Students seeking inward peace and stability discover that it cannot be found through worldly pursuits or mere religion, but only through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. One student's testimony illustrates how turning to the Bible revealed his sin and separation from God, leading him to accept Christ's sacrifice as atonement. This acceptance resulted in a profound transformation, including the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the removal of guilt and fear, and a settled assurance of salvation. The sermon concludes that Christ is the unique and ultimate answer to the human longing for peace, offering a peace that is both lasting and divinely provided, not earned or purchased.
Restored with Diffio
Audio restored with Diffio. Diffio processed the original archive recording to reduce noise and produce a cleaner listening version; the original stays available.
Some time ago a Christian student of the University of Virginia was offered a thousand dollars by a classmate if he could have the same inward peace that the Christian student possessed. Other students asked the Christian, what do you have that the rest of us do not have? Where did you get it? And how can we get it? Every student seems to agree that we We need some sort of faith to undergird our lives, but no one seems to know where to find it. There seems to be an inward confusion, and yet a searching, a reaching out for something that will give stability. One student gives his testimony by saying, at first I was not interested in spiritual matters.
I did not wish to believe because I feared God would interfere with my plans. I wanted to run my own life and preferred not to have God getting in my way. This attitude led only to dissatisfaction and mental confusion. Life became meaningless and without definite purpose. I searched for something better. I turned to the Bible and resolved to investigate it with an open mind, and I was simply amazed at its contents. It showed me my true condition before a holy God. I learned that my sin had separated me from him, and that he could not possibly associate with me until all my guilt had been removed.
All that life offered to me was spiritual death and separation from God. In reading the Bible further, I was delighted to find that God had worked out a plan to deliver me. He had provided a Savior to die in my place and promised to equip me of all guilt if I would accept the Savior as my substitute. I learned that God is the governor of the universe, and that I am a criminal who have violated his laws. Justice condemns me to be hanged, but the Son of God, constrained by divine love, consented to be hanged in my place. Then he came back to life after he was crucified.
When I learned these few amazing lessons, I accepted him as my Savior, and in so doing, An amazing thing happened. I was born again. God came to dwell inside of me. That sense of guilt and fear left me. And I realized that I was justified before a holy God. I cannot explain just how it happened, but I know it works. If you do not believe it works, ask someone who has tried it, or still better, experience it yourself. I am convinced that Christ is the answer for all who who are looking for inward peace. Before I trusted him, I raised all kinds of questions such as, Can we be sure that God is real, that the Bible is true, that the soul is immortal?
Since I am saved, I have asked dozens of students to answer these and similar questions, and in almost every instance the answers are, I do not know." The testimony of this student reflects the general thinking of many students, and there is only one answer to this question, and thank God the one student found Christ, who is the answer to all the inner desires of the heart. It must be rather discouraging to try to study and to prepare for some vocation when the future seems to be enshrouded with a dense fog. Unless the student possesses a definite knowledge of sins forgiven and an assurance of each eternal life, life will appear as an empty dream.
That inward confusion must be settled. The spiritual security is so necessary to enable a student to look upon life as a vast field of opportunity. The student who offered $1,000 to purchase that inward peace that he desired has no doubt discovered by now that it cannot be purchased by money. But God does offer for it as a gift, for the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. It's rather strange that men and women will rack their brains trying to find inward peace without Christ. It indicates that they do not believe that Christ is the answer to their problem, and yet there are thousands of born-again Christians who have found that desired peace by coming to Christ for salvation.
Are they all cracked? Are they all dreamers? Do they just imagine that they have peace? If you, my listening friend, are searching for inward peace without Christ, you are attempting the impossible, and your own experiment will eventually prove the statement. The peace that comes by having the sin question settled makes life worthwhile. That abiding peace of knowing that at any moment, if I should be called into eternity, I know that I will nothing in this world that can be compared to that blessed assurance. And God offers it to anyone and everyone who desires to have it. But only in Christ and never apart from Christ.
There is no substitute for Christ. Even religion will not take the place of knowing Christ. Many religious people are still void of inward peace, which proves that mere religion is not of spasmodic peace, that is, their fears seem to leave during a period of revival or as the result of making some new promise or dedication to God. Such temporary moments of apparent peace do not bring satisfaction. There is no justification, there is no peace except through our Lord Jesus Christ. When Christ hung on the cross, he suffered and bled and died for all of my sins.
What Christ for me and many others. He longs to do for you, and he will do it the moment you receive him as your Lord and Savior. I trust at this very moment you will open your heart's door and receive that wonderful Savior who will bring to you that inward peace that you desire.