Just the facts, ma’am (Luke 18:31-43)

We all know that as we get older, we tend to forget more things than we used to.

I have a comic of an old man on his knees, praying, “I have left undone those things which I ought to have done, because I lost my list of things to do.”

That is a variation of our confession in Morning and Evening Prayer!

But … along with forgetting things … I find that things from years past come to mind … sometimes very strange things …

For example, as I was preparing this sermon the phrase in my sermon title came to my mind from the old TV show, Dragnet … Just the facts, ma’am!

It turns out that Joe Friday did not actually say that phrase — a comedian named Dan Aykroyd did.

Joe Friday actually said: “All we want are the facts, ma’am” and “All we know are the facts, ma’am.”

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Facts … we all know that we cannot trust some of the facts that we see on the internet.

For example … just this past week there was statements online that the Philadelphia Eagles would not go to the White House as Super Bowl champions.

And so there were many online condemnations of the Eagles and their position!

It turned out to be a false statement … they hadn’t been invited yet … and then the team said that if invited … they would go.

So … the original … which we thought were facts … were then found to be wrong and corrected.

One place where the facts cannot be disputed are those facts about the person and work of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  

What we know about him is based on undisputed … verifiable facts!  

His birth, his life, his ministry, his death, resurrection and ascension were all prophesied in the Old Testament well over a 1000 years before he was even born.  

And some of the prophecies themselves date 1000’s of years before his birth … recorded in the Scriptures under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

These facts are addressed in our Gospel lesson from Luke 18:31-34.

As we read in verse 31: ““Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.””

Let me again say this clearly … WHAT we believe about our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ is based in facts … ON THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE … the Word of God.

Again … I remind you that there is no other book with the facts verifying it’s truthfulness … than our Bible.

It was written over a period of 1500 years … by 40 different authors writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit … and yet … there is one theme from the beginning to the end …

… the redemption of the world through the Lord Jesus Christ.

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If you believe in the authority of the Word of God then the facts are indisputable — THEY ARE BEYOND QUESTION. 

And so here I must pause — WE BELIEVE that the Bible IS the Word of God.  

Some say that the Bible only CONTAINS the Word of God — but if you say that — then it opens us up to the belief that NOT all that is in there is the Word of God … and also that God can “speak” in other places.  

If you want to see the root of the heresies and falsehoods that exist today … such as in some mainline churches —  it is based on this … 

— that the Bible is NOT the Word of God AND that it only CONTAINS the Word of God.  

This is why some say that there are other ways of salvation other that Jesus … or that it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere … or that “alternate lifestyles” are fine … as long as there is love!

BUT — We … as Anglican Christians and Reformed Episcopalians believe (or should believe) that the Bible IS THE WORD OF GOD … and it is the ONLY place where God reveals His will and purpose for us as Christians … along with what He requires of us.

This fact is stated clearly in our Declaration of Principles, adopted the day of the founding of the REC, stating: 

“The Reformed Episcopal Church, holding “the faith once delivered unto the saints,” declares it belief in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the Word of God, and our sole Rule of Faith and Practice.”

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In our passage, is the third time in the Gospel of St. Luke that Jesus predicted his death.  

Luke records two other occasions in chapter 9, and here again in chapter 18.  

But in chapter 9 we read that the disciples did not understand what he was saying.  

In other words, their hearts had not yet been open to the truth of what was to happen.

BUT here in chapter 18, we read something more – 18:31: 

““Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.””

Note clearly what our Savior says: ““and ALL THINGS that are WRITTEN BY THE PROPHETS concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.””  

Many things that happened in the life of our Savior was prophesied and written about in the Old Testament Scriptures.  

— so NOTHING should have been a surprise to those who believe.

Time does not permit us to look at all the prophecies — there are literally dozens — AND there are some that are yet to be fulfilled.  

But there was the first one, immediately after the fall when sin entered the world … that you see in Genesis 3:15: 

““And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.””

This is the 1^st promise of a Savior and a Redeemer … and it describes what would eventually happen on the cross where Satan would be defeated.  

In Luke 24, after the resurrection, as Jesus was on the road with some of his followers we read Luke 24:27: 

““And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.””  

And then … we know that throughout the Old Testament Scriptures there are a multitude of prophecies concerning our Savior’s birth, life, rejection, suffering, death and resurrection.

You’ve heard me quote a few … such as …

In Micah 5:2 we read of the place of his birth: 

““But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.””

In Isaiah 9:7 we read that Jesus will be the heir to the throne of David: 

““Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.””

And you can read in Isaiah 53 prophecies his rejection and suffering – 53:3-7 …

Psalm 22 describes what happens at a crucifixion, written OVER 1000 years before crucifixion was EVEN INVENTED as means of execution.  

And as I said, there a many others — the fact that he would betrayed by a friend for 30 pieces of silver and that the money would be used for a potters field.  

It is all in the Old Testament.  

As Jesus said: ““AND ALL things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.””

And lastly, the fact that he would rise from the dead and ascend into heaven.  

Psalm 16:10 says: 

““For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”” 

And Psalm 68:18 says: 

““You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the LORD God might dwell there.””

The point of all this is that what we believe has it’s basis in historical … verifiable fact …

These things were prophesied in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the life of Christ.  

Even non-Christian historians, such as Josephus, verify that Jesus existed in time and place and he did the things that are attributed to him.  He just didn’t believe that Jesus was the long-promised Messiah!

Peter tells us this in 2 Peter 1:16 & 19-21: 

““For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty …  And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;  knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”  

The disciples and followers were EYEWITNESSES to the person and work of the resurrected  Jesus Christ and they recorded these truths — John, Peter, Matthew, Luke and later Paul.

We know that the Scriptures were inspired by God.  

Yes … men wrote down the words … but they did so under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  

As we read in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: 

““All Scripture is given by inspiration (God-breathed) of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.””

Again … what we believe has it’s basis in INDISPUTABLE FACTS.  

There are no contradictions in the Scriptures and they are true from beginning to end.  

What God said that He would do … He has done.  

No other religion or cult can claim this.  

No other religion or cult has the body of evidence that Christianity has.  

No other religion or cult has the history that Christianity does.

Consider the facts – Mormonism is a little over 150 years old … Jehovah’s Witnesses a little less …

If Mormonism is correct, then Christianity was wrong for about 1850 years!

If Jehovah’s Witnesses are correct, then everyone was wrong for about 1900 years!

You get the picture!!

The same can be said for most cults. 

And then there is Islam, with contradictions galore.  

We can rightly ask:  Why would any one believe them?  

Why would anyone in their right mind want to follow them?  

The simple answer is that God has not opened their eyes and hearts to the truth!

God has NOT called them out of darkness into the light of His salvation!!

But Christianity is based in historical, verifiable fact.  

It is based on the person and work of Jesus Christ and the faithfulness of God.  

And it is the person and work of Jesus Christ that separates Christianity from all the other religions in the world.  

ONLY Christianity has a Savior.  

Let me REPEAT that: Only Christianity has a Savior!  

Someone who died FOR US, in OUR place … and then rose from the dead and is alive today!

You have heard me say that all the other religions and cults say that you must do a, b, and c to get to God or their concept of god.  

Their direction is always FROM man TO God.  

Whereas Christianity goes FROM God TO man — It is God saying … THIS is what I have done … 

— I have sent Jesus Christ, the 2^nd person of the Trinity to earth to die for the sins of those who believe in him as Savior and Lord.  

Our salvation is by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ … not by anything that we have done or can do.

And it is because of the person and work of Jesus Christ that Christianity is attacked.  

Did you ever notice that you can talk about religion in general, but as soon as you mention Jesus … the red flags go up.  

Because, as I said, Jesus is the dividing line.  

Jesus is the difference.

There will always be attacks on Christians until Jesus returns. 

People attack Christians … just as they attacked Jesus.  

We shouldn’t be surprised at this.

Matthew 10:22 Jesus says: ““And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.””  

And Matthew 24:9 tells about those who follow him: ““Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.””  

And then Jesus says in John 15:18: ““If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”” 

There are more facts — INDISPUTABLE FACTS about our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.  

BUT … let us be thankful that God has revealed the truth to us.  

Let us be thankful that we believe THE FACTS that are recorded in Scripture.  

And when you read about those that criticize Christianity … remember it is because their eyes and hearts have not been opened to God’s revealed truth.  

AND SO … Let us CONTINUALLY pray for them … family members … friends … neighbors … co-workers … and while we are at it … pray for our elected representatives and for our nation.

… Praying that the facts as revealed in GOD’S WORD will be revealed to those who don’t believe.

AMEN!