Title: Just Suppose
Bible Book: Matthew 18 : 22-26
Author: William F. Harrell
Subject: Works; Salvation; Human Effort
Objective:
Introduction
Matthew 18:22-26
Mankind is thoroughly convinced that he is self-sufficient in every area of life. This has been a part of our education and upbringing in this capitalistic society in which we live. My father used to say, "son, if you want it done right, then you had better do it yourself." We innately believe that we are self-sufficient. That is why so many people want to depend on themselves to try to get to heaven when they die.
Now, we may be able to care for ourselves in many ways in the physical and material realm, but this does not apply to the spiritual world. If something applies to you and if you are the beneficiary of good things then you are just that - a beneficiary. Someone did some-thing for you in order for you to possess it or benefit from it.
I want us to think for a few minutes today on just this subject and ask ourselves this question: Just suppose that you had to do that for your-self?
I. Just Suppose That You Had To Satisfy God With A Perfect And Sinless Life
It does not take a perfect, sinless life to satisfy God. It takes the perfect life of Jesus to do that. The error of thought here is that it is your sins which separate you from God. That is not correct.
It is your nature that separates you from God and produces the sins in your life. So, you see if you could live a sinless life, the problem of your old sin nature would still have to be dealt with. And, only God is in the position to deal with the regeneration of the old sin nature. In fact, He is the only one who wants to do it and that's why He sent Jesus to us.
If we could save ourselves, then why did God send Jesus? Why did Jesus have to die if we could do it ourselves? All of God's activity in providing salvation was absolutely unnecessary if man can save himself.
Just suppose that you had to satisfy God with a perfect and sinless life.
II. Just Suppose You Had To Die For You
There are those in society who die for themselves - criminals on death row. They are put to death for their own way of living and what they did. They have to answer for themselves where the law is concerned.
What if you had to answer for yourself where sin is concerned? You would have to die for yourself if you had to do that. There is only one who can atone for the sins of mankind and that is Jesus. If you had to die for yourself, then how would you enjoy the benefits? But God, provided a way that I do not have to die for me - Jesus did. But, just suppose you had to die for you.
III. Just Suppose You Had To Raise Yourself From The Dead
Man is struggling today to overcome death. Cryogenics firms are trying to freeze and preserve people until a cure is found for their diseases - eternal life is the quest.
Cloning is an attempt to perpetuate the life of a person. The cult - the Raelians - are trying to sidestep the inevitable - death. They claim that a baby girl was cloned from her mother and they call her Eve. And, notice that she was almost born on Jesus' birthday - just one day later. Bridgette Boisselier said, "This is for the best of mankind.
"This is all a pitiful example of what people will do to try to perpetuate themselves. But, God has a better plan - You don't have to raise yourself, God will do that when Jesus comes for you.
God's plan of perpetuation is far, far superior to anything man could ever imagine or accomplish. We should be thankful that we don't have to be concerned about raising ourselves because we could never do it - God has to do it, and the Blood of Jesus makes it all possible.
But, just suppose you had to raise yourself from the dead.
IV. Just Suppose That You Had To Transport Yourself To Heaven
I would ask the question, Now, just how do you plan to do that? How would you transcend this life and occupy the heavenly? By what means would you do that? Many people act as if they think they have a plan because they certainly aren't preparing for Jesus to do it for them.
Another cult, a few years ago, thought they would get transported away on the tail of a comet, so they all committed suicide and expected the tail of the comet to sweep them up, up and away. This cult was trying to solve the problem of getting transported to another realm just as the Raelians are trying to gain immortality through cloning.
You see, man tries to do it all himself and in the end, finds out that he can do nothing for himself in the spiritual realm. God has to do it all, and praise the Lord, He has a plan that covers all the things which would be a problem for us.
So, just suppose that you had to transport yourself to heaven.
V. Just Suppose You Had To Save Yourself
We have seen that it is a hopeless thing for us to accomplish even certain parts of the salvation plan. Just imagine this scene with me. You are standing before Jesus at the Judgment seat of Christ and this is what He says, "Congratulations, you are the only person in history to get here by yourself.
That's quite an achievement! You never sinned. You changed your own old sin nature by simply being good. You did something no one else could do; you got to heaven without me. You are perfect in your own right. Let me congratulate you, you have made it on your own. That's quite an achievement!
There's only one thing wrong. It won't happen that way. That's fantasy, and that's against God's plan. That's absurd, both intellectually and spiritually. So, what if YOU had to save YOURSELF?
Conclusion
So, we would ask the question, “What if you had to do it yourself?” And, that's why so many people are lost and remain lost. That is why so many will end up going to hell. They have tried to do the impossible for themselves and they have failed. Just as our scripture said, "with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
