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Guilty, or Not Guilty
Text: Matthew 7:16-20
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? [17] Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. [18] A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
These past 2 weeks have been very interesting in the life of a man in Afghanistan by the name of Abudl Rahman. (Yes, I’m talking about the same country that we just have recently liberated from the oppression of the Taliban hardliners). Anyway, this man had been arrested for the “crime” of converting TO Christianity FROM Islam. As hard as it may be to believe, this Government continues to have in place laws against such an action and if one is caught doing so, it is punishable by death.
After a tremendous amount of outrage from the World community, and of course the citizens of the United States and President Bush, they have decided to allow this man to go, and dropping the charges of apostasy because of the following 2 things:
a. Suspicions he may be mentally ill
b. A lack of evidence.
This past week as I read the story, I thought back to a statement I heard somewhere, and though I cannot remember where, it applied greatly here.
If Christianity was a crime in America, and you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you of this crime?
We have since learned that Italy has granted the man asylum, and somehow he was able to escape all those who wanted to kill him including mobs of people, and is now safe in Italy.
While we are not at that point here in America “yet”, I thought it would be good for us to at least explore the question today and take a look at some of the various kinds of evidence that is collected to provide conviction today and relate it to a person who may be standing trial for Christianity.
We can kind of call it our own C.S.I. Investigation – Christian Scene Investigation.
The Bible says that if you’re going to try to determine what kind of fruit tree is being grown, all it takes is a look at the fruit that is growing from the tree. In other words, Oranges will not grow from Apple trees, and grapes will not grow from fig trees, and of course a Christian will produce good fruit instead of bad fruit that the world produces in their lives.
The first 2 areas we are going to look at apply most often to what those we are around right now can see, and the last 2 are those that will only one day be seen by God Himself who will be the final and ultimate Judge we stand before.
First of all today as each one of us stands trial for being a Christian, we are going to take a look at:
I. CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
How many of you know that nothing we can do can qualify us for Salvation including, but not limited to going to church, reading the Word, prayer, witnessing, putting on bumper stickers and wearing crosses around our neck.
The Bible makes it clear that all our righteousness is as filthy rags in God’s’ sight:
Isaiah 64:6
All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
So, with this in mind, we can be assured that our Salvation or Christianity cannot be obtained as a result of “righteous acts” as we read here, however, we must also realize that following Salvation many of these things should be a natural outflow of a heart that is fully in love with Jesus Christ and placing Him first.
In other words, these will be “fruits” that will grow from our lives, and be evident to those around us.
I thought that before I attempted to expound on this point I would look up the term “Circumstantial Evidence” to be sure I knew what it exactly meant, and I’m glad I did because it really helps me to make a point.
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE DEFINED:
Evidence not bearing directly on the fact in dispute but on various attendant circumstances from which the judge or jury might infer the occurrence of the fact in dispute.
While Circumstantial Evidence is often not the only evidence presented in a case, we know that there has to be a tremendous amount of it to actually convict someone of a crime, and I submit to you that we need to work on building up the Circumstantial Evidence of our Christianity so that there will be enough to “convict” us on should we ever be placed on trial.
We can take a quick glance at the life of Peter as he denied Christ to see that Peter had more than enough of this kind of evidence to convict him, even though at the time he was attempting to deny Christ.
John 18:17 "You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter.
He replied, "I am not."
John 18:25-27
As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, "You are not one of his disciples, are you?"
He denied it, saying, "I am not."
[26] One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, "Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?" [27] Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
Peter had left enough Circumstantial Evidence behind that it was extremely difficult for him to escape being labeled as “one of them” even though at the time he was trying very hard to do so.
After becoming Christians, there can be no doubt that we should begin to develop a new circle of friends as we become part of the family of God. I also believe though, that this should not be done to the full exclusion of everyone else UNLESS being in the company of unsaved people is leading you astray.
If we are truly desirous of growing in the Lord, then as we grow, we will have an effect on the world around us for the good. The Bible says that we are the “salt of the earth”. In other words, we should be the ones influencing the world around us, and not vice-versa.
Your associations will tell a lot about you. I’ve heard people say at times that while they like being a Christian, but they can’t stand being around other Christians for many different reasons. There is something wrong with that statement.
Would there be enough Circumstantial Evidence to convict you? Things like faithful Church Attendance, faithful reading of God’s Word, and faithfulness in your prayer life, as well as a cleaner way of talking.
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE DEFINED:
Evidence not bearing directly on the fact in dispute but on various attendant circumstances from which the judge or jury might infer the occurrence of the fact in dispute.
So, as our trial continues, let’s take a look at another kind of evidence, and that is:
II. THE TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES
There are not too many things that are more convincing or compelling than a witness who outlines in great detail what they have seen and heard.
When a person goes to the witness stand, it is not up to them to tell the Judge or Jury how they “feel”, about a situation or person on trial, but it IS up to them to testify to what they have SEEN and HEARD. So a witness testifies to what they have SEEN and HEARD.
They are not interested in opinions, only the facts of the case.
We see this term “seen and heard” used often the Bible, and always in the case involving the idea of what someone is witnessing to, and one of the most compelling areas is in Luke 7
While John the Baptist was in prison, he knew that Jesus was gaining great fame and he had heard of many great reports. He sent a question via messengers to ask Jesus whether or not He was the Messiah, or if they should look for another. Jesus sent the messengers back with these words:
Luke 7:22
So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Imagine for a moment that the government of the United States has been following your every move for the past six months and now an official representative of the government is at your door with the announcement, "You are under arrest for being a Christian!
Your trial begins and one by one the prosecution calls to the witness stand those who know you best. First, there are your spouse and children. Then, they call your mom and dad and other relatives to testify. Your neighbors, friends and co-workers are all asked to tell what they know about you. Some casual acquaintances that you barely know are interrogated on how you live, on what they know you stand for, on what they have seen you say and do. Then, they call the cashier from the grocery store. Your barber, the gas station attendant, the video store operator, the Pay Per View Cable provider, the Internet hosting company, and your accountant are all asked to take the stand and give an account of what you say and do. Your barber tells about the jokes you told while hanging around with "the guys", as well as the jokes you found to be “funny” in the same environment, and the gas station attendant tells about how you treated your spouse. The video store operator testifies about the content of the movies you rented. They all give testimony about what they know about the life you live.
Then, some people you have never seen before in your life come forward. They announce that they do not know you, but they have seen you around. They represent the people that stood behind you in line at Wal-Mart, walked down the aisle next to you at J.C. Penney, saw you at the park when you were playing baseball with the guys. These are the people you have never seen, but who overheard all the things you said in private and saw all the things in your life that you thought no one else saw.
One by one they are called - all to testify on what they have seen you do and heard you say. They give an account of your life.
The jury leaves for a private room to determine the verdict. My question is, "Would they have enough evidence to convict you." Would your closest friends and relatives, casual acquaintances and people you don’t even know all agree in unison that "Yes, guilty as charged, you are a Christian." Do they all know without a doubt where you stand because of all that you say and all that you do?
What would the Testimony of these Witnesses be?
The next area that is called into observance in this trial is the area of:
III. MOTIVE
When the motive is determined, the all-important question of “WHY” is answered.
We are now moving into the area of realizing that this particular line of evidence can only be fully explored when we stand before the Lord in judgment. The Bible is clear, and we have talked about the fact that we will be judged as Christians one day at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
1 Cor. 3:13
his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.
It is very important that our actions line up with our thoughts, and that our thoughts have been purified by the Washing of the Word –
There is often a great little test we can apply to our work for the Lord, and service as a Christian and it is based off the scripture in: Matthew 6:3-4 - But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, [4] so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
It’s easier to do what’s right when we gain recognition and praise. To be sure our motives are not selfish, we should do our good deeds quietly or in secret, with no thought of reward.
Jesus says we should check our motives in three areas: generosity to the needy (Matthew 6:4), prayer (Matthew 6:6), and fasting (Matthew 6:18). Those acts should not be self-centered, but God-centered, done not to make us look good but to make God look good.
The reward God promises is not material, and it is never given to those who seek it. Doing something only for ourselves is not a loving sacrifice.
Here is the great little self-test we need to give ourselves quite frequently, and especially the more we do for the Lord:
With your next good deed, ask, “Would I still do this if no one would ever know I did it?”
People are amazed to see the Christian serving the Lord, and are even more amazed when they seem them doing it without fanfare or photo opportunities. I’m not saying that these things are necessarily bad things. We often see elected officials involved in photo opps. Which in turn helps to bring attention to great causes.
Following the aftermath of hurricane Katrina and other tragedies, we often see officials serving in Soup kitchens and more, however, the motive in those cases should be of course to serve, but also to hopefully inspire others to serve as well.
I believe there is something inspirational about seeing others serving the Lord, and it often serves as a wonderful example to those who may be pondering where they fit in the Kingdom of God.
Remember that motives will always be questioned, however, it is important to continue to do good for the sake of others and the Glory of God.
People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for some underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
So, after we have taken a look at Circumstantial Evidence, the Testimony of Witnesses, and the Motive, we now explore the next and final display of Evidence to be explored, and again, this Evidence will be fully seen at the final judgment, yet traces of it can be seen now.
This is the evidence that undeniably proves our “guilt” of being a Christian if I can say such a thing. This is the one that is truly a great mystery of the Gospel, and even one that turned people away from the Lord in New Testament times.
We are talking about:
IV. DNA Evidence
Since 1987, forensic DNA analysis has made appearances in U.S. courtrooms. Originally known as "DNA fingerprinting," this type of analysis is now called "DNA profiling" or "DNA typing" to distinguish it from traditional skin fingerprinting.
Every single cell in our bodies contains DNA, the genetic material that programs how cells work. 99.9 percent of human DNA is the same in everyone, meaning that only 0.1 percent of our DNA is unique!
Each human cell contains three billion DNA base pairs. Our unique DNA, 0.1 percent of 3 billion, amounts to 3 million base pairs. This is more than enough to provide profiles that accurately identify a person. The only exception is identical twins, who share 100 percent identical DNA.
As I read this overview of DNA, I realized that while 99.9 percent of the human DNA is the same in everyone, there is only 0.1 percent of the DNA that makes us uniquely who we are. While this is an extremely small portion of who we are, in essence, it IS who we are because of the fact no one else shares this same 0.1 percent of DNA.
We know also that in the collection of DNA, blood samples are often collected which they then use to rule out, or rule in suspects of a particular crime.
While every illustration that is used certainly has it’s limitations, I am here to submit to you today that in order for us to stand before Jesus one day fully justified, and with our names written in the Lamb’s book of Life, we must have accepted what Jesus did for us on the Cross through the blood that flowed so freely for our redemption.
We used to sing a song that said – “Yes, oh yes, I’m a child of the King. His royal blood now flows through my veins”
Here we are on a day in which we pause and remember the death of Christ through something we call Communion as observe this special time of Remembrance of what He has done, and what we need to do in living lives of holiness before Him, and in anticipation of His coming again.
1 Cor. 11:23-25
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, [24] and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." [25] In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 1 Cor. 11:26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
What is it that sets us apart? It is the blood of Jesus Christ! The ground is level around the Cross and we are all adopted into the family of God and justified as if we had never sinned.
I thought it was also interesting in that the only matches in physical DNA is an identical twin. How many of you know that when we are adopted into the family of God we become Joint Heirs with Jesus Christ! No, we are not HIM, however, we are part of that unique family of God which finds it’s common ground in the blood of Jesus Christ!
Romans 8:17
Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
We find that people often followed Jesus for a variety of reasons, and one of those reasons was that he performed many miracles. Yes, I want to see miracles manifested in great ways, however, Jesus saw the devotion of the crowd when he spoke words like this in:
John 6:56 - Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
This was a shocking message—to eat flesh and drink blood sounded cannibalistic. The idea of drinking any blood, let alone human blood, was repugnant to the religious leaders because the law forbade it (Leviticus 17:10-11). Jesus was not talking about literal blood, of course. He was saying that his life had to become their own, but they could not accept this concept.
Without the blood of Christ, we are simply left without an answer for Eternity. We are not Christians, but once we accept the uniqueness of Christ’s death on the Cross we are then adopted into the Family of God for all of eternity.
We are made “whole” – I often heard Salvation explained in this way – Every person is created with a vacancy in their lives, and until they receive Christ, they are never quite complete. I submit to you today that the vacancy is the acceptance of the Blood of Christ. It is taking the 99.9 percent of us, and making us complete with just a drop of His precious blood applied to the doorposts of our heart.
This is the Evidence that will really matter when we stand before Christ on that final day. Yes, there are a number of things tremendously important in the Christian life, but this is the evidence that Convicts!
The Circumstantial Evidence is needed such as Church Attendance, prayer and reading the Word, and the Testimony of Witnesses is important as they share what they have SEEN and HEARD, and of course our Motives are vitally important, but it is still the Blood that sets us free!
