Acts 15 SAVED?

I don’t know if I was an abnormal Middle Schooler, but I spent a good amount of time wondering if I was SAVED. I was asking a few questions: What do I do to be SAVED? How do I know that I am in fact SAVED?

I want to share with you my experience then and what I understand from Jesus and the Bible Now.
The first time I went to the altar was 6 years old. An adult at the front asked me if I wanted to accept Jesus and I said yes of course what kind of idot wants to Go to hell when presented with the choice at 6 years old. For the next 7 years I accepted Jesus’ sacrifice for my sins almost every time I was given the opportunity. I wanted to make sure I was SAVED. I was always able to think of a number of sins I had committed and I was afraid I had fallen away from God.

It felt a little like this. Jesus and I were drawing up a contract at the altar. I was committing my life to him and he was forgiving all my sins. Then when I sinned I was breaking the contract ripping it up, and I would need to go and make a new contract.
And these were interesting Contracts I would make in Middle School. Here is a list of sins pretty well accepted by my Youth group.
A person shall not:
1. Cuss
2. Listen to Non Christian Music
3. Expose yourself to Nudity
4. Have Sex before Marriage
5. Do Drugs
6. Believe in Evolution

So if you can get into my Head. Those who did these things did not have a contract with God and were not SAVED. This is what you heard earlier in Antioch. The list was different: Circumcision, eating right, and sexual immorality, but the idea is the same.
What is your List?
1.
2.
3.
Peter Stands up and gives us some help.
He says God desires for all to Hear the Gospel of Jesus and Believe. God desires everyone to be SAVED.
Saved meant 3 things when Peter Said it
1. Rescue from Physical and Spiritual Death
2. The healing of our Bodies, Mind, Emotions and Will
3. Deliverance from evil

What do you do to be SAVED (rescuced and Healed)? Believe in Jesus.
How do we know we are Saved?
When they believe the Gospel They receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes inside of us and starts filling us with Love and Joy and Peace. The Holy Spirit desires to reshape us into Jesus like People.

The Holy Spirit does not run away or get scared when we do something wrong, he is working on us for the long haul. It is the difference between a relationship with a friend at school and a parent or relative. If we do something stupid it might damage a relationship with a friend, but the Holy Spirit is like that Parent you can’t shake always trying to fill you with love, joy and peace for the World.

Then Peter Says: Don’t try to SAVE people through Rules.(it didn’t work)

Next Face to Face Discussion at the IkeBox 8:00pm Thursday June 29th.