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Free Will Baptist Church
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Ironton, Ohio 45638

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SALVATION
and the results of Salvation

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Bob Bradley

_________________________ 

John 2:1-11
A Changed People

Listen to the mp3 Audio of this Sermon before or after reading this transcription

1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

 

What do you think about this story? 

 

(Answers from congregation)   

• Obedience
• It was the first miracle

 

It was the first miracle; it really was.  There are a lot of people that says a lot of things, but the Bible says that this is Jesus’ first miracle.  We know that. 

 

When you look at this story and this portion of scripture, it has a lot of meaning in it that sometimes we completely, totally overlook.  I’ll be honest with you, I thought today, yesterday, and the day before that I was going to talk about some of those things that were there.  However, as we studied today, as we looked at some things today, all those thoughts went somewhere else.  We are going to talk about this tonight, but probably in a different way than we ever have.

 

1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

 

If you go back over to chapter one, you will find out the three days here, the third day; He is talking about the third day after Nathaniel was introduced to the story, into the picture and that is what He is talking about.  He mentions the word “marriage.”  There is a wedding going on.  The Bible goes on to say that the mother of Jesus was there and both Jesus and His disciples were called.  Marriages would be a lot better today if Jesus was invited to a lot more of them.  Things would go a lot better today at weddings, in marriages, and at homes if Jesus was just invited to be there.  God instituted marriage a long time ago; before there was a church, before there was anything such as that; God instituted marriage.  He blessed this marriage and He honored these folks with His presence there. 

 

When you look at what is happening here, there is no doubt in my mind that Jesus here; we know what He does.  We know that He turns water into wine.  That is a tremendous miracle that He did.  However, there are some things here that we can look at.  There are some tremendous lessons that we can see here, that Jesus is pointing to, I think, in what He does here in this miracle.  When you read the last chapter of the book of John, you will find out that John wrote that He did many signs, miracles, and wonders that were not written in this book.  He says these things were done here and written down that we might be able to live a good, holy and acceptable life in Him. 

 

I want you to think about something.  The Jewish people had done a lot of things in the past, but that was all old stuff.  When you look at what happens and what goes on, when you look at the law and you look at all the silence that had been in the land of Israel for 400 years then things had become stale.  Things had got real old.  There is no doubt in my mind that the story here and one of the lessons that we can learn here from this particular passage of scripture is that the Jewish law and all rituals and all the things that they had been going through for all these years; those things had lost their taste.  They were very empty to the people and it wasn’t satisfying people.  Jesus; we know that He takes very simple water and makes it into wine. 

 

We are going to look through several different things in the book of John here tonight, about SALVATION.  Not only are we going to at Salvation, but we are going to look at the results that Salvation brings in my life.  When Jesus comes into the picture, when Jesus comes into my life, when He comes in and changes our life, then we are a changed people.  I hope that we understand that.  Don’t ever let anyone convince you that Jesus Christ comes into your life and you don’t know it.  Don’t ever let anyone tell you that we cannot experience the great power of God in our lives because we can.  He’s a real God.  When you and I get saved, there are changes that are made in our lives. 

 

The Bible talks about here that He turns water into wine.  When you look at the word “water” in the scriptures, (it’s a great thing what water represents) it represents “cleansing.”  It also represents the “Word of God” because we know that it is the Word of God that will cleanse you and me from our sins.  I am glad that it does.  When our hearts our filled with the Word of God, He is able to take that Word that has been put into our hearts, and when we leave and we can be filled with something that will give us joy.  When you look at the word “wine” in the scriptures, the Bible will tell you and me not to be drunk with wine wherein excess, but be filled with the Spirit of God.  It is telling you and me that the wine here is representative of Joy.  When you and I are filled with the Word of God then God will take that Word and He brings Joy in our lives.  I am glad tonight that we can be people that are filled with Joy. 

 

Acts 8:26-40
Believing the Word of God

 

26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Isaiah the prophet.

29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

32 The place of the Scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

 

When you read Acts 8, do you remember a guy by the name of Phillip?  Phillip was an evangelist.  Phillip was introduced to a man who was a eunuch.  We know that he was from Ethiopia.  The Bible says that he was a man of great authority.  He had been to Jerusalem to worship.  The Bible says that he was returning and going back home.  He was sitting in his chair reading from Isaiah the prophet.  Do you know what he was reading?  He was reading where it talks about Jesus being led as a sheep unto the slaughter.  As dumb as a sheep is He opened not His mouth.  The Bible says that God spoke unto him and told him to go join himself unto the chariot.  That is exactly what Phillip did.  As he is reading there, Phillip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?”  Do you know what the eunuch said?  He said, “How can I?  Except some man guide me.”  They had a little bit of a conversation there, but after awhile, do you know what Phillip did?  Phillip took the scriptures and began to preach unto the eunuch about Jesus Christ; from the book of Isaiah 53, going on down the road, they come to a hole of water.  The eunuch said, “What does hinder me from being baptized?”  Phillip looked at him and said, “If you believe, you can be baptized.”  Get this!  The eunuch looked up and do you know what he said?  He said, “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”  Do you know what Phillip said?  “You can be baptized.”  The Bible says that they went down into the water and were baptized.  The Spirit of God drew Phillip away and the eunuch left there on that day, rejoicing.  When Jesus moves in, we can rejoice! 

 

When the water is turned into wine, then we can rejoice.  Isn’t that great!  That excites me, doesn’t it you?  We don’t have anything to complain about.  We have something to be happy about.  When we are filled with the Word of God, when our hearts are filled with the Word of God, then God takes that word and born us into the family of God.  We can rejoice.  We are happy.  We have something to shout about. 

 

Not only that but he goes on to tell us some things here about Salvation.  Keep that thought in your mind.  When Salvation comes to sinners, it has to come through the Word of God.  That is the only way that we can get saved.  We don’t get saved by reading things from Shakespeare.  We don’t get saved by doing all kinds of things that people say they do.  The Bible says that it takes the fullness of the preaching for people to get saved.  Where there is no preaching, people don’t get saved.  I know that people hear the gospel by singing, they hear the gospel a lot of different ways, but it takes the preaching of God’s Word for people to be saved. 

 

John 4:46-54
Having Faith

 

46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judea into Galilee.

 

Not only does it take the Word of God, but it also takes Faith.  When you look down through here in chapter four, verses 46-54; you read a story here about a nobleman.  It talks here about a nobleman who had a son.  The Bible says here that this son is sick.  We know that.  We know that he is about to die.  We understand that.  We understand that he is very, very sick and he comes to Jesus and he wants Jesus to come and heal his son.  Do you know what the Bible says?  If you go down to verse 50, the gospel of John in chapter 4, it says:

 

50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

 

Get that!  I want you to notice that.  The Bible says that this fellow here had come to Jesus.  He had no doubt, heard about Jesus.  He had heard some things that were going on.  He had a son at home that was about ready to die.  He needed some help that only comes from the Lord. 

 

You and I, many times, want a lot of things from God.  We think that God really owes us something sometimes, and we think that we can live and do all the things that the world does and expect God to do some things for us.  I want you to get something tonight.  Just like it takes the Word of God to born us into the family of God, it takes Faith also. 

 

Here is a man whose son is dying.  He has no hope.  I don’t know what all that he has done.  I don’t what all he may have done, but he knew one thing; if he could just get to Jesus, he knew that Jesus could heal him.  He made the request.  He said that if you don’t come and do something with my son, he is going to die.  The Bible says that Jesus said unto him, “Go thy way.  Your son is going to live.” 

 

I am glad, when Jesus says we can live; thank God we can live. 

 

I can remember the night, a long time ago, way up at the head of a holler; when I got on my face before Almighty God and I said, “Lord, if you don’t save me, I’m going to perish.”  He gave me eternal life.  I am alive tonight because of Him. 

 

Faith, my friend, believing…I didn’t hear any thunder.  I didn’t see any stars falling from the sky.  The building didn’t shake, but when I simply believed and had faith that He would save me, when I simply believed what He said, and then things changed. 

 

50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

 

Do you know what the Bible says?  This man believed the words that Jesus said.  Because this man believes the Word that Jesus said, this man’s son lives.  Isn’t that great?!  The Bible says that he goes his way and he is traveling, so and so forth; he meets up with his servants and they come and tell him that his son is okay.  He began to inquire about what time this happened and they said at the seventh hour.  This guy knew that this was the same hour that Jesus told him, “…thy son lives.”  Isn’t that awesome! 

 

Isn’t it great what God will do for us, if we will just believe Him, if we will just have faith in Him?!  Do we really believe Him today?  Do we really believe Him today?  Do we really think that He can do for us everything that we need?  We should, friend. 

 

Look what happens in chapter five, verses one through nine.

 

John 5:1-9
God’s Grace

 

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

 

This is a story about a fellow that is paralyzed.  Not only does it take the Word of God and faith on our part, but look what happens here.  Here is a guy that has been laying here for a very long time.  He has had an infirmity for 38 years.  He is laying in a group of people here where some are sick, they have all kinds of different diseases and they are laying here around a pool of water and they are waiting for an angel to come down, in a certain season…

 

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

 

When the angel would come down and stir up the water, then the first one that would step into the water was made whole of whatever disease they had.  Do you remember that story?  There was all kinds of diseases here and there were all kinds of sicknesses here, but there was one fellow here; and I don’t know why Jesus took a notion on this particular day to speak to him.  This guy has had this disease for 38 years.  I don’t know how long he has been around this pool.  He is laying here, he is paralyzed and we know that he cannot help himself.  We know that there is nothing that he can do to help himself.  However, do you know what Jesus said down here in verse six?  He just simply asked him a question, “Wilt thou be made whole?” 

 

I can just imagine here the thoughts that may have been going through this man’s mind.  I can probably say that he had been here many, many times.  He had watched the water being troubled.  He had watched the people stepping down into the water.  He had watched the water being troubled.  He had watched people stepping down before him and people getting in the water before he got there.  He probably saw people getting healed.  He probably saw all of that.  However, on this particular day, here comes Jesus down here and He asks this particular question, “Wilt thou be made whole?”  The Bible says here that he began to say, “Well, I don’t have anybody to help me down into the pool.  I don’t have anybody, when the water is troubled, to get me into the pool first.  There is always somebody stepping down before me.”  

 

8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

 

Listen, the grace of God goes a whole lot further than we give it credit for today.  We think that we have to work our way to heaven.  We think that we have to give our way to heaven.  However, if we get to heaven today, it’s first going to be because of the Word of God, because of Him.  Second of all, it going to be because, my friend, that we have believed the Word of God (Faith).  Finally, above all that, it is because of the grace of God. 

 

This guy left here on this day.  He got up and he took his bed and he left here.  Do you know why?  It is because Jesus said, “Get out of here.”  Isn’t God’s grace wonderful?!  This guy did not have anything special about him.  Did he?  He did not have anything to offer Jesus.  He did not have anything to give Jesus.  He was a man with a need.  He was a man that was willing to simply believe experience and accept the grace of Almighty God.  That is simple, isn’t it? 

 

Do you know what we don’t do today?  God can do great things for us; spiritually, financially, and physically.  God can do all those things.  We know that God can save us.  We know that God can do this and God can do that.  Do you know what?  I know this is going to generate a few phone calls probably.  I also know that God can heal us physically, just as He heals our soul spiritually.  I know that God can and does heal people physically.  That’s by His grace.  Do I know why some get healed and some do not?  I don’t have any idea.  That isn’t none of my business and it’s none of yours either. 

 

I know one thing, in my personal life—I’m talking about me.  There have been times in my life that God says, “Bob, you need to change this.  If you will change this then I’ll take care of things.  If you will do what you can do, then I’ll do some things for you that you can’t do.”  When I’ve done those things that I needed to do, God did for me those things that I could not do for myself.  That is because of His grace and that’s all. 

 

I’m not going to tell you that you are going to live to be 140, no.  Not in this life.  But I am telling tonight that if you are saved that you are going to live forever.  Isn’t that great?  Not only the Word of God changes sinners’ lives and it takes that.  It takes us believing the Word of God.  It takes us experiencing the grace of God here, as this paraplegic guy did.  When we do that, when we experience salvation, then there is a change that comes in our life.  There is a change that comes in our life.

 

Salvation
Born into the Family of God

 

Preaching of the Word of God
Believing the Word of God / Having Faith
God’s Grace

Makes a change in us

 

John 6:1-14

Satisfied

 

1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.

5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,

9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

 

This is a story about a storm and we know that the storm here is a big storm.  We know that the Bible tells us here that Jesus has been doing miracles.  We know that He has been doing some good things; so and so forth. 

 

I am getting ahead of myself here.  We will talk about the storm here in just a moment.  We are going to talk about some bread here. 

 

It was mentioned earlier.  In chapter six, verse one through fourteen, it talks about the feeding of five thousand.  People were everywhere.  It talks about things that were going on here.  The Bible tells us here that when they recognize that they did not have enough food to feed all the crowd.  Jesus just tells them to make the men sit down and we know that they sat down here.  The Bible says this:

 

11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

 

Now look what happens here.  We have five loaves and two fishes.  That is all that is there.  There are five thousand people here and there are probably a lot of other people that are around here, but we know that they are all going to sit down here and they are going to eat.  The Bible says here, “…as much as they would.”  They just did not get a crumb.  They just did not get a bite.  They did not just get a smell of the basket as it passed by.  Jesus took some loaves and He took some fishes and the Bible says here that He gave thanks.  He blessed it.  He gave to the disciples and they began to pass out the loaves and the fishes among the thousands.  Do you know what is going to happen here?  Listen, what I read to you is this, “…as they ate…” they ate and they ate until they were full.  They were satisfied.

 

Get this tonight.  When you and I are born into the family of God, when we are saved tonight—I am telling you something tonight and you need to get this—when you and I get saved and we live as we need to live then Jesus will give us those things that will bring satisfaction in our soul. 

 

The old water that was in the pots there, the old wine that they had; it was not satisfying them.  However, when Jesus touched the water and made it wine, they took it and gave it unto the governors.  They took it and realized that this was the best thing. 

 

We may have had done/thought a lot of things in our past life, before we got saved.  However, it was not anything that brought satisfaction.  When you and I come to Jesus Christ, we can eat till we get full.  We have all that we want and, thank God, we will be satisfied. 

 

If you are not satisfied with Jesus Christ and your relationship with Him, then it is because you are eating at the wrong table.  If you eat at His table, if you are where He is at, then He will feed you until you get full, then you will be satisfied. 

 

People are not satisfied today.  It’s not God’s fault.  It’s not the churches’ fault.  It’s not their husband’s fault.  It’s not their wife’s fault.  The reason that people are not satisfied today in their Christian life is because they are not eating at the right table.  Jesus brings satisfaction. 

 

Now look on down in the same chapter, chapter six, sixteen through twenty-one. 

 

John 6:16-21
Peace

 

16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,

17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.

19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.

20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. 

 

We will read about the storm that I mentioned a minute ago.  The Bible talks about here a storm that arose.  We know that the disciples were in a ship.  The Bible tells us that they are around Capernaum and it was dark.  We know that.  The Bible says that they had rowed 20 or 30 furlongs, as it says in verse 19.  The Bible says that Jesus came to them walking on the water.  As they were rowing, and as they are doing all that they can to get the ship here to land; Jesus drew near.  The Bible says that they were scared to death.

 

We would have been too, if we would have been there.  It would have been dark outside.  We would have been rowing and the waves would have been beating around.  The storm would have been raging.  If you and I would have seen someone walking upon the water, we would have been afraid too. 

 

When you and I get saved, Jesus Christ brings peace in our life.

 

He looked at these guys, they were scared to death.  They thought that He was ghost.  They did not know what they were seeing.  When He gets into the boat, do you know what He says?  In verse 20, He says:

 

20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

 

I am glad when He moves in, not only are we satisfied, but we can have peace in our lives.

 

I can remember the times that when my life was raging, I can remember the time that my life was out of control.  The storms were beating and the waves were going up and down.  I can remember thinking that I was not going to make it.  However, since Jesus moved in, He brings peace.

 

If your life is out of control tonight, if the storms are about to take you under tonight, then get in the boat where Jesus is at and He’ll bring peace to your boat.  He will do that.  Salvation brings peace to our hearts just as salvation brings satisfaction to our souls and our hearts.  Salvation brings peace in our lives.  If you life is still yet raging, there is something wrong.  If you life is still yet out of control, then there is something wrong.  You need to dig a little deeper.  You need to pray a little more.  You need to get closer to God.  I’m not saying that you are not saved, but I am saying that you are missing out on something wonderful.  There is nothing like being satisfied. 

 

I hate to eat—that’s not a good word “hate.”  I don’t like to be half way through eating and something happen that I have to quit eating before I get satisfied.  I like to eat till I get satisfied. 

 

With Jesus Christ, we are satisfied.  We got what we needed to go to heaven when we got saved.  There are a lot of times in our life that we need a lot of work.  We need a lot of pruning and trimming and a lot of things cut off.  That happens.  However, we can be satisfied in the fact of knowing that we are saved.  I am satisfied in knowing that I have everything that I need to go to heaven.  I am satisfied with Jesus being in my life.  We can be satisfied with that.  Not only that, but He will calm the raging storms in our life. 

 

John 9:1-7
Light/Spiritual Sight

 

1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind

3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

 

We are introduced here to a fellow that the Bible says was born blind.  The disciples came up to Him and asked, “…Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind.”  Jesus said, “…Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”  The Bible says here that Jesus tells him in verse seven…

 

7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

 

Look what it says here, “…came seeing.”  Not only is one of the results of Salvation, being satisfied, the other result being peace, but a third thing about the results of Salvation is we can see.  There is light there. 

 

Before I got saved, I did not know anything about spiritual things.  Some of you children are blessed and some of you that are sitting here tonight are blessed in that you were raised in a Christian home.  I wasn’t.  I could not have told you Matthew, from Mark, Luke, or John.  I did not know.  I did not know anything about the scriptures until I was 21 or 22 years old.  After you get saved, you can see some things.

 

This guy here was blind.  He was blind and could not see.  He had been blind from the day he was born.  Jesus gave the command, “…go wash in the pool…”  That was all he had to do.  When the gentleman goes and washes in the pool, he receives his sight.  He can see.  He has light. 

 

Another result of Salvation is that we can see some things spiritually.  I know when people first get saved, they are like children.  I understand that.  They have to be bottle fed.  We have to change their diapers.  We have to feed them cereal and applesauce.  We have to do everything for them.  …Young Christians are the same way (as children are).  As we go and grow then we should get to the place where we can feed our self, as far as, what we can do.  We should get to the place that we can clothe our self.  We should get to the place that we shouldn’t expect someone else to take care of us all the time.  I am not talking about God taking care of us.  I am talking about other people waiting on us hand and foot.  That is what I am talking.  We should get to the place in our life that we accept some responsibility for living a Christian life and not have to have someone tells us every move that we make.  That is what life does. 

 

One of the results of Salvation is that the light is turned on in our head and some of things that we used to do, we would never do any longer.  Hence, the light has been turned on and we know that it is wrong.  Do you see?  That is what the gospel does.  That is evidence of Salvation.  When the light comes in our brain, spirit and heart; then we realize a lot of things that we used to do when we were in darkness.  The light is turned on now and that is when we recognize that it is wrong so therefore, we do not do it.  That is one of the things that light does in our life. 

 

Light lets us see the need of others.  Light lets us see the needs of this world.  Light lets us see our own needs that we have.  Light lets us see that.  That is one result of Salvation. 

 

Results of Salvation:

 

We are satisfied.

We have peace.

We have light.

…one other thing…

 

John 11:38-45
Eternal Life

 

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

 

This is the story of Lazarus.  He has died.  He has been dead four days.  When Jesus gets there, we know that all the racket is going on.  The funeral is going on.  People are moaning, crying, screaming, and hollering.  Jesus has asked, “Where have you laid him?”  They say, “Well, he’s been dead…He’s stinking by now.”  We know that they come to the tomb and when they get there—when you look at what happens down in verse 43, the Bible says…

 

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

 

We know that He has told the folks there to roll away the stone.  We know that He has the conversation with the ladies that He is the resurrection, and the life.  We understand that.  However, when you get down here to where Lazarus is at, he’s been dead four days.  He is wrapped in grave clothes from head to toe.  He tells them to roll away the stone. 

 

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

 

Not only are we satisfied when we have Salvation.  Not only do we have peace.  Not only do we have light.  Now get this!  We also have life.  We have eternal life. 

 

Results of Salvation:

 

We are satisfied.

We have peace.

We have light.  We can see spiritually.

We have eternal life.

 

Lazarus was dead.  Jesus said, “Lazarus, come forth.”  The Bible says that, “he that was dead came forth.”

 

I can remember the time that Jesus moved in my heart.  I can remember the time when I asked Him to save me and forgive me of my sin.  I can remember the time that the weight, the load of sin was lifted off of me.  I can remember that time.  I can remember the time when I passed from death unto life.  Can you?  Can you remember that? 

 

You might not be able to remember whether it was Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday.  You may not remember whether it was 10:00 in the morning or 2:00 in the evening.  You might not remember that. 

 

When we pass from death to life, we know that.  Do you think that Lazarus knew that he had been dead and was alive?  Do you think he did?  I guarantee you that Lazarus understood what happened.

 

One of the results of us being saved is that we have life. 

 

If you are still yet living in your sin, if you are still yet living and you are rebelling against God.  If you are still yet living the same way you used to before you said that you got saved; then friend, you don’t have eternal life.  If you don’t have life, you can’t have light.  You also can’t have peace.  If you don’t have life, you can’t have light, you can’t have peace and you surely can’t be satisfied. 

 

Friend, I hope you think about this thing.  There are things that happen to you and I when we get saved.  There are some things that will happen in our lives when we get saved.  If you are not experiencing satisfaction, if you are not experiencing peace, if you are not experiencing any light at all, if you are not experiencing eternal life; then you may want to examine yourself to make sure that you are saved tonight. 

 

I’m not being judgmental when I say that.  The reason I say that is because above all else, I want everyone that is sitting here tonight, everyone that is listening to me tonight—wherever they may be at—I want everyone to go to heaven.  If you are not for sure that you are ready to go, I’d find me a place to pray somewhere.  It does not have to be at this altar.  It may be in your garage.  It may be in your bathroom.  It may be upon the hill behind the house, by a tree.  It may be in a barn.  Friend, if you don’t know that you are saved you need today to find you a place to pray and to make sure that you are saved; if you are not, ask God to save you today.  Friend, life is quickly passing by and tomorrow may be too late for you to experience SALVATION. 

 

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