Saved to save others
By Patrick Enilama [pastorpatrick@sunnewsonline.com] 07028242700
Sunday, April 27, 2008

“And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, and thy house” – Acts 16:31
“Now is the acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation”
- II Cor. 6:2
The moment you are saved, you become a torch bearer to your family. You are supposed to pray for their salvation and share the gospel with them. How painful it is for members of a family who spent years together to be separate at the end of life; - some to heaven and others to hell.
How painful for family members to languish in hell while you are enjoying in heaven. God forbid. You have been saved so you can help save others particularly family members.

Consider this: When Brother Andrew first saw our Lord Jesus Christ, he went straight away to inform his brother Peter, said the bible: “one of the two which heard John speak and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

“He first found his brother Simon, and said unto him, we have found the Messiah, which is being interpreted, the Christ.
“And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said thou art Simon the son of Jona: Thou shall be called Cephas, which by interpretation, A stone” – John 1:40 – 42.
If Andrew had not taken steps to share the Good News with his brother Peter, we would have not known anything about Peter’s Ministry today. You are saved to save others, particulary family members.

Shall we not learn a lesson also from the bible story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke:16:19-31.
“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fed sumptuously everyday.
“And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores. “And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bossom. The rich man also died and was buried; And in hell, he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Father Abraham, and Lazarus in his bossom.

“And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
“But Abraham said son, remember that thou in thy life time received the good things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
“Then he said, I pray thee therefore father, that thou wouldst send him to my father’s house:
“For I have five brethren that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” This is a story given by our Lord Jesus Christ. Hell is real. You can see the rich man who in his life time never cared for anybody or his relations now pleads that he be allowed to go back and to warn his brothers that hell is real.

Life has no return match. The journey here is once and for all.
In Acts of the Apostles 10:2, we saw another rich man called Cornelius who feared the Lord with his entire household. He was generous with alms to the people and prayed to receive the Lord and be saved. When Peter arrived he prayed for him and his household were all saved.
Remember also what Rahab the harlot in Joshua 2:8-19 did to help save her relations in the day of damnation. When spies were sent to the Promised Land, they went into her house. She shielded them from those who wanted to kill them.

Before they left, she told them to promise her that when they came to take the city they would spare her and members of her family.
Do you have concern for the salvation of lost members of your family? Pray for them. Share the gospel with them at the least opportunity. If any member of your family should die and go to hell; there is nothing you can do about it. The bible says in II Cor. 6:2 that “now is the accepted time” Today is the day of salvation; tomorrow might be too late – reach out to lost members of your family today.