Startling Claim Ever Made part 2

Pastor Mike will be speaking on the Startling Claim Ever Made part 2. He will be in John 5:17-24

There really are only two types of people in this world. There are those who bow before God Almighty and say, thy will be done in my heart and life. And there are those who God looks upon and says, thy will be done in your life.

Which group are you in this morning? Welcome to Hope Worth Having. This is Pastor Mike Sanders from the Open Door Church. Thank you for tuning in today and being a part of our radio station. We’re excited about what God has for us today and the opportunity that we have to teach truth into your life.

If you have your Bible today, I want you to join us in John chapter 5. We’re going to be studying verses 17 through 24. We are going to continue the study, the most startling claim ever made. And we’re going to talk about who Jesus is and what did he claim to be.

Many years ago, I sat across the table eating lunch with someone who was a devout Muslim. And the one thing that we could not agree upon was who is Jesus. It’s so important that we understand what the Bible teaches us about who Jesus is and how Jesus revealed himself to us.

Because that is the cornerstone of our faith. That God himself has come to this earth to bring eternal life to all who believe in him. Let’s get our Bibles, let’s get our pen and paper, and let’s start studying together.

The only one that has seen the Father is the Son. The Son who was sent by the Father. He has declared him. When you see the Son, you see the Father. People say, I saw Jesus, or I saw God. No, listen to me, friends.

The revelation of Christ and the Father is in the world. word of God and you don’t need any extra experience you don’t need any extra emotional experience in your life you don’t need to see him on the back of a and God forbid I’m sorry to say this but people say this I’m sorry you do not have to see him on the back of a grilled cheese sandwich and you don’t have to see him on a billboard and you don’t have to see him in some picture where the light reflects he is already revealed in the word of God and the Spirit of God has revealed the son he has revealed the father and the life of Christ has revealed this father and therefore it’s all that you need and quit looking for something extra look at chapter 3 verse 16 I’m trying to help you see the equality of the father the son and the spirit and this sonship In verse three,

chapter three, verse 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Write this down. His sonship, referring to Christ’s sonship, preceded his being sent by the Father.

Long before Christ came to this earth and was incarnated into this world, he was already equal with the Father. He was already a part of the triune Godhead. He was already equal in the Holy Trinity. It’s not that Jesus came and all of a sudden he lived this outstanding life and therefore he rose to the level of equality with the Father.

He was already equal with the Father from the very outset in all of eternity. And so when we read that God sent his only begotten son, we are reading that he is his one and only son. We are reading that there is a quality that the Father has sent the son who is equal with him to come to this earth and to bring salvation to you and to me.

I’m in chapter four now of John, chapter four. I’m in verse 25. And verse 26, remember when Jesus was interacting with the woman at the well? The longest conversation recorded in scriptures that Jesus had with anyone?

Verse 25, the woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ. When he has come, he will tell us all things. What is Jesus response to her? Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

He is the coming Messiah. Jesus did not skirt around the issues, my friends. Jesus did not claim to be a great professor or prophet. He did not claim to be some great rabbi or teacher, but rather he claimed all the time that he was God.

The Bible says in Philippians 2 .6, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Why is this important to you? Because the liberals would tell you this, that it was the disciples, it was the apostles that came up with this idea that Jesus was God.

They are the ones that elevated him to such a high level where they worshiped him and this religion Christianity is based upon a narrative that was characterized by a delusional group of apostles who were misguided in their life.

But that’s not true. They understood what the Jews understood. Why do you think the Jews were so angry? If Jesus was just another rabbi, there were thousands of them. If he was just another teacher, there were thousands of them running around, even claiming to be the Messiah, even claiming to teach good things.

But Jesus said this, like no other teacher said, I am God, and I am equal with God. And knowing the theology of the Old Testament, since he wrote the theology of the Old Testament, he explained it in such a way that there was no ambiguity about the truth that he was equal with the Father.

The second thing I want you to learn this morning is that Jesus is equal with God in works. Look at verse 19. We already hinted at this, but I want you to see this. I want you to put your seat belts on, and I want you to understand this.

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself. But that he seeth the Father do, for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

I told you already, we learned in verse 17, the Father is always working, the Father is always upholding, the Father is always sustaining, the Father is always accomplishing his good purpose in this world.

What you need to understand is that the Father and the Son work in perfect harmony and unity. There is no conflict. Yes, among people, there is conflict. Yes, within families, there is conflict. conflict yes between parents and children there is conflict yes when you go to work there is conflict and well -intended people with great ideas sometimes endure much conflict but in the Trinity of the Father the Son and the Spirit there is perfect harmony and unity and they are working together to accomplish the work of God yes let me help you again I’m sorry to keep taking you back to your Bible but I want you to get this John chapter 4 verse 34 go back when the disciples came back and they saw Jesus talking to a woman they were stunned why because they went grocery shopping and like a typical man they didn’t know what to come back with amen and thank God for texting I say honey please text it to me because from the garage to the grocery store I’m gonna forget right right thank you And so these guys,

clueless, they come back, short -handed, and look what they, they’re wondering, did you already eat Jesus? Did you already eat? Verse 34, Jesus saying to them, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his what?

To finish his work. Whose work? The Father’s work. And I want you to know that the Son and the Father and the Spirit work in unity and harmony to accomplish the great work of God. Now let me help you see this.

We don’t have enough time, but I want you to get this. The Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit work together to secure your salvation. The Father, Son, and Spirit are working together to secure your salvation.

Lest you think Pastor Mike is losing it in his theology, I want to read to you 1 Peter chapter one, verse two, which captures it all. That one statement I just made is backed up by this one powerful passage.

In 1 Peter one, verse two, that we are elect according to the foreknowledge of God, the Father. Please underscore that. Through the sanctification of the Spirit. Please underscore that. Unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you and peace be multiplied.

Get this, the Father has ordained your salvation, the Son has purchased your salvation, and the Spirit of God has sealed your salvation. And they work in unity and they work in harmony to bring about the salvation of your soul.

Now it is not just, and it is not limited to, just that you would make a decision for Christ, although that is certainly a part of it, but it is the sanctification. of your life, it is the sealing of your life, it is the security of your salvation, and it is finally in the glorification of your salvation.

As we stated, you stand before God, and you, my friends, are now in his presence, and you have not only been saved from your sins, but you have been saved from this corruptible, or from this corruptible and mortal body that is full of sin, and you have been delivered from the presence of sin, and that is the culmination of your salvation, and the Father and the Son are all working in conjunction together to bring that about in your life.

Why does that matter to you? When Jesus will later on say, and we’re not there yet, but when we get there, I’m gonna hammer down, but when he says in John chapter 10, that no one can take you out of the Father’s hand.

And He reminds you that your salvation is secure in the hand of the Father. He is saying to you when the Father and the Son and the Spirit are all working together to bring about you to not only know Christ but to grow in Christ and eventually to stand before Christ, flawless, sinless and righteous before God and blameless before God, it is a work of the Trinity and what makes you think that somehow something in the world,

some person in the world and that the devil himself can snatch you out of the Father’s hand when the Father and the Son and the Spirit who are all powerful and omniscient are working together to bring about the success of your salvation.

If God is for us, who can be against us? Do you understand? And that’s why the Bible says who can bring a charge against God’s elect. There is none because Christ has purchased your salvation and the Spirit has sealed your salvation and you are secure in the family of God and you need to know that they are all working together and I can’t think of a better team if you will that to working with you to help bring about the wonderful,

glorious truth that God has saved your soul. Do not walk out of here in fear. Do not walk out of here thinking that somehow you are going to stumble and fumble and not make it. My friends, he is working in your life and he is bringing about the growth in your spiritual life so that you might ultimately be the Christian that is more than a conqueror in Jesus Christ.

Spend some time in Romans chapter 8. Spend some time digging into Ephesians 1 and 2. and understand that you are sitting in heavenly places and that God has his hand upon your life. I’m tired of Christians walking around like victims, walking around like they don’t have victory.

Listen, my friends, I’m not working towards the point of victory. I already have victory through Jesus Christ who accomplished that victory on the cross of Jesus. Lift up your head and walk out of this place with your head held high, knowing that you are more than a conqueror in Jesus Christ.

Number three, I have to move on, I apologize. Jesus is equal with God and power. Look at verse 21. For as the Father raises up the dead and quickeneth them, meaning makes them alive, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

Oh, it is within. the power and authority of Jesus for he not only casts out demons and he not only heals those who are diseased but Jesus has authority over death the charlatans can fool you and make you think that they have power over disease but there is only one who truly heals and it is Jesus Christ and I want you to know that he even goes beyond that when a charlatan says that they can heal and they have miraculous powers I want them to go to the graves and raise the dead Jesus walked into the middle of a funeral procession and he raised up a little girl Jesus came four days late to Lazarus he showed up at the tomb and he called forth Lazarus and Lazarus was awakened from the dead and he had new life and listen to me my friends all of us have been dead in our sins all of us have been dead in this world because we are all sinners and Christ spoke into our life and Christ intervened in our life and Christ initiated bringing life to us and he spoke his word and we were quickened and we were all made alive in Jesus Christ Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1 and 4 and this authority that was given to the that the father has was given to the son and all power is given unto him and he has authority to bring eternal life Christ has authority from the father to give you eternal life that’s why Jesus is the sweetest name I know I want you to know number four Jesus is equal with God in judgment look at verse 22 for the father judges no man but has committed all judgment unto the son The Father will judge believers and unbelievers through the Son.

The responsibility of judgment is through the Son, Jesus Christ. The Father has delegated that to the Son. The Bible says in Romans 2 .16 that in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

One day every soul and every heart is going to be judged and as we learned in the gospel of Luke that the secrets of men will be shouted from the rooftop and that we will not be able to hide. We will not hide because God knows everything.

You can fool the pastor, you can fool your mate, you can fool your children. You can fool a lot of people in this world but you do not fool Jesus Christ. For He knows the secrets of men. He knows what’s in your heart.

He knows what you’re doing every day. He knows what you’re doing on your cell phone. He knows what you’re doing on your computer. He knows what you’re reading. He knows where you go. He knows what you’re thinking.

He knows everything about you and your heart. Now Christians will face judgment, but our judgment will be different. Our judgment is not the judgment of our salvation because Romans eight one says that there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.

We understand that Christ took our judgment for our sins on the cross. And therefore we are not judged for our salvation, but we are judged for our works. It’s not that our works save us, but we understand that we are called to be faithful and obedient to God and we will be rewarded accordingly for what we have done for Christ on this planet for the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

After salvation, God deals with us as a father, not as a judge. And He does that through the Son, Jesus Christ. That’s why Paul said in Romans 14 .10, but why doest thou judge thy brother? Or why doest thou set it not or despise thy brother for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Every one of us is gonna give an account of our life. What did you do for Christ? Some of you are saying to me, pastor, I’m old and tired and I can’t do much for God. I understand, I’m 48, I’m struggling.

I like to tease you, but I want you to know this, the most powerful ministry for God is prayer. Can you pray? A man just told me the other day, he said there’s two pastors I pray for. He’s not a part of our.

church don’t worry there’s two pastors I pray for Mike Sanders and my pastor every day thank God if you want to know why God is able to use the open door church is because there are people on their knees every day praying for their pastor praying for the church staff praying for the people praying for the advancement of the gospel listen prayers the most powerful ministry you may not be able to do as much as you used to could do but I guarantee you can pray I just want to get that out of the way Billy Graham said at the age of 92 he couldn’t do what he used to could do but thank God he could still pray I want to encourage all of you to be engaged in prayer but some of you you’ve got some energy some of you are young and you need to pick up the mantle and you need to know that God is going to judge you for what you have done for him and there will be no excuses because he has blessed you with resources he has blessed you with talents he has blessed you with abilities he has blessed you with time and opportunities but you keep just saying I’m just gonna sit in the pew and I’m just gonna do nothing for Jesus and I’m just gonna sit on the back row and I’m not gonna do anything for God.

Listen to me my friends. I don’t wanna be you when you stand before God. And I wonder what would the open door church be like if every member was like you? I thank God for our nursery workers but if every nursery worker was like you there’d be no nursery.

I thank God for our children’s ministry but if every worker was like you there’d be no children’s ministry. And it goes on and on and on. And you say it means nothing pastor. Oh yes it does. If you bring a cup of water in the name of Christ He will bless it.

And whatever you sacrifice for God you will be rewarded a hundred times on top of what you have when you get to heaven and there is nothing too great to do for my savior when he gave his entire life for me.

But I also want you to understand that there is gonna be a judgment for those who have not trusted in Christ. As a matter of fact I wanna take this opportunity and I know I’m running a little bit late but I’m almost done so you just hang in but I think this is important.

Don’t get anxious on me. Revelation 20, just go there and if you don’t just listen. Revelation 20 verse 11 and 15. I have to get this out church. Revelation 20 verse 11 through 15. Thank you. We begin in verse 11.

white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them and I saw the dead small great stand before God and the books were open and another book was open which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works and the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire there is a warning for those who do not believe and I want you to know that for those of us who have believed We are not condemned because we have faith and that condemnation and that judgment took place at the cross But those of you who have not believed you are still under the condemnation of god You are still under the judgment of god and there is coming a day when jesus christ will separate the sheep from the goats And he will cast those unbelievers who do not know jesus christ as their lord and savior He will cast them into the eternal lake of fire And whatever we want to say hell is We know this That jesus describes it as a place where the worm does not die He describes it as a place Where people are conscious?

And they are very much experiencing The tragic Real real understanding and knowledge of their denying christ And that the judgment of god is upon them and they my friends are experiencing the horrors of hell And it is not a place where there’ll be parties And it is not a place where we hang out with our friends It is a place where you will be tortured and separated From god throughout all eternity and you will never experience his love and grace and salvation in your life And let it be heard this morning That the judgment of god rests upon you if you do not give your life to jesus christ this morning And some may be here this morning And you may be very religious and grown up in a christian home and graduated from a christian school But you do not know jesus christ And there will be many jesus said That will profess unto that will come to him and say I did this and I did that and then I will profess unto them,

I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Are you ready? Are you ready for the judgment? Are you ready to stand before God today as a believer? Are you ready to stand before God as an unbeliever?

You can be ready because of one simple verse in verse 23. Look at that verse in John chapter five. That all men should honor the son, even as they honor the father. He that honoreth not the son, honoreth not the father, which hath sent him.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation. but is passed from death unto life. Salvation will deliver you from death, spiritual death.

You will honor the son this morning by hearing his word and believing on Jesus Christ for your salvation. C .S. Lewis said there really are only two types of people in this world. There are those who bow before God almighty and say, thy will be done in my heart and life.

And there are those who God looks upon and says, thy will be done in your life. Which group are you in this morning? When we contemplate that the Father will judge everyone through the Son, believers and unbelievers will be judged through the Son.

If you are a believer, Jesus took your judgment on the cross. If you’re an unbeliever, you must turn and you must believe in Christ or you will have to face the judgment of God. And it’s so wonderful to know that Christ already took that judgment.

And by faith, we experience freedom and forgiveness and we recognize that our sins are washed away. And when we think that how is it that Jesus could do such a thing, it is because he is God and that he came and walked among us and lived a sinless life.

And he claimed to be the God who was sent from heaven. And so therefore you and I, by faith, can experience true eternal life through Jesus Christ. So I hope that as you reflect upon this amazing and startling claim that you…

would understand who Jesus really is. He is not a mere man, but rather God Himself, and that you and I would rejoice in knowing that God has not abandoned us nor forgotten us, but rather He has come to this earth, and He has reached out to us, and He has pursued us, and He has drawn us that we might have eternal life in Him.

I want to encourage you to check out our Facebook page. If you go to Facebook .com and just type in Hope Worth Having, we want you to like us, and again, on every day there are posts being made, and you can learn more about the ministry of Hope Worth Having, and I want you to be a part of our social media family, and it’s a great opportunity for you to be a part of spreading the Word of God and God’s truth to every heart and to every home.

So, take advantage of that, and make sure that you reach out to us and let us know how God is working in your life. We want to thank those who are writing us, and reaching out to us, and calling us, and we want to thank those who are responding to God.

And we are just excited to know that God is using His Word to help people to come to true salvation. Well, this is Pastor Mike Sanders reminding you that in Christ there is hope worth having. Thank you.