Christ Alone: 2016 Gospel of Luke #25
This is an exposition of Luke 7:29-35. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, August 14, 2016.
Intro:
What comes to your mind when you think of the term, “Evangelist?” Do you picture a red-faced preacher thundering away at the congregation? Do you think of Billy Graham preaching in a stadium? Or someone, uninvited, knocking on your door? Perhaps you think about a friend or family member who faithfully shared the Gospel with you and lovingly urged you to trust Christ? Do you think of yourself as an evangelist? Or do you say, “I don’t have the gift of evangelism?” The truth is all of us who have trusted in Christ have been called to take the Gospel to our world. Evangelism is not the responsibility of only those who are so “gifted” it is the privilege of every child of God. In fact, according to Jesus, if you have been born again you are a witness, an evangelist. When speaking about the coming of the Spirit Jesus said to his followers, “You will receive power after the Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses; in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8).” You, child of God, are an evangelist. The only question is, “Are you an effective evangelist or an ineffective evangelist? Are you a good witness or a poor witness?” People are watching and listening. Your life speaks. What are you saying?
To be an effective evangelist you need to know the Gospel. You need to know who Jesus is and what he accomplished with his life and death. You need to understand what it means to be saved and how one enters into relationship with God through the Lord Jesus. Just what is salvation? Saved from what? Saved how? These questions serve as a backdrop for our text this morning. A text that grows out of our Lord’s response to the questioning of John the Baptist. You remember John was imprisoned for his boldness. John came to prepare the way for Messiah. In preparation he preached a message of repentance along with a call to holiness. Once while baptizing new converts in the Jordan he noticed some of the Scribes and Pharisees had come to observe. Without missing a beat John turned toward the leaders and declared, “What are you doing here you bunch of snakes? Who warned you to turn from the wrath to come?” He wasn’t one to back down and that’s why he was in prison. Herod Antipas seduced his brother’s wife, divorced his own wife and married his sitar-in-law. John called him on it. John called on the king to repentant of such wickedness. Thus, John languished in prison. While there, hearing the various reports about Jesus, John’s faith began to waver. He sent word to Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” Are you the Christ or not? I don’t want to waste my life. I don’t want to live in vain. Are you the Messiah?
Jesus told those who came with the question, “Go back and tell John what you’ve seen and heard.” Answer, “Yes, I’m the one. John have faith.” Then Jesus gave a glowing endorsement of John to those gathered. It is the response of those gathered that serves as our text this morning. We are going to work our way through Luke 7:29-35.
Text: Luke 7:29-35
This is a bit of an obscure passage but I think there is something important here for us. I’m convinced there is a truth about salvation highlighted in this text that is crucial in our day. In our “pluralistic, anything and everything is okay provided you are sincere world” we need this truth.
The message from Luke 7:29-35 is that…
Thesis: Salvation demands that you abandon any and all delusion of self-sufficiency or innate goodness and trust in Christ alone.
There are two (2) things I want to point out in this text.
- Salvation demands acceptance of God’s evaluation of human goodness and trust in His righteousness alone. (7:29-30)
- To embrace the delusion of self-righteousness is to abandon any and all hope of salvation. (7:31-35)
Conclusion:
Ultimately such people want to dance to their own tune or worse yet, want God to dance to their tune. Nothing pleases the heart that feels no sin. But what a grace to feel your need of Christ. What a grace to stand still as you mourn your sin with a dirge, confessing them to God and the dance to the music of heaven’s grace!
Listen friend, there is only one way of salvation and that is through repentance of your sin and faith in the person of the Lord Jesus. You must abandon any delusion of your own righteousness and trust solely in Christ. To cling to your own righteousness is to abandon any and all hope of salvation.
Won’t you come to Christ?