Lee Strobel

What is Jesus or who is Jesus? God has existed from eternity past as the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. They've always existed in a perfect love relationship. And so God, when he decided to create humankind, because they're in this love relationship, he wanted us to experience love. And so he gave us free will. Well, what have we done with the free will?

What is Jesus or who is Jesus? God has existed from eternity past as the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. They've always existed in a perfect love relationship. And so God, when he decided to create humankind, because they're in this love relationship, he wanted us to experience love. And so he gave us free will. Well, what have we done with the free will?

What is Jesus or who is Jesus? God has existed from eternity past as the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. They've always existed in a perfect love relationship. And so God, when he decided to create humankind, because they're in this love relationship, he wanted us to experience love. And so he gave us free will. Well, what have we done with the free will?

We've turned our back on God. We've denied him. We've, look at the world, it's a mess. We've used our free will and given God the middle finger, basically. And so God loves us. He made us in his image. We are made as, which means not physically, but our souls are fashioned in the image of God. And he loves us.

We've turned our back on God. We've denied him. We've, look at the world, it's a mess. We've used our free will and given God the middle finger, basically. And so God loves us. He made us in his image. We are made as, which means not physically, but our souls are fashioned in the image of God. And he loves us.

We've turned our back on God. We've denied him. We've, look at the world, it's a mess. We've used our free will and given God the middle finger, basically. And so God loves us. He made us in his image. We are made as, which means not physically, but our souls are fashioned in the image of God. And he loves us.

And so he said, I'm gonna send Jesus into the world to be born of a virgin, fully God still and fully man. And his ultimate purpose is Easter. His ultimate purpose is to die. To die, why? To die as our substitute. who says, I'm gonna pay the penalty you deserve, because I love you. I'll pay the penalty, you don't have to, if you receive this gift of forgiveness as a free gift of grace.

And so he said, I'm gonna send Jesus into the world to be born of a virgin, fully God still and fully man. And his ultimate purpose is Easter. His ultimate purpose is to die. To die, why? To die as our substitute. who says, I'm gonna pay the penalty you deserve, because I love you. I'll pay the penalty, you don't have to, if you receive this gift of forgiveness as a free gift of grace.

And so he said, I'm gonna send Jesus into the world to be born of a virgin, fully God still and fully man. And his ultimate purpose is Easter. His ultimate purpose is to die. To die, why? To die as our substitute. who says, I'm gonna pay the penalty you deserve, because I love you. I'll pay the penalty, you don't have to, if you receive this gift of forgiveness as a free gift of grace.

I'll give you an example. There's a story, I don't think it's a true story, it's more of a parable, of a judge, and he's an honest judge. He's a righteous judge. And one day, a woman is brought in front of him on a charge of shoplifting, and it's his own daughter. And he says, what is the evidence against my daughter? And they present the evidence that she's clearly guilty, clearly guilty.

I'll give you an example. There's a story, I don't think it's a true story, it's more of a parable, of a judge, and he's an honest judge. He's a righteous judge. And one day, a woman is brought in front of him on a charge of shoplifting, and it's his own daughter. And he says, what is the evidence against my daughter? And they present the evidence that she's clearly guilty, clearly guilty.

I'll give you an example. There's a story, I don't think it's a true story, it's more of a parable, of a judge, and he's an honest judge. He's a righteous judge. And one day, a woman is brought in front of him on a charge of shoplifting, and it's his own daughter. And he says, what is the evidence against my daughter? And they present the evidence that she's clearly guilty, clearly guilty.

Well, now what does he do? He loves his daughter. It's his only daughter. He loves his daughter. but he's a righteous judge. He can't just wink and say, ah, yeah, nevermind. I forgive you. Forget the whole thing. He can't do that because if he did that, he would not be a righteous judge. He would not be an honest judge. So what does he do? He looks out at his daughter, says, I find you guilty.

Well, now what does he do? He loves his daughter. It's his only daughter. He loves his daughter. but he's a righteous judge. He can't just wink and say, ah, yeah, nevermind. I forgive you. Forget the whole thing. He can't do that because if he did that, he would not be a righteous judge. He would not be an honest judge. So what does he do? He looks out at his daughter, says, I find you guilty.

Well, now what does he do? He loves his daughter. It's his only daughter. He loves his daughter. but he's a righteous judge. He can't just wink and say, ah, yeah, nevermind. I forgive you. Forget the whole thing. He can't do that because if he did that, he would not be a righteous judge. He would not be an honest judge. So what does he do? He looks out at his daughter, says, I find you guilty.

I'm sorry, but you're guilty. And I have to say that, I have to declare it. You are guilty and I sentence you to jail for 60 days. and a fine or a fine of $10,000. Well, he knows she doesn't have $10,000. She's going to have to be separated from him in jail for 60 days. But what else could he do? He's an honest judge. You know what he does?

I'm sorry, but you're guilty. And I have to say that, I have to declare it. You are guilty and I sentence you to jail for 60 days. and a fine or a fine of $10,000. Well, he knows she doesn't have $10,000. She's going to have to be separated from him in jail for 60 days. But what else could he do? He's an honest judge. You know what he does?

I'm sorry, but you're guilty. And I have to say that, I have to declare it. You are guilty and I sentence you to jail for 60 days. and a fine or a fine of $10,000. Well, he knows she doesn't have $10,000. She's going to have to be separated from him in jail for 60 days. But what else could he do? He's an honest judge. You know what he does?

He takes off his robe and he walks down in front of the bench and he opens his checkbook and he writes out a check for $10,000. and he rips it off and he says, I want to give this to you so you can pay the penalty that you deserve, but I'm going to pay it for you. Now, she has a choice. She could turn it down, say, no, no, no, I'd rather go to jail. I don't think she'd do that.

He takes off his robe and he walks down in front of the bench and he opens his checkbook and he writes out a check for $10,000. and he rips it off and he says, I want to give this to you so you can pay the penalty that you deserve, but I'm going to pay it for you. Now, she has a choice. She could turn it down, say, no, no, no, I'd rather go to jail. I don't think she'd do that.