In the past year we saw the results of mindless mobs inciting mindless riots, rebellion, vandalism and violence. Unfortunately that happens when passion exceeds prudence, selfishness overrides self-control, and hatred outweighs honor.
It has happened in every generation. It happened in the days of Jesus. That’s what got the crowd to demand the release of a criminal and the crucifixion of the innocent. Having riled the crowds to a fever pitch, the religious leaders led the demand for the death of Jesus. Let’s check that event in the Bible.
“Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted. At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, ‘Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.’ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. But the governor said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said, ‘Crucify Him!’” Matthew 27:15-22 (NASB).
It’s a good question: “What shall we do with Jesus?” That’s a question every one of us must answer. We can’t help answering it.
• We can answer it verbally by deliberately saying, “I accept Him” or “I reject Him.”
• We can answer it by the action of following, obeying and serving Him, thus saying, “I accept Him.”
• We can answer by inaction or neutrality (doing nothing for or against Him) which equals rejecting Him.
But what you will do for certain is either accept Him willingly or reject Him willfully or indifferently. To fail to positively and willingly acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior is to reject Him by default. There is no neutral ground. To decide not to decide for Him is to decide against Him.
But, what will we do with Jesus? Let me suggest appropriate options:
I. WE CAN CHOOSE HIM:
A. God has given us free-will. He has not branded us “saved” or “lost” apart from our personal choice to claim Him or to disdain Him.
B. God has always given people a choice in their relationship to Him and thus in regard to their eternal destiny.
1. God set a choice before the Hebrews, saying, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NASB).
2. Joshua issued this choice, “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15 (NASB).
3. Elijah challenged the Hebrews and called for a choice, “‘How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people did not answer him a word.” 1 Kings 18:21 (NASB). So he challenged them to a “duel by fire.” “My God can do anything your God can do.”
C. The challenge still stands: “Choose whom you will serve.”
1. Choosing Jesus is
a. More than a mere admiration of Him as a very fine fellow.
b. More than having fond or kind sentimental feelings for Him.
c. More than saying, “Of course I’m a Christian! I was born in America after all!”
d. More than just believing that He exists somewhere out there.
e. More than being a Fan of Jesus sitting around cheering Him on.
2. Choosing Jesus includes
a. Trusting Him, obeying Him and being a functioning member of His Body, the church.
b. Bearing a cross and following in His footsteps.
c. Valuing Him above anyone / anything else.
D. George Beverly Shea made this poem about choosing Jesus come to life when he put it to music and sang it:
I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I'd rather be His than have riches untold
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land
I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
E. Choosing Jesus is simply to prefer Him above all other competitors for first place in our hearts, and to surrender to Him as Lord. You know how it works. When kids are choosing up sides for teams, the fastest, strongest, most athletic, popular kids are prime choices. But standing there, embarrassed and trying to look indifferent, but inwardly dreading being the last grudging, default choice, is the less gifted, less competitive, less noticed, less athletic kid.
But imagine one occasion when a smallish boy, as always, last chosen, came up to bat. It was the bottom of the last inning. The score was tied, the winning runner was on third. There were 2 outs. The first pitch was a strike. The second pitch was a strike.
But with gutsy determination the boy swung with all he was worth at the third pitch, and the ball shot past the second baseman who, taking it for granted that the boy would strike out again, underestimated him and was not paying attention. The boy’s single drove in the winning run. Never underestimate Jesus, as does the world. He Who, though mild, gracious and gentle, will always win in the end and the team that has chosen Him wins, too.
What will we do with Jesus? Let us choose Him. But there is more:
II. WE CAN CHERISH HIM:
A. It is one thing to choose Him as Lord and Savior, but it is another thing to keep that choice vital. Our love for Jesus will cool unless we fan the flames.
1. That means spending time with Him in the Word, in prayer, in worship and in service for Him.
2. That means seeing Him, not as a good luck charm to be called on only in time of trouble, but as a constant companion to be called on in sorrow and in joy, in pain and in comfort, in loss and in gain.
B. Sometimes we want something with great desire. We cherish it at first, but after awhile the newness wears off and the thing falls into neglect.
1. It might be some new project left half done.
2. It might be a relationship that we have allowed to cool off due to distance, scheduling, new interests, new friendships and so on.
3. It might be some discipline we undertake to lose weight and to get into buff condition, or to learn a new skill, or to try a new way to serve Jesus and our fellow man.
4. It might even be Jesus, so as He spoke to the church at Ephesus, commending them for their perseverance and soundness of doctrine, He said to them, “you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love..” Revelation 2:3-4 (NASB).
a. Perhaps their zeal for doctrinal and moral purity made them act like enforcers of truth. That’s not a bad thing, but if it makes us look at our brothers and sisters with a suspicious, judgmental eye, love gets trampled underfoot.
b. It is easy to become Vigilantes for Jesus at the expense of love.
c. It is easy to be so hide-bound in what we believe that we think “any tick that doesn’t tick as I tick is a heretic!”
d. But it is still true, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30 (NASB). That includes Jesus, God in flesh.
C. Dave Jenkins, in an article I read, said, “It is easy to be filled with thanksgiving the first time we confess Christ, for the riches of God’s grace and mercy shine so clearly the moment we come out of the darkness of sin and into the light of the kingdom. Over time, however, as we walk with Jesus and face everyday life struggles, it can be difficult to maintain the spirit of thanksgiving we enjoyed at our conversion. We need reminders of all that Christ has done for us so that we never forget our need to thank and bless God for His work.” He is right. The excited newness of living with Jesus also can wear off unless we purposefully, deliberately and intentionally cherish Him. Unless we do that, as time goes by:
1. We will get too busy to feed our souls on the bread and milk of God’s word.
2. We will become so involved in our personal interests that His interests are neglected.
3. Other things will supplant Jesus in our affection.
D. To keep cherishing Him, keep focused on Jesus:
1. Remember where He brought you from and where you are today.
2. Remember His tender mercies, His grace and compassion that included and embraced you when, seemingly, nobody else cared for you.
3. Remember His promises that are not hollow statements, but rock solid guarantees.
E. Talk about cherishing Jesus, there is a story told by Dr. Joseph Stowell, President of Moody Bible Institute, as he visited a home for mentally handicapped children. While walking through the corridors, he noticed that the windows were covered with tiny little hand prints. He asked the director, what they were all about. The director replied, "The children here love Jesus and they’re so eager for Him to return that they lean against the windows as they look up to the sky." They did that because they cherished Jesus with childlike sincerity.
So what will we do with Jesus? We can Choose Him, and we can Cherish Him and
III. WE CAN CHAMPION HIM:
A. He is already Champion, but I am talking about
1. Speaking favorably about Him.
2. Lifting Him up, boasting about Him.
3. Proclaiming and endorsing Him.
4. Being openly, boldly and unhesitatingly on His side.
B. Look at the example of the apostles as they championed Jesus:
1. On the day of Pentecost, when the church was born, we see Peter boldly accusing the Jews, saying, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified." Acts 2:36 (NASB).
2. Later,
a. When they were confronted by the religious leaders as to what power had healed the lame man, the reply was, “If we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:8-12 (NASB).
b. When they continued to proclaim Jesus and were warned to shut up about Jesus or suffer the consequences, they replied,
(1) “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard." Acts 4:19-20 (NASB).
(2) And even after being punished, they declared, “We must obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29 (NASB).
C. What a difference it would make if people would expend as much energy championing Jesus as they do
1. Political agendas.
2. Social issues.
3. Special interest groups.
4. Global concerns.
5. Environmental problems.
6. Secular amusements, activities and entertainment.
D. What is highest priority with you? What is most important? What receives most of your time and money? What cause or purpose, or person do you champion?
E. I read the story of a young woman who out of curiosity entered a little country church one evening. She heard the gospel for the first time and was converted. Later she heard God’s call on her life to go to China as a missionary. She was the only daughter of a multi-millionaire. Her parents were not Christians and they sneered at her decision to go to the mission field. They tried to put a stop to her passing whim.
The girl was engaged to a businessman who was also not a Christian. When she approached him about the Lord, he took a stand similar to her parents.
Sometime later her parents gave a party and invited their socially prominent friends. They told these friends about their problem, and asked them to help change their daughter’s mind.
That evening the daughter listened in silence to the discouraging pleas of everyone at the party. She stood up, went to the piano, and began playing and singing: “Jesus, I my cross have taken. All to leave and follow Thee, Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be.”
Her fiancé was deeply touched by her commitment. He walked over to her and said, “I did not know Jesus Christ could mean that much to any person. If He means that to you, please pray that I can become His follower too.” Her prayer was answered. They were married and both went to China where they labored for the Lord many years.
She chose, cherished and championed Jesus.
But, what will we, you and I, what will we do with Jesus? That question brings to mind a weighty second question. “What will Jesus do with me?” The answer to the first question will determine the answer to the second. So “What shall we do with Jesus?”
PRAY/INVITE I AM HAPPY TO INVITE YOU, ON HIS BEHALF, TO CONFESS, RENEW, TRANSFER.
