Does Jesus Entrust Himself to You

So first of all I want to thank all of you who prayed for us as we were one month in India and we had a very busy time but a very profitable time and we also celebrated the 50th anniversary of CFC Bangalore and the thing I mentioned it over there that I've seen CFC Bangalore when it was 10 years old, 20 years old, 30 years old, 40 years old and now 50 years old and right now it is in the very best condition far better than when we were there. So I see that the Lord is doing a great work there with wonderful elders who are all united and a church that's united and growing spiritually far better than I've ever seen it in 50 years which is not usually the case with most churches. Most churches by the time they are 20-30 years old they begin to decline but it's been exactly the opposite.

I'm very thankful for God's work there. I thought of a verse that I'd like to share with you a couple of verses. First of all in John's Gospel in chapter 2. In John chapter 2 and verse 23 it says when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover during the feast many believed in his name observing the science which he was doing.

So this is the beginning of his ministry and you know that the Pharisees and most people in Israel were against Jesus. So the number of people who believed in him was a very small number. So it was a big step when somebody decided I'm gonna believe in Christ and one would have thought you know when you have a whole lot of people thousands and thousands of people opposing you like the Pharisees opposed Jesus and a few people saying we believe in you how would you feel? I asked myself how would I feel if I go to a place where everybody's against me and a few people believe in me I'd be excited but there we see a difference Jesus was not so excited.

It says but Jesus on his part was 24 was not entrusting himself to them for he knew all men he knew how fickle-minded people are one moment they trust another moment they don't or something will come up and they'll go back from where they were and the reason is because he did not need anyone to testify concerning man because he himself knew what was in each man. I thought of it like this we can also be in that number which says we believe in him verse 23 we say really no he's the son of God and he's the Savior of the world but I need to ask myself and you need to ask yourself does Jesus on his part entrust himself to me and if he doesn't then something is failed it's like a you know if you take the picture of Jesus as a bridegroom and the man church is a bride here's a girl who's very much interested in marrying a man who's a wonderful man but he doesn't feel free to entrust himself to her there's really no marriage and I feel that many Christians many believers they believe in Jesus they respect him and they really believe he's the Son of God and the Savior but the important question you need to ask yourself is does Jesus entrust himself to you it says Jesus did not entrust himself to them and that's very sad if I say I believe in him but he doesn't entrust himself to me because and the reason is he says because he does not need anyone to testify about you and me he knows exactly what is inside us that's what it says he knew what was inside each person the inner motives the inner longings and desires and whether it was a total commitment or not it's like a girl I mean think of the picture of the bride in the bridegroom we in Christ it's like a girl who's very eager to marry a wonderful man who's in every way an excellent would make an excellent husband but he sees through her and sees that yeah yeah she's a good girl but she's not really committed and I see from there that the Lord doesn't commit himself and trust himself to many who say they believe in him and I think I've seen that in many many churches even CFC churches I have the question whether they say they believe in him but has Christ entrusted himself to that person I have a doubt that's the thing we must long for dear brothers and sisters not just to say I believe in him ask yourself whether he has entrusted himself to you then the marriage is complete otherwise it is not complete and the other verse I want to point out is in Luke chapter 2 this is the time when Jesus was a little baby and they brought him to the temple for to be circumcised according to the custom of the Jews and we read here in Luke's gospel and chapter 2 and we read there was a man verse 25 Luke 2 25 there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon he was one of those rare godly men who knew the scriptures and was waiting it was waiting for the Messiah to come and one of those rare people about whom is written in the Old Testament was 25 the Holy Spirit was upon him that is very rare in the Old Testament and he had a revelation from the Holy Spirit who was 26 that he will not die until he sees the Messiah so he was a man who had the Holy Spirit on him and who heard the Holy Spirit and again the Holy Spirit is mentioned in verse 27 he was led by the Holy Spirit to go to the temple here's one of those rare people in the Old Testament Old Testament means under the Old Covenant who repeatedly it says the Holy Spirit was upon him the Holy Spirit was leading him he must have been an unusual man because there were not many people in the Old Covenant who had the Holy Spirit upon them even in Jesus time and when he came there he saw Jesus and immediately recognized this is the Messiah I've been waiting for the Holy Spirit said I would not die till I see it and he said now verse 29 now I can depart in peace because I've seen your salvation verse 30 and then he goes on to say something a prophetic word to Mary his mother verse 34 that's the thing I wanted to show you Simon blessed verse 34 that is Joseph and Mary and said to the mother this child now I want you to see this verse 34 and 35 as a prophetic reference to wherever Jesus is present this child Jesus is appointed for the fall and rise of many so think of Christ in the midst of a church this church or any church he comes in and is going to lead to the fall and the rise of many in this church and for a sign that will be opposed that means not everybody will accept what he says so and the last part of his 35 the thoughts that are hidden in many hearts will be revealed so I see this as a picture of when Christ is present in a church powerfully and the leaders are anointed with the Holy Spirit and are walking in submission so that they bring the presence of Christ into every meeting where they speak or lead this will happen in every group of Christians the thoughts verse 35 that are inside people's hearts will get exposed one way or the other and it will lead to some rising up to great heights in the church and some falling away and I have seen that happen and CFC churches it is the presence of the Lord that does it that is why I say the most important thing in every meeting is the presence of Jesus Christ it's not a question of well clever the messages or how many verses was quoted or how impressed we are with the message if the anointing of the Holy Spirit brings the presence of Christ through a human being into a meeting it will lead to some rising some falling down and the thoughts hidden in people's hearts getting exposed so keep those two thoughts in mind what we read in John 2 of Jesus must entrust himself to you it's not enough that you believe in him he must entrust himself to you and if he is present in the midst of our churches the thoughts of everybody's hearts will be revealed and some will rise and some will fall so let's be among those who rise and to whom Christ can entrust himself