That's important, for instead of waiting for God's power we are tempted to substitute our own resources: intellectual, ecclesiastical, and financial (see Zechariah 4:6). When we do that we turn God's powerful witness into religious propaganda. Saving souls becomes human manipulation instead of divine regeneration. In effect, Jesus told the disciples, "Don't just do something. Stand there." Stand there until you have received the power of the Holy Spirit.

"Wait for the gift my Father promised" is a puzzle. And it is prerequisite. Much frustration in today's church is caused by pre-pentecostal powerlessness. Just as an electric motor will burn out if it is forced to run on inadequate power, so many Christians get "burned out" in church. They try to do God's work without God's power.

When Lawrence of Arabia took some Bedouin chiefs to London they saw faucets and running water for the first time. Impressed by their convenience, the chiefs tried to screw the faucets intending to take them to the desert. They didn't know that the faucets worked only because they were connected to a reservoir. Like those Bedouin chiefs, the church is more interested in faucets than in reservoirs. We look for techniques and tricks instead of the living water of the Holy Spirit.

At Pentecost Peter declared: "All the people of Israel…are to know for sure that it is this Jesus, whom you nailed to the cross, that God has made Lord and Messiah" (Acts 2:36). The Holy Spirit said, "Amen" and 3,000 people were saved (Acts 2:41). If Peter had preached the same sermon one day earlier without the Spirit's "Amen," no hearts would have been moved and no souls would have been saved.

To receive power you must wait. And …

To Receive Power You Must Pray

When I give the invitation on Sunday morning and nobody responds, my first thought is I've got to preach harder. I hope your first thought is we've got to pray harder. The disciples "gathered frequently to pray as a group, together with the women, and with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers" (Acts 1:14). Their prayer was preliminary. Prayer was not their last resort; it was their first. I laughed at a cartoon that shows two lonely men on a life raft surrounded by sharks. One says to the other, "We've tried everything else. I guess it's time to pray." For the apostles, prayer was not a response to circumstances; circumstances were a response to prayer.

Their prayer was preliminary and it was powerful. This is the first mention of Jesus' brothers in the book of Acts. In the gospels his brothers were unbelievers (John 7:5). We know from Acts and the Epistles that his brother, James, became a pastor of the church at Jerusalem (Acts 12:17). What a powerful change! What the life and witness of Jesus could not do, a prayer meeting did. Greek Philosopher, Archimedes, said, "Give me a lever long enough and a prop strong enough, I can single-handed move the world." Prayer is the lever and faith is the prop. With them you can move the world.

Their prayer was powerful because it was persistent. Pentecost came after a ten day prayer meeting. God could have sent the Spirit after a ten minute prayer meeting. But he didn't. Delay is not denial. It is not evidence of God's reluctance to empower his disciples. Instead, it is God's desire that we persist until we are fully ready for the answer.

You may have prayed to be filled with the Holy Spirit, but are you ready for Him whose presence at Pentecost was described as the sound of a mighty wind and burning fire? (See Acts 2:2-3.)

Don't blame The Electric Light and Power Company if your bedroom lamp doesn't burn. It may not be plugged in. Unlimited resources of power are available to you in God's omnipotence. Your problem is you're not plugged in. The same Spirit that filled and empowered the apostles can fill and empower you.

If You Love God…

No one should be satisfied with a mediocre, barely-get-along kind of life. God has a great plan for every single person, and I want to encourage you to go for the very best life He has for you. If you want to get to that life, the key is obedience to God and an understanding of His great love for you!
I used to have to hide teachings about obedience under a different title because people honestly get hung up on this word. But I decided I didn’t want to hide it anymore, because obedience to God truly is the path to the greatest life possible.
But it’s pointless for me to teach you to obey God more without teaching you how to love God more and to let Him love you. Because the only thing that is truly going to compel you to be obedient is your love for Christ.

If you love God…

John 14:15 says, If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.Notice Jesus didn’t say, “If you keep My commands, I’ll love you.” He already loves you perfectly, and He could never love you more than He does at this very moment.
Now, I’m not saying we can buy more of God’s love through our obedience, but our love for Him will grow as we live in obedience to Him and as we experience His faithfulness. I obey God much more now than I did thirty years ago, but I also love God and His Word much more than I did back then. I love Him for who He is…because He’s beautiful and amazing. And it’s because of that love for Him that I want to obey Him.

Are you living in obedience?

“ It's pointless for me to teach you to obey God more without teaching you how to love God more. ”

Is there any area in your life where you are being disobedient? When I taught this at a conference once, almost every hand in the building went up when I asked that question.
I want to encourage you with the same advice I gave them. Just like a parent with a child, God is saying to each of us, “Why don’t you just do what I tell you to do? I’m telling you this for your own good.” The truth is, whatever God asks us to do, it’s for our benefit, so we need to take it seriously and submit to His direction.
He’s not taking things away from us to be mean or giving us a long list of impossible rules. He’s teaching us what things are going to benefit us and what aren’t, because He wants us to live the very best life we can. He doesn’t want us to be bitter, hurt, resentful, and lost, which often come as a result of disobedience. He wants us to have righteousness, peace, love and joy.

How do you obey Him?

First, make a commitment to obey His Word. In other words, anything you read in the Bible that tells you what to do or not to do—do that. If you don’t understand some of it, focus on the things you do understand first. Start with the clear instructions like, Forgive your enemies; pray for those who hurt you. And remember that even though the instructions are clear, you’re still going to have to be determined to do it. It may not be easy to forgive people who hurt you, but it’s actually a lot easier than being bitter and resentful your whole life. And remember that whatever God asks you to do, He will give you the ability to do it.
Second, obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit for your life. God doesn’t lead every individual in the same way. The Bible applies to everyone, but the Bible doesn’t give every detail of everything we need to do. That’s why we also need to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our heart.
My prayer is this teaching is an encouragement to you. No matter how many things you need to work on, give them to God one by one and let Him do the work in you. As you step out and become more determined to obey Him, He will help you do what needs to be done. And not only will you experience more peace and joy, but your love for God will grow and grow.