Claims of the Lord Jesus — Rolfe Barnard

I greatly admire Brother Gould. This is the second week that I've had fellowship with him. I admire his courage. ...set aside about six weeks once a year, and then about six weeks of digging in the Word of God and giving congregation to honor the fact that one, they are the water, but only God gives the increase.

He has a lot of nerve to attempt what you call an evangelistic campaign. Only a small segment of the membership supported, he tells, in all the meetings. We've had many visitors, and we thank God for that.

The False Foundations That Keep People from Christ

But I thank God for his courage. You must keep keeping on. All over America, we've got to destroy the false foundations that people have built their hope on. And that takes a little while, because as long as you've got a God that's satisfying you, you'll never be interested in the Lord Jesus.

The Claims and Demands of Jesus Christ

Now tonight, we're speaking on the claims of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father's response to the Lord's claims. Tomorrow night, we're going to be speaking on the demands of the Lord Jesus Christ. He makes a demand of every human being, and the penalty for not obeying that command is to be cast into hell.

Tonight, will you prayerfully consider some of the claims that the Lord Jesus Christ made when he was here as a preacher, preaching about his death on the cross and his exaltation ruled from a throne.

Jesus as David’s Son and David’s Lord

I invite you to turn to the book of Matthew, chapter 22, and we'll begin reading at verse 41 of Matthew 22. Now, I quit a long time ago trying to get a prayer. I know about Friday night. I also know that where you have to depend on visitors to fill the pews, they are in and out.

They have their own obligations. And having received this ministry at the mercy of God, we never lose hope. We just keep plowing. There's revival on the way. Already, gods are being attacked for more pulpits than used to, and men are being stripped, and hunger of heart is coming everywhere.

And we have everything to encourage us. I hope you can hear me. As we bring to a climax this week's weeknight messages, as we bring Christ to man, the great demander, not inviter, but demander, the Lord demands something of every human being.

And you do not, my people, judge him. Beginning at verse 41 of chapter 22, while the Pharisees were gathered together, unto him of David, for he was the son of God. But have family, but all of you are the son of God.

He asked him, who are you? You are David's son. He said unto my Lord, I think the Lord is going to sit right there on the throne, where it is, until God does what he said he'd do. He's going to make every enemy of Christ a footstool.

You told the truth. I asked you, whose son am I? And you said, well, you're a man. You're a man. You're the son of David. Now, if that's all the truth, the Lord said, how in the world can you answer the fact that David, whom you say I'm his son, called me Lord?

He said, Jehovah said unto my Lord, and that's where he is. He's sitting down at the right hand of the throne of God forever. Sit down at my right hand. He had him on the horns of nobody who's gone on to glory now.

The Exclusive Identity of Jesus Christ

When he was Archbishop of Canterbury of the Episcopal Church, Anglican Church of England, great man of God, I said to the Archbishop that the only Christ any, ever, that they miraculously got any record of, the country now.

People you can get not interested at all. To this generation of Catholics, go to meetings, put them up on a shelf with the rest of their gods. Equal rank with that pleasure and everything else, but not first place.

Don't want you to go to hell. It's all or nothing. Either God, or he's not even a good man. Today can be accepted. Leave your pride. Live a life of the Bible. Miracle, a human mother and no human father.

Against sin so hard that it cost him hemorrhages of his blood. Like saved him from the dead and exalted him and sat him down. And the throne is right. Till his enemies have made his footstool. That's the only Jesus.

Feel about that. Some of his stupendous claims. For in Cambridge, England. Over the BBC radio hookup nationwide. Thinkers say about what I'm talking about tonight. I want to quote him. Mr. Lewis said, I'm trying to prevent anyone.

Or a teacher. To be God. One thing we must not say. That Jesus said. Great teacher. He'd be either a lunatic. Or the devil of hell. Make your choice. And bless God you will make your choice. He's a madman.

Men seek to kill him. And then ignore him every day of their lives. That's the Bible. Not even a good man. To make the claims that we're going to see he made. Brands him as a madman worse than Adolf Hitler.

Your choice. Madman. He's a lunatic. Son of the living God. Says Mr. Lewis. About his being a great human teacher. He's not left that. To you write rather quickly tonight. He said so you cannot sit on the fence.

Total Allegiance to Christ

One is in 100 devotion to and obedience to Christ. Brand him as a fool and a madman. And quit all this business about attending church and listening to the Word. Anything except the stuff they call Christianity today.

That names them as saviors. Do not bear the mark of his discipline. This claim that I mentioned yesterday night. That the Lord Jesus made. For he's alive. He claimed to be the one who has. And all is in the realm of morals.

This is wrong. You do not have the most immoral nation in Charlotte, North Carolina. Than any other city in Charlotte, North. Of any city in New York City. At the same time. It is ironic. If you wish to find.

A country that's nearly as rotten. And morally. As America today. Is West Berlin. Christianity in the world today. I'm told by people who know. Pain of excommunication and death. In East Germany. The fifth chapter of Matthew.

He's in. Jesus of Nazareth. He said give her. Him that he spoke as one having authority. This generation. I think it's in your heart. That hasn't been turned over to you. The one who has. His word. Just mad.

I come to Lynxburg. Get up on your radio station. Television. Say I'm here. Understand I'm here. What's right and what's wrong. I'm your law. Would be. Disease of a fool. He dared to claim that his word.

Was mentioned. He mentions adultery. He mentions murder. He mentions fool. Decalogue of sin. In the second place. The Lord Jesus. In Luke. In John chapter three. He made. Verse thirteen. Of John chapter.

Jesus’ Heavenly Origin and Divine Authority

In John chapter three. Verse thirteen. My Lord said. But he that came down. Even the son of. I went about one o 'clock. In the morning. To father divine. Heaven. That he had in. Harlem. To see what's going on.

Two o 'clock. A little yellow. Short. Georgia born. Negro man. Came down. Little women. Fathers. Mothers. Brothers. Sisters. Wives. Anything. Just all brothers. And sisters. In his kingdom. Is all in heaven.

Come and give him all your money. And he takes care of you. From then on. In heaven. John the Baptist. All the apostles. Mary Magdalene. Everybody. I saw them all. And everybody. Got down on his knees.

As the. Negro man. Walked down the steps. And they said. Father divine. He is God. God came to the earth. He was a white man. The second time. He came. He came. As a Negro. He said. That's blasphemy. He just a man.

This is blasphemy too. He said. I. Came. Down. That he's almighty God. His land's in hell. Brother. Stupendous claim. The Lord Jesus. Made. Again. Most of them. They thought he was a prophet. Somebody.

You know what he claimed? In verse 14. Verse 14. He made this stupendous claim. Redemption. Now isn't that some claim. For a man to make? Suppose I'd come to Leesburg. And say. And be buried. And raised from the dead.

He's either a fool. Or God. This little haphazard stuff we call Christian. Today just gonna land us in hell. If he's God. That settles it brother. As Moses lifted up. The son of. The serpent in the wilderness.

Even. The son of man be lifted up. Then the next verse tells us. The result. Of the cross. And resurrection. That whosoever. If you believe in me. Brother. He's a mad man. Suppose I say. Now brother. If you believe in me.

You say. You're a fool. It's John 3. 14. The cross. That demanded a resurrection. The lifting up. Of the son of God. Should not. There is enough gospel. In John 3. 16. Save the world. There's a better gospel.

In John 3. 16. You can put it in there. But you have to put it there. The gospel. In John 3. 14. The reason. We got a gospel. Of the cross. And resurrection. And if a man. Believes. From the dead. He'll never perish.

The reason is. For God. That's because. God didn't love the world. For God. So loved the world. Isn't that something. Another claim. The Lord made. He claimed. To be perfect. In holiness. Which of you convicted.

Jesus’ Sinlessness and the Father’s Love

Me of sin. He never prayed. With his disciples. Don't time. He ever prayed. He went off by himself. Convicted me. Of sin. He said. The father. Given the spirit. He claimed. To be perfect. I hope he made the right claim.

I hope he's not a mad man. For God. It demands. For Jesus. Made. In John chapter 3. Verse 35. To heaven. He said. The father. Loved him. To the Lord. He became the prime minister. Down there in Egypt.

The father. Has elected me. To rise. In the chaos. Of everything. That God. Put. Into. My brain. That God. Almighty. Has turned over. Everything. To Jesus Christ. That's what he said. In Greensburg. Suppose I get up.

If anybody comes. To that afternoon meeting. And I do. Hope you'll hear Brother Grubb. I tell you. If I. I want to hear him. I thank God. That it worked out. So I get to hear him once. He's a great. Man of God.

There are no great men. But God's music. Oh. What an honor. To even be in the same building. With him. He's a choice. Suppose I get up there. You listen to this fellow Grubb. He's a nice little fellow preacher.

I don't know. Count you. Look at me. I'm the prime minister. Of heaven. Turned over. The execution. Of all his plans. And purposes. There'd be something. No worse. Than Jesus. Saying it. Bless his soul.

If he's just a man. Another. That Jesus Christ. Made while he was there. He clearly. John Chapman. Under his son. And he further claimed. And brought. Verse 27. That not only. Had God Almighty. Turned all judgment.

Christ as Judge of All Humanity

Over to him. But he'd given him. A power. And power. To execute it. He read. I read. Verse 27. And had given him. The father's given Christ. Execute. Because he's the son of man. I was coming back. From Florida.

The other day. And I wasn't watching. I got off my highway. And about. Ten. Eleven miles. I was driving. By myself. And I. I noticed. The signs weren't right. And I stopped. At a place. And I said. Where.

Where am I? I've lost my road. How do I get back to it? Well. I said. Don't go back. The way you came. There's a short cut. And so I took the short cut. And I didn't know where I was. And I. Going along.

Driving about. Forty one miles an hour. I didn't pay a great deal. I've been driving on the highway. For sixty. Sixty five miles an hour. And I didn't know. I was a pope. Just wasn't watching. You know.

Never been through. That short cut before. And. I had a radar there. I had just been about three. Four hundred yards. Somewhere in Georgia. And I had to. They said. You'll have to show up for the provo marshal tomorrow.

I said. I ain't got time to do that. And they gave me a ticket. And said. Well. You'll have to go back in to the little town. And see the judge. You know. I did exactly. What they told me to do. What do you call it.

Military. Or whatever you call it. And I did exactly what that judge said. I didn't know where I was. And I had to be a Baptist preacher. And I. And I wasn't going very fast. It was in a 30 mile zone.

I ain't seen the schools or anything. I didn't pay much attention to the sign. But Ignace's notes. He had the authority of the state of Georgia. He had the authority of the government. And back of that.

The authority of the President of the United States. That boy had authority. If he'd said. Fifty dollars please. Amen. I won't look you in the face. Tell you. My Lord Jesus Christ said. Father. Turned all judgment over to me.

But he'd given me authority there. I'd hate to have the responsibility of casting men into hell. Yeah. If anybody ever winds up in hell. The Lord won't have to cast them. He's got that awful responsibility.

Couldn't judge except him. He said. All judgment's been turned over to me. But he had authority. And then I bring you one more claim. In order for you to be the perfect in holiness. Not only said he is God's prime minister.

Running God's business. Not only sent that all judgment and authority to execute. It's been turned over to him. But while he's down here. He said. I hold the eternal destiny. Of every man. Woman. Boy.

Girl. Who ever has lived. Eternal destiny in my hand. You know what's the matter with membership of Park Avenue Baptist Church? They saved themselves. That man decided to accept Christ. And it's up to me.

We're gone. Couldn't. Go man. Made it. It's a going to hell. And I wish I could get him here. Just once. I look him in the face. And look him in the eyes. Not that they've got anything I want. But I don't want that blood on my hands at the judgment.

And I say honey. Your eternal destiny is not in your hand. He bought you on the cross. He owns you lock stock and barrel. Whether you spend eternity in hell. Or in heaven. Is that something you thought of?

Jesus Gives Life and Determines Eternal Destiny

Brother Barnett. Not on your bottom dollar. In verse 21 of the fifth chapter of John's gospel. I said that. God. The sun. Flares. That. Behold. The destiny of all men. In his hands. In verse 21. He says.

Raises up the dead. Even so. The sun. Whom you will. But look at verse. He's the one. He said. I'll give that life. To whom. Look at verse 25. Saying to you. That I hold of you now. He speaks about them.

In another verse. When the dead. Dead and trespassed. Your destiny. Escaped. Being sent to hell. I'm preaching to you now. You can get to your club. And try to beat the devil out of God. If you don't like it.

But that's so. This damnable stuff. They've called. The gospel. That left. Your salvation. In your. When the only one. That's got life. Is the Lord. Jesus Christ. And he exercises. The privilege. And right.

Of giving life. To whom. He will. For men. And women. I've come to you. To say. For the hundredth time. Since I've been dead. Crossed it before. Son of God. Speaks to you. And say. There's. What's come for.

From their grave. Can follow. And say Lord. If thou will. And that's all. God says. The Senate. And devil. From what they've called. Gospel preaching. But that's the God's truth. Demand anything of him.

The Father’s Verdict on the Claims of Christ

To these claims. He's made. He's lodged. Three things. In the Lord. Jesus Christ. Almighty. God. The Father. The response. And render. The verdict. Response. And answer. He's of the Lord. Jesus Christ.

First. The father. Of the human race. In the hands. Of Jesus Christ. Given unto me. And hence. The father. Where is. His authority. Does he have. Given. In heaven. Seventeen and two. The Lord. Jesus. Talking to the father.

As thou. Has given him. Authority. Includes me. He's going to give you life. Or he's going to send you to hell. You've been turned over to the Lord. And he's got authority. To save you. If you want to.

Or you can humble yourself. And become a beggar. And say you. I'm in your hands. A million miles. Away from what. America's been daring. For the last sixty years. One. First. Let's start looking. To him.

There's nothing. He's you. For we are accepting. The beloved. Testament. Two hundred and sixty two times. Passion. Or an equivalent of it. In the hands. One parent. Saying God. Loves him. Christ died.

For it. Which neither one. Of us. So. Until. God. Shows. A benevolent. Love. Of pity. And he. Would do. Anybody. Except. Jesus Christ. Never know. Love. Of God. He's. It'll be. If not. The. Somebody. Is on.

The. You better hurry. To Christ. You better seek. The label. Of Christ. You better quit. Trusting. Walking. An hour. And making. Confession. You better come. To watch your father. And mother. He's asked of Christ.

Don't take no for an answer. From him. Comes to you. With him. Who's enthroned. At the right hand. Of God. That is working. Your father's done. One more thing. He's lodged. In Jesus Christ. Save myself.

And no more. Believing. When a dead man. Can get up out of your cemetery. And begin to live. There can be. Just two. Made his. His response. He's channeled. To be one. Two things. One heard. His claim.

One response. That's been the verdict. Of the Jewish nation. With very few exceptions. Of course. God will make. You. But not too late. For the glory. Of the father. Though I can't explain. This to. Almighty God.

The Cost of Entering the Kingdom

Has a verdict. On the claims. Of Christ. Will not. Submit. His verdict. On. Friday night. You didn't go by. Groceries. Of our Lord. Who gets saved. 13. Kingdom of heaven. Like under. Treasure. Hidden in a field.

He hideth. The kingdom of heaven. Is like a. Merchant. Man. He's looking. For goodly pearls. A great time. Come into a person. With the Lord. Jesus Christ. You'll sell everything. You've got. You leave everything.

You've got. You'll say. Goodbye. Potentially. Everything. You've got. Nothing. You find. None of this. Walking. Now. And taking. The preacher's hand. No. No. Brother. You don't mean business. You have yet.

Christ. Him a girl. And went. Bought that way. Another fellow. Is a. Fellow looking. For goodly pearls. And he found. The pearl. Of great price. And he sold everything. He had. Christ. Is God. He's my Lord.

Say goodbye to. Potentially. You have to do. In your life. If you ever get to Jesus. You won't own your home. Or your car. Or nothing else. It's all his. You won't own your wife. Or your children. They're all his.

You're going to sell everything. You've got. Potentially. Amen. In the day. Thou shall speak me with all. I know.