Let’s see your ah, word. Let’s see your pens, and your lesson plan. Let’s turn to um Matthew 28 please, Matthew 28.
Lord we thank you so much for your word. We thank you so much for your faithfulness. We thank you so much for being a good God. We pray you teach us this morning. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
I am a big fan of #s. I was a good math student in high school and college. I was an engineering student and had 4 years of math in college. I went through all the calculus classes and even a class after calculus, not that I did really good at them but I was in those classes. And #s is really the only way you can measure anything. Um even if you get saved and your life is changed you measure that with numbers. You know I used to drink everyday, now I don’t. I used to get mad all the time, now I don’t. So I used to have to be depressed 24 hours a day, now I’m depressed 0. So even numbers is related to that.
But God uses numbers very specifically and the numbers in the bible have very specific meaning and if you read the bible and look for numbers, you’ll see them all over the bible and you’ll see patterns in numbers. #3 is the # of divine perfection. #7 is spiritual perfection. #10 is the number of ordinal perfection. Matter of fact when you get to ten you use all the digits. #12 is the number of governmental perfection. 12 governs the year, 12 months. 2 x 12 hours in a day. There’s 12 tribes in Israel. There’s 12 gates in New Jerusalem. 12, 12, 12, you’ll see 12 all over the bible ah for governmental perfection.
But I want to talk about 2 numbers this morning. 1 is the #3 and then the #1. #3-The #3 is divine perfection. You cannot have a flat surface or a solid anything unless you have 3 sides. 2 sides you can’t connect anything. You have to have at least 3 sides to make a solid surface and you have to have 3 dimensions to make a solid. So # is the # for, 3 is the # for something solid, something real, something complete. Christ was in the tomb 3 days. There as darkness over the earth 3 hours. He was crucified from the 6th to the 9th hour. 6 is 2x3. 9 is 3x3. Isaac was dead in Abraham’s mind 3 days just like Christ was dead 3 days. Jesus had 3 offices: Prophet, priest and king. The earth came out of the water on the 3rd day. The book that teaches us how to worship is the 3rd book. It goes on and on and on and on and on. There’s 3 all through out the bible.
#1-#1 is the # of unity and independence. If you are the only one you are all by yourself and you are independent and you are completely unified. If we all could act as one, that’s the ideal # to illustrate our unity. God is 3 completely solid in 1, completely unified and independent.
We’re gonna talk about the trinity today. The concept of the trinity is that there’s 3 Gods, 3 persons, not people, persons. A person is different than a people. A person is your personhood, your intelligence, your emotion, your ability to relate to other people, love, forgive. You as a people is a human. That’s different.
There are 3 persons in the Godhead Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We get our personhood from God. We’re made in the image of God. We can relate to other people. We can love the other people. We can encourage other people. We can think, rationalize. We get that from God. Our personhood comes from God. So in God you have the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. How do you have 3 persons or entities in 1 God? I have no idea. There are some things about God that you cannot explain. You can’t explain God knowing the future and yet giving you the freewill to do what you want but yet He predestines you. Don’t try to understand that. You can’t.
If I was trying to understand, when you go to, when you take math you have calculus 1, calculus 2, calculus 3 and calculus 3 I think, at least when I went to school you learn equations that if you execute the equation it will draw a 3 dimensional shape and calculate the volume in the shape. Just say what? That’s what it is. That’s what I said. I was in the class. I was like – What? It’s 3 dimensional math. That’s what calculus is, that’s 1 of the things you do in calculus.
When you go to differential equations which is the class after calculus it’s 4 dimensional math. Now most of you probably and I didn’t either, when I was in the class can understand that. It has nothing to do with whether it’s true cuz it’s true!
When I did the sermon for the Billy Graham crusade I preached on the Saturday, the crusade was Thursday through Sunday, I preached on Saturday morning to the little kids. It was like 30,000 little kids under 12 and the night before I spoke God said – How are you gonna explain being saved to a little kid because you know they don’t understand things like you? I was like – Yeah, huh? You know we say – God live in your heart, and you and I know no man’s gonna jump in your heart. They don’t know that.
And this little kid I tell you no lie, little kid sitting on the ground next to the stage at Qualcomm Stadium and I went down and he was sitting there all sad and I said, his mother called me over and she said – He’s all sad cuz he didn’t get saved and he wanted to. Why didn’t he get saved? Because you, and he told me this, he’s probably 5, I don’t want to get saved. I said – How come? Well I didn’t say how come? I was like you know how come you little man? We’re just sitting on the ground talking, you know playing on the grass. He says – Cuz I don’t want to leave my mommy. I go – Where did you get that? I didn’t say that, I said – Where did you get that? He said – You said that if I get saved and ask Jesus in my heart I’m gonna go to heaven. So he thought – Jesus please forgive me, and he leaves.
Just as little kids don’t understand those things, we don’t understand God, the concept of God cuz they’re beyond us but here’s the trinity 3 in 1. Let me give you 2 illustrations. 1-Is this: There’s a thing called triple point in water, if you’re taking notes you want to write this down. It’s a good illustration. Triple point, triple point is when water can be liquid, solid and gas at the same time. Now you see it all the time when you put a piece of ice in water. You have a solid water H20, and then you have liquid water and if you look real closely you might see a little vapor coming off from the ice. All those 3 things are water. They’re all H20 but they’re different forms of H2O. They all are 100% H2O but they’re different forms.
Same thing with God. Holy Spirit’s all of God but He’s a Spirit, God the Father and then Jesus Christ. They’re all completely God but they’re separate but they’re the same.
And matter of fact what’s another scientific wonder of water is that the solid form is lighter than the liquid form. That’s why it floats. If the solid form of water was heavier it would sink. There’d be no life on earth cuz everything would be dead. That’s just a little scientific nugget for you for free. It has nothing to do with the message.
But if someone says to you – Well you know the word trinity is not in the bible. Has anyone ever said that to you? Yes, no? The word trinity is not in the bible. Here’s your response: And your point is? One more time. Well if it’s not in the bible why do you guys talk about it? Then it’s not true. And here’s what you should say – let me tell you what else is not in the bible. The word communion is not in the bible. The word Easter is not in the bible. The word Good Friday is not in the bible. The word Christmas is not in the bible. Altar call is not in the bible. You have to have church on Sunday is not in the bible. It’s not! We have church on Sunday because they did it. It doesn’t say you have to.
My Sabbath is not Sunday. Sunday is not a day of rest for me. There was 1 service last night. There’s 5 today. Tomorrow is my Sabbath. Am I in sin? Absolutely not!
Next one: Palm Sunday is not in the bible. The word pastor 1 time is in the bible, once. Christian, the word Christian is only in the bible twice. Born again, only in the bible 3 times. Don’t get hung up on words. Just get hung up on what they mean.
So trinity is this concept that God has a Father, Son, Holy Spirit. They’re all equally God and yet they’re all one. Don’t worry about explaining it because you cannot explain it. Just understand by faith it’s true.
How does God know what you’re gonna do tomorrow? You don’t understand that. You just know it’s true. How can you explain gravity? There may be 10 people that really can explain it. The rest of us in here have no clue. We just know it’s true and we don’t mess with it. Amen? I ain’t gonna go I don’t believe it, cuz I don’t understand it, it don’t exist. Yeah, ok whatever.
Let’s look at, let’s look at our notes. A few things real quick we get through. 1-All 3 do exist the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You can write down Genesis 1:26, Genesis 1:26. God says – Let us make man in our image. Let us, everyone say us, make man in our, say our. Who’s our? Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Look at Matthew 28:19. It says, second to the last verse in Matthew it says – Go therefore make disciples in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
What does that mean? We’re not baptized in the name of an angel. We’re not baptized in the name of a glow. We’re baptized in the name of God. When God says – Let us make man in our image. Who’s image are we made in? The image of God. With us it’s Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is in us yet He’s in I, cuz He’s 3 in 1.
My wife and I when we got married 21, 20 ½ years ago, the bible says when a man and his wife get married the father leaves his parents and the mother leaves her parents and they are joined and the 2 become 1. We forget that. My wife and I are 1. Now she’s not up here with me right now but we are 1. That’s a fact. When you get married you are united as 1. Now because we can’t see it all the time, feel it all the time, whatever, we forget it but it doesn’t change the fact. That’s what God did. That oneness with 2 people is experienced through sex. Sex is a shameless oneness the bible calls it. That’s why it’s the bomb! Can we talk?
Well if God says a man and his wife shall be 1, of course. Why? Because not only were we made in His image but watch this, our relationship with each other was made in the relationship He has with Himself. Oneness of 2, of 2 or more individuals.
Now, so all 3 exist.
#2-All 3 are totally God. The Father’s God, Colossians 3:17 if you’re taking notes, Colossians 3:17 but you can read all through the bible where God said the Father’s God. The Son is God, John 8:58. Last week we saw Jesus said – Before Abraham was I am. And the Holy Spirit’s God, Acts 5:3-5, Acts 5:3-5. And it says that ah, Peter says that this guy not only lied to the Holy Spirit but he lied to God. You have to read the story. This guy lied to the Holy Spirit and then as Peter said – You didn’t lie, you didn’t lie to man. You lied to God, the Holy Spirit. And he dropped dead because he lied and fear gripped the church because 1 guy lied and he died.
Can you imagine if every time someone lied they died? Can you imagine if every time someone committed sexual sin we take them outside and stone them? Ooh! It got quiet up in here!
#3-All 3 Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together. Let me give you an illustration. You see land development going on all around San Diego whether it be, we saw on Friars Rd IKEA Center and all the apartments across the street. Wherever you live there’s land development. They’re cutting down mountains, putting up land.
When I first moved to California, ah San Diego I lived in Rancho Penasquitos and if you drove north on 15 on the right side Carmel Mtn. Ranch there was nothing but weeds, nothing but grass. Scripps Poway Parkway wasn’t there. That road wasn’t there. There was nothing there but grass but 20-30 years ago someone bought all that land and they waited. We’re buying our building from the Mc Millen Co., Corky Mc Millen. Those guys got vision and patience. They’ll buy thousands of acres and wait decades because they know one day they’re gonna be able to develop it.
So let me paint this picture: 3 people in the company. 1 guy he sees the vision and he develops the master plan and he buys the land. Another guy comes and executes a contract to purchase the land and begin construction. And then a 3rd guy comes and actually does the work. Are you with me? 1 guy has the master plan, the master vision. Another guy comes and executes the contract and then another guy comes and heads up the actual work process.
God the Father executes the plan, has the plan, the vision. Jesus Christ comes down and executes the contract with His blood on the cross. And then He leaves and He sends the Holy Spirit to do work in out heart.
Now I’m not trying to put God in a box because God is so much bigger than what I just described but these are somewhat distinct roles because God the Father is the one with the plan. Christ is the one who died. The Holy Spirit didn’t die and when Christ leaves He sends the Holy Spirit to do the work in our heart. It’s very important for us to understand. Why is it important for us to understand this? Because when you start praying you have to understand you are covered by 3 solid, complete God. 3 the # of completion. 1 in the front, 1 in the back, and 1 all over us is God and He’s working out His plan.
So look in your notes. The Father as almighty God, He establishes the plan. Do you know that God has a plan for your life right now? I mean a plan. Day 1, day 2, day 3, day 4, day 5. Here’s what I am gonna gift you with. Here is your circumstances. Here is how I would love to maximize my talents to your life. He has a plan and all your problems are part or and the solution to your problem is all part of that plan.
#2-Son as mediator He Jesus executes the plans contract in blood. God’s plan was I see man on earth, sinful, helpless, hopeless, doomed to destruction. The bible says all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and because of our sin we will die. That’s a fact. God saw that dilemma. We have a dilemma. We are doomed to die. Every single one of us in here will die. None of us believe we won’t. Because of our sin! So God developed a plan that somebody from the Godhead has to go down and die in our place. Well God said Holy Spirit can’t go cuz no one will see Him. Jesus I guess you got to go. You get the little straw. He’s like – Man I got to go down there and die. So Christ comes down as part of the plan, lives 33 years, performs miracles. He’s the image of the invisible God, shows everybody who God is, teaches about God.
Matter of fact next week we’re gonna talk about did Jesus, how, how……. Next week. You all laugh, you’re the only ones laughing at it. Next week we’re gonna talk about, well I’m gonna talk about you all are gonna listen about um how many ways Christ said He was God.
So He came down and demonstrated God to us. Logos, He represented the rational truth of God through what He said, what He did, how He spoke, worship He received, etc., etc., etc. and then He died, rose and left and left the opportunity open to us to receive the Holy Spirit that He would send.
So God had the plan. Christ came down and executed the contract and made a contract with whoever would express faith in Him as Savior, He would give them the Holy Spirit and then forgive their sin. That’s the plan.
So 3rd, the Holy Spirit as helper He implements the plan and seals it by sealing it with His presence.
And here you are today knowing that God has a plan for your life. Jesus died for you and the Holy Spirit’s just waiting in the wings to fill you with His life, transform your life. He’s just waiting. And Christ is like praying for you. The bible says He’s praying for you day and night and the bible says that the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf. When you pray the Holy Spirit prays for you with groanings which cannot be uttered. You’re praying – Dear God please get me a new car and the Holy Spirit’s going (roaring) and God’s hearing the Holy Spirit say – They really got a self esteem problem and the car is not the answer. What the answer is they need to experience the living God. I’m telling you fact cuz if you ever go to a counselor the only thing the counselor helps you do is realize how simple you are so you can repent or get help. That’s what counselors do. They just reveal who you are and it’s really good for us to know how we are sinful so we can pray for it and deal with it instead of walking in denial.
So they had these different roles. You are so covered. God paid, Christ, God had a perfect plan. Jesus gave the perfect payment and the Holy Spirit has the perfect implementation. We’re covered if you only would trust God.
#4-All 3 affirm Jesus is God. All 3 affirm Jesus is God. When Jesus was baptized His Father said – This is my Son who, with whom I am well pleased. The Holy Spirit’s role, one of the Holy Spirit’s role is to glorify Christ as God and of course Jesus said He was God.
Now let’s look at how Jesus acts as mediator cuz now we see Christ as part of a threesome. We see Christ has a specific role as mediator in that threesome. We see that God has the perfect plan. Christ is the perfect mediator and Holy Spirit is the perfect implementer.
Let’s look at 3 things Christ did. 1-Jesus fulfills the Father’s will and encourages us to do the same. One of the things Christ does He came down to do the will of the Father. Here’s the interesting thing about God, Jesus as God. Even though He’s God, He came down and submitted to the Father. Listen to this: Even though Christ is God, He came down and He submitted to the Father. Why would God submit to anything? Well He’s submitting to God. But He came in submission. Why? Many reasons but one is to be an example to us.
Look what it says in chapter 26, Matthew 26:36, 26:36 it says – Jesus, verse 26:36. Jesus came with them to the place of Gethsemane and said – Sit here while I go and pray. He’s getting ready to be betrayed and crucified.
If you saw the Passion movie, this is the scene that started the movie. He’s in the garden praying.
He took with Him Peter and the 2 sons of Zebedee and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. And He said – Why, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death. Stay here while I watch, and watch with me and pray with me. He went a little further, fell on His face and prayed – Oh Father if it is possible let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless not I, as I will but as you will. Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, says – What, could you not watch with me for 1 hour? Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. A second time He said – oh my Father if this cup cannot pass away from me, unless I drink it. Your will be done. He came and found them asleep again. Verse 44 – He went and He prayed a third time.
How many times? Isn’t that interesting? 3 times He prayed again.
And He came to His disciples and said – Are you still sleeping?
Each time He prayed do you know what He prayed? Listen to what God is doing. And the reason I say God is because if God did it how much more should you and I do it? He’s praying. He’s praying! Do you pray? Do you pray? I’m not talking about going around – dear God, help me (mumbling to yourself) and I don’t like this God. What’s going? No, no, no get on your knees, not distractions, bible in your hand, pen and paper. That’s not biblical that you do that but that will help you and seek God! That’s what He’s doing.
#1-Not only is He praying, He’s praying because there’s something He’s getting ready to do that He don’t want to do. Do you ever feel like God’s making you go through something you don’t want to go through? Say amen. All the time! Guess what? So! Now I don’t want to be sarcastic but I do want to be sarcastic because we make such a big deal about getting our way and when we don’t get our way it’s like the end of the world. Please!
I was talking to somebody the other day about following God no matter what. Just do it! And I was telling her – you know when you are in athletics and you are training to make a team or for a specific goal, the concept of training when you feel like is not even a thought. You don’t train when you feel like it. You train! There is no when I feel like it. That doesn’t, that doesn’t, that’s not even a consideration where I grew up it was 20 below it’s cold out. And? It’s raining. And? It’s snowing. And? You get boots. You get gloves. You get a hat.
My point is this doing something because it’s convenient or painless or enjoyable is completely irrelevant to the kingdom of God. God has not promised to make your life comfortable. No where in the bible does God promise that. He promised trials, guarantees trials but He also guarantees He’s gonna walk through you, through them with you.
So here’s Christ saying = Watch me church, watch me. That’s what He’s saying. I’m praying. I’m gonna go through something I don’t want to go through. It’s gonna kill me. Very painful. I’m gonna be beaten. I’m gonna be nailed. I’m gonna be, my, my beard is gonna be pulled. I’m gonna be whipped. I’m gonna be stuck with a spear. I’m gonna have thorns in my head and my mom’s gonna watch the whole thing. I’m gonna, that’s what I’m gonna go through. Watch church and I am submitting to the Father. That’s what He did.
Now I want you to do the same thing. Christianity 101, period. Wherever you’re at right now in your life, that’s God’s message to you. Trust the plan because in the end the plan works out. God’s plan is not to, God’s plan is not designed to have you avoid difficulty. Oh no. It’s designed to have you go through difficulty and grow through difficulty. That’s the plan. So if you’re, if you’re having some hard times right now, you need to just chill. As this one lady used to say to me – Relax your package and just say – God I trust the plan.
So Jesus says – Hey, Jesus’ job, one of His, to do the Father’s will and encourage us to do the same.
#2-He relies on the Holy Spirit power. Luke 4, Luke 4, Luke 4, Luke.
You’re in Matthew, Mark, Luke. Don’t go all the way back to the beginning. Just 2 more books. Matthew, Mark and Luke. Everyone say Matthew, Mark and Luke. Say Luke, I am your father. Luke 4:1, Luke 4:1, Luke 4:1 it says – Jesus being filled with the what? Woo filled with the holy ghost returned from the Jordan after He was baptized by John.
Remember He was baptized by John and the Spirit came down out of heaven and lighted on Him and the Father’s voice said – This is my Son with whom I am well pleased. And it says – Listen to Him and then it says = He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
Christ as an example to us relied on the Holy Spirit. As an example to us relied on the Holy Spirit and by the way all of His miracles, everything He has done was done by the same Spirit available to you and me. Same Spirit. One of the reasons He did all that stuff was to be an example to us. When He was tempted by the devil what’d He use? The word of God. He didn’t just reveal His glory to the devil which could have killed the devil. He used the word of God. Why? Because that’s what we can do. It’s an example to us. He has the, He relied on the same Spirit available to you and me.
#3-Jesus promises to send that same Spirit to you and me. He promises to send. God the Father has the plan. Man is sinful. Man is doomed. Jesus please go down, die on the cross for them. Pay for their sin. I’m gonna bring you back. Then I’m gonna send the Holy Spirit down to change their life.
Wherever you’re at in your journey with God know this one thing that God has executed the contract and it is ready for you to implement in your life. As soon as you say – Lord I want you to forgive me, done! No more negotiating. Done! The Holy Spirit comes.
John, you’re in Luke, next book is John. Turn to John 16, John 16 and we’re gonna end right here. John 16.
Are you guys following me? If you’re not following me say amen. I’ll pray for you. Lord we pray for those people who aren’t following.
John 16:7, 7 it says verse 7 – Nevertheless I tell you the truth. Everyone say truth. The word in truth in Greek in the New Testament was written in Greek is alethia. Now there are many words for different words like the word love has 3 words for love. The word truth only has 1 word. Now why is that significant? Because one is the, one is the number of complete unity and independence. The truth, there’s not different stages of truth. There’s only 1 truth, 1 word for it. It’s very simple, that which is true. Boom! Just a little nugget for you, a little something, something. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. Everyone say truth. It is to your advantage that I go away. This is Jesus speaking. If I do not go away the Helper will not come to you. Everyone say helper. But if I do depart I will send Him to you. Say him. The helper is a him. It’s not a man, it’s a him.
Verse 8 – When He comes He will convict the world of sin and unrighteousness and of judgment. Whenever you feel guilty it is God convicting you of your sin. Jesus says – I will come and die. I will come and rise. I’ve conquered death. Now I hold the keys to life and I’m gonna go to heaven and I’m gonna send the Holy Spirit and whoever wants salvation the Holy Spirit will come and convict you of sin.
Matter of fact if you’ve ever asked Christ into your heart you may feel convicted now. The Holy Spirit’s wooing you. God calls you to Himself by loving you, not by beating you on the head cuz if He beats you on the head you’ll die. He loves you. The Holy Spirit.
Let’s keep reading. Verse 13 – When He comes, everyone say he, the spirit of truth has come. He will guide you into all truth.
That means He’s gonna show you what’s right and wrong. You ever, you ever do something that you always do but then one time you do it and you feel bad about it? And you think why do I feel bad about this? I’ve done this a thousand times. Anybody? Yes? You know why that is? Say no. I have a low self-esteem. I want you to think I need you. It’s, it’s because God reveals our sin to us a little bit at a time. He says – You know what? That was rude. And then you say – I do that all the time. And He says – You’re always rude. And you say – I am? He goes- Yeah and there’s a whole lot of other stuff I ain’t telling you. Let’s just deal with this one for right now. He’s the Spirit of truth.
When you read the bible, you ever read the bible and you read it and read it and you read something over that you’ve read 5 times and you go – Oh I never saw that before? Thank you. That’s because God the Spirit of truth goes bloop. Whenever someone tells a joke and you hear the joke and you hear it and hear it and then the punch line comes and you laugh. And if I tell the joke, I don’t really tell jokes, I’m just funny. But if you say something like in a group of this size, you hear different people laugh at different times because they get it at different times. And Sometimes you may get it when you’re driving home. Your brain is trying to figure it out and then when your brain figures it out it goes – ah-ha-ha-ha-ha. You ever see those people when they never laugh? They go – That’s so funny. But they never laugh!
That process of discovery of truth, that process of discovery of the punch line is a process, it’s a psychological process. God and I’m guessing on this, when you’re reading the bible He accelerates that and shows you spiritual principle and you go – Wow I never saw that, because you were blind to it before spiritually and mentally. He speeds that up and you go – I get it. That’s the Holy Spirit of truth.
Let’s keep reading. Verse 13 – However when He comes, the spirit of truth, He will guide you in all truth and He will not speak on His own authority but whatever He hears He will speak and He will tell you the things to come. What? Because He is submitted to the Father. Verse 14 – He will glorify me, Christ for He will take what is mine and declare it to you. All things the Father has are mine therefore I said that He will take what is mine and declare it to you.
The Holy Spirit comes and says – Let me show you Jesus. Holy Spirit comes and says – let me show you what the bible says. Holy Spirit comes and says – Let me show you how to change that in your life. Let me empower you to change that in your life. And you’re like – Yes, yes thank you God. Thank you God. Thank you God. And the more you trust in Him and then when you go through hard times the Holy Spirit says – Don’t worry about it. The Father got a plan and I’m here with you and Christ is praying for you. We got you covered. And if you keep trusting in Him you will see Him implement His plan in your life through the Holy Spirit giving you the desire to do what’s right. Christ as the mediator is part of that. Holy Spirit’s in us praying on our behalf, Christ praying for us, God implementing His plan. We are so safe in the Lord and unsafe without Him because without Him you’re saying – Holy Spirit, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I’m gonna take you on. You don’t want to do that because you know one of the things the Holy Spirit does, it confirms everything Jesus said.
Matter of fact when Jesus was on the mount of transfiguration the Father yelled from heaven, yelled, He spoke from heaven – This is my Son with whom I am well pleased. And you know what He says? Hear Him. You know what He meant? Believe what He says. Hmm, when He tells you that He’s the I am, believe Him. When He tells you to repent of your sin, believe Him. When He tells you He’s coming back with His angels to judge, believe Him. When He tells you there’s a hell where there’s weeping and gnashing of teeth, believe Him. But when He tells you He’s gonna die for your sin, rise from the dead, change your life, believe Him.
I used to do cocaine for a year and a half. I did marijuana 8 years before that. I was a pothead. Me! I was a pothead. I looked in the mirror all the time and say – You, you. I think of stuff I did, bad, bad, bad things for 24 years that God would forgive me of all that? (Click of fingers) like that, like that. Same thing for you.
We’re gonna pray in a minute. If you want Christ to forgive you, this is your day. It’s part of God’s plan. Don’t worry on how you figure it out. Just do it. Let’s all bow our heads and pray.
Lord Jesus we thank you so much for your faithfulness. We thank you for your goodness. We thank you for the fact that you love us and have a plan that is better than we can imagine. We thank you that your plan is so good it gives us the reassurance we don’t have to worry about figuring it out. We can just trust it. And Lord I pray for the people in here that have never asked you to be their Savior that they would now by faith consider their relationship with you.
If you’ve never asked Christ to be your Savior, if you’ve never been forgiven, today is the day of salvation the bible says. If you would like Jesus to forgive you, the Holy Spirit to fill you, God to implement His plan in your life, if you would like to become His child, I want to challenge you to pray a prayer with me in the privacy of your heart and as you pray you must believe these things to be true. All the things we’ve been talking about, that God does indeed love you and He is excited about accepting you as His child. If you would like Christ to forgive you, in the privacy of your heart pray:
Dear God, please forgive me of my sin. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Please begin to implement your plan in my heart. I accept Jesus as my Savior and my Lord this morning. Thank you God.
As our eyes are closed and our heads are bowed in a minute I’m gonna ask you to stand to your feet if you prayed that prayer and by standing to your feet you are yes in public saying – Yes Jesus is my Lord. You are saying in public – Yes I have received His forgiveness. So as our eyes are closed and our heads are bowed if you prayed that prayer and you’re saying – Yes Lord please forgive me, this morning just stand to your feet and acknowledge His forgiveness in your life. Stand to your feet and acknowledge that He has, God bless you. Stay standing please. God bless you. Good. God bless you. God bless you. Very good. God bless you. This morning God, stay standing please, God is saying to you – I want to forgive you. God bless you. Very good. Very good. This is a good thing, very good. God bless you. Very good. God bless you. Anybody else? God has said to you – I’ve been loving you since before the foundations of the earth. Please let me love you. Stay standing please. Good. God bless you. God bless you. Anybody else? Good. Good. Your heart’s pounding, you’re sweating, that’s cuz God is excited. Anybody else? Stand to your feet. Good. Good, very good, very good, very good. We see you. Good, good.
Now we’re gonna ask all you who are standing to do one more thing. The bible says the jus shall walk by faith. As we welcome you to the family of God we want all of you to step out of your seat and come down here to the altar and let’s give them a hand as they come on down. Come down here to the altar. Who’s the man this morning? Amen, amen! Amen! You just face me, face me. Ok? Right there good. God bless you. God bless you. you can stand right next to her. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. Amen, amen, amen, amen! Amen, amen, amen, amen! God bless you. Jesus! God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you.
God cannot lie. It is against His nature and He says that if you confess, He will forgive you. He said if you confess He will remember your sin no more. He would give you His Holy Spirit and when He comes back HE will come and get you. That’s a fact. If it’s not true, we’re wasting our time. It’s true. God has forgotten everything and He has a plan. When you look at our lives and you think – Man how can God fix all that? He’s got a plan cuz God can raise the dead. There’s nothing He can’t do. He can take your whole life and do that in a blink of an eye. We see that happen in our lives. Amen? He does it all the time. That’s what He does! So you are in good hands. God has a plan. Jesus executes the contract and the Holy Spirit now is gonna walk with you for the rest of your lives. Amen?
Next week we’re gonna talk about who Jesus said HE was. Please bring all the bible critics you know, all the people who say Jesus is not God, bring them. If you can get them here. Amen? Let’s pray for them and then we’re gonna ask you all to follow, who they following? That lady right there.
Lord, we thank you for all these people who have come forward. We thank you for their faith and their courage. Lord we pray you bless them. Honor their faith and their courage. Transform their lives and pray we can be faithful and acknowledge the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and the work they do on our behalf. In Jesus’ name, amen!
