Truth Encounter: Face To Face With The Authentic Christ

Faced with the testimony of the tomb guards, the grieving women, the doubting apostles, and, finally, doubting Thomas, only the fact of the resurrection can explain the radical transformation from despair to determination in the lives of Jesus' followers. The New Testament faces each of us with a choice-either declare the resurrection a fraud and curse Jesus as the ultimate religious hoax, or confess that it is ultimate truth and devote our entire lives to bringing this light into the lives of others. Dave invites us to hear Christ's marching orders for the believer.

Whatever you might believe about faith--whether you ignore it, tolerate it, or hate it -no one can escape the historical and present day fact that since a Sunday sunrise in AD33 there has been an ever increasing multitude of witnesses who believe that Jesus escaped the prison of death. We are challenged to face this momentous choice: Declare the resurrection a hoax and curse Jesus; or bow before Him as the Author of Life.

When a carpenter hits his thumb with a hammer, or your boss gets word that your firm just lost its biggest account, what expletives do you hear? Why is it consistently Jesus Christ's name that is used in secular society for a curse? Dave Wyrtzen challenges us to consider this: What comes out of our mouth when we are angry and upset reveals the reality of what is deep inside our personality.

Do you remember back when Noriega dreamed he was the Emperor of the South. Mocking justice, the drug broker embellished his luxury and worshiped his demons while his wounded nation pumped out its life blood. The American night attack sought to end this gangster's reign of terror in Panama. Dave Wyrtzen contrasts this night attack with another night arrest that executed the worst travesty of justice this world has ever known.

"If it doesn't feel good, don't do it! Avoid anything that generates boredom, discomfort, or pain. If your internal vibrations are troubled as you contemplate whether or not to do something, do not proceed.” The ultimate objective in life is to keep yourself “feelin’ good!'” Jesus Christ did not "feel like" going to Calvary and becoming a martyr. Come with Him to Gethsemane to observe the Savior's greatest moment of vulnerability where He faced ultimate pain.

Obviously, there is no peace on earth! Look at the religious wars, wars in the Middle East, the economic and political factions, and the drug wars! Often there is no peace in our hearts! If Jesus promised peace, why is there so little of it? Discover why even believers wrestle with depression, discouragement and the absence of peace.

If someone threatened your life, would you spend your time fleeing or feasting? Jesus Christ knew that the religious leaders were setting a trap for him; and he knew that the crowd would yell, 'Crucify him,' yet instead of fleeing, he arranged a quiet Passover meal with his friends. This fellowship meal has become the most famous supper of all time. Many of us partake of Holy Communion in our churches, but sometimes this can become a ritual without meaning.

Speculation often swings between the prophets of doom with their cries that it is the end of the world, to the promoters of the dawning of a new age. As the news reports multiply concerning famines, earthquakes, and strange celestial happenings, how can we discern who to believe? Does anyone actually know how history will end?

Jesus’ triumphal entry signaled the beginning of the momentous time before the cross; a week that began with the praise of the crowd, but ended with the shouts, "Crucify him, crucify him." In between, the Messiah faced the plotting of his enemies, the preparation of His disciples, and the agony of a friend's betrayal. Imagine you only had one week to live. What would you include in this week, who would you spend time with, what would you share with your loved ones?

Entrances are important. A presidential candidate waits until every detail is in place before making his public appearance on the convention floor. A herald sounds his trumpet before a king enters his court. On Palm Sunday the ultimate King made his big entrance on to the stage of the city of Jerusalem. But instead of trumpets and hype, this King rode humbly on a small young donkey.

A pure, personal devotion to the living God generates a contagious excitement about worship, and a practical concern to help others in distress. But religion, when it degenerates into the rigid keeping of rules, rituals, and traditions, becomes hateful, and can even murder. John 11:45-54 challenges you to think hard about the implications of the word “religion.”

It only makes sense that if God sent His Son into the world, you would expect the Father to give His Son a proper introduction. The agnostic cries for God's voice to identify His Son and this is the tragic cry of many in the modern world. The truth is that the Ultimate Being in the universe has spoken, and clearly identified Himself! When God did speak from heaven, what did He say?

We can try to ignore it, deny it, and believe we can escape it, but death is a bounty hunter who never quits. The temporariness of our physical life can send fear tremors through our body; especially, when we face surgery, a lump that could be malignant, or the scream of a siren warning us that another life might have been unexpectedly extinguished. What has Jesus done to extract the teeth out of this giant fear of death, and when will He conquer this curse forever?

In ancient Babylon the air was believed to be full of malevolent spirits, seeking to bring sickness and death upon humans. In the secular city of the modern world the air for many years was viewed as simply a gas. A demon? Only the figment of the pre-scientific imagination. Faced with demons "everywhere" or demons "nowhere," what should the follower of Jesus Christ believe about Satan, demons, possession, and exorcism?

Tornados, earthquakes, drought, and hurricane plagued coastlines. The weather bulletins cry out the warning -severe storm, hurricane boasting 130 mile per hour winds. Everyone in its potential path of destruction rushes to purchase plywood, hurriedly boards up the windows, and prays that the chaos of nature will not overwhelm them. Where is God when these prayers seemed to go unanswered, and nature rumbles haphazardly leaving behind destruction, and death?

This topic of "Healing"--it raises extreme contrasts in viewpoints--from the faith healer who promises instant miraculous cures to the cynical rationalist who calls it all a fake. A scared husband prays that his wife’s breast biopsy will not be malignant. Young parents to be ask God for their baby to be born well and strong. A pastor, just before one of his sheep faces surgery, prays that the doctors will have skill. Every day thousands of prayers ask God through His Son Jesus Christ to heal.

When the construction of a house is complete, the foundation for the most part becomes invisible. Was enough steel placed in the foundation beams? Was the ground prepared so that the entire structure will not sink and shift due to the weight of construction? No one wants their house to look like the leaning Tower of Pisa. None of these questions can be answered by looking at external appearances. However, time, and the assault of the elements will reveal to all either the strength, or the weakness of the foundation. The author of the Sermon on the Mount concluded His message by comparing our lives to the building of a house. What kind of foundation have you chosen to build on?

Fishermen, especially bass fishermen, love to tell fish stories. Throughout your life how have you reacted when the "Big Ones," and the "little ones" all got away? How have you responded to all those "daily hurts", all those "daily misunderstandings?" Are you carrying a personal checkbook filled with a list of all the "I owe yous" that are your due? If we are dancing in the celebration of freedom from guilt, we will have little difficulty writing off the small change others owe us.

"How can I get the money to pay these bills? It’s becoming impossible to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads!" " I counted on my best friend to keep a confidence. I could kill her for blabbing some of my personal secrets!" " I committed my life to Christ, and look what I get -nothing but hard times!" Does any of this worry about making ends meet, anger over broken confidences, or discouragement over spiritual struggles sound familiar? Together we can discover some answers.

The Lord’s Prayer? When recited by a congregation in a beautiful cathedral, accompanied quietly by a pipe organ, this prayer exceeds the eloquence of any other ceremony. But can we enjoy the kind of family intimacy that allows us to address our Heavenly Father as “Daddy”? What was Christ's original intent in giving us these words?