“You are pushing people away from God.”
“You are pushing people farther away from God.”
“You shouldn’t tell other people what to believe.”
“You should love people to Jesus.”
“You can’t condemn people.”
“You can’t judge me.”
“Judge not lest ye be judged.”
These are just some examples of comments that we receive while street witnessing or even from our own family members and friends who don’t believe in open-air preaching. I heard most of these comments just this last week. I think most people whether Christians or unbelievers, like the mild, meek version of Jesus. But I wonder if Jesus were here walking the streets today, would they accuse Him of pushing people away from God? Would you accuse Jesus of pushing people away from God?
We’ll never know for sure, but why don’t look at Jesus’ own words in the Holy Bible and see what Jesus actually said. Early in His ministry it is recorded in Mark 1:14-15, Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching, the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent, and believe the Gospel. I wonder how well people would receive Jesus looking right at them and telling them that they need to repent.
Jesus also said, Unless you repent, you will likewise perish. At the Kentucky Derby Outreach a young man told me that he has the beatitudes hanging on his wall in his bedroom (the beatitudes are the first verses of Matthew chapter 5). He likes those words of Jesus from the sermon on the mount (Matthew chapters 5-7). But I asked him if he ever reads on down to Matthew 5:21-30? For example, Matthew 5:29 states, And if your right eye offend you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.
In Matthew 7:13-14 (which is still part of the sermon on the mount), Jesus says that only a few will be saved. He says that most people are on the broad way to destruction. Would you accuse Him of being unloving for speaking these words? And in Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus said that not everyone who says to Him Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven and He ends it by saying then will I profess to them, I never knew you, depart from me, you that work iniquity. I don’t think Jesus telling you that He never knew you would make you feel very warm and fuzzy, do you?
Matthew 9:13 Jesus stated, But go and learn what that means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Jesus said that sinners need to repent. How could He make such a statement? That wouldn’t fly today, would it?
Then in Matthew 10:27-28 Jesus said, What I tell you in darkness, that speak in light: and what you hear in the ear, that preach upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. This would surely offend some. Jesus points out that only God can destroy both your soul and your body in hell. Is this really the kind of loving statement that you want to hear from Jesus?
I also ask that you listen to these words found in Matthew 10:34-37, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Jesus stated here that He didn’t come to bring peace on earth, but a sword. The Holy Scriptures, the Word of God is a two-edged sword. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord is wonderful words of life to those who have ears to hear. But to those who don’t listen, to those who reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ, those whose hearts are hardened, these marvelous words will condemn you even more on Judgment Day than you are already condemned.
After Jesus fed the 5,000 men with the five loaves and two small fishes, He said these words in John chapter 6: 47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
48 I am that bread of life.
49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Did you catch verse 53? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Does this offend you? Would this push you away from God? Would it push you farther away from God? No, Jesus wasn’t talking about partaking in communion and the bread and juice literally becoming His flesh and blood. He was talking spiritually here. In fact, Jesus even says this in verse 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
But notice how many of His disciples were offended by His words. Verse 66 states that many of His disciples turned away from Him and didn’t follow Him anymore. Some people were so offended that they never followed Jesus after this. Would you say that Jesus pushed people away from God? Would you tell Him that He should soften His message? Would you tell Jesus that He should just love people to God? Would you tell Jesus that He should just woo people to Himself? Would you tell Him that He shouldn’t offend people?
Would you really say these things to Jesus Christ, the perfect, sinless Son of God? Would you say it to the Messiah who shed His own precious blood for the remission of sins, for the forgiveness of sins? He died, was buried and rose from the grave. Jesus did what none of us can do; He lived a sinless life and died on the cross for the sins of the world. He also rose from the grave three days later. God offers eternal life to everyone who repents and puts their faith in His only Son. The same Savior who always spoke truth because He is the truth.
Whether you find the words of Jesus offensive or not is really not important. What is important, what is of utmost importance is for you to recognize that you are a sinner and that your sin will separate you from God forever if you die in your sins. It is also vitally important for you to realize that your sins are offensive to almighty God. You need to understand how Holy, righteous and just the great God of Heaven and earth is and how sinful you really are. He cannot tolerate sin. That’s why He sent His precious Son to die on the cross for guilty sinners like you and me.
But you must receive this free gift from God. You can’t earn salvation and you can’t buy salvation and there is not universal salvation because Jesus died for sinful man. No, you must cry out to God to save you. When He opens your spiritually blind eyes then you can be saved. When you realize that your sins must be paid for and that you can’t pay the debt, then you can be saved. God calls us to repentance. Remember Jesus said that He came to call sinners to repentance. The Bible also says that without faith, it is impossible to please God.
You have to stop trusting in yourself or anyone else and put your faith in Jesus Christ alone. Trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Do this today and be saved. Be saved from your sins. Be saved from the bondage of sin. Be set free. Turn away from your sins and turn to Jesus. Cry out to God and be saved. Receive everlasting life. Spend eternity with our Lord and Savior. Be saved today and then don’t be afraid of offending others for the sake of Jesus Christ our King. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us which are saved it is the power of God. The glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ is offensive to those who are perishing. Are you offended tonight? If so, then according to the Bible you are perishing. Oh be saved tonight. Repent and believe the Gospel.
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on May 16, 2014)