You are not being very Christlike. We heard this last Friday when we were out here street preaching. Well, I have to admit that God did not perform any healing miracles through us. We didn’t feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fishes. We didn’t walk on water. We didn’t raise anyone from the dead. So in that respect, I guess you could say that we were not Christlike.
But what did Jesus do when he walked this earth? When he started his earthly ministry? Yes, He performed many miracles. But in addition to the miracles, JESUS PREACHED THE GOSPEL! Everywhere He went, He preached the Gospel. Matthew 4:17 says From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mark 1:14-15 states 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. Mark 1:38 tells us And he (that is Jesus) said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. Jesus came to earth to save sinners. The miracles backed up that He was who He said He was.
Furthermore, Mark 2:2 says And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he (Jesus) preached the word to them. Then Mark 2:17 says When Jesus heard it, he said to them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, BUT SINNERS TO REPENTANCE. Jesus also sent his 12 disciples out and they PREACHED THAT MEN SHOULD REPENT (Mark 6:12).
Later on He sent out the 70 and before He sent them out, Jesus said in Luke 10:13-14 Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And you, Capernaum, which are exalted up to heaven, shall BE THRUST DOWN TO HELL.
Wait a minute. Can this be right? In these few verses we heard Jesus talk about preaching (which He did by the way in the synagogues, houses and out in the open – think Sermon on the Mount). In addition to preaching, He talked about the Gospel, repentance, sinners, the need to repent, judgment day, Heaven and Hell. Uh, those don’t sound like very loving words to me, so I can’t imagine that the man and woman who were upset with us last Friday would appreciate these words either. How about you, do Jesus’ words that I just quoted sound very loving to you? And there are many more verses in the Bible where Jesus spoke about topics such as judgment, Hell, damnation, sinners, repentance and faith.
The couple that lashed out us last week were upset because they thought we should love people to Jesus. (By the way, they weren’t very loving in their discussion with us about this matter and I must admit that I got in the flesh too – in other words I got upset when I was debating the man. Obviously I shouldn’t have done that. So here and now I publicly confess my sin. I shouldn’t have gotten angry with him). Now back to the couple. They thought we were being judgmental. I don’t think they had repent and believe the Gospel in mind when they were telling us that we should be more Christlike. But you see, we were not being judgmental when we were speaking biblical truth to people (just like we are doing here again tonight). We ARE being Christlike when we say that people need to repent and put their faith in Jesus (Acts 20:21).
Jesus also said that unless you repent you will likewise perish (Luke 13:3). Furthermore, He said think not that I have come to bring peace on earth, but a sword (Matthew 10:34). Jesus was saying that the Gospel is offensive to those who are perishing. It is divisive. In fact it is so divisive that it will set family members against other family members. Jesus also talked about Hell…a lot! He said that Hell is a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. He also said it’s a place where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus said that if your eye offends you, pluck it out or if your hand offends you, cut it off. Because it is better to enter into the kingdom of God having one eye or one hand than to have both eyes and both hands and be cast into hellfire where their worm dies not and the fire is never quenched.
How’s that for Christlike for you? I have a feeling the couple from last weekend are just like the majority of professing Christians and many churches in America today. They don’t want to hear Jesus’ message (like the verses previously quoted) and He would not be welcomed into their churches! Remember, Jesus made a whip and chased people around and He turned over the money changer’s tables. Again, that’s not the Christ most people want to hear about or talk about.
So tonight I ask you: Are you a true follower of Jesus Christ our Lord? Have you recognized your own sinfulness and His righteousness? Have you asked the Master to forgive you for your sins? You can be forgiven for your sins, but you must bow the knee and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord. Have you fallen at the sinless One’s feet? Have you cried out, “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner!” Have you repented by turning away from the sins you once loved – whatever those sins were? Have you given up your love for alcohol, drugs, sexual immorality (any sexual relations outside of biblical marriage), pornography, stealing, lusting or coveting? Whatever your sin of choice was? Have you repented and put your trust in Jesus?
If you have not turned away from your sins and turned to the Savior, then you also won’t like the message that we are bringing you tonight. If you still love your sins, you are at enmity with God. You are still hostile to God and you won’t want to hear the words of truth that we are speaking tonight. You will not want to hear biblical truth. But folks, the most loving thing we can do is warn you to flee from the wrath to come and share the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ with you. The most unloving thing in the world that we can do is keep silent while knowing that unrepentant sinners who die in their sins, go to Hell and burn there forever. The most hateful thing that we could do tonight is let you continue walking on the broad road to destruction and not say a word to you.
It is out of love that we beg you to come to Jesus. We sincerely and earnestly plead with you to turn away from your sins and put your faith in Jesus. The most Christlike thing we can do is share the Good News of Jesus our Lord with you. There can be forgiveness for your sins. You can receive eternal life. You can escape the torments of Hell. But Jesus is the only way. He is the only Savior. Only Jesus saves.
We read in the Old Testament that most of the time people didn’t want to hear God’s truth then either. Look at Amos 7:11-17 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court. Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
Amos spoke God’s truth, but the Israelites did not want to hear it. Listen again to verses 16-17 Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
Most people probably read those verses and think that they don’t sound very loving. But actually they are about God sending a prophet to the people with a dire warning; but the Israelites rejected God’s truth. Sinners don’t want to hear about sin, judgment, the Gospel, faith and repentance. But sharing God’s Word, God’s Truth with you is the most loving thing that we can do.
By the way, inspite of the couples objections last weekend, a lady was saved that night. Someone doesn’t get saved every weekend, but God’s word does not return void. We will continue lifting up the name of Jesus Christ out here in downtown Springfield. So what are you going to do tonight? Are you going to reject Jesus Christ as the King of kings and Lord of lords? Are you going to reject the Messiah, the Savior? Or will you recognize that you are a sinner and that you need to be saved? Will you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead? Will you be saved tonight? Don’t put this off. Repent and believe the Gospel. We are not being hateful to you. No, it is out of love that we cry out for you to come to Jesus. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(This message was proclaimed in the open-air in downtown Springfield on December 27, 2013)