Life's Most Important Question

Welcome to the submission of PowerPoint with gently leaving the program will tell you how you can get a copy of Dr. Grimm moments first, here's the message. Life's most question and the conversions that we read about in the New Testament, and particularly in the Gospels and were going to discover how and what it is to be a Christian and to know Jesus Christ and the emphasis is upon you, because Jesus often engage people one on one. In conversations, some of the most profound things that he ever said was in the presence of one person.

He often shared his life and singled out individuals one by one.

I'm convinced Jesus wants to speak to you today and I want to talk to you about the most important question in life. The most important question in light of their many important questions in life. Some of the great philosophical questions that we ask you know who am I want and where my going but there is one question really in life that is above all other questions and it is question that is asked in John's Gospel chapter 3, so I want you to do fine with me. The third chapter of the Gospel of John and the as we consider life's most important question today for some of you this will be a reminder, a clarification of your Christian faith.

For some it will be good news that you have never heard before and this question appears in a conversation between Jesus, a Galilean carpenter and one of the most religious and respected man of his time.

His name is an unusual name Nicodemus and yet while this man's name is in is is unique and he lived in a time far away from here he is in one sense, a representative of every one of us because he came to Jesus with the same needs in the same desires that every human being possessed but beginning in verse one of chapter 3.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees. They Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him rabbi. We know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.

Jesus answered him, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, and here's the question that everyone must ask and answer. How can a man be born when he is old Tinian or a second time into his mother's womb and be born.

Life's most important question is how can I be born again.

Verse five Jesus answered, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you.

You must be born again in Jesus Christ is saying that today 2000+ years later to every one of us.

You must be born again. Now Nicodemus was a unique and unusual man. The Bible tells us in verse one that he was a man of the Pharisees and that means he was a very religious man. The Pharisees were among two of the most important religious roots of their there with the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Pharisees dominating the spiritual and political system of the first century, and these Pharisees and Sadducees were were at this adversaries they were really enemies in that one group believed in life after death that would be the Pharisees and the other group the Sadducees, they didn't believe in like that. This man Nicodemus was a man of the Pharisees.

He believed in life after death. He believes very strongly in God we believe in the Scriptures, the Pharisees were men who committed their lives to studying the Scripture and not only to studying the Scriptures, but interpreting the Scriptures and they compiled a large book which is still prominent today which is the mission and it describes how the law is to be captain and they looked at the my new show of the law and they explained that expanded in the course. When we speak of Pharisees, the day we often do it with negativity because, and rightly so.

In some cases because Pharisees tended to be very snobbish in their faith in a superior attitude towards others and they consider themselves a very special and select group of God than they were devout and and they were devoted to what they believed and they believed all of these things.

So sincerely they were doctrinaire.

They were dogmatic. Now there's some things that will be dogmatic about some things that we often believe very strongly and never give up and to stand for what we believe, but we must always guard against any kind of religion that looks at only the externals. Rather, the internals of faith that this is what Jesus dealt with with these Pharisees.

He was constantly speaking to this religious group about their personal experience with with God and some of the harshest things that Jesus had to say was level with these Pharisees and often people today despise others and hate others.

You do not bear their religion very, even those today who will kill in the name of their daughter in the name of their religion and we must be very careful in our faith that why we believe things so very strongly and we're committed to the narrowness of the truth that Jesus and Jesus only is the way the truth and the life and no man comes to the father but by him. We must always be strong-willed that but never with the sense of not extending grace and mercy to those in need, Christ, and we need to be very careful and very cautious in our attitudes towards the unbelieving world that we do not present some kind of front that is an upfront to those who do not know our Jesus and never without looking down long pharisaical noses that at others who do not know him because remember this, we do not consider ourselves better than others. We have been saved by the grace of God we don't deserve have and we don't deserve eternal life. We have been transformed by the love and the grace of Jesus Christ and we just want the whole world to know. But Nicodemus was a Pharisee and as a Pharisee. He was a very religious man. He was very respected man. He was a ruler among the Pharisees and among the people respected and well-known in the culture of that day, everyone in Jerusalem no doubt would have known Nicodemus and when he passed by. It was not a it was hello Dr. Nicodemus learn rabbi, educated astute intellectual and that is the amazing scenario that is set in John chapter 3. Here is Jesus a man, a poor carpenter's son, a man among men performing miracles changing line and get here is a man Nicodemus powerful prideful prestige. When Jesus spoke to him of the new birth, he would say later in this passage are you the teacher of this really make say a teacher of Israel in your translation, but in the language of the New Testament it is literally, are you the teacher in Israel and you don't know what born again, he was a respected religious man, but he no doubt was a restless man to achieve the Jesus and it first is rather casual and distant. He says master.

We know we know that you're a teacher who has come from God knows the editorial we. We know he is nodding saying I know because we know we know that that you're a teacher that is come from God, not Jesus did let them get away with that because Jesus was not a teacher come from God.

He was God come to teach and so Jesus fasten down in the conversation with these words. Nicodemus don't be amazed. Don't marvel that I say to you, you must be born again and that's when Nicodemus that how is this possible. Get an old man back of his mother's womb, and he was thinking physical. But Jesus, of course, was talking about spiritual birth, which means to be born from above to be born spiritually, that which is of the flesh is flesh, and that which is of the spirit is of the spirit, so new birth is spiritual birth and he said don't be amazed by this because you must be born again.

I heard people say well you know I'm a Christian and I go to church but you know I'm just not one of those born-again kind of Christian, and I am not one of those fanatical freaked out born-again kind of Christians that's what they mean. But can I remind you that according to Jesus Christ, there's only one kind of Christian, and that's all born-again kind of Christian, you must be born again. And if you're not born again.

That means you are living in the past and you are living in your sin and your living in spiritual death.

And if you don't know Jesus and the new birth. You don't know why and therefore you will not go to heaven. There's only one time a believer and that is a born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ will talk in just a moment exactly what that means but I'm here to say you must be born again.

You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in today's message lines most important question when he set aside daily time to connect with God to give you the ability to live a godly life and fulfill his plans for you in the coming year and we'd like to help me walk even more closely with the Lord in your head by sending you pastor grams 180 day devotional moments in the word.

It's parlayed.

Thank you for your gift today to help proclaim the gospel to more people around the world to PowerPoint. This is the last week of this offer to call today, 1-800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627 can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131 text PowerPoint 231-3131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org shop RV store online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.award. Now let's get back today's message life's most important question Jesus said you don't know where it's going where it's coming from verse eight says the wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it goes. We can see the effect of the storm. We can see and feel the way we've experienced turbulence on a prop plane and that frightened you maybe have set out by the ocean.

He felt that the ocean breeze in your basement but is an amazing thing. Jesus said it is like when the wind blows and and the experience of the new birth you can't see it physically.

This is a spiritual birth, but you know the impact and the consequences of following me me weep no man has seen God, like the wind blows we've heard we've seen with experience the impact of the influence of Jesus Christ of God's power in his life. I remember back when they had a tornado in Wichita Falls, Texas, a number of years ago when I saw a telephone pole with a squall driven through the telephone pole. The tornado had such powerful force is incredible power in the when and the power of God, the invisible things of creation are now you can you can look at creation you can you can see the glory of God in an and the greatness of God in creation, but you experience the grace of God and Jesus so he changes our lives.

That's how we know we have been born again from above because when we are born again life changes everything changed. I would be going change these days in self-improvement and do overs and makeovers. We think if I know if I could just get a better appearance and I will be happy your know were making all these resolutions okay gonna lose weight and exercise this year and and and and I will be nicer to my kids this year and in all animal improve my marriage this year and I will improve my parenthood this year and and and we make all these resolutions and if I could just change my environment. Some people think if I could just change the externals of a guide I could just change my environment that I'm living in a fight if I could just change my work situation.

That's the problem that's the problem. What I need is to change my job to change my career and then on to be happy.

Your are all know that's not my problem. My problem is you know if I could just get a new wife. If I could change my my wife and I would really be happier change my husband then you know I'm a desperate housewife and I could just get a new husband. Everything's going to be great and we change all of these things we say meant I could just get a brand-new house if I if I could just know move up into the neighborhood I really be happy and then we get the big house we've always wanted and would like if I could just downsize if I could just get the house down size then I would be happy and on and on it goes. We think if we change ourselves or change our circumstances that things are going to be okay but it doesn't work because all the physical changes in the world all the external changes of the world are not going to make you happy.

And certainly they're not going to get you right with God is not resolution that changes lives is certainly not evolution, which is more science fiction than science, not evolution, not resolution but a revolution. The spiritual revolution of a person's life transformation changed by the power of Jesus Christ. And when you are changed by the power of Jesus Christ. Everything change your attitude in life, your ambitions, your payments, your disposition.desires your very personality not know there's a form of behaviorism that suggests that that which we really can't change that once were set psychologically sometime before the age of six. Even it is suggested that our basic personality is that our basic direction and and and so on is set in life and we can't really change. Don't you believe Jesus can change any circumstance he can change any person there people who are suggesting that they well, you know my sexuality. I can't change that. I was just born this way and that's the devil's lie that you would be stuck in a sin that would be so destructive and so damaging you can change Jesus Christ can change your life but you have to start with a problem in the heart of the human problem is that is the problem of the human heart. And Jesus went right to the heart. You see Nicodemus there. These first talking face-to-face with Jesus, we know we know Vinnie's talking ultimately mind the mind, but ultimately heart-to-heart Jesus zeroed in on the Hardy said the problem with you is your heart and your heart your life needs to be changed.

You need to be born again people say well you know I I'm not that great but I got a good heart. Know your heart problem. Your heart is your problem you need a new heart. The reason you can't change the reason all these changes never work for you is because of the problem of sin in the human heart, the human heart is dark, the Scripture says, the human heart is is dark and deceitfully wicked. You know, so don't say well you know I don't do the right thing. But still God knows my heart what he sure does God knows your heart. In fact, earlier at the end of John chapter 2, there were a group of people who were following Jesus for the show.

They love the miracles I love the size and as long as he was doing these miraculous acts they they were there, but then they laughed and they believed in Jesus. According the Scripture, but the Bible says Jesus did not commit himself to them. He did not believe in them. They believed in him, but they didn't even believe in them getting he didn't trust you know why because they were just fair weather follow in the Scripture says he knew what was in the heart of man, Jesus sees unbelief.

He knows it but he also sees sincerity and honesty of heart in repentance.

And when he saw Nicodemus there was something different about that man and Nicodemus was a candidate for a change. Life and Jesus drove the point home.

You must you must you must be born again. While it doesn't say it in this passage I believe Nicodemus was born. How do you know that after the cross with Jesus died on that cross for your sins and mine before the resurrection at the darkest day with the dream of his shots Messiah ship had apparently died while the disciples fled Simon Peter, the bold fishermen and others.

They had all vanished at the sea Nicodemus. The Scripture tells us in the Gospel of John assisted Joseph O'Beirne with the providing of burial place of the body of the man who came to Jesus by night is now upfront open and he standing for Jesus single sentence of the Bible encapsulates the word of God like none other. John 316 Jesus gave these words to 1 million, just as he gives it to you individually today for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him would not perish but have ever lasting life that the Bible in a single sentence and Jesus gave it to this one man, even as he is giving it to you this day and that whosoever or that whoever believes in him that includes you. You have an opportunity is your choice, led by the spirit of God brought to this place a decision today and yesterday, today you can be born. Life will be transformed when you move from just a face-to-face or online.

The mind relationship with Jesus and you have a heart-to-heart with him and you say Lord Jesus Christ come into my life. I received you, I believe you. I trust you and you will come in sincerity and repentance and faith. You will be converted. You will be changed.

You will be transformed.

You will be worn again just like a little child you begin to grow up in your faith. Don't get the idea that when you're born again you immediately become a spiritual institution of a spiritual giant no. It takes time.

Just as a child must grow up and mature, we must broaden our faith. Some people hold often pull back from coming to Christ because they think well when I get things fixed. When I get a few things settle when I work out a few things in my life when I change this or change that, then I'll come to Jesus. Then I'll follow Jesus, but I'm not ready. I'm not ready until I get some of these things straightened out. No, that's 180° upside down. That's like saying when I grow up. I'll be born you become like a little child come to be born again you come as you when you are born again, you become a child of God, and he puts in you all the potential in all the possibility of growing up in the maturity of your faith you will have the hope of the certainty of heaven. First John 513 says these things are written that you may know that you have eternal life.

You're looking at a man who knows he's going to have a say well that's arrogant know it isn't because I'm simply trusting in the promise of God. I'm simply believing in my Savior. He died for me rose again and promised that if I would believe in him and receive him as my Lord and Savior that I would no doubt go to have, you can have that same same here listening to Jack ran in today's message line most important question. Looking ahead to a new year can fill you with expectation. They can also fill you with desperation. What if things get worse. But if the will gets crazier. But if you don't have the strength to face what comes your way. It's their spending daily time in God's word that we find the strength, peace and hope.

We need and we want to help you do that by sending you pastor Graham's 180 day devotional moments in the way moments in the word is our special thanks for your gift this month. This is the last week of this offer to come today: 800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text PowerPoint to 313131 text PowerPoint streamline 3131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org shop store online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email our website again is Jack Graham.Ward tester. What is your PowerPoint, you know, if you walk into any bookstore that you will find shelves and shelves of self-improvement book. Books about how to change and improve your life. And of course, so many of us fall into the trap of thinking that changing our jobs, or changing our appearance or changing our environment will make us happy. But you know it's not true. All of these external changes may temporarily improve life. They may better your life for a time, but none of them can really change your life. You may move around. You may change cards. You may change jobs, but you know where ever you go is the same OU is not that your circumstances or your surroundings need to change is that you need to change your heart needs to change it your heart that needs a new birth. Now the Bible is very clear what it talks about our hearts in Jeremiah 17 nine it says the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick. The heart according to the Bible is not good.

Which means your heart needs a spiritual transformation. I'm not talking about a resolution promising to do better the better, live better. I'm talking about a spiritual revolution is something so radical, so dramatic that it's like beginning life all over again is a new beginning and you know it's never too late for a new beginning. It means that you can change from the inside out. Your heart can undergo a spiritual transformation. When God takes and implants it with his love is forgiveness, his grace and his own heart. So my challenge for you today is let God change your heart transform your life realize that no external change can make you feel joyful or fulfill only a heart changed by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ can make you a brand-new person, so let him create a new beginning in you today and that is today's PowerPoint.

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