WHY ARE YOU WAITING?
Intro.
1. Acts 22:16 - Vital question: “Why are you waiting?”
2. Many answers given. If you have not been baptized, which one are you relying on to comfort you in delaying your obedience to the gospel? Will it be sufficient when you give answer to the Lord on the day of judgment? – 2 Cor. 5:10
3. Christ answers every hesitation & urges every lost soul to come to Him – 1 Pet. 3:15; Matt. 11:28-30.
· Why are you waiting?
1. Because you do not believe (unbelief) – cf. Acts 19:1-5.
a. Haven’t heard / need to hear gospel truth – Rom. 10:17; 1:16-17.
b. Need to be taught – Acts 8:29-35.
2. Because you are unwilling to believe & obey – Jno. 5:39-44.
a. Wrong motives exist when one is unwilling to believe & obey:
1) 5:42 – You do not love God - Jno. 14:15.
2) 5:43-44 – Love the honor of men.
b. 5:34 – Jesus says these things to save you!
c. When one with a willing heart hears the gospel – will come to Christ & be saved! – Jno. 7:16-17; 6:44-45
3. Because you think you don’t need to, thinking you are already saved – cf. Acts 18:24-26.
a. Make a careful, honest examination of the scriptures & of your own life in light of what they say – Acts 17:11-12; Acts 26:9; 1 Ths. 5:21.
b. What have you believed about Jesus? How were you “saved”?
c. Did you repent of your sins in order to be saved?
d. Why were you baptized? (R of S? – Acts 2:38) How? (Immersion? – Col. 2:12) When? (After faith? – Mk. 16:16)
4. Because it is not convenient to be a Christian – Acts 24:25.
a. All your “fun” would be taken away – cf. Rom. 12:1-2.
b. Wait until you are older…after you live it up…etc. – Lk. 12:20; Jas. 4:13-15.
c. Christians are fun-loving people – Enjoy life the way God intended!
d. Need to see your present need to be saved from your sin:
1) Must see your soul’s true need – Jno. 7:37.
2) Must comprehend the weight of your own sin – Matt. 11:28 (Rom. 6:23).
a) Prodigal son – Lk. 15:11-17.
b) Has sin deceived you & hardened your heart?! (Heb. 3:13)
e. Now is the time to obey God! – 2 Cor. 6:2
5. Because there are sinners/hypocrites in the church.
a. Such is not condoned as acceptable! Eph. 5:1-14
b. Some will sin willfully, be hypocritical, worldly, etc. We are warned about such – 1 Cor. 5:1-2, 13; Acts 20:29-31.
c. “So and so mistreated me! I’ll never become a Christian!”
d. These excuses attempt to shift responsibility away from yourself to others! – Ezek. 18:4, 20
d. A Christian’s sin will not save you! No comfort in this thinking!
6. Because you don’t know everything yet.
a. “I don’t know enough to become a Christian.”
b. Faith in Jesus as the Christ? Your sin? His death for you? Confession of faith? Repentance? Baptism? Live faithful to Him?
c. You know enough to become a Christian!
d. Then, grow! – Acts 2:42; 2 Pet. 3:18
7. Because you think you will fail (don’t think you can succeed).
a. Like Peter (denial; hypocrisy)? Like all the apostles (fled)? Like Simon (Acts 8:20-24)? Like the Corinthian fornicator (2 Cor. 2:7 – he repented!)?
b. You are already a sinner! (Rom. 3:23)
c. When a Christian sins: Confess it to the Lord & repent of it – 1 Jno. 1:9; Acts 8:22.
d. Do not sin willfully - Heb. 10:26.
e. Sin is no longer your master/way of life (Rom. 6:11-12; 1 Jno. 3:6-7).
f. Success: Eph. 2:8-9 (Rom. 8:31-39); 2 Tim. 4:6-8.
Conclusion
Don’t delay in doing the right thing! Don’t wait to become a Christian! Don’t wait to repent & get right with the Lord!