NOTHING BUT CHRIST
1 Cor. 2:1-2
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. An avid golfer told his wife he might have give up golfing. “Why?” she said. “Because I can’t see where the ball lands, and so, I can’t find my golf balls.” “Well, why don’t you take Uncle George with you; he’s got good eyesight.” “Are you kidding? Uncle George is 95 years old!” “Yes,” she said, “but he’s healthy and he has perfect vision!”
2. So the golfer took Uncle George along. He teed off on the fifth hole, making a long shot that sent the ball over 200 yards. “Uncle George,” he said, “did you see where that ball went?” “Yes, I did,” said Uncle George, followed by stoic silence.
3. “Well, where did it go?” Uncle George looked at him a little embarrassed and said, “I can’t remember!”
B. TEXT
“And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” 1 Cor. 2:1-2. NIV
C. THESIS
1. When Paul went among the Greeks, who were some of the greatest thinkers of ancient times, he told those at Corinth he was determined to know nothing among them, except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
2. Paul wasn’t talking about a dead Jesus, but a living Jesus! Paul was saying that he wanted to know Christ to the exclusion of all else; in fact, Paul’s whole universe was Christ, and Paul didn’t need anything or anyone outside Christ, because Jesus was his all-sufficiency!
3. I’m preaching to you about “Nothing But Christ” and I’m seeking to answer the question, “Why would a person say ‘all I want to know is Christ?’” Here are five reasons. 1st, because...
I. THERE’S NOONE GREATER TO KNOW THAN JESUS
A. THE GREATEST PERSON OF ALL TIME
1. Christ is all and in all. To know Jesus is greater than knowing any earthly person – whether a King or President, a Billionaire, a sports personality, or a great movie star, like Harrison Ford.
2. Researchers found that even recently, “Jesus Christ” is the most significant person in history, by name searches on the Internet. [“How Jesus is the most famous person in history...” The Daily Mail (12.16.2013) and ChristianPost.com (2.5.2014)]
3. Historian Kenneth Scott Latourette said, “As the centuries pass, the evidence is accumulating that, measured by His effect on history, Jesus is the most influential life ever lived on this planet.”
4. H.G. Wells, one of the greatest literary minds of modern times and the father of science fiction (The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds, etc.), said of Jesus, “I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.”
B. SUMMARY OF HIS LIFE
“Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander the Great, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, he shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of school, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times” –Philip Schaff. The 2nd reason we’d say, “I only want to know Christ;”
II. NO OTHER HAS DONE MORE FOR US THAN JESUS
A. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO LOVE US:
1. OUR PARENTS, especially our mothers, love us. What love can compare with a mother’s love?
2. OUR SPOUSES love us, at least...some do!)
3. OUR CHILDREN love us, especially when they get old enough to appreciate us.
4. But in John 15:13, Jesus claims that He loves us with a love greater than any other person we've ever known. “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends...”
B. EVIDENCES OF HIS GREAT LOVE
1. What King has abandoned his throne so that he could die for his enemies? But Jesus did, because He loved us!
2. What righteous man ever let himself be charged with the heinous crimes of another person, and then die a felon’s death for them? Yet that’s what Jesus did!
3. If you ever thought you might lay down your life for someone, you wouldn't want it to be by torture. Many forms of capital punishment are thought to be excessively painful. Think how Jesus suffered!
4. “SCOURGED” -- beaten to death with a cat of nine tails. CRUCIFIXION -- the horrible pain of hanging on nails, cramps, bones out of joint; "excruciating" -- means "out of the cross." And his DEATH? By SUFFOCATION! Who would be willing to do all that? Jesus did! Greater love has no one than this!
5. Lastly, Jesus became the Sin-Bearer and was cursed by God and utterly forsaken. What human would dare to take the wrath of God on himself, substituting for a wicked person? Jesus did it for you and me!
C. THE SILENT SERMON
1. A certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching next Sunday evening on "The Love of God." As the night fell, and the light ceased to come in through the cathedral windows, the congregation gathered. In the dark cathedral, the monk carried a bright candelabra and stood in front of a large mural of the Crucified Christ. HE USED NO WORDS IN HIS SERMON!
2. First of all, he illuminated the crown of thorns and the tears on the face of Jesus. Next, he illuminated the stripes on Jesus back by which we’re healed. Then he shined the lights on the wounded hands and feet of Jesus, pierced by the terrible nails. Lastly, he lit up the wound to Jesus’ side, where the spear had been thrust into Jesus’ heart.
3. In the hush that fell, the Monk bowed his head, as if in prayer. Then he blew out the candles and left the chancel. There was nothing else to say. Oh! What love! [Ted Sutherland]
III. NO OTHER HAS THE SAVING MESSAGE
A. IT HAS LIFE-GIVING, TRANSFORMING POWER
1. All the social programs in the world CAN take a drunk and put new clothes on the man, but they CAN’T put a ‘new man’ in the old clothes.
2. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ has power to revolutionize men and women from the inside out. Programs like Teen Challenge have an 80% success rate (unparalleled by other programs) because of the life-changing power of Jesus.
3. Jesus’ words are unique: His disciples once said, "Who else has the Words of Eternal Life?"
4. Bernard Ramm says, "But the words of Christ are read more, quoted more, loved more, believed more, and translated more because they are the greatest words ever spoken."
B. A CERTAIN SALVATION
1. You can study the Hindu Vedas, the Buddha’s writings, the Muslim scriptures, and every other sacred book in the world, and you will never find a confident salvation. Why? Because every other religion is based on human perfection to attain its highest reward. And who is perfect? No one! So not one of their followers is sure of what we call “salvation.” They’re in doubt even at the moment of their deaths!
2. But in Christianity, it’s NOT OUR attainments which secure our salvation, but that which Jesus, the Son of God, did! He who was without sin, conquered death, hell, and the grave & overcame! Because He succeeded, we are confident; His Spirit within our hearts is the “down-payment” & guarantee of our eternal life. We have our boarding pass to heaven!
3. The 4th reason we only trust in Jesus is...
IV. NO OTHER IS THE ENTRANCE TO HEAVEN
A. THE ONLY ROAD
1. Paul said, “Nothing But Christ” because there’s NO OTHER ENTRANCE to Heaven. Jesus said, “I am the Door…If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” (John 10:7-9) and, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except by me” John 14:6.
2. People say, “There are many roads to God.” That’s false; there’s only one! Paul said, “The world, by its wisdom, knew not God” 1 Cor. 1:21. “The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God...because they are spiritually discerned” 1 Cor. 2:14.
3. You can’t know God unless you know Him through Jesus. Some humans have claimed we must come to God through them. I would as soon believe I could get to God by a cow, as by a sinner like myself. “There is one God and ONE MEDIATOR between God and man—the man, Christ Jesus” 1 Tim. 2:5.
4. People have told me, “God and I have a special arraignment.” That’s a lie. The ONLY WAY -- IS GOD’S WAY -- through the crucified Savior. You may not like God’s way – it may seem bloody, humiliating, etc., but it’s still the ONLY way.
B. HOW NATHAN GOT TO GO IN
1. Nathan Johnson told how he was riding with retired Air Force officer Wally Hall. “We were approaching the guard house at the entrance to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. I wondered how I would get in. Would they ask me a lot of questions and make me wait while they did a security check?
2. When we arrived at the gate, a burly sergeant waved us through without hesitation, “How did we get in so quickly?” I asked Wally, “This sticker,” he said, pointing to a decal in the corner of the car’s windshield. “It lets me and my guests onto the base.” Nathan said, “Because I was with Wally, who had previous clearance, I could get in with no difficulty.”
3. This made me think about getting into heaven. On my own, I wouldn’t stand a chance. I don’t deserve it, and I could never earn it. But when I trusted Jesus as my Savior, I became identified with Him. Because I am “in Christ” (Eph. 2:6), I have free access to God’s favor and a sure hope of entering heaven.” [Our Daily Bread, September 8, 1992]
4. The 5th reason we only need Jesus is because...
V. BECAUSE HE’S THE FATHER’S CHOICE
“No man takes this honor unto himself, except He that is called by God” Heb 5:4.
A. HE’S THE FATHER’S CHOICE BECAUSE...
1. HE IS THE SON OF GOD. When Jesus was transfigured with heavenly glory, the Father spoke and said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
ILLUS. I remember the Western movie where 2 young men were mistaken for outlaws and arrested. One said, “Don’t worry, we’re going to get off.” The other said, “How can you be so sure?” “Because my father is the Judge!” That’s the same confidence we can have – we’re going to be fine because we’re with Jesus, God’s Son! All will be well.
2. THE FATHER WAS SATISFIED WITH JESUS’ SUFFERINGS FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD. “He [God] [saw] the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” Isa. 53:11.
3. THERE IS NO OTHER NAME THAT CAN SAVE US. “There is no other Name, given among men, by which we must be saved” Acts 4:12. We’re SAVED by that Name; we’re FORGIVEN in that Name (Acts 2:38); Jesus is PRESENT as we gather in His Name (Mt. 18:20); we PREACH & are PERSECUTED in that Name (Lk. 24:47; 21:12); we CAST OUT DEMONS and HEAL THE SICK in that Name (Mk. 16:17-18)! PTL for Jesus!
4. ETERNAL LIFE IS ONLY IN JESUS. “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” 1 John 5:11-12.
B. FINAL EVIDENCE
1. When Jesus cried, “It is finished” and died, the veil in the Temple was torn from top to bottom by the hands of God.
2. THAT VEIL WAS NEVER TORN WHEN BUDDHA DIED, OR KRISHNA DIED, OR WHEN MOHAMMED DIED, BUT ONLY WHEN JESUS CHRIST DIED! That veil symbolized the separation of sin between God and man, and only in Christ was it taken away!
C. ILLUSTRATION
1. There was a missionary in a foreign country who spoke the language well and had many contacts among the people and rulers.
2. A major oil company approached him and offered him a lucrative position. He refused. They upped the offer, and he still refused.
3. They asked him the reason for his refusal, "Is the pay is not good enough? Is there something lacking in the benefits?"
4. He answered, "No! The pay is outstanding and the benefits are fantastic."
5. "Then why won't you accept our offer?” He answered, "Because the JOB is too small! I serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Serving anyone else would be a step down!”
6. How about you? Are you on the Lord’s side?
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: What Jesus can do
1. A Russian countess (part of the royal court of the Tsar) accepted the Lord Jesus as her Savior and was bold in her testimony among the royalty. The Tsar was displeased and threw her into prison.
2. After 24 hours with the lowest of Russian society, in the most miserable conditions imaginable, he ordered her brought into his presence. He smiled sardonically and said, “Well, are you ready now to renounce your silly faith and come back to the pleasures of the court?”
3. To his surprise, she smiled serenely and said, “I’ve known more real joy and more real happiness in one day in prison with Jesus than I have known in a lifetime in the courts of the Tsar.” [ministry127.com]
4. Many people have thought they had real life, but then they met Jesus! Can you say you have a relationship with Jesus? Don’t leave here without being sure!
B. THE CALL
1. How many of you are ready to say, “I’m ready to surrender my life to Jesus?”
2. Some of you have had substitutes for Jesus; they never satisfy. Step over the line and give them up.
3. What’s it going to take for you to decide? If you won’t do it today you’ll never do it. Just silence your arguments and say ‘yes’ to Jesus and see what happens! PRAYER.
