Christ And The Sinner - A

Jack Hibbs: Without the cross, there's no heaven. Without the cross, there's no sinner being converted to a saint. Without the cross, there's no eternity for us in this presence.
David J: Welcome to Real Life Radio with Pastor Jack Hibbs. I'm David J. Thanking you for joining us today as we listen, learn, and are challenged by God's word, the Bible. The men and women who founded this nation weren't just bold; they were anchored. Anchored in the conviction that our rights come from God, not from government. And that foundation is worth knowing. In *The American Story: The Beginnings*, Tim and David Barton take you back to the documents, the decisions, and the faith that shaped this country from its very first days. This isn't revisionist history; this is the real story. When you give a gift of any amount to support Real Life, we'll send you this powerful book and a free copy of *The Happy Birthday America* kids guide so your kids and grandkids can know it, too. And don't forget, as we celebrate America's 250th birthday this summer, our Faith and Freedom clothing collection lets you wear your convictions openly—a simple way to spark a conversation and point someone to the truth. Make your request today. Visit jackhibbs.com or call 877-777-2346. On today's edition of Real Life Radio, Pastor Jack continues in his series called *The Life and Times of Jesus Christ* and a message titled "Christ and the Sinner." Now, this is a series about who Jesus really is, not the Jesus of popular opinion, but the Jesus of the Bible, God himself, who stepped into our world. And here, we'll see the most important message any of us could ever hear: that Jesus came to save sinners. You see, the word "sinner," it's not a popular word. And telling someone they need Christ can feel like an impossible task. But this is the one message that changes everything and can determine the course of one's eternity. So today, Pastor Jack teaches us that apart from Christ, we really are without hope and without a future of heaven. His death on the cross opens the way to not only forgiveness but to a new life that only he can give. Before we get into the message, I had a chance to sit down with Pastor Jack and talk about it with him. So let's get into that. Continuing now with Pastor Jack in the studio with me: *The Life and Times of Jesus Christ*. And we're going into our message today called "Christ and the Sinner." Pastor Jack, your whole life is Christ and the sinner, right? And you call the sinners God's object of affection. That's kind of a stunning thing to say to somebody who feels too far gone, like there ain't no reaching out to me. How is it that the very thing that condemns us is the thing that God reaches for?
Jack Hibbs: Well, first of all, let's remember that this is not positive confession. This is not a social gospel. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ that announces that we need to repent of our sins and believe on him, and God will save us. And that said, Jesus is not a module add-on. He is not an app or a download to add to the rest of our repertoire. It means that we come to him as sinners. And that means we own our own sin. That means we divorce ourselves from everybody else in our lives, and we own our own sin. I lied. I cheated. I've had lustful thoughts. I've had aggressive or violent thoughts. I've done wrong things myself. I'm guilty. Davy, you're guilty. But listen, this is a shock to hear. Jesus Christ can only save sinners. If you think you're not a sinner, he can't save you. Even though he paid the price for your sins, you're not going to be saved unless you realize you need to be saved. And you must realize that you're a sinner to have a savior. Unless you do that, you have no savior, and you have no hope because you have no forgiveness. And this is very, very critical. So Christ and the sinner means everything if you're willing to listen.
David J: All right, let's jump into it. Continuing with our *Life and Times of Jesus Christ* series: "Christ and the Sinner."
Jack Hibbs: If you grab your Bibles and turn this morning to what has been the theme, and you can just jot this down or turn there if you like: Colossians chapter 2, verse 9. As we come through the series of *The Life and Times of Jesus Christ*, we come now this morning to "Christ and the Sinner." And I want you to listen carefully to this study because it may determine the eternal outcome of your life. "Christ and the Sinner." Colossians 2:9 says, "For in Christ, all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form." So if you'll jot that down in your notes, and by now you certainly have it memorized as we've been going through this study together. I'd like you to carefully consider the text that we have before us regarding Christ and the sinner. And if you'll mark your Bible or turn to Romans chapter 1, verse 13, we'll start there because if you're going to talk about Christ and his relationship to the sinner—we'll explain what sinner means in a moment, so don't leave the building. In fact, ushers, lock the doors. No one leaves, no one moves, until I have a chance to describe or give definition to the word "sinner." You might be sitting here and say, "You know what? This is not enough fluff for me already." I want to warn you this morning that there will be no fluff in the message. It's a fluffless message. This is the most important perhaps message that we will ever hear in our lives: that Jesus Christ died to save sinners. There's no other message that we have in this world to give. It is a popular message. I say popular in that it may be pleasant to some ears. We certainly know that it's not pleasant to other ears. But it's a popular message because the gospel message goes forward, and decisions are made. It's one of the very few, if possible, I think maybe the only message where you can make a decision, and it will determine the living of your life. You might say, "Well, I don't know if I agree with that. I made a decision to be a CPA, or a banker, or a homemaker, or a whatever, and it's done me quite well." Or you might say it's done me quite ruin. I'm not talking about temporal decisions like that that we make in this life. I'm talking about a decision that every human being is confronted with in this world, and that is to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. Romans chapter 1, verse 13. The wonderful Apostle Paul, he says, "I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you, but I have been prevented from doing so until now, in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. I am obligated both to the Greeks and to the non-Greeks, both to the wise and to the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome, or Chino Hills, or Norco, or even Rubidoux, wherever you might be from." "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew and then for the Gentile. For in the gospel, or the gospel of righteousness from God, is revealed a righteousness that is by faith, from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" Paul's announcement concerning the gospel. If you don't mind, if you'll turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Paul speaks about this gospel to the church at Corinth, to the believers that are there. And he's talking about this message, this thing called the gospel. The word "gospel" means good news. Yet, why in the world when we give the gospel, if we truly give the gospel, do people reject and get offended and upset with it? It is good news to all those who will listen. It is good news to all those who will receive it. But this same gospel that can bring you eternal life and set you free—and is, in fact, free, but don't call it cheap; it's cost God all that he had—this very same gospel can lead to the eternal damnation of the soul who rejects. The responsibility is not upon the preacher this morning as this will be evangelistic. Preaching is for evangelism; teaching is for the church. This is both teaching, I would say, but with a strong emphasis on preaching this morning: the gospel of God, which Paul says is the power to salvation. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul gives us the definition of what the gospel is. It's not a convenient, compartmentalized little sermonette for Christianettes. It's a life-changing message. You know, when the gospel's preached, support groups are not necessary; care groups are not really that important; counseling—dare I say, I can't believe I just said this—counseling is not important if the word of God is taught and received and believed on. Lives are changed radically. In fact, the person who was dependent upon counseling now becomes the counselor to those who don't know the word of God. Look in your own life and what God has done in your life. God has changed you, and you've gone out, and you've through the power of the Holy Spirit changed the lives of others. How does that happen? By the preaching of the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul says, "Moreover, brothers, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I have preached to you, unless you've believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I received"—that's how the gospel is propagated; you receive it, then you pass it on. He says, "I first of all have passed on to you that which I've received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." The Bible. The gospel. Paul says the greatest thing that we could ever do and Paul says the thing that I've learned from Christ myself, I have been faithful to pass on to you, and that is the preaching of the gospel. It has been said concerning the delivery of the gospel, the message of the gospel—and listen, I know some of you are going to just, you're going to tune this right out this morning. You're not interested. I wouldn't say that. Actually, this is first service. Every one of you are interested. It's second and third. Pray for them. It's been said that preaching the gospel is an impossible task. And it is absolutely impossible. If we are going to hold true to the gospel of God, which demands that mankind be identifying himself as a sinner, you've got to admit in worldly wisdom that it doesn't start off quite on the right foot. Maybe that the gospel is so offensive—and I don't mean in a bad way—I mean that it says in the face of the sinner, "You need Christ, and you need to come to him and have your sins exchanged for sainthood that only God can do." He gives that to you freely. If we don't do that, then what lies ahead of us is a Christless eternity. That message is not palatable unless the Holy Spirit—listen, you see, I win. You may write me a letter later and say, "I don't like you now." That's okay. The thing is I win because if I'm like Billy Graham says, faithful to preach the gospel, he says decisions will be made. Some will be yes; some will be no. And when the gospel's preached, the saint is encouraged and strengthened and says, "Thank you, Jesus, for dying for me and setting me free." And the one who is stiff-necked and rebellious says, "I hate this message. I'm going to go because I have this hunger to be religious to some other church, to some other place." And that's sad. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and then they follow me." It's not my voice. It's not the voice of the singers. An impossible task. It is an impossible task. Preaching the gospel's a silly thing unless the Spirit of God is at work. 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 17. Paul says this, he says, "For Christ did not send me to baptize." That upsets Baptists. People say, "Oh, you must be baptized to get into the kingdom of heaven." Doesn't say that in the Bible. Should you be baptized? Absolutely. Do we baptize? Absolutely. Paul says though, "I didn't come to get to be baptized. I mean to baptize people. That's not my calling." What is his calling? What's the great Apostle's calling? He says, "But to preach the gospel, the good news that Jesus came and died." He says, "Not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect." So we know now immediately that the gospel and the cross cannot be separated. I would venture to say, certainly in our Christian bookstore, that we sell more crosses than any other jewelry item. I wouldn't doubt if there are more crosses sold than any other type of jewelry item that goes about the neck. But do people know what the cross means? Whatever the cross means, it's inseparable from the gospel. Whatever the gospel in its power provides cannot come without the cross. Paul says, "God called me to preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom lest the cross of Christ should become ineffective. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. But to those who are being saved, it's the power of God." The cross. What is the significance of the cross? Has it become so maybe archaic in our thinking as Christians? Do we not meditate on the cross and on the power of the cross? John Stott wrote a great book, *The Cross*. You ought to buy that book. Every Christian should have that book, *The Cross*. Great reading. But if the cross is not effective in our lives, listen, Christian, if the cross is not effective in our lives, we are losing our Christian witness and our advancement as Christ's soldiers in this world. We're losing. Because if the gospel's not in our message, then we're lying to our friends. If we're not telling our grandmothers, our grandfathers, our children, "Jesus died for you. He died on the cross to set sinners free." Do you realize that if you mention the word "sinner," people get upset unless they know it? I want to give you a very quick example, and I can say this because she's a long way from here right now. My sister nearly three years ago. I was teaching at a college, got a phone call on my cell phone. "Your sister's dying. She has six months to live. They just found this out." She had no idea. On the way home from the college, I altered my course home. I went straight to her home. And I had given her the gospel, though she didn't remember or she didn't understand or she made fun of it at the time, many, many times before, both my brother and I over the course of years. She wouldn't listen. It's foolishness. And we didn't talk much anymore. We didn't have much in common anymore. But that's not the point. The point is did I love my sister enough to tell her that if she didn't bow her knee to the King of Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ who hung on a cross, that she would spend a Christless eternity in hell? I pulled up to her house, and I sat down as she was awaiting my arrival out on her porch. And I said first thing to her, "I've heard the news. And for the next few moments"—I didn't know it'd be three hours—"for the next few moments, I'm going to ask you to forget the fact that I'm your brother. And I want you to listen to everything I'm going to show you in the Bible." And I went to Exodus chapter 20 with the Ten Commandments and started right there. And by the end of that moment or that time together, her heart broke, and she didn't have to be convinced of her sin. She knew she was a sinner. And she said, "What do I do? What do I do about this news?" You might say this is ridiculous, and you're a little emotional about it. You know what? You bet I am. Without the cross, there's no heaven. Without the cross, there's no sinner being converted to a saint. Without the cross, there's no eternity for us in his presence. And churches by and large in our age don't want to mention the cross. And yet without the preaching of the cross, there's no salvation. There's no hope for mankind. How is it that coming to the understanding of what the sinner can experience can set you free? And you, again, may be here this morning and you're uncomfortable and you're wondering, "Okay, isn't it like, you know, it's 8:30? Aren't you going to stop? It's time to go home, don't you think?" I know you might be anxious. I heard a song by of all people, or groups, Depeche Mode. And this band said, "I can feel the discomfort in your feet or in your seat." He said, "You've got shackles around your feet." They said, "I can feel the discomfort that's in your seat, and it's even in your heart. And you wear your guilt like a halo in reverse." Interesting words, don't you think, from some pagan rock group? What were they speaking about? Mankind, as we'll see in a moment, is under the shadow of guilt. Is that to destroy you, or is there a God that's been reaching out to you and this guilt that you've been trying to appease and put away and hide is God trying to convert that guilt for you to look in the mirror and say, "O Lord, what must I do to be saved?" And my friend, if you've experienced salvation, it only comes through the embracing of the cross. And to those in this room who have embraced the cross, they've been set free. And we know why we wear it around our neck, if in fact we do, those of you who are into jewelry stuff. You know why you wear a cross. Unlike Madonna, who says there's something sexy about a naked man hanging on a cross. How sick. But the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. May God save Madonna. Wouldn't that be wonderful? May God save them all. So before I give you the first point, I want to give you the point that means the most to me and God's pointing to me right straight in my face in preparing this: is that I feel like I have an impossible task. And I've already weighed the balance out to see if this is going to be popular or not, or good for church growth. Do you realize the moment that temptation enters my mind, I'm sinning? Well, how's the body going to take this? The body of Christ will take it fine. It's the people who want to play church that aren't going to take it fine. Joshua, God says to Joshua—and you guys are an expert in the book of Joshua—Joshua chapter 1, verse 8. "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, and that you may observe to do all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you, Joshua? Be strong." Why? Because he wasn't strong. "Be of good courage." Why? He didn't have any courage. "Do not be afraid." Why? He was scared to death. "Do not be dismayed." Why? He was made. He was dismayed. "For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Paul the Apostle. He writes to the church at Rome. He says, "I'm coming. I'm coming to you, and I can't wait. I'm going to preach the gospel at Rome." This church, you guys are convicting to me and to many people because you are evangelistic maniacs. You're preachers! On Thursdays and Tuesdays and other nights of the week, many of you, many of you, by week's end over a hundred of you go out every week and go door-to-door and give out the truth what the cults are willing to do to go door-to-door to give out the lie. And we see anywhere from five to twenty people a week on the streets, in their homes, at their doors making decisions for Christ. Because you go out. Why? You've got something to say. And that is Christ Jesus died on the cross. Christians won't mention the word "sinner" to other people anymore because they think we're going to offend them. So we pat them on the back and comfort them and never tell them the truth, even if they be on their deathbed, until they slip into a Christless eternity. And then we come to church and wonder why we feel so bad. Because we didn't tell them the truth. And all of us, as Paul says, "I'm not ashamed of the gospel." Why did he say that? Because he's tempted to be ashamed of the gospel. Paul is just like you, just like me. He fought that temptation. Then he says, "I'm not ashamed of the gospel." There comes a point when you're so convinced, Paul says, "I can't wait to get to Rome. Can you imagine Caesar, scoot over? I've got something to say." The spiritual condition of mankind is hopeless. You say, "Jack, I don't know if I like to hear this." Then why did Jesus Christ come? Why did God send himself in his Son like this to die for mankind? Why didn't he just send a good man? Why didn't he just use Gandhi? Cause it had to be God. No man could die for the salvation of mankind. It had to be the God-man, Jesus Christ.
David J: Pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs here on Real Life Radio and his message called "Christ and the Sinner." Thanks for taking your time to spend with us today. You know, this message is part of Pastor Jack's series called *The Life and Times of Jesus Christ*. It's a series about the real Jesus of the Bible, God in the flesh, and why knowing him more deeply changes everything. And we'll continue on the next edition of Real Life Radio. Hey everybody, we're very excited about this special offer. It's called *Bold Stand*. It's a back-to-school faith guide for your young ones. It's going to help them take a stand for Christ even in the public school culture. It's very, very well done. It's a pamphlet they can put in their backpack or put it within the pages of any book. It's very colorful. It's in cartoon style. And I think your kids are going to love it. So please get a copy for yourself: *Bold Stand Back-to-School Faith Guide*. Get this and more at jackhibbs.com. Hey, thank you again so much for listening. And if you'd like to hear or see more of what we do here, you can always go to jackhibbs.com for all the latest on what's going with this ministry. And please, if you're ever in the Southern California area, come see us at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills. We'd love to see you there in person. It has been so good to be with you today, and I pray you find yourself in the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. See you on the next episode. This program is made possible by the generous contributions of you, our listeners. Visit us at jackhibbs.com, that's jackhibbs.com. Until next time, Pastor Jack Hibbs and all of us here at Real Life Radio wish for you solid and steady growth in Christ and in his word. We'll see you next time here on Real Life Radio.