Good News for All: Good News for You

The Lord Christ was crucified. But he has risen from the dead and the resurrection is God’s public declaration that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God and that his death on that tree satisfied justice once and for all. And this Jesus has ascended up and sat down at the right hand of God, and he is King of kings and he is Lord of lords. All the empires of this world come and go like the wind. Their palaces crumble like the dust. Their kings are nothing more than little boys playing royalty. There is one Lord and it is not Caesar. It is Jesus Christ. And he is coming back and he will judge the living and the dead and the great books will be opened and if you have not run to Christ, then you will be justly given everything you deserve according to everything you have ever thought, everything you have ever spoken, and everything you have done. Does that make you afraid? It should.

Yet the Bible says a fountain has been opened up in the house of David – a fountain for cleansing. The Bible says: Are you thirsty? Come and drink. Are you hungry? Come and eat. Are you filthy? Come and be cleansed. Whosoever will may be saved. Whoever comes to Christ, they will not be cast out. The most religious person in the world needs to know that his religion cannot save him and his good works are nothing but filthy rags. He must be warned of his pride. He must run to Jesus. And yet the most filthy prostitute on the street; the most hardened drug addict and criminal; even the most vile murderer needs to lift up their head and know this: their sin is no greater – is not greater than the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Are you a sinner? Are you filthy? Are you dirty? Have you done things unspeakable? So have we, but we were cleansed. We were washed by the blood of the Lamb. It was poured out for us on that tree. You can be saved! And not only saved, you can be changed. If any man be in Christ, he’s a new creature. Old things pass away. All things are new. He can change your life. One of the saddest things about preaching is you can never say it as it ought to be said. Sermons are always a failure because Jesus is too beautiful to describe. No words can explain the greatness of his love. His sacrifice on the tree goes beyond the power of men or angels to tell.

If you do not know Christ, and you say, “Well, I’m religious;” or you say, “I go to church;” or “I’m orthodox;” or “I’m Baptist,” or “I’m Methodist;” then listen to me. If your life has not been changed, you’re nothing. Has your life been changed? Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ? I’m not talking about a ticket to Heaven. I’m not talking about you prayed a prayer one time in your life and therefore you’re okay. Is there evidence of faith? Has your life been changed? Does it continue to change? Instead of walking with sin now do you struggle against it? Do you want to love more? Do you want to be more devoted to Christ? These are the signs of a true Christian. If you’re not a Christian, I beg you, repent! That means change your mind. You loved sin. Change your mind. Recognize how horrible it is and desire righteousness. You have ignored God all your life. Change your mind. Turn to God. Realize how much worth he is. Turn from your sin. Recognize it. And fall upon Christ. Trust him. Trust him. Stop trusting in your own righteousness. Stop trusting in your own good works. Realize there’s only one way to be saved: faith in Jesus Christ. If I died right now, I would go to Heaven. Not because I’m a pastor or a teacher. Not because our ministry helps the poor and teaches kids to read. If I died right now, I would go to Heaven for one reason: Jesus Christ died for sinners. That is our only hope. And the more sinful you are, the more powerful he is to save. I don’t care what you’ve done. I don’t care what you’ve become. He can and will save you. He desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. He is holding out his hand all day, even when people don’t listen. “Come unto Me,” he says. He’s the way, the truth, and the life. There is no other name under Heaven given to men whereby we can be saved. There is one God and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. And everyone who believes in him will be saved. And no one who ever believed in him was disappointed.

Young person, listen to me. Life is a vapor. You’re young one day and you’re old the next. All the things of this world cannot fill you. Run to Christ and know the fullness of the love of God. Maybe you’ve done horrible things, unspeakable things, shameful things. You feel dirty, marred, and soiled. He can cleanse you and make you new. New! He doesn’t just forgive your sins. He forgets them. He puts them as far from you and Him as the east is from the west. And what’s so amazing is this promise is for all of us! If you go to hell, it’s because you chose to. It was your doing. He stands here and is mighty to save. I can testify that Jesus can save the worst of sinners because I was the foremost of all. How many other people here tonight can testify that Jesus saves sinners? If you’re not a Christian, look around at all these people. They’re all saying they were sinners. They’re all saying they could not save themselves. And they’re all saying that Jesus Christ saved them and cleansed them. Now Christians, I have a question. How many of you have ever been disappointed in Jesus? How many of you have ever been failed by Jesus? It looks to me like Jesus has a pretty good record.