5 Important Questions

One lady wrote in to one of those question and answer forums.

“Dear sirs, our preacher said on Easter that Jesus just passed out on the cross and His disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think?”

Here is the answer she received.

“Beat your preacher with a cat of nine tails 39 times, nail him to a cross; hang him out in the sun for 6 hours…run a spear through his side; put him in a cold, dark airless cave for 36 hours and see what happens.”

I’m not sure that was the answer she was looking for.

Some people ask questions because they really want to know more about life and the world around them. Some just want to be nosey. Some just want to trip you up, like the friend who is always asking ridiculous questions about the Bible, God and Christianity.

He asked once, “You tell me that Jesus is going to return and take all the Christians to heaven but what about those that have eaten by some animal, like a crocodile? Those people have their remains scattered down stream,, along with everything else the croc ate. How can God find all the right pieces?”

At the risk of sounding nosey, this morning, I want to ask you 5 very important questions this morning. 5 questions that might just change your life…

Question #1 “Do you have any religious beliefs?”

Every person in the world, regardless of what they may say, has some kind of religious belief.

Man has always searched for something to believe in.

Acts 17: 19, 20 “And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, may we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak?

For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean”

Many, today spend much of their time trying to combine the best parts of the worlds religions into something that makes them feel good.

If all you are looking for is religion…you’re in the wrong place this morning…I can’t offer you a good religion but I will offer you a wonderful relationship, with Jesus Christ…which brings us to:

Question #2 “Who is Jesus to you?”

In Math. 16: 13 Jesus asked His disciples… “Who do men say that I, the Son of man, am?”

Some people were saying that Jesus was John the Baptist, come back to life…others said they thought He was Elijah…or maybe Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

See the world has its own view of who Jesus is. Some religions call Him a good teacher…some a prophet of old…some even say that He is ONE of the sons of [god]

Jesus wanted to get the disciples to think about this life changing question before He asked them the real question.

In verse 15 Jesus asked the question I want to ask you… “But, who do YOU say that am?”

You see it really doesn’t matter what the world…your mama…your daddy…your brother…or your pastor thinks. Your eternity and where you spend it is based on who YOU say that Jesus is…

Your answer may be “He died to set people free” or “He is God’s Son” or “He is the Savior of the world.”

All of these answers are very good answers but can you say without a doubt that He is “MY” Savior” “He died to set ME free” “He’s MY Friend…MY Counselor…MY provider…MY King and Redeemer.”

I know that we preach a lot against “I, me, my & mine” BUT if Jesus is not MINE…personally then He is nothing to me at all.

Question #3 “Do you believe in heaven AND hell?”

A lot of people believe, or at least want to believe in heaven but they draw the line at believing in hell.

Turn your Bibles to Luke 16: beginning in verse 19 and down through 31 we read about two men who died and ended up in two different places. [describe the scene]…

Maybe this rich man believed in heaven…But one thing we do know…within seconds of being there, he believed in a literal hell. The only problem he has now is that it’s too late to change his mind…he is trapped.

Will you wait to decide? If you wit too long, just like the man in this story…it will be too late.

Question #4 “If you died right now…Where would you go?”

The sad reality is too many give this answer… “I HOPE I’ll go to heaven”

Flip over to Rev. 20: 11-15 READ

I have heard a number of men and women who profess Jesus as Lord tell me that no one can know until they get there…Bologna…

1John 1: 9...John 3: 17...John 10:9...Acts 4:12...Acts 16:30,31...Romans 10:9, 13...Eph. 2:8

Just to Name a few…