Do We Need Jesus
Do We Need Jesus?
Job 42:1 Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
Job 42:2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withheld from thee.
Job 42:3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
Job 42:4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Job 42:5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Job 42:7 And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
Job 42:8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
There are a lot of churches and "religious" buildings and places of worship in the United States of America
This Thanksgiving, almost every church will either preach or speak about Thanksgiving on this Sunday or the service just preceding the holiday itself.
Many words will be given on why we should be thankful.
As you, I am thankful for our country, soldiers men and women who fight for us in foreign lands, government leaders who want to do what is right for God and country, for provision for our families, ourselves and our friends, for spouses, children and grandchildren, for the place we lay our heads and the health we have.
Yet in all the thankfulness that is mentioned, we most likely leave out that for which we ought to be thankful. And that is that God described us as we are in the Word of God. He did not sugar coat the situation.
I would abhor the idea of sitting in a church service, listening to the Word of God preached without ever having been told how to get to heaven or reminding me of what was necessary. If I never heard that I was to repent of my sins, then I am listening to a wolf in sheep's clothes. I am being led astray by one who is usurping the place of God.
I cannot get their on flowery phrases or beds of ease, the song writer intimates. There is no particular work I can do or amount of money I can pay.
God says that I must first recognize who I am.
Job, in this passage has come to that point.
His friends had all kinds of ideas about why he was facing the torment he faced. Some of what they said had some truth in it. But the key appears in this chapter, they did not do what God wanted them to do.
It is nice to have a preacher or Christian encourage us and tell us everything will be alright. We don't have to worry about heaven because God loves everyone and would never send anyone to Hell. It may put our minds at ease for awhile, but if you are like me, then your conscience will contantly bring to mind - is it really true? Could it be that God will let me - a person who has sinned, who has had evil thoughts and done evil actions actually get to heaven without more than what this person said? How can this be?
If you are questioning how in your life right now, then you need to know what the Word of God says about it. It will do no good to do what I tell you if it is not recorded in the Word of God. Nor would it be right to do what I tell you if I am distorting the Word of God. You need to know "what does God say".
We need to get to the place where Job is. He knows he is unworthy.
1. God’s plan for mankind
(1Jn 4:10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
(Psa 16:11) Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
2. We are not perfect.
(Isa 59:2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
(1Jn 3:4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
(Ecc 7:20) For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
(Rom 3:23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
3: We cannot make the way to heaven, we cannot bridge the gap – perfection is required.
(Mat 5:48) Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
(Rom 6:23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Heb 9:27) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
(Rev 20:14) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
(Rev 20:15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
(Pro 14:12) There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
4. He – The Lord Jesus Made a Way
(Rom 5:8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
(1Pe 3:18) For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
5. The key – we must repent and trust Him
(Joh 14:6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
(Joh 1:12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
There is no other way.
Yet, I want you to recall who was the most perfect group in the day of Jesus Christ? Who kept the laws of God to absolute perfection and developed great traditions around the keeping of the law?
If you answered the Pharisees, you are right. They had developed a set of rules that further expanded on the theology of the OT. This was kept in the Talmud. In this document were the specifics of living the “approved” life.
An example follows:
In the tract Babha Metsia, fol. 33a, we read:
"Those who devote themselves to reading the Bible exercise a certain virtue, but not very much; those who study the Mischnah exercise virtue for which they will receive a reward; those, however, who take upon themselves to study the Gemarah exercise the highest virtue."
And another
The following is a well-known and highly praised opinion in the writings of the Rabbis:
"My son, give heed to the words of the scribes rather than to the words of the law."
Also when there are differences of opinion between the Law and the doctors, both must be taken as the words of the Lord God.
In the tract Erubhin, f.13b, where it is related that there was a difference of opinion between the two schools of Hillel and Schamai, it is concluded that:
"The words of both are the words of the living God."
In the book Mizbeach, cap. V, we find the following opinion:
"There is nothing superior to the Holy Talmud."
Contemporary defenders of the Talmud speak of it almost in the same way.
So when Jesus spoke to this most Holy group of people he said some interesting words.
Mat 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
Mat 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Mat 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mat 15:12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
The “religious” people did not have the way to heaven. They had substituted man’s way for God’s way.
In response, Jesus states the following which applies to all sinners:
Luk 13:1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Luk 13:2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
Luk 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luk 13:4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
Luk 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
But all is not lost for god made a way.
6. The Promise
(Joh 6:37) All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
(Rom 10:13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(1Jn 5:13) 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.
(Psa 119:105) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
So my dear friend, you must come the same way as the worst sinner on earth, you must repent of your sins.
You know when Jesus says the first shall be last and the last first, he is speaking of what mankind sees.
We see the good person, the one who leads a good life, never has any problems, gives to the poor, faithful to his wife and a good father to his children as one who is first.
But if he does not repent of his sins, then he is no different than the worst person in the prisons of our country.
Yet if that prisoner recognizes his sinful condition, abhors himself and repents in dust and ashes, God will hear his cry and save him when he calls on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We must all come to the place where we know we cannot do it on our own. We cannot do it by church attendance, giving money, getting baptized, taking the Lords supper or donating large sums of money to a church. The only way is the same way every sinner who has ever been born again had to go. It was the road of dust and ashes, the road of repentance, the road of self-recognition that I cannot make it on my own. Accept Him today.