1. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” -- Romans 1:16

3. GOOD NEWS: There is SALVATION in Christ! Consider Three Descriptions of Salvation...

4. I. Discovering Bread (2 Kings 7) Three Descriptions of Salvation

5. At the entrance of the city gate, four leprous men were considering their options (2 Kings 7:3-4). “ 3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, ‘Why are we sitting here until we die?’”

6. At the entrance of the city gate, four leprous men were considering their options (2 Kings 7:3-4). “ 4 If we say, 'We will enter the city,' the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.” -- 2 Kings 7:3-4

7. “ 6 For the LORD had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses; the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, ‘Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!’”

8. “ 7 Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact; their tents, their horses, and their donkeys; and they fled for their lives.” -- 2 Kings 7:6-7

9. “And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it.” -- 2 Kings 7:8

10. “Then they said to one another, ‘We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king's household.’” -- 2 Kings 7:9

11. “And they went after them to the Jordan; and indeed all the road was full of garments and weapons which the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. So the messengers returned and told the king.” -- 2 Kings 7:15

12. “ 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. 34 Then they said to Him, ‘Lord, give us this bread always.’

13. 35 And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.’” -- John 6:33-35

14. “Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find Bread.”

15. Salvation can be described as a starving man finding the Bread of Life.

16. II. Saved from Drowning (cf. Matthew 14:25-33) Three Descriptions of Salvation

17. Due to OUR own wrong choices, you and I are much like Shane: drowning in our sins, destined to die, and powerless to save ourselves.

18. “ 30 But when [Peter] saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’”

19. “ 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” -- Matthew 14:30-31

20. “I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more, But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, now safe am I. Love lifted me! Love lifted me! When nothing else could help Love lifted me!” -- James Rowe

21. Salvation may be described as a drowning man being rescued from sin.

22. III. Released from a Debt (Luke 7:36-50) Three Descriptions of Salvation

23. “ 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,”

24. “ 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.” -- Luke 7:37-38

25. The Pharisee said to himself: “If this man were a prophet, He would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” -- Luke 7:39

26. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” -- Romans 3:23

27. “ 41 There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.”

28. “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” -- Luke 7:41-42

29. “Simon answered and said, ‘I suppose the one whom he forgave more.’ And He said to him, ‘You have rightly judged.’” -- Luke 7:43

30. Sin is a debt that we owe to God.

31. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” -- Ephesians 1:7

32. “ 18 …Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” -- 1 Peter 1:18-19

33. “He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay; I needed someone to wash my sins away. And now I sing a brand new song, “Amazing Grace.” Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay.” -- Ellis J. Crum

34. Three Descriptions of Salvation Discovering Bread Rescued from Drowning Released from Debt

35. Have you partaken of the Bread of Life? Have you been rescued by the One who can save you from drowning in sin? Have you accepted the Forgiving Creditor’s offer of release from your debt of sin?