Got Jesus?
Thesis: The answer to the question Got Jesus? Will determine your eternal destiny and whether you are written in the Lambs book of life.
Video Illustration: Got Jesus? From Video Impact
It¡¦s a video clip of a man standing on a bridge getting ready to bungee jump. He jumps off the bridge and the camera focuses on the bungee and it shows it is untied to the bridge. We then hear a thump and the questions come up ¡§Got Jesus?¡¨
The implication of the clip is, ¡§Are you ready?¡¨ if death came knocking at your door. Where would you go up or down? What is your eternal destiny?
Texts:
č John 1:4
ƒç ¡§In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.¡¨
č John 3:15
ƒç ¡§¡KEveryone who believes in Him may have eternal life.¡¨
Introduction:
The time in which we live makes many people wonder if we are in the last days. Listen to this report from Last day Ministries. Read Report on the 6th Trumpet.
Even the media has been picking up on this idea of the last days. Even a teacher in a local school asked me what I thought about the world¡¦s timeframe. He wanted to know if I thought we were at the 6th trumpet blast spoken about in Revelation chapter 9. Others have asked me ¡§Are we very close to Jesus coming back?¡¨ ¡§Is this the horrific war spoken about in Revelation 9 were 1/3 of the world¡¦s population will be destroyed by fire, smoke and sulfur?¡¨
I do find it interesting that recently the Left Behind Series has sky rocketed in popularity and in essence is communicating the truth about the end times. Is it coincidence? Or is God preparing the world for its final days?
I have heard many preachers saying something is in the air. Many who are actually prophesying that the end will come within years and the Irag War is just the beginning of it all. So we come back to the question ¡§Got Jesus?¡¨ If the end were to happen tomorrow would you be ready?
That is the question of the moment,¡¨ If you were to die in an accident like the man in our video do you have Jesus to give you eternal life? If Jesus was to come back tomorrow would you go with Him? Or would you run away from Him? It¡¦s a matter of the heart ¡V Do you got Jesus? I mean really know Jesus? I mean have an intimate personal relationship with Him? I am not asking if you know about Him but do you know Him? I¡¦m not asking if you have religion but do you have Jesus?
The truth is if you Got Jesus then you have everything you need to make it in this life and in the next life. Let¡¦s see what we get when we Got Jesus:
Note all the pictures in my power point today were created by Woody Walters. He is the artist who did our pictures on the back wall. Woody has given me permission to use these slides in our message today. To see more of his pictures you can go to WoodyWalters.org.
I. When you Got Jesus you have Life - eternal life.
a. Slide one of the pictures of the child sent from Heaven by Woody.
i. John 1:4 ¡§In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.¡¨
ii. John 3:15 ¡§¡KEveryone who believes in Him may have eternal life.¡¨
b. What is eternal life?
i. It means that you will live in Heaven for ever- let me say that word again ¡V forever- forever- you will not taste the eternal punishment of Hell and torment.
ii. It means you will live in a place where there is no sin-no evil-no war.
iii. It¡¦s a place that is ruled by love.
iv. It¡¦s a great place to spend eternity.
c. But to get there you must have Jesus! So do you ¡§Got Jesus?¡¨
II. The second reason you need Jesus is so you really have a rewarding and fulfilling life.
a. Slide two of the picture of the life of Jesus with Mary and Baby Jesus at the center of it by Woody Walters.
i. John 10:10 ¡§The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.¡¨
ii. John 20:31 ¡§But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ , the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.¡¨
b. Truth is no one really lives who does not have Jesus. They just exist. But they really do not live!
i. Barna¡¦s report from Grow You Church From The Outside says- The unchurched are looking for the missing link in their life. That missing link is Jesus Christ.
1. It is not Religion its Jesus! Big difference!
a. Religion says you do it ¡V Jesus says I did it!
2. Life comes from Jesus not from what this world has to offer.
a. This world offers not eternal rewards only heart- aches where as Jesus offers eternal rewards.
3. You see this world is controlled by the thief the enemy and if you do not have Jesus you belong to the thief- His name is Satan ¡V Destroyer! Killer! Murderer! Rapper!
III. The third you reason you need Jesus is he is the one that will deliver you and heal you from the wounds of this life.
a. Slide Three is the picture by Woody Walters where Jesus¡¦ back is whipped.
i. I Peter 2:21-25:21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.22 ¡§He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.¡¨23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
ii. Isaiah 53:
1 Who has believed our message?
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the LORD¡¦S will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
IV. The fourth reason you need Jesus is to receive his healing touch.
a. Slide four has a picture of Jesus laying hands on the Blind man and healing his sight.
i. Mark 8:22-26:
21He said to them, ¡§Do you still not understand?¡¨
22They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man¡¦s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, ¡§Do you see anything?¡¨
24He looked up and said, ¡§I see people; they look like trees walking around.¡¨
25Once more Jesus put his hands on the man¡¦s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26Jesus sent him home, saying, ¡§Don¡¦t go into the village.¡¨
ii. Matthew 14:35, 36: 35And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.
iii. Mark tells us that Jesus is the ultimate physician. The truth is when you find yourself limited in what doctors and medicine can do you need to learn to go to Jesus for a healing touch. A miracle.
1. He still does miracles.
2. He has touched people right here at New Life with healing miracles.
3. Do you need a healing touch let us pray for you and invite Jesus to touch you.
iv. Matthew teaches us that if you reach out and touch Jesus his healing power can surge through your body and heal you.
1. So go ahead reach our and touch Him!
V. The fifth reason you must have Jesus is that when you blow it- make mistakes- fall into sin you actually have someone their to intercede for you when you ask for forgiveness.
a. Slide five has a picture from Woody Walters were Jesus is praying for us interceding to the father on our behalf.
i. I John 2:1, 2: ¡§My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.¡¨
ii. Jesus promises us that he will be our advocate to the Father when we blow it. He will stand in the gap if we are genuinely sorry for what we have done.
1. He is here right now to get you off the hook if you ask Him!
VI. The sixth reason you must get Jesus is that he is the one that will strengthen you to persevere in this life to the end.
a. Slide 6 shows Jesus enduring the cross for us. Yes, He completed that task assigned to Him from the Father.
i. Since he endured and succeeded He promises us that he will enable us to endure to the end as well.
ii. He promises to make us strong in the areas were we are weak.
1. 2 Timothy 2:11-13: ¡§Here is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.¡¨
iii. Need strength to continue on today! Get Jesus!
1. Ask him to strengthen you right now! Pray for help He¡¦s listening --He¡¦s here-- He will!
VII. The 7th reason we must get Jesus is so we can die to self and be free.
a. Slide 7 shows through Woody¡¦s picture of the power of the cross to free us from our own selves.
i. Truth is many of us need to be delivered from ourselves.
ii. Truth is we are killing ourselves and we cannot stop without His divine intervention.
iii. Luke 9:2: ¡§Then he said to them all: ¡¥If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.¡¨
iv. Matthew 10:38: ¡§And anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.¡¨
b. The cross is what we need. The truth is we need to throw ourselves on to it so we actually become set free.
i. We need to let go of our EGO- our self to really be free!
ii. Let¡¦s be free in 2003!
c. Slide 8 and the two pictures of Woody reveal --The cross as the bridge to freedom. Jesus made the bridge for us. All we have to do is to accept his invitation to cross over from self-centeredness to self-denial and then experience true freedom.
VIII. The 8th reason we need Jesus is so we can be resurrected with Jesus into Heaven.
a. Slide 9 portrays the picture of the power of the Resurrection of Jesus.
i. Romans 6:5-7: ¡§If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.¡¨
ii. Truth is anyone who has dies with Christ is free and when they are free they are resurrected to eternal life with Jesus.
1. They are raised from the dead and given a resurrected life.
IX. The 9th reason we must get Jesus is because he is the beginning and the end of everything.
a. Slide 10 reveals this through Woody¡¦s picture of power to be their in the end. He is not going anywhere!
b. Revelation 1:8:¡§I am the Alpha and the Omega,¡¨ says the Lord God, ¡§who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.¡¨
c. I Thess. 5:2: ¡§For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.¡¨
d. He was there at the beginning of time and he will be there at the end of time!
X. The tenth reason you need Jesus is judgment is coming- sooner than you think!
a. Slide 11 shows the picture by Woody of Judgment Day.
i. See Revelation Chapter 20 ¡V See slides 12, 13, 14 all pictures by Woody.
ii. Revelation 20: 11-12: ¡§Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.¡¨
iii. Note especially Revelation 20:13: ¡§The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in it, and each person was judged according to what he had done.¡¨
iv. Revelation 20:14, 15: ¡§Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone¡¦s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.¡¨
v. This not a fairy tale my friend this is in your future and having Jesus is the best way to face it.
XI. This leads us to the 11th reason why you need Jesus it¡¦s because his path is the only way to Heaven! The only way to get a good report at Judgment Day is with Jesus.
a. Slide 15 has the picture by Woody of the only path to the gate of Heaven and to God¡¦s presence without Judgment and that is the path laid out by Jesus. It goes over the cross there is no other way.
i. John 14:6: ¡§Jesus answered, ¡¦I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.¡¦¡¨
ii. Matthew 7:13, 14: ¡§Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.¡¨
iii. There is NO other way to Heaven it¡¦s only through the Resurrected Jesus- the only one in history who defeated death and sin.
XII. This leads us to the crucial point of this whole message, it¡¦s your move!
a. Slide 16 reveals Woody¡¦s picture of the chess game of life.
i. It¡¦s your move!
1. Matthew 3:19, ¡§Come Follow Me,¡¨ Jesus said¡K¡¨
2. Revelation 19:11-16
3. ¡§I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a White horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True¡KThe armies of Heaven were following him¡K.¡¨
ii. I have tried to walk you through the reasons why you need Jesus but it ultimately falls upon you to decide if you want Him or not to get through Judgment Day.
1. You have the ability to say No to Him but remember he will say No to you when you want to go to Heaven.
2. That¡¦s what Revelation teaches us. It¡¦s His way or No way! You choose!
Conclusion:
Our last slide is a picture of Uncle Sam with Jesus over laid on top and the truth of this picture is Jesus wants you in His army.
He is asking you to join. He wants you to inherit eternal life and not eternal damnation.
He wants you to say ¡§Yes!¡¨
Will you say, ¡§Yes!¡¨
Let us Pray!
