Radio Broadcast Wednesday 03/15/2023

Classic Christianity – The Book of John P18 (03-15-23)

You Have Been Reconciled to God! ~ Share The Truth With Others

~ “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” ^{2 Corinthians 5:20}

~ “The good news of the gospel, it’s finished, we have been reconciled to God, God’s part. All of this is from God who was reconciling the world unto Himself, not counting man sins against them. What’s our part? We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. He said, here’s the one part and Corinthians Second Corinthians, he’s saying, this is of God, this is what God did. I reconciled you unto myself, not counting your sins against you. And then in five passages later he has to beg us to be reconciled. And he said, I implore you or I beg you on Christ behalf, be reconciled to God, he’s reconciled to you, be reconciled to Him. I’ve taken it off my accounts receivable, take off your accounts payable. It’s done. God made Him who knew no sin to become sin for you and me, so that in him we could become the righteousness of God.”

Join Bob George in this chapter by chapter exposition of the gospel of John. Available also for download the complete series on the Book of John. Realize why Christ, Himself, is REAL LIFE and how He personally offers hope in daily living that you may:

Discover an abundant and meaningful life as a Christian.
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Announcer 0:12
Welcome to Classic Christianity Radio with Bob George Bob’s clear, timeless teachings on the complete forgiveness and unconditional love of Jesus Christ will transform your life as you learn about God’s amazing grace. Let’s join Bob as he teaches us from God’s Word.

Bob George 0:29
The good news of the gospel, it’s finished, we have been reconciled to God, God’s part. All of this is from God who was reconciling the world unto Himself, not counting man sins against them. What’s our part? We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. He said, here’s the one part and Corinthians Second Corinthians, he’s saying, this is of God, this is what God did. I reconciled you unto myself, not counting your sins against you. And then in five passages later he has to beg us to be reconciled. And he said, I implore you or I beg you on Christ behalf, be reconciled to God, he’s reconciled to you, be reconciled to Him. I’ve taken it off my accounts receivable, take off your accounts payable. It’s done. God made Him who knew no sin to become sin for you and me, so that in him we could become the righteousness of God. Now because we’re saved by His life, the cross was not an end in itself, but a means of accomplishing the end that of restoring life that had been lost through sin. This was a wonderful passage, once you are alienated from God enemies in your own minds because of your evil behavior. How many of you in your life ever thought that you are alienated from God because of your evil behavior? How many of you ever thought that? That’s all of us. Is that true? No, he says once you are alienated from God and we’re enemies in your mind, not in his, in your mind because of your evil behavior. But here’s the contrast. Now, he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death, in order to present you holy in his sight without blemish and free of accusation. Are you in Christ? He has presented you to God, holy in his sight without blemish, and free of accusation. Is that good news? Did we deserve any of this? Now if when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life? Christ was sacrificed a whole bunch of times. Is that what it says? Christ was sacrifice, how many times? One time to take away the sins of many people, and he will appear a second time not to bear sin, but to bring salvation for those who are waiting for him. You’ve been made into a new creation. Jesus declared, I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he’s born again. And therefore as anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old is gone, the new has come. You were born of your mom and dad, you were created by God. Your new life that you are today was a creation by God, not by mom and dad. And that’s what he said. You have to be born again, not by water which you were born by your mom and dad, but by the Spirit. You have to be born from above. You were born from down here by your mom and dad. Now you have to be born from above by God. And when you are your a new creation, I’ve created you into a brand new person. Becoming a Christian is likened to a caterpillar being transformed into a butterfly. There was an old hairy caterpillar ground bound, could give it flying lessons and send it to worm you if you wanted to get it educated, but it’s a caterpillar. And all of a sudden God weaves a cocoon around that and it emerges as a beautiful butterfly. It’ll never be a caterpillar again. It might act like one. But you’ll never be one. How many of you have been created into a new creation? How many of you in essence are like this example a butterfly? How many of you have ever acted like a worm? Okay, is that possible? Absolutely. But it’s a butterfly acting like a worm. That’s why Paul addresses to all the saints to all the butterflies in Corinth I Paul. To the saints in Colossae to all the butterflies I Paul. He doesn’t call him a sinners saved by grace. We walk around, saying I’m just an old sinner saved but grace, you look like one. So what God calls you? How did you get to be a saint? You are an old sinner saved by grace. But now you’re a new creation. So quit calling yourself what you used to be. And see yourself as who you are now, a child of God. You’re not a Baptist or Presbyterian or Seventh Day Adventist or anything else. You’re a child of God, if you’re in Christ. You can be any of those other things and not know him from a flagpole. You just joined a club. But to be a child of God, you have to be born again. And there’s only one way to be born again. And that’s born from above by God. So you may act like a worm. But you’re never gonna be one again. And folks, that’s what draws you to the heart of Jesus. Is Jesus looking down on you and me and saying are you a butterfly? Yeah, sure am Lord. Well, what are you doing acted like a worm? I don’t know. Dumb, I guess. Yeah, that’s true. That’s true. I didn’t recreate you to crawl. I didn’t recreate you if you want to get from here over there. You got to crawl. I recreated you to fly. Now get up and start flying. I made you to fly, get up and fly. How long will he be doing that with us? Longer than I’ve been a Christian. You know how long he’ll be doing that with you to the day you die. And the day you die, you’ll be absent from this body and present with the Lord going into His presence seeing him as he is, and becoming exactly like him. Now isn’t that something, talk about a transformation. But we’ll lose this flesh, containing indwelling sin, and our spirit will go into His presence. That’s the good news of the gospel.

In Him, we’re told you’re now complete, so you can add to what I’ve done for you, to them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles, the glorious riches of this mystery, mystery which is Christ in you your hope of glory. For in Christ, all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form, all of the fullness of God lives in that body, Jesus. And in Him, Jesus, you have been made what? Complete, totally complete. Now, can you add to completeness? Can you subtract from it? No, you are just complete, you are exactly what God intends you to be a child of God. In Him now there’s no condemnation. Therefore there’s now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Why? Because through Christ Jesus the law, the Spirit of life, has set me free from the law of sin and death. What is the condemnation of God for sin? Death, there is no more. It’s gone. In Him, we have forgiveness, in Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of your confession [sarcasam]. Are you all awake? Let me read that again. In Him, we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. How many of you are in him? How many of you have redemption? How many of you have forgiveness? How many of you ask God to redeem you every day? Why? Why don’t you ask him to redeem you? Are you in him? Or aren’t you? If you’re in him, what do you have? Redemption. How many of you ask God to forgive you? Are you in him? What do you have? Forgiveness. Do you ask for what you have? Or do you keep insulting the one who provided it by asking him to give you what you already have? Would I be functioning by faith to say oh Lord Jesus, I’m a born again, believer. Thank you, Lord Jesus, please redeem me. Would that be faith guys? Oh, Lord, I’m a born again believer. Please give me eternal life. How many of you would know that would be an insult to Jesus to ask him that? Why? That’s what I gave you.

Forgiveness, you don’t get forgiveness. You got forgiveness. In Him, you are a forgiven, redeemed person. You believe that? In accordance with the riches of what? Your confession, you’re going to confession booth, going into the Day of Atonement. First John one nining? In accordance with the riches of what saved you, God’s grace. Now, what does that tell you about yourself? Tells me I’m a forgiven person. Now, if I’m a forgiven person, does that mean we’ve already established this that I never seen again? No. What are you doing when you sin? What do you say to God when you sin? If, if you believe what God says that in him, you have redemption the forgiveness of sin, what’s the only thing that you could intelligently say to God when you sin, what’s the one thing you’d say? Thank you, God for what you did for me. Now if I’m asking him to do what he says, I’ve already accomplished, would I be functioning by faith? And without faith, it’s want? Impossible to please God. So how many people are walking around, asking God to forgive them and saying oh, I’m such a faither? I’m so full of faith, I can hardly stand myself. Are you? Not hardly. If you’re going to function by faith, you have to function by faith and what is true. And what is true is that God was in Christ, reconciling you unto himself not counting your sins against you. Is that true or not guys? Then how do you respond? Thank you. Thank you, Lord, for what you’ve done. Thank you that you took away the cause of death. So that even though I can act like a worm and sin, there is no condemnation awaiting me, who belongs to Christ Jesus. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for what you did for me. And now I have to understand why I did what I did. Because you see the terrible 10 And the dirty nine, nasty nine, the terrible 12 and all that, though it is the fruit, the root is unbelief. The reason for doing the fruit is because of denying the root and you stopped trusting Jesus and the truth of His Word. Is that right or wrong, guys? And the reason I had sinned was because I stopped trusting Jesus. Mo flay says, that’d be a lot more fun doing what you want to do. You say, Yeah, that’s right. And you go do it. Stupid. Yeah it’s stupid. But what’s the root cause of it? Unbelief.

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Bob George 13:52
In Him we have forgiveness. Our decision is this. This guys is the hardest thing that you do. When you’re sharing with somebody, I’m getting close to a decision. And your armpits will start sweating, to turn from our unbelief and to receive Lord Jesus Christ is our life. Philippians says for me to live as Christ. I’ve been crucified with Christ I no longer live but Christ lives in me. And the life I live in his body of mine, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. So salvation is entered into by faith. For by grace, you’ve been saved through faith. It’s not that of yourselves. It’s a gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast. Religion is man’s best effort to reach up to God, but Christ is God’s only method to reach down to man and forgiveness and to offer him true life. Salvation is crossing over from spiritual death to spiritual life. To all who received him to them he gave the right to become children of God. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. But whoever rejects that Son will not see that life for God’s wrath remains upon him. You remain under spiritual death when you refuse life. I tell you the truth that whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life, and will not be condemned but his crossed over from death to life. Is there any reason you would not be willing to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? We receive Christ by personal invitation.

Receiving Christ involves man repenting of his sin of unbelief, not repenting of your sins, that thing kept me from Jesus at a Billy Graham crusade. You got to come forward and repent of your sins, I knew full well I couldn’t do that. I’ve been trying for 30 some years to do that. And I knew I’d come down there and say, Oh, yes, Jesus, I repented of all my sins. And the next day, I’d be right back in the bar again. And I wasn’t gonna be a hypocrite. If you were if you repented at salvation of all your sins, you’d never sin again. You haven’t repented of all your sins, and you’ve been into Christ for I’ve been in Christ for well over almost 40 years, I haven’t repented all my sins, have you? Anybody in here repented of all your sins, all your sins? I don’t think so. No need to hold your hand up. Then then you’d be lying. It’s repenting of your sin of unbelief. I’ve been trusting myself. I’ve been trusted. I’ve been going to church. I’ve been trusting all that stuff. And you’re telling me now, not that it’s Jesus. And I changed my mind. And I come to Jesus. And I returned to God and His provision and a person of Christ Jesus. It’s trusting Christ for His forgiveness at the cross, and for his promise a new life to all who believe.

And we put in a suggested prayer. You’re not saved by praying. By the time a person gets ready, and agrees to pray this prayer, they’re probably already saved. They’ve already exercise faith, what do you got to do now? Express it to God, talk to God. Jesus, I need you. Thank you for dying on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins. Thank you for offering me your life, I now ask you to come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. You can say, I thank you for coming into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take control of my life and make me into the new creation you want me to be. And now thank you for coming into my heart and to giving me eternal life. If a person has prayed that prayer, has exercise faith in Jesus, spoken to God, the living Christ has come to dwell in you forever. And you’ve begun the great adventure for which you were created as a child of God. Now, we’re not going to go through any more, because that’s basically the gospel. The rest of the book is in follow up, which is vitally important, helping a person to realize who they have become in Christ Jesus.

Now, guys, what I would like to challenge our group is this. I’ve already talked to our staff about this. I’ve already started and I told you last week, I wrote this thing, and I haven’t carried them for I don’t know how long, I kind of just got out of the habit. Ed Hecht when I saw him the other day, I’ve never seen him without a Born Free in his pocket. So I said, That’s it, I’m gonna start carrying this book and giving it to people. The other day, we had a staff meeting, there was one staff member that I know of, besides me, that had a Born Free in their pocket. It was Charles. So we were the two spiritual ones. And then I asked him how many he had. And he had four. I only had three. So I dropped the subject. What I’d like to do is this guy’s, if every person let’s say, we’ve got 200 people in here, how many of you would commit to giving a Born Free book because this is the gospel and guys, this ministry you know, I see all kinds of people in ministries have bragging about ministries and what they’re doing and what they’re doing and what they’re doing. The only thing that makes this ministry unique is the message. That’s it. And the fact that through radio God has given us the potential of reaching into every home in America, the potential, we’re on radio and on internet. That means you got the potential of reaching every home in America to anyone who’s got a computer, they can tune into the program and if they’re radio programs on they could listen to the program and hear the fullness of the gospel. If everybody was giving out this fullness of the gospel, in other words, with the emphasis on the life of Christ, as Major Thomas does, he’s been stomping around the world for 50 years telling people Jesus is alive. And hardly anyone’s heard of him. And yet, you can get in and teach tithing and teach all this and everybody’s heard of it. So we’re not running a popularity contest, we’re in the minority. And what makes this ministry unique is our devotion to this message. And we have been devoted to this message. And so I said, What if each and every one of us would commit to giving one of these a week, and we have 200 people? Once a week, that’s all just be spiritual one day a week. Just give one of those that’s all. 52 weeks of the year 200 people. You have to be a math wizard, you’re a math wizard, how many is that? That’s a lot. Spoken like a true math teacher. Don’t have your calculator do you? Were into 10,000 or more people. 2400 Bob’s or Matthew Taylor 10,400 People will have in their hands, a presentation as to how they can come to Jesus. And it’s a full presentation that deals with the deity of Christ, which most of these little books do not. And it deals with the emphasis on the life of Christ. So that you’re not at present the half gospel to somebody. 10,400 people just out of this group alone, just one book a week. 10,400 people. Now, if you gave out two a month, 20,800. Guys, do you realize what an impact this group could make on people, their lives, just this group here. So what I want to do is to ask you, are you willing, along with our staff, because we’ve already challenged them? And anyone who doesn’t want to do that on our staff, or looking for work. No, I’m just kidding. We’ve challenged them. They volunteered. We want you to volunteer. We want you as Jesus said, to lift up your eyes and look out under the harvest this widen the harvest. And there’s not a person out there that doesn’t know somebody that you have a hint does not know the Lord. And folks, it doesn’t take anything in the world to say to somebody, Penny, this is a little book that explains what changed my life. And I like to give it to you. And I like to get back with you in a couple of days. Just see what you think about it. Will you read it? If I give it to you? Yeah, sure. Well, here it is. One time a week. Will you do it? If you’re willing to do that, will you pick up a pack today? Will you do that? Pick up a pack today and commit with me that I’m gonna give away one of these a week. And let’s see what God does in his group. Are we together? How many of you will say along with me, I’m willing to do this. See your hands willing to give away one book a week. If you don’t have the money, and you can’t afford it, or you don’t have the money, ask your neighbor, they’ll give it to you.

Well, guys, this is a real desire of all of our hearts. We do not know from one moment to the next whether we’re going to be here do we? We do not know what is going to take place in this country. We’re living in a day and age where we have more uncertainty than we’ve ever had in our lifetime. Never in our history has, outside of Pearl Harbor, it’s a pretty good distance away has this country ever been attack? And yet we were attacked in 2001. We have threats today of more attacks, we have people whose one desires to kill Americans. So we don’t know from one day to the next whether we’re gonna be here. We don’t know who’s gonna be here. What if we lived in New York and we had people in those buildings on 911. And we knew them and were neighbor’s and didn’t ever share Jesus with him. So what I’m saying to us is let’s open up our eyes as Jesus said, Let’s lift up our eyes and realize that there are people out there that need to know the Lord and be willing to many times sacrifice popularity or being thought of as dumb or stupid or narrow minded, that doesn’t make a difference when people think. And just to be willing to reach out and to say, this has changed my life, guys, you can’t argue with a personal testimony. If I’m saying something changed my life and it didn’t, well, then I’m a liar. But to reach out to people, and help people to know, the greatest joy you will ever experience in your life, it’s the first time you’ve ever led someone to Christ. believe it’s the greatest thrill you’ll ever have in your life. So I pray that you’ll join with us in this. And let’s, let’s see what this what God can do in this handful of people who love Jesus, and are willing to reach out to others. Let’s see what it’ll do. It’s going to be interesting.

Well, let’s pray together. Father, we thank you so much for what you do in our lives. And Father, we thank you that we can trust you that you’re the ones that will open up opportunities for us. Not legalistic not putting us under some kind of guilt trip. But out of our love for you, that we’re willing to open up our hearts so that other people’s hearts can be open to you. So we thank you for what you’re going to do in advance because we know that when we’re faithful to do what you told us to do, and let’s go into the world and make disciples, that you’re faithful to bring fruit in areas that we never dreamed. And so Father, we can hardly wait to see what you’re going to do through this group. A group of people that I’ve grown to love deeply, a group of people that love you, because you loved them first. So Father, we thank you in advance. And we thank you for your love and your grace to us. And for our privilege of being able to go out and to share the good news with people around us in Jesus name, and for his sake, we pray. Amen.

Thank you so much for tuning in to Classic Christianity, with Bob George. We hope you’ve enjoyed today’s program. We truly hope that today’s message has inspired you to walk a life of faith in the Lord, find more information online at shop.BobGeorge.net. There you’ll also find available CDs, DVDs, and bible studies available for purchase. It’s through your help that we are able to spread the good word of Jesus Christ. Until next time, walk in faith, be good to one another and praise the Lord. Amen.