Jesus Christ: God With Us

Harvest podcasts featuring Pastor Greg Laurie are brought to you by harvest partners to receive Pastor Greg free online daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org good morning to all of you. Just a few quick announcements are one of the Ms. I was in San Diego this last week on Wednesday night, speaking the merit of the chapel for Ray Bentley. We show the love toy film does great place was packed out about 3000 people there. My son Jonathan gave his testimony. I spoke a little bit and we gave an invitation we saw hundred and 20 people make commitments to follow Christ.

So more joyous event.

Speaking of Jonathan Jonathan Lori sitting in the front row is 33 years old today at 23 I think they're in the study. 23 years old today.

So happy birthday Jonathan.

Make sure that you all hug him before he leaves the center especially if you're a young girl happy birthday to you caring the family.

In particular, there they they just started up oblivious to everyone else but the will doing them because it was a great idea. So happy birthday. Let's see here without oh Thursday nights and Orange counties going very well with tremendous first week of the second week going very great response and I think that some people up in a little concerned about even getting the seat there because the traffic is there so much traffic. The lot is so also were making sure that we have enough parking for everybody and if you haven't checked it out yet. It's every Thursday night.

I it's between jamboree and let's see Jean jamboree and what is it jamboree what my God, that's right jamboree in the God and it's between the five and the 405 freeway,.Avenue, 2777 the God you want to know more, go to our website harvest.org to find out, but that's every Thursday night and were going to the same series. There there were going through here, along with the greatest works of been on the face of the earth harvest phrase and I am bias, but it's also to one other thing we have a crusade coming up will be telling you more about this as it gets closer, but in South Dakota May 15-17. So even now start praying. Some of you don't know a lot about South Dakota. That's where on Mount Rushmore is for a point of reference, and there's a lot of people there that need to hear the gospel so be praying for this crusade.

I want to apologize for sort of my hoarseness. I got myself a pretty good cold so will just cannot work right through that.

But this morning were in the gospel of John chapter 1 to turn there with me if you would were in our series that we are calling is essential what every Christian needs to know the title of the message today is Jesus Christ. God with us. What is God like that's an important question that we've been talking about together. I get simply want to know the answer to a question that profound. We should go to an expert theologian you know maybe a pastor not necessarily about a child, you know, sometimes children get it right before the adults do and did not our Lord say that unless your converted and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of God.

So some kids were asked the question what is God like Ashley HTN said, quote God is like a never ending story that you want to read again and again when I hear about him. I want to know more. Although I can't see them. I feel them. He is perfect and pure. I know you felt pain and is suffered greatly to take away my sins all said especially like the part about God being like a never ending story another Ashley HTN said God is like the wind. You can see them but you know he's there because you see what he does lately on page 8 says God is cool, awesome, powerful, nice, big, huge, wonderful, loving, exciting, caring, giving them the best. Amen. But I think Caleb HTN had the best answer asked the question what is God like Caleb said God is like Jesus because God is Jesus. That's right. If you want to know what God is like.

Take a long look at Jesus because Jesus was God in human form. We've been talking at some length about the attributes of God's omniscience is omnipotent. His omnipresence is sovereignty. Truth, righteousness and holiness and how he is loving but if you wanted to see that all embody and put on display.

Look at Jesus. Jesus was not a mere representative of God he was God himself among us.

Jesus Messiah, God with us. He was not a glorified man but God in human form as it has been said Jesus was God with skin on the embody all the attributes of God that we talked about together. Yet he was a man who walked our planet and freeze our air adults are being he was so wise he could predict the future events of the world. He was so humble he could get on his knees and watched his friends dirty feet. He was so powerful he can calm the wind and waves with a word and it was so approachable. Children climbed into his arms. Jesus was God spelling himself out in language we all could understand. That's not a quote original to me. Someone else said it. I'm not sure who would I think it's well said Jesus was God spelling himself out in language we can all under stand Jesus Christ. There is never been a man was strode across the human stage quite like him. He stands apart from all others. We literally and rightfully so.

Divide human time from the date of his birth and the date of his death is very name ripples with power.

If you don't believe me just say it sometime, you're in a crowded room and people are talking you can see the names of various religious leaders, gurus or profits and get no reaction at all you can say well you know Christian of this are Buddha that are Oprah said the other day. She is a religious leader by the way, but you say the name Jesus Christ and you get a reaction.

It's almost like a hustle up all over the room. That person actually just say Jesus Christ, even an atheist says there is no God at all, will use his name to punctuate a point or even using in a profane way. Why because even the nonbeliever knows there is power in the name of Jesus tells us that tells us in Philippians 2 God is highly exalted him and given them a name which is above their name. The name of Jesus Christ every knee should bow those in number than those under that Jesus Christ is the Lord the glory of God the father so were going to talk about Jesus in this message is not a great topic like a Ashley HTN said that the never ending story and that's true. I never get tired of hearing about Jesus learning about Jesus reading about Jesus and I never get tired of talking about Jesus and it just so happens in our series that fit so beautifully because working to talk about Jesus for three weeks. Not that it ends after three weeks will always be talking about Jesus, but I'm I'm saying specifically were focusing in on what the Bible says about him and the surgical essentials that will lead us right into Easter so today were going to talk primarily about the incarnation, the birth of our Lord in our next message will look primarily at Jesus and why that was necessary and lastly look at the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead will also deal with questions in this message. Like what Jesus Christ really born of a virgin and is in all that important. Women believe that and was Jesus actually God in the manger and if so, did he possess.

At that time, the attributes of God such as omnipotence and omniscience will also deal with the question what it Jesus physically look like and then finally, why did Jesus come to the earth in the first place. But Jesus Christ, the most controversial figure was ever led his love adored and worshiped and followed by some, he is hated and despised and rejected by others is disregarded and ignored by most, but who is Jesus 2000 years ago, our Lord himself posed this question to the Pharisees when he said what do you think of Christ, whose son is see.

Interestingly, that question perplexing people in his day as it does in ours as well. The general public was confused about Jesus. Somebody was Jeremiah the prophet. Others thought that he was the prophet Elijah. Karen thought that he was John the Baptist returned again from the dead and people are still confused about Jesus.

Many opine on him and speak about Kim. Some have it right.

Some don't. Pontius Pilate, who personally examined Christ and then sent him to be crucified, though he knew he was innocent of any crime said of Jesus, I find no fault in this man Napoleon the great French general said, quote I know men and Jesus was no mere man, Strauss the German rationalist described Jesus as the highest model of religion John Stuart Mill described Jesus as a guide of humanity.

The French atheists were not as described Jesus Christ as the greatest among the sons of men.

Our Parker said Jesus was a youth with God in his heart. Robert Owen said Jesus was the irreproachable one more contemporary figures given their opinions as well. Mahatma Gandhi said of Jesus. He was a man with completely innocent, offering himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies and he became the ransom of the world.

It was a perfect God Larry king said that if you get interview anyone throughout human history. He would choose Jesus and then he said and I quote I would ask him if he was indeed virgin born because the answer to that question would define history rockstar Bono of U2 gave this opinion of Jesus on I quote the secular response of the Christ story always goes like this. He was a great prophet. Obviously a very interesting guy have a lot to say along the lines of other great profits, but actually Christ doesn't allow you to do that he doesn't let you off the hook. Christ says I'm not saying I'm a teacher. Don't call me teacher. I'm not saying I'm a prophet I'm saying I'm the Messiah I'm saying I am God incarnate," well said Bono. That's exactly right that Oprah Winfrey said Jesus cannot be the only way to have see everybody has an opinion about Jesus, but indeed our Lord claim to be the only way to God. He claimed to be God incarnate. CS Lewis is often quoted in this statement, and I think it sums it up beautifully when he says of Jesus Christ quote, you must make your choice. Either this man was and is the son of God, or else he is a madman or something worse. You can shut him up real cool. You can spit at him and call him a demon.

You can follow his feet and call him Lord. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about Kim being a great human teacher is not left that open to us.

He did not intend to." Listen, the best way to know about someone is talk to someone who spent time with them the apostles.

They walk and talk with Jesus. They spent three concentrated years and this presents Gary in his teachings by eating with him seeing him under all circumstances imaginable and those apostles.

There were three that were singled out a few well for special attention Peter James and John. They were there at the transfiguration, when Jesus shine like the sun they were there when Jesus raised the child from the dead, they were there in the garden of Gethsemane as the sweaters were great drops of blood and John in particular probably was the most perceptive of the law. He seemed to pick up on things that others often miss it was Johnny would often lean his head on the chest of Jesus, so as not to miss a word so we come to John's Gospel and read his words about the Lord, the gospel of John chapter 1 we read these words in the beginning was the word the word was with God the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God all things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made in him was life and the life was the light of men.

And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Now there is not a definite article before the word beginning here is in verse one in the beginning was the word meaning you cannot pinpoint the moment in time when there was this beginning because he is going back in time to eternity past is going further back in our minds can imagine, here's what John is saying and it brings up the point number one Jesus is God. Jesus is God before there was a world before there were planets before there was light or darkness before there was matter before there was anything but the Godhead there was Jesus Jesus Christ. A member of the Trinity toll equal coeternal coexistent with the father and the Holy Spirit. He was with God he was God. He came to this earth as a man. Verse 14 of John tells us in the Word became flesh and dwelt among us keep tabernacle among us. God became an embryo he was deity in diapers.

God became a man, he entered our world. He breathes our air.

He shared our pain. He walked in her shoes and then some.

He lived our life and that he died our death, listen. Jesus did not become identical to us. He became identified with us. Important distinction.

He did not become identical to us, meaning that he was not a man with simple impulses, but he became identified with us. You see, no one was ever more identified with humanity than Jesus was total identification without any loss of identity but he became one of us, without ceasing to be himself. He became human without ceasing to be God. Jesus did not exchange dealer deity for humanity. He was deity in humanity in the Bible is clear in making this point that Jesus was God and that Jesus was the creator of the universe because we are told that the word was with God and he made all they and were also told of her in Colossians that Candide made all things by him all things were created in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or powers or authority.

All things were created by him and for him.

Jesus was God. Point number two Jesus who was God became a man, Jesus was God became a man. Now when we think about that first Christmas we celebrate the birth of our Lord there and that manger in Bethlehem, but it was not only the story of an arrival on earth. It's also the story of a departure from heaven right because Isaiah 96 says unto us a child is born under was a son is given in his name shall be called wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, everlasting father, the Prince of peace from Earth's perspective. Under was a child was born there in the manger, but from heaven's perspective assignment was given, but to remind us of the deity of the David says he will call his name. Speaking of that paid wonderful Counselor, mighty God, the everlasting father, the Prince of peace. So clearly that was God in human form, you shall call his name Emmanuelle, which means God with us. We also know that the Lord shows that he would send the Messiah through the virgin the problem. The prophecy spoke of this that Messiah would be supernaturally can see in the womb of a woman who had never known a man now some people struggle with as well and I believe in Jesus. I don't know if I believe in the virgin birth. Really check this out. I don't think you can be a Christian without believing in the virgin birth why Phil listen if he was not superbly supernaturally conceived in the womb of the virgin imprint. He was not God and if he was not God and his death on the cross was not of any great significance because there's a lot of men who died in Roman crosses 2000 years ago, one of them happily meaning Jesus but the fact that there was only one man died on the cross was God in human form atoning for the sin of the world. Men who bodily rose again from the dead. Larry King had a right when he said that he would interview Jesus and asked him if he was indeed virgin born because the answer to that question would define history. True, and he indeed was virgin born.

It's a claim there was deity and going back to our first message where I made the simple point. We believe that God exists and is the creator of all things to believe that the rest of the Bible's going to be relatively easy for you. You can accept Genesis 11 in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Then you can believe in all the miracles that we find in the pages of Scripture. Now let's think about it logically because remember that we talked about the importance of thinking these things through and as Christians we don't have to check our brains at the door to believe when you really consider at the virgin birth makes total sense the words there are other ways God could have sent his Messiah to the earth. It would've been possible for God the father to send Jesus to this earth as a complete yet sinless human being without a human parent coming.

Everybody could have been just went on the way and all of a sudden a shaft of light comes down from heaven and Jesus comes in all costs. Hello, I am the Messiah. While we would all be impressed. No doubt, but yet how can we relate to a guy like that when he talked about walking in her shoes and facing the challenges that we will you came from heaven on a beam of light.

What you know would be hard for us to accept the fact that he was a man if he came to us that white on the other hand, it would've been possible for God the father to have Jesus coming to the world with two human parents, both a mother and a father with this folder by nature somehow united to his human nature, but that it would've been hard for us to accept that he was really a man with that when you say that he is divine but but he has human parents like the rest of it. Rest of us know. You see, when you think about it. It makes total sense. Yes, born of the womb about woman who by the way how to sinful nature that he did not inherit but get supernaturally conceived in her womb. It's the way God chose to do it. Christ was God, not because he was virgin born.

He was virgin born because he was God. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said if Jesus Christ is not true God. How can he help us if not true man.

How could he help us now understand this is not a moment when Jesus became God he was God before he was born. He remained God, after he became man. This deity was prehuman free earthly pre-Bethlehem three. Mary, he always was God even in his mother's womb now. Here's an interesting thing to think about how much did Jesus know about his mission when he was a little child. In other words, of that little baby no all things, you know babies are amazing really and we have a new grandchild little Lucy and every time I see her. She's doing something new. You know she's becoming more alert and more aware but she isn't talking yet, like her sister Stella.

She doesn't call me Popeye yet she looks and smiles and you know she's had a different state mentally. Then, her sister is in and in the same way we see the children grow and we wonder will did Jesus know all of these things when he was there. The woman onward is a little baby born in the manger was either sitting there in that in the straw, looking up going with her Samaritans, Joseph. There's a donkey there's an some shepherds over therein, and God in human form. If so white anything, Mary, Joseph, following Jesus, how are you on the creator of all things, I really appreciate it if somebody get me out of this manger. I have a ministry to start.

Let's get going and I hope you'll find that a reverent what I'm saying. I'm just trying to point out that Jesus actually became a baby.

God became an embryo deity and diapers. As I said, my point is, it would appear from Scripture that Jesus went through a learning process like anybody else because were told in Luke 52 Jesus crude increase in wisdom and stature using the way the second if you're omniscient, which means you know all things, how can you learn things right valid question. We hear the answer could Jesus thought of possessing divine attributes without using that lesson. Self emptying is not self extinction, he humbled himself.

The Bible says, he humbled himself and took upon himself the form of a servant, and that phrase means he emptied himself, meaning he laid aside, not deity, but the privileges of deity, so he went to a learning process in Luke says he increased in knowledge and wisdom were literally, he kept advancing. He was God in human form. It just pretty much mind blowing, bringing us to point number three. Jesus failed his deity, but he never violated it again.

He failed his deity, but he never violated it. I alluded to this passage. Let me quote it now. Philippians 268 Jesus who been in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant coming in the likeness of men in front of the parents of the many humbled himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross, God among us.

Imagine what that would've been like. Imagine if you had been one of the apostles and you could lay your actual eyes on Jesus. John who wrote the gospel of John and also wrote first on the epistle said this in first John 11. That which is from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with their eyes, which we have looked upon in our hands of handle concerning the word of life. We proclaim to you the phrase that John uses are proceeding with the rise could be translated to you to contemplate to gaze upon the spectacle. I mean imagine if you were one of those original 12 walking and talking with Jesus use look at him and say so that's God in human form. I know that when Jesus was laying there asleep that maybe wake up and all the apostles were standing just looking at how can I help you guys know which no concern that's God there that's God speaking to us that that's God that we just reached out and talks in human form which brings us to the question what is Jesus look like you, we wonder about that was a strikingly handsome as he always is when he is depicted in the film for the most part may be, and maybe not. It would appear to me that Jesus was what we might describe as an ordinary person in it. I'm not suggesting he was unattractive, nor my suggesting he was very attractive. We don't really know but here's what Isaiah 53, two says there was nothing beautiful and majestic about his appearance.

Nothing to attract us to him. You remember that he can walk through a crowd unnoticed. You remember even when Judas Iscariot betrayed him. He said it's a man that I kiss Jesus appeared as he did in some religious art, Judas would say well he's the guy that looks like a movie star was only one guy here with blonde hair and blue eyes. Check it out and I can almost say with complete certainty. Jesus did not have blonde hair and blue eyes.

He was somatic. His skin would've been dark. His hair would've been dark.

I probably would've been dark and so I don't think you look at all like the modern version we have of him are we doing this modern concept of Jesus that we carry around in our mind. Remember years ago I was in a mental hospital as a visitor with another patient know their intent will probably thought I should be in this patient but the I was visiting with my friend Mike McIntosh of fellow pastors is many many years ago in. This is when I had hair so really a long time ago and I not only adhere but it was long parted in the middle and down to my shoulders right about here and I don't full beard and some people said I resembled Jesus a little bit and does so I've been this mental hospital with Mike and Mike talking to this patient and Mike says to them as anyone ever introduced you to Jesus Christ and this guy.

He grabbed my hand. Satan says Jesus it's good to meet you, because I'm not Jesus and Greg so we had that image of Jesus that we carry around in her mind, but I think he was an ordinary looking man if he glowed as you see, sometimes in religious art Judas could've just said what identify them in the guy glowing in the dark know he was ordinary looking man.

Isn't it interesting that in all the Gospels we don't have a single description could not one of these guys have given us two verses of what Jesus look like no knowing our propensity for idol worship. Maybe that's why it's not included in Scripture we know enough, but we do know is he was probably quite ordinary in appearance, but still God in human form. It's hard for us to wrap her mind around this.

Here's a good illustration. Remember the time of the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee and a great storm came in they began to despair of life that had been pretty bad storm because these guys had their ceilings.

They were seasoned sailors but they thought were going to drown. Jesus is asleep in the boat had a hard day.

Exhausted, they will come up. Don't just care that were perishing.

Christ comes on that faces a storm and says peace be still for a more literal translation PC muzzle like he was talking to a wild animal, and then he rebuked them for not having faith. Now that's a perfect example of deity and humanity on display. What could be more human to being exhausted after a day's work and falling asleep. I want to be more divine than rebuking the elements causing his own disciples is a what kind of man is this even the wind and sea obey sent what kind of man he was the God man that's what kind of man let's consider some other facets of the humanity of Jesus. Jesus became tired like we do. He became tired like we do when he needed to get from point A to point B.

He walked like everybody else know if I were Jesus I would not of done I would've said of the guys I'll meet you in Jerusalem aren't you walking with us no and then as a start of the journey. I just flowed over the top managers. Jesus walked journey.

He was tired.

He was exhausted, he fell asleep from exhaustion like anyone else. Jesus experience physical hunger. We know that after he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. The Bible says he was hungry and he had been tempted by Lucifer to churn a rock into a piece of bread, which he did not do because it's worth noting that Jesus never performed a miracle for his own benefit. Again, if I were the Messiah I would've created food for myself.

I mean being God omniscient you knew all things. He knew the future he would wonderful foods are going to be invented. Down the road you know thousand years later 1500 years later.

You know what I would've just sent the guys off to eat there. Fish and unleavened bread out of any pizza cost.

What's that, nevermind, In-N-Out Burger, he never did stuff like that but he was hungry, experience physical thirst when he hung on the cross. He said I thirst.

He could've created water, but he humbled himself and emptied himself of his privileges to experience physical weakness. I think you could simply say that Jesus was a man's man. He was not weak and scrawny. We assume that he worked as a carpenter being raised by Joseph. We know he spent a lot of time on the road traveling. As I mentioned, we know he was able to bear up under the weight of a cross which way the considerable weight. This was after he had been scourged in the Roman cat of nine tails that come on his back 39 times resulting in an amazing loss of blood. Yet he was able to bear the cross and carried it for a period of time collapsing under its weight of one point been assisted by Annette Manning, Simon from Cyrene, but the experience physical weariness and weakness and he died like a man and that his body cease to function when he bled. It was real blood when they put the spike through his hands and feet. It was real pain in Jesus knew anger.

Jesus was angry, never flying off the handle or losing his temper like we do.

All is not a great thing to know God is never temper tantrums. Can you imagine God truly kicked off today planets are flying around. No, this was always righteous indignation.

We sought on display when the moneychangers were praying on the people rather than praying for the people in Jesus drove them out with a whip. He was angry with the religious leaders that misrepresented God to the people but yet he was tender and approachable, so much so the little children would run the sit in his lap and played his speech in Jesus felt sorrow deep deep sorrow. The most dramatic demonstration of this is at the tomb of Lazarus who happened to be a personal friend of Jesus, along with the sisters Mary and Martha, Lazarus was ill, deathly ill word was sent to Christ, the one that you love is set Jesus intentionally delayed his arrival. Interestingly, John's Gospel does because he love Mary and Martha, and Lazarus, which in some ways is a make sense if you really love them.

What if you let them die.

That's a good question.

I don't know the answer, but he loved them and he was going to do a miracle, sometimes in God's love, he will allow things to happen that don't necessarily make sense to us later on were able to look back at them and see that he had his plan and purpose Senate. This was one of those examples and so Jesus delayed his arrival.

So instead of raising up a sick man. There was a man now that it crossed over to the other side as he came to the tomb and he saw all the people weeping the Bible since he was both indignant and then it says Jesus wept. In fact, it's the shortest first and all of the Bible towards Jesus wept. Why why did he wait because his friend was dead. I don't think so. I think he wafts because he saw the devastation of that that it brought to those that were there mourning the loss of their dear brother and friend. I think he wept because he saw that death was never part of God's plan that because sin entered the world.

Things like illness and aging in death take place.

But here's something to consider. Maybe Jesus wept because poor Lazarus was going to have to come back to earth again. Everything about that when he wept because he was gone well.

When the second Jesus was God right now… Jesus came from heaven right absolutely.

That means he knows the glory of heaven better than anybody else, and he knew Lazarus was in Abraham's bosom. He was in paradise. He was impure blessed.

He waves poor Lazarus to come back to earth again and therefore Lazarus can't die twice as once is about enough but he wept. I think overall because of the horrific effects of death and what happens as a result he felt sorrow and I bring this up because he understands your sorrow.

He understands what you're going through. In fact, the Bible says of him and Isaiah 53 he was despised and rejected a man of sorrows accorded with the bitterest greed we turn our backs on him and look the other way when he went by.

He was despised, and we did not care unit with our weaknesses. He carried it was our sorrows and weighing him down friend not just your sin but your sorrow, he felt your pain.

To understand your sorrow missing someone might think it over, and grow up. It don't cry, wipe your tear.

Jesus would say understand I know why you feel that way I know why you're hurt like that. And I've been there and I know what it's like and I'm here for you see that's why Jesus is so wonderful because we know that were talking to what God was walked in our shoes whose breed our air was lived our life was died are death as were told in Hebrews 217 it's necessary for Jesus, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us to his brothers and sisters so he can be our merciful and people high priest and since he himself is gone through suffering and temptation is able to help us. We are being tempted seeking knows what it's like to go through what you're going through. He knows what it's like to go through with fine going through the essential message of the incarnation or Christmas. The birth of our Lord is that Emmanuelle came, God is with us. Emmanuelle God walked among us were never alone without question one of the most remarkable teachings in the Bible that Jesus Christ not only is with us but he comes and makes his home in the human heart that welcomes him.

Jesus said in John 1423. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him. God wants to make his home with you because I wanted to stop by as a houseguest or pay you a visit or have a nice little chat.

He wants to move in wants to make us home with you. He wants to indwell you. He wants to transform you.

He wants you to know you're never alone. Maybe your marriage fell apart this year we feel all alone.

You need to know something Emmanuelle God is with you. Perhaps your children have forgotten about you today, you need to know something Emmanuelle God is with you. Maybe a loved one was with you last year is not here today you need to know something Emmanuelle God is with you and also if your loved one, believe there with the Lord, and you will join them again in a great reunion made you feel isolated in a hospital, a prison convalescent home.

If you have faith in Christ Emmanuelle God is with you, he's God with skin on Jesus was God spelling himself out in language we can all understand why to become well I'm in the spent some time talking about that in the next two messages, but let me just touch on the topic as we close.

Why did he come the answer is found among other places. In Galatians 4, Paul writes and says when the time was just right, God sent forth his son, born of a woman to redeem those that have been kidnapped by the law that we might be set free to experience our rightful heritage you can tell for sure you're not fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his son into your life when you cry out pop-up father doesn't have the privilege of intimate conversation with God. Make it plain. You're not a slave but a child if you're a child you are also in there and have complete access to the inheritance. You see I have a special relationship with my son Jonathan that's here today. I have a special relationship with my grandchildren. They can call me dad daddy pop-up you don't call me that. Especially pop is a makes me feel really old but if you're only 2 1/2 years old is not so bad, you know that's relationship.

You see, we have access to God through Jesus Christ. CS Lewis summed it up beautifully when he said the son of God became a man, that men might become sons of God so we can come of this relationship with them and I asked doing closing do you know God in a personal way.

It's one thing to talk about God as a far-off supreme being, but God came near, God walked among us.

He lived among us. He died for us and rise again from the dead and now Jesus the son of God who live to die to Rose is here standing at the door of your life, and he is knocking, if you hear his voice and open the door he will come in and ask you today. Have you asked Jesus to come into your life. Do you have the forgiveness of your sin.

Do you have assurance that when you die you will go to heaven. While no one can know these things though. I think they can because the Bible says these things we write to you to believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. I know I have eternal life. I know it. I know I will go to heaven one day because God's promised it to me and I believe this promise. Have you.

If not, you need to today so God will come and live in you and forgive you of your sin. If you haven't done that yet you can do it now as we close in prayer. Let's all bow our heads if you would please father I pray not for every person listening to this message help each one to see Lord that you love them with an everlasting love and stand ready to forgive them of every sin ever committed.

If they will come to you a heads up about maybe you would say today.

Greg, I don't know if my sin is forgiven I can say with confidence.

Jesus is living in my life. I'm not sure if I die and I would go to heaven but I want to be sure I want Jesus to come in the my life. Pray for me that your desire. If you want Christ to come in your life today if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want that void in your life, fill if you want to go to heaven when you die, would you lift your hand up forever.

You're sending them.

Let me just pray for you today publishing to slip your hand up or I can see it please God bless you bless you up in the balcony want God's forgiveness today lift her hand up to pray for you today. God bless you up there held in the courtyard, you can raise your hand to. I can't see you. Of course, but the Lord sees you take the little step of faith… Her hand up saying I want Christ in my life. Same for you over there in the court. You haven't yet made this commitment. Raise your hand up to make the civil commitment to Christ, and ask all of you that raise your hand if you would just stand your feet and I mentally doing a prayer. Again, if you raise your canopy during the last moment of prayer.

Just stand up a mentally doing this prayer stand up robe you are on the amphitheater outdoors, stand up in the court building stand up, lead you in this prayer up in the balcony. Stand your feet. You want Christ to come in your life today, stand up in a mentally doing this prayer, this final moment anybody else stand up.

God bless each one of you understand anybody else stand. Now if you would write you that are standing pray this prayer out loud after me again as I pray you pray this prayer out loud, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but you died on the cross for me and shed your blood for me. I turn from my sin today and ask you to come in the my life and be my Savior and Lord God and friend. Thank you for calling me and accepting me and forgiving in Jesus name I pray