Salvation is a gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ, not earned by our own merits. The sermon uses the parable of a ragged boy seeking shelter at an orphanage, who offered his rags as his only credentials, to illustrate how we must come to God empty-handed, relying only on the "rags" of our sins for Christ to receive us. This highlights that salvation is not a reward for good deeds but a free gift, as stated in Ephesians 2:8-9. The core lesson is that Christ is a never-failing friend who saves and keeps us, and we are called to trust in His grace and faithfulness.
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Good morning. It's time again for moments of melody. Five minutes to help you begin your day. Dr. Bernardo tells this story. One cold day, a shivering boy in ragged clothing came to his orphanage. for food and shelter. Being a kindly man, and good-natured, he asked the youngster if he had any credentials for entrance. The lad's answer was something like this.
Credentials? I ain't got no credentials. If these here rags ain't credentials enough, I don't know what is. Naturally, he was admitted. You know, we must come to the Lord in a similar fashion, empty-handed, with nothing except the credential rags of our sins. Christ will receive us just as we are. We read in Ephesians this book that we're reading together, For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. Jesus is
a never-failing friend. Jesus will be faithful to the end. Saving me is keeping on the way. Go away from sleeping in my way. Jesus is a never-failing friend. On his love and grace I can defend. God forgive them never, I am here forever. Jesus is a never-ending friend. When troubles mount up, and problems mount up, there is one who walks away with me.
When burdens pressed me, and cares distressed me, there is there to guide me, constantly. Jesus is the never-failing perceiving in my grave.
Jesus is a never-failing friend. On his love and grace I can defend. And now those verses from St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians. And now God can always point to us as examples of how very, very rich His kindness is, as shown in all He has done for us through Jesus Christ. Because of His kindness, you have been saved through trusting Christ.
And even trusting is not of yourselves. It too is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done. so none of us can take any credit for it. Jesus is a never-failing friend. He saves us. He gives us salvation as a gift. We couldn't hurt it, and so he gives it to us. Thank you.