Just The Facts
The start of the message is going to show my age because I’m going to reference the old TV show Dragnet. I remember watching reruns of the show as a kid in the late 1960’s and Joe Friday saying, “Just the facts ma’am.” My wife remembers this saying too. Even though I did a little research and found out that these words just the facts were never spoken on the show. Evidently the character said a time or two “Give us the facts ma’am”, but never “just the facts.”
We’ll, I like how I remember the show and many others remember Joe Friday asking in a dead pan voice “Just the facts ma’am.” Tonight, I want to talk about just the facts. What I mean is that over the years I’ve talked to many people that believe the facts about Jesus and Christianity. I’ve talked to people who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he was born a little over 2,000 years ago of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary.
They believe that Jesus never sinned. That He willingly went to the cross and took the punishment that we deserve. These people believe that God punished Jesus for the sins of the world. That He died on the cross, was buried and rose from the grave. Many people believe that Jesus is now back in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father. A lot of people have read the Bible and they even believe these facts.
Many People Believe The Facts About Jesus
Yes, even though we live in a very secular society, many people believe these facts about Jesus. They believe the facts, just the facts. But that’s the problem. They believe the facts; just like they might believe the facts presented in a court case. Many people believe that Jesus came to this earth, died on a cross for guilty sinners and has gone back to Heaven.
I think many people believe this. But it isn’t personal to them. It’s no different than reading a police report of a crime that’s been committed. They dryly read over the facts and they have no bearing on their lives. These facts have caused no change in their lives. They truly believe the facts, but they’ve never really had an encounter with Jesus Christ the Lord.
Nothing Wrong With Facts
There’s nothing wrong with facts. In fact, Jesus is the Truth. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth (John 1:14). A person needs to hear the facts that they are a sinner and that God is Holy and the only way to reconcile a Holy God and sinful creatures is Jesus Christ alone.
These are facts that all unrepentant sinners need to hear. But facts without the power of God, without the power of the Holy Spirit are just facts. They are obviously true or they wouldn’t be facts, but without God opening spiritually blind eyes and spiritually deaf ears, these facts just go right in one ear and out the other.
The Father Raises The Dead
Please listen to these words of Jesus: Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do: for what things soever he does, these also does the Son likewise. For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself does: and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom he will.
For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son: That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which has sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death to life.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live (John 5:19-25).
The Father And The Son Raise The Dead And Make Alive
Jesus said the Father raises up the dead and quickens them and that Jesus does the same. Oh, tonight, if you are just listening to the words and God the Father isn’t drawing you through the power of the Holy Spirit, then you are merely hearing facts. You may not even agree with these facts, but you are hearing them. But they are just words to you without meaning. But if God in His great mercy is giving you ears to hear, please don’t ignore the message.
If you have never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ – the only Savior, then you are spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others (Ephesians 2:1-3). Wherefore he says, Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light (Ephesians 5:14).
Do You Hear The Savior Calling?
If you hear the Savior calling tonight, do not ignore Him. If God is showing you that you are a sinner, that you have sinned against our Holy and righteous God, then don’t try to reason that everyone else is a sinner too. Don’t continue justifying your sins. Don’t continue being a child of disobedience, a child of wrath. Awake o sleeper. Come alive in Christ Jesus tonight. Repent and believe the Gospel.
Jesus said the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15). Jesus said repent and believe the Gospel. First you need to recognize your need for repentance. You need repent from your sins.
Can’t Live Contrary To God And Be a True Follower Of Jesus
You can’t continue living a life contrary to God and His word and be a true follower of Jesus. Repentance is a change of heart and a change of mind that leads to a change in behavior. You can’t clean yourself up for God to save you. Instead of trying to clean yourself up, you need to admit that you can’t do so, and cry out for God to save you and cleanse you.
Believing the Gospel is more than just believing the facts. You truly can believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Yes, you can believe that Jesus is the sinless Son of the living God and you can believe that He suffered, bled, died on the cross and rose again. You can believe that He died on the cross for guilty sinners like you and me. Sadly, you can believe just the facts and still die in your sins and go to Hell.
Facts Don’t Save You
Facts do not save you. Maybe you have heard of the sinner’s prayer. It goes something like this: Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. Jesus, I want to trust and follow You. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. In Your Name I pray. Amen.
You can repeat this prayer a thousand times and still wind up in Hell. Repeating words on a piece of paper does not save you, even if you are repeating the sinner’s prayer. Repeating “just the facts” is not salvation. No, salvation if found in Christ alone and you can only be saved when God draws you through the Holy Spirit.
If God is convicting you tonight over your sins and revealing His Holiness to you, don’t fight against God. Confess and forsake your sins. Repent from your sins and surrender your life to Jesus. Oh, do this tonight. Don’t put it off. Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus Christ the Lord and be saved.
Can Only Come To Jesus If The Father Draws You
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:43-44).
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst. But I said to you, That you also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:35-40).
You can’t come to Jesus with saving faith unless God the Father draws you through the power of the Holy Spirit. No, you can’t force salvation. You can’t just repeat a little prayer and magically be saved. Repeating a prayer trying to avoid the torments of Hell won’t save you. No, Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). This is generally a good indicator of whether a person is a true disciple of Jesus or if they are merely a professing Christian, that’s really a false convert. A true follower of Jesus Christ is heart-broken over their sin against God. A false convert will try to justify their sins.
People Who Justify Their Sins Are Still Lost
A person that justifies their sins is still lost and on the broad road to Hell. If you make excuses for your sinful lifestyle, then you are not demonstrating repentance. In fact, you are exhibiting the opposite – arrogance. You have genuine sorrow over your sin when God convicts you that you are a sinner. For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world works death (2 Corinthians 7:10).
You can be saved when God convicts you over your sinfulness and reveals His Holiness to you. Then you can cry out for salvation. Those who genuinely repent from their sins and put their trust in Jesus are truly saved. When you humbly come to Jesus this way, while the Holy Spirit is drawing you, Jesus said that He will in no wise cast you out.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd and His sheep hear His voice. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep (John 10:11). I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd (John 10:14-16).
Cry Out To God To Have Mercy Upon You
Do you hear the Savior calling tonight? Is God convicting you over your sins? If so, cry out for God to have mercy upon you. Repent from your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ. Come to Jesus and receive eternal life. Don’t continue rebelling against God and rejecting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Don’t reject Jesus, believing just the facts like some of the Jews did back when Jesus walked this earth.
Jesus said: And the Father himself, which has sent me, has borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And you will not come to me, that you might have life (John 5:37-40). Don’t believe just the facts. Repent and believe the Gospel. Turn from your sins and surrender your life to Jesus in absolute surrender and be saved. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on August 4, 2017)