Authentic Faith

In a consumeristic culture we normally gravitate toward those who can help us. If I need help laying a floor, I go find me guys that can lay a floor. If I need help building a shed, I go find people that know how to build a shed. If I am sick, I go to a doctor to heal me of my sickness. We tend to gravitate toward those who meet our needs. Its often about us. What the generation z calls this is main character energy. Its like we are the main character of a movie or a video game and no one else matters except us. My mom would describe it as the world revolves around you.

The gospel defies all main character eneregy. AS we recognize the truth of who Jesus is the reality of who we are comes into view. Our posture toward Jesus if founded more in who he is.

This is what we witnessed concerning John the Baptist isnt it? AS he proclaimed that the time is here and he must decrease while Jesus must increase. Jesus is the one who has true Main Character energy because he is the one that all things were created in and through and for.

So why do we come to him? Do we come to him because of what he can accomplish for us? Do we only come to him because he brings us salvation if we trust in him? There is a dinamic that we find in modern christianity that makes Jesus to be a guru. He is the one we come to to fix our needs and hurts. Jesus is not a magical safety switch that gets us out of the punishment of our sins. Is your faith in Jesus less about him or more about what he can do for you?

Through our text today we are going to ask three questions about our faith to find out the authenticity of it.

First, is our faith based in spiritual curioisty or actual commitment?

second, Do we have faith based upon an Emotional Feeling or an informed Belief?

Finally, Is our Faith based in a single decision or a Growing Dependence?

We will revisit these questions at the end, to see where we land.

The faith of the Galillians 43-48

They were welcoming him having seen all that he had done.

saw him as a Miracle worker not as the son of God.

The Faith of the Official

49-50

faith in the word of jesus

faith not just in miracles

The Message of John 6. The Second Sign—Healing the Official’s Son (4:43–54)

Faith based on signs and miracles must not be mistaken for true faith, however, which is why Jesus does not encourage it. It fails to honour God, since by it he serves us rather than the other way round.

The Message of John 6. The Second Sign—Healing the Official’s Son (4:43–54)

Beyond the miracles we seek the Lord who works them. It is in obeying his commands and trusting his promises (50) that true faith is expressed. Now we have ceased to dictate the terms of our relationship—we exist for him, not he for us. Now we ‘believe

The outcome of Faith (51-54)

life

continuous belief

growth

Psalm 119:71 “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.”

Hebrews 12:11 “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Is Jesus enough for you?