Why Do We Do This?

Why Do We Do This?

Why do we do this? Why do we come out here week after week and share the Gospel? Why do we do this when we know we are going to be verbally attacked or every now and then even physically attacked? Why do we do this when we know we are more than likely to encounter mockers and scoffers? Why do we do this? 

Why?

We do this because Jesus commanded us to do so. He said “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) Jesus also said “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20)

So why do we do this? Because Jesus tells us to do so. We are followers of Jesus. We love Him because He first loved us. We love Him because He suffered, bled and died for guilty sinners like us. We follow Jesus because He took our sins away and has given us everlasting life. We do this because we have repented and put our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord (Acts 20:21).

Scattering Seed

All we are doing is scattering seed. We are scattering the seed of the Gospel. We are sharing God’s truth with this lost and dying world because God’s word does not return void. We share the glorious Gospel through open air proclamation because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). There’s nothing special about us. There’s nothing special about the way we preach. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. It’s through hearing God’s truth that God convicts lost souls of their wretchedness and reveals to them His Holiness. That’s why we do this.

Since faith comes by hearing, I like to quote a lot of Bible verses, so here goes. The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

Soil Types

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

Hard Hearted

For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

Meaning of The Sower Parable

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty (Matthew 13:1-23).

We Don’t Know Where The Good Soil Is

Why do we do this? Because we don’t know where the good soil is. We don’t know who’s going to hear and receive salvation and who’s going to reject the free gift from God and harden their heart even more. We don’t know which you are going to do tonight, but make no mistake, you cannot be neutral about Jesus.

You are either for Him or against Him. Jesus said it and I believe it. My friends and I love to hear the wonderful name of Jesus. We love saying His name, we love singing His name and we love praising the name of our Lord and King. We love Jesus and we love to tell others about Him. But if you have never repented and surrendered your life to Him, if you are living contrary to Jesus, then you don’t love His name. You don’t want to hear His name lifted up in public?

Why? Because He is the only Savior. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). If you are living for the pleasures of the flesh then you don’t want to talk or hear about spiritual matters. You don’t want to hear about your sinfulness and Jesus’ righteousness.

God’s Wrath

But we are compelled to share the Gospel with you because if Jesus is not your Lord and Savior, then you are under God’s wrath right now. Not just when you die in your sins as an unrepentant, rebellious sinner, but right now. Right here, right now. Right here tonight you are under God’s wrath if Jesus is not your Lord and Savior.

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). God is angry with you tonight over your sins because all sin is rebellion against God. Adam and Eve weren’t the only rebellious people. Adam and Eve rebelled against God and he kicked them out of the garden of Eden. They ate the forbidden fruit and each and every one of us have been seduced by the forbidden fruit of selfishness and idolatry.

We all have a sinful nature that we inherited from Adam. We have all rebelled against God. None of us have loved God with all of our heart, soul and mind. None of us are righteous. We are all rebellious, self-loving, God-hating idolaters unless and until we come to Jesus. Until we confess and forsake our sins. Until we repent and put our full faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone to cleanse and save us from our sins.

If Jesus Is Not Your Lord

If Jesus is not your Lord and Savior, the guilt of your sins still rests upon your own head. God’s wrath still abides upon you. You are not forgiven. You do not have eternal life abiding in you. You are still spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins. If you remain in this state of depravity until the day you die, you will have no hope. You will experience God’s anger over your rebellion for all of eternity.

That’s the bad news that we must tell you. You have sinned and your sin has made you an enemy to God. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God (James 4:4). If you die as an unrepentant sinner you will not receive eternal life. You will endure eternal punishment; and rightly so. Your rebellion against God has to be punished and it will be because God is good. God is just. God is righteous. God is Holy.

John 3:16

But God loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Even though God knew that we would rebel against Him, He still made each and every one of us any way. He made us even though He knew that we would all sin against Him. But out of His great love for His creation (for us), He made a way of escape from eternal damnation. He made a way for us to get back in a right relationship with Him.

That way is through Jesus Christ alone. Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6). Jesus, the perfect, sinless Son of God, took God’s wrath upon Himself. Jesus, the one who never sinned one time, the one who was fully God and fully man, took our place. He substituted Himself for us. The non-rebellious One for rebellious sinners. The Just for the unjust. The sinless One for the sinful ones. He paid our sin debt that we owe.

Jesus was beaten beyond recognition. He was beaten with the lash 39 times. He was nailed to the old rugged cross where He suffered God’s wrath over our sins for six long torturous hours. He bled and died on that cross and was buried. Then He rose victoriously from the grave three days later and God in His great mercy, offers everlasting life to everyone who repents and believes the Gospel. Salvation is available to everyone who turns from their sins and surrenders their life fully and completely to Jesus.

Seed Scatterers

We are out here scattering seed tonight, the Gospel seed. We are telling you God’s truth tonight. That you are a sinner and God is Holy. No one can see God in His glory unless they are righteous. None of us are righteous. But Jesus takes your sins and gives you His righteousness if you repent and put your trust in Him.

Salvation is of the Lord. We can’t save anyone. We can’t control where the Gospel seed lands. But we are being faithful and sharing the Gospel. Only Jesus saves and He saves guilty sinners who recognize their sinfulness, who confess their sins, turn from their sins and turn to Christ. Oh, is this you tonight? We’ve scattered the Gospel seed, but will you receive it? Will you unharden your heart? Will you swallow your pride? Will you cry out for Jesus to save you?

Will you repent and put your faith in Jesus or will God’s truth bounce off your ears and you just continue storing up more wrath against yourself for the day of wrath on Judgment Day? There is no neutrality with Jesus. You are either for Him or against Him? You either receive or reject His precious shed blood.

Which is it tonight? Will you surrender your rebellion against God or will you grit your teeth and resolve to be even more hardhearted? We have done our job no matter the outcome, but we want you to be saved. We want to see you in Heaven. Will you call upon the name of the Lord and be saved? Will you do this tonight?

(This message was lifted up on the square in downtown Springfield, MO on August 19, 2016)