Signs I'm Saved

What are some signs that I am saved? Let me give you three ways.

1. I'm a good person, and I'm receptive to Jesus.

Jesus says in Luke 8:15, 15 “But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.”

They are good people inside and out. You probably know people like this. They're the ones who feed the homeless and volunteer in civic organizations. They're kind to everybody. They're the ones who follow the rules, behave in class, and obey the law. They're friendly, they're neighborly, and they just love people. You probably know people like this. They're just good, honest people.

Now, how many of you know somebody who's like this but haven't started following Jesus yet? These people are ripe for the harvest because they're good people. They have it in their hearts. Honest and good people are ready for and receptive to an honest and good God.

2. I'm enriching my relationship with Jesus.

I'm getting to church. I'm reading my Bible. I'm praying every day. I'm fasting. I’m doing everything I can to grow my relationship with Jesus. Jesus says in verse 15 that they hold onto it, or they secure it. They work hard at making it work to mature and grow. God wants to do more in our lives than just save us from sin. He wants to do more in our lives than just save us from hell. He wants to do more in our lives than just get us to heaven. He wants to produce a harvest in our lives of enhanced personality, of enriched testimony - wouldn't you love to have a good story to tell about how Jesus is working in your life? - and he wants deeper character.

Galatians 5:22-23 says, 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.

These are the characteristics God wants in our lives. How do you get that? You grow it. You work at it. As Christians, we ought to exhibit these characteristics. Being a Christian should make you a better doctor, a better nurse, a better healthcare worker because you're exhibiting the fruit of love and joy and gentleness. Being a Christian should make you more productive in business or a better employee because honesty and self-control are necessary. Being a Christian should make you a more effective employer, an employee, a better coach, a better teacher because peace, patience, and faithfulness inspire others to greatness. As followers of Jesus, we ought to be maturing in our relationship with Jesus in these characteristics. Let's grasp it, let's hold onto it, let's secure it.

3. I'm committed to the mission of Jesus.

Jesus says in verse 15 that it produces fruit. As Christians, we ought to be producing fruit. When a seed is dropped in good soil, the seed reproduces itself. Faithful followers of Jesus seek to reproduce themselves. Jesus’ mission becomes our mission: To seek and to save the lost.

1 Corinthians 3:6-9 says, 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one,[a] and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

We are working alongside God to plant these seeds. We're working alongside God to water these seeds so that he can cause the growth. We're partners with God in helping to win the lost - the 70,000 in a 3 mile radius of this church building. How are we doing? Are we really walking with Jesus? How is that walk? Are we planting seeds? Are we really serious about this Christianity thing? I hope so. God is delighted when the lost are found. Let's continue to make Jesus smile by planting seeds and watering these seeds and finding people who are lost. Let our hearts break for the lost.

I want to close with this. A grandfather and his grandson were out in the woods one day, walking around. The grandfather looked at the boy and said, “Do you know how to get back home?”

The grandson said, “No.”

The grandfather asked, “Well, do you know which direction our house is?”

The grandson said, “No.”

The grandfather said, “Well, do you know how far it is?”

“No.”

The grandfather looked at his grandson and said,: Well, are you lost?”

He said, “Not as long as I'm with you.”

I pray that you're with Jesus, because when you're with Jesus, you are never lost.