Download this sermon (right click and save)
Only A Few Will Be Saved
(Lk13:23-24; 1Co10:1-6)
God is the Lord of faith.
His nature never changes (He13:8) and
He acts what He speaks (Nu23:19).
Faith is having the faith that is revealed (Gal3:23) and
The life of this faith is to hold one’s original conviction firmly to the very end (He3:14) for
If not, one will be judged and not be saved (1Ti5:12; Jude1:5).
Humans give authority to and trust in large numbers, the majority, as
The basis of all studies is statistics and the basis of democracy is a majority decision.
So people unconditionally consider large churches and large denominations as normal or orthodox.
The Bible, however, warns against following many and doing evil (Ex23:2).
The dispensation of God demonstrates expansion—contraction—expansion—contraction etc.
Among the people who filled the earth (Ge1:28),
Only eight people, Noah and his family, were saved from the deluge (1Pe3:20);
From one man, as good as dead (He11:12) came
Countless descendants of Israel and Arabs;
When Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by burning sulfur,
Only three people, Lot and his daughters, escaped;
All but two among about two million people of Israel who left Egypt (Nu1:46)
Wondered the wilderness for 40 years and fell there to die (Nu14:29-33)
For they had a sinful, unbelieving heart (He3:12), that is,
God was not pleased with most of them (1Co10:5).
In spite of this, instigated by the devil, David ordered a census which displeased God.
As a result, 70,000 people died from a plague (1Ch21:1-7, 14).
Yeshua said, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days,” because
Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body (Jn2:19-21),
Not in the name of Jehovah but in the Father’s name of Yeshua (Jn5:43),
Not by countless sacrifices and offerings (He10:5-6)
But by sacrificing His own body once for all, serve the Father (He9:28, 10:10).
When many of those who followed Him seeing His signs and wonders left Him
He did not hold them back (Jn6:66).
While He urged Judas who was about to betray Him (Jn13:29),
For Peter who would soon denounce Him, however (Lk22:34)
He prayed for his faith (Lk22:31-33; Jn17:11-12) for
He saw his faith that wanted to follow because of His words of eternal life (Jn6:68).
As He died by the tyranny of many (Lk23:23-25),
Yeshua said, “It is finished” (Jn19:30), declaring that He:
1) Laid down His life only to please the Father (Jn10:17-18);
2) Judged the devil who changed (Is14:12-15; Ge3:4-6); and
3) Sowed His redeeming blood, the good seed, on the soil of the souls of all men (Mt13:24-30).
He resurrected, ascended to heaven and sat on the throne.
He sent the Holy Spirit who came to
The 120 among the 500 who witnessed Yeshua (Ac1:15; 1Co15:6).
Through their testimony, 3000 people converted in one day and
The number of disciples increased (Ac2:41, 6:7) and
The gospel quickly spread to the ends of the earth (Ac1:8; He12:1).
Nevertheless, the number of those who are saved is small (Mt7:13-14; Lk13:23-24, 18:8).
Therefore, even as the churches have become degraded to populism (1Ti4:2),
The Christian is he who
Shares the faith of those who obey to the end (He3:18-19, 4:1-2; Php2:12),
Overcomes economic, faith, and social temptations (Mt4:3-10; Jas1:12-15), and
Perseveres under tests of faith (1Pe1:7, 4:12-17)
For God is pleased by a few of faith.
O Lord,
It is said that currently there are millions, or even billions, of Christians living on earth…
But how many of them know and believe the truth?
And how many churches preach to please God (Pr25:13; Gal1:10)?
How many of them will be saved in the end?
As You said, only a few will be saved…
O Lord, even if we are isolated, lonely…the only ones left (1Ki18:22),
Willingly choosing hardship, poverty, persecution, and even death
Let us become the few of faith who
Keep, defend and teach the Truth to the end! Amen.