Christianity Explained - Believe
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Last time in exploring the question, “What is a Christian?” We saw:
A Christian is a person who belongs to the kingdom of God (Mark 1:15 “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” )
To belong to this kingdom I must repent.
To belong to this kingdom I must believe.
What is faith, or believing?
Today we are going to look at two things: what saving faith is, and what it looks like. First let’s define it.
Saving faith is reliance on Jesus. - (Acts 16:31, John 3:16)
Saving faith is reliance on Jesus. - (Acts 16:31, John 3:16)
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Saving faith does not trust in self, but in Jesus. Faith is changing what I am trusting will save me. We are responding to what God has revealed by relying on what he said.
But what exactly are we relying on Jesus for? Saving faith is for a righteous verdict.
A Christian trusts that Jesus’ death will make him or her innocent before God instead of guilty.
The greatest need of every person is to be found righteous in God’s sight, rather than wicked. When the judgement comes, we desperately need the verdict issued over us to be innocent rather than condemned.
Read Luke 18:10-14.
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
How do we secure this righteous verdict? Faith. If God is going to declare us as righteous, he is going to have to do it based on something other than our sinful record.
When we put our faith in Jesus, we are relying on him to stand in as our substitute before God the Father.
Read Romans 3:21-28.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Saving faith is in Christ alone. You cannot add anything to what Jesus has done (Galatians 2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”).
So here is what faith is: relying on Jesus alone to secure us a righteous verdict before God.
What does faith look like?
We are going to look at three incidents from the Gospel of Mark which illustrate faith.
Read Mark 5:21-24, 35-43.
And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
Faith is taking Jesus at his word.
Faith is taking Jesus at his word.
How would Jairus have felt when the message came that his daughter was dead? Faith here is trust in Jesus’ word no matter what. It is based, not on how we feel, but on the facts of what Jesus said.
Read Mark 5:25-34.
And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Faith is reaching out to Jesus.
Faith is reaching out to Jesus.
The woman’s faith was small - a secret touch of his garment. But the vital thing is not the amount of faith, but its object. Her object was Christ.
Jesus did not allow her to remain hidden. She showed herself publicly. If I am to follow him, I must do the same.
Read Mark 10:13-16.
And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
Faith is having child-like trust.
Faith is having child-like trust.
Jesus is not speaking out being childish. This is more than giving mere assent with my mind. It means trust.
Illustration: Charles Blondin was a famous high wire artist. Some years ago he stretched a wire rope across the top of Niagara Falls and walked across it. Then he took the stunt a bit further and pushed a wheelbarrow back and forth. Next he announced that he was going to wheel a man in the wheelbarrow across the wire. A reporter interview Blondin. He asked the reporter, “Do you think I can do this great feat?” “I really believe you can” replied the reporter. “Well then,” Blondin said, “You get in the wheelbarrow. This is the difference between believing something is true, and committing yourself.
Read John 5:24.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Faith is knowing God accepts me.
Faith is knowing God accepts me.
This tells the believer something about the present and something about the future.
Present - Jesus says a Christian has eternal life. Point out the present tense, has. It is not boasting to say “I know I have eternal life.:” It is just taking God at his word (i.e., faith).
Future - Jesus says that a Christian will not be condemned. He is talking here about the judgement which determines our eternal future, heaven or hell. The believer will not face that judgement, as no charge can be brought against him or her.
Recall Jesus words from Mark 10:15 - If you receive the Kingdom of God, you must do so as a child. We have seen that, to receive the kingdom of God, a person must receive Jesus Christ as their Lord or King, and their Savior from sin. This is a personal step. No one can take it for you.
Conclusion
In explaining Christianity, we have explained who Jesus is and how to follow him.
1. God is our holy creator. He will judge everyone.
2. We have all sinned.
3. But Jesus Christ came into the world and bore the wrath of God. What he has done offers forgiveness.
4. How do we respond? A repentant faith.
Is there a point in your life where you began to follow Jesus?
If not what is stopping you?
Would you like to begin following Jesus now?
Read John 3:36.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
[Teacher - ask the student where he or she is at in regards to following Christ].
If the student would like to trust Jesus, encourage them to express his or her faith through prayer (be clear that the prayer, like any work cannot save - but those who believe on Christ in the heart are willing to go public with it (ie Romans 10:9-10).
If the student is willing to receive Christ, pray with him or her and thank the Lord for drawing them to faith.
If the student is unsure or uneasy, offer to set up a follow-up talk.