Adrian Rogers: Why I Believe in Jesus Christ - RA1869

welcome to love worth fine with Pastor teacher and author Adrian Rogers reaching out with God's love bringing people to Christ touching lives around the world and helping you find the answers you need today join us as we prepare to open God's Word and discover how your life can be changed forever by his great love worth finding would you take God's holy word and find with me the Gospel according to John and turn to chapter 6 if you will and we'll find verse 66 in just a moment some time ago I had one of the most challenging experiences of my life I was in Moscow the capital of the former Soviet Union and I had the opportunity to preach and I preached in a marvelously beautiful hall it was called the Red Army theatre it was a theatre for the performing arts was a place where they held operas and cultural events a magnificent structure with a big stage first of all I had to thank God for the privilege to be there and frankly spiritually I was trusting the Lord but in the flesh I was intimidated to be there because there in that red on the theater there were those massive portraits of Lenin Stalin there's the velvet box up there where they would sit to listen to the performances then that auditorium were soldiers army officers and their wives the soldiers were all dressed in their military uniforms and they were sitting out there rank upon rank upon rank and God had given me the privilege to preach to them first of all I said Lord how did this happen how did I get here I won't take time to tell you about the circumstances that placed me there but I realized it was a great challenge because these soldiers these army officers had been taught from the youth there is no God they were raised in an atheistic society not only that they were raised to hate Americans I wondered how much of that still might remain in that auditorium and this place was built to glorify communism and totalitarianism to the degree that they named it the Red Army did now what would you preach if you had an opportunity to preach to a group like that I mean what would be the subject matter what would you say I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity never again would I have an opportunity like that I knew it would be the first time in perhaps the only time some of them would ever hear a message from God I prayed ask God Lord what would you have me to say to these people God the Holy Spirit said Adrian tell them about Jesus tell them why you believe in Jesus Christ and that's what I talked to them about and here's the text that I took John chapter 6 verse 66 from that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him then said Jesus unto the twelve will ye also go away then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go thou has the word of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God Peter said we believe and we are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God and I said to those men and their wives assemble I want to tell you why I believe in Jesus Christ and I want to tell you along with Simon Peter why I am sure that he is the Christ the Son of the Living God and I gave them for reasons that are found in this chapter there are the same reasons I want to give to you many of you who are already sure that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God but to reinforce your faith and to help you to share with others because we live in a shrinking world and many have never heard the gospel that we've heard and many do not take for granted the things today that we take for granted Jesus had just fed the 5,000 and there were miracles that he performed that cause people to follow after him especially when he fed 5,000 with a few fish and loaves but then as the multitudes were following Jesus Jesus turned to them and began with a challenging message to talk about eating his flesh and drinking his blood that is to partake of him the message was so stark the message was so different it was so radical people began to leave they were miracle mongers they they liked the loaves in the fish but they did not like the deeper message that was behind that miracle and they began to leave him and then Jesus turned to his disciples he said are you going to go away also and Peter asked a very penetrating question and it's the question I'm going to ask you if not Jesus then what if not Jesus then who Simon Peter said Lord to whom shall we go I mean if not Jesus friend if Jesus isn't the answer if you turn from Jesus where are you going to go are you going to turn from him to atheism are you going to believe that in the beginning the heavens and the earth created themselves and then created man I said to these forum atheist atheism does not make sense it's not a sign of intelligence I reminded them of what I remind you that the inteligencia of the ages have believed in God Socrates Bacon Galileo Newton Pasteur Einstein Wernher von Braun they all believed in God can you turn to atheism then I asked them the question are you going to turn to philosophy if you reject Jesus Christ philosophy a system that tells us what we already know in words we can understand a former pastor of this church dr. RG Lee said philosophy is a chunk of cloudbank buttered with the Nightwind study the great philosophers and see if philosophy satisfied their heart scope an hour one of the greatest said life as a curse of endless craving in endless unhappiness algae's Huxley said concerning us he said it seems like we're cancer on the globe HG Wells tried philosophy and HG Wells said this unless there's a more abundant scheme before mankind this scheme space and time is a bad joke an empty laughs braying across the mysteries I ask those many going to turn to philosophy then I ask this question are you going to turn to materialism is that the answer if not atheism and philosophy is it is it materialism is that where you going to go do you think that things can satisfy you I went into the mayor's office of Moscow I went up those that red carpet walked across those marble floors went into that big conference room set down there with the leadership of the heart of Moscow looked across the table from those men and I said sirs I want to tell you something the Soviet empire has dissolved as such communism has come crumbling down but I said if you follow the West with economic ideas and that's all and you say capitalism is the answer rather than communism I said both capitalism and communism are both two forms of materialism and they will never satisfy the deepest longing of your hearts God made you for God he made you for himself and even if you have material things you will still find your hearts and lives empty they not at the head and by the way we gave them some good books some Bibles some books by CS Lewis some books on the home by James stops and then some other things to help these men to begin to build their lives on the Lord Jesus Christ will you turn to materialism is that the end or will you turn to false religions you know man is incurably religious and if he goes away from Jesus Christ he's going to go to some other false religion but remember what what what Peter said to Jesus to whom shall we go you alone have the words of eternal life if you go to Confucius grave it'll be occupied if you go to Buddha's grave it'll be occupied if you go to Mohammed's grave it will be occupied if you go to Jesus grave it's empty it's empty Jesus came out of that grave you can take boot out of Buddhism and still have Buddhism you can take Confucius out of Confucianism and still have Confucianism you can take Muhammad out of Islam and still basically nothing has changed but you can't take Jesus out of Christianity and have Christianity Christianity is not just a creed or a code or cause or Church it is Christ it is a vital relationship with Jesus Christ and and and and Simon Peter asked this question what well where should we go we go to atheism we go to philosophy we go to materialism we go to false religions where should we go you alone have the answer now let me tell you something about Jesus Christ people listen to me those of you who are listening on television listen to me Jesus Christ alone only Jesus has the answer to the things that really matter only Jesus can meet the deepest hunger of the human heart only Jesus is the answer to man's sin only Jesus gives meaning to life and death only Jesus can take the sting out of sin the gloom out of the grave the pain out of parting and give hope that is steadfast and sure to whom shall we go he alone has the answers of life and death but that brings a question how do we know that Jesus is who we say he is why why do we believe in Jesus why have I given my life to him why do I serve him why would I be willing to die for him if necessary why four reasons for reasons that we can know and be sure that we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God the first reason that I shared with these and I shared with you is the historical reason Jesus Christ is a FAC T fact of history now I don't care whether you're believer whether you're not a believer whether you're a Christian or someone else you must admit you have to admit the man named Jesus was here upon this earth all of the secular historians that have any merit at all admit the fact of Jesus Christ regardless of what they believe about it HG Wells in his outline of history listed the ten greatest men of history number one on the list was Jesus Christ he's a historian Sergi JG Fraser a historian you certainly wouldn't call him an evangelical Christian a born-again Christian said this and listened to it my theory assumes the historical reality of Jesus of Nazareth as the great religious and moral teacher who founded Christianity and was crucified at Jerusalem under the governorship of Pontius Pilate the testimony of the Gospels confirmed by the hostile evidence of pacifists and younger plenty appears amply sufficient to establish these facts to the satisfaction of unprejudiced inquiries what's he saying he's saying if you're a historian you have to admit you have to admit that the man Jesus regardless of what else you think about it that he was here his birth and life splits history every time you put your date on the check or on a letter you're giving testimony to the fact a man named Jesus of Nazareth was here regardless of what you think about him he is a fact of history there's no way to explain the Christian Church the fact that we're here apart from the fact that Jesus Christ was here and what did the early church begin to preach not only that the man was here but that man walked out of the grave that was the central fact of the preaching of the early church how do you explain that how do you explain not our church today but that church back yonder that grew out of the life and times of Jesus Christ those who were eyewitnesses they believed in his resurrection someone says well they were hallucinating well he appeared to more than 500 at one time that's a lot of hallucination but somebody says well he was a ghost no he ate with them they felt him they touched him somebody says well they were just made up a story it they said they touched him they said they ate with him oh these men who died for their faith do you think they would die for a lie willingly knowingly a man may live for a lie but few me died fall on these early Christians paid with their lives for their faith how do you explain the historical fact of Jesus Christ and the church apart from the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ I believe in him for historical reasons it has well been said there's more proof that Jesus Christ rose from the dead then the Julius Caesar lived he has shown to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead and the Bible says he showed himself alive with many infallible proofs here's the second reason I believe in Jesus Christ and by the way if you let me give some scripture look if you will in chapter 6 verse 38 this deals with the historical fact for I came down from heaven he was here that's the historical fact now let me give you the second reason I believe in him not only for historical reasons but I believe in him for scriptural reasons look if you will now in chapter 6 verse 44 this Jesus who came down from heaven said no man can come to me except the Father which has sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day it is written in the prophets and they shall all be taught of God I told those men and I tell you today that I believe in Jesus Christ because I believe the Bible the Word of God where you say pastor that just that just moves the question back a little bit because to say that you believe in Jesus Christ because you believe the Bible causes us to ask how do we know the Bible is true that's a good question and I talked to those men and I said I want to tell you and to those ladies and to those Russian soldiers and army officers I want to tell you why I believe the Bible is the Word of God and I took time to explain to them how I know that the Bible is the Word of God and I gave them the great five proofs of the inspiration of Holy Scripture and what are they number one fulfilled prophecy number two the wonderful unity of the Bible written over 1,500 years by at least 40 different authors in 3 different languages on all kinds of subjects 66 books that make one book the wonderful unity of the Bible I talked to them about the longevity of the Bible how the Bible has lasted through the centuries and how men have made laws against it and how even there in in Soviet Russia it was a crime to bring Bibles in to Soviet Russia and I reminded them every one of them there that I had a Bible for them to give them when they left and they broke out in applause to give to them the Word of God how do you explain the longevity the ever-living quality of the Bible I talked to them about the accuracy of the Bible and the scientific and the historical accuracy the Bible then I talked to them about the power of the Bible Jesus said the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life and he said that in this sixth chapter and I told them how the reading of God's Word to transform my life and I told them that we know the Bible is the Word of God and I told them as I tell you the central theme of the Bible is Jesus Christ now if you read the Bible and you don't find Jesus Christ go back and reread the Bible he is the hero of the Bible the Bible is his story it is the story of Jesus Christ put this verse in your Marge in acts 10 verse 43 to him that is - Jesus give all the prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall have remission of sins and so jesus said here in John 6 verse 45 it is written in the prophets and they shall be taught of God Jesus called upon the scriptures to testify of him and how do the Scriptures tell us of Jesus what Jesus do these inspired words tell us about well they tell us about the Virgin born son of God his life began with a miraculous birth then he lived a miraculous life I told them as I'm going to tell you how Jesus Christ is absolutely unique as he's presented in the Bible that's one thing to believe that Jesus was here but what kind of jesus does the Bible describe it describes a sinless man a man who never modified or withdrew any statement that he ever made a man who never apologized for anything he did though he were often understood misunderstood a man who never asked advice for from anybody even though he walked among the Pharisees and the scribes and the doctors of the law a man who never troubled to justify his actions when many people misunderstood what he did like when he delayed to come - Lazarus sickbed he never tried to justify Irsay I'm sorry I hope you'll understand he never confessed sin one time never asked forgiveness about anything what an incredible life he lived that's presented in the Bible what strong points did Jesus have none because he didn't have any weak points every life every part of his life was completely totally balanced in perfect symmetry the Bible presents his miracle birth the Bible presents his miracle life the Bible tells about his sacrificial death let me tell you what was unique about the death of Jesus Christ not that he died other martyrs have died he was the only one who chose to die you say well other people choose to die oh no even the suicide doesn't choose to die he just chooses to die early a new statistic out on death 1 out of 1 people die everybody's going to die except Jesus there was no sin in him there was no reason for him to die jesus said no man takes my life from me I lay it down of myself he was the only man who chose to die the Bible presents him is the one who came out of that grave he is the only one who has been raised from the dead you say no wait a minute pastor other people came back to life what about Lazarus Lazarus was resuscitated to die again Jesus was resurrected and he lives in a glorified body and has become the firstfruits of all of those of us who sleep and Jesus said he will raise us up at the last day what I'm trying to say is I believe in Jesus Christ because he is an historical fact there is no way that you can explain the Church of Jesus Christ apart from the history of Jesus who lived died and rose again and I believe in him because of the Bible the Bible of miracle book that has stood the test of the ages presents Jesus Christ as absolutely and totally unique let me give you the third reason that I believe in Jesus Christ and I believe in Jesus Christ for spiritual reasons look if you will now in verse 63 of this same chapter Jesus presenting himself to those multitude said it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing you will never with your human mind comprehend who Jesus Christ is it is the Spirit of God the Holy Spirit that quickens that helps you to understand that gives life jesus said of the Holy Spirit he will testify of me just put your bookmark there and turn if you will to another book that John wrote turn to 1st John chapter 5 if you would let me show you how the Holy Spirit of God will convict you and convince you as to who Jesus Christ is if you want to know look if you will in in first John 5 and verse 6 this is he that came by water and blood even Jesus Christ not by water only but by water and blood he's talking about the water in the blood that came out of Jesus side when he was crucified now notice in verse 6 and it is the spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is truth there are three that bear record in heaven the father the word in the Holy Ghost in these three are one and the three that bear witness in earth the spirit the water in the blood and these three agree in one now pastor Rogers they expect me to believe in Jesus Christ just because you say that he was a historical fact even if I believed that I'm not going to trust him or do you believe that I'm going to believe in Jesus Christ just because your book says that he lived you have evidence for the inspiration of the Bible that's not enough for me I will agree you need something else you need the Holy Spirit of God to say Amen to these other facts you need the Holy Spirit of God to take you and convict you and convince you I've told you before anything I can talk you into somebody else can talk you out of but now notice in verse 9 if we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his son God the Holy Spirit will testify in your heart I mean we receive the witness of men somebody tells us something is true and we believe it I ate in a restaurant I had to trust the cook you read a map you trust the map maker I mean you're trusting the engineer that built this building that's a pretty big span across there it may come down in three seconds I hope you're ready to go what am I saying I'm saying we trust people every day if we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater and the word if there may be translated sense since we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater God the Holy Spirit I told these and I will tell you if you want to know who Jesus Christ is ask the Holy Spirit God doesn't just say that you must believe and if you can't believe that's your hard luck God says if you want to believe I will help you to understand and to know that these things are true and on anybody in this building tell me you cannot believe you may refuse to believe but I will tell you this that if you want to believe in Jesus Christ if you seek truth God the Holy Spirit will speak to you and confirm to you that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God he witnesses to you and then he witnesses in you look if you will in verse 10 he that believeth on the son of God hath the witness in himself verse 9 speaks of his witness to us verse 10 speaks of his witness on the inside you see why do I believe in Jesus Christ well first of all the Holy Spirit said to me he is the son of God and once I received him into my heart now I have the witness in myself and you could argue with me all day long and never convince me against Jesus Christ you could bring sophisticated arguments to me but I have the witness on the inside and a Christian with the witness in his heart is never at the mercy of a man with an argument in his mouth learn that my friend the Bible says taste and see that the Lord is good and I gave my testimony to these in the Red Army theater and I'll give my testimony of you I have tasted and I know and if you were to tell me that apple pie is not good or there is no apple pie when I've just eaten a piece of apple pie you can argue all you want but I've got the evidence on the inside amen taste and see that the Lord is good he that believeth hath the witness in himself why do we believe in Jesus Christ the historical reasons I'm that bread that came down from heaven the scriptural reasons the prophets testify of me he said the spiritual reasons the words I speak unto you their spirit in their life the flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirit that quickeneth then I gave them the last of these reasons that I want to give you why I believe in Jesus Christ I believe in him for personal reasons notice what Peter said here again go back to our text if you will John chapter 6 and look for just one more moment look if you will in verse 68 then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God what was Peter saying Peter was saying I know it personally I know it personally I have proven it not only does history tell me that he's the son of God not only does the Bible tell me he's the son of God not only does the Holy Spirit tell me this son of that he's the son of God I know through personal experience for personal reasons I can testify I'm sure I prayed with a young man to receive Christ he was searching I'll never forget his question he looked at me he said pastor tell me is he real to you and I said yes he's real yes he is real he is real to me I know I am sure that he's the Christ the Son of the Living God I will tell you something else the best people I know know him the best people I know love him I mean I've met a lot of folks I met some charlatans I met some hypocrites I've met some imposters and Jesus in this sixth chapter of John talked about Judas who is a false apostle I'm gonna tell you one thing folks you live a few years traveling around meet God's wonderful wonderful family see how he changes lives see what he means to you be able to sing it say it and mean it victory in Jesus and he does give the victory and I said to those men what I want to say to you this is why I believe in Jesus and I want to ask you to believe in him bow your heads and pray and they did then I said if you prayed that prayer and ask Christ into your heart would you lift up your hand and it looked to me like more than half of those soldiers they're lifted up the hand they prayed to receive Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and I wonder Oh precious friend today do you know him he alone is the answer to your hearts need there's nowhere else to go where else will you go if you're going go to Jesus no one else has the answer to your sin no one else can fill the longing of your heart nobody else can give you peace that passeth understanding nobody else has the words of eternal life no one else walked out of that grave but Jesus did and I want you to know and be sure that he's the son of God would you bow your heads in prayer I'd like for you to pray and ask him into your heart today I'd like for you to trust him and be saved today would you pray a prayer like this just bow your head and pray it out of your heart dear God I need you I want you I need to be saved Jesus I believe you're the son of God I believe you paid my sin debt with your blood I believe that God raised you from the dead and now I repent of my sin I opened my heart by faith like a child by faith like a little child I receive you as my Lord and Savior come into my heart forgive my sin save me Lord Jesus would you pray that prayer come into my heart forgive my sin save me Lord Jesus then would you pray this prayer Lord Jesus give me the power and help me to obey and to make it public what I've done help me not to be ashamed of you and your name I pray amen we pray God has blessed you as you watch this message if you'd like additional copies or information on other resources write us at love worth finding P o box 38 800 memphis tennessee 38134 @ l WF dot o-r-g in the u.s. you can place Visa or MasterCard orders by calling 1-800 two seven four five six eight three Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time thank you and may God richly bless you

Channel: Love Worth Finding Ministries

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Keywords: lwf, program, why, believe, in, jesus, christ, ra1869, love worth finding adrian rogers memphis salvation ways to salvation christ, sermons, love worth finding, love worth finding ministries, love worth finding come to jesus, love worth finding choir, love worth finding adrian rogers, love worth finding with dr. adrian rogers, why i believe in jesus, why i believe in jesus christ

Id: MQ0CWrQ9UOM

Length: 36min 0sec (2160 seconds)

Published: Sat Apr 23 2016