Nothing to do

Isaiah 64, reading from verse number 6. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. John 19, please. John 19, verse number 30.

This is at the conclusion of the crucifixion scene, when Jesus, therefore, had received the vinegar. He said, it is finished. And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.

Romans chapter 5, Romans 5 in verse number 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. Christ died for the ungodly. So in Isaiah 64, we read about doing.

In John chapter 19, we read about done. And then Romans 5. Romans 5 is a question for you tonight. Do you believe what God has to say? So Isaiah 64, but we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.

There was a man who came to the Lord Jesus, and he asked Him a question. He wanted to know what he could do to inherit eternal life. He wanted something that he could do.

And there are many people in the world tonight, and perhaps there are some here in this room. And they are looking for something that they can do to merit God's salvation. They want to be saved, they know they need to be saved, but they want something to do to earn salvation.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. There are people who have dogs, and they have trained their dogs to do all sorts of cool things. They can have their dog go get this, they can have their dog do that, they can have their dog do whatever.

But this time of year, when I go outside, and I get the dog, and I bring him in, as we enter into the house, what do I want him to do? I don't want him to do anything. Because he is coming into the house, and he has been outside walking in the mud, and his feet are muddy. If I asked him to fill up his water dish, or I asked him to go get me my phone, or any other thing that you could train your dog to do, what would he be doing? Everywhere he went, he would be leaving these circular, muddy footprints.

On the floor, on the carpet, everywhere. So when that dog comes inside, what do I want him to do? Nothing. I want him to stay where he is.

Otherwise he's going to get mud everywhere. Do you notice that? We have that same idea in verse 6. But we are all as an unclean thing. God looks at us, and he sees us, as if we're muddy, and we're filthy, or oily, or greasy, or whatever.

He doesn't want us to do anything. Because everywhere we go, and everything we do, is going to be polluted. Yesterday, there was someone who wanted to help.

Make pancakes. And it went fairly well. But at one point, there was an individual with raw egg on her hands.

And at that point, what was she supposed to do? Should she get out the next measuring cup? Should she get down the flower? Should she go turn the tap on to wash her hands? No. Once your hands are covered in raw egg, you don't do anything. Someone else can turn the tap on and you can wash, right? Someone else can get the soap.

Why? Because we don't want filthy, dirty hands getting raw egg everywhere. In fact, God says in the second half of the verse, the very best are righteousnesses. They're like filthy rags.

To put it simply, when it comes to salvation, God doesn't want us doing anything. Because there's nothing we are capable of doing. But if we come to John 19, we find that there's nothing that God needs us to do.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He came into the world to seek and to save. In order to save, He went to the cross.

And He suffered God's judgment against sin. And at the end of that time, He said, It is finished. What does it mean when it's finished? It means it's done.

It means there's nothing left to do. It means that you've gone through and you've evaluated, you've looked at this side and that side and the other side, and it's complete. So think about the things that you've worked on.

What if you were making a card? For someone. And you'd taken a piece of paper, and you had written the message, and you had signed your name, and you had drawn the picture, and you'd put the decorations on, and you looked at it and you said, It's finished. It's done.

Would you be happy if your brother came over and decided to draw his picture on your card that you had made? Why not? Because it's done. You've finished it. It's complete.

It doesn't need anything else. And in your eyes, anything else would wreck it. When God looks at the death of His Son, when Christ looks at the work that He finished, they agree.

It is done. There's nothing left to do. Salvation is complete.

So Isaiah 64, concerning what we do, God doesn't want it. When we come to John Chapter 19, concerning what is done, God doesn't need us to do anything. We are incapable of doing, and it is also unnecessary.

But I want you to look for a minute at Romans Chapter 5. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died, for the ungodly. Just look at that, the last five words. Christ died for the ungodly.

Does that mean anything to you? The other day I saw a little video clip. I think it was less than a minute long. And they were trying to tell a guy some exciting news.

And the problem is that he didn't understand the term they were using. So he's there, and they've got him on video, and they give him the term. They use the phrase.

He doesn't get it. He doesn't know. So they say it again, and they say it again, and they say it again.

And they give him some hints. And then he gets what the phrase means. Okay, yeah.

He gets the phrase. And then suddenly he gets it. It's not just a phrase, it applies to him.

And his face lights up, and he reacts, and he's super excited. But my point is this. Eventually he knew what they were saying.

He understood the meaning of the words. But then suddenly he applied it to himself. And everything changed.

Christ died for the ungodly. Do you know what that means tonight? Christ died for the ungodly. The Lord Jesus Christ died on behalf of those who are not like God.

Who isn't like God? Sinners. Who isn't like God? You and me and everyone else. Those are the ones that Christ died for.

So look at that verse with me. Christ died for the ungodly. Do you know what it means? Do you understand the concept? I hope so.

But have you ever realized what that really means to me? Have you ever made it personal? Have you ever had that moment when you realized that this verse is talking about me? I attended meetings like this for as long as I can remember. The regular ones on Sunday night. The special meetings where they were Sunday through Friday.

Two speakers, get up, speak the gospel. And I knew the words. I knew the concepts.

But there was a Sunday afternoon where I was sitting alone at home. And for the first time I realized something. He died for me.

It's like that guy in that little video clip. He started out totally confused. And eventually they worked him through to the point where he knew what the words they were saying meant.

It didn't mean anything to him. He knew what they were saying, but big deal. And then suddenly he's like, oh, that's me.

It's about me. Have you ever got there? To realize that this verse is about you. Christ died for the ungodly.

And that day I got to the point where it was like, wow. It wasn't just for the ungodly, it was for me. Christ died for me.

What about you today? Is it just a fact? Sure enough, yeah. Where do you get it? And realize, God's talking to me. God's talking about me.

Christ died for me. That I can be saved. And in heaven forever.

In Isaiah, God doesn't want our doing. It's filthy. In John, he doesn't need our doing.

The work is done. But in Romans, have you made it personal? Have you realized Christ died for me?