The Real Jesus Doesn’t Burn

Carter Conlon from the historic Times Square Church in New York City because I don't want you to burn in the fire.

I don't want you to find out at some point in the Jesus that you have embraced is not the real Christ. There's a lot of bill the Jesus ministries in this generation.

Build your own image of God come from Times Square Church in New York City were glad you with us today on a call to the nation in first Corinthians 312 we read if anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones would hay or straw. Their work will be shown for what it is. This shows us that each one's work will be tested by fire, and on today's program. Carter will remind us that trial will test the Jesus you believe in the real Jesus doesn't use the title of today's message here is Carter chapter 3, beginning at verse 10 pulses, according to the grace of God which was given to me as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on. But let each one take heed how he builds on for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver and precious stones would hay and straw each one's work will become clear for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test everyone's work, of what sort it is only possible essay I have brought to you the real Jesus, I have laid the foundation of truth for you as the people of God and of course knowing Paul would understand that at the center core of all of the theology that he wrote down the gospel is this this underlying principle that Christ will not forsake you that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me all things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to his purpose and he also writes in the end of Romans is that I'm I'm persuaded that there's nothing that can come against any of God's people can separate us from the love of God pulses I brought to the real Jesus the real Jesus will not fail you. He will not forsake you the real Jesus is not some fair weather friend will take off when things get tough. As a matter fact will walk with you through the fire through the trial. Whatever it is that you're about to face or whatever you're going to have to go through the promises is going to go with you. Now we are as a society entering the season very similar to the ones which people of previous times of had the pastor there. There are seasons throughout history where the world itself becomes hostile lilies the world around us becomes hostile to the truth of God to the word of God to the presence of God and ultimately to the people of God, the prophet Isaiah in chapter 59 of Isaiah verses four and 13 and 15 says these words he said no one calls for justice know this is the season. Isaiah is talking about were the people of God are about to come under a persecution was going to be a justice in the sense come into the land because they they have built casually and in a great measure falsely with the truth of God's word that has been conveyed to them in Isaiah 59 verse four he says this is a social condition unknown calls for justice, nor does any plea for truth. They trust in empty words and they speak lies in the conceived evil and bring forth iniquity. Verse 13 and transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing from our God speaking oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering from the heart. Words of falsehood is that describe our day were lying as the bounding it's it's unbelievable how people live now, you can't believe almost anything or anybody now when they speak. It's just absolutely astounded.

Justice is turned back and righteousness stands a far off for truth is fallen in the streets and equity cannot enter the truth fails and he would depart from evil makes himself a prayer. Isaiah is talking about a season that the people of God had to go through in the past where truth became a matter of personal opinion and absolute truth is rejected, the standard of truth was thrown out. This is the only standard of truth about when you throw the Bible out. You have no more a standard of truth and is as Romans chapter 1 warns one when any nation feels falsely with this truth and throws it out of the borders there given over to a depraved mind and they begin to do everything that the sinful heart of man is always long to do.

Apart from God's restriction on his or her life and begins to call that which is unholy holy and begins to call that which is good, evil, and not only that, but it's a time where the culture itself turns against those who believe that God's word is the standard of truth. You know that for fact many here today. You know you can't speak the truth of God's word in the workplace as soon as you open your mouth and start speaking the standard of God's truth.

You're now a divider you know hater you know an unwanted person you're now in danger in the sense of even losing your employment people. People will walk away from you the you will be marginalized to be the you see, Isaiah said it comes to the place in a society where or truth falls into the street. Truth fails to depart from evil become a prey. In other words, the society itself attacks the people of God who hold to the standard of truth. It's in the word of God. Whoever departs from evil becomes a prayer. In other words, that the symbolism is a lamina field in the lion is going to devour that. That's the symbolism of what is talking about when you when you turn you find yourself turned against turned on, you find yourself in in in a sense devoured by the mouths of people around you who have abandoned truth and they're now walking and that in a lie and they believe the lie is true now. Sadly, the word of God warns that the true gospel will be attacked in the last days, both from without and from within the professing church and that's it. That's a sad reality and know a lot of people don't realize that the gospel has been attacked for a few decades in this nation we just waking up and beginning to realize what's been happening.

Paul said in second Timothy chapter 4, to his young protégé, Tim, and Timothy said verse one I charge you, therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom preach the word be ready in season and out of season. In other words pulses the timid. It is a time when the audience is going to be receptive and is a time when your audience is going to be hostile to the truth, but be ready. Don't compromise keep preaching the truth convince, renew, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires because they have itching ears they will keep up for themselves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth and returned inside the fables. Now the interesting thing about turning aside the fables. It doesn't necessarily mean lives in the Greek when you look up the word is a word that's used for fables. It really just means stories good stories that and in many of these stories have a moral actually to them and they can actually bring you to tears I stand here today and tell you a story about maybe my grandmother, my grandfather, it would really move your heart might even bring you to tears, but folks, it's not the word of God. It has no power to transform your life, you can memorize my grandmother story, but it will not transform you and see that there will be this lust for entertainment in the house of God.

And so the people. Many of the people will begin to gather to storytellers, not preachers of the gospel anymore, but people just tell my stories that make people laugh and make them feel good about themselves and you walk out and it's just it's a momentary pleasure map with it that way.

But there's no transforming power in it is not the word of God. They will turn their ears away from the word of God and returned into places where there told stories that make them feel good and entertain them. Paul says in second Corinthians chapter 11 verses three and four. He said to the Corinthian church, but I fear less somehow, as the serpent deceived by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ is a craftiness he comes in it's it's deviating the people of God away from the truths of the word of God that really matter repacked baptize receive the Holy Ghost.

If you could fully acknowledge those three truths that can transform your life.

It can take you into a place of fruitfulness in God and bring you into place for your carried by the spirit of God through whatever it is that you're going to have to go through because Oliver's forest is for a few comes and preaches another Jesus, we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received or a different gospel which you have not accepted you may well put up with Paulson. I fear for you Corinthian church.

I fear for you being so open to entertainment that somebody might come and present to another Jesus, and you might say well this is really a good idea. I kind of like this, Jesus, you know, there's a there's a story it's it's it's it's a marketing store but you find it in malls all through throughout the country. Now it's called build the Bears and ever heard of that build a bear. I actually went there with the some of my grandchildren one time and it's it's it's fun to build a bear that you get the bear that's what you do if you don't know any better, you can you can go to listen, and it gives you the steps to building a bear so you go into the build a bear scar on the first thing you have to do is take an image pick an image of a bear, in a sense that appeals to you is not amazing in the last two decades that a lot of churches have just been franchise operations for building Jesus you come into the church and you pick an image of Jesus that you you like you find it palatable. That's why you go to the mall, you go to the store that you want to go for the image of the Jesus that you want to follow member Paul said I warned you. Somebody might come and bring out and another image of Jesus, and you might very well bear with it. You might think this is a great idea. I was preaching at a conference one time and it was a very large conference. It was in the stadium and arena and in between sessions, I decided to just go unsaid among the people. So I just went up in the bleachers and I found a seat and I sat down next to some people and the gentleman was on my right hand. He leaned over to me as an excesses, beginning and he said to me he said I can't listen to you preach. I can't listen to have to shut my ears when you get up and preach in and normally I would just leave that seat and maybe find another seat but I found it curious. I leaned over to Melissa and why can't you hear me speak because I had been up and just with an impassioned presentation for encouragement for people to give their full lives to Christ. And here he said to me said that my Jesus notes it's always a little bit about when somebody says my Jesus you better examine that is the not is the right Jesus.

He said my Jesus would never raise his voice that interesting.

I miss it when he went in the temple and the overthrew the tables of the money changers.

They made aware of any any animals that you think you might have raised his voice when he did that and I said 21 E. 27 the hillside and there's like 10,000 people there that he was going to feed and he spoke to them, how do you think you might've had to raise his voice to speak to the people I said so why do you have an issue with a Jesus that raises his voice and he didn't answer me to stared straight ahead, then the Holy Spirit revealed it to me and I looked at him, as did your father yell at you and he said he yelled at me every day of my life. My father was a screamer and a yeller in our home and I said so you are trying to build a Jesus. That's not like your father.

I said be careful of the seas is your building.

I said because you might miss something that God is trying to speak your heart because the your image you chose an image of Jesus, but it's it it might not might not correspond to try to be gentle but that's not what I didn't rebuke him or anything is that this might not correspond to the real Jesus will be careful with this Jesus that your building.

The second they could build a bear when you when you choose, he firsters the images all kinds embarrassing. Choose the one you like it appeals to you, then you get to choose the stuffing is that amazing get to choose the stuff that goes inside the spirit. Just like when you go to church to get pictures all the stuff that's that's inside the seas all the stuff that that that he is you get that you get performance is inside says it is and then chooses this what he chooses to see and doesn't see obviously build a bear, but it building. Jesus maybe overlooks sin. Yet to choose the honors of this building. Jesus then you get to choose his heart is not awesome. You get to put his heart inside and you get to kinda define what is hard you can even write stuff on the heart of your build a bear, and lastly and most importantly, you get to record your own voice and you put it inside the bear, so when you pull the string it says exactly what you wanted to say is that amazing this sounds a little bit like some of the doctrine is going around in this nation for a couple decades. You get to get to choose the image of Jesus, you get to put the stuff you know you get to choose the stuff that goes inside of him. You get to choose his eyes so that so that you know what he sees. This is what you wanted to see you get to choose his heart may be some of the parts of the Bible maybe seem a little too hard to get to eliminate that despite all the soft stuff in there all the nice words and all the kind words. None of the warnings about sin, not none of the things that maybe make you uncomfortable. You get to eliminate that and to get the right just good stuff on the heart and most importantly of all, you get to put your own voice that when you pull the string, the voice of Jesus sounds a lot like you build a Jesus in John chapter 14 verse six Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the father except through me. So you can't get to the father, through your own Jesus. No matter how hard you try you can you can do whatever you want, but there's only one Jesus and in John chapter 10 verses 29 and 30 thinking of the security of the true believer is as my father has given them to me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand. I and my father are one.

So he speaks of the security that is only found in the hand of God is not found in, and anything else in this world, but in the hand of God.

This promise that my father is greater than I. And I put them in my father's hand.

That means you. That means me, but you remember the Scripture says you can't get to the father's hand but through the real Jesus. There is no real security in this world. If you have in your heart a homemade Jesus a personal Jesus to build a bear. Jesus may call it that there is only one Jesus that will survive the coming fire and you and I are going to go into a season of trial we warned you from this pulpit for many many years and everything that God put on our hearts, years ago we were warning when the tech boom was making every so many people millionaires were warning when everything was going smoothly. We were warning because God was speaking to us about the days that we were about to experience as a nation, but today I want to tell you we are there and I were coming to those days we have entered those days the world as we know it is launching a wholesale and perhaps a final rebellion against the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The lawlessness is not going to get better. The lawlessness is going to get worse. The deception is going to get there is going to be a revulsion against Christ and against the people of God that will intensify until the Lord himself comes in returns and intervenes well living in the days that the Bible speaks about it is only the real Christ that will take you through. I speak as a pastor, former pastor of this church and I'm still have a pastor's heart, and I speak to you because I don't want you to burn in the fire.

I don't want you to find out at some point in the Jesus that you have embraced is not the real Christ.

It's a Christ of your own making a Christ of your own heart of all the sermon tasting that's out there on the Internet there's a lot of build the Jesus ministries in this generation and don't fall prey to them as Paul said, I'm sorry for you unconcern for those whose Christ is not the Christ. The Bible, the truth of God is not yet fully formed and you don't be led astray by these voices.

Build your own image of God.

God has an image you cannot alter it. You cannot change it. You cannot make it say what it doesn't say no matter how hard you try.

There is only one Jesus, now Paul says in going back to the original Scripture in first Corinthians chapter 3 according to the grace of God which was given to me as a wise master builder I laid the foundation, and another builds on soap pulses I've given you the foundation of truth I've given you the real Jesus and others including yourself. Go to start building on this foundation but he says let everyone take heed how he builds on it for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones would hear straw each one's work will become clear for the day will declare because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. Trial will test your Jesus trial will test the Jesus that you write all of III understand this from some of the past experiences in my own life. We've gone through fire.

Those you undergo an old historic you know that that's interesting. I've gone through fire. The loss of all things. We've gone through flood we gone through trial. We've gone through sickness but by the grace of God we had the real Jesus, by the grace of God the real Jesus is walk with us to the fire through the flood through the trauma to the sorrows of the heartaches to the musicians everything that came our way and everything that came to burn us couldn't burn us because the real Jesus doesn't burn in the real Jesus had us in the palm of the father sat God over relationship is taken down. God was a season where King told Nebuchadnezzar decided he was going to put an image of himself up it was going to command the people to bow down to this image and societies this insane urge in their heart from time to time to see what going to redefine the image of man were going to redefine the image of God and his voluntary worship.

It's going to be a mandatory worship. Now we sit at the time when you flew the heart of the leader of the psaltery, the Symphony with all kinds of music you will fall down and worship the golden image. The taking of the kidneys are set up and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

Does that sound like our day were falling men one more time. Since we will tell you what truth is, we will tell you what society should look like. We will tell you what the image of God is the image of man is and you will agree with us and will bend and bow and you'll do it our way down.

It's going to get exceedingly hot for you. There were three young men and they had jobs they they were sent over the affairs of the province of Babylon means they think they had a good income they had influence and authority, but suddenly in the midst of all this they had to make a choice. Do we bow to this other image or do we hold to the true image of God in the report came that these three young men refuse to bend and they refused to bow. They refused to bow to the cultural order of the day, they refused to bow to this new form of worship, and this new truth that was being conveyed among them and Nebuchadnezzar, the king called the minute he said, is a true Shadrach me shack and Abednego you do not serve my gods are worship the golden image which I have set up. If that is the case they sent our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us from your hand. Okay, but not let it be known to you will king that we do not serve your gods normally worship the golden image which you have set up so the king and his fury commanded the furnace heated seven times hotter.

It's amazing how nothing ever changes religious repeats itself were living in an age where there's an anger against the people of God and we are very coming soon to the borders of the time when we will be considered an impediment to the progress of the society will be considered expendable enemies in the sense of this new order that this world is now embracing which is in direct rebellion to the Lordship of Christ. So he bound them up and threw them in the fire fire so hot that it killed the people look through the men and then suddenly verse 25 he says to his counselors look I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they're not hurt in the form of the fourth is like the son of God and this is my point. The real Jesus doesn't burn them, nor do those who are in his hand.

The flame of fire could not touch them. Scripture says God sent his messenger delivered his servants who trusted in them in the trust of the kings frustrated the king's work, and yielded their bodies that they should not serve nor worship any god, except their own God and here we are today and we each have to make a decision. Who is it that were going to serve. Now if you're serving a builder Jesus then you probably will have no problem bowing your knee because your Jesus. When you pull the string will tell you it's okay you can do that but it's your own voice is not the voice of the son of God is your own selective truth. But if you make the choice to serve the living God. You see the end result of these three vendor name is it the laws of the land became changed and it's going to require in our generation people of God who will stand up will speak the truth will live for the living God and suffer whatever consequences they have suffered by God's grace will try. By God's grace will go over the finish line.

By God's grace we will walk with the real Jesus all the days of our life, doing a holiday you been listening to Carter Conlon from Times Square Church in New York City. For more information and resources to help you in your walk in Christ. Log onto TSC on NYC TSC.NYC, be sure to be with us next week for a call to the nation with