The Truth May be Obvious, But, I Still Need to Hear and Accept it!

On Monday and Tuesday, September 8 and 9, I had the privilege of taking family and friends of Pastor Paul Birner fishing. Paul and I have known each other since 1991. He and I both served as pastors in Alaska in the 1990’s. We were fishing for silver salmon, and hooked a few, but did not catch any. We talked to some other fishermen, including a number of guides. No one seemed to be catching much, if anything.

So, on Tuesday afternoon, after a lot of fishing and no catching, I decided to call a guide I know. The Fenton brothers are well known experienced guides on the Kenai River. I know Murray Fenton through the Kolberg family from St. John Lutheran. Because of Murray I have also met and talked with his older brother, Mike Fenton. In fact, I talked with Mike on the river earlier this summer. So, on Tuesday I called Mike on the phone to ask if he might have any suggestions. I explained what we were using for bait, where we were fishing. “Do you have any suggestions that might help us catch fish?” Mike shared some helpful information, but then jokingly told me. “Jonathan, do you want to know what to do to catch a fish? Hire a guide.”

Paul Birner’s cousin from Alabama, Tim Bokenkamp, was in the boat fishing with me. Tim heard me laughing and asked what was going on. I told Tim what Mike had said, and Tim responded, “That’s pretty obvious, isn’t it? That’s sort of like, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.’”

Well, it may be obvious, but Mike was correct. Especially when catching is the goal even more than fishing, I have actually hired a guide numerous times to help me with my fishing. But Paul has a LOT of family and friends. I can afford a guide some of the time for myself. But it would be really expensive to hire a guide for everybody. Mike did have a point, though. Tim’s quotation of St. Paul may also be obvious, But his statement is also the truth of God.

Do you know the account of when Paul spoke those words Tim spoke? Paul and Silas were in Corinth. They had cast a demon out of a slave girl, and their miracle angered the girl’s owners. As a result Paul and Silas were thrown into prison. While in prison they were praying and singing hymns and the jailer heard them. An earthquake struck during the night opening the gates of the prison. All the prisoners were able to stand outside. When the jailer realized all the prisoners could also escape, and he realized he would be held accountable, he was about to kill himself. Acts 16 teaches us, “28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ 31 And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’" (Acts 16:28-31 ESV)

The words of Paul and Silas are one of the best summaries in Scripture of God’s plan of salvation in Jesus. Jesus, the Son of God and son of Mary, lived a righteous life. In love, He suffered and died to pay for the sins of the world. Jesus rose again defeating sin and death. God’s plan to save our world, which is lost in sin, is to for people to trust our Heavenly Father’s saving love in His Son, Jesus. This statement in Acts 16 is the most obvious answer to the question of the jailer,” what must I do to be saved?”. But, their answer is also true, and the jailer needed to hear these words of truth.

Maybe you have heard the words of Paul in Acts 16 before. You may have memorized them. These words may be obvious. BUT, do you know the obvious truth of these words for your life? ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’" Sometimes we need to hear the obvious, again!