By Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone, In Christ Alone

Sunday, August 17, 2025
Pastor Jojo Ma

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

If you add anything to Jesus, you lose Jesus. If you add anything to the gospel, you lose the gospel.

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

I. Salvation is not based on who you are or what you do
II. Salvation is found in Christ alone
III. Salvation reaches others through faithful messengers

I. Salvation is not based on who you are or what you do
34-35 Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

In the Bible, salvation is never, ever based on who you are or what you do. From first to last, salvation belongs to the Lord. He gets all the glory, we get all the grace.

II. Salvation is found in Christ alone
36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all).

You don’t have to have a graduate degree in theology to evangelize. You need to have boldness, pray for boldness, then tell people the story of Jesus.

III. Salvation reaches others through faithful messengers
Acts 1:8 you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Acts 10:39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.

For us today, this means we must be faithful messengers of the gospel --- no matter the cost, no matter the result.

The way God gets His mail out, the method God has chosen to spread the gospel is for us to tell others about Jesus. God’s will is for salvation to reach others through faithful messengers.

Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

There’s none good but God. He is the standard and we all fall short of that standard. We need Christ. Sinners need Christ.

I. Salvation is not based on who you are or what you do
II. Salvation is found in Christ alone
III. Salvation reaches others through faithful messengers