My son and I have tea with my ninety two year old Grandma, his great grandma, every Wednesday afternoon. It has become a time that we cherish, Crosby adores Grandma Helen and my Grandpa Chuck and they return that adoration two fold. When Grandpa and the boy go down for their naps, Grandma and I have a cup of tea and great conversation. Her wisdom and faith amaze me every time I talk with her.
One afternoon, several weeks ago Grandma told me a story about her past that I wanted to pass on to you. Grandma was very involved in her church and in ministry when her children and body were younger. She was a deaconess, a women’s ministry leader and a prayer warrior. As part of a CMA (Christian Missionary Alliance) church, she was asked to lead a prayer time at a meeting of all the churches in the area. This was a meeting of hundreds of people and my little 5’2″ Grandma Helen took her charge very seriously, she spent weeks in prayer, preparing what she would say.
She had drawn up two drafts that she really like but both were quite different, and she couldn’t decide which one she would use. She debated all the way up to the morning of the conference. She decided she’d bring both drafts and make a decision on which one she’d use when she got there. When they arrived she withdrew into a lower room of the church to go over her speech for a final time and decide which one to use. However when she went to pull out her papers they were nowhere to be found. She realized she had left them at home. Minutes before going on stage in front of hundreds of people and she had nothing. She prayed to the Lord that he would give her the words. She had faith that He knew what she should say and how the prayer time should be led. And that is exactly what He did, he came through and the prayer time went off without a hitch. Afterwards many people came up to her and thanked her for her words. The ladies she carpooled with talked about it most of the way home and my Grandma gave credit where credit was due.
After the story was finished, Grandma looked at me with eyes full of wisdom only a 92-year-old woman can have. She said “Sometimes God has to push us back into a corner so that he can take control.” That one sentence has been on my mind for weeks. We get so caught up in what we’re doing for the kingdom; we don’t let God into our plan. We forget whose kingdom it is. We make decisions, we jump on huge ministry opportunities, or we take a stand on something we feel strongly about. So God waits, he waits for us to see him, to NEED him. Then he steps in and shows us that he really has control, that there is a reason we asked him to be Lord of our life.
AC3, trust the Lord, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind. He is with us, God is with us. That’s what this season, Christmas, is about. Celebrating the fact that Jesus came to be with us. The GOD OF THE UNIVERSE came to be with you. But if you’re too caught up in your own life, your job, your kids, your marriage, what you’re doing for YOUR church, you’ll miss it.
I have seen God show up in our church in the last several weeks, in amazing ways. “Christmas miracles” as we called it back stage this weekend. He has fixed things when they were broken beyond repair. He has provided for us in a time when we felt poor. He has given strength to us in a time that we felt weak. He has been there for us through trials, even if we can’t see Him in the darkness. But AC3, I think maybe, maybe He had to push us into a corner first so He could show up.
Emmanuel: God with us.
CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD?
On the Day of Pentecost Peter quoted the prophet Joel (Acts 2:21'And it shall be that everyone who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.')
To call on the name of the Lord is to acknowledge the authority and power of the Lord, and follow in obedience by meeting the terms of pardon.
The apostle Peter did not tell those on the Day of Pentecost to say the "sinner's prayer." Saying the "sinner's prayer" is not calling on the name of the Lord.
Peter preached the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus. Peter declared the Jesus was Lord and Christ. (Acts 2: 22-26) They obviously believed Peter's preaching because they asked the question(Acts 2:37 ....."Brethren what shall we do?")
Peter did not tell them to say the "sinner's prayer." What was Peter's response to their question? (Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.)
THE NARRATIVE OF CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD.
1. FAITH: Believe in the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus. Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
2. CONFESSION: Acknowledge Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God.
3. REPENTANCE: Make the commitment to turn from sin and turn toward God.
4. WATER BAPTISM: Be immersed into Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
HOW DID THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD? (Acts 8:25-40
1. Philip preached Jesus to him. (Acts 8:35)
2. He confessed Jesus as The Christ the Son of God. (Acts 8:37)
3. He was baptized in water. Immersed by Philip. (Acts 8:38-39)
The Ethiopian eunuch did not say the sinner's pray nor was he asked to do so by Philip.
Romans 10:13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
To call on the name of the Lord is to acknowledge His power and authority and confess Him as Lord and Christ . (Acts 2:26,Acts 8:37, Romans 10:9-10) To call on the Name of the Lord is to repent and be baptized. (Acts 2:38)
WE ARE TOLD TO CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD TO BE SAVED.
We are never told we are saved by "faith only." We are never told that saying the "sinner's prayer" is calling on the name of the Lord.
IF SAYING THE "SINNER'S PRAYER" IS NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR SALVATION? THEN WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SALVATION.
THE REQUIREMENTS!
1. Faith: John 3:16
2. Belief and baptism: Mark 16:16
3. Confession and belief: Romans 10:9-10
4. Born of water and Spirit: John 3:5
5. Grace and faith: Ephesians 2:8
6. Buried through baptism: Roman 6:4-5
7. Water baptism: 1 Peter 3:20-21
8. Baptism: Acts 22:16
9. Baptized into Christ: Galatians 3:27
10. Believe: Acts 16:30-31
11. Repentance and baptism: Acts 2:38
12. God's mercy, water baptism, and the Holy Spirit: Titus 3:5
13. Water baptism: Colossians 2:12-13
14. Repentance: Acts 3:19
IF YOU HAVE COMPLETED THESE REQUIREMENTS---THEN YOU HAVE CALLED ON THE NAME OF THE LORD!
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Thanks, Braeden. Merry Christmas!
Thanks, Braeden. Merry Christmas!
Amazing job Braeden! Thank you so much for sharing, this was beautiful.