A New Beginning

Greg Laurie: It's Jesus only. And that's all we need. Our salvation comes through Jesus, only through Jesus, and the price He paid on the cross at Calvary. Jesus is our High Priest. Jesus is the Lamb of God. And because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, you and I have open access to the Father 24/7. You can approach Him through Christ. It's an amazing thing.

Guest (Male): There's nothing like driving a wide vehicle on a narrow road to make you sweat. Things get tight, tighter, tighter still, and you suck in your breath. Come on, like that's going to make your vehicle thinner. Never does. But narrow roads have to be taken seriously.

The Bible describes the narrow road that leads to heaven. Today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie points out there are few who find it. It's only found through a relationship with Christ.

Greg Laurie: The title of my message for our time together now is simply, "Only Jesus." And I'm going to be looking at Mark chapter nine. When Peter definitely said the wrong thing at the wrong time. This happened when Jesus was transfigured where He shined like the sun with Moses on one side and Elijah on the other. This happened on the mountaintop, and then they had to descend down to a valley for a rude awakening.

I think if we would have our way as Christians, we would always live on the mountaintop. We would always be in a state of perpetual blessing and good times and perfect health and no conflict. But those times on the mountaintops prepare us for what is awaiting in the valley. And when I say the valley, I'm talking about the hardships of life, the reality of life, and we're going to talk about that now in this text.

Let's look at Mark chapter nine. I'm reading from the New Living Translation, and here's what we see. Jesus went on to say, "I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the kingdom of God arrive in great power." Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them to a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus was transformed. His clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could make them.

Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus. Peter exclaimed, "It's good that we are here! Let's make three shelters as memorials: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." Don't miss this verse. He said this because he really didn't know what else to say, for they were all terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my dearly beloved Son. Listen to Him."

Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them. You might underline those two words, "only Jesus." And they went back down the mountain, and He told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what it meant when He said, "rising from the dead."

This transfiguration, this moment where Jesus shined like the sun, is at a significant point in His earthly ministry. It's at the halfway point of a very difficult journey. So Jesus is looking back to the cradle, and He's looking forward to the cross. And He's giving to Peter, James, and John a glimpse of glory or a taste of heaven. And there they see Moses and Elijah, and of course, Jesus.

Now Peter says the wrong thing at the wrong time. Verse six: "It's good we are here." And I love this detail that's added. He said this because he really didn't know what else to say. When you don't know what to say, don't say anything. But Peter says, "It's good we are here." That's the operative word: "here." Hey, Lord, this is blessing central. We love hanging out with You and Moses and Elijah, basking in Your glory. Let's forget all this crazy talk about going to Jerusalem and dying. Let's stay here.

Now Peter gets a rebuke, not from Jesus, but from the Father in heaven. Look at verse seven. "Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, 'This is my dearly beloved Son. Listen to Him.'" Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them. The Father steps into the conversation and effectively says, "Peter, if my Son says He's going to Jerusalem to suffer and die, then that's what's going to happen, and you need to believe Him. And if He tells you to take up your cross and follow Him, you need to do it."

Now Moses and Elijah are gone, and there's just Jesus. And that's all we need. Only Jesus. It's not Jesus and the law and the prophets. Animal sacrifices are no longer needed. We don't need a high priest to step in and represent us to God anymore. Jesus is our High Priest. Jesus is the Lamb of God. And because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, you and I have open access to the Father 24/7. You can approach Him through Christ. It's an amazing thing.

It's Jesus only who's going to save you. Not Jesus plus church tradition or Jesus plus moral living. Not that you should have immoral living, but my point is Jesus is the one who saves you. He does the work. And then as a way of honoring Him and thanking Him, we want to respond by living a godly life. But it's only Jesus. Jesus only. Because sometimes, frankly, friends will disappoint you. Sometimes even family will disappoint you.

The Bible says in Proverbs 18:24, "There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother." And that friend is Jesus. Listen, friends come and go, but Jesus comes and stays. And if you've asked Him into your life, He's not going to leave you and He's not going to forsake you. You have His word on that. Because only Jesus can heal a broken heart. Only Jesus can give you the strength to go on when it's getting hard.

As David wrote in Psalm 23, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me." That's how we get through the valleys of life. That's how we get through the storms of life. That's how we get through the hardships of life. We realize we're not alone, that God is walking with us through it. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego discovered that as they walked through their fiery furnace and there was a fourth person with them that the king said looked like the Son of God. I believe Jesus was walking with those three young teenage Hebrew boys. And when it's all said and done, it's only Jesus. When you're on your deathbed, it's only Jesus who will save you, and it's only Jesus that you will stand before.

Guest (Male): Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. It's such a blessing to hear from listeners who take time to express their appreciation.

Guest (Female): Pastor Greg, I was in a dark place years ago. I was raised in the church but had fallen away from God. That's when I found your teachings on TV and then online. Since then, I've turned my life back over to my Lord and Savior, Jesus. I think you're one of the best pastors and your sermons are so easy to understand. I thank God for you, Pastor Greg.

Guest (Male): When we hear from you, it's not only a blessing, it also confirms that the program is touching lives. Would you consider sharing your story? If so, send an email to Pastor Greg. Send it to greg@harvest.org. Well, we've been witnessing the transfiguration of Christ by way of Mark's account in Mark chapter nine. Pastor Greg points out there's even more to be learned following that amazing event.

Greg Laurie: Now they're descending from this mountaintop, this place of mega-blessings, to face a crisis, to face a conflict in the valley, if you will. And they're going to realize that not only Jesus can save them, but only Jesus can overcome the devil. Go back to Mark chapter nine, and I'm going to read verses 20 to 24. There was a father who had a demon-possessed boy. He brought his boy to the disciples, asking for some help, but they were not able to help this man or this boy.

Our story picks up in Mark chapter nine, verse 20. "They brought the boy to Jesus. The demon saw Jesus and at once held the boy in his power, and the boy fell to the ground with spit running from his mouth." Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" The father said, "Well, from the time he was a child. Many times it throws him into the fire and into the water to kill him. If you can do anything to help us, take pity on us."

The Lord has a very strong reaction to this. Look at verse 23. Jesus says, "Why do you ask me that? The one who has faith can do all things." At once the father cried out and said with tears in his eyes, "Lord, I have faith, help my unbelief!" Powerful story. Now we've come from the mountaintop to the valley and crisis hits. Often after the mountaintop, there is the valley. Going back to the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, when did that happen?

That happened after the Father spoke another time. Remember Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by His cousin, John the Baptist, and the Father said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." And the Spirit of God came upon Jesus in the form of a dove, and we read immediately He went into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. So after the dove came the devil. A lot of times after the blessing comes the challenge. After the blessing comes the temptation.

We should not be surprised when those things happen. Notice that as Jesus approaches this demon-possessed boy, the devil effectively tightens his grip. Verse 20 says the demon saw Jesus and at once held the boy in his power. Listen to this: when you seek to share the gospel with someone, expect satanic opposition. You're entering into a time of spiritual warfare. Remember in the parable of the sower, Jesus said a sower went out to sow seed. Some seed fell on the roadside and the birds ate it.

He said these are they that hear the word of God and Satan comes immediately to take it away. The devil attacks when we're trying to reach people. This boy was coming closer to Jesus and the devil wants to stop him from coming. This poor father, he's at his wit's end. He doesn't know what to do for his son. And he says to Jesus in verse 22, "If you can do anything to help us, take pity on us." And the Lord has a very strong reaction to this.

Look at verse 23. Jesus says, "Why do you ask me that? The one who has faith can do all things." Effectively, Jesus is saying, "What do you mean 'if I can'? If I can help you? Of course I can! Don't forget I was just transfigured with Moses and Elijah. And don't forget I walked on water and I healed a blind man and I raised a person from the dead. If I can? Of course I can! I can handle this! But here's what He's saying: You need to have faith right now."

It's a very good idea for us to remember God's faithfulness to us in the past when we're facing trouble in the moment. Because we'll say, "Oh, God's forgotten about me. God's abandoned me." No, He hasn't. I love how when you read Psalm 107, it reflects on the faithfulness of God to the nation Israel. And it talked about how the Lord delivered them from the bondage of Pharaoh, how the Lord fed them in the wilderness with manna, how the Lord brought them through the Red Sea.

The refrain that is stated over and over again is, "Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men." So they wrote it down. I encourage you, keep a journal and write down how God has answered your prayers. And then the next time when you're facing a challenge, reflect back on God's faithfulness to you in the past, which will remind you He will also be faithful to you in the present and in the future.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This man's faith was weak because he put his eyes on his problem instead of putting them on the Lord. The same happens to us when we forget God's word to us. The way you build your faith is by reading the word of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Then you apply it. So that's why we need to know the Scripture and memorize the Scripture.

Jesus says in verse 23, "Anything is possible if a person believes." Man, have faith right now. And I love the honesty of this man's statement in verse 24. With tears in his eyes he says, "Lord, I have faith, help my unbelief." That's an honest prayer, isn't it? To just say, "Lord, I believe, but my faith is not perfect. And I have unbelief at times." And we all have unbelief at times. We all have lapses of faith at times.

We all have momentary doubts. But this man was honest. And guess what? Jesus met him more than halfway and He answered the man's prayer and He healed the child. Yeah, it would be nice if we could stay on mountaintops, wouldn't it? No more problems, no more troubles. But we all have to come and live in the valley of life, the reality of life. But God will be with us in those times because really those mountaintops are preparing us for reality.

It's not necessarily more mountaintops we need in the Christian life. It's more day-to-day obedience where we're walking by faith and not by feeling. There is coming a day in the future when there will be no more temptation, no more devil, no more suffering. And this is sort of a sneak preview of things to come. But Christ will return to this earth and establish His kingdom. I read the story of a man who was convicted for murder and he was being tried.

The man's defense attorney thought he had come up with an ingenious ploy. He went to the jury and he said, "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you must find my client is not guilty of murder. If there is a slightest doubt in your mind about his guilt, you must not convict him. And I'm going to produce one final witness: the true murderer is about to walk through the door." And he pointed over to the door, and every eye in the courtroom looked that direction.

The lawyer said, "See? You do have doubt. Therefore, I'm asking that you find my client innocent." So then the jury returned after they had deliberated over this for around five hours with a guilty verdict. The lawyer was beside himself that this kind of a sentence would be passed. He says, "Your Honor, I proved that you had a doubt about my client's guilt. How could you possibly find him guilty?"

Then the foreman of the jury, an older gentleman, said in response, "Well, as everyone looked toward the door, I watched your client. And his eyes did not look toward the door because he knew no one was coming. That's why we found him guilty." Listen, we're all guilty because we've all sinned against God. Every one of us have broken His commandments and fallen short of His glory. But one day, Jesus is going to walk through that door.

He's going to establish His kingdom. But until that day, it is so important that we have a relationship with God. Remember, when Jesus was born in that manger, it was so He could die on that cross for your sin, because we're separated from the Lord by our sin. Remember, Moses and Elijah were having an in-depth discussion with Jesus about His death and why that was so important. And they were encouraging Him, no doubt, for Him to go through with this.

Think how hard it was for Jesus to take the cross and carry it through the streets of Jerusalem after He had already had His back ripped open with a Roman whip. And even more, think how hard it was for Jesus to bear all the sins of the world. That is what He was contemplating in the Garden of Gethsemane. Being God, He knew what was ahead. He knew He would have to take all the corruption, all the sin upon Himself, and He did not want to do it.

That is why He said to the Father, "If it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but Yours be done." But He did it. He went on with it, and He accomplished it, and died on that cross for your sin and rose again from the dead. And now He offers you the ultimate gift, and it's the gift of eternal life. And you can reach out and accept this gift. You can receive this gift, and you can be forgiven of all of your sin.

Would you like that to happen? Jesus, who died on the cross and rose from the dead, stands at the door of your life right now and He knocks. And He says if you'll hear His voice and open the door, He will come in. Would you like Jesus to come into your life? Would you like Him to forgive you of your sin? Would you like to receive this gift of eternal life? You say, "Yes, I would. What do I do?" You do it in prayer.

The Bible says if we will call upon the name of the Lord, we will be saved. So in a moment, I would like to lead you in a prayer, a prayer that you could pray along with me where you would be saying to God, "I need Jesus in my life. I need my sin forgiven. I need a fresh start in life. I want to know with confidence that one day I will go to heaven." If you will pray this prayer with me and mean it from your heart, God will hear your prayer and God will answer your prayer.

This can be not just a game changer, this can be a life changer for you right here, right now. If you want Jesus to forgive you of your sin, if you want to go to heaven when you die, if you want your guilt taken away, pray this prayer with me. You could even pray it out loud if you like. Just pray these words if you would, please.

Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner, but I know that You're the Savior who was born in a manger, who died on the cross, and who rose from the dead. Now, Jesus, come into my life. I choose to follow You from this moment forward. Thank You for hearing this prayer and answering it. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Guest (Male): Pastor Greg Laurie with an important prayer with those who are making a decision for the Lord today. It's a day some will remember for the rest of their lives. And if you've just prayed with Pastor Greg today here on A New Beginning, well, first of all, we want to welcome you into the family of God. And second, we want to help you get started.

Dave: Let us send you Pastor Greg's New Believer's Bible. It has scores of helps specifically for new believers, including a section called First Steps to help you know God's plan for your life, how to know you're saved, how to find the right church, how to study the Bible, and more. And we'll be glad to send you the New Believer's Bible free of charge if you'll call us at 1-800-821-3300. Call anytime, 1-800-821-3300. Or write A New Beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, California, 92514. Or go online to harvest.org and click "Know God."

Well, Pastor Greg, we got a great letter from a listener that I've just been anxious to read to you. Let me do that now. It says, "Pastor Greg, I'm a 54-year-old widow with two children who've been raised with Pastor Greg Laurie. I wrote you almost 20 years ago to tell you that you played a part in saving my life. I wanted to die after my husband and son were killed in an accident. You and my brother, who was a Christian, saved my life all those years ago.

I hung on every word you preached, and you still are blessing me daily with A New Beginning and your podcasts. Thank you for all your years of faithfulness as a pastor, teacher, and a husband and father to your family. I was heartbroken to hear about your son Christopher. I can empathize with losing a son. I'm so sorry, though, for you and Kathy's loss. Thank you for bringing a light and a hope into my life and helping me to be a mother to my children when I had lost all hope.

You asked us to write you a letter tonight in the podcast that I was listening to. I wanted to let you know that I have been a monthly supporter for a long, long time and will continue to do so. God bless you and your family. Your sister in Christ." Isn't that a great letter?

Greg Laurie: Oh my goodness. Wow. What is her name, Dave?

Dave: Her name is Cindy.

Greg Laurie: Cindy, if you're listening, I want to thank you for that beautiful letter. That letter pretty much sums up why I do what I do. Because when I hear a story like yours and realize that it made a difference, it brings great joy to me. And I'm so sorry for your loss of your husband and your child. But you know that we will see our loved ones again. They're not just a part of our past, they're also a part of our future.

Thank you for sharing that letter because I think it's going to bring hope to people out there that might be in your shoes right now. Maybe they just heard the worst news imaginable, that their loved one died. Maybe it was an accident of some kind or maybe they knew it was coming. Well, whatever it is, when you hear that news, it's just absolutely earth-shaking and life-changing.

But we have Christ with us to walk with us through these difficult times and we have the hope of future reunion. So thank you, and may God bless you and keep you and continue to strengthen you.

Dave: Yeah, that's right. And listen, you can send your own comments to Pastor Greg at greg@harvest.org. But you know, we receive so many letters and comments that speak of how people have been encouraged and how their lives have been changed through this ministry. And we hope you might join our support team so we can make this kind of difference going forward.

Let us invite you to become what we call a Harvest Partner. Our Harvest Partners are close friends of the ministry here at Harvest. They're passionate just like we are about evangelism and discipleship, and they invest in that work each month with a donation in whatever amount they choose. And we thank them in some special ways. Why not get more information by calling 1-800-821-3300?

That's a 24/7 number, 1-800-821-3300. Or write A New Beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, California, 92514. Or just go online to harvest.org. Next time, we'll see Mary, the sister of Martha, offered an extraordinary gesture of kindness and love toward Jesus, but she was criticized for it. What we can learn from that moment next time. Join us on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie.