Who do you say Jesus is? Take care in your answer—it’s the most important one you’ll ever give. In this message, Dr. Stanley teaches from the Gospel of John, illuminating exactly who Jesus is—God Himself. What you believe about this carpenter from Nazareth not only determines your life here and now, but in eternity. Discover how Jesus is the perfect image of God the Father. For more messages from Charles Stanley, including this week’s broadcast, go to www.intouch.org/watch
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do you believe in God yes do you believe
in his son and remember what Jesus said
watch this carefully I and the father
are one and if you do not believe that
Jesus Christ is God you do not believe
in the one true God
[Music]
four decades ago we started in touch
ministries to lead people worldwide into
a growing relationship with Jesus Christ
throughout the years we’ve seen God’s
greatness his love and his blessings in
such awesome ways that we just want
everyone to know him so let’s open God’s
Word and seek Him together
next on InTouch is Jesus Christ God what
do you think of Jesus Christ that’s the
most important answer you’ll ever have
to give if you only think that he’s a
man simply a man and that’s all he is
and one day you will be greatly shocked
who is this person called Jesus Christ
many people believe in God and they’ll
tell you they do but Jesus that’s a
whole different story
he’s just one of those other prophets or
teachers who roamed the world of his day
and talked about other things that
people may be interested in he’ll some
people and so forth but Jesus not all
that important it’s God who is important
that’s the way the world thinks and I
want to ask you how do you think what do
you think of Jesus Christ the most
important question you’ll ever answer in
your life and in John’s Gospel he has
given us a picture of Jesus unlike any
other place in the scripture and so
oftentimes people will read and they’ll
say well I believe this or I believe
that but the question is what do you
really ensure they believe about Jesus
and the answer is that Jesus Christ is
God now you probably say well now I I
don’t believe he’s God I believe he’s
maybe a prophet no he’s God and I want
to show you who I is because all the
proof that we need is in the Word of God
and you could just remain in the Gospel
of John if you wanted to he’s everything
he promises to be and he is God
turn if you will to John chapter 1 and
we can read quite a number verses but
I’ll just limit this that these first
five verses of the Gospel of John
because he answers this question
throughout the gospel and we’re
answering the question who is he
in the beginning was the word and the
Word was with God and the Word was God
he was in the beginning with God
and all things came into being through
him and apart from him nothing came into
being that came into being in him was
life and the life was the light of men
the light shines in the dark and the
darkness did not comprehend it
who is Jesus well I want us to think
seriously about it because your whole
eternity depends upon what you think
about it and most folks will say well if
as long as I believe in God and I try to
live a pretty good life that should be
sufficient that’s not the Word of God
teaches so once they’re thinking about
it in this life and answer the question
who is he
and so I’m gonna ask four questions that
are legitimate questions and all that
give us an answer we’re answering the
question who is Jesus Christ the first
question is who did Jesus say it was who
did he say was Jesus said in John
chapter 10 verse 14 and I’m going to
give you the scriptures for all of these
so you’ll remember them jesus said I am
the Good Shepherd and I know my own and
my own know me so Jesus says I’m the
Good Shepherd secondly Jesus said I am
the door of the Sheep in John chapter 10
verse 7 if anyone enters the door or
ennis through me he will be saved John
chapter 10 verse 9 jesus said I and the
father are one look at that he who sees
me sees the one who sent me
in John chapter 12 verse 45 and then in
John chapter 8 verse well Jesus said I
am the light of the world he who follows
me will not walk in darkness
but will have the light of Life and then
in the 14th chapter of John in the 6th
verse Jesus said I am the way and the
truth and the life no one comes to the
Father but through me so this is what
Jesus said about himself all of those
verses are quotes of Jesus this is what
he said about himself and then we’re
asking questions who did Jesus say he
was his second question is where his
actions consistent with who God is
because we’re trying to define who is
this Jesus so we’re his actions
consistent with who God is and John the
eighth chapter xxix or us he said I
always do the things that are pleasing
to him to the father no one can say that
but Jesus always do the things that
please him a second verse is John 10:10
Jesus said I came that they might have
life and have it more abundantly
that’s certainly consistent with who God
is for example look at the miracles he
performed he fed 5000 He healed the sick
he raised the dead he walked on water
think of all the miraculous things he
did so when we ask who is Jesus he’s
certainly a miracle worker but he’s more
than that because the one thing he did
that stirred up the Pharisees and the
Sadducees to absolute hatred and
bitterness toward him when he said
speaking to them that he forgave someone
of their sin who can forgive sin we’re
talking about who is what’s consistent
with who God says he is then no one can
take his life from him listen to John
chapter 10 verse 18 no one can take his
life from him he has authority to lay
down his life and he says I have
authority to take it up again
is that consistent with who God is yes
it is in six chapter of
young xxx hers Jesus said for I have
come down from heaven not to do my own
will but the will of him who sent me so
the question is were these actions
consistent with God every one of the
Moors were answering the question is
Jesus God so far you have to admit yes
he is
no one could follow all of us unless he
is the third thing I want us to notice
is this what was his relationship to God
the Father we’re talking about Jesus
being God what was his relationship to
God the Father now remember in Genesis
chapter 1 the 26th verse when he said
let us make man in our own image who is
us it’s something not angels angels
aren’t creators not the devil let us
make man in our own image God the Father
God the Son God the Holy Spirit that
three persons of the Trinity that make
up the Godhead
that’s what the scripture teaches in
John chapter 10 verse 13 jesus said I
and the father are one he said for
example the eighth chapter if you knew
me you would know my father also and
when I look at the 14th chapter of John
there are a number of verses there that
I wanted to look at but look at verse 16
of the fourteenth chapter for a moment
jesus said I will ask the Father and He
will give you another helper another in
the Greek is olives that means another
just like just like himself I will ask
the Father he will give you another
helper that he may be with you forever
in that one verse all three persons of
the Trinity so who is God there’s God
the Father God the Son God the Holy
Spirit now tell you why this is so
important the moment he says that is the
Spirit of Truth
the world cannot receive because it does
not see him I know him but you know him
because he abides with you and will be
in you then for example in John chapter
1 verse 1 the word Jesus was in the
beginning he was with God and the
scripture says and the word was God the
testimony of John is that Jesus was God
in human flesh God the Father God the
Son God the Holy Spirit the Holy
Spirit’s coming after the resurrection
but the three persons of the Trinity now
to say I’m gonna say it again I was sure
why this is so important then for
example he says in John chapter 1 verse
3 he was the creator with the father all
things that came into being through him
and apart from him nothing came into
being so Jesus says that he was the
creator oh wait a minute the Bible says
that God creates God the Father God the
Son God the Holy Spirit and we have the
three persons of the Trinity let us make
man in our own image then I look for
example in the Colossians chapter 1
because all the way over in Colossians
and Paul all the things that he wrote
and in this first chapter of Colossians
listen to what he says he says for
example in the first chapter in the
fourteenth verse in whom speaking of
Jesus we have Redemption the forgiveness
of our sins and then he says he Jesus is
the image of the invisible God the
firstborn of all creation for by him are
all things created both in the heavens
and on earth visible and invisible
whether Thrones or dominions or rulers
or authorities all things have been
created through him and for him he is
before all things and in him all things
hold together so the testimony of the
Apostle Paul it’s the same of the
testimony of John
now let me show you why this is so
important in the mind of the world
there’s God in our mind we know that as
God the Father God the Son God the Holy
Spirit so when you talk to your friends
about yard they said I believe in God
and in their minds there’s God out there
somewhere
but he’s so distant and he’s so foreign
and so unimaginable and so indescribable
that he’s just this big blob of
spirituality of some sort out there
somewhere and they pay him very little
attention but they can’t say that they
believe in God so what’s his name well I
don’t know well what kind of God is a
he’s God now watch this you see if he is
this invisible something out there
somewhere they believe in that they
cannot describe that he is impersonal
that they pray to him whatever he is
when they get in trouble but he’s out
there and they’re afraid they cry out to
God and if you ask him if they believe
in God yes I believe it got describe it
well you know you can’t describe him but
I do believe in God and so when you
think about what the world thinks about
God that is sort of this big spiritual
blob out there somewhere and they just
don’t want it to be personal enough that
they have to give an account and I think
about people for example who did not
believe in Jesus Christ as their
personal Savior don’t believe that they
are subject to him watch this they want
a God who is impersonal enough that they
can sin and not feel bad about it when
you eliminate Jesus you eliminate the
Holy Spirit you cannot have the one true
God without the son and without the
Spirit and so you ask yourself this
question do you believe in God yes do
you believe in his son and remember what
Jesus said watch this carefully I and
the father are one and if you do not
believe that Jesus Christ is God you do
not believe in the one true
or you believe that Jesus Christ is a
liar and if he’s alive what about God
maybe he doesn’t exist if you do not
believe the biblical concepts and truth
about God you end up being confused and
so one of the reasons people don’t want
to believe in Jesus that makes it too
personal
that too minute verses about Jesus I am
the father 1 he said it Jesus said if
you’ve seen me you’ve seen the father I
wonder what happens to this nebulous
indescribable invisible God out there
who has been in the background of your
life all the life and now you’re getting
ready to die and you think maybe maybe
I’ll meet God my friend you better know
Jesus before you die because if the only
gods you have if the only God you have
is this indescribable non biblical God
then you don’t have a true God and so I
want you to think about this why did he
say he came into the world and he
answers this Jesus came into the world
that we might have life and have it more
abundantly
he came for a specific purpose and you
look at his whole life the life that
Jesus lived what is it about Jesus you
don’t like you see most people want a
God that will pacify them and that will
agree with them and won’t scold them
won’t keep them up at night and just not
tamper with their business they want a
convenient personal God they describe
that helps them get what they want in
life but no accountability whatsoever
have a God but if he’s not a God that
matches what we just read in the word
which is God’s Word you don’t have the
one true God who is this God that you
believe in is he real if he’s not the
God of the Bible
Jesus Christ you don’t have a true God
it’s your imagination you say well what
about all those other millions of people
in the world they have their imagination
also and you see the Bible’s made it
very clear and John who walked with
Jesus the last disciple to die
the youngest one of them all but when he
wrote the gospel he wrote the gospel
inspired by Almighty God to describe for
us so intimately so beautifully who
Jesus was and what he’s like and the
only way you can have a relationship
with him is to begin by asking him to
forgive you of your sins and surrender
your life to Him you got to believe in
him so as long as you have your personal
God out here who doesn’t mess with your
conscience doesn’t bother you when you
commit adultery a living sin and your
drunken and all the things that go on in
a person’s life
as long as that doesn’t bother you
that’s your God but I’ll tell you one
thing there’s gonna be death it’s gonna
be a judgment
you’re gonna give an account and guess
to him Jesus Christ the Son of God that
I want you to understand you need to
surrender your life to him here and now
because He is God then of course listen
to John 3:16 which you know so well for
God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son that whoever believes
in Him will not perish but have
everlasting life but in your life at
this moment what kind of relationship do
you have of Jesus because the Word of
God
there’s witness that Jesus Christ is a
God who walked in flesh watch this
this is the awesome expression of a holy
God
not only was it not only was it
sufficient for him to give the truth
through the prophets all the way back to
Moses and all the things that happen
with the prophets but he sent Jesus to
walk in human flesh to be tempted by the
devil
but to perform all of these miracles so
that man does not have any excuse for
not believing in him as the Son of God
that is an example of God’s awesome love
for us why he came into the world
motivated by love you said well you know
what I don’t I don’t know that I think
God’s all that important wait till you
come to die and the only person who’s
gonna be important is not your doctor he
can’t keep you here another moment not
your family you’re gonna you’re gonna
leave them the only person that’s going
to matter is Jesus Christ the only
person’s gonna matter Jesus because only
he can forgive sin only he can write
your name in the Lamb’s Book about life
only he can take you from this life into
heaven you can have everything else in
the world you want everybody thinks
you’re fantastic you have all power
whatever it might be if you don’t have
Jesus except a man be born again he’ll
not see the kingdom of God that means
unless you have a spiritual relationship
with Jesus Christ and accept him as your
Savior you’re going to be lost
who is Jesus God the Father God the Son
God the Holy Spirit a person of eternity
when he said let us make man in our own
image who is he talking about God the
Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit
there isn’t anything you and I need it’s
not in the Word of God he answers all
the questions that I need have answered
if a person does not believe in Jesus
but they have a God mark it down there’s
a watch this says something about Jesus
that interferes for their lifestyle
something about Jesus that bothers their
conscience something about Jesus that
demands of them something I want to give
something about Jesus that sort of
cramps their style of living and so they
decide I do believe in God don’t ask me
to define him don’t ask me to describe
this none of your business I do believe
in God you have your God I have mine
you’ll die with your God and be sorry
that you rejected Jesus Christ as your
Savior he’s the only Savior now let’s
think about something for a moment
because in light of all of that suppose
Jesus is not God and we have no
assurance of life after death the
resurrection of Jesus Christ is our one
awesome assurance of life after death
and that we really experience the
resurrection so when people don’t
believe in Jesus then I ask the question
what are you gonna do when you die where
are you going what’s going to happen to
you everyone said well somebody say well
I’ll just disappear no you won’t you may
like to disappear but you can’t what
happens to you when you die well I don’t
know don’t you think it’s important
enough to find out what you should do
it’s important that the man once to die
and after this the judgment
you should know what’s going to happen
you don’t have to know all the details
what you have to know is this that jesus
promised the eternal life but those who
would trust him as their Savior listen
to this if Jesus Christ is not God we
are all hopeless and helpless in this
life but Jesus is God and listen to this
Jesus is God all he said all he did has
resulted in the forgiveness of our sins
to give them eternal life and heaven is
our home there’s one God and if somebody
asks you who is God God is Jesus God is
the father God is the Holy Spirit three
persons of the Trinity so jesus said to
them to make it very clear I’m going
away and if I go away I will send the
comforter to you the Holy Spirit he’ll
be in you with you and upon you
and so what happened Jesus rose from the
dead spoke to those disciples and then
at any cost he sent the Holy Spirit to
do what to enable you and me who come
along afterwards to live a godly life he
didn’t leave us and you think about how
absolutely thoughtful God was it’s not
enough for them to have seen him even
walk among them but the Holy Spirit to
live in them he says we are sealed by
the Holy Spirit of promise under the day
of redemption if you don’t have Jesus
what do you have you said I have my god
let me ask you this describe my God to
me I’ll tell you how to describe him you
describe him in a way that suits what
you want what you hope for but you can’t
describe him by thanks by the truth your
God is a false God your God is an empty
God if your God is not Jesus Christ as
Savior a Lord our God and amen
and it is my prayer that you’ll be
honest I’m not being critical I’m just
saying here’s the truth you can’t deny
the truth everything we’ve said is the
truth and the question is what would you
do with the truth you have two choices
accepted or denied and going your way
having put behind you what you heard’
you will regret it for all eternity if
you do not make a decision and my prayer
is that you would say yes what you’ve
said is true I do believe that what you
said is true and by faith I will accept
Jesus Christ as my personal savings the
one true God surrender my life to him
and watch him work in my life he will do
an awesome work in your life and all of
us who believers can bear testimony that
Jesus Christ is not on the Son of God
but there is the Spirit of God and the
father who is God that’s not prayer for
you that your life would be radically
changed by believing trusting the Word
of God that Jesus Christ came into this
world lay down his life at the cross and
made it possible for us to be forgiven
father how grateful we are you did not
leave us to guess or wonder our dream
our fear you gave us a very clear answer
to the question who is God and I pray
that every person who hears this message
will be honest enough to examine their
life their belief system and what they
really believe and who they really trust
in for their future and I pray that many
people
we’ll turn from that false belief and
accept Jesus Christ as their personal
Savior in this we ask it in Jesus name
Amen
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