Title: ‘Do You See Dead People Everywhere?

Text: Matthew 9:10-12; Matthew 23:23; John 11: 33-35;

and John 14:6; Acts 26:16-18

Scripture reading: 2 Corinthians chapter 5:11-21

Opening: Cole Sear, played by Haley Joel Osment in the

movie The Sixth Sense confides to Malcolm Crowe played by
Bruce Willis that he sees “ dead people... walking around like
regular people.. they don’t know they’re dead.”

Cole Sear: I see dead people.

Malcolm Crowe: In your dreams?

[Cole shakes his head no]

Malcolm Crowe: While you're awake?

[Cole nods]

Malcolm Crowe: Dead people like, in graves? In coffins?

Cole Sear: Walking around like regular people. They don't see each
other. They only see what they want to see. They don't know they're
dead.

Malcolm Crowe: How often do you see them?

Cole Sear: All the time. They're everywhere.

As you may know, the movie is about a little boy who sees ghosts and is
able to help Bruce Willis with some unfinished business in his life. It’s
pure fiction.
But, having the ability to see spiritually dead people all around you is
very much a fact but it need not be a sad reality if you are a believer.
You can do something about it.

Do you see people ‘dead without Christ’ walking

around you?
► They could be your neighbors, your friends, your family, the person
next to you in the pew – perhaps even you this morning.
► They are the ones who may be religious, but haven’t trusted Christ
for forgiveness
► They may be moral, but they don’t have the Holy Spirit within them
► They may believe in Heaven, but are unsure as to how they will get
there.
► They may be pro-life, pro-family, pro-chastity but without Christ,
they don’t have eternal life or even the earthly life intended for them by
God.
► They need transformation, not ‘reformation’, and you, if you’re a
believer in Jesus Christ, have the message that canchange ‘dead people’
into people ‘alive in Christ’.
“ Lost people matter to God (and, I might add, they should matter to
us as well.) He wants them found (and I might add, so should we. )
Our goal at Gateway Pregnancy Center is spiritual transformation, not
just lifestyle reformation. We attempt to deliver our message in love and
not condemnation.

Personal Application: Psalm 96:3: “Tell of His glory

among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.” Do
you personally believe this? Are you regularly sharing with
‘dead people’?

As believers, we are all commanded to share our faith to reach a lost

world, beginning with those around us – our immediate family, our
neighbors, our co-workers, in our school.
We are to be ambassadors for Christ, beseeching the world to be
reconciled to God.
This morning, I’d like to continue on that theme, asking this question:
What does the Bible say about each of us as an ambassador for Christ,
not just as a local church?

In order to biblically approach our mission as

ambassadors for Christ we absolutely must understand four key
elements of being a faithful ambassador for Jesus Christ.
We see them in three passages from the gospel of Matthew and one
powerful verse from the Book of Acts.
I. The principle that the local church is a hospital for
sick people and not a museum for the display of outward
spirituality (Matthew 9:10-12)

II. The problem of being right but not acting

righteously?
(Matthew 23:23)

III. The passion for Biblical love that leads to a passion

to see dead people made alive (Matthew 7:13-14, Luke
13:24, John 1:4, John 3:15-18, John 10:7-9; John 11: 25, 33-
35 , John 14:6, Acts 4:12, and Romans 5:2)

IV. The purpose - to see eyes opened (Acts 26:18)

I. The principle that the local church is a hospital for sick

people and not a museum for the display of outward
spirituality (Matthew 9:10-12)

A hospital – cares for people for an extended period of time,

often at great cost.
Although most local churches often have committees that offer various
programs (youth, music, senior fellowship, men’s or ladies ministry) the
key to a vibrant church is an outward focus that seeks the
transformation not the reformation of the world we live in.

How many here have ever been to a museum? A museum is an

institution that cares for (conserves) a collection of artifacts and other
objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes
them available for public viewing.
● A museum is often very concerned about lighting, display and
appearance. Some churches today are primarily focused on the music,
the lighting, the drama and the timing rather than the life-changing
message of the Word of God. That, I believe, is an inward focus.
● A museum often allows little ‘hands on’ of what it displays.
Some churches today have packed services but little interpersonal
contact; perhaps because this is what many believers want, but not what
they need.
● A museum often places different values upon its various
display items. Some churches today still differentiate between the paid
professionals (the preacher, the musician) rather than simply using the
various gifts given to the church by the Holy Spirit for the building up of
the Body of Christ.
The goal of a believers work is not to show off ones spirituality, but to
personally grow spiritually.

There should be an outward focus that desires to see “change in the

heart” in others which will lead to a change in their lifestyle, not an
inward focus that promotes or perpetuates an unrealistic image of what
Christianity should look like.

Look, if you would, at Matthew: 9:10-12: ‘While Jesus was having

dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and ‘sinners’ came and
ate with Him and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked
His disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and
‘sinners’?
On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but
the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice.
‘For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
What’s most important? Am I striving to make my point when I speak
with or interact with others or am I using biblical principles to lead
others to right action? A good place to take personal inventory may be
on our Facebook posts, the focus of our emails, or the subject of our
telephone conversations, text messages or tweets.
In these posts and conversations, do I put down the often evident evil
around me or do I focus on lifting up the answer to that evil –
repentance and obedience to Gods Word which leads to holy living?
We don’t need to complain about the problem, but we may need to
focus more our words and our actions on the clear Biblical solution
rather than on the problem.
People (even unsaved people) know the problem. Give them the
answer – a personal relationship with the living God.
This is a challenge, especially in today’s world, but if we ‘see dead
people all around us’ we have enough motivation to at least try to
refocus.
Let’s remember, the local church is a hospital for sick people and
not a museum for the display of outward spirituality
Secondly, to biblically approach our mission as ambassadors for
Christ we absolutely must also understand

II. The problem of being right but not acting righteously?

(Matthew 23:23)
Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For
you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier
matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought
to have done, without neglecting the others.
These religious leaders had a focus problem – they followed the law but
forgot about the need for ‘justice and mercy and faithfulness.’
We need to reflect the ‘heart of God’ and be aware of what I call
‘angry Christianity’ -- speaking what may be true, but not in love.

Angry Christianity is not appealing, but revealing. It

reveals a reactionary attitude rather than a revolutionary attitude.
Here’s the text of an email posted on a conservative church website:
“ So many evangelical Christians seem to invest an inordinate amount
of time ‘defending’ things they consider sacred.
Almost always, ‘defending’ becomes synonymous with ‘bashing the
opponent’ or’ picking out their flaws’. Jesus, as so often was his
custom, did not focus his energies on ‘defending’ the reputation of God.
More than anything, Jesus gave his life to Reflecting the heart of God –
showing what it was like to live a holy life like His Father. He was
incarnational – God in the flesh – and that’s what stunned people..
and made the presence of God known to them.”
Are they hearing our ‘talk’ but not seeing ‘our walk’?
■ I believe homosexuality is a sin, and I can show that from Scripture,
but I also believe that the homosexual is a worthy person, made in God’s
image, who is trapped into this sin (although it is by his or her
choosing) and needs to know the power of Christ, who alone can free
him or her.
■ I believe abortion for any reason, is child-killing, and I can show that
from Scripture, but I also believe the women who get them and the
abortionist who does them are worthy people, made in God’s image,
who need to be shown the opportunity to repent.
■ I believe a Christian dating or marrying a non-Christian is a sin against
God and the defrauding or ripping off of the unsaved person, and I can
show that from Scripture, but I also believe that those who do this are
also worthy people made in God’s image who deserve to have a clear
warning from Scripture within the context of a loving approach from
me.
■ I believe taking the Bible out of schools, teaching evolution and
attacking marriage are examples of some of the evils of the day, but I
also believe that how I share my biblical viewpoint is critical to God’s
Word getting a hearing on the most important matter – the lostness of
the soul without Christ.
It’s not about CNN versus Fox News, republicans or democrats, white or
black – it’s about sin, not skin, not politics, not our favorite cable news
program.
 Angry Christians rail against sin, but often show a lack of love for
those made in His image.
 They paint with a broad brush. They label everything a conspiracy.
They attack the person and not the sin.
 They try to legislate morality with an angry approach which seems
soaked in self-righteousness, proclaiming themselves end-time
prophets instead of end-time evangelists.
 Angry Christians turn me off because I know from James 1:20 that
the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
 ‘Angry Christianity’ is not appealing but revealing. It reveals a
reactionary attitude rather than a revolutionary attitude.
God is far more interested in what’s written on your heart, not what’s
written on your bumper sticker or your Facebook page.

I Corinthians 2:15 reminds us that “..we are a

fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and
among those who are perishing”. How do you smell today?
So, does God want Angry Christians to become Happy Christians
by focusing on their own happiness?
A recent sermon by the wife of a well-known TV celebrity stated
this:

‘“.. God takes pleasure when we’re happy. That’s the thing that gives
Him the greatest joy.

“So, I want you to know this morning: Just do good for your own self.
Do good because God wants you to be happy. When you come to
church, when you worship Him, you’re not doing it for God really.
You’re doing it for yourself, because that’s what makes God happy.
Amen?”

NO! Not amen! As a pastor in Florida responded:’ “… Her.. words

were essentially blasphemous because they disregard God’s holiness and
the way that He is to be worshiped. “‘She honestly believes that God
exists to make us happy rather than holy.’

God’s heart desires that men and women be saved from eternal death,
not simply being happy on this earth.

So, both ‘angry Christians’ and ‘always striving to be happy’

Christians need our help:

1. We can challenge them to repent and see that ALL men need
a Savior, and that Savior has already been provided.

2. We can pray that they realize the seriousness of their words

and actions, whether harsh or seemingly loving.

3. We can remind them that Godly fear (reverence) is a God-

given deterrent to sinful action.

4. We can encourage them to remember where they came

from: Look at I Corinthians 6:8-11 ‘9 Know ye not that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate by choice, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified,
but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of
our God.

Let’s remember that leading people to Christ allows them to experience

a personal relationship with God, which leads them to right living. Are
you seeking to be right, or to act righteously before God.
Have you seen that being right may not necessarily mean that you are
acting righteously?
You have to make a choice between the two if you are to serve Him with
► ’..let us.. perfect holiness out of reverence for God.’ (2 Corinthians
7:1)
Johann Christoph Arnold has said this ‘Without reverence, God is
pushed aside, and our lower nature comes to the fore, our bitter, cynical
self-will. Then we forget that all life is sacred.’

I might add to this.. then we forget to see dead people all around us
acting like regular people’ but spiritually dead without Christ.

The principle, the problem, thirdly..

To biblically approach our mission as ambassadors for Christ we
absolutely must have
 III. The passion for Biblical love that leads to a passion to
see dead people made alive (Matthew 7:13-14, Luke 13:24,
John 1:4, John 3:15-18, John 10:7-9; John 11: 25, 33-35 , John
14:6, Acts 4:12, and Romans 5:2)

Our Lord Jesus, while walking this earth, revealed a compassionate heart
that led Him to passionate responses to human need, the greatest of these
being the need of the souls. We too must seek a passion for Biblical
love, which expresses itself in the passion to see dead people made alive
Again and again we see the exclusiveness of the message of the Cross
in the gospels, the Book of Acts and the Book of Romans. He alone is
the Door of Hope and the Gateway to Eternal Life.
► In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus cautions people to “Enter by the narrow
gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction,
and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the
way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Exclusive? yes.. yet the only door or gateway that leads to life.
► John 3:15 - whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.
Exclusive? Yes. Yet free to all without works – only by Grace. Right
after the verse that even unbelievers often know by heart
► We all know John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
eternal life.” But have you focused recently on verses 17 and 18?
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but in order that the world might be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not
believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name
of the only Son of God.
Did you get that? People are already dead and destined for hell
because of their sin. God, in His love wants that to change.
So that means that those who don’t trust Christ for salvation are lost?
YES. It seems so unfair that a loving God would send them to hell. He
doesn’t. Their own rejection of His forgiveness determines their
lostness.
Do you see dead people, walking around like regular people, not
knowing they're dead?
Will they hear from you that He only asks that man trusts in Him alone?
This is the reason that the central focus of Gateway as well as any
biblical local church should be the message of salvation only through
the finished work of Christ.. not reformation, not just being sorry,
not trying harder – but surrendering the will to the God who made us
so that we might have the closest and most intimate relationship with
Him while we’re here on earth.
► John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.
Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live..’
Exclusive? yes.. yet eternal life only through the resurrection - the
only hope for the dead.
► John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Exclusive? yes.. yet no man can know the way to heaven, know the
truth about God or know the life intended for them apart from trusting in
the finished work of Christ.
► Acts 4:12, we are again reminded that Jesus is the ONLY way
‘there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under
heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’
Exclusive? yes.. yet being the only Name by which we must be saved.
(1) This exclusive message needs to be pre-eminent in our approach
to unsaved people, along with seeing them as dead people, walking
around like regular people, not knowing they're dead.
a) He reaches down to us because we are unable to reach up to Him
b) He is the only one who has risen from the dead and is alive today
c) He is the only one that offers all this for free, by Grace, and not
works (Ephesians 2:8 and 9)
(2) This exclusive message has a purpose, fulfilled only in Jesus
Someone has said: ‘Men send themselves into the world with their own
message and are proclaimed gods, but the One true God sent His only
Son to lead us to Himself.’
(3) This exclusive message speaks of a plan
Romans 5:2 - ‘Through him we have also obtained access by faith into
this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of
God.’
Exclusive? yes.. yet the only way through Him we can be connected
to God through faith into grace with complete surety – and this should
make us rejoice!
Illustration: Dean’s recent radical prostate cancer surgery.
● Three doctors. All said the same thing. Remove the entire prostate.
● What if I didn’t like the exclusiveness of the remedy?
● What if I chose another option? I do have choice you know? Yes, I
could’ve chosen another option and in a year (this year to be exact)
according to my doctor I wouldn’t be back here at First Baptist.
* For any of the three doctors to not present radical surgery as the
only real option would mean they were unfaithful to their calling as
doctors
* For you and I not to present Christ as the only option to sin when the
stakes are so high (eternal separation from God) would make us
unfaithful to our calling as His ambassadors.
The principle, the problem, the passion for Biblical love that leads to
a passion to see dead people made alive
Finally, and most importantly, to biblically approach our mission as
ambassadors for Christ we absolutely must understand

IV. God’s purpose, which is to see eyes opened

(Acts 26:18) - - Please turn to this verse
In Acts 26:18, the Apostle Paul relates the challenge given to him on the
Damascus Road. It’s a challenge for you and I as well, if we are true
believers “..to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to
light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been
sanctified by faith in Me.'
Paul continues in verse 20 to explain how true repentance looks in the
life of the believer: “..that they should repent and turn to God,
performing deeds appropriate to repentance.’ In other words, acting like
what they say they wish to be – holy before God.
Repentance is a change of the heart, the mind and the will. The proof of
repentance is (1) turning from sin (2) turning to God, and (3)
performing deeds appropriate to the new life.
The truth is that probably 8-10% of American church goers are
truly born-again, This is sad, but worse yet, women and men, trapped
by certain sins (personal or public), often shunned by Christians, or the
targets of those trying to reform them, go into a Christ-less eternity.
Attendance, membership or even involvement in the local church
doesn’t get us to heaven but trusting Christ can.
Romans 10:13-14: ‘ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they
have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have
not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?’
Do you see dead people all around you? Are you trying to get them
to attend your church service or to trust in your Savior?
Often we focus on certain sins, abortion, homosexuality or racism
being a few of them, rather than on man’s key problem, separation from
God. These are matters needing repentance not reformation.
Transformation will occur only as people are exposed to the gospel,
not to loathing or condemnation of their actions.
Eyes that are opened by the gospel allow for a reconnection to the God
who made us and to His truths for living.
Why is it so hard for believers to understand this? Perhaps it’s
because satan has blinded us into thinking that our current sin-soaked
climate is anything else but what it should be – an opportunity to bring
the message of eternal life to people often aware that there’s something
missing.
Gateway and the local church have a mission; they are not simply a
movement. The mission is transformation, not reformation.
►Yes.. 55 million preborn babies have been killed through legalized
abortion in the past 40 years
►Yes.. America is drowning in a sea filled with choice, tolerance,
racism, sexual sin and a lack of true compassion
►Yes, our cities are filled with guns and our suburbs with racism and
our government with infighting and self-interest.
But, I’m also convinced that thousands of men and women have gone
into a Christ-less eternity because our focus has often been on saving
the baby, protesting the sinful lifestyle or condemning the obvious
evil behavior rather than on sharing the message of salvation which
alone frees a man or a woman to be what God intended them to be.
Abortion is not the issue. Homosexuality is not the issue. Racism is not
the issue. Sin and our disconnection with God and the truths of His
Word is the problem.
 One of television’s most popular series today is The
Walking Dead. The series star awakens from a coma to find the world
dominated by flesh-eating "walkers", resembling zombies. He sets out to
find his family and encounters many other survivors along the way. The
title of the series (The Walking Dead ) refers to the survivors, and not
the zombies.
Maybe that’s why people (especially the unsaved) are so fascinated by
‘The Walking Dead’ and zombies in general, because they know what
it’s like to live in a sin-filled world, survivors, yet without hope.
But you have that HOPE. His Name is Jesus!
Have you ever thought of those who haven’t trusted Christ as ‘the
walking dead’? They are dead spiritually, yet alive physically on this
earth.
► Do they really matter? Do they really matter to you?
► Do you see the open door.
► Do you recognize this small ‘window of opportunity’?
We read in Revelation 3:8 that God has “..placed before you an open
door that no one can shut. God knows we have little strength, yet He
also knows that we can keep His word and not deny His name because
He has given us the Holy Spirit.
So, how can we take advantage of this “Open Door”?
► By seeing the local church (this local church) as a hospital, not a
museum and it’s purpose is to see eyes opened and lives transformed by
the Holy Spirit.
► By realizing that we may be right about the problem but still act
unrighteously to those trapped in by sin and dead without Christ.
► By rekindling the passion to see dead people made alive
► By remembering our purpose – to see eyes opened to Christ
I’ve thought recently that one reason we have few volunteering and
following through with a commitment to Gateway is that many of our
local churches do not have as their primary focus the teaching of the
Word and sharing of our faith.
If someone asked you how they could come to a saving knowledge of
Christ, would you know how to answer them?
If not, how can we possibly be ready to ‘sanctify ( or, set apart) the
Lord God in our hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every
man that asks us a reason of the hope that is in us ‘ 1 Peter 3:15.
Perhaps if we focus on the last few words of the verse - with meekness
and fear- we will then prepare our hearts to meet this challenge with
meekness towards the lost and fear or reverence towards the One that
wishes to find them.
Only as we have a healthy respect for the immense responsibility we
have as Christ’s ambassadors on earth will we as believers be motivated
to reach out to the dead people all around us.
Maybe you and I need to see what God has done in our life, to focus
and appreciate it more – then, we’ll be able to see the open doors
around us and to take advantage of them.
Two final questions: Question # 1 – Have YOU trusted Christ for
eternal life?
Perhaps this morning, you need to pray a prayer like this..

Question # 2 – Are you living for Christ RIGHT NOW?

Closing illustration:
Charles Wesley wrote these words:
And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Let’s focus on the real need – to trust Jesus, to grow in Him and to
go with this amazing love to a world filled with spiritually dead people.
Do you see the dead people all around you? Then, go tell it on the
mountain, and in the mall, and on Facebook, to your lost family
members and to your neighbor. Let’s pray together.