What Will You Do With Jesus?

What Will You Do with Jesus?

Matthew 12:9-15

Sermon by Rick Crandall

McClendon Baptist Church - May 25, 2008

*What will you do with Jesus? This is a question you may have never consciously asked yourself. But it is a question you are answering every day in the way you think and live. What will you do with Jesus? We can answer this question tonight by looking into the Word of God, but let me break it down into four separate questions.

1. First: Will you put Jesus on trial?

*This is what the unbelieving Pharisees were trying to do in vs. 9-10:

9. Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue.

10. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’’ that they might accuse Him.

*That word “accuse” is a legal term that meant charging someone with a crime. These unbelieving Pharisees were trying to accuse the Lord. It’s ironic that they wanted to accuse the Lord for healing someone, when we are more likely to accuse Him for not healing someone. But Jesus Christ is the spotless, sinless Lamb of God. He never did anything wrong in thought or word or deed.

*God forbid that we should ever accuse the Lord of wrong. God forbid that we should disrespect the Lord that way! But please know that this does not mean we will never question the Lord. We live in a mixed-up, messed-up world. Sometimes terrible things happen that don’t make any sense at all, and we wonder why?

*Steven Curtis Chapman is one of the best known singer-songwriters of contemporary Christian music. Over the last 15 or 20 years his songs have blessed millions of people. Last Wednesday tragedy struck the Chapman home, and Michelle Malkin wrote about it on Thursday. Here’s what she said:

-“Steven Curtis Chapman’s five-year-old adopted daughter, Maria Sue, died Wednesday when her teen-age brother accidentally ran over her as he backed the family’s car out of their driveway. Chapman’s music and life have been inspired by, and centered on, faith and family.

-His oldest daughter, Emily, encouraged Chapman and his wife to adopt after having three of their own natural-born children. The couple adopted three beautiful girls from China. They performed missionary work in Chinese orphanages and established a charity named after their first adopted daughter, Shoahannah. At the time the accident occurred, the family “was celebrating the engagement of the oldest daughter Emily Chapman. And were just hours away from a graduation party marking Caleb Chapman’s completion of high school. Now, they are preparing to bury a child who blew out 5 candles on a birthday cake less than 10 days ago. Maria Sue had just graduated from church preschool. (1)

*We wonder why, but that’s O.K. Randy Alcorn explains, “The Bible itself raises this question. It never backs away from it. The problem of suffering and evil is in Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Job and many of the Psalms. God does not condemn people for asking such questions. For instance, Jeremiah 12:1 says, “Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?”

*Many of the Psalms ask, “Why, O Lord do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? Why are the heavens silent when I ask for help? Why do the good suffer? Why do the evil prosper?” Anyone who tries to gloss over or minimize the problem of evil doesn’t get it. (2)

*Donna Claycomb gave some great insight on unexplainable suffering. She found it in a sermon and in the life story of a professor named Richard Lischer. In his Good Friday sermon for 2005, Dr. Lischer asked these questions:

-“Have you ever been tempted? So was (Jesus). Thus your temptations have been redeemed in his.

-Have you ever been hated? So was he. You have a place in him.

-Have you ever been lonely, afraid, without a place called home? So was he.

-Have you cried when you’re sad? So did he.

-Do you sweat when you are afraid? So did he.

-Have you ever (in anguish asked why)? So did he. You have a place in him.”

*The same preacher who wrote those words of having a place with God when we are afraid, sad and doubting God lost his only son on July 17 of the following year. Dr. Lischer’s son, Adam, was 33 years old. He was a budding attorney who had just joined the firm where his mother practices law, enabling them to realize their long-held ambition to practice law together. Son Adam died not long after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. He died 12 days before his first child – a baby girl – was born.