Leave Out The Law
In addition to some people wanting us to leave the Gospel out of our messages others want us to leave out The Law. They want us to leave out the 10 Commandments when we preach in the open-air. Whether we are downtown or at MSU, it’s not uncommon to hear “You preach hate.” Or “Tell them the love of Jesus.”“ And “that’s not now you love them to Jesus.” Or “You’re being judgmental.” “Judge not lest ye be judged.” “Only God can judge me.”
We’ve actually heard these comments and many others like them when out witnessing. In other words, they want us to leave out The Law. They don’t want us to talk about sin and judgment. They want us to water down the gospel; to make it more agreeable to people. They think we need to be more relevant with the culture and the times. They want us to talk about the hippy Jesus, the warm and fuzzy Jesus. The one that loves everybody and wouldn’t send anybody to Hell.
But we can’t do that. We can’t tell people what they want to hear. We can’t soft peddle the Gospel. A watered down, culturally relevant gospel is NO gospel at all. Tickling itching ears isn’t what God has called us to do. God has called us to preach the Gospel. We are to present the whole counsel of God. We preach God’s truth because God is going to judge them. We don’t want to see anyone die in their sins and go to Hell.
Judgment Day is real and it is coming. People need to hear the truth, but it would do us no good at all to give you the cure before we tell you about the disease. You need to understand that you need a cure before you will beg for that cure. You have to realize that you are in real trouble; that you are in grave danger before you will cry out for help.
Make no mistake tonight; if Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, then you are in trouble. You have a major problem. You have the most deadly disease known to man and that disease is sin. Sin is the most deadly disease of all time and sin kills. Sin thrills then it kills. Not only does sin kill, but the effects of the disease last forever. Once you die in your sins, there is no cure. Once you die in your sins, the disease rages on for eternity. There is no relief. There is no hope. There is no remission. There is only torment and agonizing suffering forever and ever.
Now how cruel would it be to have this cure in my hand and not share it with you? How hateful would it be to stand idly by and watch you slowly die and never offer you the cure? Well, I’m here to tell you that my friends and I are not cruel. We are not hateful. It’s out of love that we come out here on Friday nights and preach the Gospel.
Deadly Disease
But before I tell you about the cure, I must tell you about the disease. If you are not a follower of Jesus, then you have the most deadly disease known to man. You have a sin disease. I know you have it because my friends and I have had the same disease. Every human being has it or has had it. Sin is the most deadly disease ever known to man. Adam and Eve caught the disease when they disobeyed God in the garden of Eden and every single one of us mere humans have had this same disease since then.
The problem is that the soul that sins, it shall die. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption (Galatians 6:8).
Jesus said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man (Mark 7:20-23).
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever(1 John 2:15-17).
Romans 8:5-8 says For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be (James 3:5-10).
I’ve just read several passages about sin. God gave us the 10 Commandments so that we would know when we have broken His Law. His standard is perfection and none of us meet that standard. We’ve all lied, most of us have stolen, we’ve all lusted and we’ve all coveted someone or something. None of us have loved God with all of our heart, soul mind and strength. None of us have loved our neighbor as we love ourselves – at all times. None of us have honored our father and mother every day of our life.
We are all guilty sinners and remember the soul that sins, it shall die. The wages of sin is death. Riches profit not in the day of wrath (Proverbs 11:4). The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity (or sin); And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:41-42).
You have a deadly disease and if you have never repented and surrendered your life to Jesus, you will be cast into Hellfire when you die in your sins. Jesus said you will wail and gnash your teeth. I can’t even begin to tell you about the torments that await you. But I want you to think for a minute about gnashing your teeth. Have you ever had a pain so bad that it caused you to grind your teeth together in agony? Can you imagine suffering the worst pain that you ever felt in your life multiplied by 1,000 times and imagine that it never ends? Can you imagine unspeakable pain and agony lasting forever without end? This is why we can’t leave out the law. You must truly understand the dire predicament that you are in before we can offer you the cure.
The Cure
Are you read y for the cure? There is only one cure for the deadly disease of sin. There is only one Savior and there is no other. There is only One who can bring a spiritually dead person to life and that One is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the cure. Jesus is the Way of Salvation. He is the only one who lived a sinless perfect life. He’s the only one who ever perfectly kept the 10 Commandments. He’s the only One who is the perfect sacrifice for guilty sinners like you and me. He is the only One who saves His people from their sins.
Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man. He kept the perfect, righteous demands of God’s Holy Law. He never sinned one time. He never sinned in His thoughts, words or actions. Then He willingly laid down His life as a ransom for many. He paid the sin debt that He did not owe.
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls (1 Peter 2:21-25).
Jesus suffered God’s wrath, God’s anger over our sins as He hung on that cruel cross. He suffered beyond imagination. He suffered humiliation. He suffered 39 lashes across His back. He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. He was beaten beyond recognition. Worst of all, He suffered God’s anger over our sins as He hung on that cross for six long, tortuous hours. Jesus finished the task. He gave up the Ghost. Remember the soul that sins, it shall die. Jesus never sinned, so He willingly commended His Spirit to God the Father. He finished what He set out to do. He died on the cross, was buried and rose from the grave three days later.
Thank God and praise God that He offers everlasting life to each and every person who repents and puts their faith in Jesus. This isn’t some little one-time prayer. It isn’t asking Jesus into your heart. It’s utter and complete surrender to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. You can’t hold onto anything of the world (1 John 2:15-17). You must give your life to Jesus. Yes, you cry out for Him to save you. Yes, you ask Him to forgive you for sins. But you must surrender all to Him.
Jesus said “Follow Me.” He went to the cross. You must, deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Him. Go where He sends you. Do what He tells you to do. Say what He tells you to say. When you are a follower of Jesus, your life is no longer your own. You have been bought with a price. You have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus. Are you willing to submit your life to Jesus? Are you ready to receive everlasting life? Are you ready for your sins to be forgiven? Repent and put your trust in Jesus. Do this today. Don’t put it off. Today is the day of salvation.
We can’t leave out the Law. We must tell you the Gospel truth. If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, then you are a Hell bound sinner. You will split Hell wide open when you die, if you die in your sins. God’s wrath abides upon you. Your sins are not forgiven and guess what? You are not the sinless, perfect Son of God. Your physical death won’t wipe away a single little white lie, let alone all the sins you have ever thought, said and committed. No, it will take suffering for all of eternity and your sin debt will never be paid. You will suffer the torments of Hell forever and ever. Oh, don’t do it. Seek the Lord while He is near. Cry out for God to have mercy on your very soul. Throw yourself at the foot of the bloody cross and stay there until God gives you the peace of salvation. Oh repent and believe the Gospel. Do this today and be saved.
(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, MO on January 22, 2016)