Participants: Dennis Uffindell
Series Code: FC
Program Code: FC000047
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00:29 We welcome you to our program today.
00:32 And trust that you got a blessing. 00:35 My name is Dennis Uffindell 00:37 and I am looking forward to spending this time with you. 00:40 Let us just pray together. 00:43 Dear Father in heaven, 00:44 we thank You that You gave us Your word, 00:47 the wonderful book we called a Bible. 00:50 And that in it You tells us about Jesus Christ 00:53 the Savior of the world and as we focus upon Him today, 00:56 we pray that You will bless each one of us 00:59 in His name, amen. 01:03 A few years ago, a young person said to me, 01:08 what so special about Jesus Christ and His sacrifice? 01:12 After all, many people have 01:15 done great things for their faith, 01:17 they have died for it even. 01:20 So why do we think that the death of Jesus Christ 01:24 with such a special or wonderful thing? 01:26 I don't feel particularly grateful for it. 01:29 And so we have to ask this question, 01:31 what is so special about this Jesus of Nazareth 01:36 this Galilean peasant, 01:38 this independent thinker or Jewish rebel? 01:43 Let's face it. 01:45 Although His followers of 2, 000 year ago, 01:48 followed Him with shining eyes and looked upon Him 01:50 with unflinching devotion and followed Him everywhere. 01:54 In more recent years things of changed 01:58 and people look at Him with less devotion 02:01 and called themselves Christians 02:03 when it dose not change their life very much. 02:07 In fact, some people today 02:08 would even have us re-look at the whole thing 02:11 and tell us that it doesn't really matter 02:13 whether or not He lived. 02:15 It's the spiritual aspect of things that counts. 02:19 So, I believe we need to address this question. 02:25 A man's religion I believe is as valuable 02:29 and as powerful as his concept of his leader. 02:34 And so if we only have a low concept to Christ 02:37 we will not have a powerful religion. 02:42 In John 20:28 we read so far 02:45 as the disciples of Christ day is concerned, 02:48 it says that they fell at His feet 02:51 and said my Lord, and my God. 02:54 In other words, they saw Him as truly unique 02:58 and that affected their whole lives. 03:01 And I remember and I would like to treat it 03:03 that way today what the Apostle Paul said, 03:06 so far as his work for Christ was concerned 03:08 in 1 Corinthians 2:2 03:12 "For I determined not to know anything among you, 03:15 save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." 03:18 You know, its repotted that in Russia 03:21 after before the revaluation young people 03:24 who would never heard the name of Christ 03:26 after they had confronted Him for the first time 03:29 through hearing about Him in there workplace 03:34 or maybe at the university 03:37 that they would be so powerfully effective 03:39 by this wonderful loving person that they were hearing about 03:44 that their lives were completely changed 03:46 and they started following Him with the same kind of fervid 03:49 that the apostles had 2, 000 year ago. 03:54 So let's take a glimpse at this Jesus of Nazareth. 03:59 But as we do so let's remember these, 04:01 He is not the Jesus that we see in the pictures 04:05 which are artificial. 04:06 He is a Galilean peasant, He eats the same food, 04:10 He is sleeps on the same kind of beds, 04:12 He gets just as dusty and as tired 04:15 as any other Galilean peasant does. 04:18 He is not the immaculate one. 04:21 And when we thing of that remember therefore 04:24 that is although more remarkable that 04:25 He had the power that He did. 04:27 Now let's take a little look 04:29 that we find in Luke Chapter 5 of His effect upon some one. 04:33 Jesus is one morning walking out of Capernaum. 04:39 And as He walks toward the Sea of Galilee 04:43 who should be there outside of the gate at the toll both 04:48 but the tax collected Levi Matthew. 04:52 And as He passes by He says the Levi follow Me. 04:58 And the amazing thing is, what happened as a result 05:02 because it tells us that he left all, 05:06 and followed Jesus. 05:08 Now I would like to submit something 05:10 and that is this that that kind of thing 05:14 does just not normally happen. 05:17 You don't get greedy businessman 05:19 suddenly leaving their business and giving up all 05:22 and following someone as he did with Jesus. 05:26 He must have had the enormous power 05:29 over men and women for that to have happened. 05:34 And the interesting thing is 05:36 that it was not just an isolated occasion. 05:39 It was not just Levi Matthew 05:40 and no one else rather we find it was normal 05:44 for Him to have this powerful effect, 05:46 this tremendous impact on people. 05:49 Even those who didn't wanted were affected by Him. 05:53 For instance the Jewish leaders, 05:56 we read in Mark Chapter 3 about them in verse 6, 06:00 that they were not able to resist it either 06:02 because it says very simply "That the Pharisees went forth, 06:06 and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him. 06:10 how they might destroy him." 06:12 Now how they might destroy Him tells us 06:16 that they had said, no to Jesus of Nazareth. 06:19 They did not want to follow to Him, 06:22 but nonetheless they were still affected 06:24 by the power of His personality and the power of His message. 06:31 Another little vignette that we find 06:35 that illustrates this particular points 06:37 so far as the Pharisees was concerned 06:40 is found in Mathew 21:12-13. 06:46 There we read, 06:48 "And Jesus went into the temple of God, 06:49 and cast out all them that sold 06:51 and bought in the temple, 06:53 and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, 06:57 and the seats of them that sold doves. 06:58 And said unto them, it is written, 07:01 My house shall be called the house of prayer, 07:04 but ye have made it a den of thieves." 07:08 So what happened? 07:10 Jesus walked up to steps of the temple 07:13 and dose He did so his heart was pained 07:16 because it was just like one noisy market. 07:20 The moneychangers were crying for more money, 07:22 the people selling the sacrifices 07:26 were demanding too higher prices 07:28 and it was bedlam. 07:33 And so Jesus with a sad heart looked out on that scene. 07:38 And the amazing thing is that before long 07:40 everything was quiet at all eyes were focus upon Him. 07:45 And then He said, out, take it out, 07:51 and they fled from His presences. 07:54 Why did they do that 07:55 when he was just a Galilean peasant? 07:58 Because He was not just a Galilean peasant, 08:01 divinity flashes through humanity 08:03 and they had to obey Him. 08:06 Now these were fat greedy men 08:09 and as they hurried down the narrow streets of Jerusalem 08:12 to get away from Him, 08:13 they finally puff to a halt and looked up one another 08:16 some what sheepishly and wondered what to do next. 08:20 And then slowly and fearfully they walk back again. 08:25 And what did they find? 08:27 They found a large crowd around Jesus. 08:30 Everybody had not run away. 08:32 There were those who He had healed 08:33 who were saying thank you. 08:35 There were mothers who wanted their-- 08:37 Jesus hands upon their children to bless them. 08:42 There were those who just loved to hear the gracious word 08:44 that came out of His lips and they watched with wonder. 08:50 But they had determined to reject Him 08:54 and so none of these changed their determination 08:58 so far as He was concerned. 09:00 Now of all these things of Christ power over man 09:04 the one that for me is most interesting 09:05 and instructive is the one where He stands before Pilate. 09:11 You see, Pilate was no fastidious judge, 09:15 scopus meant nothing to him. 09:17 He had condemned men to death for no good reason whatsoever. 09:21 And now, he finds that he cannot do that. 09:26 In John 19:12, 09:29 we read "And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him, 09:33 but the Jews cried out, 09:34 saying, If thou let this man go, 09:37 thou art not Caesar's friend. 09:40 Whosoever maketh himself 09:41 a king speaketh against Caesar." 09:46 Never had Pilate seen anyone with such evident nobility 09:51 and purity of character as he found in Jesus. 09:55 And so we have this scene of treble vacillation 09:59 as he tries to release Him and at the same time 10:04 he dose not want to offend the Jewish leaders. 10:07 Slowly and surly conviction grips his heart 10:12 that this is indeed who He claims to be 10:16 but on the other hand he dare not offended the Jews. 10:21 The fact is, no one, not even Pilate 10:26 could ignore this man. 10:30 He is on the cross now, He is been scourged 10:35 and the crown of thrones placed upon His head 10:38 and the nails through His hands and feet. 10:41 If anyone should have had His power reduce to nothing, 10:45 it'd surly be now. 10:48 But right then, 10:49 is when His power is reviled again 10:51 because a condemned thief looks down at Him 10:56 in those conditions and says, "Lord, remember me 11:00 when thou comest into thy kingdom." 11:03 And He assures him that He will. 11:06 And the centurion who presided over His execution 11:09 a hard and tough man says truly 11:13 this was the Son of God. 11:17 The whole story if it had been invented for nothing 11:21 but great effect could never have been 11:24 written more perfectly then that. 11:27 No one, no thing can take away or restrict 11:34 from the power of Christ to save men and women. 11:38 And even death did not change this. 11:42 For we read reading the Apostil Paul 11:46 that when he was on his way to Damascus 11:48 to destroy Christians there and he was confronted 11:51 by Jesus Christ as a great bright light came upon him 11:55 and he heard the voice speaking to him 11:59 and he said, "Who art thou, Lord?" 12:02 And the Lord said, 12:03 "I am Jesus who now persecuted." 12:07 And so he fell to the ground 12:10 and from then on was a totally changed man 12:13 and the persecutor became a promoter of Christianity. 12:19 Jesus of Nazareth is indeed 12:22 and in truth the irresistible man. 12:25 It's impossible to escape His influence 12:28 whether we like it or not. 12:31 Once a man has really confronted to Jesus 12:34 he can never be the same again. 12:37 He will be either better or worse 12:40 but he will never be the same. 12:42 Now I submit that the only way we can explain that 12:47 is on the basis that He is indeed the Son of God. 12:51 And this power is just the same today. 12:56 I remember how a woman who had been brought up 13:01 by a mother who was as regardless 13:03 as anyone could be for whom nothing 13:06 was too evil for her to do. 13:09 But she was-- this daughter was evacuated 13:12 during the II World War to stay in home 13:16 of a Seventh-day Advantest Christian. 13:19 And long afterwards 13:23 she had some people knock upon her door. 13:27 And when she opened the door 13:29 they started talking about Christianity. 13:31 They started talking to her about the Bible. 13:35 And she asked them, well, what they do you keep? 13:38 Because she remembered that this Mrs. Woods kept 13:40 the Saturday Sabbath. 13:43 And when they said, well, it didn't matter which day. 13:46 She said, I knew that wasn't right, 13:48 but she said I wanted to have what Mrs. Woods had. 13:51 So she bought herself a Bible and she started to read 13:54 the story of Jesus in the gospels 13:57 and her whole life was transformed. 14:01 Then she wanted to get in touch with a church 14:03 that Mrs. Woods went to. 14:05 And so she wrote to that church, to the minister. 14:10 The letter eventually came to me 14:12 as I was the minister living nearest to her. 14:15 And I found a beautifully transformed woman 14:18 who was just trusting for more and more of Jesus Christ, 14:22 and she was indeed a beautiful Christian. 14:27 When finally we confront Jesus we are never the same again. 14:35 Not very long ago a young man 14:38 who was in fact, a disbeliever in God 14:43 happened to be in a home of someone that I was visiting 14:46 who had anted me to meet him. 14:48 And after we had talked for sometime about 14:50 ordinary things I turned them to spiritual things and I-- 14:55 in the process of doing so the young man said to me, 14:58 well, I don't believe there's any evidence 15:00 that there is a God. 15:03 And the Lord put it into my mind to say to him, 15:07 if you give me half and hour of your time 15:09 you'll never be able to say that again. 15:12 He said would you? I said sure. 15:15 So we made in appointment and I went to see him 15:18 and we started studying the Bible together, 15:20 particularly about Jesus Christ. 15:24 And his whole life was transformed. 15:26 It took time but you know what, 15:30 today he is a minister 15:33 and teaching others about Jesus Christ. 15:37 Jesus can change anybody and everybody 15:41 who will say yes to Him. 15:45 Which brings me to something very important, 15:48 this power of Jesus has been invested 15:51 in everything that we call holy, 15:53 whether it be the Bible or whether it be things 15:57 that go on in church or prayer or whatever we're talking about 16:02 they have a similar power over people. 16:06 And so now I going to say something that 16:07 you would never except 16:09 to hear a minister to say and that is this. 16:13 It's a dangerous thing to go to church, 16:16 it's a dangerous thing to read your Bible, 16:19 it's a dangerous thing to pray 16:22 because if in the process of doing so, 16:25 you do not give your heart to Jesus Christ, 16:30 then what will happen? 16:31 Well, that you became a worse person 16:33 rather than a better one. 16:35 But we will always be changed when we confront Jesus Christ. 16:42 It reminds me of something that happened 16:46 with this young man that I was telling you about. 16:49 You see, he was gripped by a series of books 16:53 that were very godless books. 16:55 And so in our Bible studies 16:57 he was being pulled back and forth 16:59 as to whether he was really interested 17:01 in this enough to follow through 17:03 or whether he would continue with this literature 17:06 that was pulling him away from God. 17:10 And I asked him, I didn't know about these reading 17:13 and I asked him, whether he knew what it was 17:15 that was holding him back from Jesus Christ? 17:19 And he thought for a moment 17:20 and his wife jumped in quickly she said, I know. 17:24 I said what-- what is it? 17:26 he looked at her husband then she said, 17:29 it's those books that you are reading. 17:32 Well, next time I went for a Bible study 17:37 he said to me, 17:38 pastor, would you come with me into the bedroom? 17:41 And there he had the bookshelves 17:43 with 150 of these books 17:45 or something like that a large number of them. 17:47 He said, I feel I need you to stand here with me. 17:50 I don't want to sell these books 17:51 or give them to somebody else that'll have the same influence 17:54 as they have had on me. 17:56 I want to destroy them 17:58 and I want you here with me as I do it. 18:00 And he started to rip those books up 18:02 and drop them into a garbage bag. 18:05 From that day on, he started making 18:07 real progress in his walk with Jesus Christ. 18:10 We have to be willing to say no, 18:13 to what the devil wants and say yes, to Jesus Christ 18:17 and when we do everything changes. 18:21 That's the beautiful thing about it. 18:25 We read regarding Jesus 18:27 that He came to save His people from their sins. 18:31 One of the sad things that I have discovered is, 18:34 the people have the idea 18:36 that they have to change themselves 18:39 before Jesus will speak to them, 18:41 before they will accepted by Him. 18:43 But that's not the case. 18:46 All we have to do is look to Him 18:50 and if we say, yes to Him, 18:53 He will bring about the changes that are necessary. 18:56 We cannot change ourselves. 19:00 Jesus also said, 19:01 I-- "if I be lifted up will draw all men unto me." 19:09 Today, this man, this God man is looking to you 19:15 and asking you what will you do with Me? 19:20 What we'll you do with Jesus? 19:24 We only have so much time to do it 19:28 and that's the key to the problem 19:30 that many people have had in the Bible 19:32 with the story of Judas or the story of Pharaoh. 19:36 It looks as though God set them up to reject Him 19:39 and therefore to be destroyed. 19:42 But that was not the case, He never dose that. 19:46 He wanted to save Judas and he plead with him 19:50 to give his heart Him 19:52 but Judas would not let go 19:55 his selfish pride and his greed. 19:58 And so in the end, he was forced to say no, 20:03 to Jesus Christ by that very choice. 20:06 Similarly with Pharaoh, had he cooperated with God 20:10 well, he could be remembered as the Pharaoh 20:13 who changed so totally that he set God's people free. 20:19 But he determined not to do that 20:21 and in the process of resisting and saying no, 20:25 he eventually destroyed himself. 20:29 And so you and I have to face that same fate 20:35 and make that same decision. 20:37 Let's not pretend that because we are going to church 20:40 and because we use the name of Jesus, 20:43 because we pray sometimes and read the Bible sometimes 20:47 that everything is going to be all right. 20:50 See what happened with the Pharisees of Jesus day is 20:53 they said all the right things on the surface 20:57 but their hearts were unchanged 21:00 and they had not said no to-- yes to God. 21:03 They had in heart said no to Him 21:06 and the result was that as a nation 21:10 they were cutoff and only as individuals 21:14 can they now belong to Him as you and I. 21:19 And so I asked you, 21:23 what are going to say to Jesus Christ today? 21:28 Are you going to follow the steps 21:30 of the others who have done 21:32 that is meant that life had no meaning 21:35 and as Judas like commit suicide 21:40 or they just give up all hope 21:43 or you going to say yes to Jesus 21:46 and have the beautiful, radiant life 21:48 that can be found in those people 21:51 who found Him to be a living Savior 21:53 and a powerful person who love them 21:57 and could do the work of transforming them 21:59 that they cannot do for themselves. 22:04 I'll never forget how in times passed 22:08 I've had that struggle 22:09 when I'd become disappointed with myself 22:13 and I wished that I was different. 22:16 And the Devil said, why bother? 22:19 Why not just give it all up? 22:22 But I knew that I couldn't do that 22:24 with that wonderful person. 22:25 And so He's kept on working with me 22:29 and I trusted one day, 22:31 I should be like Him for I've seen him 22:34 as He is as the Bible says. 22:40 Some years ago, 22:43 I had the privilege of meeting a young woman 22:47 who was a total atheist. 22:50 She believed that it was all a lot of rubbish 22:53 but she was a very bright young woman. 22:55 In fact, she had graduated from a first class university 22:59 with top honors. 23:01 She was aluminous reader 23:03 and she had read all kinds of things. 23:07 And then, I don't need to tell you how, 23:11 she came have Bible studies with me. 23:15 And the thing that I will never forget she said was, 23:19 after we had, had a couple of Bible studies 23:22 she said these is thrilling. 23:24 I've never read anything so wonderful in all my life. 23:27 And each time I had to stop 23:29 because I had another appointment 23:31 she said, oh, do you have to stop? 23:33 Can't you on? 23:35 Because the power of Jesus Christ had come her life 23:42 and she realized the wonderful truth of it. 23:47 No, He will not force us. 23:51 Jesus simply appeals to us to come to Him. 23:56 He says, "Come unto me, 23:59 all ye that labor and are heavy laden, 24:01 and I will give you rest." 24:05 And I've discovered that there are not too many people 24:08 in our modern world even in North America 24:12 which is a Christian country there are not too many people 24:16 that have peace of heart. 24:18 Even among church going people, 24:20 simple because they do not have 24:22 this living relationship with the wonderful Savior 24:27 who died for us 2, 000 years ago? 24:31 How do we enter into that relationship? 24:34 By choosing to trust what He has said about Himself 24:40 and about what He can do in our lives. 24:44 And so He accepts the responsibility 24:47 for what happens to us 24:49 once we've given our life to Him. 24:52 We don't have to say, I've got to start being better 24:55 and I've got to stop doing this and I've got to stop doing that 24:58 and being afraid. 25:00 What we have to do is simply say, 25:04 "Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief." 25:10 And if we do that He will continue to work. 25:15 The Bible says, "It is God that worketh in us 25:19 to will and to do of His good pleasure." 25:22 I'm so glad about that because He has all power, 25:29 I have virtually none. 25:31 He has all goodness and I'm a sinner 25:37 but He takes full responsibility for my future, 25:41 for my actions, even my thoughts, 25:47 if choose to say yes, to Him. 25:51 And so today I invite you to do that. 25:56 And to say yes, Lord, I want You. 26:00 I choose to walk with You. 26:03 Not because I think I'm good. 26:05 Not because I think I'm acceptable to You 26:08 in any other way than that Jesus Christ died for my sins 26:14 and You want me as Your own. 26:19 Let us pray. 26:22 Dear Father in heaven, 26:25 thank You that You are such a loving 26:27 and a gracious God. 26:30 Thank You, that this wonderful person Jesus Christ your Son, 26:34 came down here to earth to be our Savior 26:38 and set us a perfect example 26:41 and has promised to live in our hearts today. 26:45 Make that real for each one of us, 26:48 we pray and may Your love radiate in our hearts 26:54 and control our lives for we ask it 26:58 in Jesus name, amen. 27:02 May I just remind you of one thing, 27:05 when we make that decision there's somebody 27:08 who is not going to be at all happy. 27:10 You know who that is, don't you? 27:12 It's Satan. 27:13 But never, never, never be afraid of him 27:18 while your life is in Jesus hands, 27:21 because He is much, much more powerful 27:24 then ever the devil has been 27:25 or ever will be and He will see you through. 27:30 But keep your hand in the hand 27:33 of this wonderful God who says, I love you. 27:39 I want you for My own. 27:42 I have saved you through My Son 27:47 and I want you to live with Me, 27:50 not just for a day or two 27:52 but I want you live with Me forever. 27:55 Amen. |
Revised 2015-05-11