who is Jesus? Kathryn Kuhlman Part 2 of 2

Today, you and I are going to have another good heart -to -heart talk about a most important person. Do you realize that it does make all the difference in the world as to what you believe? I repeat that statement. difference in the world as to what you believe. And you're going to have to do something with Jesus Christ. That's one person that you cannot be neutral when it comes to your views about Jesus Christ. It's what you... do with him that literally marks the destiny of your soul. So you and I are having a mighty important heart -to -heart talk. We saw something the other day, and that is the fact that there have been three views in the world about Christ. One, that he was wicked. Another, that he was good. but mistaken about his claims, and the other that he was God, God manifest in the flesh, the Redeemer who came to save a needy world. That is our belief, and I am so strong in my belief that Jesus Christ is all that he said that he was, that I have literally staked everything on that belief. You see, the life of Christ is the answer to all contentions as to himself, his life. He flings out the challenge. Who of you can convict me of sin? Oh, what a challenge. Who in the whole universe has ever been able to fling forth that challenge? You can't do it. Neither can I. The Apostle Paul could not have done it. The greatest saint that ever lived could never fling forth that challenge. else could cry out, who of you can convict me of sin? We can convict all others of sin. We can find defects in every life that we know anything about. You can find defects in sin in the founders of great religions like Buddha. Mohammed. You may be a follower of Buddha, but Buddha was never able to put forth that challenge and say, who can convict me of sin? You may be a worshiper of Mohammed, but my friend, Mohammed was never able to fling forth that challenge and say, who can convict me? me of sin. The greatest religious leaders in the whole universe were never able to put forth that challenge. But Jesus brings out the challenge to the whole world. Is there one ill -advised word that he ever spoke? Is there one selfish deed that he ever did? Who of all the world can convict him of sin? There he stands against the horizon, the Son of Man. Not a son of man, but the Son of Man. For all humanity is summed up in him. The Son of Man, yet the sinless. Son of man. If you look for the highest example of meekness that the world has ever known, you'll not turn to Moses, who was called the meekest man. But you turn to Christ, meek and lonely in heart. If you look for the highest example of patience, you do not turn to Job, called the most patient man, but to Christ. who when he was reviled, reviled not again. If you look for the highest example of wisdom, you do not turn to Solomon, who was called the wisest man, but to Christ, who spake as never man spake. For the highest example of zeal, you do not turn to Paul, but to Christ, concerning whom it is written, the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up for the highest example of love you do not turn to john gentle john who was a wonderful example of love but not the highest example of love you turn to christ who so loved us that he offered himself through the Holy Spirit to be given, who so loved us that he left his father's house and came down to earth and lived his life of unselfishness, climbed his cross and died thereon out of pure love for you and for me and for all broken, sinning humanity. Yes, beloved, the life of Christ is the answer to his own divine claim. Not even Pilate could find fault in him. The searchlight of criticism, both from his friends and his foes, has been focused on Jesus for over 1900 years, and yet there he stands, flawless, spotless, sinless. And you cannot say that about anyone else. You can find faults with Moses. And with Abraham. With Job. With Isaiah. And there was David. You can even take the life of Paul, that great saint of God, to whom God entrusted so much. And Paul will be the very first one to tell you that he was the chiefest of all sinners. Oh, to me, that is something. Not one of the saints ever claimed perfection outside of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not one. faults in every one of their lives. Sure. You can put your finger on men and women down through the centuries and without exception you can find fault with their lives. Oh, sure. But Christ alone stands flawless, spotless, without sin. And you cannot say that about any other life. His life speaks for itself. I have to believe that he is the very son of the living God. If for no other reason than just his life. Look at his teachings. Christ is the one who is the universal teacher. Oh, sometimes you see a picture on the wall, no matter where you are, and the eyes of that one will look right at you. You may change your place wherever you will, and those eyes follow you no matter where you go. And so it is with the teachings of Christ. They find the universal humanity. He's the universal teacher. His words are equally adapted to men of all races, of all countries, of all centuries, to the white man, to the black, to the brown, to the red, every man of every color. His teachings are for all men. And when you live contrary to his teachings, you find that you get yourself into trouble. That's what's wrong with the world today when you come right down to final analysis. Man is trying to live contrary to the teachings of Christ. Man is living contrary to that which Christ taught. And in so doing, they're finding themselves in a mess. I don't care who you are. Every man of every color every race throughout the universe. When that man lives contrary to the teachings of Christ, he gets into trouble. When a nation lives contrary to the teachings of Christ, that nation will go down in defeat sooner or later. Christ is the one universal teacher. He's the one we want to hear about. Jesus, born in the first century, belongs to the 20th century, even as he did to the first. He's now the universal teacher of all men. the wise and the ignorant, the high and the low, are probed alike by his questions and by his teachings. Sure. Oh, beloved, Jesus belongs to all people. He is the one who walked this old earth and the only one who belongs to all people. He spoke his first words and his last words, recorded in the New Testament, over 19 centuries ago. And these words are not out of date today. Was there ever another lullaby sung by a mother to her child so haunting, so sweet as those words from the lips of Jesus when he said, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden. and I will give you rest. The world needs that rest. The world needs to come to him today as never before. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest. unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, my burden is light. If ever the world needed those words, it needs those words today. There never was a generation that knew less security than this generation in this very hour. Jesus says, Take my yoke upon you. Learn of me. My yoke is easy. My burden is light. Take these invitations from Christ and they are as honey out of the rock of God. And he comes closer and closer. And then there's that wonderful relationship with him. Hear him as he says, oh, render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's. That saying of Christ holds true this very hour. Christ is the only person who can answer the big question that comes to us. How can I make my peace with God, though I am broken by sin? That man in the midnight hour is asking the same question that Nicodemus asked of him centuries ago. The same answer holds good today. i am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the father but by me how shall i treat my fellow -men what are to be the relations of my race towards the other races of men and jesus said do unto others as you would have others do unto you do you want the answer to the world's ills do you want the answer to the racial question to -day he holds the answer it's just as up to date as the hour when he spoke the words and he's still speaking do to others as you would have others do unto you. Jesus answered that by giving the parable of the Good Samaritan, showing that the man of a hated race was neighbor to the Jew in need. Then who is my neighbor, we ask. Jesus tells us. Your neighbor is anybody on the face of the earth who needs you. Whether that person is in Pittsburgh, in Los Angeles, in New York City, in Vietnam. Maybe he lives in the wilds of Africa and he's the most ignorant creature walking the earth today. Very well. Wherever. Under the whole heavens, there's a human being who needs you. He or she is your neighbor. Wherever that person is who needs me, wherever they are, that one is my neighbor, and I must not hesitate to help him. That's what Jesus taught. That's exactly what Jesus taught. Jesus stands at the open grave in the presence of sorrow, bereavement, telling us that death is not all. Then that moment he cries out, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Greater words were never spoken. No other man dared to speak those words. The greatest religious leaders of all times. Buddha never dared to speak those words. Mohammed never... dared to speak those words. The greatest saints that ever lived never dared. The greatest religious philosophers and world leaders never dared to speak those words. Because I live, Jesus said, ye shall live also. In other words, he was saying, be not afraid of this last and greatest enemy called death if your trust is in me. You need have no fear of death. When death stares you in the face, you can have peace of mind and peace of soul Fear, if your trust and your confidence is in Jesus, the very Son of the living God. What else? Not only does the life of Christ attest his divine claims, and not only does his teaching give added strength to our belief, but his death on the cross. confirms his divine claims. The centurion, standing at the foot of that cross, seeing Jesus die and hearing him as he prayed for him, turned and gave the greatest testimony that was ever given in that hour when he said, truly, this was the Son of God. Even the very death... of Christ was unique. And wherever the facts concerning Christ's life and his death are told throughout the world, men's hearts and consciences are stirred and they begin to ask, what must we do to be saved? And why? Jesus tells us. And I... If I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This, he said, signifying by what death he should die. The death of Christ was more than an example. It was a sacrificial death, making atonement for human sin. Verily he was the sacrificial lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. The scriptures tell us that he bore our sins in his own body on the tree, and that his blood cleanseth us from all sin. My friend, it does make all the difference in the world what you believe. If your belief is contrary to what Jesus taught, is contrary to the Word of God, then you believe in error. There is no other way into the presence of God. There can be no eternal life outside of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. You may be sincere in what you believe and yet be sincerely wrong. For is what you do with Jesus Christ, the very Son of the Living God, that literally marks the destiny of your never -dying soul? Mm -hmm. Remember the one who wrote, I saw one hanging on the tree in agony and blood. who fixed his languid eyes on me as near the cross I stood. Sure, never till my latest breath can I forget that look. It seemed to charge me with his death, though not a word he spoke. My conscience felt and owned the guilt. It plunged me in despair. I knew my sins his blood had spilt and helped to nail him there. A second look he gave, which said, I freely all forgive. This blood is for thy ransom paid. thou mayest live. This, my friend, is the way home. This is the way to eternal life. Jesus died like a God. He was God. He died the day just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. Choose Him this day as your Savior. God bless you.