## Answers That Work

## Jeremiah 8:6

Jeremiah has been called "the weeping prophet." He was a preacher’s son and God called him to be a prophet. He sent him up and down the land to preach repentance to the people and to warn them of the wrath to come. And as he thought of God’s goodness to His people and of their sin and idolatry, he wept brokenhearted.

In the text Jeremiah tells us that he listened for the penitent cry of one man, but in all the land there was none. No one said, "I have sinned, I am guilty." No one asked the question, "What have I done?"

A man is in a pitiful condition when he never sees that he has done anything wrong. Yet there are many today who never make that admission. But as Christians we know that we are not what we ought to be. As we measure our lives against the life and teachings of Jesus, we see the need to repent and confess our sins every day. Then there are lost sinners who live as if there were no God, no Calvary, no Saviour.

We need to cry out, "What have I done?" This is the question that many never ask, "What have I done?" But today let’s sit in judgment, not upon others, but upon ourselves. Let’s ask ourselves this pertinent question. And let’s answer them honestly before God!

I. What Have I Done With Jesus Christ?

A. What can you do with Jesus?

1. We can accept Him or reject Him.

2. We can receive Him into our hearts or we can leave Him alone.

3. We can live for Him or we can live for this world.

4. Pilate asked, "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?"

B. It is not a question of what others say or do.

1. This issue is between you and God.

2. It is not a question of hypocrites in the church.

3. All of life in this world and the world to come depends upon our answer to this vital question.

4. Our eternal destiny is determined by our response to this question.

C. Listen to the Word of God.

1. John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

2. John 3:18, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

3. Romans 10:9-10, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

II. What Have I Done With His Church?

A. What is the church?

1. It is not a structure of steel, mortar, and bricks.

2. It is not some mystical, invisible, universal, non-existent something.

3. The church is a local assembly of baptized believers who meet together for worship, exhortation, fellowship, and service!

B. Jesus and the church.

1. He established it. cf. Mt. 16:18

2. He loves it. cf. Eph. 5:25

3. He died for it.

4. He commissioned it. cf. Mt.28:19-20

5. He warns us in His Word not to forsake it. cf Heb. 10:25

C. Does it really matter?

1. Yes, I believe it really does!

2. God established only one institution through which this world would be reached with the Gospel...the local church!

3. It is God’s will that we serve Him in and through the local church.

4. What will be our answer when God asks, "What did you do with my church?"

III. What Have I Done With The Gospel?

A. Jesus said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." cf Mt. 4:19

1. This was not just a cute play on words with these men.

2. It meant that their lives would never be the same.

3. Warning: Coming to Christ will result in drastic changes to your life.

a. Drunkards will give up the bottle and embrace the cross.

b. Thieves will quit stealing and start working honest jobs.

c. Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth that "... if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

B. Are we doing anything to reach others for Christ?

1. If not, why aren’t we?

2. All our excuses are worthless...we have been given our orders from our Lord and He expects us to obey.

3. The only hope for this world is for us to be obedient to the command that our Lord has given to us

4. The only hope for our community is for us to be obedient.

5. The only hope for our family

Today, ask yourself these questions. What have I done with Christ. What have I done with His church. What have I done with the Gospel. Will He be satisfied with our answers? Come to Him today-do not delay.