Well good evening, how are you's? It's good to be with you's and thank you very much for having along today. It's been good to be with you's. If you's have a bible would you's mind turning to Matthew chapter 16 please. Matthew chapter 16 and we'll be reading from verse 13 down to verse 16. Matthew 16 verse 13 to 16 we'll be reading and just as you's are turning to the place Tonight, we'll be just really looking at who is the Lord Jesus Christ? Who is he? Who really is he? Because if you look at him, he really is the most dominant figure in society for the past 20 centuries. For the past 20 centuries, he really has been the most dominant person in history. If you look at all the books that have been written about him, I don't think there's anyone else who's had that many different books written about them. He's probably the most read about person ever in the history of man. And even if you look at the calendar, what year is it? It's 2017 AD. And the AD, if you look into what the AD means, it basically means the year of our Lord. The calendar is dated around the Lord Jesus Christ. All history, well, history looks back at him. And if you go before the Lord Jesus Christ was born and you look at the calendar, it's BC, before Christ. He really is the centre point of history. He's the fulcrum of history. And for someone who is the most dominant figure in all history, you'd maybe say that he had a surprising life. He wasn't born into a royal family. He wasn't a military leader. He had great victories in battle and things like that. If you look at his life, well he was born in a stable. His mother was married and I suppose it would be right to say she was a peasant woman. She wasn't in the aristocracy or anything like that there. And early on in the life, the Lord Jesus Christ's life, Mary and Joseph, they had to take the baby Lord Jesus Christ and they had to flee into Egypt. He was a refugee. We see plenty of refugees on the news and the Lord Jesus Christ was a refugee. He had to flee into Egypt for safety. And then he grew up in Nazareth. He grew up in Nazareth, and Nazareth was really a bit of a dump. In John 1, verse 46, it was said, can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Nazareth mustn't have been a good place if someone's describing it like that. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? And that's where the Lord Jesus Christ grew up, in Nazareth. He didn't write any books himself. He didn't hold an office. We believe up until about the age of 30, he was a carpenter. And like, there's nothing wrong with being a carpenter. Sometimes I think maybe I should have tried to get a trade myself, but you wouldn't really expect someone to be the most important figure in all history to be a carpenter, although there's nothing wrong with being a carpenter. He was a public speaker for approximately only three years, maybe three and a half years at most. And even at the end of that there, at the end of the three and a half years, well, the public turned against him, didn't it? They turned against him, they wanted him dead. They cried out, crucify him, crucify him. He was betrayed by a friend. His disciples, they left him and they forsook him, they fled. He ended up, he was crucified with thieves. And he had to use a barrowed grave, a barrowed tomb. And yet this is the most dominant person in history. Surely we should look into his life and see who he really is today. there's really a few different views. Some people will tell you, I've heard people telling me that he was a good teacher. The Lord Jesus Christ, he was just a good teacher and we should follow his teachings. Other people will tell you, well, the Lord Jesus Christ, he is a prophet. Yes, he is sent by God, but that's all he was, just a prophet. Other people like myself would say he was a much more than just a prophet or a good teacher. that He is God the Son. He is the Son of God. But if we take a look at our reading, we'll see that these different views were around at the time of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see this in our reading in John chapter 16, verse 13. When Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, whom do men say that I the Son of man am? Can you see the question? The Lord Jesus Christ is asking his disciples, what do people say about me? Who do people say that I am? And the disciples answer the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 14. And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Can you see what the people of the time were saying about the Lord Jesus Christ? They thought that he was a prophet. They thought he had been sent by God, but they weren't really sure who he was. Some thought he was John the Baptist, or Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. They just weren't really sure who he was. They thought he was sent by God, but they weren't really sure who he was. But then in verse 15, the Lord Jesus Christ says, He said unto them, but whom say ye that I am? He then turns the question and he asks the disciples directly, who do you say I am? Don't worry about what all the other people say, who do you say that I am? And tonight that's really the important question. What do you think of the Lord Jesus Christ? Who do you think that he is? And Simon Peter, he answers the Lord, in verse 16, and Simon Peter answered and said, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. Amen, God will bless the reading of his word. Simon Peter, he said that the Lord Jesus Christ was more than just a prophet or a good teacher. He said he's the Christ. He's the one that God promised in the Old Testament that he would send. He says he's the son of the living God. That's what he said. That's what Peter believed. Now I agree with Peter, that's what I believe. But what does the Lord Jesus Christ himself say? We have seen what other people thought about him. We've seen what Simon Peter thought about him. And we've asked, what do you think about the Lord Jesus Christ? But what does the Lord Jesus Christ say himself? How does he answer Peter? Peter has just said that you're the Christ, the son of the living God. Does the Lord Jesus Christ tell him, no, Peter, you've got it wrong. I'm only a man, don't worship me, worship God alone. Is that how the Lord Jesus Christ answers, Peter? Well, the answer is no. Verse 17, it says, and Jesus answered and said unto him, blessed art thy Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ. He's really saying, Peter, well done, you've got it right. You're right. I'm not just a prophet. I'm the Son of God. You've got it right. My Father, which is in heaven, God in heaven has revealed this to you. He's my Father, and I am the Son of God. That's what he's really saying. On another occasion, in Mark chapter 14, verse 61 and 62, the Lord Jesus Christ is asked, by the high priest who he is. In Mark chapter 14 verse 61 it says, again the high priest asked him and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the son of the blessed? It's a direct question to the Lord Jesus Christ. Art thou the Christ? Are you the one that God promised in the Old Testament that he would send to us? Are you the Christ? Are you the Messiah? Are you the Son of the Blessed? Are you really the Son of God? It's a direct question and how does the Lord Jesus Christ answer? Well the answer is seen in verse 62 of Mark 14, and Jesus said, I am. and ye shall see the son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ answers the high priest and says I am, I am the Christ, I am the one that God said in the Old Testament that he would send, I am the Son of God. Can you see the Lord Jesus Christ is not claiming just to be some good moral teacher. He's not claiming just to be a prophet. He is claiming to be the Son of God. That's a big claim. And it gives us a dilemma. The Lord Jesus Christ is claiming to be the Son of God, to be God the Son. That means he just can't be a good moral teacher. He can't just be a teacher because if he is not the son of God, well then he's a liar, isn't he? He's a liar. You can't say he's a good moral teacher or just a prophet. He's claiming to be the son of God, it is clear. And if he is not the son of God, he's a liar. Or another option is that he's claiming to be the son of God because he's a lunatic. And he's deluded. and he thinks he's a son of God but he's not really and he's just he's a lunatic he's a madman or the third option is he is who he says he is he's the Lord of all he's a son of God and tonight that's what we want to look at who is the Lord Jesus Christ he claimed to be the son of God but is he a liar is he a lunatic or is he really Lord of all Which is he? Well, first of all, we'll look at, is the Lord Jesus Christ a liar? He claimed to be the Son of God, but was he just a liar? Was he a conman? Was he a deceiver? An imposter? Well, you'll know yourself. We're all shrewd enough to know what a liar is like. A liar and a conman, they're evil. They're evil. But, eventually their reputation will go before them, won't it? A conman or a liar, they might fool one or two people, but eventually their reputation will go before them and people will start saying, see that there person there, don't trust him, don't believe a word they say, don't believe them, have nothing to do with them, they're a liar, they're a conman, stay away from them. Their reputation will go before them. That's what happens to liars and conmen. Let's look at the character references of the Lord Jesus Christ. What did other people say about him? Did other people say he's a liar and a conman, a deceiver, an imposter? What did other people say about him? Well, let's look at what Pilate said about the Lord Jesus Christ. Pilate, he was the head Roman in the land of Israel at the time. He was appointed by Caesar, so he was. What did he say about the Lord Jesus Christ? He examined him, he questioned him, and what did he say? Well, in John chapter 18, verse 38, Pilate said of the Lord Jesus Christ, I find in him no fault at all. After examining the Lord Jesus Christ, questioning him, he says, I find in him no fault at all. And then if you were to take the time to look at John chapter 19 as well, he repeats that there twice, twice more and says, I find in him no fault. Three times Pilate says, I find in him no fault. And in this reference he says, I find in him no fault at all. It is clear Pilate says there's no fault in him. He's perfect. He's not a liar. He's not a con man. He's not an imposter. I've examined him and there's no fault in him. He's perfect. What did Pilate's wife say? Pilate's wife said in Matthew 27 verse 19, sending the message to her husband saying, have nothing to do with this just man. He's a just man. He's done nothing wrong. And yes, the people have put him on trial, but he's just. Pilate, have nothing to do with him because he's a just man. Let him go. That's what Pilate's wife said. What about Judas Iscariot? This is the friend of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was with him for approximately three years, maybe three and a half years. He followed him around. He was with him. He spent all this time with him. He saw the Lord Jesus Christ up close and personal for all that their time. And when you spend that much time with someone, you're going to see any faults they have, aren't you? You're going to see them up close and personal, and you're going to know them inside out. And this is the guy that betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ also. But what did he say after he had betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ? He said in Matthew 27 verse 4, I have betrayed innocent blood. That's what Judas said. This is the man that betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ. And he said, I have betrayed innocent blood. The Lord Jesus Christ, he's innocent. He's done nothing wrong. It is me that has done wrong by betraying him. It's me that has done wrong. He is innocent and I'm the one that has done wrong. That's what Judas said. What about the thief that died beside the Lord Jesus Christ? You know, there's a saying that we have here that it takes one to know one. This man was a thief. This man knew what a con man was and a robber looked like. He knew the characteristics because he was one himself. And as he died beside the Lord Jesus Christ, what did he say? In Luke 23 verse 41, this man has done nothing amiss. This man has done nothing amiss. As he watched the Lord Jesus Christ die, as he spent his last hours with the Lord Jesus Christ, he says, this man has done nothing amiss. I'm a thief. I know I deserve to be here. I deserve to be crucified. I deserve to be here. But this man, he's done nothing wrong. He doesn't deserve to be here because he's done nothing wrong. He's innocent. He's done nothing amiss. What about the Roman centurion who was in charge of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ? He was a centurion, that means he was in charge of 100 men, which means he was probably a good judge of character. And this is what he said of the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 27 verse 54. Truly, this was the Son of God. After watching the Lord Jesus Christ being crucified, he said truly this was the Son of God. He had crucified probably loads of people. On that day alone we know he was in charge of three crucifixions. He had watched many people die. But he had never seen anyone die like the Lord Jesus Christ. He didn't put up a fight. He didn't put up a struggle. He didn't curse them. He didn't fight. Instead, the Lord Jesus Christ said, forgive them for they knew not what they do. He had never seen anyone die like this here. And at the end, the St. John said, truly, this was the Son of God. What about King Herod? Well, if we were to take the time to look up, look at chapter 23, verse 15, we'd see King Herod find nothing wrong with the Lord Jesus Christ. These are character references of the highest order, aren't they? You know, if you're to go to court, I hope none of you's ever have to go to court, but if you're to go to court, one of the things you would do is get character references and get people to say that you're a good person. Well, you couldn't get character references as good as that there, sure you couldn't. Look at who they come from. Pilate, the head Roman in the land, he's the man in charge. He's been appointed by Caesar. and he says there's no fault in him at all. You see Judas there, he's the man that followed the Lord Jesus Christ for three and a half years, seen him all, spent all that time with him, seen him up close and personal. He's the one that betrayed him and he says he's innocent. He done nothing wrong, he doesn't deserve that. You have the king and he says there's nothing wrong with him. You have a centurion and he says he's the son of God. Those are character references of the highest order. When you look at those character references, surely you have to say the Lord Jesus Christ couldn't have been a liar or a conman. He wasn't an imposter. He wasn't a deceiver. He wasn't a liar. He couldn't be just with those character references. You'll know yourself, liars, what are they at best? They're selfish and they're out for self gain. That's what they want. But when you read about the Lord Jesus Christ in the Bible, you'll say he's not selfish. He's not out for self gain. He was so loving, he was so caring, and he was so compassionate. You'd say he does not have the characteristics of a liar. He wasn't a liar. We've seen that. It's clear that he could not be a liar or a con man. What about one of the other options? Was he just a lunatic? Was he deluded into believing he was a son of God? Was he a lunatic? Was he deluded? The answer simply is no. It's just a simple answer. No, he's not. Because if the Lord Jesus Christ was a lunatic, somewhere along the line, he would have lost the balance of his mind. He would have lost it. But he never lost the balance of his mind. He never lost it. He was always, had all his faculties there. He never lost the balance of his mind. There was people at the time of the Lord Jesus Christ who didn't like him. They wanted to see his demise. They wanted to trick him and ask him really hard, difficult questions. so that he would be tripped up and trapped in these difficult questions. And some of them were really hard. You can read about them if you take the time, if you read through the Gospels. And you'll see that these questions were so hard and difficult and trying. But you know, he always answered them with the wisest of answers. You know, I couldn't have answered those questions the way the Lord Jesus Christ did. But he answered them with such wise answers, you would say, that there man is so wise. He's the wisest man that ever lived to be able to answer those there questions. He's so wise. All these hard, difficult, tempting questions and he answered them so wise. A lunatic couldn't have done it like that there. And you know, the Lord Jesus Christ had a difficult life. He was rejected in Nazareth, his own town, the people rejected him. Some of his own family even mocked him and rejected him as well, some of his own family. And at the end, well, what did they do? They crucified him. They put him to death. And if the Lord Jesus Christ was a madman, surely he would have lost it. But no, he didn't. He actually calmly predicted his death and resurrection. A madman, a lunatic couldn't have done that, doing it so calmly and predicting it all. Couldn't have done it. And even if you're just to take the time to read the Sermon on the Mount, if you're to read through the Sermon on the Mount, You would say that the person that came up with the Sermon on the Mount had such wisdom and insight into the human heart, into the human mind. They had such wisdom. And of course it was the Lord Jesus Christ who gave the Sermon on the Mount. And it has such wisdom into the heart of the human and the mind of the human. You would have to say that the Lord Jesus Christ is so wise, there's not a chance that he could be a lunatic. We have seen the Lord Jesus Christ is not a lunatic. We've seen that he's not a liar. Well, does that mean that the Lord Jesus Christ really is who he said he was? Is he Lord of all? Is he really the Son of God? Is he the Christ? And of course, I believe the answer is yes. I believe the answer is yes, and I believe the miracles that he done prove this. Without a shadow of a doubt, the miracles prove this. You know, and I don't doubt the miracles in this book for one second. I don't doubt them. I don't doubt them. You think about some of the miracles. Let's just look at one of them for the minute. The feeding of the 5,000. He fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. You think about that. There are 5,000 people. If you actually do read the Bible closely, it says 5,000 men. It doesn't mention the women and the children. There could have been a lot more than 5,000 people there, but that's what it just says. That's what we're told. 5,000 people. Can you imagine 5,000 people witnessing the feeding of the 5,000? See if the feeding of the 5,000 didn't really happen. The story would have been discredited. There had to be 5,000 witnesses. You just can't come up with a story like that and say there's 5,000 witnesses. You need the witnesses to be there. And of course they were there. And it was the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ had been doing miracles that there was 5,000 people there. They had seen the Lord Jesus Christ doing the miracles. They had heard the word. People had spread the word that the Lord Jesus Christ was doing miracles. They were going, did you see the Lord Jesus Christ? He healed someone. And then more people started coming to see him because they wanted to see another miracle. He heals someone. He gives someone back their sight. And more people started coming because they wanted to see another miracle. And that's why these vast amount of people came to see the Lord Jesus Christ, because he was doing the miracles. If he hadn't have done the miracles, he would have been discredited back at the time, never mind today. But do you know there's even sources outside the Bible that talk about the miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ? There's a man called Josephus, and he was a Jewish and Roman historian back in the first century. And as far as I know, he wasn't a born-again believer, as far as I know. But this is what he wrote about the Lord Jesus Christ. He wrote and said, Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works. Just read that out again. Jesus, a wise man. If it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works." That's what Josephus said. He says, Jesus, a wise man. If it be lawful to call him a man, he's saying, yes, he was a man, but I'm not sure if it's right to call him a man, because he was a doer of wonderful works, in other words, miracles. He's able to do things that no man or a person has ever been able to do. And I think because of those miracles that he was doing, Mabee was more than just a man. He doesn't go quite as far as saying he's the son of God, but I think Josephus Mabee really knew. He knew there was something different about the Lord Jesus Christ just because of the miracles he'd done. There's other sources as well. I don't even like really saying this one, but because of the source, it's not really a great source, but it's the Quran. The Qur'an, it even writes about some of the miracles the Lord Jesus Christ does. It wrote about him raising someone from the dead and healing a lapper. Of course, the Qur'an then goes on to write a load of rubbish about the Lord Jesus Christ, but when it comes to him doing the miracles, it has to write about him doing miracles. There's sources outside the Bible that testify to the fact that he'd done the miracles, and they were done in front of a vast amount of people. And the Lord Jesus Christ could do these miracles. Why? Because he's the Son of God. He's the Son of God. Do you think that God Almighty would give a liar or a lunatic the power to do miracles? No, he wouldn't. If the Lord Jesus Christ was only a man, Claiming to be the son of God and he was just a liar or a lunatic, God would not give him the ability to do these miracles, but of course he's the son of God. He's God Almighty and that's why the Lord Jesus Christ could do those miracles. Do you know that the Old Testament was finished approximately about 400 years before the Lord Jesus Christ was even born? About 400 years before the Lord Jesus Christ was born. Sometimes I think my dad's about 400 years old, you know. But 400 years before the Lord Jesus Christ was born, the Old Testament, it prophesies about the Lord Jesus Christ coming into the world. It prophesies about the Messiah, the Christ coming into the world. And it prophesies that he would do miracles. In Isaiah chapter 35, verses five and six, it says, then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an heart and the tongue of the dumb sing. What does the Old Testament in Isaiah prophesy about the Christ coming, about the Messiah that's to come? It prophesies that he'll open the eyes of the blind, that the ears of the deaf shall be opened, the lame man shall be healed and he'll be able to leap about and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. Isn't that the things the Lord Jesus Christ done? You take the time to read your Bible and you'll see how the Lord Jesus Christ done all those miracles, how he healed people. He was fulfilling the prophecy that the Christ would do miracles and heal people. But you know there's loads of Old Testament prophecies about the coming Christ, about the coming Messiah. And the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled over 300 of these prophecies about the coming Christ about the coming Messiah. We'll just take a time to look at some of them. The Old Testament tells us that the coming Messiah would be born of a virgin. Of course, the Lord Jesus Christ was. It's getting close to Christmas. And that's what we celebrate, the Lord Jesus Christ being born of a virgin. But the coming Christ, the coming Messiah would have to be a descendant of Abraham and of Isaac. He'd have to come from the tribe of Judah. He'd have to be from the line of David. And of course he fulfilled all those things. It also tells us that he would have to be born in Bethlehem, that people would know him as a prophet. And sure, just in our reading in Matthew chapter 16, what did the people think the Lord Jesus Christ was? A prophet. And the Old Testament tells us that people will think that he's a prophet. The Old Testament tells us he'd have a real zeal for the house of God. And remember on one occasion, he drove people out of the temple because he said, you've made God's house into a house of merchandise rather than a house of prayer. He had a real zeal for the house of God. It tells us in the Old Testament that he had started his ministry in Galilee, which he did, that he would teach in parables. And I'm sure we could all mention some of the parables. We all know some of the parables, like the Good Samaritan. We know some of the parables that he taught. That he had entered Jerusalem on a donkey. And we know that from the Easter story. That he rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on a donkey. That he had been betrayed by a friend. We have mentioned that earlier, Judas. Judas Iscariot. His friend would betray him. And that he would be sold for 30 pieces of silver. That's prophesied in the Old Testament too. How much was Judas paid for betraying the Lord Jesus Christ? 30 pieces of silver. The Old Testament prophesies how the Lord Jesus Christ, how he would be accused. And yet he had remained silent. And he did. He remained silent. The Old Testament prophesies how his hands and his feet will be pierced. And of course they were, as he was crucified. The Old Testament also tells us that he would die with the thieves. We've all heard Adi mention that there. The thief said about him that this man has done nothing amiss. He died with thieves. And the Old Testament also prophesies how he'd be resurrected, how he'd come back to life. And of course, we know on the third day he came back to life. He lives. And he lives in heaven. He's back in heaven. So who is the Lord Jesus Christ? Who is he? Let's go back to the start. That was what we said at the start of the night. Who is the Lord Jesus Christ? He claimed to be the Son of God. He claimed to be the Christ, the Messiah. We've seen that he's not a liar. We've seen he's not a lunatic. He must be who He says He is, the Lord of all. He is the Lord of all. The Old Testament prophecies He fulfills, and the miracles prove this. And if the Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord of all, surely we should pay more earnest attention to the things that He taught and to what He said. Because He's just not a man. He's the Son of God, He knows all things. He has always been, He is eternal, He knows all things. And what He says, we must listen to and pay the more earnest attention to. So just as we're closing, let's look at some of the things that he said. Well, do you know the Lord Jesus Christ taught about sin? He taught about it. In John chapter 8, these people that we mentioned earlier that didn't like the Lord Jesus Christ, that wanted to see his demise, they came up with a plan. and they were going to trap the Lord Jesus Christ and ask him hard difficult questions to see his demise. So what they done was, they got a woman, they caught her in the very act of adultery and they took her. I don't know why they didn't take the man, they seemed to leave him, but I don't know why, but they brought this woman that had been caught in the act of adultery and they sat her before the Lord Jesus Christ and they told him, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery, what are we going to do with her? What are we going to do with her? See, the Old Testament law said that she should be stoned to death. And that's what they wanted the Lord Jesus Christ to do. They wanted the Lord Jesus Christ to condemn her to death. In John chapter 8, we see the Lord Jesus Christ answer in verse 7. He answers these men and says, in verse 7 of John 8, he that is without sin among you, Let him first cast a stone at her. That's what he says to these men. He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. Can you see what the Lord Jesus Christ is really saying to these guys? He's saying, yeah, this woman, she's been caught in the act of adultery. Yes, she's done wrong. Yes, she deserves to be punished. But which one of you is without sin? Which one of you is perfect? Which one of you has not broken the law in some point? Which one of you is perfect? Because whichever one of you is perfect, you can pick up the first stone and you can chuck it at her first. You can be the first one. But do you know what happened? The men had to all disappear, didn't they? They had to all disappear because they knew they were guilty. They knew they had broken the law. And the Lord Jesus Christ was really saying, yous have all broken the law. This woman might have done it by being an adulterer. but you've all broken the law. And you know we have all broken the law. I've broken God's laws and you've broken God's law at some point. Maybe it's not by adultery, but we've broken God's laws at some point. I'm sure we've all told lies and God tells us in the ninth commandment, they shall not bear false witness. We have all broken God's law at some point. What about coveting? being jealous, wanting things that aren't ours. We have all broken God's law at some point, and we are sinners. That's what the Lord Jesus Christ was teaching in John chapter eight, verse seven. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We are all sinners. And do you know the Lord Jesus Christ taught in Matthew chapter seven, verse 23, that sin will not be allowed into heaven. He said in Matthew chapter seven, verse 23, and then will I profess unto them I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. That word iniquity, it really means sin. That's how you simplify it, sin. And the Lord Jesus Christ, it says, and then will I profess unto them. It's a future day. And the Lord Jesus Christ is saying, On a coming day, I'm going to say unto them, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Ye that have done sin, depart from me. I can't let you into heaven because you've sinned. Depart from me. I'm holy and you cannot get into heaven with sin. I must separate myself from it. And if you die with sin in your life, you can't get into heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ, he'll say unto you, depart from me. I never knew you, you've done sin, you've done iniquity, depart, go, you can't get into heaven. And how sad that will be if you die in your sin to hear those words, depart from me, and you can't get into heaven. How sad that will be. And the Lord Jesus Christ taught about hell. We're not really gonna take the time to look at Luke chapter 16, but in Luke chapter 16, the Lord Jesus Christ, he taught about hell. It's not a parable. In the parables, the Lord Jesus Christ never gave anyone's name. But in Luke chapter 16, he gives the name Lazarus. And we know it's not a parable. He teaches about hell and it's a real place. And if you die in your sin, you can't get into heaven, and you'll have to go to that horrible place called hell. And the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke chapter 16, he tells us about it. It's a place of torments. It's a place of darkness. It's a place of being separated from God. The rich man in hell, he begs for one drop of water to cool his tongue because he's tormented in a flame. how terrible a place it is, but it's a real place because God, the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ told us about it. It's a real place. But the Lord Jesus Christ, he also taught us why he came into the world. He taught us in Luke chapter 19, verse 10, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost. That's the reason he came, that's why he left heaven. You know, he wanted to go to heaven, but he left heaven to come to earth. And that's the reason why he came. It was to come to seek and to save that which is lost. See, we are all lost in our sin. We don't know the way. We can't find the way to heaven by ourselves. We can't. Because we're sinners and we're lost in our sin. And there's no hope for us. But the Lord Jesus Christ came to seek and to save us. He came to save us. And that's why He went to the cross, because on the cross, He took my sin and your sin. He took the sin of the world. And in the three hours of darkness upon the cross, God the Father poured out His wrath upon the Lord Jesus Christ for my sin and for your sin and for the sin of the world so that we could be saved, to make a way of salvation. See, He loves you so very much that He doesn't want you to go that hard up this cold hill. He wants you to spend eternity with Him. He wants you to go to heaven with Him. Because He loves you. And He is willing to go to the cross and die for you. But you know, as we have already mentioned, that after He died three days later, He rose again. He came back to life. And today He lives in heaven. And do you know in Matthew chapter nine verse two we see the Lord Jesus Christ has the power to forgive sins. He has the power to forgive sins. He was speaking to the man that was sick of the palsy in Matthew chapter nine verse two and said, son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee. He spoke to the man that was sick of the palsy and said, your sins are forgiven, be of good cheer, I've forgiven you of your sins. How wonderful that is. The Lord Jesus Christ has the power to forgive that man that was sick of the palsy, his sins. and he has the power to forgive you for your sins and he has the power to forgive me for my sins and he has. Do you know he can forgive you your sins if you but ask him to forgive you. He died on the cross and made the way of salvation possible but you have to ask him. Do you know he actually invites you to come on to him and ask him for salvation. In Luke chapter 11 verse 28 he says, come on to me all ye that labour and I have elated and I will give you rest. He says come, come unto me. Don't go to anyone else because no one else can save you from your sins. Come unto me. That's what he's saying, he's inviting you. It's a come, it's an invitation. Will you accept the invitation? Will you come unto the Lord Jesus Christ? Will you go to him and repent of your sin? Ask him to forgive you. Say sorry for your sin and ask Him to be your saviour, ask Him to be Lord of your life. Will you turn away from your sin and follow the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you know there is no other way of salvation? The Lord Jesus Christ said in John chapter 14 verse 6, I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me. He says I am the way, I am the exclusive way, there is no other way other than coming to by me, that's what the Lord Jesus Christ said, I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes unto the Father but by me. Will you come to the Lord Jesus Christ and accept him to be your saviour? He has the power to forgive sins because he died on the cross and rose again. He has the power to forgive sins and he has the power to change your life so he has. He'll make you a new creation, a new creature. Will you come and accept his invitation to be saviour? Perhaps Sam will close the meeting and we will. Heavenly Father, we thank you Father for what we've heard about the Lord Jesus Christ this evening. We thank you Lord for Simon and the description of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you Father that we have heard tonight that He is the Son of God, that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. And we thank Thee, Heavenly Father, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life, that no man cometh unto the Father but by Him, that there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. And we pray, Lord, for those who are listening to this message tonight, who are lost, that they would come to that place of repentance, put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and to know Him as their Lord and Saviour. We thank you, Lord, for the Gospel message. It is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes it. And we thank thee, Lord, that it is still the day of salvation, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And we pray, Lord, that many will call this very night through the Lord Jesus Christ.