Searching for the Truth - Poonen | Conlon — Zac Poonen

Jesus Christ as the Only Way to God

Jesus said in John 14 verse 6 I am the way no one comes to the father but through me is that right or wrong. I can't go to God except through Jesus Christ. And I'll explain to you why. Truth is always very narrow-minded.

Truth Is Absolute, Not Broad-Minded

Many people say why can't you be broad-minded. And nowadays in the world everybody likes to be broad-minded. Don't get into a controversy with anybody. Accept everything. I say 2 plus 2 is 4. Somebody says it's no it's 3.

Somebody says no. 2 plus 2 is 5. Let's accept everybody. Or at let's at least accept those who are pretty close to us. Like somebody who says 2 plus 2 is 3 .9. Somebody says 4 .1. They are much closer.

See. I'm sorry I'll get all my calculations wrong if I say 2 plus 2 is 3 .9 or in 4 .1 or even 4 .0001. Truth is absolute. 2 plus 2 is 4. What if I say the earth goes around the Sun. No. No. Let's accept the other fellow who says the Sun goes around the earth.

Also. I mean let's be broad-minded about these things. I see you can't be broad-minded everything. All your physics calculations will go wrong if you accept this fellow says the Sun goes around the earth.

That fellow says the earth goes around the Sun. And somebody else says something else. Truth is absolute. Whether in the realm of astronomy or mathematics chemistry. You see our truth is absolute in every area only when it comes to faith they say no.

No. Let's be broad-minded. Broad-minded people are in error in mathematics physics chemistry astronomy and religion. But people are willing to be very narrow-minded in all those other areas and don't recognize that.

Truth is narrow-minded here too Jesus Christ that I am the way no one comes to the father but by me. So I say I'm not. You're not arguing with me when I say that you're arguing with Jesus. You can have your choice.

But don't say he was a good man. How can he be a good man if he told such a lie like this. How can.

The Central Question of Eternal Destiny

I know there's only one question folks in life that really needs to be answered. Rightly you can afford to be wrong in a quiz game but you can't afford to be wrong with this one. How do I know. How can I know that the covering I have is going to get me into heaven.

How can I know that I'm going to go back and dwell with God for all of eternity the Christian faith teaches.

Salvation Begins With Recognizing Sin

That all human beings are sinners if you come to God. If you come to Jesus as a Christian you sin cannot be forgiven. But Jesus did not die for Christians. He died for sinners. So the only person who can be forgiven is one who comes to Jesus and says I'm a sinner.

Anybody sitting here you come to Jesus saying I'm a Christian. Jesus and say I didn't die for Christians. You can't come to Jesus as a Hindu Muslim Christian Buddhist atheist. Nothing he said. I came to the world to die for sinners.

You come as a sinner you can be forgiven. You come as a Christian. You will live and die in your sins and go to hell because that's.

The punishment you see Jesus had come and he was now going to put an end to all man-made attempts to get back into right relationship with God. He was going to open up a new in a living way he was going to do something that man could not do for himself.

He was speaking through time from the time he came into the Garden of Eden. He I'm sure Jesus had Adam in his mind. No fruit grow on you anymore forever. No more covering no more phoniness no more hypocrisy no more appearance of godliness without genuine fruit in your life.

No more of this phony religion that professes to be my representative on the earth and that has deceived itself into thinking that it's coming back into heaven with me for all.

Of eternity. No more no more. This fruit of deception. Sin is a crime supposing. I am a judge. My son is standing there. He's committed a crime. Can I say I love you. I won't punish you. Even an earthly judge will not do that because he's got a sense of justice not because he's going to be caught.

Some people just won't do it because they've got a sense of justice. And that sense of justice he's got in his mind is a fraction of the perfect justice of God Almighty. So when I've done something wrong and God is the judge and he looks at me he says son I love you very much.

But I can't let you go because you did something wrong. But you say well judge you're his father. Can't you just let him go. He's sorry. However much my son may sorry to me to me in the court. If he's done something wrong I have to punish him.

Let's say he robbed a bank or did something like that. And I have to fine him. Your fine is ten lakhs. Pay the fine or go to jail. People say boy what a strict. He doesn't love his son. His son also may turn around to me and say the son may turn to me and say dad you don't love me.

Punishing me like this. Can't you let me go. You're the judge. You've got all power. No son. I'm your judge here fine. I signed the court order. Ten lakhs or go to jail. And while he's looking sad it's such a hard judge I get up from my seat and take off my judges robes come down become an ordinary man again take out my checkbook and write ten lakhs to my son here.

Don't pay the fine. You're free. Can anybody in the world accuse me of not doing what is just I gave him the full penalty of the law. Can he accuse me that. I don't love him. Punished him as a judge. I paid the punishment.

Maybe I emptied my bank account entire ten lakhs gone. Save his life. I'm going to jail. He will know I loved him as a father. That is what God did on the cross. He cannot overlook your sin. He forgives you only because the punishment has been yes is the punishment has to be paid.

But I'll.

Pay it myself. But many many people who profess to know Jesus Christ even in our time they they create a garment of their own making that allows them to commit adultery it allows them to steal in the workplace it allows them to lie and gossip and slander unrestrained.

Lee. And this garment that they put on themselves convinces them that there's no justice for this there's no judgment day coming for them even though Jesus said by every word you speak you'll be justified and by every word you'll be condemned.

Jesus said if you do not forgive those who have wronged you neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses. But in spite of what God has spoken they create a garment of fig leaves and they cover themselves and say all is well all is well.

And they seek out a church that won't challenge their sin that won't expose this hypocrisy for what it is. I'd rather you get mad at me and go to.

Hell as Separation From God's Presence

Heaven being forsaken by God that is the most terrible thing any human being can ever face. Think of the worst suffering you can ever face multiplied by a million and more. And you understand what being forsaken by God is.

We think of hell as some geographical place. Somewhere. Maybe it is. But the worst part of hell is that is a godforsaken place is the only godforsaken place in the universe. That means God is not there.

And it's terrible to be there because God is not there. God is the only God is in this world today. That's why even for unbelievers things are very pleasant. But when you go to the place where God himself has withdrawn his presence all the evil in the devil and the man and all comes out fully it'll be terrible.

That's I believe that evil is what makes the fire of hell makes people's life so miserable. But.

What a tragedy to have been covered in an unrighteous covering to have been covered in human effort to have been covered in something deceptive. To find in the last moments of your life that the feet coming down the hallway are not taking you to heaven.

I guess the question would be whose feet are coming to get you. Who's been assigned to take you into eternity. And if you're not sure they're gods can it be changed. Can I get back mine. That's the first foundation of.

Christ's Death and Resurrection as the Foundation of Christianity

Christianity. Christ died for our sins. That's not enough. He rose from the dead. If he did not rise from the dead I would not be a Christian. I would waste I wouldn't waste my time preaching this message.

His rising from the dead is the proof that all that he said on earth was true. No man died for the sins of the world. No man rose from the dead. No religion even claimed that somebody died for the sins of the world except Christianity.

And no religion even claims that somebody who died came out of the grave after three days. So the foundation of the Christian faith is not do good be kind don't hurt others. It is Christ died for your sins and he rose up from the dead.

You remove those two things. Christianity becomes like any other religion in the world. That's why it's unique. You need to understand that you are a sinner. And you deserve to go to hell for all eternity to be forsaken by God forever.

Repentance and Returning to God

And you have lived for yourself. You're created created to belong to God. But you live for yourself. When you come back to God you must come back like a thief who has stolen what belongs to God for so many years.

How old are you. 25 30. So many years. You've stolen something that belongs to God. You can come back to him in sorrow. What I didn't know. This was your thing. I stole so many years. I'm.

Gonna come back to you and give my life to you if you're a thief. Scripture says all thieves dwell outside of the City of God. Read it in Revelation. If you're a liar you're not going there either. So whatever kind of robe you want you're not going.

The leaves have got to come off. God says I'm looking for a Nathaniel today. I'm looking for a man. A woman without guile says Lord I want it your way. You can get through the deception your whole life.

You can even sing in the choir. You can go your whole life. But there's one moment you will not get through. And it's the last five seconds of your life. Folks you'll not make it through. It has to be true.

That's what you need to recognize. Lord I deserve.

Sin's Universal Guilt

Hell for my sin. I may not be as bad as the murderer and thief but I've also sinned. I violated your law. The Bible says if you violate one law it's as bad as you got a good chicken curry. How many lizards do you have to put inside to spoil it.

10 20 or 1. Supposing you put only one. Another fellow put a 500. You say my curry is better than yours. Yours is unfit for eating to. How many drops of poison do you need in glass of milk to corrupt it.

One drop or 20 drops. One enough to kill one sin makes you as much a sinner as someone who's committed 500 or 5 million. A sin is poison. It's polluted your whole system so don't compare yourself with others.

Finish with that today Lord. I'm a sinner. I deserve hell. See if you don't take this position if right at the beginning you think you're a little better sinner than the other fellow. I've got only two lizards in my curry he's got 10 or I put only three drops of poison in my glass.

He put 500. This. These are the type of Christians who never make progress. 20 years later they'll still be like that. But if you want to make a good start in your life recognize that you are no different from the worst sinner in the world.

I am just as he is anybody else. Even though I haven't put so many drops of poison as he did. I deserve hell.

The Mercy of God Through Christ's Sacrifice

Don't miss heaven don't miss heaven don't miss. Heaven is open to you. Why would you choose to go to hell. Why would you choose to live in deception. Why. Why would you choose this. Well the life of God can be yours.

The redemption of God can be freely given to you. Why would you die in your sin. I know with all my heart.

That you died for me it was my sin that crucified you on the cross. You died because of my sin. I want to hate sin in my life because you died there and I believe with all my heart that you're the Son of God.

You rose from the dead. I.

Want you to come into my life. You don't need fake leaves anymore. I found the branch. I found the covering. I found the redemption. I found the Redeemer. I found the Messiah. All the mercy of God the incredible unspeakable mercy of God.

Hallelujah to the Lamb of God. Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God. Not that I came to God but God came to me. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God that he came to me. Hallelujah. The branch came gave me a covering and took away my sin allowed himself to be nailed on a cross and paid the price for all the wrong things that I have done and for all the foolish ways I've tried to reason my way back into the presence of God.

God Almighty did it all himself in a day what I could never accomplish in a lifetime he did in a day he made the way.

Back into his presence for eternity. The truth may be difficult but God will help you to do it. He never asked you to do something which he won't. Also put his arms underneath and help you to do it but it's the most wonderful life you can ever live.

The Call to Surrender One's Life to God

I'll tell you that I started living this life 47 years ago and I have no regret. My only regret is I wish I had started earlier. It's the most wonderful.

Life you can ever live. And once you begin to know his life you wouldn't want any other anyway. Everything will just start to fade. But I want to give an altar call for every person in the balcony at main sanctuary.

Say pastor I don't fully understand everything you said but I feel like God has spoken to me. And I feel like there's things in my life that have to go. I've tried to cram these into the kingdom and I realized the dangerous game that I'm playing today.

It's very very dangerous to play games with God folks. Very dangerous. He's holy. He's righteous. He's a God of mercy. But he's a God of judgment as well. Very very dangerous. No more dangerous game in the universe you can play than to play games with the Holy God.

He's extended a hand of mercy. If you have any wisdom you will take that hand. And you'll cling to that hand and never let it go. You'll walk with him and agree with him and he'll bring you into a life that you've only ever dreamt was possible.

And take all fear away. And you will know in your last days you will know whose feet are coming down the hallway for you. I know.

Conversion as Complete Allegiance to Christ

Jesus so well today I'm never lonely. I cannot be lonely because I can't go to a place where he's not there. No problem I have which I cannot tell him. It's a wonderful life it's the best life it's the way God wanted man to live.

It's a life full of joy it's a life free from anxiety and fear because I give my future into his hand and say Lord you hold the future lead me. Just make sure.

You I want to hold your hand. I'll go leave where you go first. For some this is the moment of your salvation. It's the moment where an old way of living is put away and all attempts to reach heaven in your own strength.

You've realized today are foolish. You're never going to be able to do it. And today you have to really. You've realized that I've got to reach out and take the hand of God. It's the only way back into life.

God stretched his hand out to me on the cross paid the price for my sins. An innocent man suffered was beaten and died for the wrong things that I've done even the religious deception that I've committed against God.

And today is the day of your salvation if that's truly and sincerely in your heart. And this is where conversion to be saved. You are giving up the rights to your life. You're giving them to God. That's salvation folks.

It's not a prayer that you pray to make you feel good and go out just the way you want to. You're giving the rights to your life to God. He is going to buy you with his blood. As the scripture says let's pray together.

Prayer of Repentance and Faith

Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for loving me in all of my deception my foolishness and rebellion. You've kept loving me. You stretched your hands out to me today my God. I receive your offer of eternal life into my heart.

And I invite you to be my Lord and my Savior. I bend my knee to you. Your ways are higher than my ways. I confess with my tongue that you are not only my Savior but you are the Lord. You are the absolute Lord of my life.

I thank you Jesus for receiving me. God help me to walk with you and to honor you and to know your power and your promises all the days of my life. Help me Lord I.

Believe you have received me. Listen to this word of Jesus. If you come to me I'll never cast you out. Believe that today Lord Jesus. I believe those of you who are not sure. Believe God's Word. If you have done your part he has done his.

Assurance, Fellowship, and Baptism

It does not matter whether to know the date. Maybe you were saved ten years ago or now. It doesn't matter. But you're sure. Today. Jesus has accepted you. You're forgiven. You're going to be a child of God now.

You need fellowship. You need to be with God's people. You need the food of God's Word. You need power. You need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pray to God. You give you all that seek fellowship with God's people.

Don't try to live this alone. A child cannot live alone. Needs fellowship. Needs to be helped as it grows up. Seek fellowship in a good church. After we give ourselves to Christ we take baptism which is like a testimony.

I finished with my old life. Now I belong to Jesus. He's my Lord. He's my bridegroom. He's my husband. I'm gonna live with him forever.