RELIGIOUS
BUT LOST
John
3:1-10
Intro:
There is much confusion between religion and salvation.
Salvation
is not going to church meetings.
Salvation
is not gaining a church membership.
Salvation
is not giving to church missions.
All
these are good works for the Christian to be doing, but these are the fruits
of salvation, not the root of it.
NOTICE
SOME CHARACTERS IN THE BIBLE THAT WERE RELIGIOUS BUT THEY WERE LOST...
I.
LOOK AT NICODEMUS...John 3:1-10
A.
He was religious. .v 1 (a pharisee)
John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
B.
He was respected. ..v 1 (a ruler of the Jews)
John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
C.
He was a Rabbi.. .v 10 (a master in Israel)
John 3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
II.
LOOK AT THE PHARISEE IN Luke 18:10-14
A.
He went to church...v 10
Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
B.
He prayed...v 11
Luke 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
C.
He was not as other men.. .v 11
D.
He was not an extortioner.. v 11
E.
He was not an unjust person... v 11
F.
He was not an adulterer.. .v 11
G.
He fasted twice a week...v 12
Luke 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
H.
He tithed of all he possessed...v 12
BUT
THERE WAS SOMETHING MISSING IN HIS LIFE...
III.
LOOK AT THE RICH YOUNG RULER...Luke 18:18-21
A.
He came to Jesus...v 18
Luke 18:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
B.
He was sincere...
C.
He knew the scriptures.. .v 20
Luke 18:20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
D.
He kept the commandments. ..v 21 BUT HE WAS STILL A
SINNER...
Luke 18:21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
NOW
LET'S LOOK AT A PICTURE OF A SINNER COMING TO JESUS FOR SALVATION... Mark
5:25-33
A.
She spent all...v 26
Mark 5:26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
B.
She heard of Jesus.. .v 27
Mark 5:27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
C.
She came to Jesus.. .v 27
D.
She touched Him by faith. ..v 28
Mark 5:28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
E.
Immediately she was made whole. ..v 29
Mark 5:29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
F.
She felt it in her body...v 29
G.
Fearing, Trembling, Knowing, she fell down and told Him all the
truth...v 33
Mark 5:33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
By
Bro. Stinnett Ballew
