R896 A Most Important Question

God has an encouraging word for you and me today through the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a message on decisions.

As a matter of fact, his message titled today is a most important decision. We'll peel back that particular truth in just a few minutes with Dr. Don Wilton as we open God's Word in the Book of John. In just a few moments, studying the Word together, Dr. Don wants you to know we're here for you already. The Lord may be stirring your heart with a need that we can pray with you and for you. 866-899-WORD is our phone number. We'd love to speak with you, talk with you, pray with you. That's 866-899-9673 or meet us online at www.tewonline.org.

That's www.tewonline.org. And now today's message, a most important decision with our teacher and pastor, Dr. Don Wilton. I want to share with you today the most important decision that you will ever make.

You've got it. The most important decision that you will ever make. In fact, I'm going to try to help you today to be able to say, it is well with my soul. We make many decisions, do we not? I know that I do. Life is full of important decisions. But did you know that there is one decision, only one, that is most important?

You say, surely not, pastor. You know, I've had to make a decision about marriage and sadly even about divorce. I've had to make a decision about whether to take radiation treatment or not. I've had to make a decision about whether to go to this college or to that college. Decisions in life are very important but the Bible tells us that there is one decision that is supreme. It's the most important decision than anybody could make and I'm going to submit to you today that there are so many worshipping the Lord right now that you need to make the most important decision that you've ever made and I'm going to invite you to do that in just a moment. I'm going to invite you to make a decision to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I'm just going to go ahead and tell you, you make this most important decision, your life will never be the same again. It's the only means by which you can be forgiven of your sin. Did you know that? Now that's important. It's the only means by which you can have a full and meaningful life. That's important. It's the only means by which you can know that you know that you know that one day when you die that you're going to go straight into God's presence in heaven.

It's the only means. Now folks, this is an important decision. It's the most important decision anybody could ever make. Now if I was to ask you today to quote your favorite Bible verse, I wonder what it might be.

I know what I'd tell you. John chapter 3 verse 16 goes like this, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but should have everlasting life. Did you know that in the unfolding life and ministry of Jesus that an event took place just before that verse was given to us? God gave to us a practical example in the life and ministry of Jesus that has to do with none other than the most important decision that you and I could ever make.

Now you might like to follow along with me. It's in the Bible and it's found in John chapter 3 and it's before verse 16. It starts right there in verse 1 of John chapter 3 and I want to read to you this amazing encounter that took place between the Lord Jesus Christ and an individual.

Watch what happened here. John chapter 3 and verse 1. Bible says there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus. I love that name don't you? I I want to ask you if your name is Nicodemus.

Please write and tell me about it. I have never in all my life met another Nicodemus. I didn't say there aren't other Nicodemuses. Now folks I don't know where Nicodemus got his name from. Maybe his father's name was Nico.

That's not going to work. Maybe both of his best friends were Nico and Demas. I don't know but I want to tell you something. This was a unique thing. It was a unique encounter because it had to do with the most important decision that could ever be made.

There's not another decision in this world that's more important than what we're about to read. So here we find Nicodemus. He comes into the presence of the Lord Jesus and he came by night, verse 3 said, and said to him, Rabbi we know that you are a teacher who comes from God. And we notice here that Nicodemus acknowledged the presence of God. He acknowledged the fact that God is.

You see my friend it's just like you and me. I don't think there are too many people. I know there are atheists and groups like that. I don't think there are too many people that would not acknowledge a supreme being. God. He acknowledged God.

That's not the issue. And it was to this person that actually even acknowledged God that Jesus said to him, Nicodemus you got something missing. He made a lot of decisions but you need to make the most important decision that can ever be made.

Now watch what happened here. We know you come from God because no one can perform the miracles that you do excepting God were not with him. And Jesus said to him, declared to him, I tell you the truth. Why did he say that?

Because what he was about to say comes from the heart of God. Who is truth? See the world today folks is trying to find truth. We're on a mission.

Everybody's trying to find meaning in life. Tell me the truth. I want to know the truth. I want to know what it is. Jesus is about to tell us what it is. He said, I'll tell you the truth. No person can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.

Now I'm going to put that into modern-day vernacular. Nobody will ever be able to come into the presence of God without having made the most important decision that can ever be made. Jesus used the term born again. Nicodemus in verse 4 said, how can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter the second time into his mother's womb and Jesus said, I'm telling you the truth from the heart of God. Nobody can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of both water and of the Spirit.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Don't be surprised Nicodemus that I'm telling you that you must make the most important decision that must be made. Remarkable man Nicodemus. A couple of things I noted about him myself.

You've probably seen it already. Number one I, you know, I noticed here that Nicodemus was just an ordinary person. He was just a man. You know what? I've discovered the most incredible thing about people. People are people.

You say, pastor you're getting more brilliant as we go along. People are just people folks. Have you ever been around someone very important? You know we go to that Masters golf tournament and we shake hands with Ernie Earls or with Tiger Woods or Stuart Appleby and we're in the presence of someone who's really important. Have you ever been around famous people? We all have an opportunity every now and again to be around famous people.

I've got to tell you this if you don't mind. A number of years ago I got the unthinkable invitation. They wanted to see me at the White House. So I went to Sam Davis. I said, Sam you've got to go with me. So Sam Davis came with me.

Sam works here with me and we're partners together with all the ministry team and so he went with me to Washington. I never forget that day because I walked up right there at the White House. They have these huge security gates you can't imagine folks. And you walk up in this big old marine guard looked at me and said, who are you? I said, well I'm Don Wilton.

I tell you what folks, they put me through you can't imagine. They checked my social security number. I had to go through this thing and that thing and tell them about this and prove that and finally the marine guard looked at me and he said to me, you are who you say you are and I know that you have an important appointment and so you can just stand right there and after he said that he spun around he looked straight at Sam Davis and he said, and who are you? Sam said, well I'm Sam Davis. He said, well Rudy Toot Toot Toot what are you doing here?

By the way they're not known for their friendship and friendliness. When you go in there folks they serious about security. Said, what is your business sir? Sam said, well I'm with him. He said, is that right?

He said, let's try and prove something. They took out this, did that, asked Sam for this. What was his social security? Got out his driver's license, finally looked at Sam Davis and said, Mr. Davis I'm very sorry but you don't have an invitation to go in here. You cannot go into the White House. Folks do you know the last picture I have of myself walking into the White House? I turned over my shoulder and there was Sam standing in Pennsylvania Avenue looking for a Starbucks and five hours later His Royal Highness emerged from the White House to sit down and have a latte with Sam and tell him all about it. You know something my friends, you could be in the White House, you could meet the most famous athlete, you could be around the Queen of England, but people are just people.

Did you know that? Below the facade, below the accomplishments, just beneath the positions, you and I are just people. Nicodemus was just a person but I tell you there was something interesting about him. He was an adult person, he was a grown person. Now we know when we study this that to be a member of this group that he was in they had a mandatory retirement age. In fact the Bible even helps us a little bit because he was kind of the leader of the whole group. He was really an adult person, he was grown, he was a mature person.

Now folks I don't want you to misunderstand something here. Did you know folks that it is a fact that the older a person becomes the less likely it is that they will make the most important decision that possibly could be made. Did you know that?

Did you know that if you are sitting within the sound of my voice right now and you are let's say 35 years of age and older and put a time clock if you're 40 or 50 or 60 or 70, the older you are the less likely it is that you will ever make the most important decision that ever could possibly be made. And to me it's not something that goes by unnoticed. The Lord showed me this in this passage that he was a grown man. We're not dealing with a baby here and he wasn't only a people person in that people are people. He had all the things that you and I deal with but he was a grown man but there was something else very... he was also a very learned man. He had kind of achieved the top.

My wife and I had such a lovely time. We went to visit one of our families and I was sitting there with the dad talking and he and I, the dad and I, began to talk about you know National Geographic and the Discovery Channel and he said, oh man, we were talking about all these things. Listen folks, this man by the name of Nicodemus, he was a learned man. I mean he was trying to discover what life was all about.

He had made use of a lot of opportunities and he was reaping the reward for that. But not only was he a learned man, he was a curious man. I mean this guy was so curious and the curiosity that we find epitomizes itself in the fact that he came kind of, if I could use this very respectfully, he kind of sort of snuck up on Jesus.

The Bible says he came to him at night. It's kind of like some folks today, sort of like sneaking up. You're curious. Now there's an outer facade to everybody.

Everybody carries this persona. See you and I are known, we're known about what goes on in at work and at play and the hurts and the heartaches and folks, we go through struggles in our marriages and our finances and we rise to great heights and we go down to great lows and we deal with all of these things and there builds up as it were like a protective covering around us. I tell you what, when it comes to the most important decision that you could ever make, it's that little curiosity that's in you. You see he wasn't just curious because of curiosity's sake, he was curious in terms of the fact that he was seeking after the heart of the only one that could plug the gap that was being caused by his curiosity. He had to know. Now Bible doesn't tell us this but I tell you what I know about it, you know about it, it's like when you do all these things and yet you go home at night and you switch out the light and everything gets quiet.

That's what we're talking about. There was a curiosity there and I'm able to identify that because do you know who puts that there? The Spirit of God puts that there. Do you know that the Spirit of God is the only one who draws us to the heart of God. So the Spirit of God stirs up within us what can be best described as a spiritual want-to-know.

It's a spiritual inquiring mind. What is my purpose on this earth? Why do I exist? And I know I've got everything but why have I got this hole in my heart? I've got something missing. I don't know how to become complete. I shouldn't be like this.

I have everything that opens and shuts. I've got no reason to complain but there's something missing. Forgive the interruption. We'll be back with the rest of today's message, a most important decision in just a few moments with Dr. Don Wilton. But as we think about that last phrase of his, the idea of having what opens and shuts and no reasons to complain, but yet there's something missing. Sometimes we get to the edge of a dream that we thought, boy, once that happens, once I get that position, once our family grows to that size, once we are, whatever those milestones might be, we all of a sudden realize that the end zone keeps moving.

We're not scouring those touchdowns yet. Whatever is going on in your life with regard to what you are evaluating, I pray that you would know this. God did not create you to move through this life as a solo person. Instead, you need to be a part of community. The body of Christ, the church, not just the church that you saw or used to go to or go to now, or my church, but the church, the body of Christ collective. We're designed to lift one another up, to encourage each other, and to help train one another to be the disciples of Christ God calls us to be. Just know that we'd love to be a part of that training, a part of that, as Dr. Don would say, 2 a.m. friend network.

If you want to call us anytime, including 2 a.m., you can reach us at 866-899-WORD. Now back to today's message with Dr. Don Wilton. And so here's this man coming.

He's curious, but he's seeking. You see, that's what Jesus was talking about. And Jesus looked at this man, this person, and He said to him, I want to tell you something. Let's just, let's lay aside all the decisions that you make and are making in life.

Let's just kind of get behind the facade, take off the protective covening. This is between you and me right now. I'm going to tell you something that comes from the heart of God.

I tell you the truth. Nicodemus, you must be born again. In a modern English translation, Nicodemus, you must, you must make the most important decision that must be made. It's a non-option. You've got to do this. You can be Anna Nicole Smith, but the time is going to come that you're going to have to face the consequences of the most important decision that you ever must make. That's the issue.

It's going to happen. You cannot stop it, and you must do this. And so he looked into the heart of Nicodemus, and Nicodemus said, but I don't understand this. Jesus said, let me explain it to you. He said, first of all, you are born of water, right, Nicodemus? Well, you and I know today that when you're born into this world, your mother's water breaks. It's water birth. Water birth, which is flesh birth, is the means by which God brings us into this world. Spirit birth is the means by which God brings us into His Kingdom.

Now watch this, folks. You've got two levels. You've got the earth, and you've got heaven. Water birth or flesh birth is the means by which God, in His design for mankind, brings me onto this earth. That's how I arrived here, via water birth. That which is of the flesh is flesh, but Jesus said, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

You must be born again, whereas water birth is the means by which you gain entrance to this earth by God's design, so it is that spirit birth is the only means by which you gain entrance to God's Kingdom by God's design. You must be born again. Folks, I struggled with that.

I was born in Zululand in Africa. I tell you, right throughout my life, I struggled with this issue. Age of eight, I made a decision to accept Jesus, but from 8 until 24, my life didn't match up. Now I had my moments. I was the son of a famous preacher, president of the convention. I could sing those songs and pray those prayers and I could behave right when I wanted to, but I'm talking about in here. Then I married this beautiful young lady and Easter Sunday, the first year we were married, we went to church, Easter Friday, and I sat there and the Lord Jesus spoke to my heart and I was in a quandary.

What do I do? I gave my heart to Jesus when I was 10. Do I need to do it again? That wasn't the issue to me. The issue was I didn't have that peace. It was something missing, folks. If you'd seen me in church and I was being asked to be a deacon in the church and this and that, the next thing, you wouldn't have known that, but I did and there was a hole there and I had a beautiful motorbike.

My wife and I used to ride all over the mountains of Africa and go surfing and we went camping and visiting. I mean our life, folks, was life with a capital L. That's not the point. The point is that that inside, deep inside my heart, there was something missing and so that day I prayed a prayer.

It was a simple prayer and it basically was, Lord, I know I've been born in this world. I know that when I was eight, I made a decision. I know if I had given my heart to Jesus, I'm sure that I do belong to you, but I've got this this nagging. I've got this hole. I'm not totally secure.

There's something missing all the time. Lord Jesus, I want to confess my sin and I want to trust you as my Savior and folks, I'm going to tell you, at the age of 24, something happened to me and I know when I get to heaven one day, it's very likely my Savior is going to come to me and say, well, Don, you were saved when you were eight, but you were like the prodigal son. You came to your senses at the age of 24, but we're so glad you recommitted your life to me.

But on the other hand, the Lord Jesus may come to me and say, boy, did the angels in heaven rejoice at the age of 24 because up until then you were living in a fool's paradise and you were right to say that. Folks, no matter which way it was, I want you to know today, I know that I know that I know. I know that I have been given permission to enter God's kingdom.

I know that. I want to invite you to do that today, to give your life to Jesus. I want to invite you to make the most important decision you could ever make. Right there, right now, would you bow your heads with me this morning?

Do you mean business today? Would you open your heart to the Lord Jesus? Would you settle this issue once and for all? I'm going to invite you to pray this prayer with me this morning. This prayer in and of itself cannot save you, but the Lord Jesus is listening to you.

I'm just helping you. You pray this prayer right now, my friend, and you mean it because it's the most important decision you will ever make. Pray this prayer, dear God, I know that Jesus loves me, and I absolutely believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. I repent of my sin. I'm sorry for my sin, and I confess my sin to you, Lord Jesus, because you're the only one that can forgive me, and I do that right now, regardless of what I've done in the past, and I invite you into my heart by faith.

I don't understand it, but I believe the Bible says that just shall live by faith, and I'm going to put my faith in you right now. I believe right now that you are the Son of God, and that you have saved me right now, and that I am born again. We hear those words thrown around a great deal, don't be born again, but today, perhaps not just the words of Dr. Don Wilton and his wonderful South African brogue, but you have heard the voice of God stirring in your heart about some decisions you need to make, some choice course corrections that are in order for today. I pray you'd open your heart to what the Lord and Dr. Don Wilton would like to share with you next. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ? Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now? Dear God, I know that I'm a sinner, and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross. Today I repent of my sin, and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus' name. My friend, I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting news. If God has stirred your heart and you've given your life to Jesus Christ, or maybe rededicated your life to Christ, oh, let us join with you in the next steps. We have resources Dr. Don wants you to have absolutely free. If you've given your life to Jesus or rededicated your life, call us at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673, or online at TEWONLINE.ORG.

That's TEWONLINE.ORG. And while you're online, check out this wonderful resource for widows. Losing a spouse can be very devastating and life altering.

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Limited quantities are available. The Encouraging Word is a viewer and listener supported ministry. Thank you for listening today. I hope you'll get your copy of that wonderful resource today. Just know that we're available for you.

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