Something’s Fishy

Announcer: 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 would 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 L. A. Laker, Jay has dedicated himself to helping people say “yes” to God. Now, we hope you enjoy Carty’s Contemporary Classics.

Jay: Five frogs are on a log, five decided to jump. How many are left? How many? None, because – No, no, no, five. Because deciding to jump and jumping are two different decisions. I’m not nitpicking now, see I can only tell what you believe by what you do, not by what you say. And if you tell me you’re going to jump, I will only know if you decided to jump, if you’re not there the next time I look. If you say, “Yeah, I’m going to jump.” And you’re still there, what do I know? Nothing. Five frogs are on a log, five decide they’re going to jump, three do. What do I know about the other two?

Audience: Nothing.

Jay: Nothing, see this one decided to jump and haven’t gotten around to it yet. This one said he was going to jump but never intended to. You don’t know nothing. But see, it doesn’t matter what I know. What’s important is for you to know. If you said, “Yes, I’m going to jump.” And you’re not following Jesus, if you said “Yes, I’m going to follow Jesus, but you’re not going for it, you’re just wanting to see. You know, straddle that fence. Guys, it’s uncomfortable isn’t it. Is that uncomfortable, straddling a fence? I tell you, that’s miserable. You’ve shown me someone who’s a Christian who will straddle a fence and I’ll show you a really miserable person, right?

Two people decided to live together, both Christians. Four years later, guy feels guilty about it, girl doesn’t. What do you know? Nothing. See, I think if the Holy Spirit’s in you, you’ll have a sense of conscience for your sin. But you may have been raised with a sense of strong moral upbringing and we don’t know which is which. All I know is, if you don’t have a sense of conscience for your sin, you don’t have to ask the question, if I’m a believer, you’re not. The Holy Spirit is not there. Does that make sense?

I was at Disney Land, the last of the Great Wonders was there, that tight rope walking act. May of them got killed in a canyon accident years ago. There’s this guy in those little sissy slippers. You know, those little sissy slippers that they wear while they’re walking this wire. And this guy, he would go out on the wire, no balancing bar, and he did a backflip, no wire. So um, do you know how to do that? Try it. No get in there. No, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon. Good, now. I saw him no balancing wire, probably no balancing bar. Don’t get picky on me. And he did a front flip to the wire. Where your hands open up to the sky, you don’t see the wire coming. Then I saw him go out on the wire, spring into the air, spread his legs. Hit the wire, bounce up to his feet. I did not call him a sissy anymore. Then, I saw him get a bicycle, no balancing bar. I didn’t do it yet. Then, I saw him put his wife in a wheelbarrow, no balancing bar.

How many of you think I’m lying about this story, to make a point? How many of you believe me? How many of you would get in the wheelbarrow? No, really, bungie jumpers, the rest of you? You signed good, so you get in the wheelbarrow. Those of you who don’t believe me, carp. I’m telling the truth, I saw it. Those of you who say you believe me, trout. Those of you who got in the wheelbarrow, bass. See how it works folks. I can only tell what you believe, by what you do, not by what you say. And the odds of being lukewarm and being okay, not good. Not real long odds, but not good odds. Whatever the word many means, those are your odds.

Let’s take the test, quick test. From 1 John, there’s six quick points I’ll go real quick. This is the 1 John test of salvation. These things ought to be happening in your life. If these things aren’t happening in your life, it would be a suggestion that the Spirit of God is not at work in your life. And if the Spirit of God is not at work in your life, then that’s a likelihood that the Spirit of God is not in your life. And if the Spirit of God is not in your life, then you are not saved. However, the Spirit of God was in Lot, it just wasn’t playing out. The Spirit of God was in the carnal Christians of Corinth, it just wasn’t playing out. See, it’s possible to have the Spirit of God in your and not have anything play out because you stifle it, and you might still be saved. But you understand the odds now, right?

So, let’s take the six-part test. Here’s the six-part test, number one, God. A deeper relationship with God to understand his holiness or is he still just the Great Coach in the Sky, the Cosmic Killjoy? No, you’re getting closer to him. Is his holiness rubbing off? Or is he still just that whatever he is? He’s just God. If you’re not tightening up with God and understanding his character and his character rubbing off on you, then that’s a red flag waving. I’m not saying you’re not saved, it’s just a red flag waving.

Number two, person or Jesus Christ? Just a guy who lived a couple of thousand years ago, that we split the calendar, his name’s a swear word. Or is this the man who died on a cross, conquered death for himself, proved he could conquer for you? You’ve entered into personal relationship and you’re walking tighter and tighter and closer and closer. Performer? Not saying you’re not saved it’s just a red flag waving, okay? Test yourself, to see if you’re in faith. Examine yourself to see if you’re in the faith. If you do not recognize by yourself that Jesus Christ is in, you failed the test. Appreciate you taking the test.

Third, the Word of God, do you read it like this? Judas hung himself, I won’t do that likewise. What I must do, I do it quickly. Get in trouble reading it bored like that. Is this thing progressively becoming the standard for which you make your life decisions? No? Red flag waving, not saying you’re not saved, it’s just a red flag waving.

Four, do you have a progressive hatred of sin? The big things you used to do; you don’t do anymore. But the little things that didn’t used to bother you, now bother you more than the big things used to. That’s evidence of the Holy Character of God rubbing off on you. No? Red flag.

Five, you’re a little bit more like Jesus? He still has some people he’s struggling with, but you notice you give yourself away to meet the needs of people more than you used to do. So, you just kind of do it naturally, you don’t have to give that a lot of thought. No? Red flag.

Six, let me do just a little tiny bit of contradicting from a message the other day. Do you know that you know that you know? There are cults that know that they know that they know, not good enough. Because you can’t be trusted, alright? So, what is this working presence of Holy Spirit. We know that spiritual gifts can be counterfeited by the enemy, that might not be the true indicator. What is it? Lack of a sense of conscience for your sin. That’s the Holy Spirit at work. If you’ve got a sense of conscience for your sin, you know if you can sin and not feel guilty about it, the Holy Spirit is not there. So, when you sin, you mess up, that’s either a strong sense of moral upbringing or it’s the Holy Spirit at work. But there really is that I really do know that I do know that I know. I used to think I was okay, but boy, I really know that I know that I know. Now some of you might have that. But those are the six.

How’d you do? Did you pass the test? Lukewarm have trouble passing that test. Lukewarm have trouble passing that test. And I think most of them are saved, maybe some of them are saved. See, if you’re lukewarm, you don’t know. Well, that’s what I want to confront you with, as I leave you. I’m running late, so I’m going to be rather brief tonight.

Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, would you convict those folks who have been here tonight who know they’ve been living with a foot in each puddle, and would you show them the necessity of casting aside those things that they want to do, that you don’t want them to do, and go for it. They may still struggle with those things, like Paul did for the rest of his life, perhaps. But show them their heart, and if their heart doesn’t passion for you, tonight, through your Holy Spirit will you convict them. May they understand that works don’t save them, but these things should be happening in a person’s life who loves Jesus Christ. And if they didn’t pass the test, would you show them that. If you’re lukewarm and you know you’re lukewarm, and you’d like to be a bass, would you raise your hand for me? I’m lukewarm, I know I’m lukewarm and I want to be a bass with all my heart, I want to be a bass. Anybody else? Just up and down. Up and down with your hand would be fine. I’m lukewarm, I know I’m lukewarm, but I want to be a hot, on fire, going for it, no holds barred, Jesus loving believer, anybody else?

If you’re here tonight and in that plea of being lukewarm you’re discovering Jesus Christ as your personal savior. This is your first encounter with Christ. You’ve not asked Christ into your life. You’ve seen yourself as a spiritual person, therefore you saw yourself as lukewarm. But Christ wasn’t in your life, but he is now. Will you raise your hand for me? Good, anybody else? Good, good, okay. Anybody else? Good, anybody else? Christ was not in my life. He is in my life. I’ve asked him in as a result of tonight’s happening, being confronted with this lukewarmness and it’s Christ who’s going to make me hot. Yeah, good, anybody else? Okay, yeah, good. Anybody else? Okay.

Father, thank you for these who have come to know you as Savior tonight. Thank you for those frogs on the log that said, “I’m lukewarm, and I’m jumping.” God, would you show them that they need to jump. Now, that’s the decision, to jump. Not jumping to save this, just jumping to let the Spirit run loose. God, thanks for this time and bless this truth, in Jesus’ name, Amen.