Lost?

Acts chapter 16 records that Paul and Silas were thrown into jail for their faith. While incarcerated, they started singing praises to God. At that time a great earthquake occurred and all the prison doors were opened and the chains of the prisoners were loosed. The jailer woke up and feared that all the prisoners had escaped. He was about to commit suicide when Paul intervened and told him not to because they were all there. Then the jailer fell down trembling and asked Paul and Silas a question. He asked them THE question – the question that every man, woman, boy and girl ought to ask. He asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

What made this jailer ask this question? Have you ever wondered what can be done today to get people to ask this question? The jailer asked the question because he realized that his soul was in danger. He knew that he was lost and that he deserved the judgment of God. The circumstances of the earthquake and the open doors of the prison were used by God to get his attention. After Christmas our family drove to New York to visit my daughter and son-in-law. I had looked at the maps and the route looked to be rather simple. We had just taken the same route last summer to Virginia. I drove north on I-85 and then got on I-77 and continued to head north. I merged onto Interstate 81 and kept going north, or so I thought. I really wasn’t paying that close attention to things. I thought I was going the right way. I was actually headed south instead. I was lost and didn’t know it until I saw a sign that I was headed for Knoxville. I didn’t want to go to Knoxville; I wanted to go to NY!

I immediately took the next exit, turned around and started going in the exact opposite direction. I would have ended up in Knoxville if I hadn’t seen a sign. The Philippian jailer didn’t know he was lost until he saw a sign. The earthquake and open prison doors were a sign to him that got his attention. He had probably heard Paul and Silas talk about eternity and salvation. Suddenly he realized he was lost and headed for hell. He didn’t want to go to hell. So he immediately cried out, “What must I do to be saved?”

Have you ever come to the realization that you were lost? You may have been going through life up until now thinking that you are fine – that you are on the way to heaven. Yet you could be lost and on the way to hell. You could be lost and not even know it. I thought I knew the way to NY. I thought there was absolutely no way I would get lost. So I didn’t pay attention. I assumed I was going the right way, but I was going the wrong way. Don’t merely assume you are on the road to heaven. You could be on the road to hell. It is possible that you need to be saved from your sins.

If you are lost, you need to ask for directions. Have you ever sincerely asked – what must I do to be saved? Would you like to know the answer? The answer that the apostle Paul gave the jailer is, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” This is the way to heaven – the right directions. But you not only need to know the right directions to be saved – to get to heaven, you need to follow those directions. You may know what those directions are, but have you followed them? You must stop going your own way and turn to Jesus Christ and put your faith in Him. Then you must stay on that narrow path and follow Him. If you are not following Jesus in your daily life, then there is a good chance you are lost. In 2Corinthians 13:5, the apostle Paul said, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.”

I am convinced that especially in the Bible Belt where we live, many people who go to church are going to hell. They think they are saved and have nothing to worry about. If you were on the way to hell would you want to know it? If a person found out that he was headed for hell, do you think he would be more inclined to seek salvation? Of course. Therefore I believe that people need to be warned about sin and the dangers of hell. They need to hear an explanation of God’s law, which will show them their sins. God’s law reveals the standard by which God will judge us.

On our trip last week I had gone 70 miles in the opposite direction before I realized I was headed the wrong way. How long will it take you to realize you are going the wrong way in life – that you are not going to heaven, but in fact are on the broad road that leads to destruction? If I had not turned around, I would never have gotten to New York. If you do not turn around – if you do not repent, you will never get to heaven. Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you will likewise perish.” Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

How do you know you are on the broad road to hell? What are the signs? You know you are on the broad road when you have no love for God – for His word or His worship. You are on the broad road if you have a Bible but no interest in reading it; you go to church, but you don’t really enjoy it. God is part of your life, but you are not consumed with loving Christ or living for Him. You know you are on the broad road if your lifestyle is no different than the unbelieving world around you. If your language and your daily life are not pleasing to Christ, then it is likely that you are unconverted. If you know that you need to be saved and you desire to be saved, then what must you do? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” To believe means to put all your trust and confidence in the Lord Jesus for salvation. It is putting all your hope for heaven in Him alone. Jesus alone can save. Therefore, turning from your sins, simply believe that He will save you and put your faith in Him to do so. Then you will be saved. And if you are saved you must stay on the narrow road that leads to life.