Turn back to 2 Corinthians 11.
2 Corinthians 11. Lord willing, this will serve
as our text this evening. Again, Paul said, but I fear,
lest by any means has the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety,
through his craftiness is what that word means, that your mind
should be corrupted from the simplicity that's in Christ. The title of the message will
come from those last few words there, the simplicity that's
in Christ. We have a tendency to overcomplicate
just about everything. That's true regarding God's word
as well. I have three questions this evening
I'd like for us to look at regarding this title, the simplicity of
the gospel. The first is this question. Am
I a sinner? Am I a sinner? Second, did Christ
Did the Lord Jesus Christ, as He hung on that tree, as He bore
the wrath of man and the punishment of God, did He die for me? And third, the third question,
is He, is the Lord Jesus Christ my only hope? three simple questions. Let's
look at these in light of scripture. The first, am I a sinner? Man says, false religion says,
I'm really not that bad. Now, the way we're able to say
that is we go and find someone we think is worse than us and
we compare ourselves to them. And then we say this, well I'm
really, I'm really not that bad. Remember that, those two men
that went up to the temple to pray? Scripture says two men
went up to the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other
a publican. And that Pharisee, he thanked
God. We looked at that a few weeks
ago. He thanked God and he said, I thank thee that I'm not like
other men are. But truth be known, we are. We
are. We're just as bad as other men
and no better. Sinners by nature, just as others. the same iniquity, the same corruption
in our heart, no goodness in us, no righteousness
in us. And yet that Pharisee says, I
thank thee, I'm not as other men are. Listen to these words
from John. If we say that we have no sin,
any of us, Anybody in this room, if we say we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. I ask the question
again, am I a sinner? Scriptures declare this, that
all, all have sinned. All have come short of the glory
of God. Back in Genesis 2, turn there
with me to Genesis 2. Look at verse 16 of Genesis 2. The Lord God commanded the man,
saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day
that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. And then if
we look down in chapter 3, we see that serpent appeared and
said to the woman just the opposite. You shall not surely die. He
said, God knows in the day that you eat thereof, your eyes will
be open. You'll be as gods knowing good
and evil. And the woman saw, she took it
and she saw that it was good for food and pleasant to the
eye and a tree to be desired to make one wise and she ate
of it. She took the fruit thereof and
did eat and give also to her husband with her and he did eat.
And the eyes of both of them were open. And they knew. They knew they were naked. And
they went and they sewed those fig leaves together. They made
themselves aprons of fig leaves. They tried to do what man tries
to do today, cover their sin with the works of their hands.
And they heard the voice of the Lord there in the garden. Walking
in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife,
they hid themselves. And the Lord called unto Adam
and said, where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice
in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid
myself. And God said, who told you that? Who told you you were naked?
Have you eaten of the tree? Where have I commanded thee,
thou shouldst not eat? And the man said, the woman whom
thou gavest to me, she gave me of the tree and I did eat. Adam
disobeyed God. And God pronounced judgment.
Judgment on Adam. Adam rebelled and he disobeyed
God. Can we see that? Can we see that? Not a thousand commandments,
not ten commandments, one. Adam could not keep it. He disobeyed
God. He rebelled against God. Now
we go back and we read this often. Why is that? It's the account
of man's disobedience. It's the account of man's fall. I don't know how many times over
the years We heard Brother Henry say this, if you're wrong on
the fall, if we don't get it right there, if you're wrong
on the fall, we're wrong on it all. Adam fell. Right there in the garden, he
disobeyed God. Romans 5, 12, we read, wherefore,
as by one man's sin, sin entered into the world, and death by
sin, so death passed upon all men. Sinners, born in sin. We're sinners by birth. David
wrote this, he said, the wicked are estranged from the womb.
They go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. I've asked this before, I'll
ask it again. How many of us, how many of us
in this room had to be taught to lie? I remember teaching the boys
to ride a bike. I remember being taught to do
things as a kid. I don't ever remember my dad
ever having to pull me aside and say, this is how you lie. Why is that? It's born in us. We're born, born. We come forth from the womb speaking
lies. It's like, those of you who have
a garden, it's like weeds growing up in the garden. We don't have
to plant those, do we? We don't have to do it. We don't
have to throw a little fertilizer on there to get the weeds to
grow. They just come up all by themselves. And typically, they
grow taller than everything else in the garden. Behold, I was
shapen in iniquity. In sin did my mother conceive
me. Sinners by birth, sinners by
choice. Scripture says, when lust hath
conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin, when it's finished,
bringeth forth death. God told Adam, he said, you can
eat anything in that garden, anything, but that one tree. And Adam broke God's law, God's
holy law. We're sinners by practice. It's not what we do, it's who
and what we are. Sinners. Turn to Romans chapter
3. Look at verse nine of Romans
three. What then? Are we better than
they? No, and no wise. For we have
before proved both Jew and Gentile. We are all under sin. As it is written, there's none
righteous. No, not one. None that understandeth. There's none that seeketh after
God. They're all going out of the way. They're together become
unprofitable. There's none that doeth good.
No, not one. Their throat, an open sepulchre. Their tongues, they use deceit.
The poise of asps under their lips. Mouth full of cursing and
bitterness. Does that describe somebody else
or does that describe every one of us? Feet, swift to shed blood,
destruction and misery in their ways. The way of peace they've
not known. There is no fear of God before
their eyes. No fear of God. Everybody used
to wear, not too long ago, everybody wore that t-shirt that said,
no fear. That's every one of us by nature.
No fear. of God. Whatsoever things the
law saith, it say to them that are under the law, that every
mouth may be stopped, and the whole world." That's all of us,
isn't it? All the world become guilty. Guilty before a holy God. Our sin is pictured throughout
God's word. Yet, men and women continually
deny that. I once knew a man, he said he
went seven years without sinning. Seven years. I believe he might
have been lying when he told me that, right? We can't go seven
seconds without sinning. Refused to bow, refused to bow
to him. refuse to fall at his feet and
declare our guilt. We're sinners. Again, if we say, if we say we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Am I a sinner? Am I a sinner? You know when the Lord Jesus
Christ walked this earth He was called the friend of publicans
and sinners. Who did he come to save? When
the Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth, who did he come to
save? He came to save sinners. Isn't that what God's word says?
The scripture says this, Paul wrote this in 1 Timothy 1.15,
this is a faithful saint. It's a faithful saint. It's worthy
of all acceptation. It's worthy. This gospel is worthy
to be heard. It's worthy of all acceptation. Christ Jesus came into the world
as God in human flesh. He came to this world and he
came for this purpose, to save sinners. He didn't come to attempt
to save, that's not what it says. He didn't even come to help and
save. He didn't come to offer salvation
as men would have it. Listen, if any of this is dependent
on me, it's partial. He provides a complete salvation. He came to save sinners. He lived, he died, he's risen
again, he's seated at the right hand of God. He came to save
sinners. I ask again, am I a sinner? Can I lay hold of that title? Second question, did the Lord Jesus Christ die
for me? In the gospel of Luke, Luke 9
verse 11, it says the people, when they knew it, they followed
him. They followed the Lord Jesus
Christ and he received them and he spake unto them concerning
the kingdom of God and he healed them. He healed a particular
people. He healed them that had need
of healing. Not everybody needs healing,
do they? Did Christ die for me? Am I in
need? Am I in need of healing? Again,
can I take my place as a sinner and fall at his feet and seek
mercy? Am I by myself? Am I without
help? Am I without hope? Am I without
God in this world? Time and time in scripture, we
see a needy sinner, a needy sinner approach the Lord Jesus Christ
begging for mercy. And I tell you, I cannot think
of one time, I don't believe I read of one time when the Lord
denied it. When a man or a woman truly came
to him in need and asked for mercy, They received it. He's merciful. Remember that
woman with the issue of blood in Luke 8? That one who said,
if I could just touch the hem of his garment. She was in need,
wasn't she? She had spent everything she
had. Scripture says she spent everything
she had and she was no better. Matter of fact, She grew worse. Isn't that what false religion
does to men and women in all times? Always asking something
from them. That was the case with her. All
these physicians, all this money she spent, and she grew worse. all their time, all their effort
doing things and grow no better. Turn with me to Luke chapter
7. Luke chapter 7. Look at verse 37, Luke 7, verse
37. We read, behold, a woman, a woman
in the city, which was a sinner here. When she knew that Jesus
sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster
box of ointment, and she stood at his feet behind him, weeping,
and began to wash his feet with tears and then wipe them with
the hairs of her head. and kissed his feet and anointed
them with ointment." There was a Pharisee that he
spake within himself. He said, this man, he thought
this to himself, if this man were a prophet, he would have
known who and what manner of woman this is that touches him.
He did know, didn't he? For she is a sinner. And Jesus answered and said unto
him, Simon, I've something to say to you. And he said, master,
say on. He said, there was a certain
creditor who had two debtors. One owed 500 pence and the other
one 50. They both owed him money. And
when they didn't pay, they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave
both of them. Tell me, therefore, which of
them loved him the most? And Simon answered and said,
I suppose He didn't have to suppose, he knew the answer to this. He
just, he couldn't bear, he couldn't bear admitting. I suppose he
to whom forgave most. And the Lord said, thou hast
rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and
he turned to the woman, but he said to Simon, see this woman? I entered into your house. You gave me no water for my feet.
She's washed them with the tears. She's wiped them with the hairs
of her head. You gave me no kiss, but from
the time this woman's come in, she's kissed my feet. She's ceased
to kiss my feet. My head with oil you didn't anoint,
but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore
I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she
loved much. But to whom little was given,
the same loved little, and he said unto her, just listen to
this, thy sins are forgiven. And they said it meet with him
and began to say within themselves, who is this? They didn't know
who he was, I want to know him. Who is this that forgiveth sins
also?" And he said to the woman, thy faith hath saved thee. Go
in peace. To a sinner, to a sinful woman,
he speaks and says, go in peace. Did he die for me? Did the Lord
Jesus Christ die for me? He came into the world to save
sinners. Scripture says, for when we were
without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. Who died? Who died for the ungodly? Christ did. The Lord Jesus Christ
died for the ungodly. Jesus Christ, the only begotten
Son of God. He died a death of shame and
humiliation under the wrath of God. He died in the place of
his people. He died to take away their sin. He bore our shame. He bore our
sin. We read this in the book of Philippians.
Without the shedding of blood, why did Christ have to die? Without
the shedding of blood, there is no remission. Being found
in fashion as a man, He humbled himself and he became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross. He died for his people. He died
as the sinner's substitute. He died for all of his elect,
each one. He died that he might be, that
God might be just and the justifier. Here in Romans 5, 6, it says,
when we were without strength to obey him, unable to keep his
law, unable to help ourselves, unable to do anything for ourselves,
in bondage to the law and sin, he died for us. He died for his sheep. He died
at the appointed time. He's the lamb slain from before
the foundation of the world. Scripture says, much more being
now justified by his blood, we shall be saved. Saved from the wrath to come.
I ask again, did he die for me? Listen to just a few verses from
Isaiah 53. Did he die for me? Surely he
hath borne our griefs, carried our sorrows. Every time you see that word
our, can you put your name there? carried our griefs, carried our
sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and
afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. I want to put my name right there. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him and with his stripes. We are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. Like sheep. Who'd Christ die
for? His sheep. We've turned everyone to his
own way. And the Lord hath laid on him
the iniquity of us all. He bore our sins. He carried
our sorrows. Am I a sinner? I read that Christ died for sinners. Did he die for me? Again, I read
this, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. My third point. Last point. Is
he my only hope? Is the Lord Jesus Christ my only
hope? God's word declares this, moreover
brethren, I declare unto you the gospel. The gospel I preach
to you, the gospel wherein you stand, the gospel by which ye
are saved. What is that gospel? Jesus Christ,
the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. He was made sin for us, who knew
no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. I love the simplicity of that. Oh, but righteousness, I think
the only word in that phrase is more than a one-syllable word.
There's simplicity in that, isn't there? The Lord Jesus Christ
is He my only hope. Turn with me to one more scripture.
Turn to the book of Luke. Luke chapter two. Look at verse 25 of Luke two. Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem
whose name was Simeon. That name Simeon, it means hearkening. It means someone who listens. Wouldn't we be wise to do that
just for a little bit? Just to shut up and listen to
what God's word says. We're told to be slow to, is
that good advice? To be slow to speak and quick
to hear? We need to hear that, don't we?
He was a just and devout man. Like Job, he was one who had
a reputation of avoiding evil. He was a just and devout man. Scripture says he was waiting,
waiting for the consolation of Israel, waiting for the Comforter. And the Holy Ghost was upon him
and it was revealed unto him. that he should not see death
before he had seen the Lord's Christ. That's true of all believers. I'm convinced that's why this
world continues to turn. God is still calling out his
sheep. This man, he's not going to see
death. until Christ is revealed to him. Simeon was waiting on the Lord,
and he came by the Spirit into the temple. He came into the
house of worship. You know, if you were looking
for me, probably the best place to find me is in my house, at
my home. We'd be wise to seek the Lord,
wouldn't we? And we'd be wise to seek him in his word, to seek
him in the house where he's worshiped, seek him where the gospel's preached.
And he came into the temple by the Spirit, and when the parents
brought in the child Jesus to do after him of the custom of
the law, he took him up in his arms and he blessed him. And
he said that, look at verse 25, or 29, Now let thy servant depart in
peace according to thy word. We will never depart in peace
if we've not seen him. Let thy servant depart in peace
according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Who was he looking at? He was
looking at the Lord Jesus Christ. He's my only hope. Is he your
only hope? Can you find hope? Can you find
peace? Can you find rest anywhere apart from the Lord Jesus Christ? I was thinking about this. You
know, by nature, maybe it's just me, but I tend to cling to things. And if you don't believe that,
just come open my garage door sometime. And every now and then,
we have to go in and clean it out. Adam looks at it, and any
time we start doing that, he says, it's just junk. And that's a good description about
just about everything, isn't it? It's just junk. I don't need it. Spiritually, we're prone, I believe,
to the same kind of thing. We like to hold on to things,
don't we? If we're being honest, the things
of this world, sometimes we have a, our knuckles
are white. We've got a death grip on it.
I don't say that. I don't say that to make anybody
feel guilty. That's just a description of
me. But it's true. But in salvation, in the saving
of a sinner, there is just one thing that is needful. Everything
else? Just throw it away, get rid of
it, it's junk. Remember when the Lord was there
in Martha's house over in Luke 10, we read that Martha, she
was busy. She was cooking and cleaning
and getting everything just right. But Mary, where was she found? Right there at the master's feet,
wasn't she? And Martha, like all of us, we get upset about
that, right? Lord, can you do anything? Can
you do something about her? And he said, Martha, you're busy
with much. But Mary, she's chosen the one
thing. One thing is needful. That's the Lord Jesus Christ.
She was sitting at his feet, and don't you know she was just
leaning on every word that come out of his mouth. Simeon, back
to Simeon, when he saw the Lord, he took him up in his arms, and what'd he say? Did he say this? He said, did
he say, do you have any idea how long I've been waiting in
this temple? I cleaned it and got everything
right before you got here. Did he say the community knows
me? I'm a pretty reputable fellow. The community knows me as an
upright man. What'd he say? Let thy servant
depart in peace. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Just one thing. One reason, one
reason I can depart in peace. I've seen you, I've seen the
Lord. He was, can't you just see him?
It said he took him up in his arms, just looking, looking to the Lord
Jesus Christ. Well, I ask you again, am I a
sinner? Did the Lord Jesus Christ die
for me? Is he, is Christ alone all my
salvation? Again, I can't, maybe you've
seen it, but I can't think of one sinner in God's word that
came to Christ looking for mercy that did not receive it. No one that was truly seeking
the Savior. Those that seek Him, what do
we read? They find, they find. He found Him to be merciful.
Why? Why would a man or woman seek
salvation anywhere but the Lord Jesus Christ? Scripture says this, neither
is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under
heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Am I a sinner? Did Christ die
for me? Is he all my hope? Let me close
with just a few words of a familiar hymn. My hope is built on nothing
less. I'd go as far to say nothing
more and nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare
not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. I pray, I pray he would let us
see the simplicity. Not get caught up with, there's
much to be caught up with, but just to see the simplicity that's
in Christ, to see him and him alone.