Anchorpoint Radio

The gospel message that we present weekly on Anchorpoint is really not a complicated one. The message can be expressed in just 25 words. Twenty-five words that can mean the difference between eternal life and eternal death. "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."       Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ came to do for us what we could never do for ourselves. Can you trust in the record that God has given us about it 

There is quite a touching account in the Old Testament of the love story between Isaac and Rebekah. Abraham, Isaac's father, initiated a search throughout the land to find the perfect wife for his son. She believed the word that she heard from the seeking servant and left all that pertained to her old life behind. So, what will your answer be? Will you, like Rebekah, consider the offer? Will you also respond, "I will go with this man"? 

Today's story is all about being wise, not just for this life but for eternity. Do you have the only thing you need when it comes to your closing moments here on earth? When you think of it, what else really matters? What is it? Hear what the Lord Jesus Christ has to say about it in this parable.

In John Chapter 3, we read the story of one man's personal interview with the Lord Jesus Christ. His name was Nicodemus, and we are told that he came to Jesus sometime in the night. And what a memorable night that was in the experience of this religious, yet empty man! A night he would always remember. A night that he came to realize that the Lord Jesus Christ was much more than a teacher - He was a Saviour - the Saviour he desperately needed if he were ever to be in heaven.

One of the most ancient questions in the world was asked by Job in the old testament - "How can a man be just with God?" Or maybe we could say "How can I have my sins forgiven? How can I know that I will be in heaven?" The Lord Jesus told a story to illustrate what the answer was. You see, the answer to God's ancient question is Christ himself. It is through Christ that we are justified and cleared of all guilt. It is through Christ that we have peace with God. 

Here's a personal question for you. What do you think of Christ? It's not really an unusual question. You see, it was asked over 2000 years ago. And do you know Who asked the question? The Lord Jesus Christ Himself! He asked the people who followed Him what they thought of Him? Notice He did not ask what they thought ABOUT Him. His question went much deeper than that. So, what if YOU were there that day? What would YOU have said? It's a question that will determine your eternal destiny.

One of the beautiful pictures in the Bible is that of the Lord Jesus Christ as our great High Priest. Priests represent people before God – they stand in the place of the people. Did you know that Christ does that? Because He is sinless, He can come before God and plead for us. He does not need a sacrifice for His own sins. He had none. Instead, He has become a great sacrifice Himself. He presented Himself to God in our place and became a substitute for us, dying in our place on Calvary’s cross. We don’t need an earthly priest to bring us to God – we just need Christ! 

The Lord Jesus Christ in His attempt to reach sinners of all intellects and educational levels, gave illustrations that were simple enough for even children to understand. One example is when He refers to Himself as a “door” – an entrance way, if you will – into heaven. But please notice that he goes further than to call himself a door – he calls Himself THE door. Yes, Christ says that the demands of a holy and offended God will accept only one way. So, have YOU entered in through the door that God has provided?

Every religion in our world today stresses the importance of the need to do something in order to obtain the approval of a divine being, the forgiveness for wrongdoings, or the attainment of spiritual peace within. The Bible, however, is very clear in its emphasis that there is nothing that we are able to do to please God, that we are spiritually bankrupt. Over and over again, the scriptures point out how that eternal life and forgiveness with God is a GIFT – a gift that comes from God, not from us. That is really why the gospel is really all about good news – there is a divine solution to a tremendous problem that we are unable to fix ourselves. 

How often we, as mere human beings, make our every day plans as is we are in total control of our lives. We forget the disclaimer often made in the Word of God - the little words "BUT GOD". Yes, God has the final word. Perhaps we face some very difficult circumstances in life, and there seems to be no way out. Or, worse still, we learn about our sinful condition before a holy God and come to realize that there is nothing we can do about it. It is wonderful to know that despite our condition and circumstances, there is a God Who is ready to step into our lives and make a difference. 

 The Christian faith is very clear on this one important fact - that there is salvation in nothing or no one else but the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 states: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Man's universal problem is sin - and sin must be put away if we are to be on the right terms with a holy God. As sinners, we cannot do this ourselves. We need the intervention of another who has no sin of His own - that is, the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. And there is only one way to receive it - by trusting in His work alone.

It is impossible to over-emphasize the importance of the Word of God when it comes to the salvation of the soul. It is only by depending on the authority of the Bible that sinners can firmly secure their faith as sure as an anchor holds fast to a giant rock. But not only do we need this firm foundation of our faith - we need to hear it for ourselves. We need to hear God speaking to us THROUGH His Word. It is the Word of God that is able to save the soul. "Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life!" the hymn writer could say. Have you trusted them?

The Bible is quite clear on the true natural human condition. Indeed, the problem of sin troubled the Saviour very much. And we should be troubled by it as well. In fact, it must be faced if we are ever to appreciate the good news at all. Today's broadcast takes up the topic of a 'troubled Saviour', referring to instances in the Bible where it is stated that Christ was greatly troubled. Each of these times is in response to sin and the devastation it causes to human lives. But what a wonderful promise the Saviour gives to us!  "Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in me." What amazing grace! Christ was troubled so that we might not be. This is the heart of the gospel message.

The gospel message is full of superlatives. Its importance, its magnificence, its consequences are of an incomprehensible order of magnitude. It involves love's highest expression - the unbounded love of God shown to us in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And it is expressed most fully at the cross of Calvary where the Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died for the ungodly. But at Calvary we humanity's truest colours as well. The true wickedness of the heart of man against God has been revealed. Here we see the heaviest load imaginable placed upon the Saviour himself - the load of the sin of all people, of all the ages. And one more superlative - the broadest acceptance imaginable to sinners far and wide. 

"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night" is one of the most familiar Christmas carols we hear at this time of year. How simply and beautifully it retells the amazing Christmas story to us! A 400 year silence was broken with those wonderful words, 'FEAR NOT'! And what was their glorious and urgent announcement? The promised child had been born! The Son had been sent! The Messiah had finally arrived to put away sin. And this Messiah was Himself a good shepherd, a great shepherd. 

One of the simplest explanations of the gospel is found in Romans 6 and verse 23: "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Basically, that is all you need to know of the gospel message to pass from spiritual death to spiritual life. As the old adage goes: "Life is short; death is sure. Sin the cause; Christ the cure." So what is the gift of God? Well, the verse says it is eternal life. But a gift needs to be received. Have you received it yet?

The well known story in the Bible of Zacchaeus is about much more than how a short man climbed a tree to see Jesus. It's all about a sinner who earnestly sought out the Saviour, an individual tired of his sins, a rich man sick of his money who wanted instead the true riches of God's salvation. And, yes, it's also about a seeking Saviour - one who came specifically to seek and to save the lost - the one whose heart yearned for the salvation of sinful souls. Is it any wonder then that the two of them met?

Did you know that the very first question asked by God in the Bible were the words, "Where are you"? He expects a response, you know. He wants us to get ourselves located in relation to Him. Another important question in the Bible was asked by a young man who was about to die. He was looking for hope. And a third? Well, it's a direct question aimed at our personal decision to receive Christ or not. What would YOUR answer be?

Are we all "children of God"? Well, we certainly are all God's creatures, but unfortunately we possess the family likeness of our sinful forbears - a fallen, sinful nature. The Bible is clear that we need a second birth to bring us into the family of God. A birth from above. A spiritual birth. One that brings us into the family of God with the likeness of His Son. Has there ever been a time like that in YOUR life?

One of the most misunderstood concepts in religious circles is the actual definition of the word 'Christian'. Some countries are considered 'Christian' countries simply because Christianity is the belief system of most of its residents. Does being a Christian mean that you belong to a certain church or that you are a God-fearing, law-abiding citizen? No. The Bible's definition of a Christian is not any of these. You may be surprised at the scriptural answer to this question. Make sure that you are truly a Christian today - one that God recognizes as His very own.