Why People Aren’t Christians?
Part 1
Matthew 19:16-22
“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions."
Why aren’t people turning to Jesus anymore?
This question has plagued me ever since I first met the Lord, and found new life with Him.
When I say Christian, I mean a “full-fledged” blood bought, born again, saved from Hell, sin hating Christian, and not the man who associates himself with our faith – just because he believes in God.
Let’s look at the rich young man in this passage. Here is a man who talked with the Savior, and wanted to walk with the Savior, but he was not willing to turn his life over to Him. He wanted a big return with little investment. But Jesus said that he was going to have to invest all that he had to have eternal life.
The rich man was looking for the trophy but did not want to run the race.
This same syndrome is in the hearts of people all across America! They want the trophy, but they don’t want the race. They want the goods without paying the price. We want the brand new car while paying the old car price.
We say that salvation if free, in it is, but sometimes we mislead people in thinking that it will not cost them something.
Every disciple that followed Jesus had to pay a price. Some left businesses, some left friends and families, some had to leave the comfort zones of life. Peter even exclaimed to Jesus, " Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?" Matthew 19:27
Being Christian costs you something, but are we willing to give it?
For you to be like Christ, you too will have to lay down your life. Lay down your possessions, lay down your future and give it to God.
So we are back to the question again…
Why aren’t people turning their lives over to Christ today?
People aren’t Christians today, because just like the rich man, we think:
1. The Christian life requires all of you
2. The Christian life requires work
3. The Christian life is not trendy
1. The Christian life requires all of you
A. Another reason the Rich man walked away from Jesus was because following the Lord requires all that you own physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
B. Jesus knew what was in this man’s heart, and Jesus tested him.
C. If Jesus tested you, would you pass the possession test? Or would you fail like this rich man
D. Jesus later said in reference to this rich man, that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter Heaven.
E. Why? Because Jesus knew that for a rich man to give it all up is hard for him to do.
F. It is scriptures like that makes you proud to be poor.
G. You want to know why people aren’t turning their lives to Jesus, because the Christian life requires all that you have.
H. When you understand this, you understand why it is so hard to convince someone that they need Jesus
I. You understand why it is so hard to invite people to know the Lord, because they have the “rich man” syndrome, and they won’t let go.
J. Jesus took it a step farther in verse 21 and said, “Take all that you have, sell it and give it to the poor.”
K. That brings me to the second reason people don’t want to become Christians
2. The Christian life requires work
A. The rich man knew that very day, that what he wanted and what Jesus wanted were not compatible.
B. All the rich man wanted was to have the promise of heaven after he died
C. He wasn’t ready for life-time commitment
D. You may say to me, “Bro. Doug, the bible says that it is not by works that you are saved, but by grace.”
E. You are absolutely right! But it ends with the statement “lest any man should boast.”
F. Work will not get you to heaven
G. But the Christian life requires work
H. From the beginning, Jesus called men to work with Him ( the disciples ), then in Matthew 10:5, Jesus sent the disciples to work, and as Jesus was ascending in to Heaven He commissioned us to work by saying, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:" Matthew 28:19-20
I. Then James says : 2:14-18 “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”
J. People don’t want to become turn to Jesus because the Christian life requires work to accompany your faith
K. Another reason why people don’t want to become Christians today is:
3. The Christian life is not trendy
A. In every generation there is a “climate of popular opinion” which determines what is trendy and what is not.
B. For example: If you had lived in Europe 500 years ago, you would have lived in a society dominated by Christian faith and behavior. It had been this way for almost a thousand years. The most beautiful buildings were Christian, the best art was Christian, and the law and justice system claimed to be Christian. The church was the dominant force in society, and the pope was more important than any prince. In the 17th century here in America a lot was the same. The church played a central role in the lives and thinking of this emerging nation.
C. The climate of popular opinion was centered around the church, you could say that it was trendy
D. Today, the climate has completely disappeared. We live in a society were Christianity seems to be a dwindling force and a minority interest. It seems that we have lost any influence in the great cities where people live.
E. Art, literature, and music are no longer concerned with religious themes. In fact, people today are ignorant of the basic outlines of Christianity. There are no family prayers at home, no instruction at schools, and fewer people are entering into church memberships.
F. People know and follow what is trendy. Ask anyone about Oprah Winfrey, Pamela Anderson, Madonna, or Tom Cruise and they can tell you something about them.
G. Then ask them about Nicodomes or John the Baptist or King Josiah they won’t know anything. Ask them who Jesus was, and why He died on the cross, or what salvation is … you’ll get a hundred different responses because being a Christian is not the trend
H. If Christianity was the trend during the rich young ruler’s day – he would have gladly sold all that he possessed because he was investing into what everyone else was investing into
I. The bible says to “Love not the world, or anything in it…” But we love trends, and follow them closely.
J. People do what is trendy. That is why millions of dollars are spent in advertising to promote with the trends of today.
K. People don’t do Christianity because it is not the popular mainstream trend.
L. There is a trend to be religious, and you see many people in Hollywood moving in that direction. However, it is not to Jesus.
M. They move to New Age, and Christian Science, and even Tiger Woods is religious – he is a Buddhist.
N. People today will follow a trend because it make them feel like they are special and a part of something
O. The bible says Romans 12:2 “ be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
P. People aren’t Christians today because it is not a popular trend, had it been then the rich man would have followed Jesus
