How Well Do You Know Jesus?
To say that Jay Carty is an unusual communicator is a mild statement. Maybe a little nuts would be more accurate. Not a preacher, not a teacher; more a storyteller with a very important message. Where some deep preachers are too snoozy for the rank and file, and where some humorists don’t have much to say, Jay’s stuff is generally regarded as an unusual blending of humor and profound content.
A former Oregon State basketball star and LA Laker, Jay has dedicated his life to helping people say, “Yes” to God.
Now, we hope you enjoy Carty’s Contemporary Classics.
Okay, you are what we call dead.
Stand before the gates of Heaven, a voice booms out, “By what right do you desire to enter my Heaven?”
“I’m a good person.”
“Compared to whom?”
“Hitler.”
“You compare favorably to Hitler. However, he is not the standard here. How do you compare to my son, Jesus Christ?”
“Well, Sir, no one compares to him. He was perfect.”
“Well, one last question. Do you know him well enough that he would introduce you to me?”
And if my Bible’s right, your eternal destiny hinges on that. And you say, “Well, what about the folks in the jungle who’ve never heard the name of Christ?”
It is the most commonly asked question in the Bible study for new folks. Here’s my answer, doesn’t mean it’s right, it’s just my answer. If Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and if John the Baptist baptized in the baptism of repentance, if you can say that Abraham and John’s disciples believed the same way, if you can make that leap, then you could conclude that when Jesus died, since they didn’t have CNN, that there might be somebody who hadn’t heard about Jesus, who was in John’s baptism, but hadn’t heard about Jesus, who dies before they get the news. It’s New Testament times, but wouldn’t they be judged by Old Testament standard? If you can say yes to that, then might there be an Abraham like that someplace out there in the jungle who just doesn’t have the word?
If you can say yes to that before you feel like I’ve opened the floodgates of apostasy, let’s think how many there weren’t in the days of Noah. At least millions alive and how many were righteous? One, and seven on his coattails. So if there is an Abraham out there, there won’t be very many, but God’s not real specific. You say, “Well, yes he is. There is no other name by which a person can be saved.” Just a second, it’s appointed unto a man that wants to die and then comes to judgment. You’ve always got to deal with the Golden Rule.
I know if the folks let me build an apartment that just had one fire escape and there was a fire, how would most people escape the fire? The fire escape. Might somebody jump out of the third story, cushion their landing in a tree and survive? Maybe, but you don’t want to bet on it. Just use the fire escape. Right? Don’t just be a serious seeker. Don’t bet your soul on anything. Bet your soul on Christ and be sure. Besides, that exception won’t be you. You’ve heard. It’s a smoke screen. You say, “Jay, are you trying to scare me? Are you trying to scare my kids with hell?”
Yes. You try to scare them all the time, “Hot. Don’t touch that. It’s hot. Look out, it’s a car. Don’t step off the curb, there’s a car. Snake. Look out, it’s a…” You scare, “Hell, look out. You’re not going to like it.” I think you can get saved from the consequences as your sin, be born again, because you don’t want to go to hell. It’s not the most noble reason, but it’s a good place to start.
It’s just fine. I think a more noble reason is rewards. I want heaven later. I want through the spirit now. Best reason is God, you sent your son and I’m so grateful I just want to serve you. You can start with fire insurance if you’re willing to graduate the Lordship, I don’t think you can even get started if you’re not willing to ultimately follow. You may not know where that follow is going to take you, but you need to be willing to follow. So let’s go to the wheel of fortune, we’re out of here. One of those standup wheels like they have in Vegas. Someone told me about them. I don’t know for sure. It’s got lights and mirrors in the brass post, a little flapper right there. Let’s give it a spin. You see it? Hear it?
Table boss is standing in front of the table. He’s wearing black slacks, white shirt, little garter on his sleeve, holding it up. Mickey Mouse braces because he is cool, old tooth trick twitching at the corner of his mouth. He’s got a little miniature shepherd to move markers around on the table. And he says, “Place your bets. No one may proceed until your bet is placed. Everyone has to bet before you can proceed.”
Five people in front of him. Self-made millionaire; new age gal, really hates that word, gal; good old boy; religious guy; and a Christian lady dressed in a scarf of repentance, dress of righteousness. The millionaire guy says, “I buy and sell people like you every day. I’m not betting. You can’t make me bet. And you can’t tell me what to do.” And to a surprise, he pulls out a marker that says business man. He pushes out to a place on the table that says no bet. He says, “Business man bets no bet because when you have to bet and you bet you don’t have to bet, that’s a bet.”
New age lady says, “I believe in reincarnation. I just think you go around as many times as it takes to get it right.”
The good old boy says, “Member PTA, I coach my little league team. Nobody hates me, I’m a good husband, I love my children. I’m a good person. I’m bound to be okay, I’ll take my chances being a good person.”
And a religious guy says, “I just think you have to be a serious seeker. As long as you’re serious, that’ll be fine. God understands.”
And the Christian lady says, “I’m really struggling with this whole bet thing. I’ve been taught as a Christian I shouldn’t be gambling.”
I mean, lady, life is a gamble. The only difference between the word faith and the word bet is the odds. Now place your bet.
“Well what’s at stake?” She said.
Got all their attention when he said, “Your soul. Your very soul.”
Well, if I have to bet and my soul’s on the line, there’s only one thing that stood the test of time. I’ll place my bet on the Christ of the Bible. If I have to trust something, I choose to trust that. I’m sure not going to trust me. I’ve questioned, have you ever made a mistake in your life? Have you? Has God ever made one? Okay, so why is it when God says something that you disagree with, you would go with a known mistake maker, you, and not the God who’s never made one.
So he placed your bet on the Christ of the Bible and he says, “You can change your bet if you want to, but once the wheel gets stopped, you can’t change. All bets final.”
No one changed, people rarely do. And when the wheel stopped, they all had time for glance. And then in a flash, the shepherd came across the table and took four of the markers off and he opened a drawer, forest fire, smoke,sulfur and threw it and closed it quick or it stunk up the room. Four players disappeared, one remained. The four didn’t know how bad it was, they didn’t know how bad it’d be. They didn’t know the magnitude of the bet. And the woman who remained didn’t have a clue as to how big the payoff was. This is the way I closed my meetings. I don’t do 10 verses of Just As I Am, not my style. I like kind of being the peanut vendor at the Coliseum.
In a moment, I’m going to ask you, “Do you know Christ in such a way that you know you’re forgiven?” If you don’t know Christ in a way that you know you’re forgiven, you’re just going to raise your hand, I’m going to throw you a book. I’m going to just find out your first name, and we’re not going to clap for you or anything, we’re just going to hold our applause. I’m going to throw books to whoever raise their hand and say, “I don’t know Christ to the degree that I know I’m forgiven.” I’m just going to throw you in one of these books, because one of these books will help you work through that.
Your statement of saying “I don’t know” means “I’d like to know.” I think if you’re serious about, “I’d like to know.” that’ll take care of your wondering if you know. By the time you read through this, I think you’ll be all set with Christ. So that’s how we’re going to close. I’m just going to pray, and then I’m going to say, “Okay, who doesn’t know Christ the way I’m talking about and would like to?” And I’ll just throw books. It’s really fun from about there to hack one all the way to the back. I wish there was a balcony, it’s really fun to throw them into the balcony. Let’s pray and see what God wants to do.
Heavenly father, we invite your holy spirit to show each person in this room, is your word trustworthy. If it is, then it speaks specifically about Christ being the only way to God, the Father, unless you allow exceptions, which aren’t going to occur here. Father, if there’s anyone in the room who senses that they’re not sure that they’re forgiven in Christ, would you resolve that for them. Even tonight, return your holy spirit head and the thoroughness, the completeness of what Christ accomplished on the cross. We ask that you demonstrate your power for us, for the sake of your Son. In Jesus name, amen.
