Jesus Loves You! | Classic Crusade from Anaheim, CA

Everybody Greg Laurie here. You're listening to the glory podcast and my objective is to deliver hopefully compelling practical insights and faith culture and current events. From a biblical perspective to find out more about our ministry. Just go to our website harvest.org so thanks for joining me for this podcast. Jesus loves you.

I know you've heard it before. I know for some it sounds like a clich� but it isn't a clich� at all. It's absolutely true. His AOA Greg Jesus doesn't love me not be after what I've done. All know, au contraire, that's French for snails with garlic know that's escargot.

No, he does love you Jesus loves you even if you're a sinner. Jesus loves you even if you're in adulterer, or a liar.

Even if you are a murderer, listen to this.

Jesus loves you even if you're religious. He loves you no matter what you've done.

Jesus loves you so much it hurts and listen to this. You not only loves you but he will forgive you of all of your sin denied. Imagine that for a moment, you can walk out of Angel Stadium with all of your sin in your rearview mirror.

You can walk out of here with that heavy weight that you been carrying around for your whole life lifted off of you. God can do that for you tonight because Jesus loves you know, I know, I know some of you are cynical about love and I get that I didn't grow up in an affectionate home. I told you before my mom was buried in divorce seven times and had a bunch of boyfriends in between.

Even she never showed affection toward me. She never said I love you to me so it was very hard for me to accept love and it was certainly hard for me to give love I'm over the first time I went to a church in in some random person walks up to me and throws her arms around me and says I love you brother. And I'm thinking to get me out of this place and I couldn't connect.

There was hard for me and I think some of you feel that way right now I don't really want to feel that love or accept the love the listen. God loves you.

God loves you and he can transform you tonight know when I say God loves you. That doesn't mean that he doesn't want you to change when I say God loves you just as you are. That doesn't mean that he wants to lead you that way. My favorite stories in the Bible is a story Jesus told the show is what God is like that of course we all know the story. It's called the story of the prodigal son were a father had a son that well ran away and he took his portion of the inheritance that he made him because of his life and was involved with pokers and drinking and partying in lost all of his money on one day the boy came to his senses and said, to go home because you know what the boy knew his father loved him and the boy said that when I get home I'll just say that I'm not even worthy to be called your son anymore just give me a job as a hired hand, whatever anything is better than where I been in this miserable state.

But Jesus who told the story that shows what God is like.

Says while the boy was still a great way stop. The father saw him and Randy him and kissed him, and by the way of the original language means he kissed him again and again and again and said this my son was dead is alive again. He was lost.

The spell notice that it doesn't say the father said whoa man, son. Where you been you date take a shower, change or close them all except you know the father accepted him as he was, but then the father said get him something close boy. Go get yourself cleaned up so you don't clean your life up and come to Christ to come to Christ will clean your life up to come as you are with your problems and your sin, you come with your addiction. Whatever your problems are. You come to him the sinner. This Jesus loves immoral people on a read you a story from the Bible John chapter 8 tells a story of a woman caught in the act of having sex with some guy and I here's what it says. As Jesus was speaking to teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who been caught of the act of adultery. They put in front of the crowd teacher. They said that Jesus, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. The law of Moses says the stoner.

What are you saying they were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against them. But Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with this finger. They kept demanding an answer and said to him what what you can do. Jesus turns and says all right.

Let the one among you who is without sin throw the first stone. And then Jesus stooped down again and wrote in the dust when the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, starting with the oldest and only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with a woman then Jesus stood up and said of the woman where your accusers didn't one of them continue. She said no Lord Jesus said neither do I condemn you go sin no more. I love that story when we just pause for a moment� Pray the father as we think about your love your love that is so great you sent your son Jesus did demonstrated by dying on the cross. I pray this message will resonate with everyone here in the stadium with everyone watching everyone listening wherever they are, Lord, help them see their need for you help them to come to you. We ask this in Jesus name, amen. You know, as we look at this story, we can see religion. In some ways can be worse than almost any sin in some ways the religious leaders were more sinful than the woman caught in the act of having sex with some guy is a way I am losing to Greg what you talking about religions a good thing. At that, aren't you a religious person and I hope not. I do not want to be a religious person you know why religious people are aware, come on, it's true there. We're there just strange people. I don't want to be one of those people. Now I suggest you these weird religious people are weird before they became religious and other just weird religious urges weird people. Okay, so I don't know what I can save you. How many of you are weird razor again okay you know who you are. That's good you can be saved where what you probably still be where but that's okay, God still loves you. But you see here's the point I'm trying to make their religion kept them from Jesus, their religion causes them to have hate and anger and condemnation for this woman and that's the problem with religion. It can harden your heart to God is a way.

Greg is in Christianity or religion. Technically, yes it is but it's far more than a religion.

Christianity simplified as a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

It's Christ living in your heart and I ask you tonight is Christ living inside of you is able.

I don't know if you don't know, maybe he's not there and we can see that change deny that. I'll give you a chance to ask Christ to come into your life. So here's this girl she's probably a bunch of religious dudes called the scribes and Pharisees the catcher in the act.

Maybe they even set her up.

By the way, where is the guy in the story right when he's missing just the girl is caught, you know this so often happens with girls guys take advantage of know it's been said that men give love to get sex and girls give sex to get love by the living God. I will say anything he needs to say to get a girl in bed with them. Okay I love you I love you I love you and I want to get you where you want you to take you to the curb and gone was next conquest, but girls will give love the give sex rather to get love. They want information, but nowadays, of course, everything goes in and girls are hitting on guys and in wanting a sexual conquest and that way as well, but to here's the problem then the girl becomes the victim maybe she gets pregnant with our little ideal to grow one as well just get an abortion.

Let me just say this to you don't get an abortion. You don't want to take the life of an innocent unborn child made in the image of God.

If you get pregnant outside of being married. You carry the child to term and you put the child up for adoption. There's plenty of people that want to adopt children. Lotta Christian people want to adopt them.

By the way I was conceived out of wedlock.

I was not planned. I'm sure glad my mom carried me the term and so God is a plan for every person listen, there's no illegitimate children maybe only children illegitimate moms and dads were no illegitimate children. God loves everyone, so you might find yourself in that state. And this growth caught and she doesn't know what to do when she's thrown down before Jesus. Now here's what I mean is amazing.

They throw at the feet of Jesus and Jesus. He stoops down and he writes something he gets down there and wonder what is he writing these is he doing tic-tac-toe here church are now go you go no busy drawing cartoons. No, no, Jesus is writing something significant because as the religious people are reading what he's writing lately from the oldest of the youngest Woody of the Giroux the greatest minds in the Christian church of struggled with this for years and I'm in a solvent right now though I don't know.

I don't know what he wrote. I can guess. Maybe he wrote the commandments. Maybe you wrote thou shall not commit adultery and looked up and said hey Joshua, your name fits her hey Caleb, you've done it to you over there mortar murder, probably one of the Mortimer's back in those days you did as well because he knew about every one of them. He had their number and they left from the oldest of the youngest, probably because the only guys and committed more. Since because they had lived longer. Do you think you can hide anything from Jesus. God knows everything the Bible says he knows the secrets of the heart is a big Greg gets on a private server will never get to know. He knows everything living in a day right over everyone's getting hacked, getting hacked all this information is this release to know and you hear about celebrities with pictures of them naked being released on the Internet because they were hacky. I have a suggestion. Don't take pictures of yourself make it okay. Just a thought. Just a thought and carry them around in your phone number that that's a worse place okay but just don't even do it but he everything comes out and Jesus knew all about these guys so they leave. You see these guys felt guilt, but it drove them away from Jesus.

This is a problem with religion is a all I'm a religious person. I don't need Jesus. You know, I was baptized or I was confirmed or I gave my confession or whatever it is you did listen going to a church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to an in and out burger makes you a double double.

Okay, being religious doesn't get you closer to God.

Sometimes religion can drive you away from God because if they have done all the stuff I'm good. I'm cool and covered know you are. You're a sinner just like Gaia and you need Jesus there religion drove them away. Meanwhile, here's this girl in the Bible says Jesus looked at her. He looked at her like no man ever looked at or before you know normally when guys look to her. They probably looked at her with lust sure she was a very attractive girl. But Jesus did look at it that way.

The phrase I choose for Jesus looking at her to be translated. Jesus looked right through her ever had anyone look right through you. Let me restate the question. You have a mother you know, maybe around a little too late. After curfew we came home and your mother says what have you been no more mom look at me, look who I look right through her. Now with a look of anger, certainly not with a look of lust.

He looked at her with love and then he says this. I love it.

Is this woman, where are your accusers so we can miss that. The caller woman the phrases Jesus used in calling a woman to be translated. A lady it was the same term used when he addressed his own mother.

I'm sure this girl been called a lot of things she probably been called a horse, you probably been called a hooker and far worse, and he calls a woman. It's almost like you said lady or man where your accusers is integrate this woman's condo in the act of sexual sin. He calls for a lady that was a very ladylike: God doesn't just see you for what you are.

He sees you for what you can become BC shoot for what he can make you into the saw the potential know she wasn't living like a lady at this point, but she wouldn't sign because she would change. No, maybe look at your own life is a man.

All I see is failure, but God sees potential you see the past.

He sees the future use EMS. He sees a message so I don't know what stage your life is in. But I'm telling you this on the authority of the Bible, God can change your life tonight.

You can change your history at a considerably change your future if you will come to Jesus because the Bible says if any man is in Christ are an altogether different kind of person the old things are passed away. Behold everything becomes fresh and new. He did that for this lady he could do it for you exhibit when did she believe aware your accusers I have not Lord says neither do I accuse you up to what you believe when he drove her accusers away to look at him and said, I believe you know how long it takes to become a Christian. Sometimes you meet people in the safe time in the process of converting really is/are either converted or you're not converted listening to this conversion does not take years. It does not take months, it does not take weeks. It doesn't take days, it doesn't take hours. You can be changed and forgiven of your sin and as second in a flash and a moment can happen for you just like it happened this woman. Jesus loves a moral people. But then Jesus said: sin no more. In other words don't live this way any longer. Number two. Jesus loves atheists. Oh yeah, he loves this even if they don't believe it exists.

He still loves him. There are very few people were actually atheist today around 3% of the population and honestly I have to say I think it takes more faith to be an atheist than it takes to be a Christian. I really do you have to ignore all the evidence of God's creation around you and you know there are some militant atheists that get really angry.

You know they hate Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter. They don't want nativity scenes on public property and then along crosses displayed anywhere. I think that atheists are just mad that they don't have their own holiday. Like I said, we have Christmas we have Easter but there is a holiday for atheists national atheist day.

You know April 1 right April Fools' Day because the Bible says only the pluralist said in his heart there is no God was showing the evidence the atheists as you want to see evidence.

Okay, here it is.

Get ready. If you have had your life changed by Jesus Christ and your feet right now, whoever you are standup standup. There is evidence there is evidence so you through all right. You can be seated.

I know sometimes people become atheist because something tragic happened of them is not always because they done a careful search or Road do a lot of research on all the religions of the world and they studied the Bible and come to the conclusion there is no God know often people who become easier to send up that way because something happened to them.

That was awful. Something that was tragic. Maybe it happened in their childhood. Maybe a parent die may be a tragedy happened to them.

They got cancer or someone they know. Did they think, how can a loving God allow such a thing to happen, but I want you to know something I can explain those things do you but I did not have an easy life growing up myself. I told you my mom was buried in the were seven times. I basically was a kid without a mom without a dad looking for meaning or purpose of my life will one day when I heard about Jesus Christ. I took a little step of faith to believe in him and he started to change my life and I was the greatest evidence of all because I know how hard it all cynical and help better now empty I was and that can happen for you. I bring this up because there's a man of the Bible. You've heard of him. Pontius Pilate he was a Roman governor.

He probably was an atheist, may be an agnostic. He believed in the multiple gods of Rome they believe is all kinds of God one day this hardened man that had ice water flowing through his veins. This man who was in charge of what was going on in Judea and was responsible for the execution of many many people, maybe thousands at Jesus Christ. But before I look to Jesus and that all just another religious nut but all soon. He discovered he had never met anyone like Jesus before he was used to people groveling and begging and Jesus stood serenely calmly before him in a one point Violet said he listened to me, Jesus, don't you know that I have power to execute you, Jesus, look back at him and said, hey, you have no power over my heavenly father has given to you.

Pilate says to Jesus. So are you a king, Jesus said you said correctly. I am a king bride been born. This is what I've come into the world to tell the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. Pilate shoots back. What is true and that question is reverberated through human history didn't really know what he believed in and he just wanted to get Jesus out of his court so he sent them to be scourged since scourging in Roman times was so Barb Eric it would rip into the skin it would rip even into the skeletal tissue exposing the organs. Jesus was whipped 39 times Pilate brings them out before the crowds, he says okay Omaha which is translated, behold, a man I happy now maybe we'll said no crucifying him. So Pilate gives the ordering of Jesus is said to be put to death.

Imagine that Pilate had God in human form standing in front of him. Jesus would've answered all of his questions. Jesus would've lifted all of his burdens. Jesus would've forgiven all of his sins and they were many.

Listen Pilate let other people do his thinking for him. He was more worried about what the people thought that what he thought that might be you you you march lockstep in culture and take your cultural cues from whatever you think is cold or in style or the right thing.

The believers say it's time to start thinking for yourself because one day you're going to scan all by yourself before God and he's going to ask you what you did with his son Jesus Christ think for yourself.

I think deep down inside you know what I'm saying to you is true for Jesus is the truth that Jesus is the answer and Jesus can come into your life tonight I'll tell you how that can happen in just a moment. One last thing I want to say Jesus loves murderers after Jesus was sent of the cross he carry the cross himself after losing all that blood after being whipped. He carried his own cross. As he made his way to the place where they crucified him they nailed him between two fee now thieves is probably not the best translation because the word that is you describe the men that were on the right and left of Jesus is a word that could be translated hardened criminal. Even implying that they were murderers. The Romans did not generally crucify thieves and they say that kind of punishment for the worst of the lot, and specifically for insurrectionist we might call them terrorists today people that were dedicated to the violent overthrow of Rome so here Jesus song between two murderers to terrorists if you will, and they both join the crowd and mockery same.

He saved others, let him save himself if he is really the son of God. Then Jesus gave the first of seven statements from the cross in the first one was father forgive them for they know not what they do.

You know what one of those criminals believe right there on the spot and he turned to Jesus and said, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom and Jesus said, today I say to you, you will be with me in paradise. Jesus would even forgive a murderer might say all Greg, while I'm not a murderer. I think I'm okay yeah but Jesus had inferred that it has been said, you shall not murder but I say to you if you're angry with your brother. It's the same thing. Have you ever been angry with your brother, let me restate the question absorber driven on the freeways of Southern California. Maybe you haven't committed murder.

Maybe women committed adultery but you've committed sins, and one sin is enough to keep you out of heaven.

The Bible says if you offend in one point of the law, you're guilty of all of it and we've all crossed the line. We've all broken the commandment to say what commandments thou shall not steal, thou shall not lie. Thou shall not take the Lord's name in vain. Come on, you've done that I've done that we've all done that. That's where Jesus comes in because he died on the cross for all of your sin is integrated. I got my religion was in your religion won't save you. The problem with a lot of us as were too proud to admit we need God's help. Some years ago I was out of the ocean. Teaching my son Jonathan how to body surf. He was just the little guy and so I'm competent. Catch ways and all of a sudden I got caught the little riptide know the irony of this is is this water I was in this show was about as close as that yellow line there on the edge of the platform time I got this far in a riptide and I getting pulled the wrong direction and I can't get my feet on the ground.

This is a little embarrassing for a guy that's been in the water is whole life and then I see a life guard. She's coming to save me. She's coming with our life feel that she is running term and I'm like oh no, I can't have someone save me this close to shore.

This is humiliating and G swimming toward me and by the way government to be saved and how about the mouth or brother be a girl than a guy I just say that but better yet, my wife, that's what I meant to say I want my wife to be the lifeblood of this elegantly suffer that okay so I just try to get my feet on the ground finally got my feet on the ground as if it's okay I got it to turn Johnson's luggage you know that's like a lot of us were too proud to admit we need LP. I was in a riptide. I was getting tell out to see your and something worse than a riptide you're caught in sin and the only one who can save you is Jesus. That's all you need to call out to him tonight and ask for his forgiveness tonight because he loves you there Greg and come on you know words are cheap. You loves me, how do you know he loves me how I know he loves you because 2000 years ago.

He went to the cross and died for your sin. Jesus, a greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends and then the Bible says when we were still enemies. Christ died for us. Jesus said it best for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have ever lasting life lesson, no matter who you are, no matter what you've done.

Jesus loves you deeply that love for you by dying in your place in paying the price for your sin if you were loved by your parent. Maybe your father walked out and you when you were just a little child or your mother even and maybe you've messed your life up what I'm telling you God can transform you.

God can change you. And God can forgive you if you're in a moral person. If you're a nonbelieving person, whoever you are, whatever you've done you can be forgiven and you can know God's love zero how if you ever heard anything else I've said here me know if you want your sin forgiven, if you want Jesus Christ to come in your life if you want to know for sure that you go to heaven when you die, here's what you need to do number one need to admit you're a sinner, a some of us choke on that word, not a sinner you are, well, you know I'm not as bad as some people that's true.

There were sinners me that's true to listen. God doesn't grade on the curve. The grades on the cross and as I said one sin is enough to keep you out of heaven. The Bible says all of sin and fallen short of the glory of God.

Just admit sure is sinner but here's the good news number two recognize that 2000 years ago Jesus died on the cross for you yet since till he died for the whole world, but it's also true. He died for you. I love the way the apostle Paul put it when he said he loved me and he gave himself for me. Listen Jesus loved you what Christ going carrying the cross on that shredded back what Christ going all the sharing and the mockery of the hatred of the crowds. What Christ going listen Fred as you because he loves you and he saw you sitting here tonight at Angel Stadium.

Wherever you are safe. I love the person I want to forgive them of all of their sin. He did it for you. This is personal. It's personal and I talked about the woman caught in the act of adultery, the Bible says she was all alone with Jesus all, there were other people around, but in another sense she was all alone with him even though were in the big crowd tonight.

You're all alone with Jesus. This is between you and him.

As I said, it's personal. And Jesus is, I stand at the door of your life and I knock it if you will hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in only you can open the door. I can open up for you. The person who brought you here than I can open up for you.

Your parents can't do it your husband or wife can't do it your boyfriend or girlfriend can't do it.

Only you can say Lord, and of my life and forgive me of my sin.

You must receive Christ into your life Bible says, for as many as received him, to give them the power to become children of God, then you must repent of your sin. The Bible says God has commanded people everywhere to repent. What is repent means. It means to change your direction to you, when are you going the other way been going North Douglas L even going these guys go West even going backwards. Now you go forward you been running away from God. Now you run to God. Just like the prodigal son went to his father was forgiven, God will forgive you but you must turn from your sin. Jesus said to that woman caught in the act of sexual sin go and sin no more didn't say go be perfect. None of us can do that but don't go live in the style anymore lifestyle anymore. You gonna let ago you got a put upon you, and follow me, then you must do it publicly and in a moment and ask you to do what well, almost 500,000 people are done over the years here.

I'm in ask you to make a public stand to follow Jesus Christ.

I would ask you to get up out of your seat. In a few moments and make your way down to the field behind the stage and when y'all get here on the lead you in a prayer, a prayer, we will ask Christ to come into your life to forgive your sin is a but I want to walk down there that's along with these man I know that's a line in order to get a line. Listen, this is one line worth getting into.

Okay this is worth your inconvenience because if you choose to commit your life to Jesus denied your mark. This is the greatest night of your life. I guarantee that Jesus said if you will acknowledge me before people, I will acknowledge you before my father and the angels in heaven, but then he got it. If you deny me before people all deny you before my father and the angels so by coming forward your acknowledging him openly and publicly, you're saying I mean this I want to do it now.

You need to do it publicly. The last leg you need to do it now. Tonight you're not. I think God speaking to some your heart. Using this is it this is what I've been looking for. This is what I want not to let other people do my thinking for me anymore. I want Jesus and you can come to him wherever you are, whatever you've done. The Bible says today is a day of salvation. Listen tonight is your night so don't put it off. Those all come tomorrow night and do it all come Sunday night. Yeah hey come out Saturday and Sunday would love to have you here, but don't wait till then to commit your life to Christ because this you don't know in life will end you don't know whose names going to end up in the obituary column tomorrow, it could be yours. It could be my but if you know Christ. You don't have to be afraid of it anymore. You don't have to fear death anymore because you know your life is right with God. So do it tonight.

Don't put this off really pray in a moment in regular pray in I would ask you to make a decision because right now the balls in your court. We talked about the love of God. We talked about what God offers you the forgiveness of your sin in the hope of heaven. Now it's up to you to respond. Jesus said here either formally or you're against me there with me are your opposed to me this is a yes or no proposition. You can be neutral about Jesus, you either say yes the camera you in effect say no to get is that what you want to do because if you say no to him now. He'll say no to you that if you say I don't have time for you now. The saying he to you that final day the bar for me. I never knew you. You want that to happen.

You can believe you can be forgiven. You can know God's love and experience a love like you've never known in your life for by saying yes to Jesus Christ regular. Pray that I'm in would invite you to respond and say yes to him. Let's pray father that we thank you for loving us so much. You sent your son Jesus Lord Jesus, thank you for coming. Now we pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince every person in this stadium and every person or person listening or watching wherever they may be, convince them of their need for you help them to come to help them believe in you and we ask this now in Jesus name, amen, amen. Everybody Greg Laurie here. Thanks for listening to our podcast in the learn more about harvest ministries. Please subscribe and consider supporting this show. Just go to harvest.org and by the way, if you want to find out how to come into a personal relationship with God. Go to know God.org that's key NOW GLD.org