Today, you and I are going to have one of those
good heart -to -heart talks. And during our heart
-to -heart talk today, I will be answering some
of the questions that have been sent in. And
I hope that your question regarding Jesus will
be answered as we talk about him. Do you want
to know something? all the difference in the
world what one believes. I know it's a common
remark that it really doesn't make any difference
what one believes just so one is sincere in that
belief. That is not true. It makes all the difference
in the world what one believes. The right views
of Jesus Christ are absolutely necessary. Right
relationships toward him, the right service for
him are absolutely necessary. The question, therefore,
that Jesus asked his disciples when he was here
on earth in the flesh 1 ,900 years ago is the
supreme question to be faced by... every rational
human being. And this is his question. Whom say
ye that I am? That's the question. His previous
question to these same disciples a moment before
was, Whom say the people that I am? What does
the crowd say? And they answered by saying, Some
say that thou art John the Baptist. Some say
Elijah. There's still others who say that you
are one of the prophets, perhaps Jeremiah. And
then very quickly, he put to them the probing
question. Whom say ye that I am? And one of the
men, and it would be Simon Peter, he was always
the first to answer. And he made the answer.
And believe me, it was an inspired reply. He
said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God. There was no hesitancy on his part whatsoever.
it was truly an inspired reply thou art the christ
the son of the living god to which jesus replied
o blessed art thou simon barjona for flesh and
blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my
father, who is in heaven. To me that was always
very thrilling. To this very hour. The spiritual
things are only spiritually revealed. There is
never a day of my life, but what I have to say,
flesh and blood hath not revealed this hour.
unto thee, but to my Father who art in heaven.
For the natural mind cannot comprehend the things
of the spirit. That which is born of the flesh
is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit
is spirit. And spiritual things are only spiritually
revealed. That's the reason the carnal man, the
carnal heart, the natural man, cannot understand
the spiritual things. That same question, whom
say ye that I am, comes echoing its way all down
the centuries, and the question will never be
down, never. You cannot ignore it. For Christ
crosses the threshold of... every rational life,
and puts to every one the question, Whom say
ye that I am? And the sincere, the serious, the
earnest seeker after truth will at last come
to say what Simon said, Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God. Who is Jesus Christ?
Whom do you say that he is? Sitting there right
down your home. Listening to me on your transistor
set. There in the office. Listening to me on
your car radio. You're going to have to face
it. Every rational human being has to face this
question. And he puts it to you point blank.
Who is... Jesus Christ. Christianity stands or
falls with the person of Christ. Supernatural
Christianity stands or falls with the person
of Jesus Christ. Oh, I know. There have been
three views in this world about Christ. One,
that he was wicked. Another, that he was good.
But mistaken about his claims. And the other,
that he was God. God manifest in the flesh. The
Redeemer who came to save a needy world which
was estranged from God and lost in sin. Now,
let's take the first view. Let's face it. Thoughtful,
candid men. Whatever may be their unbelief, look
at Jesus and say, he's the finest among 10 ,000,
the one altogether lovely. Many, many who do
not accept the higher claims concerning him do
not hesitate to say that Jesus was the best man
who ever lived. Thousands who do not accept his
deity and divinity. still say he was the greatest
example that ever walked this earth. Another
view concerning Christ was that he was good,
but mistaken in his claims. That he was earth's
highest and best, but mistaken in his own claims
and assumptions. Some very clever men have held
this view. Edward Hale held this view. There
are clever men today who hold the same view.
One wonders how on earth they can believe that
Jesus, who made such astounding claims concerning
himself, could be good, wise, or sane if he was
nothing more than man. They well know that nothing
short of deity can satisfy the claims which Jesus
made for himself. The theory that Christ was
only a man reduces him to a mere physical being.
And this theory, no matter how beautiful, cannot
lift man all the way from earth to glory. Men
need a power above and beyond themselves. Every
person needs a power to come into his life above
himself, greater than himself. And mere ethics
will not do it. Beautiful theories will not do
it. Wonderful philosophies will not do it. If
Christ be only a man. He cannot lift men out
of sin, guilt, and death. If he were mere man,
how in the world could he forgive another man's
sins? A sinner cannot forgive another sinner's
sin. It takes deity. It takes divinity. That
is the reason that we know that only one can
forgive sins. Just one. One who has never sinned.
And only one in absolute perfection, sinless,
has walked this earth. And that one was... deity
and divinity, the very son of the living God.
That was the reason he could challenge the whole
world and say, which of you convinces me of sin?
Is there a man living today, regardless of his
morality, can put forth that challenge? His family
know him. His neighbors know him. Those in business
know his faults and know that he is not infallible.
All have sinned and come shard the glory of God.
Only one could put forth that challenge. Which
of you convinceth me of sin? And there was no
answer. No sinner can forgive another man's sin.
That's the reason only Jesus can forgive our
sins. Therefore, I say to you, you who hold the
theory that he was a wonderful example, but nothing
more, if Christ be only a man, That he cannot
lift men out of sin and guilt and death. Let's
go on to the other view. The one that's held
by you and by me. And that is the New Testament
view that Jesus was just what he claimed to be.
God manifest in the flesh. And I stake my very
life on it. I stake my... All on it. That's the
reason I give my life as a living sacrifice.
There's no doubt in my mind. I believe it so
completely that I tell you the truth. I've staked
everything that I have on the fact that Jesus
Christ is all that he said that he was. I have
not the remotest doubt in my mind concerning
that fact. Christ was more than man. Christ was
God and man in one personality. The God -man.
As much man as though he were not God, as much...
God, as though he were not man. John describes
Jesus in five little words. The Word was made
flesh. And Paul, speaking of Jesus, said, Great
is the mystery of godliness. Great. Great is
this mystery. No human mind can fathom this glorious
mystery. God manifested in the flesh, justified
in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto
the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received
up into glory. That's Paul's majestic description
of the person and the worth of Christ. Victor
Hugo states the case, the universal verdict,
when he said that Jesus was the ultimate in all
life. And even Lord Byron rose up and said, if
ever man was God, and if ever... God was man.
This Jesus Christ is both. Browning said, The
acceptance of God in Christ solves for all of
us all problems in this world and the next. And
there's something that's most interesting. A
gentleman at a luncheon with a group of very
brilliant men and women said, it would be most
interesting to have each of you answer the question,
what person would you like best to have seen?
it was most amusing enjoyable and great men and
women were mentioned oh sure somebody suggested
shakespeare and on and on they talked presently
the gentleman said if shakespeare were to come
into this room we would all rise and bow to him
but i am thinking of one whose name has not been
called if he were to come into this room now
this very moment all of us in this room would
fall down on our knees and cry out with thomas
of old my lord and my god i think Think of that
so often. I am aware of this very thing. Oftentimes
when I stand on the stage or behind a pulpit,
and without saying so audibly, mentally I think,
what would these people do if suddenly they could
see Jesus face to face? What would you do this
very moment? If suddenly you beheld Jesus walking
into that room, standing in front of you, face
to face, I honestly believe with every atom of
my being that each of us would fall down on our
knees and worship him. Just instinctively we
would do it. There he stands. Indeed, there was
never another person like unto him in all of
time, and never will there be another like him.
Christ, the divine Son of God, born 1900 years
ago in a stable, laid in a manger because there
was no room for the mother in the inn. in that
crisis hour of her life. Born in a stable and
yet about that humble place there gathers more
interest than about all the other treasure houses
of the great from the first man until the last.
His name is potent. There's power in the name
of Jesus. There's more inspiration in the name
of Jesus than any other name, the most majestic
in all the world. His name is above every name.
Thou shalt call his name Jesus. Jesus, for he
shall save his people from their sins. Is there
another of whom this could be said? He shall
save his people from their sins. He is the one
who stirs our hearts, who shares our sorrows,
who gives us life and joy and peace and love.
Simon Peter spoke it well. Thou art of the Christ,
the Son, the living God, without hesitation,
without any doubt whatsoever. unlike any other
human being that the universe has ever known
or ever shall know. He is the way, the truth,
the life, the pilot, the older brother, the guide
who came to bring light to a darkened world and
sending men and women to God, the one great mediator
between God and man. the one by whom alone we
can gain a hearing to the father's throne and
receive his forgiving and unfailing love oh to
me that's thrilling that's thrilling see him
in this moment not as mere man not as just an
example but as the great mediator the great high
priest this very moment seated at the right hand
of god the father ever living to make intercession
for you and for me That's the one thing that
you and I have in common this hour. He is my
great high priest. He is your great high priest.
He is my great mediator. He is your great mediator.
As we come before the father's throne, we have
a hearing. as we come in the name of His Son,
as we come into the presence of Almighty God
and say, Father God, in Jesus' name, hear my
petition, hear my cry. Only one absolute perfection.
That is why he can forgive your sins and my sins.
Feel his presence. Reach out and touch that seamless
robe. With confidence, commit yourself into his
care and keeping. And in this moment, Hear that
cry of confession. Blot out of that every transgression
as that one stands justified before God by faith.
Give peace of mind and peace of soul. Amen.