JESUS CHRIST
True God & Eternal Life
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This true God and Eternal Life.” (1 John 5:20)
Gospel Singer Andre Crouch wrote the beautiful little Chorus: O’ it is Jesus; Yes, it is Jesus; It is Jesus in my soul; for I have touched the hem of His garment, and His blood has made me whole!
Many people like Jesus of the Bible. They have heard the story of His virgin birth, born in a stable in Bethlehem. They heard that He died for us and arose from the dead. When I was a child in school and in church, we learned the significance of Christmas and Easter. Many of us learned how to sing and love the hymns.
There is nothing to dislike about Jesus Christ, until He makes a demand for us to humble ourselves, repent of our sins and receive Him as Saviour and Lord. And to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him.
Many may say, ‘He is too demanding, the price of following Jesus is too high. The road is too narrow. I love the world. I will lose my friends. I can make it on my own’!
CHOOSE JESUS OR THE WORLD!
The Bible says: ‘Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” (1 John 2: 15-17)
Jesus said: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…Except a man be born of water (Word) and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3,5)
Jesus said: “Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3). St. Paul says: “That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the Word.” (Eph. 5:26).
Water baptism does not save. It is a testimony of our belief in the death, burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ! We are born again by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit!
SOME BELIEVE: OTHERS PERISH!
The Lord stated: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the Voice of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” (John 5:24-26).
Jesus spoke about TWO different groups ‘of the dead’ who hear the voice of God. All human beings are born in Sin and are therefore “dead in trespasses and sins”.
The First Group hear the voice of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, repent of their sins and receive Christ through prayer, and are saved!
The Second Group are dead in their graves and hear the Voice of God to arise from the dead and be judged; some to eternal life and others to eternal damnation in Hell:
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in their graves shall hear His Voice and shall come forth: they that have done Good, unto the resurrection of Life; and they that have done Evil, unto the resurrection of Damnation.” (John 5:24-29)
St. Paul wrote to the new converts in Ephesus: “And you hath He quickened (made alive) who were dead in trespasses: Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world…” (Eph. 2: 1,2)
“Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Eph.5: 14-16)
To new converts in Colosse, St. Paul wrote: “And you, being dead in your Sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened (made alive) together with Him, having forgiven all trespasses.” (Col. 2:13)
MORMON DOCTRINE DECEPTIVE!
Mormon expect you to be saved eternally through some ridiculous man-made teaching. Imagine how incredibly STUPID one must be to tie yourself eternally to teachings of men who were liars and con-men! Here are their words, not MINE!!!
“The opportunity for those who have died without receiving the saving ordinances of the gospel to have these ordinances performed for them in temples by worthy living members of the Church. The dead are taught the gospel in the spirit world and may accept the ordinances performed for them in mortality. All those who have died who would have accepted the gospel will be heirs to the celestial kingdom. - Salvation for the Dead D&C 137:7–10.
Latter Day Saints doctrines are a perversion of the Holy Scriptures and extremely dangerous. Their doctrines will be responsible for multitudes spending eternity in the Lake of Fire together with Joseph Smith and Brigham Young! Joseph Smith was a con man who dealt in dark and evil arts. He lied about the gold plates that disappeared. Satan sent Maroni, a demon spirit, to deceive multitudes! Joseph Smith had great respect for Islam’s founder Muhammed and is called, ‘The American Muhammed’. The LDS is not the Church of Jesus Christ and is not Christian!
Jesus loved people and performed great miracles of healing and deliverance everywhere He went. He was on His way to heal Jairus’ dying daughter, when a very sick and weak woman was instantly healed.
“And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind Him and touched the border of His garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
THE COMPASSION OF JESUS!
“And Jesus said, Who touched Me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with Him said, Master, the multitude throng Thee and press Thee and Thou sayest, Who touched Me? And Jesus said, somebody hath touched Me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of Me.
“And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before Him, she declared unto Him before all the people for what cause she had touched Him, and how she was healed immediately.”
This miracle teaches us many things. We see the great compassion of Jesus Christ toward sick and suffering humanity!
On His way to minister to Jairus’ dying daughter, an incurably ill woman touched the hem of His garment. Many religious Jews had a ribbon of blue representing the righteousness of God, sewed to the border of their robe. Undoubtedly, she was aware of that and touched His clothes in faith for her great need!
The miracle happened without Christ’s knowledge. Jesus said, “Somebody touched me. I felt virtue leave Me.” She was bold in her actions and God met her need! With an issue of blood twelve years, she was a social outcaste and bankrupt due to medical bills. She heard about the Master and followed the crowd. In her weakness she may have fallen to her knees inching her way through the crowd. Then she touched Him! God saw her faith and answered!
“And Jesus said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” (Luke 8:43-48). In the literal Greek, it says: ‘Your faith has made a demand upon My ability.’ He said to the poor, distraught, sick woman, ‘Daughter, be comforted. Receive My peace. You now have a new life.’
During our 1967 New Glasgow, Nova Scotia CRUSADE the newspapers stated that more than 100 miracles had occurred. There were 405 conversions, 78 received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, several large water baptisms followed. The Roman Catholic Church officially ex-communicated 89 members, and within a year a large Pentecostal Church seating 500 persons was erected! Rev. Paul Melnichuk was the pastor and Rev. Bob Hoover was our morning speaker!
As I walked into the stadium one evening, a gentleman was also making his way into the service. Not knowing that he had suffered a stroke and had come for a miracle, I briefly shook his hand. Later that evening I learned that he was well. To God be the glory!
JESUS: THE GREAT PHYSICIAN!
“While He yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead, trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
“And when He came into the house, He suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her; but He said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
“And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And He put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway; and He commanded to give her meat. And her parents were astonished; but He charged them that they tell no man what was done.” (Luke 8:49-56)
From the beginning of His earthly Ministry, Jesus healed the sick and cast out Evil spirits! He was filled with the Holy Spirit at His baptism and went out to deliver the people and continued until He was arrested and condemned to the Cross.
“And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
“And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to Heal the broken hearted, to preach Deliverance to the Captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at Liberty them that are bruised. To preach the Acceptable year of the Lord.” (Is. 61: 1,2)
He Bible says: “And He closed the book and gave it again to the minister and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say unto them, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.” (Luke 4: 19,21)
CHAIR OF THE COMING MESSIAH!
The Acceptable Year spoke of the fiftieth year when debts were forgiven, and all prisoners were released. In prophecy, the Acceptable Year would usher in the Messiah. When Jesus established His Church, the Accepted Year of the Lord began and will continue until His return in the Rapture of the Church!
Jesus had attended that synagogue for many years as Joseph’s son.. He had since been filled with Holy Spirit, defeated Satan in His wilderness temptation and was about to declare Himself the Jewish Messiah.
In the synagogue there was an empty chair reserved for the Messiah. When Jesus finished reading the Scripture, He sat down in Messiah’s chair and said, This day, is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare Him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
“And He said unto them, ye will surely say unto Me this proverb, Physician heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernum, do also here in this country And He said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in His country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when the great famine was throughout all the land. But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon unto a woman that was a widow.
“And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Esaias the prophet; and none of them were cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. And they were all filled with wrath. And rose up, and thrust Him out, and led Him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast Him down headlong. But He passing through the midst of them went His way.” (Luke 4: 16)
They became very angry and sought to kill Him, but He escaped out of their hands and continued preaching and healing the sick and casting our demons!
FOUR MIRACLES OF THE MESSIAH!
The Jews believed that the coming Messiah would perform miracles and do many other wonderful acts in the name of God. There were four distinct miracles, however, that would confirm Him as their Messiah. When they heard of His miraculous works, they watched Jesus carefully and followed Him constantly. The four miracles were: cleansing a Jewish leper, opening the eyes of someone born blind, healing someone deaf and dumb and raising from the dead someone who had been dead four days!
1. CLEANSING A JEWISH LEPER!
Leprosy was such a deadly disease that severe restrictions were placed upon those who were afflicted by it. They were separated from the community and lived a very tortured life. The only leper that had been cleansed in Israel was Captain Naaman from Syria through the ministry of prophet Esaias. There were very strict rules which were administered by the priests in the law for their cleansing.
When Jesus healed lepers, He always commanded them to show themselves to the priest! He also wanted to know that as the Messiah, He had fulfilled one of the miracles expected of Him:
“When He was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, there came a leper and worshipped Him, saying, If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me Clean. And Jesus put forth the hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
“And JESUS saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” (Matt. 8:1-4)
2. HEALING ONE BORN BLIND!
“And as Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from his birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
“I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When He had thus spoken, He spat on the ground, and made clay with the spittle, and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
“And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation Sent. He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.” (John 9: 1-7)
3. HEALING OF DEAF AND DUMB BOY
“And when He came to his disciples. He saw a great multitude about them, and scribes questioning with them…And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto Thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away; and spake to Thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not;
“He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto Him: And when he saw Him, straightway the spirit tare Him: and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And He asked his father, How long is it ago sine this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters to destroy him: but if Thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out with tears. Lord, I believe; help Thou in unbelief.
“When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, Come out of him, and enter no more into him.
“And the spirit cried and rent him sore, and came out of Him: and he was as one dead; insomuch as many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up; and he arose.” (Mark 9: 14-27)
4. RAISING LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD AFTER 4 DAYS
“Then when Jesus came, He found that he had been lain in the grave days already…Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself cometh to the cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto Him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
“Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank Thee, that Thou hast heard Me.
“And I knew that Thou hearest Me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast Sent Me. And when He had thus spoken, He cried with a loud Voice, Lazarus Come Forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound and foot, with grave clothes: and his face bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him and let him go.” (John 11: 1-44)
“And it came to pass on a certain day, as He was teaching that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem; and the POWER of the Lord was present to heal them.
“And, behold, they brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before Him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
“And when He saw their faith, He said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?
“But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
“But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, He said unto the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up thereon he lay, and departed to His own house, glorifying God.” (Luke 5:17-25)
The pharisees believed that Jesus could heal the sick but only God could forgive sins. They did not believe that JESUS was God the Son. To prove that He could forgive sins, He healed the sick! When the pagan see God's power healing the sick, they very often receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. This has been my testimony!
The Bible says: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power: Who went about doing good and healing All that were OPPRESSED of the Devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly.” (Acts 10:38-40)
Jesus Christ is True God and Eternal Life! The Bible say: “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal Life, and this life is in His Son. He that hat the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
“And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. And if we KNOW that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we KNOW that we have the petitions we desired of Him.” (1 John 5: 11-15). Amen.
