Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Nov 18th, 2010 The Beauty of Salvation

Today’s Reading – Acts 9 & 10

The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) … To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:36 & 43)

As I was musing on the reading this morning, I was actually having a mental block as to what I would write about. Not that there isn’t enough material here to pique my interest as this is obviously one of the most exciting passages of Scripture in the Bible. Sometimes when there is so much going on, I have a hard time picking one thought from a passage. However, I have decided t develop a thought regarding the beauty and wonder of salvation. In both of the chapters that we have read today, there is a prominent individual who receives Christ as Saviour.

In Acts 9, we read of the marvelous conversion of Saul of Tarsus; a man that was enemy number one to every Christian. Saul was the most zealous persecutor of the Christians, who wasn’t satisfied by just driving them out of Jerusalem; he requested and received permission to chase them to the places where they had fled. Paul is on his way to Damascus to prosecute the Christians there when suddenly the Lord appears to him personally. I can’t be sure about this, but I believe that the Lord handled Paul’s conversion in this way because Paul would have never listened to another man. Paul’s life is changed 180 degrees and he served Christ with an intensity that surpassed even the zeal of his days as a persecutor. What a conversion. I have often wondered if we will ever see a conversion like this ever again. I am not referring to the way the Lord revealed himself, but to the extent the convert would be used of the Lord after his salvation.

In chapter ten, we learn about Cornelius, a Gentile centurion. Now Cornelius was also a prominent figure in his circles. Though he was a Gentile, he was a man who feared God, and to the best of his knowledge and understanding, he served him. Jesus revealed himself to Cornelius in a different way than Paul, yet just as dramatic. An angel appears to him and tells him to send for Peter. Peter has to be specially prepared by the Lord for this meeting, because he would never, without God’s specific intervention, go and present Christ to a Gentile. Peter eventually goes to Caesarea to preach the gospel to Cornelius, and he and many others who were present were gloriously saved.

I love the Book of Acts. It is all about people getting saved. Sometimes in church we lose sight of the main thing which is winning people to Christ. We get very caught up in the administrative aspects of ministry, and other good things that we forget about the best things. I always want to be involved with a church that has a heart for people and a zeal for the winning of souls. We should never get tired of seeing people saved. I can’t wait to go out tonight for soulwinning visitation!

And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. (Jude 22 & 23)