Call to Salvation

Matthew 19:16-30
Matthew 20:1-19

June 24, 2012
Pastor Scott

Matthew 19:16-30

• Jesus' call to salvation demands radical surrender.  It's a summons to lose your life, for Him.
• Jesus' call to salvation guarantees radical reward.

The first and the last
Matthew 20:1-16

• God's grace is surprising. It's not what we deserve.  Salvation is NOT fair.

God does what we would never expect according to what we could never earn.  He owes us nothing, but gives us everything!

• God's grace is sovereign.  He has the right to dispense His mercy as He pleases.

Why Jesus Came
Matthew 20:17-19

• Jesus came to suffer
• Jesus came to save
• Jesus came to be our substitute
• Jesus came to show us how to live
• Jesus came to serve

This means that Jesus is our servant.  This does NOT mean that we tell Jesus what to do--but, He gives us exactly what we need.

The Radical call to discipleship is accompanied by a Radical promise of service.
Salvation is all devine mercy, it is none of human merit.  That means our salvation has nothing to do with what we do.  It has all to do with what God has done.  We serve because we want to live like Him.
Since Jesus is our servant and he came to show us how to live, we are now His servants.  This does not mean He needs our help.  It means we submit to His authority. 
Acts 17:25 "And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else."

How we respond:

• We trust Jesus to serve us:

Jesus' service to us enebles our obedience to Him

• We exalt Jesus by serving others:

Our service to others glorifies God

• Boldly confess our need for His mercy
• Humbly believe in His power to do the miraculous