Participants: Mike Lemmon (Host)
Series Code: SCS
Program Code: SCS000002
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00:33 Chapter 2 The Sinner's Need of Christ.
00:39 Hello and welcome. Today, we are gonna be 00:41 looking at The Sinner's Need of Christ. 00:44 Sometimes it's hard for us to mean that we actually 00:46 have a need, I've even heard people say, 00:49 why would I need a savior. I mean I'm not a bad 00:53 person, I'm pretty good, I haven't murdered anyone, 00:56 but the Bible wants us that unless we are born again, 00:59 unless our hearts are changed that we won't even know 01:02 that we want to go to heaven, but before we get 01:05 too deep into that topic we need to pause for 01:08 word of prayer. And so I'm gonna ask Jeremy to lead 01:10 us in the word of prayer. Let's pray, 01:14 Father in Heaven you know our faults and weaknesses 01:18 and you know that we are trapped in a pit of sin 01:21 and we cannot get out with our own strength. 01:23 You are our only hope for escaping from this pit. 01:27 Please be with us as we learn more about 01:29 our need for you in Jesus' name, amen. Amen. 01:35 When men sinned, selfishness took the place of love. 01:39 The human race had fallen so far that heaven itself 01:43 would be a place of torture and unhappiness to a 01:47 person with a selfish heart. You know, 01:50 we can change our outward behavior, but we can't 01:53 change our heart which is, it's where the sin problem 01:56 really lies, we need a complete makeover before we 02:00 can be fit for heaven. In the Book of Ezekiel, 02:04 God made this promise to his people, "I will sprinkle 02:08 clean water on you and you will be clean, 02:11 your filth will be washed away and I will give you a 02:15 new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. 02:19 I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give 02:22 you a tender, responsive heart." Let's be like David 02:27 when he cried in Psalm 51:10, "create in me 02:31 a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit in me." 02:42 There is a fountain filled with blood 02:52 Drawn from Immanuel's veins 03:03 And sinners plunged beneath that flood 03:13 Lose all their guilty stains 03:24 Lose all their guilty stains 03:34 Lose all their guilty stains 03:44 And sinners plunged beneath that flood 03:55 Lose all their guilty stains 04:05 The dying thief rejoiced to see 04:15 That fountain in his day 04:26 And there may I, though vile as he 04:36 Wash all my sins away 04:46 Wash all my sins away 04:57 Wash all my sins away 05:07 And there may I, though vile as he 05:17 Wash all my sins away 05:27 E'er since by faith I saw the stream 05:35 I saw the stream 05:40 Thy flowing wounds supply 05:45 wounds supply Redeeming love has been my theme 05:55 has been my theme And shall be till I die 06:12 And shall be till I die And shall be till I die 06:33 Redeeming love has been my theme 06:45 And shall be till I die 07:03 You know, that fountain represents Jesus consume 07:05 bud and in Romans 323, it says, "All have sinned and 07:10 fall short of the glory of God," So, the blood of 07:12 our savior Jesus is the only way that 07:15 all our sins can be washed away. 07:18 You are right Rebecca. In Job 14:4, it tells us that, 07:21 "All of us are unclean and that we can't change 07:24 ourselves. So, we need help and we try through 07:28 things like education or culture or will power or 07:32 human effort and all of these are good things, 07:36 but they make us change on the outward, 07:39 but we actually need an inward change and so we 07:42 are powerless to change our hearts. And if we are 07:45 gonna be changed from sin to holiness, 07:48 we need to come to Christ for that power. 07:51 It's hard for us though to admit that we have a 07:54 need or to ask someone for help. Have you, 07:58 any of you experience that difficulty asking 08:01 someone to help you. Actually I have, 08:04 one day I was mowing the lawn and I came across 08:07 a hose lying on the lawn and I knew I should have 08:11 moved it, but I felt like I can just mow over 08:15 it and it will be fine I'll just move the grass on top, 08:19 but when I mowed over the hose it got stuck 08:23 in the blades, so I stopped the lawn mower and 08:26 I thought to myself I should call my dad, 08:28 so he can come help me then I thought to 08:30 myself I can do this, I don't need any help. 08:33 So, I tried to untangle the hose from the blades, 08:39 but I can't get it out, so then I had the brilliant 08:41 idea maybe if I back the lawn mower up it will 08:44 untangle the hose from the blades. Unfortunately 08:48 though the hose was connected to a faucet, 08:52 which was in the wall and when I backed up, 08:55 it yanked the faucet out of the wall and water was 08:58 spewing everywhere. So, then I realized I really 09:01 need a help, so I called my dad and he came down and 09:05 he help me and in a while it was done. And he asked 09:08 me why didn't you call me in the beginning and I said, 09:10 well I thought I could do it by myself I didn't really 09:13 want help. Yeah, so asking your dad for help, 09:16 I mean that's hard, you know, it's like I have a 09:18 need, but what about on the spiritual level. 09:20 Has anyone ever had a need on the spiritual level 09:22 as you said yourself? I could ask God, but maybe 09:24 I shouldn't. Yes, a few months ago, we were getting 09:30 ready for this recording project and I had a bunch 09:33 of music, I needed to practice. I need to record it 09:37 the next day. Right, you got his big harp, 09:38 you want to play, yeah. And so I was practicing 09:42 and I just was having really hard time focusing 09:45 because I had lots of English homework to do. 09:48 And the thought came to my mind when I first started 09:52 why don't you pray and you know, like, like it 09:54 almost like God was talking like why don't you 09:56 pray and I'll help you. Yes. And I was like, you know, 09:59 I can do this by myself, I have done this before, 10:01 I can just you know, do it. Yeah. And so, I started 10:04 practicing and just really was not going well. 10:07 And I was getting stressed out and, so I decided 10:10 to quit that and try something else you know, 10:11 tired already. Yeah. So, I sat down to write and 10:16 my writing was not flowing, it was not coming the 10:18 way I wanted too, and I was just getting really 10:21 frustrated and I was like okay, focus. 10:23 I'm gonna have a good attitude about this, 10:25 I'm just gonna do it you know. You are gonna 10:26 figure it out by yourself. I'm just gonna do this, 10:28 yeah. Yeah. And so I tried so hard and I was like 10:34 Oh! So I was just like stopped and I was just like 10:35 ok I'm just not going to do anything. And the thought came 10:38 to my mind again why don't you pray? 10:40 And I was so discouraged in everything I was just 10:43 like Oh! Okay, I'll just pray, I don't have anything to 10:46 lose. So, I prayed and as soon as I finish praying 10:51 just I felt peace and I got so much happier and 10:55 I went back and practiced the harp and played all 10:58 the pieces I needed too. And then went and wrote 11:01 those essays for English and everything worked out 11:04 well. And I just, I thought about that after I was 11:07 like you know, I really tried at the beginning to do 11:09 it on my own. So, I knew I could do it by myself and 11:13 I really tried so hard like controlling my mind, 11:15 trying to think you know positively and everything, 11:18 but it didn't work until I prayed. Yeah, 11:21 so you tried human effort and God changed your 11:23 heart, that's excellent thank you. God has provided 11:28 a way of escape from this sin filled world. 11:31 The Bible pictures Jesus as a ladder between earth 11:34 and heaven. This is how God links himself with man. 11:38 In Acts 4:12 Paul says that, "There is no other name 11:41 under heaven given among men by which we must 11:44 be saved." And in John 14:6 Jesus says to himself, 11:48 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. 11:51 No one can come to the father accept through me." 11:54 Christ has become a lifeline and if you put our 11:57 confidence in him, he will lead us out of this 11:59 crazy world and into his glorious kingdom. 12:18 There's a line that been drawn thru the ages 12:27 on that line stands an old rugged cross 12:35 on that cross a battle is raging 12:43 for the gain of mans soul or it's loss 12:52 on one side march the forces of evil 12:59 all the demons all the devils of hell 13:07 on the other the angels of glory 13:15 and they meet on Golgotha's hill 13:23 the earth shakes with the force of the conflict 13:30 and the sun refuses to shine 13:37 for there hangs God's son in the balance 13:44 and then thru the darkness He cries 13:52 It is finished, the battle is over 13:59 It is finished there'll be no more war 14:07 It is finished the end of the conflict 14:14 It is finished and Jesus is Lord 14:22 I have heard that the king of the ages 14:30 Had fought all the battles for me 14:38 And victory is mine for the claiming 14:45 And now praise His name I am free 14:53 It is finished, the battle is over 15:00 It is finished there'll be no more war 15:08 It is finished the end of the conflict 15:15 It is finished and Jesus is Lord 15:23 It is finished and Jesus is Lord 15:40 You know that song reminds me that the battle for our 15:43 salvation was fought on Golgotha's Hill 15:46 when Jesus was on the cross He stretched out His arms 15:49 and as He was dying, He said "It is finished", 15:51 and that right there was our guarantee of salvation. 15:55 You are exactly right David. 15:57 When Jesus died on the cross, he took away 15:59 our sorrows, our pain, and our suffering and that's 16:03 encouraging our sorrows and pain and suffering 16:06 aren't you encouraged by that Rebecca that Jesus 16:08 took away our sorrows and our pain and our suffering. 16:11 Yes I am, actually just a couple of weeks ago, 16:15 I was getting ready to go on tour and all of a 16:17 sudden my body just started to become itchy. 16:20 And then from there it turned severe muscle 16:23 and joint pain, it was hard for me to walk, 16:25 to lift my arms just to do everyday things. 16:28 And I was praying and asking God you know please 16:30 heal me and so I was at school, so I could stay 16:33 on tour, but as things started to get progressively 16:36 worse. My parents decided that I should come 16:39 home, so I could get proper care. And so I was 16:42 went home and I went to some doctors appointments 16:46 and I went got my blood tested too because they 16:49 were afraid that I had some lupus like symptoms and 16:51 that you know, if that could lead to that and so 16:54 once they took them though they come out negative, 16:57 which was a really big blessing, but it showed that 17:00 I had had a very severe reaction to a medication that 17:03 I was on and so it would just take time to 17:06 get all out of my system. And the doctor 17:08 said that it can be up to 6 months. 17:10 Wow! That's a long time. Yeah. And so I was 17:13 starting to get little bit down depressed because 17:16 I could be on tour and here I was at home 17:18 almost bedridden, I couldn't really do anything 17:21 and hobble around the house and that was really 17:23 hard for me because I'm a very independent person 17:26 and I like to do things and, and my mom had to 17:30 do things for me like shower and get dressed, 17:33 the simple everyday things you know. And so during 17:37 that time though at night, my dad would be reading 17:40 Bible promises to me. And I started to really take 17:43 them and make them my own. And as I did that 17:45 it just seemed like the groom just started to lift. 17:47 And I told God you know God even if it takes up 17:52 to 6 months for me to get better. I'm gonna trust 17:55 your will and just understand and just trust 17:59 you. And when I made that decision that's when 18:02 I started to get better. And the real significance 18:06 of the verse Second Corinthians 12:9 really spoke 18:10 to me and it really saw my need it says, "My grace is 18:12 sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect 18:15 in weakness. Therefore I rather glory in mine 18:18 infirmities; the power of Christ may rest upon 18:20 me." When I realize that not only was I weak 18:23 physically, but spiritually too. That's when I could 18:27 go to God and ask for his help because I realize 18:29 on myself I can't do anything. Right! And so 18:32 during this time I had extra time to read my Bible 18:35 and to pray and really develop a friendship with 18:38 God one-on-one, and so when I had frustrations or 18:41 when things aren't going in the way, I thought 18:43 they should I could go and talk to them with God 18:45 and tell them how I was feeling. And it was just really 18:49 amazing how, when I just surrendered my life to 18:52 him and just said God it's in your hands and 18:54 I'm gonna just trust that you know, what's best 18:56 for me. That things got so much better and I'm here 19:00 today and so living proof that God does answer 19:03 prayers. Amen. And we live our lives in his hands 19:07 totally, completely, he can do amazing things. 19:10 Amen, amen. Hi, I'm David. And being out here 19:16 has got me thinking that while this place is 19:17 beautiful and all, it doesn't reflect the 19:19 environment that most people live in. You see 19:22 our world has another side and there is lot of pain and 19:24 suffering, but I don't blame God for it because 19:27 the Bible says, the wages of sin is death and that 19:30 sin is a transgression of God's law. God's law is 19:33 love and when we transgress that law there 19:36 are inevitable consequences, but even amid 19:39 the confusion that exists; God can still bring about 19:42 good. In nature, there are flowers on every 19:45 thistle and thrones are covered with roses. 19:47 God still cares', he showers his love and blessings 19:51 on us even when we don't deserve it. 19:52 And if we turn from him, all he 19:55 wants is for us to comeback to him. 20:09 Why me Lord? what have I ever done, 20:17 to deserve even one, of the pleasures I've known, 20:29 tell me Lord, what did I ever do, 20:39 that was worth lovin' you, 20:44 for the kindness you've shown, 20:52 Lord help me Jesus, 20:57 I've wasted it so help me Jesus, 21:05 I know what I am, now that I know, 21:16 that I needed you so help me Jesus, 21:24 my souls in your hand, 21:37 Try me Lord, if you think there's a way, 21:43 I could ever repay, what I've takin' from you, 21:55 maybe Lord, I can show someone else, 22:03 what I've been through myself, 22:07 on my way back to you, 22:15 Lord help me Jesus, 22:20 I've wasted it so help me Jesus, 22:27 I know what I am, now that I know, 22:38 that I needed you so help me Jesus, 22:47 my souls in your hand, Oh now that I know, 22:58 that I needed you so help me Jesus, 23:07 my souls in your hand. 23:29 You know, David when I listen to that 23:30 song "Why Me Lord." Sometimes we think of 23:34 those words Why Me, as though this guy is 23:37 complaining like the song is about some guy 23:38 complaining why did these bad things happen to 23:40 me, but actually the song is about someone saying, 23:44 why are so good to me Lord. And you are singing 23:48 the song, so I'm thinking has God been good to David 23:51 you know, have you seen that God has been, 23:55 has blessed you in a great way. Yeah, actually a 23:57 couple of years ago, my brother and I decided 24:00 that we want to go to, we want to go to this Christian 24:02 Youth Conference that was happening in Minnesota. 24:04 So, we decided since we couldn't fly out, we decided 24:09 to drive out. So, to split the cost of gas, 24:11 we got another friend to come and we all chipped 24:14 in for gas and we headed out. And you know, 24:18 before this trip and everything I had you 24:20 know been doing things I shouldn't have been doing 24:22 it and I was feeling really convicted about this and 24:24 you know every time it was so hard to give up, 24:28 I just kept pushing the voice away, and, 24:29 I thought I can handle my life. So, you are looking 24:32 at things, you shouldn't look at. Yeah, music and 24:35 movies. Distractions, all these things that were 24:36 distracting me from my relationship with God. 24:38 And so I thought I was handling my life pretty good, 24:40 but when we went to this conference I was really 24:45 convicted that I should give these things up, 24:48 but you know, it was so hard for me because I was 24:50 so used to doing these things. And on the way home 24:54 there was this guy that came along with us 24:56 because he lives in West Virginia, which is where 24:58 we were coming from and so he just wanted to ride 25:01 home. So, we given him the lift, and on the way 25:03 home we are driving through Wisconsin and there 25:05 was snow everywhere and you know they 25:07 plowed the freeway, but it was all piled up 25:09 from the sides. And we came along a tow truck 25:12 that was, there was a car that had gone off the road 25:15 into the ditch or something and it was pulling it 25:16 out. And we came along my brother saw that it was parked 25:19 in a lane, so he went to switch lanes, but when he 25:24 looked over to switch there was already another car 25:26 there. Yeah. So, he tried to go in between the two 25:29 and right as he turned the wheel, we hit a 25:32 patch of ice or something like that and the back 25:35 just slid and we collided with the tow truck and 25:39 went spinning down the freeway and I don't 25:42 remember the next thing I remember, we come to 25:44 a stop and you know, the first thing we could 25:48 smell was the gasoline, it had ripped from the gas 25:50 tank off and that in and of itself was a miracle because 25:53 you know, car should have exploded or rolled 25:56 or something you know, so already I 25:58 could see that God was working and the thing that 26:02 impacted me the most was afterwards I realized 26:06 you know, my brother and my one friend we are 26:10 all scraped up from the glass and you know, 26:12 they had seat belt rash everything, my other friend 26:14 had been killed sitting in the back. And I was 26:18 completely unscaved, you know, I didn't have a 26:21 mark on me. And you know, we went back to 26:24 the car later and this glass everywhere all over my 26:26 seat, and floor, and dashboard and I had none on me 26:30 and my brother you know, they we are picking the 26:33 glass out of the ears the next day and everything 26:35 and it just was overwhelming to me see how God 26:39 had spared my life, even though I didn't deserve 26:42 it because, yeah, you know I was doing so many 26:44 things and just turning my back on him 26:45 every time, but yet he spared me. 26:48 Yeah, he was so kind to you, yeah, and spared 26:50 your life, praise Lord. You know often we find 26:54 ourselves running away from God, but he is 26:56 actually faster then we are and he catches up 26:59 with us. His desire is to save us from ourselves. 27:03 And sometimes he speaks to us and we put 27:05 our fingers in our ears and we can't hear him, 27:07 but he even speaks louder. There is a story in 27:11 the Old Testament about Jacob who was running 27:13 away, he was a fugitive and outcast and he was 27:16 lonely, sitting there in the dessert and the only 27:19 thing he could find was a rock for a pillow. 27:20 He had lied to his father to try and get the 27:22 birthright away from his brother Esau and now 27:26 he felt like he was abandoned from his own 27:28 family, from God, and he was alone, but God met 27:32 him in his need, in his darkest need, he sent a 27:36 dream of a ladder. And that ladder represents 27:39 Jesus, and when we are in our darkest need 27:42 he sends Jesus to communicate with us and to 27:46 lead us to Heaven. So, let's pray right now that God 27:50 will do the same thing for us. Heavenly father, 27:53 it is a fatal deception for us to think that we can 27:56 just cultivate the good that lies within us in 27:59 our natural heart, but our natural heart does not 28:03 seek the things of the spirit and so we ask you to 28:07 transform our hearts and make us born again. 28:10 We pray this in Jesus name Amen, Amen. 28:15 Steps to Christ in Song is a 13 part series 28:23 from Fountainview Productions 28:24 designed to be an easy non-threatening way to 28:27 share the good news about Jesus Christ with friends, 28:31 relatives, and co-workers. 28:32 Order your copies now by calling 28:34 1-877-490-4141 or visit us 28:40 online at www.fountainviewproductions.com. 28:44 Steps to Christ in Song is also available at your local 28:49 ABC Christian Book Store. |
Revised 2014-12-17