4/10/2013 Bible Study : "The Most Important Question of All"

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The Most Important Question of All

There are many important questions being asked around the world today. Many people are asking, “Will we ever make it out of this recession?” Others are asking, “What should we do about the situation in North Korea?” Everyone is asking questions, but it seems that no one is asking the most important question of all.

In this text, a sin-hardened, pagan jailer asks what I believe is the single most important question that have ever been spoken in the history of the world. He asks “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” If you look at the verses in the text above, you will see that there are some other great questions that the jailer could have asked that night. He could have asked “How did the doors of my prison get opened?” Or he could have asked “Why haven’t all of my prisoners escaped?”

Instead, he asks a question that gets to the heart of his problem as an individual and to the heart of the problem for every person across the entire human race. He asks “What must I do to be saved?”

This passage not only poses the question, but it provides the answers. Let me share those answers with you for just a moment as we talk about “The most important question of all.”

1. The Reason For This Question:

1. It was Provoked By Fear: The jailer in this passage most definitely thought he was going to die. Under Roman law, that is exactly what would have happened to him if he had lost his prisoners. It was the fear of his own impending punishment and death that drove him to the feet of the Apostle Paul that night in Philippi. I think it is important to note here that while everyone who gets saved comes to Jesus through faith, the road that leads us to him may be different for everyone. Some people come to Jesus to escape Hell and the wrath of God. Others come because they are moved by the cross. Thank God for whatever He uses in your life to “awaken you” and bring you to Jesus!
2. It was Provoked By Faith: It is interesting to note that this jailer did not take the time to secure the prison
   or the prisoners. His first thought was for his own salvation. Many have read this and think that he was simply trying to save his own skin; I think he was interested in saving his soul. You see, as he was lying down in his bed to sleep that night, there were two men in the prison who were engaged in worship. As they sang about Jesus, and no doubt, shared the promises of Christ from the Word of God, this man heard them. His heart was pricked by the Holy Spirit and he experienced a “spiritual” awakening as well as a physical one. He had probably never given God a moment’s thought before then, but what he saw and what he heard was used of the Lord to open his spiritual eyes. This is how salvation begins for every person in the world. They are dead to God and all he represents (Eph. 2:1 –And you hath he quickened (or made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins). Then through the awakening ministry of the Holy Spirit, the sinner is mad to understand his sins, his future in Hell, and the gift of God in Christ Jesus (John 16:8 – And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment). This is called conviction and is a blessed gift of God (John 6:44 – No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day). In this text, God used both the physical and the spiritual to open the jailer’s heart to the truth of his need. Whatever it takes in any life to do this is a price worth paying!

II. The Response To This Question:

1. It Involved A Person: Paul points the jailer to “The Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus is lifted up as the sinner’s
   only hope for salvation. This is what the Bible teaches (Acts 4:12 – Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.) (John 14:6 – Jesus
   saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.) I know that we live in a society that seeks to find the good in all religions. And, there are aspects of all the religions of the world that make them appealing to certain people. I also know that there are “good” people in all religions. I also concede that all religions produce “good” things after the flesh. However, I also know that the only way any person, anywhere can be saved is by accepting Jesus Christ as their savior! It may sound narrow minded
   and exclusive to men, but it is what the Word of God teaches! Just as a reminder, Jesus is the one who left heaven to be born in human flesh (John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God; John 1:14 – And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth). He is the same one who lived a perfect, sinless life while here (1 Peter 2:22 – Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth). He is the one who died for you on a cross (Romans 5:8 – But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us). He is the one who arose from the dead on the third day (Matthew 28:5-6 – And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not: for I know that you seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay). He is the one who ascended back to Heaven and now sits on the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12 – But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God). It is his blood alone that saves (1 Peter 1:18-19 – Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot). It is He that will someday return to retrieve His people and judge the world (Revelation 22:12 – And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be). You can try any method you please, but only Jesus Christ can save your soul!
2. It Involved A Plan: The jailer is told to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” That is, he is to place his faith in
   Christ and his work alone for salvation. At this point, the jailer surely does not know all about the message of the Gospel, but the basis for salvation, “faith in Jesus”, has been established. This is where so many people miss
   salvation. They cannot grasp the fact that people are saved through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Once, a missionary in Africa was attempting to translate the Gospel of John into the language of the natives. He became stuck on the word “believeth” in John 3:16. For weeks, he tried to find a suitable word in the native tongue to translate that all important word. Then one day, a young native man came running down the path that led to the missionary’s house. He came up on the missionary’s porch, out of breath, and flopped himself on the chair and said in his native tongue “It feels good to cast my whole weight down upon this chair.” The missionary knew that he had found his word. Faith in Jesus means to “cast your whole weight upon him.” An example of this concept can be seen in a man who lives in a second floor apartment and keeps a rope ladder in his room in case there is a fire. He believes that the rope ladder is strong enough to support his weight and that the wooden rings will allow him to reach the ground safely. He believes that in his head, but it is not until he actually throws the rope ladder out his window and commits his whole weight to it that he will know for sure if it can support him. This is the same way it is with many people. They have an intellectual understanding of the truth and believe it in their
   heads, but they never fully trust it by faith. Listen, if you are trusting in Jesus plus anything else, you simply are not saved! He must be trusted exclusively.
3. It Involved A Promise: The promise is simple - “thou shalt be saved”. The word “saved” is a glorious word! It
   means “to be rescued from all harm or danger, to keep safe and sound.” The promise is clear: believe on Jesus and you will be saved! That promise is still good today. No one who has trusted Jesus need ever fear being cast into Hell. If your faith is in him, you have His word on your security (John 6:37-40 – All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will
   raise him up at the last day). You need to be sure that you are in Him. Are you sure that you are saved today?
   

III. The Results to the Question

1. It Led to Salvation: Verse 34 tells us that after he heard the Gospel, he believed and was saved. Remember, that’s how it works! You see, there is a difference between historical faith and saving faith. Historical faith believes the facts of the Bible. Saving faith embraces the Christ of the Bible. Think of it this way. When you are out driving and come to a bridge going over a river, you just cross it. You don’t know who built it, when it was built, what the weight limit is, what grade of materials were used in its construction, or whether or not it will hold you up. You just go across that bridge with all of the faith in the world. But, when it comes to your soul, you will trust everything to save you but the one thing that God said would do the job. Why is that? Every plan of salvation in the world has been tried and all have failed except one. The only one that works is salvation through grace
   by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast). Have you trusted Jesus and him alone for your salvation?
2. It Led to Service: As soon as this man gets saved, a change becomes evident in his life. In verse 24, he dealt
   harshly with Paul and Silas. The word “thrust” means “to throw or cast a thing without caring about where it falls.” Yet in verses 33-34, he is seen washing their stripes, and feeding them from his own table. He is a new creature and he demonstrates this by being baptized and by serving the men of God. This is the experience for every person who comes to Jesus by faith! They are forever changed by His power (2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are
   become new). There will be a new desire to live for God and to be a vessel in His hand for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10 – For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them). (James 2:18 – Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show you my faith by my works). Have you been changed?
3. It Led To Satisfaction: The Bible says that this man “rejoiced”. He was filled with happiness and praise to the
   Lord. I can almost hear him at the dinner table saying “Paul, when I heard you and Silas singing at midnight, I thought you two had lost your minds. Now, I know what you were singing about!” Meeting Jesus makes all the difference in life! He transforms the dead into the living, the lost into the found, the miserable into the joyful, and the sinner into the saint. He fills the hearts of his children with peace, joy, and permanent satisfaction! Do you know what I am talking about? Has Jesus lifted the curtain of gloom from your soul and given you His perfect, profound joy? There will be no doubt if he has!

What is the main question that has your attention today? Are questions of war, the economy, or the troubles of the world bringing you fear and confusion today? Let me encourage you to examine your own life and determine if you have ever asked the most important question of all. “What must I do to be saved?” If you have never asked that question in your own life, but you wish to be saved now, you can pray this simple prayer sincerely and ask the
Lord to save you:

“Lord, I admit to you that I am a sinner
and I need you in order to have any hope. Please forgive me of my sins and offer me a freedom from an eternal death in Hell. I believe that Jesus died and rose from the grave to forgive my sins and to restore my relationship with you. By
faith, I invite Jesus Christ into my life, and from this point on I want to have a loving relationship with him. Thank you Lord for saving me!”

Perhaps you can look back on your life and remember a time that you placed your faith in Jesus and were saved. Are you living your life for Jesus in the way that Paul and Silas were living their lives? Would the way you live your life encourage others to ask you the all important question “What must I do to be saved?” If you cannot honestly answer this question with a yes, let me encourage you to pray and start living your life in a way that is pleasing to Christ. You do not want another person to die lost and go to Hell because you did not live your life in a manner that would draw them to Christ.

 If you prayed and asked the Lord to save you today, or if you were already a Christian and have chosen to rededicate your life to the Lord, we ask that you message us and let us know. We will not single you out or embarrass you. We simply want to pray for you. We can be contacted by email at info@siblingsofscripture.org , or we can be messaged on this forum.