This broadcaster has 2045 podcast archives available on-demand.
Keep up-to-date with this broadcaster on social media and their website.
January 1, 2020 3:33 pm
Support the show.
The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God don't want to hear from you. Would you consider emailing me you can reach me at greg@harvest.org again that's greg@harvest.org and you can also make me one of your friends on Facebook and drop me a comment there along the Lord of glory on the wrong thing, all thought they over the same thing. Now the choice was reporting them will live looking. Only those who witnessed Jesus Christian fiction also heard seven statements from across Pastor Gregori shows the responses very sick to be able to look at the same thing. We are two completely different ways.
One will hear these words of bullying the other where the same words do not believe generally the choice and you want why are there 50 flavors of salad dressing hundred types of soup because people are opinion opinions very trouble is the often at that same attitude toward the religion of choice doesn't taste good.
Try the next flavors today on a new beginning.
Pastor Gregori points out, Jesus is the way the truth and the life gave his life to pay for our sin is not a flavor the Savior were looking at the story know of the death of Jesus to see how we went to the cross willingly died for our sin and completed what he began it back from the cross. We will see in a few moments he gave those words it is finished and I'll explain you what those words meant then and what they mean to us now, but here is Jesus now hanging on the cross and he gives seven significant statement every one of them was important. Even the order of the is important in the order is statement number one. He says father forgive them for they know not what they do save a number two is a response to the thief that was crucified next to him who said, Lord, remember me when you come in your kingdom and Jesus said, truly, truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise saber number three to his mother woman behold your son and then looking to the apostle John sending next door. He said son behold your mother saving number four. He says my God, my God, why have you forsaken me.
Number five. He says I thirst saber number six.
It is finished.
In this final statement. A part of the father when he says in your hands I commit my spirit. The first words of Jesus were a part of the father is. Second, words were a part do is center's third words were a passing of responsibility to a friend in a sports words, replete of the father when he says my God, my God, why do you forsaken me. It is bullied by getting myself included that that was the moment Jesus was bearing the sin of all of the world all of your sin. All of my sin.
All of humanity said why the sender this on the cross. God treated Jesus as if he is live your life, you need to do so he can treat you as if you had lived his life. Then repeat that again on the cross, God the father treated Jesus as if he had lived your life, and he did this so he could treat you as if you had lived his life. That's the good news of the gospel that God forgive me of my sin and places the righteousness of Christ into my account some believable so now we come to one of the most significant statement of the cross is when Jesus says it is finished that statement number six. It is finished it come from a single word in the Greek to tell us.it's done. It's finished. It's accomplished to tell a sty. I think these words were heard by everyone around because one gospel says shouted it to tell a stop. It is finished. This is translated a lot of ways. One translation is, it is pay another translation it's performed even another it's accomplished all of those translations give a sense of what the word actually means the what was paid the price of our redemption. What was perform the righteous requirements of the law. What was finished. Well, for starters, finished were the horrendous sufferings of Christ, never again would he experience pain at the hands of Satan. Never again would he bear the sins of the world. Never again would he even for a moment be separated from the father, fellowship, listen to this finish also was Satan stronghold on humanity. That means that no Christian has to be under the power of sin any longer. Also, finish was our salvation, our salvation is paid for its completed all of our sins were transferred to Jesus when he hung on the cross and all of his righteousness was transferred to our account.
There's nothing I need to do to add to the work he's done for me there. There's no more cheerleading add-on it's done now in light of that live that it is finished. So now that the storm has passed the doubles done is worse, the Lord is put the sin of the world on them another final statement of Jesus from Calvary. By the way, this shows he was in control. Once he had completed the work he would know do. He said in the year hands I commit my spirit.
Now some amazing phenomena takes place. Let's look at Matthew 27 verse 51 behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom and the earthquakes and the rocks were split of the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and they were coming out of the graves after his resurrection, and they went into the holy city and appeared to many. Then when the centurion and those who are with them law regarding Jesus saw the earthquake and the things that happen they feared greatly saying truly this was a son of God, so a number of significant things happen as Jesus is dying. First of all, the veil in the temple was torn in one of the old covenant in the Old Testament only specifically chosen men like Abraham and Moses had regular access to God's presence within the Lord establish the tabernacle and later the temple and this was the place for the high priest would come in and represent the people and they would take an animal and symbolically places sins of the people on that animal and that inner sanctum, where the priest would go was called the holy of holy and no one was allowed in there, but the high priest, and that once a year, but no separating the holy of holies from the rest of the temple was a thick veil, but sheer material, but thick interwoven material almost like a wall made out of material.
No man or woman could tear it apart but yet at the death of Jesus, the veil is ripped out from bottom to top, as all men were doing it, but from top to bottom. Because God was doing it the Lord is in this veil is gone.
Now everybody has access to my present you can come in fact, now the dwelling place of God is with man. Now you are the temple of the Holy Spirit in Christ lives inside of you and now you can approach a father any time and why is it that I can approach the father because I'm worthy know I'm approaching the father because of the sun. I believe the Billy Graham is the greatest evangelist was ever lived. And God has used him to bring so many people in the kingdom and I've admired him for so many years, you know, when I was a little kid living with my grandparents. We watched Billy Graham on our black and white television set in after I became a Christian.
I went down to San Diego and saw him preach in person than he was always a hero of mine. So I was delighted in the mid 80s when I was able to meet Billy personally. It was a brief meeting. I shook his hand and all.
I was so nervous, you know, it was like meeting Moses right this is Billy Graham and I got my you know photo with them.
Of course that's before we had so pleased by the way, we actually had devices called cameras in our film had to be developed. We had to wait for them they would get the picture and hope it turned out okay so that was great. I could technically say yes I met Billy Graham but my entire meeting with him lasted maybe 2 to 3 minutes but I was the years because they became friends with his son Franklin and you know the only person that's a worse prankster than I am as Franklin and so he's always up to something and so one day he said they want to go fly with me and will will fly over daddy's house as he said Billy's house and I said okay so I got into this plane and realizing he was going to take me for Mr. toads wild flight. You know, Mr. toad's wild ride in Disneyland so I got entity we take off. It's one of these little Piper cub type planes and and immediately we we go to a sharper set really high hi guy, good straight up and then he just drops that number coming down so hard and we could've veered to the right and become over this little spot of land and their on the front lawn are Billy and Ruth Graham looking up at us and we were close enough to see their faces.
You get the idea. Not sure this was legal and there is Billy and Ruth are like waving like this and I thought to myself I would give anything to be on the ground with them right now instead of in this cockpit with this insane man Franklin loved every moment of it. When we finally did land. We actually went over the home and spent some time there, and over the years I had the privilege of sharing a lot of meals with Billy and being with him privately as he was bringing his ministry to an end.
He even asked me to help him with some of his sermon preparation and it was one of the greatest privileges of my life and I was so honored to have that opportunity. The reason I was able to get access into the inner sanctum if you will of the father was for the sun in the same way we access the father is through the sun and I listen to this because of what God has done because of what he has accomplished were in this new relationship with him. But here's a I love this part of the story just it seems so random, but it isn't at all.
Verse 52 and the graves were open and many bodies of the saints would fallen asleep were raised number coming out of their graves after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. What happened here is people literally who would been buried came out of their graves and were walking around in the city are think Greg you actually believe that you better believe I believe it but why did it happen why is it only recorded in one gospel. Under no but you know what it was. It was sort of like a preview of things.
The cop like when you sit in the theater and you watch the trailer of the films that are coming. This is like a trailer from heaven of what was coming.
God was a wonder there's going to be a bodily resurrection and all those who have died in a put their faith in Christ are going to be raised. Ultimately from the grave bodily. When a Christian dies our spirit goes to heaven immediately, but the Bible says one day God will also resurrect our physical bodies, but they'll be raised into a perfect glorified state.
So this stuff Mr. Greg Laurie of the second half of this message in just a moment. We enjoy hearing when Pastor Greg's teachings on the radio touch lives, my name is Noah and I live in Chicago.
I listen to Greg at 11 AM well backing but I went through a very dark period and in my life got so bad that I need and want to listen to the radio anymore, so I would drive to work in the morning just getting total silent when air turn on the radio wanted to start flipping channels and digital have been met as a great show came on and I started listening to it gave me hope. It gave me strength brought me back to the Lord and started going to church and to listen to him in the morning to get me from my front door my house to the front door work, harvest, partner and total joy and actually enjoy going to church. I enjoy listening to Pendragon. I like his alleged humor and just a blessing at a time in my life where I needed some intercession. I believe God sent to Greg in my life so thank you very much encouraging story. These daily studies minister to you in your sale which you let us know tell us your story by calling 866-871-1144 that's a special number 866-871-1144 now. Pastor Greg continues to study cold it is finished.
One of our listeners most requested messages of the year. I want to look at these two classic reactions to the series of miraculous events. Go back to Matthew 27 verse 54 so when the centurion and those who were with them regarding Jesus saw the earthquake and the things in it happen. They fear greatly saying truly this was the son of God.
It's a big deal for a centurion to say that see a centurion was a man who was in a position of leadership. There were over a group of 300 to 600 men. They were intelligent they were kind of the cream of the crop that were selected for the purpose of being a commanding officer centurion like this. It probably presided over hundreds, perhaps even thousands of crucifixions he had seen it all, he had heard it all, but there was something about Jesus that set him apart from all other people he had ever crucified.
He saw Holly prayed for the forgiveness of those who had done this week cared for his mother how he bore this sin with such courage and the looks as though he believed right there on the spot that Luke 23 gives us a little detail when the captain of the Roman guard and handle executions saw what it happen. He praise God that said surely this man was innocent, so he did more than just say he was a son of God.
He praised God. It seems to me he believed right there so two people were converted this day that we know the thief on the cross in this Roman centurion. Two men that would've been mortal enemies in this life. One man, the thief dedicated to the violent overthrow of Rome. The other manner centurion dedicated to the preservation of Rome and through the death of Jesus. Those who would be enemies were brought into the same family were told in Ephesians 2 he himself is RPCs made both one and is broken down the middle wall of separation, the power of the gospel. Converting those who would be enemies and making them in the friend. Contrast this to the reaction of others who were present at the cross, we have to go to Luke's gospel for that Luke 2348 we read and when the Crowther came to see the crucifixion saw all that happened.
They went home and deep sorrow. See they like the centurion and the thief saw the supernatural phenomena they saw Jesus cry to the father they saw Jesus as per the forgiveness of those who had done this, they experience the massive earthquake.
They saw the whole planet go dark for three hours and they went home and deep sorrow. There is no evidence of repentance of their sin. Like with the centurion.
Thereupon, the Lord of glory on the cross. They all sought down over the same thing. Now the choice was before them, look and live or look and leave back over and Isaiah 4522 God says look to me and be saved. All the ends of the euro for I am God. There is no other look to me everything. Some love to live the centurion. The fee others looked left while that's too bad. And we have effectively have the same joy set before us right now because there is Jesus who died in the cross for us and would begin to do with that how we can look and live or we can look and leave that's an interesting story.
Great, thank you for reminding me of that, we can say well Jesus did that for me. He suffered and died for me.
He can forgive me of every sin I have ever committed. See two people can look at the same thing and react in two completely different ways. One will hear these words and believe in the other where the same words and not believe. And really, the choice is up to you. Years ago I was in Israel where leaving the tour and our guy and I were talking and in he was a very intelligent man and he knew the Bible but you didn't know the God of the Bible and so he would often pull me in the debate. He loved to bait me and that we would sort of go over points he would challenge me in an honor with endless conversations this guy and I's name was David sewing downward cruise along from one place to another war in one of our little discussions on talking to him in any know David never did delete that all of our discussions that I know of, but an interesting thing happened at the end of that day. The bus driver who was right next door. As I never even thought about said to me, I was listening to what you were saying today that I said yes. He said I'm very impressed with that and you make me jealous because I want a relationship with God like you have. This is interesting because the Bible says that we were Christians are we coming of the family of God. It makes the Jewish people. The promise people jealous of the faith that we have it provoke them to jealousy. There was an actual demonstration of that happening. I'm jealous of your relationship with God is at all well listen you can. I want to. He said I would like you to come to our home and we want to feed you and I want you to address my entire family said okay you ask an evangelist that he's coming okay so I drove to his home in a beautiful family and a very big family number of them were in the military there in uniform even and does so they fed us, and I get old that it was a great multicourse meal and I filled up on like the probably the second course, not realizing there were five more courses to come so full but afterwards he said please address my family and I stood up in this man's front room, and I proclaim the gospel so that was a great honor. But here's my point.
One man white talk with endlessly listen and never believed in this other men that eavesdropped on our conversation believe accusing you never know only so you're hearing this message right now and I'm asking you where you at, are you sure that you're a child of God.
Are you certain that your sin is forgiven. You know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Christ is living in you or is there doubt you.
Not sure you know coming to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going into a Krispy Kreme doughnut makes you a cop case and think about that defendant all the police officer, but the point is is that knowing about it is not enough. You have to know him, you have to know him in a personal way. That's what being a Christian is knowing God, and you can know God. If you've never come to him today if you never believed I want to give you an opportunity to do that we close in prayer, to extend an invitation for any of you to reach out to Jesus Christ and invite him into your life to be your Savior and Lord. If you've never done this. Do it today. Maybe some of you have fallen away from the Lord made up a bunch of excuses for your lifestyle, your vices are your sin, this time for you to make a recommitment to Christ, so whoever you are and whatever you need to do respond now let's all pray father, thank you for your word to us and I pray now that your Holy Spirit will reach out to those who do not yet believe in open their spiritual eyes and help them to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to the power of God, help them to believe now we have in Jesus name I pray, amen Greg Laurie important prayer and if you like to make a change in your relationship with the Lord today. Pastor Greg will help you do that in just a moment so please do stay with us now if you missed any of today study here on a new beginning you can get a replay by going to harvest.or downloaded for later, or stream it on demand. It was one of the most requested messages of the past year. The title is it is finished. Just look for it online@harvest.org and I think store harvest partners who help us make resources like this available in his new book, Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American icon. Pastor Greg points out how challenges faced Johnny from his earliest days through most of his life.
Johnny always struggled in life. He was born during terribly hard times in Arkansas little money little opportunity but plenty of family challenges the tragic story about Johnny's older brother Jack, who died in a horrible accident of their and their farm. It's all told in Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American icon really the story of catch is a story of redemption.
And that's why I called it the redemption of an American icon. There are lessons to be learned from a life of Johnny Cash yet as lapses get a stumbles, but he never forgot where he came from, and in the end he recommitted himself deeply to the Lord and had great great faith in Christ and in no course I believe is in heaven, Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American icon, a spiritual biography from Pastor Greg Laurie is available now. It's an encouraging story of God's grace and how he gives second chances. Who do you know who needs this assurance would like to send you Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American icon call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and then the pastor Greg would you like to speak to those who like to make a change today, in their relationship with the Lord. I would deny I receive so many letters day from people from every walk of life from successful businessmen to those who are incarcerated to mothers struggling is trying to raise their children to young boys and writing and saying they've made a commitment or recommitment to Jesus and maybe you need to make a commitment to him right now. Let me lead you in a word of prayer. Yes, you can meet God right now and I would just ask you to pray this prayer out loud after me and this is what you are asking Christ to come in your life. Pray with me know if you would, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner. I know that I've broken your commandments and I fallen short of your standards but I think you that you have loved me and you've called me.
Be yourself. So I turn for my sin right now and I choose to believe in and follow you be my Savior be my Lord and be my God from this moment forward. Thank you for calling me and loving me and accepting me in Jesus name I pray, amen. Hey let me just say God bless you. You've made the right decision and welcome to the family of God. Everyone to follow up with you by sending something we call our new believers growth packet to help you get started.
Living as a Christian will send it without charge.
If you prayed for the first time today to receive Jesus Christ. Just ask for the new believers growth packet when you write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or go online to harvest.org and click know God when next time we'll see what we can learn from the triumphant resurrection of Christ will tune in for more from our best of sheer and great glory possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org