Salvation

Just thinking over some stuff in our Christian circles, want to set the record straight. Make sure we understand what we're about. Let me know what you think..

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. Acts 16:29-31

Several months back at a student ministries events, one of the other leaders posed the question, "how do you become a Christian?" Some said you have to go to church, some said read the bible. Some said you need to volunteer at church. All good things, essential things to be an active part of Christ's body (the Church).

But just in those two verses is proof that the idea of having to do something in order to be good enough for God is absolutely not correct. Like what it said at Mountain a lot, "all that thinking about Religion where you have to do this, or do that that, we realize it just a bunch of doo-doo"

How am I saved? By grace, God loves you enough he brought his Son into the world to die for our sins. Through faith, we place our trust in Jesus. Not something we've done, not by doing good works, or doing good things, so that way no one can boast. "I'm a better Christian than you, look what I offered to the Lord." No, the ground at the foot of the cross is level. Everyone who shows up there is equally broken in our sin, and just as sinful and wretched as the person standing next to us and redemption is only brought through Christ's sacrifice.

Do we really believe what our Bibles tell us, or is our faith, instead of being built on the rock of our salvation, is built by a bunch of do-do?

Take a minute this week and read over Ephesians 2, see what it is to be made alive in Christ. A good look at just what people are.

Don't Leave...

Don't Leave...

a note for graduating seniors

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

John 6:66-69

Especially if you're a senior this year, you've no doubt already made a ton of decisions in the last 12 months, I want to encourage that you take of the most utter seriousness one more decision. Do not leave the church of Jesus. Do not turn your back on the Lord. You need the church now more than ever, as you enter this time in your life where the church has probably the least amount of attenders.

If you're going to spend next fall on a college campus, one of the very first things you should do is locate the campus ministry. Some ministries are harder to find than others depending on the campus. You need to locate a good, bible-teaching church where you can grow in your faith.

If you're going to spend time near home, seek ways to get plugged into other people your age. Mountain has a great Young Adult Ministry with small groups meeting weekly, and many large group gatherings throughout the year.

In either case, you need to make a decision. Some of you will be like the early followers of Jesus and turn your backs on him. The same tongue you used last Sunday singing, "You are stronger, sin is broken, you have saved me" you'll use that same tongue to no longer have any regard for Christ. Some of you will choose to continue to follow Christ and say with Simon Peter, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

In any case, you're adults now, and it's a choice YOU will have to make for yourselves.

This is a time where many adults in your life are giving big congratulations and encouragement to you. I probably won't be there this Sunday night, even if I am able to make it I wouldn't have the guts to get up in front of people and say this. But if I'm going to say that I care about students, then I want to leave you with these words, because it is of such great importance that you get this.

You're graduating from high school, you're graduating out of Fuel, many of you will be leaving home, but don't graduate out of Jesus. Don't leave...