10/2/2021 - Being Right About Jesus

EMG radio where today's culture and timeless truths come together it's reasoned relevant content apologetics worldview and answers to the questions that you need to know from Alex McFarlane ministries. This is true for a new generation radio and now the man who preached in 50 states and 50 days, writer, and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarlane. There are many ways to be wrong about Jesus.

But there's one way to be right about Jesus. Hi Alex McFarlane, you're welcome to the program. Another time that we're going to turn to the biblical worldview and were going to talk about Jesus and I'm very honored that you listening and I'm going to read a little bit in a moment from John chapter 3 and if you've got a Bible turn to John three but as you turn there and we talk about Jesus and how to be right RIGHT how to be correct about who Jesus is. I was watching an interview earlier today. There was a comedian who recently passed Norm McDonald.

Maybe you saw this famous comedian and movie actor television star. He recently passed away. Sadly interesting because near the end of his life.

He indicated that he had become a Christian.

I hope that's true and ensuring this. I'm not endorsing everything he said or believed I don't know that much about him but near the end of his life. He had become very introspective and over the past year I noticed whenever Norm McDonald would appear on the show. He was less raucous comedian and more a voice of truth.

He was a panelist on on some show that was either judging people's talents and there was an aspiring comedian on he was just mocking Christianity is very brazenly you know, denying God and mocking the Bible and everybody's having a big laugh when it came time for Norm McDonald to comment and much to everybody's surprise, Norm McDonald said to the comedian said, you know you really shouldn't make fun of Christianity.

For one thing, it is the majority belief system on the entire planet. And you know certainly nobody would let you get by with mocking Islam or the beliefs of millions of other people, but I fear information Christianity is the majority belief system in the world and everything is said Norm McDonald. There's great evidence for the Bible. He was talking like a Christian apologist, and he said you need to know this book in this belief system that your mocking is validated by compelling lines of evidence while everybody was just open mouth with surprise.

I was watching another interview where Norm McDonald was on the show and of course nobody knew that he was dying of cancer, but it's there were saying you what you do for fun, you're rich or famous, and he explained that sometimes he took all of his family members to Hawaii for a family reunion, but he began to explain that he didn't own a house.

He didn't buy a lot of material goods and he said he didn't like to earn a lot of things because he felt like they were a burden, and the interviewers are very surprised they were like whoa, hey, you're rich me you have any car you want you can have anything you want in your McDonald said well you know life is not about acquiring things. I don't know exactly what he believed about everything in one interview he was talking to Larry King the famous interviewer and they were talking about God and McDonald said of course this is the most important thing in life is to arrive at the correct answer on the question of God in Larry King who I remember over the last 30 years. I would watch these interviews were he would interview Jerry Falwell or Billy Graham or Franklin Graham. I think Larry King was really searching and I I hope to the Lord that he found Jesus, but Norm McDonald said to Larry King, there is a God shaped hole in your soul. There's this God shaped vacuum in your heart and soul and nothing but God can fill the hats headhunting.

That's was CS Lewis said that's what Francis Schaeffer said is what Chuck Colson said Larry King's is what in the world. Does that mean and Norm McDonald said well if you've got something that no physical thing can satisfy nothing in this world can fully fill the human heart because the heart and the soul is infinitely big. Only something beyond this world can fill it. That is God and that's really true.

And the reason I open up with all of this is because I think people are searching unit. It was a Greek poet I'm sorry German poet Theodore Roethke. He was one of the most influential poets of the 20th century and he said in a dark time.

The eye begins to see many believe and I agree were living in dark times right now because of its quarantines, the, the, the mandates the economy immorality. Open borders stop the rights of citizens not being protected, were living in tough times and hopefully the epidemic in the pandemic and just the struggles and dangers of this world may be this dark time is prompting people to see at least in the sense of thinking about God thinking about their lives, thinking about their soul, their need for salvation that Jesus said in John three to Nicodemus unless a man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God, the words, if you want to go to heaven, not hell.

You must be born again. Now Nicodemus was a leader or religious leader, and he had come under cover of night. Perhaps she was afraid and embarrassed to be seen becomes, he says Jesus I know that your teacher sent from God nobody to do the miracles you do unless God is with them. Jesus doesn't even address that he says look you must be born again.

And Jesus said, you know, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground.

It can't grow up and bear a crop and so if you understand these earthly things you need to understand the heavenly things that that which is born of flesh is flesh, that which is born of the spirit is spirit Marvel not, don't be surprised that I say you must be born again to everybody listening to this broadcast right now I want to ask you have you been born again Lord is an oath in a NOT HDN born from above. There were all physically born because here we are.

Our parents conceived us in our mother delivered us, and here we are.

We've all been physically born but Jesus says, unless you've also been spiritually born, you won't go to heaven very clear, unequivocally clear. How do you become spiritually born, how are you born from above, born again, acts 319 Peter because it converted say being well women talk about that. It is through trusting Christ. We want to tell you how to do that. So stay tuned. Will be back with more truth for a new generation just after this Melanie Landau for the first time since the covert shutdowns it's the 2021 truth for new generation national apologetics conference worldviews the battles you must win featuring Dr. Alex McFarlane Dr. Frank during Sandy Rios and EW Jackson talking about raising children to come to Christ and stay with Christ in the midst of the will. Critical race theory and Marxism in America October 15-17 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina conference and concert by the Birdsong PAG 20 2117 register Alex.com. Read the Bible. Okay, let's be honest. How do you view God, I mean is she like some say the ogre type of just demands we follow his rules or is he the kind loving one who just accepts us no matter what and loves us perfectly all the time.

Will the answer is that that's us question because God can't always get squished into her little boxes and caricatures. He is perfectly loving but is also like the fire that burns and keeps on burning away or misconceptions. He is holy. Join us to learn. Are you hiring you to read God's word meaning.com for apologetics, resources, books by Alex McFarlane and to find out where Alex is speaking to visit Alex McFarlane.com welcome back to the program.

Alex mythology were talking about being right about Jesus, you know, there are innumerable ways to be wrong about Jesus but it's important that you be right about Jesus that you understand he is the son of God and he loves you and Jesus knows you personally. He knows you by name and he wants to be part of your life.

Christ cares about you. He wants to forgive you, wants to bless you and guide you in the Bible says eye has not seen and ear has not heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the things God has prepared for them that love him.

Jesus wants more for you even more than you could want for yourself, but you have to come to him the way that God says that God has laid out for us how we can have a relationship with Jesus and we have to admit that we need Jesus starts with that. We have to admit that where a sinner and while God doesn't love us our sin and our guilt, our disobedience means that we really do deserve judgment.

We do, let's be honest, we are all sinners but you can be a forgiven sinner and Peter preached in acts three verse 19 he says repent, be converted okay repent means to turn and part of it is really agreeing with God and sing. Lord, you're right. I am sinful I am guilty. I've known the right and I've done the wrong Lord I admit your assessment of of me is right, I'm guilty so that's part of repentance. But it also includes turning from sin to Christ and say Lord I'm I'm going to depend on you for my forgiveness. I believe Jesus is the son of God.

And when he died on that cross and the punishment of sin, the guilt that the wrath the fury of a holy God was poured on Jesus, you're saying God I admit I deserved it.

Christ took it for me but it was me that deserved it and I'm asking you to save me and if you put your faith in Jesus and you ask him. He will forgive you now, many people these days are wrong about Jesus time on a lot of interviews I dialogued a lot of people. In fact, I was just in a high school in one of the questions that somebody asked me was how do we know Jesus existed.

So the first way to be wrong about Jesus. The first way to be wrong about Jesus is to assume that he didn't exist and this is the position of many Internet atheist, the ones who are influencing so many youth they say Jesus didn't exist. All that is false because Jesus ranks among the world's most well documented lives. In fact will derived some say is the greatest historian who ever lived. Certainly one of the greatest and I've talked many times about will derive what he said that if we reject the historical nature of Jesus would also have to reject 100 other ancient figures Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, Julius Caesar, the evidences for which are not nearly as strong as those for Jesus clearly Jesus existed second. Like another way that people are wrong about Jesus. They say well he he did exist, but he was only a good teacher and some moral leader well that's not one of the options that he leaves open to us. In other words, say these people.

Christ existed but quote his main purpose was to set a moral example to teach kindness or tolerance but no, he claimed to be able to forgive sins that's in Mark chapter 2, he claimed to be the I am of the Old Testament in Mark chapter 14 and so, over and over he said himself as being more than a teacher. In fact, in John chapter 5, verse 39 Christ famously said search the Scriptures, they testify of me. Can you imagine somebody saying hey you know the Bible on the subject of that book that that would be the height of presumption unless it were true. And so Christ clearly posited that he was much more than a moral teacher. Thirdly, some people say, well, Jesus existed, but he didn't really claim to be God incarnate. Well that the theory is that his followers said this about him after he died. So let's unpack this did Jesus really claim to be God.

I mean, he certainly he said things like this.

He said Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who stand the profits and kill those I had sent to you. Can you imagine a pious Jew of the first century saying you know all the Old Testament prophets. I sent them Moses and Elijah, Daniel, Jeremiah, they work for me will who did the prophets work for God and yet Jesus claimed that he had sent the prophets in John 18 when he was before Pilate, he basically set forth his E turn analogy and sovereignty. He he said that he chose to come into the world. He indicated that he existed before time and he said that his kingdom was the kingdom of heaven. Amazing. A man who is just a teacher doesn't claim to be able to forgive sins claim that he is the fulfillment of Scripture claimed that the prophets work for him claimed that he existed before time and creation, but in fact one of the most amazing statements of his deity is in Mark 1461 through 64 were two of the key passages about the Messiah. Exodus 314 and Daniel seven.

The I am the eternal God the son coequal with the father he sets himself up as the fulfillment of those prophecies.

That's why the religious leaders tore their close nice and well he's blasphemed. And so the New Testament is a historically reliable work. It records Jesus's words and deeds in the New Testament. I remember the Gospels are universally acknowledged to be an accurate historical chronicle of Jesus we see that repeatedly Jesus did. Yes claimed to be God incarnate in his claims of divinity were what got them crucified. I mean, they don't execute you for simply saying love your neighbor will in John 858 Jesus said, before Abraham was, I am again that enigmatic amazing statement.

I am that I am no pious Jew would've even uttered that and yet Jesus attributed that to himself. Now when we come back within a look at three other ways to be wrong about Jesus and then unpack how to be right about Jesus. Satan will be back right after this wanted to raise your hand during the sermon will here's your chance by Alex McFarland here from the nationally syndicated radio program exploring for more than 10 years Micah spurred Harper and I have taught Scripture and answered hundreds of vital questions.

We've compiled a brand-new book of the top 100 Bible questions from listeners of all ages from questions about supposing Bible contradictions to apologetics facts that prove the truths of Scripture. This new book features practical content that will make the Bible come alive for you. Can we really be sure that God exists there contradictions in the Bible Bosque that will help me understand the Bible better. There's so much good content in this book. One Bible questions and answers published by Broad Street publishers and available at your local bookstores and also through resources.AFA.net are you tired of liberal agendas ruining our country but you don't know what to do about it.

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You're listening to the truth for a new generation radio.

Welcome back, Alex McFarland here salon ridiculous thing were talking about the ways people are often wrong about Jesus and we said some people say he didn't exist. In other people say that he existed but he was only a teacher sums it will, he existed, but he didn't claim to be God the Savior on the fourth way to be wrong about God. Some something what may be Jesus is some kind of God or higher spiritual power.

But he really wasn't a normal human being. That's part of the interesting thing about the incarnation of Christ, absolutely unique in world history.

How God the eternal God in fleshed himself took on a human body and Jesus was fully God and fully man, but not fallen man. He was fully God, but he was able to be our Savior, because he really did take on a human nature but not a fallen, sinful human nature. Now, some believe that because he is fully God.

He wasn't fully human and the. The assumption is that spiritual things are good quote" yet humanity is bad. The body is bad. Other was an ancient heresy in the early church got despotism that only Jesus appeared to be human but he wasn't really human from a Greek word that means to seem or to appear and so this idea that Jesus was the spiritual God, but not really a normal human is is really kind of a modern rendering of an ancient heresy and it crops up again and again but another way to be wrong about Jesus to assume that Jesus was God, deity, but a different God than the God of the Old Testament. I hear this. A lot of times, especially when I'm speaking to young people and maybe they read this on a blog site or something that they they believe that the Old Testament Jehovah was a wrathful vengeful deity. Jesus, however, represents a God of love and really this bifurcation if I could use that word of the biblical presentation of God.

It is really in a way tied to a denial of the Trinity. Now there was an ancient false teacher named Sibelius who actually influenced the line that would lead to Mohammed and Sibelius's false teachings were really some of the foundational groundwork for what would become Islam, but he taught that Jesus and the father were different forms or modes of the being of God. But remember in John 14. Nine. Jesus said if you have seen me, you have seen the father. And so, Jesus and the God of the Old Testament are not at odds with each other. Another way that people are wrong about Jesus and listen very carefully, but some say that Jesus quote became God. This is kind of a new age take on Jesus, the idea that the gospel is really about kind of some secret knowledge that can propel you to to godhood and this goes back to the first century something on Gnosticism GN of STI see ISM Gnosticism one of the early Gnostic teachers was a guy name Marcy and MAR CIO in Marcy and lived around 85, 260 A.D., a lot of history here, but Marcy and was influenced by an ancient heretical teacher name Sergio CER DO certain I would taught this kind of dualism that there are two forces forever in a dance in the universe. Yen and Yang good and evil. And you know nowadays have even heard people say that they think will. Maybe Satan has to exist as like some eternal counterpart to God not Satan was Lucifer, an angel who fail not eternal, only God is eternal. But here's the thing. Jesus was not a human who became divine.

He was not carnal, who became spiritual. Jesus as John chapter 1 says he's the log's the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. And so it wasn't that Jesus quote recognized in became deity. Jesus is forever. Hebrews chapter 13 says Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. So how can we be right about Jesus. Well, to be right about Jesus is to accept what he claimed for himself to accept that he is the Savior who gave his life for you and for me that he really is God incarnate, most unique life that was ever lived. Fully God and yet fully man is amazing in other was a missionary, Lou Nichols. He was an author in a missionary and any read the following. He said someone once observed that Longfellow could take sheet of paper and write a poem and make it worth many thousands of dollars words on paper. This is talent. Rockefeller could sign a piece of paper and that piece of paper would be worth millions. That's capital a seamstress can take material worth five dollars and make it into clothing worth $100. That skill. A merchant could buy an article for $0.80. Put it on the counter and was some markup so it for every dollar that's business but Lou Nichols wrote only God could take a worthless sinful life, wash it, cleanse it, put his Holy Spirit within it and make it a blessing to all humanity. That is, salvation, and salvation is available to all who choose it. You know, one of the things it's important to think about is that Jesus is not only the Savior who offers himself.

Jesus is coming back in the Bible warns that in the last days will be scoffers who stay in a where is the promise of Christ's coming.

While he is coming back.

And Jesus said when he comes, he will come quickly and you won't be able to make ready then it'll be too late, but you can get ready right now and you can be right about Jesus and we often say this and it's very true. Jesus is as close by is a prayer if you need help in understanding what it means to know Christ reach out to us.

You can email me alex@alexmcfarlane.com go to our website. Alex McFarland.com. I'd love to send you a little booklet that tens of thousands of people of gotten what does God say about my relationship with him. We hope you're right about Jesus call out to him today bring them into your life making your Savior. He's waiting to answer your prayer. TMG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland ministry, PO Box 10231 is Burrell, NC 27404. That's PO Box 10231, Greensboro, NC 27404 call us at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes, God, and the number one or give online@alexmcfarland.com while you're there, listen the program archives. Read Alex's blog invite Alex to speak at your event or contact Alex with a question or comment, Alex McFarland.com. Thanks for listening today and join us again next time. As we bring you more true for a new generation TMG radio