THE MAIN SUBJECT! | sermonsfortheworld.com

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Whenever you write to Dr. Hymers always tell him what country you live in, or he cannot answer you. Dr. Hymers’ e-mail is rlhymersjr@sbcglobal.net.

I was born in this church. I was raised in this church. I have seen this church experience incredible times. I have also seen the church go through terrible times. Through the ups and the downs, one thing has remained constant in our church. Our pastor, Dr. Hymers, preached Jesus Christ. In every service, every year, every decade, throughout my life – Dr. Hymers has constantly preached Christ and Him crucified. There is a reason for this focus. Dr. Hymers is determined and convinced that the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be the center of our church. Year after year, people came and people went. However, there was something you could count on. You could depend on Dr. Hymers to preach the Gospel: Jesus crucified for our sins on the Cross, buried, and resurrected on the third day. Dr. Hymers is an example to any young preacher like me, or any veteran preacher as well. Despite what new fad or style of preaching is popular, our pastor is still telling the old, old story of Jesus and His love. And because Dr. Hymers does that, our church is growing against all odds! Dr. Hymers reminds me of the Apostle Paul. Both the Apostle Paul and Dr. Hymers were determined not to know anything, except for Jesus Christ, and Him crucified! Some may be concerned that the Gospel is not speaking to the Christians. The Bible provides the response:

“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (I Corinthians 1:30-31).

There was a time when I would have hated to hear this kind of sermon. I was completely uninterested in sermons like this. I completely disrespected the preaching of my pastor. I rejected whatever Dr. Hymers preached. So then why do I now preach the same things Dr. Hymers preaches? It is because I now see how important Christ is. Jesus literally changed the entire direction of my life. Do not reject what I say about Jesus. Because I have found that Jesus is the best friend I have ever had. The best friend I will ever have. The friend I will love for ever. Listen as I tell you about Jesus, who changed my life.

The sacrifice of Christ on the Cross for us is the main message of our church. I believe God protected our church in the worst of times, because of Dr. Hymers’ constant emphasis on Jesus Christ! Christ was the example! Christ was everything that mattered. Therefore, even as we transition to a new chapter in our church, Jesus must continue to be our central theme.

Now I want you to turn in your Bible to I Corinthians 2:2. It’s on page 1213 of the Scofield Study Bible. It is I Corinthians, chapter two, verse two. I am going to give you a condensed version of one of Dr. Hymers’ sermons this morning. Please stand as I read the text.

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

No matter the topic of Paul’s preaching, he always brought Christ crucified into his messages. Charles Spurgeon was the greatest Baptist preacher of all time. Spurgeon preached Christ crucified. No matter what topic Spurgeon preached on, he “made a beeline to the cross.” Spurgeon never finished his sermons without lifting up Jesus Christ. Because Jesus is the answer! Jesus is the answer to man’s greatest problem! Jesus is the answer to sin! Christ crucified was Spurgeon’s great theme. The preaching of the Gospel made Spurgeon the greatest Baptist preacher of all time!

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

Dr. Hymers follows in the footsteps of Paul and Spurgeon. Dr. Hymers never ends his sermons without speaking on Christ crucified! Dr. Hymers is determined to follow the example of the Apostle Paul. He is determined to stick to the subject. The subject of Christ crucified. The subject that people cannot hear anywhere else, but in our churches. Therefore he has determined not to know any thing among you, but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

“I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

“Determined” is the English translation of a Greek word that means “to decide” (Strong). Paul decided that his preaching would be Christ-centered. It was not an accident. It was a deliberate decision that he made. A decision to make Christ and His crucifixion the center of his preaching. Albert Barnes put it very well when he said,

This should be the resolution of every minister of the gospel. This is his business. It is not to be a politician; not to engage in the strifes and controversies of men…not to be a man of taste and philosophy…not to be a profound philosopher or metaphysician, but to make Christ crucified the grand object of his attention, and seek always and everywhere to make him known. He is not to be ashamed anywhere of the humbling doctrine that Christ was crucified. In this he is to glory. Though the world may ridicule, though philosophers may sneer; though the rich and gay may deride it, this is to be the grand object of interest to him, and at no time, and in no society is he to be ashamed of it. (Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament, Baker Book House, 1983 reprint, note on I Corinthians 2:2).

Paul spoke on prophecy. But prophecy was not his main subject. Paul sometimes spoke on marriage and the family. But that was not his main subject. Paul certainly did not speak on how to be prosperous. Paul was not worried about how to feel good. Paul was distracted from other subjects. Other subjects that have become popular in modern preaching. Paul was very different than modern preachers. He was different than modern preaching that is popular but centered around man. Paul had one real focus. Paul was focused on preaching on “Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Paul focused on the Gospel because man is helpless without God. Therefore Paul focused on the Gospel. Because man can only come to God through Christ, and Him crucified!

Paul was “determined” to keep “Christ, and him crucified” at the heart and center of what he preached. This was the case from the first time Paul preached. As soon as Paul was converted and baptized,

“He spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians” (Acts 9:29).

Paul was focused on one subject! Paul was in love with Jesus. Jesus was the subject. The same is true of our pastor. Dr. Hymers is an expert on many subjects. But I have heard a thousand of his sermons. And I can tell you that Dr. Hymers is

“…determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

“I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

The legendary theologian Dr. John Gill said that Paul...“saw Christ on every page of Scripture.” That is how every Christian should look at the Bible. <u>The great central theme of the Bible is Jesus Christ! The theme of the Bible is not how to be prosperous. The Bible’s theme is not the fine points of prophecy. The theme of the Bible is not how to feel good. The main theme is not any of those subjects that are preached so often today. The main theme is Jesus Christ! From beginning to end, Christ is the central theme of the entire Bible!

The subject of Christ can never be exhausted. The Christian can never be tired of hearing about Jesus. There is never enough time to finish preaching on Christ. How can we preach on something other than Christ? Or why should we, since Jesus Christ

“…is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (I Corinthians 1:30-31)?

“I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

Nothing is more wonderful, nothing is more meaningful, nothing is more helpful, than to hear preaching about Jesus. To read about Jesus. And to think about Jesus! Because Jesus saved us. Because Jesus loves me. Because Jesus loves you. The words of that hymn Mr. Griffith sang a moment ago capture it so well,

Jesus only, let me see,
Jesus only, none save He,
Then my song shall ever be
Jesus! Jesus only!
(“Jesus Only, Let Me See” by Dr. Oswald J. Smith, 1889-1986).

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

“I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

Paul was not talking about a spirit or a ghost. Paul was talking about a real person. Paul was talking about the real Jesus Christ that was nailed to a cross! Paul was not talking about the Holy Spirit. He was not talking about the example of Christ. Paul was not even talking about the Second Coming of Christ. All of these are very important, but they were not Paul’s main message. Paul was not even talking about the Christ we read about on the pages of the Bible. Because the Christ that Paul preached was a real person. The Christ that Paul preached was not just a character described by words. Jesus was not a historical figure to Paul. For Paul, Jesus was a person who was real! Who really meant something to him! Who had really done something for him! Jesus Himself said,

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39).

Paul preached on the real Jesus Christ. The real Jesus who really suffered for your sins. The real Jesus who took your sins upon Him. The real Jesus who felt it all. The real Jesus who under the intensity of your real sin – sweat drops of blood. The real Jesus who was scourged by Pilate. The Jesus who was nailed to a cross between two thieves. This was the real flesh and bone Christ that Paul preached about!

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

The crucifixion of Christ is not something we should only think about in church. It is not something reserved for Easter. The crucifixion of Christ is the center of real Christianity! That is why Christ’s crucifixion is described in detail in all four of the Gospels. That is why Christ’s crucifixion was spoken of repeatedly by the Apostles in the Book of Acts. That is why Christ’s crucifixion is all through the New Testament. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the first point of the Gospel. And the Apostle Paul said,

Therefore, Christ crucified must always be our main subject! Therefore we must often think of Jesus, who died on the Cross for our sins!

Lost people do not want to think about Christ crucified on the Cross! Most people think their own feelings and thoughts are more important. Most people think of the crucifixion of Christ only as a curiosity! But they are wrong! It is a matter of life and death! It is the center of the Bible! It is the most important subject that any person will confront. What a person does with Christ will determine whether he goes to Heaven or Hell! Everything depends on Christ! The Bible says,

“God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Jesus Christ died in our place. Jesus died to pay for our sins. When you turn from your own thoughts and turn to Jesus, your sins will be forgiven. When you turn from trusting yourself, and trust Jesus, you will be saved! You will be cleansed from your sins forever by the Blood of Christ! That is why,

“I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2).

Jesus only, let me see,
Jesus only, none save He,
Then my song shall ever be
Jesus! Jesus only!

I want you to trust Jesus, as I trusted Him. Trusting Jesus gave me many things that I would never have without Him. Trusting Jesus gave me a friendship with my father. I would have never become close to my father if it had not been for Christ! Trusting Jesus gave me the best friends I have ever had. I would have never had those friends if not for Jesus. I had very little in common with Jack Ngann, but after trusting Jesus, we had Christ in common, and now he is one of my best friends. Many of my closest friends are many years older than me. I would not trade them for anyone. I am proud to be friends with our pastor, Dr. Hymers. We have a bond that is deeper than similar interest. We have a similar direction. We have a similar goal. We have the same Jesus! Jesus is my Deliverer. Jesus is my Rest. Jesus is my Saviour. My love for Him is very small compared to how much He loves me. He gave me life. He gave me peace after all that I had known was hate. My hope is in Christ. He has never failed me. Christ came to me, and for this I will not leave Him. Trust Jesus, and you will experience His love as I did. Christ can give you hope! Christ can forgive your sins! Christ can give you eternal life and joy! I urge you this morning to come to Christ and be saved by Him alone!

If this sermon blessed you Dr. Hymers would like to hear from you. WHEN YOU WRITE TO DR. HYMERS YOU MUST TELL HIM WHAT COUNTRY YOU ARE WRITING FROM OR HE CANNOT ANSWER YOUR E-MAIL. If these sermons bless you send an e-mail to Dr. Hymers and tell him, but always include what country you are writing from. Dr. Hymers’ e-mail is at rlhymersjr@sbcglobal.net (click here). You can write to Dr. Hymers in any language, but write in English if you can. If you want to write to Dr. Hymers by postal mail, his address is P.O. Box 15308, Los Angeles, CA 90015. You may telephone him at (818)352-0452.

(END OF SERMON)
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Scripture Read Before the Sermon by Mr. Aaron Yancy: Isaiah 53:3-6.
Solo Sung Before the Sermon by Mr. Benjamin Kincaid Griffith:
“Jesus Only, Let Me See” (by Oswald J. Smith, D.D., 1889-1986).