Why do I need God?
Story – About 3 weeks ago my fiancé and I were driving down a road known as the Bee Line heading for my home church when I noticed that I had a need. I had a need for gas in my truck. But, I did not do anything about it right then. Well, this road that we were on was made to save time because there are no exists on it like on most highways that have exits for food and gas every five miles. Anyway as we went to make our final turn off of the road I really noticed that I had a need because I ran out of gas and we had to walk a ways to get it… Cheryl was not too happy with me
Tonight I have a need question for you? Why does anybody need God? This is a question that many people have asked over the years, and I am now asking it of you. Think about it for a moment… You know I am a lot like most of you out there tonight. I am pretty confident in who I am, I am somewhat attractive, I have enough money to eat and every now and then buy something for fun, I have my health, I have some friends and a girlfriend, I am not threatened by anything right now, I am fairly comfortable, yes I go through some hard days but it is nothing that I cannot handle on my own. I have it pretty much all together…
So why do I need God? Why do I need something other than me, myself, and I? Most people in this country believe in God. in fact 90% of the population in the U.S. believes in God, or some god like force or being.
But not that many people actually see a need for God. They think there lives are pretty good as they are and as long as they live a good life and give to the poor and not kill anybody or steal a car or rob a bank, then they will be OK when they die. And most of us in this room right now fit into that category. We are all pretty good people right…? You can understand why I asked my question, why do I need God when I seem to be doing just fine on my own. Well consider this… Right now as we speak there is a family who is giving their son over to a government to go into a public place and blow themselves and a few other people up for money.
Consider that right now people are killing other people because they are a different race than themselves and they are raised to hate that other race of people. Consider that a group of people is planning how they can destroy the freedom we enjoy. Consider that right now a young teenage girl is killing the baby that sits helplessly inside of her. Consider that right now an elderly woman is being abused in a nursing home because she cannot control her bladder.
Consider that at this very second a man is forcing a woman to have sex with him at gunpoint. Consider that an angry father is taking his kids hostage and is in a stand off with the police. Consider that 1 out of 4 people in this room steal. Consider that the truth is no longer the truth; it is just what works for you.
Consider that right now the pornography business is making more money than football, basketball, and baseball combined. Consider that as we speak every one of us has done something in the past week that if it were broadcasted up on this screen it would be more embarrassing than we could imagine. Consider that we all do things that hurt other people, and we all have attitudes that hinder other people at times. To say that we as human beings, and even as Americans have it all together is to be ignorant of the evil that is in the world today. It does not take a great deal of time looking at the news headlines that our world is a messy and dark place. All of us contribute to this, even as innocent as we may think we are, we all are guilty of what God calls sin.
Romans 3:23 “Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” NRSV
Not just the murders or the bank robbers, but all of us have not met God’s standard. Since we all have sinned, this next verse becomes painfully relevant to why we need God.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death…” NRSV
So we all have sinned, and sin equal death… Look around us if you want the proof of that verse, death is everywhere we go!!! In fact, all of us sitting in this room right now have a fatal disease and it is called life… If you are born you are guaranteed only one thing in this life and that is death. This sounds like a pretty gloomy and hopeless situation and if God is not a part of your life then you are right… If death is all that we have to look forward to then I say why wait… But death is not all there is! Even though we are responsible for our sin, and we deserve to die, God changed the course of history and he took on the responsibility. He took it upon his shoulders in the shape of a cross and in the nails that were driven through his Son Jesus hands.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” NRSV
This verse says 4 things to us tonight:
There is a God
God has a Son (Jesus)
God loves
God loves the world
You see God has pulled off the greatest scam in the history of scams, he has taken the death and sin that belong to us and switched them for life with no end and a changed heart. Jesus came to earth as a man, lived a perfect life, and then died our death, and gave us his life, which opened the door for those people that God calls to himself. But still people do not see a need for God, they do not see that they are doomed to die and to always be a slave to evil unless they come to saving faith in God. Is God calling you tonight? Is he tugging at you from somewhere deep inside your soul right now? We said that most people believe in God, but mere belief is not enough. While the gifts of salvation and a new life are free from God, they cost you everything. You see you cannot earn salvation from God by a good life, but to gain salvation it cost you your life. Not literally in that God wants you to kill yourself, but the plans, the dreams, the control, the rights to your life and your future you give over to him and you submit to his control. He ask for this because he is a wise father who knows what is best for us. So is this you tonight, have you ever began a relationship with God through Jesus? Have you ever said to God as best you knew how, “God I need you to come save me, I cannot do it. I am sinful God and I need you to come and make me clean. I believe that Jesus made this possible for me and that you have chosen me to be your child. Give me a new heart and a new life.” If you have never given your life over to God and seen that new life grow inside and outside of you then I am asking if you see a need for God? Do you see a need for God tonight?
Lets pray…
Prayer time ------------------
For some of us in this room tonight we have done this, we have seen a need for God and we responded to it with faith that God would save us and change us. If this is you then I ask you to pray for the people who have not done this.
If you are here and you know that you are not saved. You know that you have never given your life over to God and his control, but tonight you do see a need for God and you are ready to respond in faith that God will save you and change you, if you feel something pulling you toward this inside then cry this prayer out to God.
God I need you to come save me, I cannot do it. I am sinful God and I need you to come and make me clean. I believe that Jesus made this possible for me and that you have chosen me to be your child. Give me a new heart and a new life. Amen
If you prayed that know that in the book of John it says that God will give you the power to be saved. He will begin the salvation process in your life.
