R897 The Greatest Question You’ll Ever Ask

There is such great power in questions today. Dr. Wilton talks about the greatest question.

You and I will ever ask the welcome of The Encouraging Word with Dr. Don Wilton well-known author evangelist seminary professor is been my pastor for years. He was the pastor for the last 2530 years of Dr. Billy Graham's life and today let him pastor you are not saying take over from your pastor, but let him be an additional pastor and teacher in your life as we open God's word to the book of John chapter 4 together just a moment. We also want to know their phone lines open to pray with you 866-899-WORD will connect you with us anytime day or night. That's 866-899-9673 or online@twonline.org. Now today's message the greatest question you ever asked with Dr. Don Wilton I had.

I have no doubt that you have. I know that we can all identify with times in our lives when someone has done something for us that is just so special and you really don't know how to say thank all of us can identify with times like that. I mean, what ever it is that is being done has been so special.

It's not the magnitude necessarily the size of it, but it's just just so special and you just don't know how to truly respond.

You know it takes my mind back my wife and I had just arrived in America, folks signed. I just want to impress on you that we didn't know anybody.

I mean, we didn't know anybody. Now let me put that in southern terminology. We didn't know nobody some you now understand what I'm saying boys and girls. That's not good English. I'm gonna learn you much greater than that we didn't know anybody and Karen and I arrived. By faith God had called us and we arrived in rating the first place that we came to in reality was in the great state of Mississippi and it was a town called Columbia Mississippi between Hattiesburg and Macomb.

That's where we arrived in ashes to begin this incredible pilgrimage that we knew nothing about.

And the first day that we were there. It was a Monday and a family. A couple invited Karen allied to come to their home for dinner that night and I'm going to say this, a number of times because I really want you to understand they didn't know us. We didn't know them.

I had never heard of them and I didn't know really how they knew us. I came to understand that the one person that we didn't know had told them about. So you getting all this connection and this dear couple invited us to come to their home for dinner and so we did. I my wife and I often think about that because it was that evening that I was first introduced iced tea. I couldn't get over it folks at somebody could do something so awful to draw good cup of tea and that was that was my introduction iced tea. A lot of things happen to me that night that the that I remember with great affection in my heart and this couple were just so precious to us and we got to the end of the meal and threw me a set of motor car literally. I can still see him in that home, he just tossed them over to me and he said to me, Don.

Here's your motorcar and I did not comprehend what he was saying to me.

There was no connection that he said I've got to a motorcar well. He invited the two of us to go outside we went outside and looked at this protocol and I'm telling you it was the biggest American gas guzzler I had ever seen on any movie folks it I tell you exactly what it was. It was a Plymouth grand. Fury it had about 65,000 miles on it to those the front part of it was like a long drink of water. I mean folks it was the stuff you understand that I mean coming from where I had come.

This was unbelievable pictures of it this way and that way to send back to my brothers in Africa just to brag to them about this American motorcar. I really thought I this was quite something for me and I looked it at any save dress looked like it.

Take it for a drive goes regarding the steering wheel was on the wrong side of the motorcar and this was just a incredible experience.

We went driving. I remember it's okay went out into the country. Everybody was looking at me saying I came to learn later on. Nobody was looking at me in a I mean, what was a Plymouth grand theory. To me it was everything I remember, getting low on gas. Looking up and seeing a sign at a gas station that same self-serve and full serve and I turned my wife and said to what we know. She said well we want to fully let go to full serve lost the person next to you if you're struggling on this one and I also remember I'm telling you a lot of things but I I'm going somewhere with this and I want you to listen. Also remember the price of gas back then was was about 71 and $0.70 a gallon in the fellow that put the gas into my motorcar was complaining.

I mean, he was moaning and passing and I couldn't get over it because where I just come from gas was $6.50 a gallon.

I couldn't get over that this chap was complaining like this and it was just an incredible experience when we went back to the house I said thank you for letting us drive this motorcar. He said no. He said I'm at yours and it didn't connect with me. He said no that yours I'm giving that to you. Not even how did he know that I didn't have a motorcar now know you can't put protocols on airplanes, but he didn't know me and I had an Austin for the call. I didn't write him a letter or I hadn't even dropped a hint, there was nothing that I'd said or implied he just gave me.

He said no, my wife and I just want to give you this gift and I didn't know what to say, we didn't know what to say. He say that yours take it and and I remember driving golfing that Plymouth grand ferry. I drove it for three or four years all around the country.

Loved every minute of it. And I remember how many times my wife and I felt like we should thank them so we did what we usually do. I think we must've written at least three or four thank you notes and that's a very important thing to do. Thank you so much for this precious gift. Thank you.

We it's like we just didn't know we just want to make sure that they knew how much we appreciated they give and and it was like it wasn't enough.

We thought about who should we get some special chocolates from Switzerland and send them to them, or send a bouquet of flowers. I remember driving up to Columbia trying to establish a friendship but I do remember on one occasion, I sent him this is now three, four, five months later I sent him. I just don't know how to thank you for this for this unknown with this gift of this car and he put his hand on my shoulder and he said to me, non-he said you don't have to thank me anymore for this. He said I know that you are grateful and I want to set you free. I said but James these got to be something that I can. He said all right they is something that you can do to say thank you chocolate that's it, he's gonna cost me to come down to his dealership and worked there on Saturdays helping him to clean up the shop.

He's going to cost me to run errands. Folks that worry me. I've always worked for everything I had on never being given anything that I had worked for and work was part of my life but that's out. That's why struggled with this this gift in my heart and he said no.

He said there's nothing you can do about it. He said, but I'm going on SKU in return for my gift that you do one thing that you serve the Lord Jesus Christ with all of your heart for the rest of your life. That's all I ask you to do. He wanted nothing in return accepting that I would serve the Lord Jesus with all of my heart. What a gift and if you open your Bibles to John's gospel in chapter 3, and be reminded that the Lord Jesus claim to Nicodemus and said to Nicodemus, the one decision that you need to make, which is the most important decision that you could ever make is to give you heart and life to Jesus Christ. And when you give your heart and life to Jesus Christ.

It is the greatest gift that you will ever receive, and it's an amazing thing here in this passage because if you go down to verse nine of John chapter 3 Nicodemus that we discover later, Ron has given his life to Jesus is spamming barren and he can't understand this. It's not soaking in Harry's meaningful given the recent completely forever. Jesus said to Nicodemus when you are born again you have God's permission to enter his kingdom and Nicodemus is standing there saying well I was memorizing Scripture to try and get into God's kingdom while I went to seminary to try and get into God's kingdom became a rule of the Jews in order to try and get into God's kingdom. And here you are telling me that you just giving this to me at all. This is very well and good but it's just a gift I could and Nicodemus in the saints. When we get to verse nine.

Can you just see Nicodemus standing there sign.

How can these things be. Why would you give me a motorcar. What compelled you to do this. And while I'm asking you that. How did you I needed one. You know that I needed eternal life.

Nobody also seems to know it because they are all impressed by what I weigh. Nobody also seems to not because they are all impressed by what I say. Nobody else seems to not because they were all impressed by what I do.

I'm a respected person and you come to me and say to me has a gift for you. Take it Nicodemus. And when you type this gift of eternal life. You gotta be forgiven of your sin and you going to be given the keys that unlock the key to being in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ for ever and I'm going to give you the vehicle that you can drive in and his name is Jesus. How can these things be and so it is that Jesus begins to explain this to him and he gets all the way down to that wonderful verse in verse 16 and you can see if there this is how Jesus explains that he says well for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only his only begotten son. The only one who could do this, that whoever believes in him in the Lord Jesus will not die but will receive eternal life, and then watch verse 17 he says because God didn't come into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might receive this gift and might be saved forever. You know, as I began to think about the story of this man who reminds me so much of myself. I began to think about the way in which the Lord Jesus was explaining his love to Nicodemus that's what the Lord Jesus was doing and he was saying to him. First of all Nicodemus. This free gift that comes to you in me. The Lord Jesus Christ is coming to you because of my inherent love.

It's just simply because that's who I am and I when my children were growing up and even to this day I like to. I'm going to just confess to you, I love to go every now and again when I have time to pick small tool place where they keep picturing you walking therein arming this festivities on the night they stop dying and flying all over the place and you look over on one side and the oldies cages and is going these puppies and kitties and it and you know what happens when you look over and you look through and then suddenly you see that one puppy and he's just condescendingly and written all over him is please take me home with you. I mean how can you resist me and you want to go and open up the cage and just take that little all chubby little puppy out there and just carry him home. It's kinda like when your babies born you grandson your granddaughter, you know, when you look into the face of that of that little one, that little girl that little boy and you say, just look at all that love and you can't explain it, you know we we kind of feel like that without grandmothers done. Without mothers and without that, and when we Jesus spoke at a Nicodemus in this passage when he began to try to answer his question how can these things be.

He said let me tell you how it is. It is because that's who I if I could put it in the modern-day terminology, I can't help myself. By the way, did you know that God loves you because he can't help… Insisted I remind you ribbon all what a powerful phrase, a dinner up that God does love you so every much too many times we listen to other voices, it would say no because you've done this trip to 24124 done this to God's love is so much greater than whatever you feel like it's distance you from and would love to talk to about this is again why Dr. Moulton insists our interest because once you know we're here to help. Talk to have a conversation to pray with you on the phone right now at 86689 word 866899673 or email us at online@tewonline.org that's TW online.org we're here for you now back to today's message with Dr. Tom. There is a scene scene which on a human labor, which cannot ever coming to the level at which we find our Lord and Savior. My friends all those years ago in in Columbia, Mississippi.

I'm trying to say. Can you give me this modal call. Why would you do something like a sigh I and and he was looking at me and sign. I just can't help himself God just put it in my heart and all I want you to do is just serve the Lord.

There's no strings here is a got nothing to do with what you do for me. I don't need anything. I'm just doing this because I can't help myself. Even if you didn't want it, I would still have to do it because I can't help myself.

Jesus speaks about the love of which he is God is love my friends. I want you to know that God loves you because that's who he is not.

This big monstrous condemning being that they somehow walking around scolding them and shouting into people's faces and pointing fingers and and and condemning God's love and he loves you and he may do with the express purpose of receiving that blood so he spoke about his inherent love, but you are thinking tried also the question of Nicodemus.

He also spoke about. He spoke in love now you are not all reading about the spoken love of God on three.

By the way, Jesus saved for God so loved the world that came right out of his mouth. And if you go to the Bible Jesus many times right throughout the Bible speaks about his love. You know I had a man come to me some years ago and he he sent this to me. He said to me pasta. Do you know that I have never ever heard my dad tell me that he loves me.

My daddy has never seemed to me I love you so that's what he told me and it's a kind of a Jesus here was talking about.

Yes, he is spoken love, which is written down for us.

He wants us to read it. He wants us to hear. I want to make an announcement about I want to tell you what Jesus said God loves you because that's who he is but you know he went even beyond that and he not only spoke about his inherent love and and he's spoken love but he spoke about his demonstrated love God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that we know about that, you know, we call it practicing what you preach doing what you say.

We know the difference.

You know how many times those of you who are married, you know that I know that you know how many times I tell you that you can how many times do we not men or men look at me and me on the arm included in this sometimes recite our love you I you know I love you I love you I'm trying. I remember one time, just just leaving home in the morning go the office got my modal call off I went, spent a busy day come back home. My wife, I gotta be careful what I say. She was kinda just little out of sorts when I got home. You know it's like there's a vibe I mean you there at but there's just something missing and so finally you get down to where you turn your site well honey, what what what seems to be the matter be a hard day what would happen did the dog bite you know something is wrong, tell me about it now. It doesn't matter now wait a minute I got to know and finally she looks at me and she says well it's quite simple. You didn't tell me this morning that you love me all you silly woman that is absolutely the most preposterous thing I have ever you know that I love you. I mean, what is just think about what I've done for you. I mean, what is this I mean I even allowed you to marry me. I mean look at what I've done. I've done this and I've done this and so you begin to stack up all of these things, she said, but you tell me that you love me site that is just ridiculous. You know I was in a hurry and I had to get to that meeting and and those kinds of things you should tell me that you love me so you turn doing this I okay I love you. She says no you don't know what's the spokes. What we know the difference country Jesus talking to Nicodemus, he said, and he says to you nieces look. My inherent love is I love because that's who I just can't help myself. That's my nature.

My essence my holiness, my righteousness is love and and and I want you to remember my spoken love. I've told you this. How many times I gotta tell you that I love you but I didn't stop there. I demonstrated my love I put my love into action. God so loved the world what was that demonstrated love that in that while we were yet sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ died for us just the Lord Jesus, who is God, the Bible says in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and get this, the word was God. He was always God and because of God's plan of redemption for mankind. Jesus Christ, the son of God. The only one who could do this latest side, the privilege of the glory that he had gone from beef even began, and took upon himself human flesh, and he was born by the Holy Spirit of his mother in Bethlehem in that major and he ministered on this earth, and he practically demonstrated his love Emmett McKnight right there when he stood in John chapter 17 and turned the father before he crossed over the Kidron Valley and went into the garden of Gethsemane when Judas was waiting to betray any sin father, my hour has it's time for the ultimate demonstration of Marla glorify me right now. By leaving me go to the cross because you have given me the authority to do all people of eternal life and eternal life means that people through the can you put a powerful message on this, but I pray that you and I would not miss out on the very first step before we go deep into the concept of eternal life. Talk about how God is ready to change your life right now for this life for eternity pierced. Are you ready would you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that Jesus loves me and that he died on the cross for me today. I repent of my sin and I can face my sin to the Lord Jesus, and I give him a part in my life in Jesus name I pray, amen. If you prayed that prayer from your heart and you given your life to Christ. I welcome you to the family of God. You are my brother, my sister in Christ, it's getting gauge together because we are connected together for ever as believers in Christ. God is Sterger hard. Let's talk. Let's pray together 866-899-WORD given your life to Christ to rededicate your life. Dr. Don has wonderful resources want you to have for free at 866899673 or meters online. It online.org TW online.org for great resources like this. We are living in a rapidly changing world. This new normal today as believers hold firm out my resting in the safeguard of our faith in history and God's faithfulness in your heart and spirit of travel supports The Encouraging Word this you will receive Dr. Wilton State building safeguard of our firm on the foundation of Jesus Christ normal day, less than 866899 wearing guards and our DVD today The Encouraging Word ministry think you are listening today. Times were staying connected online. It TW online.org or this phone number 8668998668999673