Our Great Commission from Our Savior is found in Matthew 28:18-20. “And Jesus came and said to them, all authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you to the end of the age.” (ESV – all emphasis is mine.)
It is said that John the Baptist was the one spoken of in Isaiah 40:3; “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'”
John was the cousin of our Savior who understood just who Jesus really was. In Matthew 3:11, he states, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
John 4:1-3 tells us, “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself did not baptize, but only His disciples), He left Judea and departed again for Galilee.”
After His resurrection, Acts 1:3-5 tells us, “He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, ‘You heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'”
When the day of Pentecost arrived, the Holy Spirit came to them with a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and all the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and were able to talk to the Jews who were gathered from all the nations in their own languages. Some declared that the apostles were drunk with wine, but Peter got up and quoted scripture from Joel, and ended with Joel 2:32a; “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
To carry this message further, in Romans 10:13, Paul states, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” This becomes the “C” in the “A-B-Cs” of Salvation.
Romans 3:10 and 3:23 state that everyone is a sinner, and we all fall short of the grace of God. On our own, we cannot “earn” one minute of time in Heaven. Romans 6:23 gives us hope with, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, Our Lord.”
The “A” is that we are to admit or confess that we are indeed sinners and cannot save ourselves, no matter how hard we may try.
The “B” is that we must believe Jesus is the true Son of God and that He came to this earth as a human (Hebrews 2:7 & 9) and was the only pure blood sacrifice the Father could ever accept. He died and was raised from the grave three days later to conquer sin and death for all who would receive and accept Him. Ephesians 2:8-9 plainly states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing: it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast.”
As has already been stated, “All who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Will we then be perfect, sinless people who never fall short again? John tells us the answer to this in 1 John 1:8-10. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”
In David’s Psalm 103, verses 11 and 12, he reveals the love and compassion the Father has for us. “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.”
Our good news is that we have a Savior who fulfilled His Father’s will, as stated in John 10:17-18, “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”
Pricilla Jane Owens (1829-1909) wrote a wonderful Hymn in 1808 that is still popular today. Its title is “Jesus Saves,” also known as “We Have Hear a Joyful Sound.”
1.) We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves! Spread the tidings all around: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves! Bear the news to every land, climb the steeps and cross the waves; Onward ’tis our Lord’s command; Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves!
2.) Waft it on the rolling tide: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves! Tell to sinners far and wide: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves! Sing, ye islands of the sea; echo back, ye ocean waves; Earth shall keep her jubilee: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves!
3.) Sing above the battle strife: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves! By His death and endless life: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves! Sing it softly through the gloom, when the heart for mercy craves; Sing in triumph o’er the tomb: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves!
4.) Give the winds a mighty voice: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves! Let the nations now rejoice: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves! Shout Salvation full and free, highest hills and deepest caves; This our song of Victory: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves!
Jesus told us in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Sadly, this world is evolving away from the Savior, just as prophecy said would happen. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.”
Then 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:4, “They will say, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.'”
John tells us to “test the spirits” in 1 John 4:2-3; “By this you know the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist which you heard was coming, and now is in the world already.”
John also states in 1 John 5:12, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” This is also found in several places in the New Testament.
The changes taking place today, not only in the attitudes of the world but in churches that are changing the word of the Lord to keep their seats and collection plates full, are just what the above verses said would happen.
God’s children are being called “haters,” and His chosen people, the Jews, are being persecuted worldwide. Even in America, the attitude toward the Sovereign Nation of Israel has changed. Zechariah 12:3 states, “On that day, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it.”
The current protests taking place in the U.S. are cutting Israel and all Jewish people down while praising the terrorists. This is exactly what Genesis 12:3 is all about. God said that those who condemn and dishonor His chosen people would themselves be condemned. And by the way, our Heavenly Father is not surprised by any of what is taking place.
This era is approaching new dimensions. The next major prophecy to be fulfilled will be the Rapture of all true believers from this earth. All who have received and accepted Jesus will be removed from this planet to keep us from the wrath/tribulation, as the Father promised (1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, and Revelation 3:10).
We will finally be in the immediate presence of our Savior, Redeemer, and Shepherd, and it will be forever.
All who enter the seven-year tribulation period will experience the worst time that this earth has ever experienced. This could be totally avoided by carefully considering your future and making the choice now to receive and accept Jesus as your Savior. The Father will force no one to call out to be saved but will accept all who truly do so.
We do not know the day or hour that the Trumpet of God will sound and the shout will come from the archangel, but it could be any time now. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, but all who have Jesus as their Savior are guaranteed a Home with Him forever.
Just imagine: a new, forever immortal and imperishable body, and never able to be tempted by Satan again.
Hope to see you at Home when the call comes!
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