1. Title: Do It Yourself Religion
2. Text: Acts 4:12 et al
3. Audience: Villa Heights Christian Church, AM crowd., February 12, 2006, 3rd in the series “A Clear and Present Danger”
4. Objectives:
-for the people to understand the danger of trying to make God fit us rather than ourselves fit Him. And to understand the impetus this gives us for proclaiming the truth of the gospel.
-for the people to feel concern for the lost, little tolerance for false teaching, and compassion for people who have been deceived
-for the people to deliberately not accept universalist attitudes and for those who are currently lost to respond to the invitation to accept Jesus as the only Way
5. When I finish my sermon I want my audience to respond to the gospel, to take a greater urgency into our propagation of the truth, and have less tolerance of falsehood about salvation.
6. Type: topical
7. Dominant Thought: Jesus is the only way to God and the time to accept Him is right now. Period!
8. Outline:
Intro: I realize that the business of fear is what keeps some people in business. I’m intrigued by these commercials that have a new medication out for something you didn’t even know you had. But now, there’s a prescription for it, and you’re supposed to check with your doctor and see if you need it. I ran across a book this week called I’m Afraid, You’re Afraid : 448 Things to Fear and Why.
As many phonies are there are, I hope that doesn’t make you skeptical of the reality of the real threats that endanger our generation.
This morning I want us to consider the clear and present danger that comes from one basic problem, but that shows itself in 2 “isms” – one is Universalism. Universalism is the belief that ultimately, everyone goes to heaven. The basic reason that’s assumed is because God is a loving God, and a loving God wouldn’t send anyone to hell. So, everyone goes to heaven. After all, all dogs go to heaven, why not all people too, right?
The 2nd “ism” is Syncretism. Syncretism isn’t so much a belief system as it is an approach to religion. It means “a union of communities.” It’s a lot like a Mongolian BBQ. You take all the raw meat and vegetables you want, add the sauce you want, put it on the ledge, and this guy takes it and cooks it for you, so that it’s just what you wanted. Syncretism is like that. You just peruse what you like in various belief systems and take what you want. Then, you put them all together into your own, self-made religion. You see, if everyone is going to heaven anyway, then how you get there is really kind of an optional thing, isn’t it?
Both of these dangers are a reflection of one attitude: Let’s shape God to fit me and let’s do it my way. Do it yourself religion. You’ve already guessed that I’m not going to speak very well of that attitude. In fact, I’m going to do my best to show you how the Scriptures teach something quite different, and how important it is to understand that.
Ill - I’ll never forget it. We were living in Indiana, and my folks lived a few hours south of us. There was a presentation of the Nutcracker Ballet in Ft. Wayne, and Carrie really wanted to go. We decided to invite my folks along to. So, for Christmas that year, we bought the tickets and we all saw the Nutcracker. We were sitting in our seats, waiting for it to begin. My wife has this big grin on her face – she loves this kind of thing. I look over at my mom, so does she. You know, big stage, costumes, guys in leotards, all that stuff. My dad, clearly out of his element, looks over at me and says, “C’mon, son, let’s you and I go see a John Wayne movie!” He just didn’t “fit” there! So, in a family letter a week or 2 later, my dad is telling about our experience there, and he says, “Everyone should go to the ballet just as often as they can…and I have!”
I love those kinds of ironic sayings – the ones with a dot dot dot – a pregnant pause – in the middle:
• You don’t have to change the oil in your car…unless you want your engine to run!
• Ignore your teeth…they’ll go away!
• She’s as pretty as she can be…of course, most girls are!
• Yes, it’s all you can eat…and that’s all you can eat!
• Falling from the 50th storey won’t kill you…it’s the sudden stop at the bottom that does!
It’s in the spirit of sayings like that I want to get across 3 very important points this morning, and here’s the first, for all universalists out there, those people who think and live like everyone is going to the same place, let me go on record this morning as saying this:
I. Everyone Is Going To The Same Place…Judgment
The Scriptures say this very thing:
Hebrews 9:27
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
We all pretty well accept the fact that everyone is going to die someday (except maybe Elvis). Even those religions that teach reincarnation accept that people die. People have been doing it ever since history was recorded, and, as much as we try not to, it looks like it’s going to keep happening. So, we need to give some thought to what happens afterwards. The Universalist insists that, by one way or another, everyone goes to heaven. Either hell doesn’t exist or it’s only for the devil and his league.
Jesus describes a different scenario. In Lk 16 He describes a rich man and a poor man who both die. One goes to live in a place of rest and comfort, the other goes to a place of fire and agony. In between the 2 places is a big gulf that can’t be crossed. 2 men, 2 very different places after they die. Jesus also talks about when He returns…
Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of Man comes … All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats…Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
Matthew 7:13-14
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
“Only a few” sounds like a lot less than everyone. God has never said that everyone is going to be saved, because not everyone will respond the same to Him.
Mark 16:15-16
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
It’s this fact that ought to help us into the world to help people be saved. Take away this fact and we no longer have any real motive to take the gospel to the world.
Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Why go to the expense, the trouble, the danger, if everyone’s going to heaven anyway? Simple. They’re not. Jesus knew it, and so He sent us to do something about it because,
Romans 2:6
God "will give to each person according to what he has done."
We know we want just judges. We want those who are in positions of authority to be consistent and unaffected by outside influences. We want judges who are going to prosecute the bad guys and send them away to whatever it is they deserve. We want justice - until it applies to God; until it applies to the biggest questions of life. Then we want exceptions. Then we want loopholes. And one thing’s for sure: we don’t want justice – not where our own salvation is concerned.
Understand this. No matter who you are or what you’re doing now, man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. That’s where everyone is going.
(II. All Approaches To God Do Lead To The Same Place…Except For One)
I have to credit one Robin Day with the sentiment of this point. He coined a similar phrase in our college age SS class a few years back.
You see, if everyone’s going to heaven anyway, how we all get there must not be that important. So many have decided to teach that the way we approach God really isn’t that important. Listen to how kindly it sounds to say this: “Well, everyone has a right to believe what they want…Who am I to say that someone else is wrong or that what I believe is better? You know, “judge not”...I know he may be wrong, but he’s sincere, and that’s more than I can say for a lot of Christians I’ve met...Hey, as long as it works for them…
So, the religious climate of the world has developed a lot of hybrids – I don’t mean flowers or cars. I mean religions. For instance…
• before going to Haiti, I was gathering some statistics. It seems that 80-85% of Haiti is Roman Catholic. 16% is Protestant. (That’s 96%) and 50-90% practices Voodoo. You do the math! In that country, at least 46% of its people have pieced together two very non-compatible systems of belief.
• I remember speaking to Ajai Lall of Central India Christian Mission, telling him I was going to get to preach to people in So. India. He said, be sure to tell them that Jesus is the only way. Unless it’s made clear, they will find it too easy to just consider Jesus another god to add to the 30 mil. gods of Hinduism. Too many had not stressed this in their area, and there were people considering Jesus just another one of many gods.
• When I first met the retired couple who live across from our back fence, I was telling the lady that I was a preacher of VHCC. She began to tell me that she was very “ecumenical.” They had ties with a few churches, and had different groups come in their home, including people from several churches getting together but “not letting their beliefs get in the way.” I guess that’s what ecumenical means. You get together with people that believe differently and you agree to not talk about what you believe.
• Chuck Cashion and I were on our way Thursday night to visit with a lady who has been attending our church lately. On the way to her apartment, there were 2 guys standing outside the open door of another apartment, one flight up. They were wearing white shirts and black slacks. I knew right away they were Mormons. They were having a discussion with the young lady inside the door. I could tell by her tone that she wasn’t accepting everything they were telling her. In fact, she was questioning it. She was even challenging the truthfulness of their claims. Wasn’t that impolite? I once had a Mormon missionary say to me, “Why don’t you people of the Christian Church just stop being so divisive? We believe in the same Jesus you do. We believe the people go to heaven just like you do. Why do you create all this division?”
If it’s true that all approaches to God lead to the same place, that everyone is just fine no matter what they believe, then let’s be that way. Let’s not rock peoples’ boat. Let’s get together and enjoy one another’s company and stop sounding so arrogant to some. Let’s dare not suggest that just because they’re not like us they’re in danger of hell and we need to teach them. Let’s join hands with everyone of every religion, light a candle, and sing a few verses of “Kum Bai Ya” together.
Somewhere along the way, we might want to consider what God wants. After all, if we’re going to talk about our relationship to the One Who is higher than us, we might want to at least think about how He thinks it should be. Otherwise, we’ve attempted to place ourselves in the higher position and to be in authority over Him. What has God said?
Here’s what God told His people very early on:
Exodus 20:3-5
"You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God…
God has always had a zero tolerance policy for other objects of worship. It was God Who said His people Israel had “prostituted themselves” with the false gods of others. God will not be treated like a husband Who allows His bride to moonlight as a prostitute. Israel’s unfaithfulness led to their destruction and exile. Why? Because God said “You shall have no other gods before me.”
Still, some will say, “OK. Maybe we’re all trying to reach the same God here, just by different ways. Some call Him Yahweh. Some call Him Allah. Some call Him the Great Spirit. Can’t we at least accept that?”
And once again, the best answer to that question is to consider what God has told us.
Acts 10:43
All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
Acts 4:12
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Ephesians 4:3-6
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…
John 14:5-6
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Yes, Christianity is radical enough to teach that it’s the only way to heaven – that the only way to be in a right relationship with God, according to God, is through the person of His Son. It’s high time that the Church stopped apologizing for what God has clearly said and start speaking it like we believe it’s the only hope for the world! It’s time we stop feeling comfortable with the misguided status of people outside of Jesus and stopped convincing ourselves that somehow God’s going to overlook that they have neglected the only way to be in a right standing with Him! It’s time for us to act as though we really are concerned about where our friends and neighbors and loved ones are going to spend forever!
Quote - Ravi Zacharias, in a sermon “In an attempt to be reasonable, man has become irrational. In an attempt to deify himself, he has defaced himself. In an attempt to be free, he has made himself a slave. And like Alexander the Great, he has conquered the world around him but has not yet conquered himself.”
Do you really think that the important thing is for people to be “religious”? Religion is man’s attempt to find God, please God, appease God, bottle God. Religion is man’s attempt, to somehow be good enough, by man’s efforts, for man to receive something from God – do it yourself. But God won’t fit into our mold, and God doesn’t tell us to approach Him that way.
Christianity is the one approach to God that doesn’t lead to the same place as all religions; the one approach to God that doesn’t rely on man earning his place in heaven. It brings us before God by the way of grace – the way which God Himself prepared by the death of His Son Jesus Christ. Every other attempt to be right with God is based on keeping rules and being good enough.
Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
If I were God, things would be different. You bet! If I were God, there wouldn’t be any 2nd chances. There wouldn’t be anybody let in who had really messed it up. People wouldn’t just be let in; they’d have to work for it. Yeah, if I was God, I’d make it fair … and that’s what man is trying. But I’m not God. You’re not God. God’s ways are not our ways. God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts. God’s way is the way of grace.
Ephesians 3:10-12 - His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
There’s only one way to approach God – it’s through His Son Jesus.
III. You Have All The Time You Need…A Moment
1829, a man named George Wilson robbed the United States mails and killed a person in the process. Later he was caught, found guilty and sentenced to die for his crime. Some friends intervened on his behalf and were able to speak to the President of the United States, Andrew Jackson. President Jackson granted Wilson a pardon, but when Wilson was notified, he refused to accept it!
An appeal was sent back to President Jackson. The President turned to the US Supreme Court for an answer. Chief Justice Marshall wrote the court’s opinion "A pardon is a piece of paper, the value of which depends upon its acceptance by the person implicated. I t is hardly to be supposed that a person under the sentence of death would refuse to accept a pardon; but, if it is refused, it is no pardon. George Wilson must die." The sentence of death was carried out upon George Wilson even though a pardon was lying in the Sheriff’s office.
The point is simple – that you can’t be in a right standing with God, you can’t be pardoned, unless you accept it. If it is refused, it is no pardon. Some of you sitting there this morning know that the Creator of the Universe has issued your pardon, but you’ve refused it up to this point.
If that’s you, I want you to know: you have all the time you need to accept Jesus. You have right now. It doesn’t take long. In just minutes you can step from death to a brand new life.
Not only is that all the time you need, but that’s also all the time you have guaranteed. Everything beyond that’s a guess; a blind hope. Did you come here in a car this morning? Somewhere around 100 people die in the US in car wrecks everyday. No one plans on that happening to them today, but for around 100 people, that’s what will happen…today. Today, somewhere around 1,300 people will die of heart attacks in the US. None of them are planning that, but for around 1,300 people, that’s what will happen…today.
So, how much time do you have? All I can be sure of, all you can be sure of, is right now – a moment.
That explains why Paul writes with the urgency he uses in…
2 Corinthians 6:2 - For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Conclusion:
Someone has said, Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called “the present.”
A moment and an opportunity to step from death into life. It’s a gift. What will you do with it?
