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I.    Introduction
      A.  This lesson was written by Brother Gus Nichols
      B.  What is the greatest question asked by men?
           1.  There have been questions of great importance asked by a number of people.
           2.  The importance of their questions is often a matter of circumstance.
           3.  The greatest question affects us for all eternity.
           4.  Forms of this question appear on three occasions in the book of Acts (16:30; 22:10; 2:37)
           5.  This question has to do with our eternal destiny. (Matthew 16:26)
II.   Analysis of the question.
      A.  There are two parts to the question.
           1.  The sinner’s part: “What must I do”
           2.  God’s part: “to be saved”
      B.  The sinner’s part
           1.  ”What” – what are the things that relate to salvation?
           2.  ”What must” – Isn’t what one may do (Acts 9:6)
           3.  ”What must I” – God has done His part – it’s our move.
           4.  ”What must I do” – action, not feeling.
III.  The Jailer’s Question Answered (Acts 16:30)
      A.  The Philippian jailer asked the question knowing little or nothing about Jesus Christ.
      B.  In answering, Paul began at the very first “Believe in the Lord Jesus…” (Acts 16:31)
           1.  ”Trust and obey”
           2.  They preached Christ unto him so that he could believe. (Acts 16:32; Romans 10:17)
           3.  He evidently believed and repented (Acts 16:33)
                a.  He tried to correct some of the harm done to them; he washed their stripes
           4.  He was baptized the same hour (Acts 16:33,34; Hebrews 5:9)
IV.   The Answer Given At Pentecost (Acts 2:37)
      A.  The crowd at Pentecost asked a similiar question, but with a different knowledge of Jesus.
           1.  They had heard Peter’s message
           2.  They believed the truth of these matters
           3.  However, they had not put their faith into obedience.
      B.  The apostle Peter gave them a command to do by faith in order to be saved (Acts 2:38)
           1.  ”Repent and be baptized every one of you”
           2.  ”for the remission of sins” for which Christ had shed his blood (Matthew 26:28)
           3.  ”they then that gladly received his word were baptized” (Acts 2:41a)
           4.  ”the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41b)
           5.  ”And the Lord added to the church such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:47)
      C.  Those saved were those who had obeyed.
           1.  Those who obeyed in faith were added to the church Christ said He would build (Matthew 16:18;
               Acts 2:47; Ephesians 1:22,23; 5:23; 4:4)
           2.  These who received the answer to the greatest question and acted on it were merely Christians (John
               17:20,21; Ephesians 4:3)
V.   Conclusion
      A.  Have you considered the most important question?
      B.  Don’t let this question go unanswered in your life.

March 22, 2009
Glenn Record