The Mountain Audio

There is a mysterious drawing power to the Cross of Jesus. He explained the pull of His death to bring all people toward Him. “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” Every person feels this. Some will deny it, but it's true. The soul that sins shall die; He took our “death sentence.” He was perfect, the Lamb of God, without sin or disobedience. The terrible punishment we deserve- He took. He swapped places with us- took our sins on Himself- those awful things you and I have thought and done. The Innocent One took the place of the guilty! In the Psalms Jesus said, “I delight to do thy will, O my God” (Psa 40:7).

God's will that Jesus delighted in was the redeeming of every human. Paying the sin price, the ransom, to bring us back, those “having no hope, without God in the world.” We are given hope because Jesus died for us. This amazing selfless act causes all people past and present to look up to His cross. Jesus is the only way to enter eternity safely. “Now in Christ Jesus you who were sometimes far off are made near by the blood of Christ.” All who are far away from God can come near because Jesus died on the Cross, God's magnet to draw all people!


Eph 2:12 “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

Many of us know His story: Born in Bethlehem, He taught many people, He healed people. He fed huge crowds with little food, He raised dead bodies to life, adults and children. He died on a Roman execution ground, and after 3 days, came out of his grave alive. He spent 40 days with his disciples, proving he was alive, and finally “as they watched, he was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” That leads to a very Big Question: Where is Jesus Now?

We have a first person account by one of Jesus early followers, a man named Stephen.

He was telling people around him about Jesus. Some of them were ashamed about killing Jesus and they began to stone Stephen. As he was dying he saw Jesus in heaven and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7:56).

Eight other times this picture is described in God's Word, the Bible.

Peter the Apostle says this:
“Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority: (1 Peter 3:22).
The Apostle Paul says “set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand” (Col 3:1).
Jesus is there interceding for us. He's like our defense attorney, even when we are far from Him. Jesus knows all about your life and asks the Father to help you. He sends the Holy Spirit to teach and comfort you through life's troubles.

He is not willing any should perish but that all should turn to Him. (2 Peter 3:9 )
He desires all men to be saved. (1 Tim 2:4)
The message is clear: Jesus is alive and He's in Heaven for you!

Today's Verse: John 5:25 Jesus said, “Don’t be so surprised! the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again.”

One of Jesus' closest friends lived near Jerusalem. They had many good times- talking, dining and spending time with friends. While Jesus was traveling, Lazarus became ill and finally died. His two sisters had sent a message to Jesus to return, but he did not. He told his disciples, “Lazarus is dead.”
He was in a cold cave wrapped in a burial shroud. When Jesus approached the grave, Martha his sister said, “by now the smell will be terrible, he's been dead 4 days!”

Let's consider this from Lazarus point of view- It might have been something like this:

I was very sick, weak, I stopped breathing. It was quiet... A place of rest.
Then... I heard a voice! “Lazarus! Come forth!” Instantly there was a strange warmth flowing over me where I been so cold. I was warm, but tightly bound. I could breathe! Somehow, I got up. I made tiny movements toward the opening. Suddenly all was white! I felt tugging on the cloth. I could move my arms and feet. Last the cloth around my head then Bright light! The first thing I saw... My Lord Jesus, my friend. I walked away from death!

Lazarus heard Jesus voice just like He promised in John 5- again...
“...the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again.”

Jesus was there as Lazarus walked out of the tomb. Later, He demonstrated His power by walking out of His own Grave. Heres what He says- “The Father has life in Himself, and He has granted that same life-giving power to His Son. John 5:26 You and I don't have to be afraid of death! Jesus gives eternal life to all those who follow him. When death comes, we will open our eyes and see Jesus just like Lazarus!

Jesus said- “Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying”. John 11:25

Our Verses: Matt 11:3- John the Baptist's followers asked Jesus- “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”
Matt 26:63 A high religious leader demanded, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

Strong Questions about a messiah! Messiah means the anointed one. Our Lord Jesus has the title of Christ. These 2 words-Messiah and Christ are synonyms. Both describe one who is to come; One above all others sent by God to heal and repair the world. When Jesus came to earth, His people, the Jews, were expecting the Messiah. There were clear Bible references to this. But...they had a different idea of what the Messiah would do. Their messiah was a king who would conquer Rome. Even his disciples thought this. Acts 1:6 They didn't understand the Old Testament reference to the death of the Messiah for his people. Isa 53. They engaged in wishful thinking- their goal was freedom from their oppressors and that couldn't happen if the Messiah died.

Jesus had a different mission, a two part mission- first to redeem mankind through His death and resurrection; the second, to prepare mankind for His coming Kingdom. (we'll explain that in the next episode) Jesus Christ came as Messiah of all mankind, not just Israel. He would first die to pay for the sins of mankind and later... come back as King. On the day of His death the high religious leader demanded, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus said “I am”. Mark 14:62

In summary, Both the ancients (men like Moses Deut 18:15 and Daniel 9:25) and Jesus contemporaries knew a Messiah or Christ was coming. All the prophecies about the Messiah were fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth. He is the Messiah. Next time, Messiah Part 2- Time to Decide!

Our Verse: Rev 1:7 “Behold He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him.
Acts 10:42 He (Jesus) is ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.

Last time, we learned that Jesus is the Messiah and came to die and redeem men to God. He came as Savior- One who saves. That was part one of His mission. Jesus' contemporaries wanted a king, instead, Jesus died as Savior of all people.

Part 2 of Jesus mission as Messiah is now underway and moving toward completion. He will come as King, more than that- as King of Kings. The Ruler and Judge of mankind. He will set all things right worldwide.

God, in His wisdom and love, has made a preparation time before Jesus' return. It is a time of choosing- God or the kingdoms of man. This time period began as Jesus “was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” Acts 1:9 This time period will end with the visible return of Jesus to Earth. An angel told His followers, ”Someday He will return from heaven in the same way you saw Him go.” Acts 1:11

So what should we do during this waiting time? It is a time for everyone to choose their allegiance, the Messiah or themselves.

Many wish God would just be done with it and come back. But... What if He returned before you chose Him? You would be left out!, and the same would be true for millions of others across the planet. He is patiently waiting, He is patiently pleading with all people. God is not willing that any should die, but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth. In Romans 10, it's called Confess and Believe.
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
God has allowed 2000 years and counting with His offer of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus. I came, You can too. Jesus the Messiah is coming back! Let's be ready!

This story explains why human works to earn God's acceptance can't work.
We all have an unfixable spiritual defect, the programming in our soul is permanently damaged. The urge to disobey God and hurt and control others, it's in our nature. Everyone tries to fix this defect, some through religious practice.

Jesus told the story of 2 men trying to fix this problem-

Luke 18:9 “Two men went to pray. One was a religious leader, and the other was a despised tax collector. The leader stood alone and prayed:‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income. ’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner. ’ Jesus concludes, “I tell you, this sinner, not the religious leader, went home justified before God.

Jesus says humility and not religious acts make you right with God.
Let's define “Religious acts” are human efforts to gain God's favor.

That religious leader performed “religious” duties and felt he was better than others.
People “seek to establish their own righteousness” by performing religious acts.

Actions and duties to earn God's acceptance just don't work!
All our righteousness is like dirty rags to God. Self righteousness is not righteous!

The humble heart of the tax collector is the right way. “God be merciful to me, a sinner!
God accepts humble people!
Trying to earn your way to God will fail. Asking for mercy makes you right with Him and opens Heaven's door to you!

We all want to know what God is like. We can use some human concepts to better understand our Creator.

God's person and character are described with 3 great words- omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. Omni simply means ALL. God shows us these things about Himself. Life on earth and the order of space demonstrate physically His power to create and control all systems, the entire Universe.
Our Creator teaches us that “since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes (Things about Himself) are clearly seen by us, even His eternal power...” Romans 1:20

Our first word is Omnipresent- God is present everywhere, at all times past present and future. He is right there beside you and He's at the farthest edge of the universe. (Jer 23:24)
By Omniscient we mean He has ALL knowledge, not one thing missed, every fact in the whole universe is known by Him. Jesus said “the very hairs on your head are all numbered.” Matt 10:30
Potency means power. God is omnipotent! He has power over every created thing in the universe. God says: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” He “works out everything to conform with the purpose of His will.”

Here's our Conclusion: If God is all these things, we must humble ourselves before Him trusting Him each day of our lives. Man is puny next to God and unable to save himself here on earth or in the life to come.
Jesus Christ, God's Son “sustains everything by the mighty power of his command”
Heb 1:3

Let us follow God and obey Him in all our ways.

There are great verses in the Bible confirming these truths. We make them available on the Mountain just for you!