By J.D. Walt

Prayer of Consecration

Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

Jesus, I belong to you.

I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body as a holy and living sacrifice to you.

Jesus, We belong to you.

Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Scripture

Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:5–9 (NIV)

 

Consider This

Could it really be this simple? 

 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

 I mean, isn’t there something more; actually isn’t there a ton more to the Christian faith than just declaring something with your mouth and believing something in your heart? No. This is the whole tamale. 

 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

 But what about all the people who say the words and claim to believe but their lives are a living denial of the whole thing—you know—the so-called nominal Christians? It’s not our concern. We are not the judge. They will answer for them. 

 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

 The words of the verse we must concern ourselves with are as follows: “you . . . your mouth . . . your heart . . . you.”

 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

 The gospel. Yes the whole gospel, in all its essence and entirety, comes down to these two historical and eternal verities:

 Sure there is much more to say but this is enough said.  Jesus is Lord. It’s a pretty comprehensive creed. God raised him from the dead. It’s a massively sophisticated reality. 

 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

 These are not magic words, but they are profoundly miraculous. They carry the very freight and essence of salvation, which is the deep restoration of the human race and the healing of all creation. 

 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

 Are you ready? Again or for the very first time? 

 Declare with your mouth: Jesus is Lord.

 Believe in your heart: God raised him from the dead. 

 Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you!

 Come on! 

  

Prayer

Abba Father! Thank you that the gospel is by faith and that your righteousness is revealed. Thank you that it does not depend on our works or our getting it right but on our faith and our making it real. Yes, thank you for a righteousness that is from first to last by faith alone in these simple and comprehensive facts: Jesus is Lord. God raised him from the dead. Come Holy Spirit and rivet this reality into my heart of hearts. Break me out of the broken realm of my own imaginings and into the expansive space of faith and freedom and real-life salvation. Praying in Jesus’s name, amen.