It was a real honor to street witness outside Churchill Downs last weekend along with 30 other evangelists from around the country. There were over 170,000 people there in attendance for the Kentucky Derby. In addition to street preaching and talking to people one to one, we also handed out tracts. Even though many tracts were handed out, unfortunately the majority of people said “no thank you.”
While some people said no thank you, others said no, I’m good. Oh a few people would curse us or curse God (or both), but the majority of people who did not take a tract either said no thank you or no, I’m good. The majority of people were polite. But how far will being polite get you? Will being a polite person get you into Heaven? Will being a good person by our standards get you into Heaven? How good or polite do you have to be to make it?
I ask these questions because I’ve been witnessing at MSU for three years now. Some of my friends like Kelly and Rich have joined me witnessing to you, but some of you have heard the Gospel being proclaimed for three years now. Several times over the past few years we have handed out tracts and many of you have also politely said no thank you or no, I’m good. Every time that you ignore the Gospel call, you are saying no thank you to God. Every time that you ignore the pleas to come to Jesus, you are saying no to God. How will you fair on Judgment Day? How far will your politeness get you then?
Ecclesiastes 7:20 says: For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. Look at how powerful this one little verse is. There is not a single one of us that doesn’t sin. Not one. Whether we are polite or rude, we are all sinners. You may be a very polite person. Maybe your friends and strangers alike think when they meet you that you are nicest, kindest, most polite person that they have ever met. But while you are smiling at your friends and audibly saying no thank you, have you ever thought to yourself I wish this person would stop pestering me or maybe even I wish this person would die?
Maybe your thinking these thoughts the whole time you are smiling and nodding your head in agreement to what they are saying, even though you are screaming on the inside you are an idiot. I can’t stand you. Or maybe you have thought I really hate this person? The Bible says if you hate your brother that you are a murderer and that you do not have eternal life abiding in you (1 John 3:15). We are all guilty of this. We are all murderers at heart.
In addition to hating, sometimes we are really mad at others. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire (Matthew 5:22). Folks, we’ve all said and thought these things.
We are all guilty, not just in our words and deeds, but even in our thought life. No matter how polite you are today, you and I have had wicked thoughts. Do not be deceived today. Politeness will not save you on Judgment Day. Being a good morale person by our standard will not save you on the great and terrible day of the Lord.
Ecclesiastes 12:14 says For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Every secret thing includes every secret thought that has ever crept into your mind. You will have no excuse on Judgment Day. Romans 3:19-20 states Now we know that what soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
We are all sinners. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We are all guilty. We have no excuse. You can look at the 10 Commandments and see that you have violated God’s Law, that you are guilty. Not a single one of us is justified or just on our own accord in God’s eyes. There is not a just man upon the earth.
Folks, this is why I have been coming here for the past three years. I come here out of love to warn you that you are in danger. I come here to warn you that you are guilty of violating God’s 10 Commandments and you will have no excuse on Judgment Day. There is nothing more important than your eternal salvation. Oh, won’t you heed the warning? Won’t you listen to the pleading to get right with God today?
Please listen to Jesus’ words found in Matthew 7:21-23: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Please notice the people Jesus describes in these verses sound polite. They call Him Lord, Lord. Not only are the polite, but they are even doing good works. They prophesied in Jesus’ name. They cast out demons, plus many other wonderful works. But please don’t miss this. In verse 23, Jesus says: I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
We are all workers of iniquity. You and I are not just. We are not righteous. There’s nothing that we can do on our own to get back right with God. We have all sinned against God Almighty and politeness will not save you. Being a good person in your own eyes will not save you. Only the Just One can save. There is only one Savior (Acts 4:12). Jesus Christ is the only Savior. He is the only King of kings and Lord of lords. Only Jesus saves and you must be saved through Him or you will be eternally damned.
Don’t suffer everlasting damnation and torment. Don’t suffer agonizing torments in Hell forever and ever. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life (1 John 5:12). He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (John 3:36). Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life (John 6:47). Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (John 5:24).
You can receive eternal life today. Choose life. Get right with God. Come to Jesus. Surrender your life to Him. He is the sinless, perfect One. He is the Just One who suffered and died for guilty sinners like you and me. We have all sinned, but He never did. He willingly took the punishment that you and I deserve. He suffered God’s anger over the sins of the world while He hung on the cross. He died there, was buried and rose from the grave three days later. Jesus defeated death, Hell and Satan. You can receive everlasting life today, if you repent and put your faith in Jesus.
Oh, come to Jesus today. Admit that you are a sinner. Admit that you have broken God’s Law – the 10 Commandments. Ask God to forgive you and surrender your life fully and completely to Jesus today. Your sins can be forgiven. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18). I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins (Isaiah 43:25).
Receive forgiveness today. Your guilty conscience can be cleared. Your sins can be forgiven and you can be washed clean. Turn away from your sins and turn to Jesus. Repent and trust Christ today. Surrender your life to our Lord, then follow Him daily. Be saved today. Don’t resist the Holy Spirit. If God is convicting you today, come to Jesus. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13).
Call upon the name of the Lord.
Call upon Jesus Christ today. Believe in the Son of God. Trust Jesus. Don’t trust in your own politeness. Don’t trust in your own goodness (because none of us are good – no not one). Don’t trust in a little prayer that you might have said as a child. Put your faith in Jesus. Truly give your life to Him today. Turn away from your sins and turn to Jesus and live. Don’t worry about what others will say or think. Turn away from your sins and submit to the Lordship of Jesus today. Don’t continue resisting God by saying no thank you to His gracious offer of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). Surrender your life to our Lord. Put your faith in Jesus and be saved. Then instead of saying no thank you, say: Thank You Lord!