Transformative Power of Listening to Jesus Christ

Look at him the self-confidence the men so full of Brado Doo the men of supreme self-confidence the impulsive Peter and yet weak as water the man who says one moment though all desert Thee I will never desert thee even if it means going through death with thee and yet in a few hours a servant girl challenges him and says aren't you From Galilee don't you belong to him and he said no he denied him three times with oathes and cursing that's the sort of men Simon Peter was a blunderer a bragard a muddle thinker who didn't understand has his flashes and then loses them but look at him in the book of The Acts of the Apostles look at him in his Epistles read the story of the men and see the transformation he becomes a new man speaks with boldness even in Jerusalem in spite of all the authorities defies them becomes a rock stable and dependable bold and fearless a man who gladly died for the name of Christ Christ later on what is it that made the difference to him there's only one answer he obeyed what God Said from the excellent glory and the Mount of transfigurations he heard Christ he listened to him he obeyed him he went after him and this is what Christ did to him [00:40:24]

Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and baffled and bewildered and amazed he says who art th Lord and back came the answer I am Jesus whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kick against the Pricks and Paul heard him he listen to him he believed and the blaspheming Pharisee become the great Apostle to the Gentiles the new men in Christ Jesus that's what happens when you listen to him and it's been the same ever since I could take you down the centuries and pick out the Great Mighty Men of God that stand out like Mighty mountain peaks and what's their secret will they've heard him that was you remember precisely the very method by which the Great Justin of Hippo was converted that great outstanding genius that brilliant philosopher who nevertheless was living an immoral life and kept his mistress and he gets troubled he's Disturbed he's been listening to Christian preaching and the conflict begins and he doesn't know what to do with himself he's wretched he sits in the garden and suddenly in his desperation he he say the voice rise and read and he rushes into the house and he picks up the book and there it is in the 13th of Romans not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness but put it all off and make no provision for the Flesh and he heard and he listened and he obeyed and he became that great doctor in the Christian church [00:42:04]

Moses and Elias there appear and speak with him on the Mount of transfiguration who are they they're the representatives of the Old Testament the law and the prophets and what did they talk about they all talked about him Moses spoke about me he says he said another Prophet will arise Elias the first of the prophets what are they speaking about well they're speaking about him they all point forward to him but he doesn't point forward he points to himself he says come unto me he doesn't say as they said wait until the Messiah comes he says I that speak unto thee am he come unto me ye have heard that it has been said by them of old time but I say unto you that's his speech I say it with reverence even the Holy Spirit speaks about him the Holy Spirit doesn't speak about himself he glorifies Christ Our Lord seiw he said he shall glorify me he points back to him he was sent to illuminate him to enable these men to Bear witness unto him and he opens our eyes to see him [00:45:22]

God has spoken finally in him every other Kingdom can be shaken and has be shaken has has been shaken here is a kingdom that cannot be shaken it's an everlasting Kingdom it's an everlasting gospel let the world go on and roll on let fresh discoveries be made let men become still more wonderful with all his science the world will remain as it is and there'll be nothing offered except him this he is God's last word to men nothing after Christ nothing Beyond Christ because in him God has given his own son has given himself and therefore I say to you this evening that if you don't listen to this son of God you will continue as you are you will die in your sins and you will go to hell which means a continuation of what you are now but much worse because there'll be no hope what's written over the portals of Hell according to Dante is this all ye that enter here abandon hope the Son of God himself has said that there's a great Gulf fixed eternally fixed Between Heaven and Hell and as long as the world does not listen to him it'll continue as it is there is no hope isn't it obvious that there is no hope apart from him but in him there is eternal hope [00:47:07]

Have you heard him Have you listened to him have you heard what he's got to say about a self-righteous proud Pharisee have you heard what he's got to say about people who rely on their good lives and all the wonderful things they do he condemns them with withering scorn have you heard him are you still in your sins are you still Mastered by them and controlled by the devil if you are you haven't heard him because if you hear him and listen to him you'll be delivered from that not that you'll become sinless and perfect but you'll no longer be under the Dominion of the devil are you we and heavy laden well if you are it must be that you're not listening to him because if you listen to him you'll have rest are you afraid of death in the grave are you horrified at the thought of them if so you haven't heard him because you know he's taken the sting out of death and he can enable us to smile in the very face of death have you you heard him or I'll put it in a final word in this way this is what he says to all If any man will be my disciple let him deny himself and take up the cross and follow me [00:49:52]

Do you know that you are sin are forgiven if you don't you haven't heard him because what he says is this that though you may have sinned to the very drgs that he has died for your sins if you say but I'm not good enough you haven't heard him he tells you that he's come to die for people who are not good enough the son of man he has come he says not to be ministered unto but to minister Minister and to give his life a ransom for many he has come the Good Shepherd to lay down his life for the sheep have you heard him have you heard him telling you that he's died for you died for your sins or if you've heard him rejoice in Salvation rejoice in sins forgiven have you heard him telling you that he has come to deliver his people from their sins are you being delivered are you delivered from that self-centeredness deny yourself he says take up the cross doesn't matter what the world says and follow me have you gone after him is it your Supreme desire tonight to know him and to walk closely with him wouldn't you like to live as he lived and go through this world as he went he invites you to do it have you heard him come he say follow me here him this evening the Son of God the savior of your soul do you hear the voice from the excellent Glory at this moment saying to you this is my b beloved Son hear him hear him do what he tells you go after him [00:51:39]