What Have You Got To Lose?
Have you ever been in a situation where you thought what have you got to lose? Have you ever been backed into a corner and you come out swinging? You do this because you don’t think that you have anything to lose. Or have you ever been in a bad relationship and you knew that you had nothing to lose to end it? Have you ever been desperate in a dead-end job and decided to go for a new job because you thought what have you got to lose? I’ve been in desperate situations where I felt like I didn’t have any other options; that I didn’t have anything to lose by trying something different. Maybe like you should just flip a coin to make a decision.
Wrong Approach
I’m sure that we’ve all been in this position at one time or another. But when it comes to surrendering your life to Jesus Christ, I’ve heard people say to someone that they should accept Christ as their Savior because “what have you got to lose?” I’m bringing this up because this approach to Jesus is wrong.
It’s all wrong. First of all, the focus is on the person and not on the Lord Jesus. Receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior isn’t like trying a new diet fad. Jesus isn’t something you just try out because you don’t have anything to lose by trying Him. Submitting to the Lord of all isn’t like test driving a car. You don’t just try out Jesus because what have you got to lose by trying Him.
You Don’t Just Give Jesus A Shot
People that want you to try Jesus or come to Him because what have you got to lose are promoting the Gospel in the wrong way. We don’t just give Jesus a shot and we don’t just add Him to our life to see if He improves it. Jesus says that we can expect trials and tribulations (John 16:33). Satan will attack you when you become a true follower of Jesus. The world will hate you, because it hated Jesus first (John 15:18). Your family will hate you for speaking truth (Matthew 10:36). Jesus said that we are to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses daily and follow Him. No, you don’t just come to Jesus thinking what have you got to lose.
You come to Jesus, really submit to His Lordship when you realize that you are a sinner and that He is the only Savior. True followers of Jesus recognize that we deserve eternal damnation. That we are the guilty ones who nailed Jesus to the cross. We admit that we are sinners and that there is nothing we can say or do to save ourselves. It’s recognizing and admitting that you are a dirty, rotten sinner and that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. I am a dirty, rotten sinner that has been saved by grace. Can you say the same?
You Don’t Come To Jesus For Your Best Life Now
You don’t come to Jesus for your best life now. Again, Joel Osteen wrote that awful book that wants you to focus on yourself, just like he focuses on himself. It’s all about him, his happiness and what he thinks Jesus can do for him. I’m saved. I’m wonderfully saved. I’m gloriously saved and this is as close to Hell that I will ever come. Life on this earth is as close to Hell that I will experience. It is the opposite of my best life. I get to spend eternity with Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior and I get to worship Him forever and ever. I will have a perfect voice in Heaven and I will constantly praise the One who suffered, bled and died for a guilty sinner like me. My best life now? Not even close.
Closer To Heaven Or Closer To Hell?
This life is closer to Hell than it is to Heaven for true believers. Satan knows that his time is short. The devil knows that Jesus can come back at any time. That ole wiley serpent knows that he’s lost the battle, so he wants to deceive as many people as possible. One of the best ways that he does that is to convince people that they are good. That they are not as bad as the next door neighbor who gets drunk every night and beats his wife and kids. That they aren’t as bad as their co-worker who sleeps with everyone that gives her a second look. Oh, the father of lies is busy lying to people and he’s convincing them that they aren’t that bad.
He’s also deceiving people with this easy believism gospel that is no Gospel at all. He’s running around getting churches focused on their membership or baptisms instead of focusing on making disciples – which is what Jesus has commanded us to do (Matthew 28:18-20). Satan deceives many by getting them to talk others into repeating a prayer after them. They notch another one “saved” and foolishly think they are doing the Lord’s work. Many of these same people try to cajole people into salvation by asking what have you got to lose?
God Commands Everyone…
Oh, folks, this is so far from biblical salvation that it isn’t even funny. It’s of the devil and not of the Lord. It’s time to get back to biblical salvation. We need to get back to calling people to repent and declaring that Jesus is the only Savior. We need to get back to telling people that God commands everyone, everywhere to repent. Acts 17:30-31 says: And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. When’s the last time you heard a preacher quote these verses?
Isaiah 30:15 states: For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. God says return and rest and be saved. Return means repentance. To repent is a turning away from sin and turning to God. It starts with God convicting you over your sins. When the Holy Spirit convicts you over your sinfulness and God’s righteousness, you have a change of heart and mind that leads to a change of actions.
Free Gift From God
We don’t do anything for salvation except receive the free gift from God. My friends and I are not preaching a works based salvation. No, salvation is of the Lord. He convicts you over sin. God convicts you over His righteousness and judgment to come. Remember, God is the one that calls you to repent.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17). Jesus said these words, I’m just repeating them. I’m not judging you tonight over your drinking, drugs, sexual immorality, pornography, filthy T.V. shows and movies or your dirty language. I’m not judging you over lying, stealing, cheating, anger, hatred, greed, envy or jealousy.
Do You Have A Guilty Conscience?
If you have a guilty conscience tonight, God is the one convicting you. He is the one calling you to turn from your sins and to turn to Jesus. God convicts and converts sinners. We are merely the messengers. We share the Gospel with you because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. The Lord compels us to lift up our voices in the street. Isaiah 58:1 says: Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Do You Believe In The Lord Jesus?
For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him (Matthew 21:32). Those who believe, who put their trust in Jesus, repent. Unrepentant sinners do not believe in the Lord Jesus. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins (John 8:24).
Don’t die in your sins and go to Hell. It’s out of love that we come out and plead with you to get right with God. Repent and believe the Gospel. Believe on the Lord Jesus. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31). We want you to be saved. My friends and I have prayed for you. We want you to repent and put your faith in Jesus.
Trust Jesus
You need trust Jesus because He is the only Savior. There is no other. All things were created by Him, through Him and for Him. Yet, He suffered, bled and died for guilty sinners like you and me. This is the amazing thing about salvation. Jesus Christ, the great Creator, left His throne in glory to come to earth and do what none of us could do. He lived a perfect, sinless life. Jesus willingly went to the cross to bear God’s anger over our sins. He suffered unbelievable pain and agony. Jesus suffered separation from God. He died on the cross and was buried and rose from the grave again. No other religion in the world serves a risen Savior.
But Christians do. We don’t serve a man that died and is still buried in the grave. No, up from the grave He arose. Jesus is the mighty conqueror; He is the victor and the Lord wipes away the sins of those who repent and trust Him. For those who surrender their lives fully and completely to Him. He is worthy of our worship because He is Lord of all. He is the mighty warrior. Jesus is the lion of Judah. He is the Son of the living God and He’s coming back one day. Come to Jesus and be saved. He saves from God’s wrath, He saves from eternal damnation, He saves from sin. But you must submit to His Lordship.
I’m Not Asking…
I’m not going to ask you to try Jesus because what have you got to lose. No, I’m sharing that He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords and every knee will bow to Him on Judgment Day. But if you wait until then, it will be too late. You will spend eternity in the lake of fire and brimstone, even after you bow your knee and confess with your tongue that Jesus is Lord. Oh, but if God is convicting you tonight, you can be saved. Your sins can be forgiven. If you bow your knee and confess with your tongue in this lifetime.
You see, it’s not about you at all. It’s not about what you have to gain or lose. It is totally about Jesus Christ. He is worthy of our surrender. He is worthy of all praise, honor and glory. It’s all about Him, not about you or me.
Jesus Is Lord
He is Lord! He is Lord! He is Lord of all! Submit to His Lordship. Repent and surrender your life to Him. Come to Jesus tonight. Believe in Jesus. Believe on the Lord Jesus. Be born again. Receive everlasting life. 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. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:9-13).
Call upon the precious name of Jesus. Confess and forsake your sins. Stop trusting in yourself. In your own good works, which aren’t good at all. Turn to the risen Lord and be saved. Repent and believe the Gospel. Call upon the Lord and be saved. Do this tonight. Don’t put it off. What have you got to lose? Your eternal soul to eternal damnation if you die in your sins as an unrepentant sinner. Don’t do it. Cry out to Jesus and be saved. Trust Jesus. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, MO on February 17, 2017)