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Any Old “Jesus”
Who Christ is really matters for us. It makes an eternal difference for us. Your Lord does not want you or me to be duped into believing the wrong thing about him. And about who he really is.
Matthew 24:4-5, 1 John 5:12
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Are reading today is taken from Matthew chapter 24 verses 4 and 5, Jesus is here talking about the end of time and when he will return.
Jesus answered and said to them. Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will deceive many. (Matthew 24:4-5)
Back in November of 1978, a man by the name of Jim Jones convinced more than 900 people to drink poisonous Kool-Aid and go to their deaths in Guyana, South America. He at one time said this about himself.
If you see me as your friend I’ll be your friend. For those of you who do not have a father I’ll be your father. If you see me as your savior I’ll be your savior. If you see me as your God I’ll be your God.
That’s the way he spoke about himself. Another cult leader by the name of David Koresh of the Branch Davidian cult said this. He believed that he himself was the Messiah that had come and the only one who could accurately interpret the bible for everyone. Eighty-two people died in a fiery death at Mount Carmel Center in Waco, Texas. Very sad event in our nation’s history.
Another man by the name of Dr. Sun Myung Moon from the Unification Church in his divine principle this is what he says about himself.
With the fullness of time. God has sent one person to this earth to resolve the fundamental problems of human life in the universe. His name is Sun Myung Moon for several decades. He wandered through the spirit world. He brought to light all the secrets of heaven now.
Jesus warns us in the text that I just read earlier that there will be false Christs who claim that they are the Messiah that’s really come to save people. And Jesus is warning us because these are very real attacks on him, on who he really is. And there could they could be so dangerous for us in our own faith. Jesus instruction doesn’t want us to just believe in any old Christ, any old Jesus, that might be put out there. And so it’s very important for us in faith to embrace the true Christ. True man and true God. John writes it this way.
He who has the Son [meaning Christ] has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life. (1 John 5:12)
It’s as simple as that. The Jesus that you believe in can make the difference of whether you go to heaven or not. And that’s why Jesus addresses this loving warning to the members of his church. The night before his arrest Jesus gave a long discourse to His disciples about who he was and what his relationship to the father was like. Likewise many of Jesus apostles when he sent them out and when they wrote they often describe the importance of the relationship of knowing the correct Christ as far as knowing the father through him. In the very early Christian church they went to battle to make sure to hold on to the correct Bible teaching about who Jesus is.
Who Christ is really matters for us. It makes an eternal difference for us. And you can tell that the devil knows this because he’s always trying to attack this teaching throughout time. He’s come up with multiple different ways to attack who the real Christ is.
Your Lord does not want you or me to be duped into believing the wrong thing about him. And about who he really is. Because we might lose our salvation. That’s why Jesus says in this same discourse he who endures to the end will be saved. He who keeps believing and trusting in the true Son of God for our salvation will finally go to heaven.
Through this one individual who is true God and True man. He brings life to the world. And that’s why having true faith in Him and trusting in Him alone is so significant for us. Jesus says to us if you continue in my word then you are My disciples indeed and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
Let’s have a prayer as we close.
Our dear Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you for coming into this world on our behalf to atone for our sins and to give us the hope of heaven. Help me always to trust you and what your word teaches me about you that I may possess you truly in my heart and someday be in your presence forever more. Amen.
