Like None Other | Max Lucado | The Only One | Oak Hills Church

48:27 so grateful for the honor of bringing these messages to you after all these decades of preaching i've never quite gotten over the fact that you would give me some of your minutes some of your time and your trust. And I pledge to be a good steward of both.

48:49 Gracious Lord. Gracious Lord. as we open your word, would you open our hearts? Would you deposit truth in the deepest recesses of our souls? Would you defy the lies, silence the voices that are not from you? forgive our speaker you know his sins are many and grant that we see Jesus just Jesus through Jesus we pray and all who agreed with the prayer said well Joe was ticked off at Jesus I've never seen anyone so angry at Christ I've seen few people so angry, but never anyone is angry at Christ.

49:56 He was red-faced, clenched fists, spit-spewing, angry. Prior to the encounter, I'd never met Joe. A mutual friend asked if I could intervene in what he described as a crisis of faith. so Joe and I met at a restaurant he was a young guy could have been my grandson maybe 20 years of age a scowl on his face told me that he was not happy we had barely said hello before Vesuvius erupted Jesus had not met his expectations he needed employment but no employment had come his way he said to me i did what my dad told me to do and then with a finger poking at my chest he said i did what you preachers tell us to do i prayed not just once but several times nothing happened no answer so I'm giving up on your Jesus this went on for several minutes it was a rant he used language that was both vile and blasphemous people at a nearby table turned and stared then in a huff he stood up and stormed out Thank you.

51:41 I didn't even formulate a decent response. And I sat there for quite a while thinking, where did that come from? After a few minutes of reflection, it dawned on me what I should have said, what I could have said. Am I the only one who always thinks of what to say long after you've had the opportunity to say it? Given the chance to resume the conversation, I think I would say, Joe, you and I have something in common. I don't believe in that Jesus either. I don't believe in a Jesus that has to jump when I snap my fingers. I do believe in a Jesus who is grand, who is kind, who is gracious, but not my butler.

52:40 Now, the fact that Joe rejected Jesus is distressing. But the fact that he was rejecting the wrong version of Jesus, ha That's a tragedy. Yet, how many people make the same mistake? They reject not the authentic Christ, but a knockoff, an imitation. their grandma's Jesus, a political Jesus, a social Jesus, an anemic Jesus, a taskmaster Jesus, or like the guy in the restaurant, a genie in the bottle Jesus. I wondered, doesn't it make sense to pursue the genuine Jesus?

53:42 This is the aim of this series that we begin today, to advance a case for the uniqueness of Christ, that he is absolutely unique in all of human history. to the population reference bureau our planet has experienced the presence of 108 billion people i don't know how they figure these things out but 108 billion times they say a newborn has cried a toddler has walked a set of eyes have opened a heart has beaten a first beat and assuming that one child was born each hour, we would need 12 million years.

54:39 to welcome them onto the earth. And if all the people who have ever lived stood side by side, we would encircle our planet 5,000 times. That's a lot of people. By and large, we're alike. I know a few stand out. A few make history. A few are warriors or poets or presidents or princes or explorers. A minority is noticeable, but by and large, we're all comparable with one exception. to see him you would not suspect uniqueness. He, like others, had eyes and feet and hair. He spoke the language of his people. He learned the occupation of his father.

55:35 His home was modest. His possessions were meager. His earthly lifespan was relatively brief. Yet he was different. utterly different. His words were exceptional. His claims were unique. His deeds were unparalleled. He was quite literally like none other. Of all the people to ever walk on our planet, he is the only one, the only one to live before time, the only one to create a universe, the only one to appear on earth before his birth, the only one to have his entire life described before it began, to be at once human and divine, the only one to speak with the authority of God, the only one to defeat disease and death, the only one to lead a sinless life but die a sinner's death, The only one to vacate his grave.

56:44 The only one to oversee the universe. The only one to forecast a perfect earth. And the only one to return to reign and rule forever. You see, Jesus Christ is the only one. and if he is who he says he is who the bible claims that he is then all of humanity can release a collective sigh of relief we can sing a song of glorious joy why because if he is who he says he is then we are who he says we are Thank you. and we have a story. We have a purpose. We have an identity.

57:38 We have a destiny. But if he isn't, if he's just like the other 108 billion of us, then to whom shall we turn? We can echo the decision of one of his followers who asked or who confessed, Lord, there's no one else. that we can go to. You have the words that give eternal life. So how should we approach this? How do we explore the identity of Christ? How do we ponder the claims of Christ? Is Christ supreme? No question matters more. maybe that's why the entire bible exists to answer it you see the bible is his story heaven makes its case for Christ through scripture so if you want to make a decision about Christ turn to scripture read it explore it all scriptures point to him maybe you recall or have heard about a conversation that Jesus had with these two men who were walking toward the village called Emmaus.

59:09 This is after the crucifixion. This is after the resurrection. And after Jesus had vacated his tomb, he chose to console two friends, two confused friends. They were downcast. They were heartbroken. And as far as Jesus knew, Jesus, I'm sorry, as far as they knew, Jesus was dead. Jesus was buried in a borrowed grave. So Jesus appeared to them as they walked. And he said, what are you discussing so intently as you walk along? That stunned them, that question did. They couldn't believe. One of them replied, you must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard about all the things that have happened here in the last few days. And he proceeded to tell Jesus that Jesus was dead.

1:00:05 And then he said, we had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. We had hoped. squeeze those words and they drip with disappointment we had hoped he didn't meet our expectations we thought he would do this they were let down they like the fellow at the restaurant were disappointed maybe you can relate maybe you have your questions Maybe you have your concerns. Maybe he didn't do what you wanted him to do. If so, consider how Jesus responded. Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

1:01:10 He gave them a Bible study. He could have done anything, right? He could have levitated. He could have caused a tree to disappear. but he chose to make the case for himself by unveiling the scripture. He opened their hearts by opening the Bible. He opens our hearts by doing the same. Why? Because the Bible is his story. Yes, the entire Bible is his story. People commonly view the Bible as this disjointed random gathering of laws and traditions and biographies. The better view, the intended view, is to see the entire Bible as the story of Jesus. The 66 books of the Bible are 66 jewels, 66 pearls that are threaded together by one storyline, and that is the story of Christ.

1:02:14 and the promise of the Bible is not a religion, not a philosophy, not a list of laws or system of ethics. The cachet of the Bible is Christ. So would you like to know what to do with Jesus, the claims of Christ? Then open the book. let him make his case. Let him tell you about himself because the Bible is his story and Jesus is your story.

1:02:55 In the final years of my father's life, he set out on a quest to find his ancestry. he wanted to know where we came from and chose to adorn the family tree he didn't know, we didn't know so he set out to find out now this was the early 1980s no email no ancestry.com and so he set out to find out our ancestry the old-fashioned way. He traveled. His days were numbered, but he had health adequate to hit the road, so Jack and Thelma hooked up their camper, and off they went across the country. They loved to travel anyway, and this just gave them an excuse. In every city through which they passed, Dad would stop and look for our name in a phone book. Young people, ask your parents what a phone book is. They will tell you.

1:04:12 Now, if our name had been Smith or Jones or Green, it wouldn't have worked. But the name Locado is just unique enough to all but guarantee that anyone who has that last name is a relative, maybe distant relative, but relative. He found one in Tennessee. he found two in Michigan but boy he hit the mother load in Virginia he found a cousin a distant cousin who was also researching the same question so they met for a meal and they swapped notes I can still recall I can still recall the day he called me his voice quivering both from excitement and the disease he said Max we are French.

1:05:11 He said, we arrived before the revolution. Our ancestors were French Huguenots who escaped persecution. We are French. He was thrilled. I was thrilled. Lucador. We found our story. In Jesus, dear friend, you find your story. You find your maker.

1:05:54 You find the reason for your birth. A friend for your life. A provision for your sin. And a solution for your death. In him, you trace your ancestry. Not to France. But to pre-time. into the celestials, into the heavens. Indeed, did you know that the earliest reference to you occurred in a time before time? Consider this poetic paragraph from the pen of the apostle Paul. Now, as we read this, you're going to see some words in bold. Last July, as my daughter was preaching, she would do this. I thought, now that's a good idea.

1:06:49 So I learned a lesson from Jenna. And so when you see these words in bold, will you say them out loud with me? The scripture reads like this. How blessed is God and what a blessing he is. He's the father of our master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, you ready? He had us in mind. Is that not stunning?

1:07:25 Had settled on us as the focus of his love. to be made whole and holy by his love. The idea of you is older than the galaxies.

1:07:45 Before the first angel fluttered the first wing, you were already on God's mind. You were part of the conversation of the ancients. And as the creator was designing the universe, He thought of you, reserved a spot for you, chose gifts for you, designed a life for you, chose your place of birth, your date of birth, your date of death. He predetermined your gender, ethnicity. When he placed pen on paper to write the saga of humanity, your name was already in the plot. coincidence of chromosomes not on your life you were made by God to know God and there's more your biography not only begins with creation it continues long into the next creation many times the Bible speaks about this one of my favorites is in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel.

1:08:57 Look for the words in bold, please. The holy people who belong to the Most High God will have the power to rule. And they will rule over all the kingdoms under heaven with power and greatness. And their power to rule will last forever. History is headed toward an eternity in which the children of God will reign with God in the kingdom of God in which they, in which we will hear Jesus say, well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. You see, we're part of God's eternal plan and purpose.

1:09:51 And since he will prevail, that means we will prevail. We were known before creation. We'll be alive after this creation, this version of creation. Those are just two of the nuggets we find as we quarry the story of the life of Christ. His story is your story. you know your story.

1:10:21 So many people don't. A week ago yesterday, I asked an Uber driver, what do you think happens when we die? And he looked up at me through the rearview mirror. I could see his eyes. And he said, well, I've not given it much thought. Do you think that's interesting? Here's a guy who makes a living helping people get to their destination, but he has not given thought to his own. our friend Stanley Shipp who went home to Jesus about 25 years ago this week used to say people don't have the what for in life figured out and he told a funny story about a conversation he had with a researcher a medical researcher who had helped invent a really important device. And this PhD told Stanley, we take blood and we put it in different tubes and we spin the device around and it separates the blood into different particles. And Stanley, who could be a bit goofy at times, he said, what for? And the researcher said, well, so we can separate the particles. What for? Stanley asked. Well, if we can separate the particles, we can, we can analyze them. What for? Stanley continued. Well, because if we can analyze them, we might be able to detect disease. What for? Stanley persisted. Well, the guy was getting a little frustrated. He said, well, if we can heal the disease, we can keep people from dying.

1:12:20 According to which Stanley asked one final time, what for? What for? Why do we do what we do? Why do we go to work? Why do we make a salary? Why do we get an education? Why do we try to stay healthy? Why do we have kids? Why do we do what we do? do you know the what for of life? I would propose to you that you find your what for in the story of Christ. That's what the Bible says. Look at this passage, going back to the words of the apostle Paul. He said, it is in Christ that we, here we go, we find out who we are and what we are living for.

1:13:20 Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose that he is working out in everything and in everyone. Have you ever heard somebody say, I'm just trying to find myself? well nothing wrong with that but if you're going to find yourself you got to look in the right place you won't find your story by changing your politics by changing your pronoun by changing your preferences by changing your partner you find your story in his story and you find his story in scripture that's why the devil doesn't want us to read the bible he doesn't want us to know the truth but i invite you to explore it to find yourself as you find christ the claim of scripture is simply this. Jesus Christ is a central figure in the history of the human race.

1:14:47 Not so fast, says society. Don't go that far, cautions academia. Let's not overstate the case here, Lakato, warns the free-thinking theologian. you see the word on the street the acceptable word on the street is that jesus was a good person who did good things who said good words who occupies a good place among the many good prophets and preachers and mystics of society go ahead catalog his story on the library shelf right up there next to Moses, Mohammed, Buddha, Zoroaster, Confucius, throw in Joseph Smith if you want. add some Deepak Chopra the Dalai Lama Paulo Coelho mix them together and enjoy a heaping hot plate of pluralism cafeteria styled spirituality Luby's style spirituality a bit of this a taste of that sounds good sounds tasty sounds sophisticated sounds open-minded sounds like the taste the dish of our day Tolerance is the religion of our time.

1:16:21 Influencers promote it. Professors endorse it. Unitarians teach it. They don't bash Jesus, but they don't embrace Jesus. Not as divine, quasi divine maybe, but not quite divine. Go ahead, carve his face into the Mount Rushmore of spiritual leaders. Thank you. But then we run into one problem and that is Jesus refuses to share the mountain. Here's what he said. I am the way and the truth and the light, and no one comes to the Father. He doesn't claim to be a way to God, one of many ways to God, or the trendiest way to God. He claims to be the only one, the uncreated creator, the all-sufficient savior, the perfect redeemer, the death destroyer, the undefeated arbitrator, the tireless sustainer, and the soon-to-come redeemer.

1:17:31 And he will not be one among many. he will only be the only one so the question of the day may be the question of life who is he to you who is he seriously who is he to you if his claims are true he is the single most important person who has ever lived there's not even a distant second he's not just king he's king of all kings he's not the main character of the book he's the author of human life he's not the main event he's the only event he's not mvp he's the entire league

1:18:23 he's not the marshal of the parade he is the parade and this is so important my friend he loves you he does and he wants to walk with you he wants to be the one to whom you turn in the dark of night He wants to be the one to whom you run. when you have nowhere else to go. He wants to be that one. That one.

1:19:04 Your master, your friend, your savior. And he wants you to make the heart stopping, eye popping, life changing realization that in him you are a part of something ancient. Celestial.

1:19:24 Endless. Unstoppable. Unfathomable. And that he who can dig the Grand Canyon with his pinky thinks that you are worth dying for. And he's just waiting for you to say yes to him. Maybe that's what Jesus would have said to Joe. that's the message he gave to the Emmaus bound disciples after that conversation one said to the other did our hearts not burn within us while he talked with us on the road and while he opened the scriptures to us so that's my prayer that over these 12 weeks, he would open the scriptures to us.

1:20:28 Here's to a lot of burning hearts, warm spirits. and trusting souls. Amen. Please, Father, you did it for them. Would you do it for us?

1:20:51 Through Christ we pray. Amen. Amen. We're going to offer a prayer as we do in every service. A prayer of salvation. It's a prayer in which you say yes to Christ. And some of you have said this prayer many times in your life. And you're reaffirming a decision you've long since made. But maybe there's some that have never said yes to Christ. And today is your day. And as you think about this grand Savior who issues this grand invitation, you say, man, I want to be a part of that. before we pray can I ask you the question that I asked the uber driver what do you think happens when we die what's going to happen to you when you die what's going to happen to you don't settle for an I don't know don't settle for I haven't thought about it

1:21:57 don't don't turn your back on this invitation you can leave today absolutely assured that when you close your eyes on this life you will open your eyes in the next life and you will see Christ no doubt about that there are many mysteries in life many things we don't need to necessarily know but that's one thing my friend You need to know your destination. Doesn't that make sense? Say yes to the one who has already said yes to you since before the creation of the world. And you do so just by offering a prayer. The prayer could go something like this one. I'll lead us in it. Please repeat after me. Jesus, I'm not perfect. For I have sinned.

1:22:52 But I believe in you. Save me. Change me. Forgive me. I give you my life. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. What a beautiful prayer. As we raise the lights, I want to just see if anybody said yes to Christ for the first time today. Would you stand up so we can applaud your decision? Is there anyone who's casting their lot with Christ? or maybe coming back to Christ after being gone for a long time. Christ has taken a stand for us. Is there anyone who would like to take a stand?