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Bibleline Bibleline, they’re got to work on Bibleline everywhere, every time. Here got’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made through the Bible-lined website at calvaryoftampa.org. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s message will be a blessing to you and your family.

In your Bible, through the book of John chapter 14. John chapter 14, look there in verse 1. You know you can go through a lot of scriptures and you won’t find, I don’t guess, a better portion of scripture that is so dogmatic. That’s what’s written here in these six verses. It seems like God says what he means and means what he says. And he says here in verse 1, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God believe also in me in My father’s house or many mansions that were not so I would have told you I Go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself That where I am there you may be also and whether I go you know in the way you know Thomas if and the him

Lord we know not whether thou go and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. No man comes unto the Father, but by me. Nobody gets to heaven to this place that he’s going to build these mansions, whatever it looks like, but he says it belongs to him. He’s going to build it. It’s a literal place and it’s not a state of mind. And he says if I don’t prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also.

And then he makes a real bold statement. He says, I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. No man comes into the Father except through me. You can’t get there any other way. We have a statement that we say a lot called faith alone in Christ alone. Faith alone in Christ alone. But what makes Jesus Christ so unique, so different because He was. Every human born of man at their best, at their best, is still only a man and a center at that.

I was thinking about this. When you read the Bible, isn’t it wonderful that we have in the Bible the story of the wisest man that ever lived, Solomon, that was so wise, smartest man. And we don’t have where anybody has ever been smarter than Solomon. But he was the wisest that ever was. Then you have a story about Samson, the strongest man that ever lived. Well I thought of myself. The strongest man, but Solomon in spite of all of his wisdom, was still only a man.

Samson, even though he had tremendous power that given him by God, he was still just a man. I thought about years ago when I heard this guy make this statement. His name was Cassius Clay. I’m the greatest of all time. Looked like a butterfly, seemed like a bee. You’ve got to remember hearing that. The greatest of all time. You’re still just a man, still just a man and a sinner at that. There’s a debate going on right now on who’s the greatest scholar of all time.

Jack Nicholas, Tiger Woods, Yankee Arnold, it’s still going on. The debate’s still out. But out of there, how good they have been, they’re still just a man. There’s nothing unique about them only but they’re maybe the best of the men. I had somebody send me something the other day. I think it was my remember who it was. But it was a picture, a video of an individual back in 1968 or nine or 70, somewhere down there of a guy named James Hayslitt.

You ever heard of him? How many of y’all have ever heard of him? All right, that’s not only about a quarter of the people in this room has ever heard of this guy. But from what I understand, he was a famous man. This guy was Mr. America, right? He was Mr. America. He had a physique and he could turn all kind of ways and the muscles are ripped and all over. He looked kind of like myself, you know. But he was a good-looking guy had muscles all over him and had the title Mr.

America. Now, majority of people, especially the men, would envy somebody with a muscles like that. I don’t remember anybody ever in the mind. You know how I built up my muscles? I knew you wanted to know. I had a strapping physique in the Strat’s Grove. But I used to take and fill the bathtub full of water, then I would take and pull the plug and then fight the current. But this guy today is about 68 years old. And I don’t know if I have ever seen a 68 year old man steel that looks as good as this guy does.

James Haysler, what’s the stand up James? Here he is right back at two right look at it. And I’m talking about, for 40 years, he’s been able to do something that most men can’t do, walk like this. I was over there one day, he showed me his gym and all those weights, he’s got dumbbells. That looks like a lot of work, but in spite of all of that, he’s still just a man, and a sinner at best. It doesn’t matter when you compare anybody in the whole world.

We at our best are just sinners. And we’re all going to die. So what makes Jesus Christ so different, so unique? Jesus Christ was born differently than you and I. He was born into this world by a virgin bird and nobody else can claim that. He was unique. By the way, you know how you pick a unique rabbit. You’ll kneec up on him. A bunch of smarties in here. But Jesus Christ was unique. See, there was no man ever like this man.

And if you’re all the rest of the people in the world, there’s somebody you can compare to. But when it comes to Jesus Christ, nobody is in the same class with him. You see, He was wiser than anybody, any man who has ever lived. No battle can compare with Him. And when it comes to strength, did you realize that Jesus Christ has all the power in all the world? He could just say words like I am that I am and they fall backwards.

He could just say the word and give a person the ability to see. He could just say the word and raise the dead. Have you seen anybody else lately doing anything like that? He was different. He was unique. There’s nobody like him. Jesus Christ. Something else. You see, there’s no one that can compare to him. The Bible makes this statement. In him was no sin. Hit that. In him was no sin. That separates the man from the boys. He was different.

He was unique. He was special. The greatest man that’s ever been born into this world and there’s no person that can compare to him. Nobody’s like him and he had no sin in him. I want you to take your Bible, look there in John chapter 8, very quickly just look at this. When Jesus was speaking, He said this in verse 44, to some people who didn’t believe on Him. So He says in verse 44, ye are of your Father the devil and the lust of your Father ye will do.

He was a murderer from the beginning and a boat not in the truth because and you are on the line this phrase. There is no truth in him. So you have the devil and there’s no truth in him. He is a liar. There is no truth in the devil. When it comes to Christ, there is no sin in him. The devil, there’s no truth in him. Big difference. Jesus is different. And so when we talk about You’re supposed to put your faith in Jesus Christ, but he cannot mirror it down and says, I am not a way of many ways.

I am the way. There is no other way. There is no other name. There’s no other Savior. He is different. He is unique. And he could claim something that you and I could not claim. He was the only begotten son of the Father. He’s different from you and I. He was God manifested in the flesh. And Jesus Christ was able to do something that no other man on the face of the earth could do. So what was that? I knew you were going to ask him.

He could die and pay for the sins of another. He could die and pay for the sins because he had no sin to pay for. In him was no sin. The Bible says for God have made him Jesus Christ who knew no sin to be sinned for us. Nobody else can claim that. He was different. He was unique. He could become sin for us. But you can’t do that for anybody else and nobody else can do it for you.

Only one person. That’s why when we say, my faith alone in Christ alone is because there is no other. There is no other way in salvation. There’s no one else that could pay for your sins. Except Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God. You know what makes him a little different from you and I? that word perfect. He was perfect. I know you think you’re close. If you’re not perfect, we have all sinned and come short of the perfection of God.

But he did not come short of the perfection of God. He was God. That’s why we have a very unique Savior. He was the perfect man, the perfect God man. Nobody liked him because he was the Lord. And he was able to do something. He could die and pay for the sins of the world. You can’t do that. Cassius Clay couldn’t do that. I can’t do that. Nobody could do that. Only Jesus Christ could do that. So, it’s faith alone and Christ alone.

There is no other. You know what else he could do that nobody else could do? That makes him really unique. He could come back from the dead of his own power. He could come back from the dead, and he did. So Jesus Christ did something nobody could do. That’s the pay for all the sins of all the world. He’s a man’s man. He’s really a man’s man. If there’s anybody you want to be like, then I won’t be like that man, because he’s different.

He’s really unique. That’s something that everybody can desire. And believe it or not, it can happen. You see, Jesus Christ had the power not only to pay for the sins of the world which nobody else could do, but he could come back from the dead which nobody else has ever done. And he was able to come back from the dead not to die again, never to die again. Over the last years and so the others, they raised them from the dead, they could die again, and they didn’t do it by their own power.

Only this man. This man’s different. There is nobody like Jesus Christ. I am not following some devised fable. Unfollowing truth. Jesus Christ is truth. In him is no lie. That’s why the Bible says in the book of Titus, God can not lie. Think about that. God can not lie. That’s why when you read the word of God, think about what it says. God can not lie. So if he makes your promise, he has to keep it. And the Bible says in the book of the first job about God promising us eternal life.

And if he makes a promise, he has to fulfill it. If he said, I trust him, he will save me. He has to. He can not lie. And him is no sin. He is truth. Jesus Christ comes back from the dead, ascended into heaven, which nobody else today been able to do their own power. The Bible says he’s going to come back again someday. I am so thankful that I had a man one day who came into my life.

I guess you could say it was kind of like a lighthouse and I finally saw the light. My father-in-law, who at one time was going to blow me away with a gun because I married his daughter and He couldn’t murder me. I wasn’t ready for eternity. What has God been gracious to me? And He sat down with me and He opened up the Bible and He explained to me how to have eternal life. I’ll never forget it. You know, there’s a lot of things that’s coming on since then, but I can remember that day.

I remember sitting there in the living room. I remember asking Him because I was upset because they didn’t have a television. They didn’t have a radio. They did. I never heard it. And I wanted something to do and I was bored stiff. And I don’t hand on boredom very well. That’s why whenever I started having devotions by myself, it was very difficult because I just not used to spending time with myself. I wasn’t my own type. But I had this man, my father-in-law, get a Bible.

And he brought me the Bible. And I said, I don’t know what to read in the Bible. He says, the gospel of John. I says, I don’t know where it is. He says, I do. So we opened it up to the gospel of John and he gave it to me and I started reading. I read the first three chapters. I even read John 3 16, didn’t understand it. I stood up and I took his Bible, and I threw it on the couch.

I can see it. I was so rude. I was so unkind. But he was so patient with me, so nice. I thought on the couch and I said don’t make a better sense to me and I started toward the door from glad side. And he says, Yankee, set up. I thought I’d rule myself at the time. But I was living in his house and eating his food. He says, set up. I said, and he got John 3 16 and he said there and he read it to me.

They explained it to me. And I got teary eyed. I had never been to a church. I don’t know what the rules were. I didn’t want to know what anybody did. I wasn’t raised in church. I never saw my mom and dad in a church. I never saw them read a Bible. I never saw them have prayer. I never heard the words, I love you. I feel my parents, never. And all of a sudden, I’m hearing that God loves me, God loves me, God loves me.

And then I can have you turn right and go to heaven when I die. And I just knew that what he said was true. I’m going to hell. I kept thinking I’m going to hell. I’m going to hell. And I just, it just overwhelmed me. I got up and I walked over to the door. When I got to the door. I was going to go outside, but my wife and some ladies were outside. And it’s at nighttime and my father lost still sitting there on the couch And I didn’t want him to see me with tears mind because I didn’t cry about anything So I did the only sensible thing a man could do turned up the light So my father was sitting there in the dark he says what’s wrong?

And I started just He said what’s wrong? Nothing I Couldn’t go outside. I couldn’t turn away long. I couldn’t do not subtract me. I was trapped I had a little pride and then I just started bowing like a baby. I couldn’t stop it. I didn’t know you’re supposed to not not supposed to do. I don’t know what you’re supposed to do. I never saw anybody get saved. He hadn’t told me yet. All I know is what he said I’m going to help and that tore me up.

Because for so many years I thought I’m good enough I’ll go to heaven when I die because I didn’t drink. I never had a drop of drink in my life. I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life. I’m I’ve never sworn a cuss word in my life. I think the man goes to heaven, I ought to make it. I’m good enough. I’m better than a life about everybody else that I do. But regardless of how good I was and the best I had, I’m still just a man and a sinner and bastard.

And it all just kind of fell apart on me. And I saw it like a baby. My father-in-law could hear me, saw him, he says, what’s wrong? He knew what was wrong. He set me up. This was a plan. He was a show winner. Hevironment of people to Christ, and he knew what he was doing. But he wouldn’t tell me what he was doing. He let me go through this misery. And I said, I want to be saved. He said, well, you need to turn on the light.

So I turn on the light, and I’m just a ballon, 18-year-old teenager. And I walked over to the couch, and my father looked out on his knees in front of the couch, and I just joined him. And he put his arm around my shoulder and explained it a little bit more to me. So, Jank, will you trust Christ as your savior? I said, I will. And I ball a little bit more. And then he says, he said, now listen, God says that if you trust him, he’d save you.

True, he said, do you trust us? Yeah. He says, are you saved? Yes, yes, yes. Y’all say it. I’m saying it. I was as excited as I could be. I did not know that was the beginning of the greatest thing they could ever have to any man ever born to the world, because I passed from death under life. I just was able to become something that by my human efforts I could never have been. And no man could do this for me, but Jesus says, I am the way, I am the truth.

I am the wife, I am eternal life. So when you accepted Christ as your Savior, you got the way there, you have the truth. You have eternal life. That’s news I ever heard in my whole life. I was 18 years old. In September the 17th it will be 50 years ago. See I married my wife before I trusted the Lord, but we’re about three months later. I am so thankful, God has been so good to me. When I finally saw the light, did you know you can go to church all your life and never understand that to go to heaven is not by your works.

stop because you go to church. You can’t earn it. You can’t work for it. That’s why Jesus Christ is so you need. He’s so different. See, God says, none of us can earn it. None of us can work for it. That’s why Jesus Christ says, I am the way. So if I accept Him as my Savior, it’s a done deal. So when I trusted Christ as my Savior, when I was 18 years old, God promised to give me what kind of life.

The avalanche you like? The turn of life? Well if he cannot lie and he gave me eternal life. Almost 50 years ago, when I still have it today, yes, and he’ll never cast me out and he’ll never lose me. That’s a promise. God can not lie. He is truth. And you can trust him. The only way you’ll ever know if you’re going to go to heaven or not is if you can believe the one that can’t lie. And by trusting him as your Savior, he gives you as a free gift everlasting life and will never cast you out and never lose you.

And so I know I’m going to heaven when I die. So it’s faith alone. You see, you can’t put works into it because the best works of any man is still a sinner. And you can’t save himself. So it’s faith alone in Christ alone. There is no other. Nobody else qualifies. There’s nobody else to trust. He is the only way. I trusted him as my Savior and I pray that you have. Let’s pray, Shallelujah. Every head, bow, and every eye, close.

If you’re here this morning and you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, would you do it? Would you do it right now? I’m not going to have you stand up and come forward, not an embarrassed you, but right where you’re sitting. Would you simply say something simple like this? Lord, I’m a sinner. I’m just a sinner, but I believe you died on that cross and that you paid for my sins. And I’m going to trust you right now to take me to heaven whenever I die.

And for him God said if you were trusted, sincerely, then he said he would save you. You become his child and give eternal life. That’s the best news in all the world. So right now in the quietness of this moment, if you’re trusting Christ as you’re saving, never done it before. Would you just say something simple like this, preach it? That makes sense to me. And I want to be certain of the one to heaven when I die. And I want you to pray for me in closing.

Friend, I want to know what I said. Makes sense to you. For raising your hand won’t save you. But trusting Christ will. And I’d like to have prayer for you. So if you will trust Christ right now as you say to you, would you just slip in very quickly, put a wrap back down, do you know what I mean? Just slip it up real quickly, put a wrap back down. So that most of you, trust the Lord, maybe all of you have, I don’t know.

I’m not God. But if you’re not sure, you’re not positive, why not do it right now? And we’re not. Just slip it up very quickly, put a wrap back down. All right, how do we thank you so much for all you’ve done for us? For the free gift of eternal life, and for sending your son Jesus Christ into the world. There is nobody like him. No man can even compare. He is the greatest of all the time. We thank you for all you’ve done for us in Christ and we pray.

Riyam. Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, With Dr. Ralph Arnold, we pray thatPhiladelphia’s message is a clear gospel of Jesus Christ. Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org.

Click on the Spinning Globe in the upper right-quarter of our homepage. If you’re in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10.30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold.

friend one day it will happen the trumpet will sound we will be changed caught up to meet the Lord in the air so live today and every day believing that the Lord is coming soon just keep looking up