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Matthew chapter 7 of the New Testament, I'm
going to read to you from verses 24
to verse 29.
If you have a Bible, you might want
to share with the person who's beside you,
both here in the education annex as well.
Father, thank you for how you have so
manifested your glory in this house today.
How wonderful it is to have salvation, to
know Jesus Christ in the fullness of everything,
oh God, that you've intended for us as
your people.
Now today, Lord, we ask you to open
the way of grace and understanding to those
who don't yet know or understand what it
means to be saved from the power of
sin and brought in to an assurance of
eternity with God.
I ask you for an anointing to fall
on every hearer, abide in the sanctuary, oh
God, in every overflow room.
Let your kingdom come.
We ask this in Jesus' mighty name.
Jesus said, whosoever therefore shall hear these sayings
of mine and doeth them, I will liken
him to a wise man which built his
house upon a rock.
And the rain descended and the floods came
and the winds blew and beat upon that
house and it fell not for it was
founded upon a rock.
That was verse 25 of Matthew chapter 7.
And everyone that hears these sayings of mine
and does them not shall be likened to
a foolish man which built his house upon
the sand.
And the rain descended and the floods came
and the winds blew and beat upon that
house and it fell and great was the
fall of it.
And it came to pass when Jesus had
ended these sayings, the people were astonished at
his doctrine, for he taught them as one
having authority and not as the scribes.
Now this is a very profound statement.
Here is a man speaking things that others
are speaking.
Quite often when Jesus spoke he quoted scriptures
and things that were common and known among
those who were students of the Old Testament.
But Matthew said he taught them as one
who had authority.
There is a difference between somebody standing outside
of a high rise, for example, here in
New York City, who is simply describing it
and its magnificence, between that person and another
person who comes along who actually built the
high rise.
His words would have authority.
He would be able to describe something in
a way.
He would have an authority to change things
perhaps that were not going up according to
their proper design.
And if you were listening to the two
men describe the same building, you would know
instantly that one man had a deeper authority.
He had an authority to build, he had
an authority to tear down, to change things.
The other man just had an opinion about
what he was looking at.
And this is exactly what the people were
confounded with in the day that Christ walked
among them.
He taught them as one whose words had
the power in themselves to be accomplished.
The Sadducees and the Pharisees, the religious leaders
of the day, were offended at his teaching.
Because his teaching exposed the powerlessness of their
words.
And they sent some of the temple guards
and they said, Go and arrest this man
and bring him to us so that we
can examine him.
The temple guards went.
And you can just imagine the dismay of
these religious leaders when the temple guards returned
and they didn't have Jesus with them.
And the chief officer said to the priests
and the Pharisees, they said to these guards,
They said, Why have you not brought him?
And the guards looked back at them.
And I can just imagine the perplexity in
their faces when they said, Never has a
man spoken like this man.
Like we've heard a lot of men speak.
Now, these temple guards were familiar with the
temple and they heard a lot of men
speak about God.
There were a lot of opinions about eternal
things.
I can imagine them coming into the temple
and saying to some of the people around,
Where is this man called Jesus?
And these are men who are just called
to do their normal duty the course of
the day, to yield to whatever the will
is of those that are over them in
authority.
I see them walking into the temple and
stopping for a moment just to listen to
this man.
And every man in his heart saying, I've
never ever heard a man speak like this.
It's not just that he has a deeper
opinion than others around.
It's not that he's more articulate or clever.
No, there's a force in his words.
There's a force that these temple guards most
likely realized was something beyond what human ability
was able to produce.
Never has a man, never any man, they
said, has spoken like this man.
John, in speaking of Jesus, says he was
the Word, he was with God.
In fact, he was God.
John says he was in the beginning with
God and all things were made by him
and without him was not anything made that
was made.
In him was life and the life that
was in him was the light of men.
This word that the temple guards were listening
to was the voice of God that said,
let there be light and light was.
The voice of God that has the power
and ability to create.
The voice of God that allowed you and
I to exist even before, the Bible says,
we were formed in our mother's womb.
God determined that we should have life.
This voice of God.
John said we saw him.
We saw the one who was the architect
of all things.
Not a man who has simply an opinion
about creation.
A man who created creation.
A man who spoke out of the abundance
of the love of his heart and made
a world and made a universe.
And created man in his own image.
And because of the depth of his love
and his own desire for companionship, he breathed
into this man that he created.
And the Bible says this man became a
living soul.
Yet, of course, we know, understanding the story,
that man sinned against him.
And because he's a holy God, sinful man
cannot dwell in the presence of a holy
God.
All it takes to be a sinner is
to commit one sin.
All you have to do to be a
murderer is kill one person.
You don't have to kill the whole world.
You kill one person and you're a murderer.
You commit one sin and you're a sinner.
Separated from God.
Tell one lie.
You are now a liar for the rest
of your life.
It is a blot that comes into your
character that cannot be erased by anything of
this world.
That is simply what you are.
And, of course, the Bible tells us that
man is born to sin as sparks fly
upward.
It's a nature that was passed on to
us from our first parents who sinned against
God.
And we have no recourse against it.
It's a blot and a blight in our
character that causes us to do things that
perhaps even things we don't want to do.
And these things, of course, alienate us from
God for all of eternity.
That means when we die, we're separated from
God.
Because sin cannot dwell in the presence of
a holy God.
But John said about this man Jesus, he
said, We saw him, and in him was
a life, and this life was the light
of man.
John saw something.
And when you look in the Greek New
Testament, it means a light that was never
lit by anybody.
It didn't have a beginning and it can
never be put out.
Everything, in other words, that man is looking
for was in him.
Everything that you and I long for is
in Christ.
John saw it, the early disciples saw it,
the temple guards became aware of it when
they heard him speak.
Everything that we look for in life, purpose,
direction.
Everything you long for.
Everything the businessman here today has been searching
for.
Everything the man who's wandering aimlessly in confusion,
heading towards the gates of his own death.
Everything you've been looking for.
Everything the struggling mother, everything that the concerned
father, the parents who legitimately perhaps are afraid
for their children in this generation.
The stability that you've wanted in your life
and home.
This inward itch that you've been unable to
scratch all of your life.
Everything you've longed for is found in him.
Jesus said, whoever hears the words that I
speak, builds his life on a foundation that
cannot be shaken.
Storms can come suddenly.
A phone call can change the direction in
the course of your life and health.
Loss of health can come without a moment's
notice.
Changes can come in fortune or circumstance that
are outside and beyond our control.
And of course, the Bible speaks of a
sudden and final shaking that's coming to all
this world.
And if you are honest this morning, there's
something inside of you that knows that things
are moving very quickly in that direction.
Nations, as Jesus said, are rising against nation.
Rogue governments now are getting their hands on
very fearful weaponry.
Difficulties.
Jesus talked about a perplexity of nations coming.
Waves and the seas roaring.
We saw that recently with the tsunami that
affected certainly disastrously parts of the world just
in our days.
A final shaking is coming when sin will
have brought such a weight with it into
the very universe that God created that by
virtue of the nature of God, he will
be compelled to fold up this universe as
it exists today and to recreate a new
heaven and a new earth.
The writer of Hebrews says that everything that
can be shaken will be shaken.
Everything possibly that can be shaken will be
shaken.
There will be a rise in our generation
of some very difficult and dark days.
But the writer of Hebrews says something else.
Only that which cannot be shaken will remain.
Only that which was perhaps here before all
these other things came into existence and will
be here still when it is all over
cannot be shaken.
The word of God existed before all of
these things around us.
The word of God in compassion created it.
The word of God in justice will judge
it.
The word of God in mercy will recreate
it.
As a kingdom where those who have trusted
in his word can dwell with him for
all of eternity.
John says the word became flesh and dwelt
among us and we saw his glory.
It was the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father full of grace and
truth.
We saw him.
Some people think that to see God must
be a fearful thing.
Indeed it is.
If you leave this world not understanding or
experiencing the salvation that God offers through his
son, I guarantee you it is a fearful
thing to appear in the sight of a
holy God.
Paul the Apostle says knowing the terror of
the Lord we persuade men.
But John saw something else.
He saw God come down to the earth
taking on himself the form of a man.
And he looked at this man Christ Jesus.
And John said this man is full of
truth.
Yes.
Truth is in him.
He is truth.
He can't be anything other than what he
is.
When he speaks he speaks the truth.
But John said we also saw this grace
and the word grace means a kindness.
It's a willingness to freely give.
A God who had every right to judge
us for our sin.
A God who has every right to condemn
the whole universe as it exists today into
an eternal abyss apart from him.
A God who would be completely justified without
question to cast away those who have rejected
his goodness.
Manifests himself to us in such a love
that our natural minds cannot comprehend it.
All we can sing about it.
We can talk about it.
But can we really understand the depth of
this love?
God becoming a man.
That in itself is such an incredible bridge
between what is divine and what is human.
We can't understand with our natural mind the
journey that that is.
From God to leave where he dwelt to
become a man.
To walk among us for 33 years.
To not only walk among us but to
be rejected, despised, spit upon, whipped, hated, falsely
accused.
And ultimately to hang on a cross and
suffer the wrath that was reserved for you
and I and our sin.
Truth says all have sinned and fallen short
of the glory of God.
Romans chapter 3 verse 23.
There's not one righteous.
The Bible says not even one.
Truth says the wages of sin is death.
Eternal separation from God.
Romans chapter 6 and verse 23.
This is our just due.
Those who have sinned against God.
Those who walk in willful rebellion to the
word of God.
But grace says, he that comes to me,
I will not cast him out.
Jesus spoke this in John chapter 6 and
verse 37.
Truth says, Revelations chapter 20 verse 11.
The earth and everything associated with it will
be taken out of its place.
But grace says, my sheep hear my voice.
And I know them and they follow me.
And I will give them eternal life and
they shall never perish.
And neither shall any man pluck them out
of my hand.
That's what grace says.
Those who come to me, Jesus said, I
will hold you in my hand.
And everything around you might shake.
And difficult days might come.
And ultimately you will have to cross the
same river of death that all of humanity
has crossed before you.
But when those who are without God are
moving towards eternity on a very shaky, crumbling
foundation.
Those who have put their trust in me,
Jesus said, I'm going to hold you in
my hand.
I'm not going to cast you away.
I'm never going to let you go.
John said also those who received him, he
gave them the power to become the sons
of God.
Even to those who believe on his name.
And he said in verse 16 of chapter
1, And we have all received of his
fullness and grace for grace.
Not just holding me, John said, in his
hand.
But coming to live within me.
And giving me the power to be another
person.
Recreating me from the inside out into the
image of the type of person that God
had destined I should be.
Before sin entered into my life.
Forgiving me for the wrong that I've done.
You ask me today, how complicated is this?
What do I have to do?
What changes do I have to make in
my life?
It's not a matter of doing something.
It's a matter of believing what God has
already done.
Jesus came to this world.
He was God in the human body.
Fully man.
Fully God.
He paid the price for all the wrong
things that you have done.
And that I have done.
He says, if we will turn to him.
If we will acknowledge that we have sinned
against God.
A proud man can't get into heaven.
It requires a humility.
How humble is it really just to agree
with God?
How foolish not to.
God says, yes, you have sinned.
You've fallen short of the glory.
But I've come that you might have life.
If you will acknowledge that you've sinned.
And open your heart.
And invite me to come into your life.
And forgive you.
I will.
I will forgive your sin.
He said to the prophet Isaiah, let's reason
together.
Though your sins are as red as scarlet,
they will be as white as snow.
He said elsewhere through Isaiah.
I will not even remember your sin anymore.
I will take it upon myself.
That's why I died for you.
This incredible love.
Of a savior.
And I will take your sin upon myself.
And I will forgive you for the wrong
things that you've done.
And I will cover you.
With my hand.
I will hold you close to my heart.
And he says beyond that.
I will live within you.
And I will give you the power.
To live a new life.
The psalmist David says, oh, taste and see
that the Lord is good.
If I could today, I'd leave this platform.
And I'd grab every man in this room
by the lapels of your jacket.
And I'd shake you.
And I would encourage you, taste and see.
Taste and see that God is good.
Taste and see that everything you've longed for
is found in Him.
Taste and see that everything that you've built
might be crumbling around you.
But what He offers cannot be shaken.
Taste and see this new life of forgiveness
that He offers.
Taste it and see it.
Yes, God knows you have questions.
You don't have all the answers this morning.
And God knows that.
But it begins with a simple step of
faith.
Of saying, Jesus, I have sinned against you.
I've sinned against heaven.
I've sinned against the laws of God.
I've lived a life apart from God's truth.
Because of it, my foundations are crumbling.
But you offer me something through your word
that cannot be shaken.
Today, I choose to open my heart.
I choose to give my life to Jesus
Christ as my Lord and Savior.
This is not an invitation to another religion.
Beloved, this is eternal life.
Jesus is not another God.
He is God.
You will never ever in your life have
a more defining moment than this moment.
I had a moment like this back in
1978.
When an invitation was given to receive Christ
as my Savior.
I had a lot of questions in my
heart.
Because there were so many opinions.
Just so many opinions about God.
But I saw something in some people that
so provoked my heart.
And I said, oh God, if this is
real, then I want this.
If you are who they say you are,
I want you as my Lord and Savior.
The Lord heard that prayer.
It was an honest cry.
And all he requires of you this morning
is honesty.
You don't have to know all the answers.
But you have been touched today by something
of the supernatural and you know it.
You have heard songs that move you.
There's something about the name of Jesus that
doesn't go away.
You try to reject his name.
But his name stays implanted in your consciousness.
And his name stays because he created you.
He is your creator.
He does give you the power to draw
your next breath.
He is the one who died for you.
He is the one who is willing to
give you everlasting life.
It doesn't matter how old you are.
It doesn't matter how much you've done.
It's not about these things.
You don't have to clean up your act
to come to God because you can't clean
it up.
It's impossible.
It's too dirty.
You can't clean it up.
He has to be the one who covers
it.
As you heard earlier, with his own blood,
his own sacrifice, he covers your sin.
Today, education annexed.
I know there's many people in overflow rooms
and even in the rotunda and balcony.
The Bible tells us that the angels in
heaven are waiting to rejoice over one sinner
that repents and comes to Christ.
One single mother, one homeless person, one businessman,
one sinner.
One entertainer.
No matter what you are or what you've
done.
Heaven is waiting in anticipation of the decision
that you're about to make.
This is a decision for eternity.
Let's pray together, just for a moment.
Jesus, I ask you now to let everyone
in this house know that the words and
the songs that have been sung in the
presence of your love that they have felt
is real.
It's more real than this world that we
stand on.
Because this world is going to perish, but
your love is everlasting.
I pray God with all my heart that
men and women and children and young people
have the courage today to say, Jesus, I
need you.
I need you as a savior.
I need this everlasting life that you offer.
I acknowledge that I have sinned.
And that you are indeed the light of
my life and of this world.
Today, I make the choice to bend my
knee before you and confess with my tongue
that you are Lord.
Father, I pray, give great grace.
For some here may never have another chance
to do this.
Give great grace, oh God.
Let nobody miss eternity today who's hearing the
sound of your voice.
I thank you for this in Jesus' mighty
name.
I'm going to ask everybody in this sanctuary,
in the annex and all the overflow rooms,
who can say, Pastor, I hear you, but
beyond you, I hear God speaking to my
heart.
I know this is true.
I don't understand it all, but I know
it's true.
And I hear God speaking into my heart.
And I want this sure foundation that God
offers my life.
If this is you today, would you stand?
We won't embarrass you.
We won't ask you to do anything foolish.
But just stand right where you are.
Would you do that right now?
God bless you, sir, madam, madam.
God bless you.
Others, please, unashamedly.
God bless you.
Just, you don't have to be ashamed.
It's nothing to be ashamed about.
Jesus is offering you everlasting life.
I see many up in the balcony in
the back.
Would you just stand wherever you are?
Fathers, you need to take this step if
you've come with your family today.
And you need to stand for the truth
of God.
You need to confess that you need Christ.
And God will give you everlasting life.
Now we're going to pray together.
And every person in the sound of my
voice who wants to receive Jesus Christ as
your Lord and Savior.
You may not have had the courage to
join these that are standing throughout the sanctuary
or the annex building.
But in your heart, you do want to
receive Christ as your Savior.
I'm going to encourage you to pray this
prayer with us.
And for the benefit of those who have
stood, let's pray together today.
Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that you are
the Son of God.
I believe you came to this world to
give your life as a sacrifice for my
sin.
I'm sorry for my sin.
And I don't want to live under its
dominion any longer.
I open my heart, Jesus, in this very
moment.
I invite you into my life to be
my Lord and my Savior.
I believe in my heart that you died
for my sin.
And on the third day, you were raised
from the dead by the power of God.
As a sign to me that my confidence
in you is not in vain.
As Jesus was raised, so will I be
raised out of the power of death.
And I will be freed from the stain
of sin.
I believe this with all of my heart.
God, thank you for hearing me.
Thank you for receiving me.
I believe at this very moment, I am
saved.
I am saved.
Now let's join the angels and thank God
for those that have come into God's kingdom.
I'm going to ask you in a moment
to stand.
And I have an altar call to give
today.
And it's for every person who's here.
See, Pastor, I have accepted Christ into my
heart, but I am living on a very
shaky foundation.
I'm not living right for God.
I need to be encouraged in the Lord.
If you'll step out, make your way to
this altar, we're going to pray together.
And we're going to believe God to give
you great strength.
That everything Christ provided for you, every foundation
he gave that you can walk on, that
you will begin to understand it and begin
to walk in this foundation.
If you're backslidden, you need to come back
to God.
Then slip out of where you are.
Make your way to this altar.
Young lady, you did stand up to receive
Christ.
God bless you.
Wonderful day in your life.
Those that received the Lord, you come forward
too.
Let's all stand.
Balcony.
Main sanctuary.
You need encouragement in the Lord.
Please come and meet us here.
We're going to pray together.
Father God Almighty, I pray this day that
you encourage those that have come to this
altar.
Lord, you are the way, the truth, and
the life.
And all the strength and life that we
will require is found in you.
Help us, God, to turn from our ways.
Things that we do, think and say, oh
God, that are displeasing to you.
Give us the power that you promised to
give to those who trust in you.
To honor you.
And to walk on a foundation that cannot
be shaken.
God Almighty, give strength to these who have
acknowledged their need today.
And Father, we just thank you for it.
Lord, lift your face up upon them.
Let your goodness be known in their hearts
and minds.
Let your strength become their portion.
I pray for this altar.
I pray for the annex for those that
have come forward.
I pray that your glory rests on our
house, oh God.
Rests on every Christian in this city.
Jesus, prepare us and keep us in whatever
days lie ahead of us, oh God.
Let us stand in the truth that you
have provided for us.
And let us trust in the sacrifice in
your provision.
Father, we thank you for this.
God, with all of our hearts, we give
you the praise.
We give you the glory.
Jesus, you are holy.
You are a wonderful Savior.
You're an incredible God.
We love you, Lord.
We thank you, God, for your goodness to
us.
Thank you for your mercy.
Help us to dig a little deeper into
your love this day, oh God.
And to understand the depth of your love.
We thank you, God, with everything that's in
our hearts.
Now, let's all just give him a thank
offering, a praise offering.
This is the conclusion of the message.