Is Jesus the Answer? Gospel Meeting Series
🔹Is Jesus the answer for my doubts?
🔹Is Jesus the answer for my happiness?
🔹Is Jesus the answer for my anxiety and fear?
🔹Is Jesus the answer for my family?
🔹Is Jesus the asnwer for our country?
A Terrible Dilemma
Let me start off tonight by asking, what do you do when you are kidnapped at gunpoint? I’ve asked that question before at congregations, and nobody has come up to me yet in the foyer afterwards and said, “Well, let me tell you what I did.” I’m waiting on that one time for it to happen, so I can never say that again. My question is this: what do you do when you’re kidnapped at gunpoint?
There’s a true story told at 9:30 on a cold March morning. A 17-year-old girl was carjacked at gunpoint in a town called Wildwood, New Jersey. Don’t know if you’ve ever been to Wildwood, New Jersey. We had the opportunity to go there once on a mission trip, and as we were going into the house where we were staying, the local preacher was telling us to be careful because that’s not necessarily the safest area. As he was doing so, an individual walked by smelling like he was smoking marijuana. We could say, “Well, we know why. Maybe it’s called Wildwood, right?” But the idea is this: that was the location. A 17-year-old girl was carjacked at gunpoint. A 45-year-old woman got in the car with her and told her to drive.
The Backstory of the Carjacking
There’s some backstory that comes out of this. The 17-year-old had not long ago delivered a child and given the child up for adoption. She had the opportunity to select which family she wanted to give the baby to, and she chose another family. This 45-year-old woman wanted that baby. She was part of the other family that could have been selected. Instead of saying, “Well, maybe there’s another child out there for us,” she decided that she wanted to be driven to the home where the child was with the adoptive parent.
The 17-year-old girl was scared. She didn’t know what was going to happen, but what she did know, according to the story, is that she thought it was going to be bad because this 45-year-old woman also had in her possession duct tape, trash bags, and latex gloves. She said, “This is not going to end well.”
A Bold Escape
The story reveals that as they were crossing over the Ben Franklin Bridge into Pennsylvania, the teenager spotted a police cruiser pulled over on the shoulder. She didn’t know what to do, but she knew she had to do something to get that police officer’s attention. Here’s what she decided to do: she pointed her car straight at the police car and rammed it. In so doing, the individual who had the gun was dazed, while the 17-year-old, still with her adrenaline flowing, jumped out of the car, ran over to the police officer, and the end result was the 45-year-old woman was taken into custody and served 12 years in prison.
Here’s what’s very interesting: what the police officer said about this situation. This is what I want us to think about tonight, especially if you have yet to obey the gospel. The police officer said, “The kid saw an opportunity to break free and took it.” He went on to say, “When you have one opportunity to escape, you can’t hesitate. I’ve had guns pulled on me a few times, and the first thing that happens is you have the wind sucked out of you. When your wits come back, you have to try to catch your attacker in a weak moment and bail out.” I thought that was quite telling. The kid saw an opportunity, and she escaped.
What Sin Does
The reality is mankind has a terrible dilemma, and that terrible dilemma is realized in the reality that we have a sin problem. I know that’s not necessarily a phrase we talk much about outside of religious contexts. We may even joke about it from time to time: “Oh, that’s sinful,” or “Oh, you don’t want a sin, right?” or “They think that’s a sin.” But sometimes jokes are off-color. Sometimes they should not be made because I have to tell you, sin is no laughing matter.
When you really think about what the text says in Isaiah chapter 59, verse 2, the scripture says, “But your iniquities, your sin, have made a separation between you and God.” Not only that, but in verse 12 regarding that sin, it says, “Our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us.”
Have you ever had a child, or maybe you’ve seen this on TV, where a child was told not to play in the mud? The parent sees the child playing in the mud, brings the child up to the door, and says, “Hey, Sally, come up here. Were you playing in the mud?”
“No.” But yet Sally has mud all over her clothes, underneath her fingernails, and all over her feet. There are times when our actions, the circumstances we’re discovered in, testify against us.
Sin’s Consequences
The scriptures put sin on that stand in this great trial of your life, and they say you can’t run from the fact that sin has separated you from God.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23
In other words, you didn’t fall short of the glory of God once. It’s continual. If you rest in your own abilities to deal with this, you are continually in the wrong.
That was the dilemma for the Jews in the book of Romans. They thought by righteously keeping the law of Moses, God would give them an exemption from the consequence of their sin. Paul writes by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “That’s not the way this works. If you believe you can do enough to earn it, that’s called a wage. It’s not called a gift.”
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life.” — Romans 6:23
You start to realize quickly that the dilemma you and I are in, as far as those who are outside of Christ, is a dilemma you can’t fix.
Sin’s Deadly Intent
It’s that moment where you’re kidnapped at gunpoint, like that 17-year-old was. I don’t know what she was thinking at that point other than what the account reveals: she thought it was going to end badly. Why? Because she observed the intent. She observed what the consequence was going to be. If this played out, somebody was going to die. There was an individual who did not care to what extent she had to go to get some sort of revenge.
Have you ever played out what happens if sin stays in your life, unrepented of? Have you ever considered what happens if sin remains a part of your life after having obeyed the gospel but still getting in the mud?
Sometimes we say, “Come on, Joe, we don’t need to get that personal. This is a gospel meeting. Let’s just encourage one another.” That’s what this is tonight. The message is clear.
It’s the same message Moses gave in Exodus chapter 14, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, when the children of God were being chased by Pharaoh. You remember the account: “Let my people go.” “I won’t let them go.” The ten plagues, and finally, “Get out of here.”
When they’re getting out, Pharaoh starts chasing after them. Your children know that account. They understand the parting of the Red Sea.
In Exodus chapter 14, beginning with verse 13, Moses said to the people, “Do not fear.” If you adequately assess the situation—Pharaoh’s army pressing down upon you—how are you not going to fear?
We’ve already dealt with the concept of fear when it came to the storm and being in a boat. I made a conscious effort to impress upon you that you need to focus on who’s in the boat with you. That’s going to help you through a lot in life. On this occasion, he says, “Do not fear. Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”
God’s Salvation Repeated
There are multiple occasions where that same admonition is offered. When the occasion seems dire, when the opportunities for escape seem nonexistent, we find over and over again that men inspired by God to deliver a message simply said, as in Exodus, “Wait and see what God’s going to do.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:1-3
In 2 Chronicles chapter 20, we see something similar with Jehoshaphat as the Kingdom of Judah faces pressing enemies. In 2 Chronicles 20, verse 1, the Moabites, Ammonites, and others came against Jehoshaphat. He was afraid, according to verse 3. Why? Because he adequately assessed the situation.
A Call to Assess Sin’s Threat
Let me ask you a serious question tonight. Those of you who have never obeyed the gospel, does that scare you? Those who’ve never had your sins washed away, what response does that evoke? If you say, “Joe, the majority of us here have,” then how about this: does it concern or scare you at all when you find yourself having already obeyed the gospel but still playing in the mud of sin? Or do you sleep like a sweet little baby on your pillow at night?
Here’s my dilemma: I don’t believe we serve a God who’s dangling us over hell’s fire. I believe God’s grace is big, but I also believe there’s an element in 1 John chapter 1 that says,
“If we walk in the light as He is in the light, then we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of His Son cleanses us from all ungodliness.” — 1 John chapter 1:7
In other words, we must not become numb to sin. When you become numb to sin, you no longer come back. You’ve decided in your own mind that you obeyed the gospel once, you show up to church, you put a little money in the collection plate, but sin’s not that big a deal.
The Open Door of Salvation
I would offer this: the door of salvation was open when you walked in, and it is open when people walk out. It’s still up to you and your choice whether you stay in a right relationship with God.
- 2 Chronicles 20:14-17
Church, the good news of tonight’s message is this: if sin is a part of your life, you have the opportunity to have God fight against that dilemma for you. The problem is, sometimes we overlook what sin does and belittle its consequences. You are actually separated from God. If God is the definition of good, as Jesus said, being separated from God means you are as far from good as possible. If God is the supplier of peace, hope, and reconciliation, when sin is part of your life, you’re as far from peace and hope as you can be. It’s not only about the eternal destination; it’s about you in this life, not having what God intended when you are in covenant with Him.
Jesus: The Remedy for Sin
Sin is a problem, but here’s the good news: God has a remedy.
- Matthew 1:18-21
"She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’” — Matthew 1:21
If sin is the great dilemma, Jesus is the great answer. If sin is the great sickness, Jesus is the great remedy. As great as the problem sin creates, that’s how wonderful God’s answer is in Jesus Christ.
Why Jesus Is the Answer?
That’s why there’s a famous passage I want us to camp out on for a moment. The question is, “Is Jesus the answer?” I’ve told you numerous times, and I’ll say it one more time: this is not a question demanding a yes or no, because the obvious answer is yes. It’s a question that drives home a statement. If Jesus is the answer and I know that, then why? If I have yet to surrender to Him, what is holding me back? What is so good that I want to stay in a sin-sick state? What is so good that I want to avoid the healing promised by the great Healer? Why would I stay away from the remedy that provides life?
That’s not my question. I decided a long time ago that I couldn’t do this on my own. I came to that conclusion when I was old enough to be confronted with the gravity of sin. I’ll be real with you: I didn’t even know the full gravity then. As I continue to grow and mature in the faith, I come across regularly that Jesus didn’t just do something for me—He did everything for me. It’s not just another name. It’s the name above all names, the name by which every knee will bow, every tongue will confess.
The Reality of Jesus’ Resurrection
There’s a lot of debate about who Jesus is. Was He just a good man, a good teacher, a historical figure who said a lot of good things? After all, do we really believe in a resurrected individual? If I were going to fabricate a story about a religious teacher who was resurrected when he said he would be, or at least the tomb is empty, giving credibility to his claim, I promise you, I would not send women to the tomb first. In that culture and time, they had no credibility when it came to testifying to anything of truth. They couldn’t be called to testify. If I’m fabricating a story, it wouldn’t include women going there first.
Also, consider this: if the resurrection of Jesus is fabricated, how many people, how many generations would have to die before it became an accepted legend? If you go around saying, “Jesus is resurrected from the grave,” and a Roman soldier puts a sword to your neck and says, “Say it one more time,” if you knew it was made up, chances are you’d do whatever it took to save your life. You’d say, “I was just kidding.” Isn’t it interesting that some claim this legend of a resurrected Jesus was accepted over time?
Roman historians say legends require hundreds of years to be accepted. The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John weren’t written hundreds of years later, yet they were circulated letters attesting to a resurrected Jesus.
Isn’t it interesting that if people were alive back then, they could’ve said, “We made that up”? Isn’t it interesting that the Roman soldiers at the tomb had to be paid off? That they were asleep? If a crowd of disciples walked to the tomb to roll the stone away, wouldn’t that have made noise, waking the soldiers? Yet they slept through it and were told what to say. There’s numerous evidence that this tomb really is empty, not because disciples took the body away.
Some have fabricated theories that when Jesus was laid in the tomb, He was almost dead, but lying on a cold slab of rock with no medical help, an unconscious man bleeding out somehow came to himself and rolled the stone away—a wounded, stabbed individual beaten to a pulp. Some say that’s a logical conclusion. It baffles my mind how people try to explain it away. Instead of explaining it away, let’s embrace it. Let’s embrace that the tomb is empty because He was resurrected as He said He was.
Three Reasons Jesus Is the Answer for Salvation
1) Jesus is the Way
- John 14:6
In John chapter 14, we learn three reasons why Jesus is the answer for our salvation. First, the text says, “I am the way.” When you think about Jesus being the way, what comes to mind? Occasionally, there’s a sermon where we need to do a little homework regarding Him saying He’s the way. The obvious conclusion is He’s the path—stay on the path. If you’ve ever been in the woods and didn’t know which direction to go, it’s like, “Stay on the path.” Some of you are hikers; some of you are crazy and run through the woods. I’ve known a couple of people who did those ridiculous marathons, and they’re much skinnier and in better shape than I am. Please take that as a tongue-in-cheek joke. If you’re in the woods at night, you want to know where the trail is.
You could say, “It’s just the trail, stay on the path.”
- Mark 12:14
- Luke 1:79
- Hebrews 10:20
When Jesus says, “I am the way,” in John chapter 14, they didn’t know where He was going or how to get there. That was the dilemma. In verse 5, Thomas said, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How do we know the way?” Thomas wanted to be where Jesus was, but Jesus didn’t say, “Go over there, take a second right, go to the big barn, take a left, and go to the third big oak tree.” He said, “I am the way. You want to be where I am? That’s the pathway.” To the casual reader, that might sound like circular reasoning, but Jesus was saying, “I’m going to My Father’s house. There are many dwelling places, many mansions. I’m going to prepare that place for you.” They said, “We don’t know how to get to the Father’s house.” He said, “I’m your only way to the Father’s house.”
2) Jesus is the Truth
Second, “I am the truth.”
- John 1:1-3
Don’t let that slip your mind: Jesus didn’t just come about in the New Testament. He was around at creation and was an active participant. That shows the connectedness of the Father and the Son and the longevity of the plan.
In verse 14, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The very essence of Jesus is truth. It’s not just that He speaks truth; He is full of truth and grace.
Jesus made it apparent to the Jews who never thought they’d been enslaved that there’s a connection between His words and the truth. He teaches the way of God, and He Himself is truth.
- John 8:32
How can I know the truth and be set free? It’s not about knowing facts, church. It’s about knowing Jesus, not just knowing about Him, but knowing Him in a living way, not just regurgitating Bible facts.
3) Jesus is the Life
Third, “I am the life.”
- John 5:25
- John 10:10
- John 17:3
- John 10:28
- Acts 4:12
One Way Out
Consider the terrible dilemma of sin. I don’t know if I would’ve responded the same way as that 17-year-old girl did when she was at gunpoint driving her car. I’d like to think I would’ve kept calm and kept my wits about me. Maybe I would’ve said, “She’s going to harm the family and the child. Maybe it’s best I sacrifice my life and drive into the water.” But I don’t know if I would’ve thought, “Let me ram the car into a police cruiser.” When I look at what the police officer said, I understand that some dilemmas don’t have many options. Some dilemmas can only be settled one way. For that teenage girl, she said, “I’ve got to get that officer’s attention.” Driving by saying, “Hey, somebody’s in here with a gun,” might have caused the gun to go off. So she floored it. The police officer said, “This kid saw an opportunity to break free and she took it.”
- Salvation, 1 Thessalonians 5:9, is only known through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Romans 1:16, says the gospel about Jesus Christ is the power of God for salvation.
- Ephesians 1:13, says the truth is shown in the gospel of our salvation.
The good news of the gospel, simply put, is what Paul wrote to the church in Corinth: there was a death, a burial, and a resurrection.
“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which also you stand.” — 1 Corinthians 15:1
A Call to Respond
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve preached sermons, walked to the back, and my brethren—here or elsewhere—are very kind and complimentary. My wife, Erin, will sometimes ask, “How did it go?” meaning, “What was the feedback?” Sometimes she’ll ask, “What was the feedback?” I say, “Everybody who said something said something positive, so I appreciate if you don’t like it, don’t say anything about it.” But I also know this: many times, gospel preachers pour their hearts out in sermons only to find it falling on ears more concerned with what’s going to happen after the service than what’s happening in their lives right now. They’re thinking about lunch or what’s going on outside these doors rather than their relationship with Jesus Christ.
People have come to the back and said, “I nearly came forward because I felt somebody should.” I don’t say, “Why didn’t you?” I find it interesting that the nature of the sermon led them to conclude it was a responding sermon. Well, tonight, if you’re not a child of God, it’s a responding sermon. If you’ve never obeyed the gospel, it’s a responding sermon. Here’s why: you have one way out, one way of escape from the consequence of sin, and that is the grace of God realized through the blood of Jesus Christ. He says, “If you will come to Me, receive the gospel, stand in the gospel, then that’s where you will find salvation.” That’s what Paul said to the church in Corinth, and that’s the same message for you and me today.
Obedience to Jesus
Here’s the dilemma: we have a choice to make. In Hebrews chapter 5, verse 9, the text says, “Having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal life.” Imagine you have a check for a million dollars in your pocket. If you kick some of your teenagers, they might ask, “What’s a check?” Imagine a piece of paper you can take to the bank, and they give you money for it. You have a check in your pocket for a million dollars, signed and written out correctly to you. But all you do is carry it around, saying, “I got a million dollars. I got a million dollars.” Do you really have a million dollars, or do you have a piece of paper that says, “Once you put this in the bank, you have a million dollars”?
Can you imagine someone who walks around saying, “I got a million dollars,” but dies holding the check that was never deposited? Did they really have a million dollars? The answer is not until they deposited the check. You’re walking around with the best message you could ever have: God wants to redeem you, and He sent His Son Jesus to die for you. He gave you the way, the truth, and the life. You can walk around saying, “I can have eternal life,” but Hebrews chapter 5 says He became the source of eternal life for those who obey Him.
A Personal Challenge
What if I have the nicest Bible but never obeyed Jesus? How’s that going to end up in eternity? What if I don’t use swear words but never obey the gospel? What if I don’t beat my wife but never obey the gospel? What if I’m a hardworking man outside these doors, a good employee, but never obey the gospel? The scriptures make it clear: He became the source of eternal life for all those who obey Him.
You have an opportunity. There’s one way out. My only question is, will you, like that 17-year-old young lady, take the way out tonight? If you’ve never obeyed the gospel, it’s time. Confess Jesus as Lord, repent of your sins, and be immersed for the forgiveness of sin.
If you have obeyed the gospel, I sincerely want to ask: have you become too comfortable with sin? The door which was opened when you walked in, remains open in case you ever choose to leave. You cannot live in sin and claim Jesus.
God’s calling us back. If you need to repent, it’s time. Jesus is still the answer for your salvation. Whatever your need is, we would love to pray with you. Our shepherds would love to counsel you.
If we can help you, you’ve got to make the need known, so please contact us.
