The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
Are you saved? If you are, you should know that this is the highest good, greatest value, the best treasure on earth a person can have. You are not only saved from your sins and from the wrath to come, but you have been adopted into the best family there is – the family of God. You are now regarded as heir of God and fellow heir with Christ. What is better than that? This is a sermon to fill your heart with joy and delight when you see how much you are blessed. The riches that the Lord has bestowed on you are great, and now you should rejoice in the Lord who has made your cause his own.
But someone here might say, pastor, I am not saved yet. And I do not know what to do. The text before us will help you to see that all you are expected is to call upon the name of the Lord and you will be saved. These verses tell us about one of the most basic teaching of the Scriptures – how anyone can be saved. Anyone here means, whether Jew or Greek or you. It tells us what to do to be saved. It also teaches us who is the Saviour. It tells us what we get in salvation and what we do not get. The text is clear that this eternal salvation is accessible to anyone. It gives assurance of faith and salvation. It exalts the Saviour and makes the Scriptures the only means by which sinners can be saved.
Our faith is not complex at all. It is easy to understand and to know what to do. In fact, it is so simple that those who miss it, look beyond it for a more complex thing. Notice the following truths. Do you want to be saved? Then…
ü Only believe
ü It does not matter who you are
1. Hear what the Scripture says!
For the Scripture says…: The Bible simply records what it says! What the Bible says is what God, the Almighty God says. For all Scripture is breathed out by God and its profitable for teaching, for correction, for reproof and for training in righteousness. For no prophet spoke from his own personal/private interpretation, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Preaching to the women and children in Rendille (Marsabit)
Therefore, we constantly read from the Scriptures, “Thus says the Lord!” for what the Scriptures says is also what God says. We must learn from the apostles not to go beyond what is written. The Word of God is the sure guide to heaven. It is the way to salvation from our sins and from the wrath of God. It leads us to the best treasure, the best wealth.
Who does the Scriptures speak to? The Scriptures speaks to everyone. Who is everyone? It is everyone who believes in Christ. The Scriptures speaks even to those who do no believe, even though they refuse to believe so that they are left without excuse. The Scriptures speaks to everyone whether Jew or Greek. It does not spare anyone. The Scriptures is no respecter of persons.
What is the content of the Scriptures? It is about Christ and his salvation. The object of the Scriptures is Jesus. This is the only the Saviour of sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Mediator between an infinitely holy God and we sinful men. The Scriptures speaks of Christ’s person and his work. He is God, the eternal God. He is Man, the second and last Adam. He is the Lord of lords and King of kings.
What is the aim or the purpose of what the Scripture says? It is the salvation of men. Adam and Eve were created by God in his image. But they fell into sin and marred the image of God. This brought death and condemnation upon themselves and all their posterity. But God being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, he saved us by his grace. So the Scriptures tells us how man may be made right with God. It shows us the way of removing enmity with God and of reconciliation to God. Believe the truth of God’s word and you will receive the best blessings there is.
Secondly, do you want to be saved? Then …
2. Only believe!
The Bible says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” Everyone here means anyone can believe… everyone can believe and so everyone here should believe! Young and old. Rich and poor. Short and tall. White or black. You see, faith is not made in China. It is not made here in Kenya. Faith is a gift of God, lest anyone should boast. God gives faith by grace just as He saves by grace. Whoever believes means, whoever is enabled by God the Spirit to believe. If you believe, it is because God has given you the power to believe. Faith is a gift of God lest any man should boast. Faith is God-given and God-enabled. It is divinely-aided.
Believe in what or who? Believe “in him” that is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the only redeemer of God’s elect. Jesus came into the world to save sinners. So everyone who believes in him will not be put to the shame of his sins. Sin is breaking God’s law.
Sin brings shame to the sinner. And the greatest shame there will ever be is to be publicly rejected and condemned before the throne of God above. If you will not have a perfect plea, and a perfect Advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous, then you will be condemned. And you will not be able to stand as you will be cast into the everlasting torments of hell. Thank God we have an advocate with the Father!
If you believe in Christ, you will be publicly acquitted and vindicated and so you will not be put to shame. Shame comes from guilt of sin. Shame is the same as terror of condemnation before the Great Judge for the wrong done. This is quoted from Isaiah 28:16, which has also been cited in 9:33. “… therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’” Paul changes whoever to “everyone” to bring the full sense of what the Spirit meant through the prophet. Do you want to be saved today? Then …
3. It does not matter who you are
What does the Scripture say? For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all. Jesus Christ is the Lord of Jews and the Lord of Greeks and the Lord of you and the Lord of all. No one is outside the realm of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The Jews thought that there was a distinction between themselves and the Greeks. They presumed on the mercies of God to think that they were more in favour with God than the rest of the mankind. Jews taught that a Gentile must become a proselyte Jew before he could be saved. But the Old Testament Scriptures taught otherwise.
There are many Christians or even theologians who teach that the Jews, as a race, are still objects of God’s special delight and that there is a glorious future in store for them simply because of their ethnicity. It used to be like that in the Old Testament, but the New Testament, and especially with the coming of the Lord Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit shows otherwise. The sending of the apostles and disciples with the gospel to make disciples of all nations shows that this opinion is discounted. The Lord of glory was rejected Jews – both his message, his person and his work. Then this Jews handed him over to be killed by the Greeks. When He sent out his apostles with the glorious message of the gospel, it was also equally rejected. Then they turned from the Jews to the Gentiles with the same message of the gospel. The Gentiles, by the mercies of God received the message with meekness. The text before us discounts this belief the most strongly.
When the Scripture says, For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek and adds that the same Lord is Lord of all (both Jews and Greeks) it means that salvation is for both Jews and Greeks and all. Romans is categorical about this truth see the following texts;
Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 2:9–11: There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, [10] but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. [11] For God shows no partiality.
v Romans 3:10-18; 22-24, 29-30
v Romans 4:9-12; 5:18,19; 9:24; 10:12; 11:32;
v 1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 3:9, 29; 5:6; 6:15; Eph. 2:14-18; Col. 3:11
The gospel teaches that the Lord is no respecter of persons – He shows no partiality. Jews as well as Greeks and all, are all sinners and so under God’s wrath. Paul has already stated this in Romans 3:9–11, “What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, [10] as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.” Jews are not in any way any better, for both Jews and Greeks are under sin.
Since sin is universal, death is universal. Therefore, condemnation of the law of God is universal. But as Lenski says, the universality lies in the very means of grace employed by God. For both Jews and Greeks will not be put to shame when they believe. The Jew will escape the shame, not because of being a Jew but because of believing in Jesus Christ. His blood line and lineage will not save him. His legalism will not save him. Only Jesus can save. Jesus saves those who believe in him.
Jesus Christ is the Lord of all – both Jews and Greeks and all. Everyone who believes in him (Christ) is under no distinction, either of judgement or of salvation. When a person believes in Christ, then he is immediately made a recipient of all the grace of salvation as well as all the benefits accruing from salvation. For though salvation is from the Jews, yet it is for all who believe in Jesus Christ. Anyone therefore can be saved. You should be saved today. Your race does not matter.
Look at the benefits accruing from our salvation in Christ? What does this salvation promise? Look at the text, for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. Two things are promised;
a) The Lordship of Christ: The same Lord, that is Jesus Christ, is the Lord of all, both Jews and Greeks. No one lives outside the realm of the Creator God who is blessed forever. No one is outside the reign and rule of Christ. The Scriptures tell us to believe him and he will become our Lord, and we shall benefit from all a benevolent Lord gives to his subjects. When you believe him as your Saviour, you will delight in confessing or calling him your Lord. This Saviour Jesus is also God and so Lord of all. We who are believers in Christ are also His subjects and thus we are his royal seed, ransomed from the fall. We delight in casting all our crowns befall him and hail him as Lord of all. Let every kindred, every tribe on this terrestrial ball, to him all majesty ascribe and crown Him Lord of all. O that, with yonder sacred throng, we at his feet may fall. Join the everlasting song and crown him Lord of all!
b) Riches of Christ. The Lord Jesus is rich toward all and He is constantly bestowing his riches upon all who believe in Him and call on his name. Think about the wealth of his saving grace. It does not matter the number of the multitude that come to him in faith, calling on his name, they will immediately be beneficiaries of his riches. His grace, His merit, His salvation, are some of His riches which He bestows on all who call on his name. His riches can never run out. His steadfast love never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. His grace is never depleted. His salvation is rich toward all who call on his name. All his riches are new every day.
4. Call on the name of the Lord today (v.13)
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” This is the fourth point and it presses salvation on you today. For in the text before us tells us what to do – call on the name of the Lord now. This word, “For…” shows that what is coming proves what has already been said. This is to say, that everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame, for, or because everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This to mean that to call on his name is the same as to believe in him. And not to be put to shame is to be saved. To call on the name of the Lord is to believe in his person. To call upon him is the same as believing in His name. His name is his person, his perfections, his glories and all his majesty and splendour. Calling on the name of the Lord is to abandon all self-worth and self-effort to cling to Him, His person, His work, His merit and his all.
Those who cling to Christ by faith will be saved. No one has ever called upon the name of the Lord and be rejected. Everyone who calls on Him is saved. It is not a question of probability or possibility. It is a question of assurance and confidence that everyone who has ever called on the name of the Lord receives salvation. When you call upon the name of the Lord today, immediately you will be saved.
You will be…
ü Saved from all your sins:
The Bible is clear that the wages of sin is death and that the soul who sins shall surely die. Everyone will have to deal with his sins one way or another. You will either pay the wages of your sins yourself (if you did not trust in Christ) or you will be saved by Christ, so that He pays your penalty. The Lord Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty due to us who believe in him. He died our death. He gave his righteousness and now we are justified or declared righteous on the basis of his merit.
ü Saved from the wrath of God to come.
Jesus drunk the cup of God’s full wrath in the cross. This is what He prayed in Gethsemane that the cup of God’s wrath may pass. But it was the will of the Father to crush him. So He was wounded for our transgressions. Upon him was the chastisement that brough us peace and by his wounds we are healed. Therefore, to be saved is to be brought from death to life. As our sins are forgiven we are declared righteous on the merit of Christ, that is, we are justified. We do not work for our salvation. Christ works for our salvation. We do not die for our sins. Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures. We do not present our righteousness before the judgement seat. We present the righteousness of Christ. We are saved. Saved from our sins. Saved from the wrath of God.
As I conclude;
My friend, will you call on the name of the Lord today and be saved? Do not delay anymore. Believe in Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
Can you see that fear is gone; shame is gone; condemnation is gone if you have called upon the name of the Lord? Doubt no more our Saviour is able to save the uttermost. Be gone unbelief our Lord is near. Cast away all doubts about your soul.
Can you see the glorious riches we have in Christ? He bestows his riches on all who call on his name. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. He has adopted us into the family of God. He has given us an inheritance incorruptible and unfading. He has given us all the blessings we need both for this life and for the one to come. Believe in him. Rest in him. Rejoice in Him. Christ is mine forever more.
