Evidence to believe

Evidence to believe

October 12, 2021

John 20:30-31

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John the apostle gives us just two verses. It would be wrong to add anything or subtract from these words for our message today. In these few words is the conclusion to his entire book. You may ask, but why isn’t it at the end? The reason is that John is broken up into sections.

The prologue is John 1:1-18 which introduces who Jesus really is (pre-existent Word). Then from John 1:19-12:50 is the Book of signs and His conversations. Then John has the Book of Glory (John 13:1-20:31). These focus on Jesus’s final hours, crucifixion and resurrection and conclusion. Finally we have John’s Epilogue (John 21:1-25) which is Jesus’s post-resurrection appearances.

John is a special book, and the reason I chose it is this. When I meet people who know nothing of Jesus, I point them to John. When I meet people who know a lot about Jesus, I come back to John because it really is the baseline for faith in Christ.

I chose John to start in for this church because if I jumped to any other text, we would all be approaching God’s Word from different vantage points. John centers the believer and the seeker and the non-believer on WHO the entire Book is about.

One of the best ways to test or find out what people really believe is to do an anonymous survey where people can be honest. Every year Ligonier Ministries does a survey on peoples theology. The definition of theology is simply this, the study of God.

In the most recent survey, the findings were shocking. SHOW SURVEY to question #7 and question #33-35

The survey captures some honest thoughts and feelings. It is interesting the differences between Roman Catholic and evangelical but what is more concerning and interesting is the confusion around some of these truths that we have studied these past 3 years. All of which were directly addressed in the book of John.

Now, I know that our church would score much different on this survey. Even the youngest in this room would smoke this. But church, you can see that people are starving for the truth that John, through the work of the HS has given us. Today John theologically lands the plane of this very important work. It is almost like he knew people would score this way on a survey.

It really comes down to the fact that Christians struggle with assurance because they do not know the Word of God. This leads to a false understanding of who God is. Distractions from the world, comfort and complacency chip away at our belief. But there is hope in regaining it! That is what John wants you to hear today!

1.  Overwhelming evidence.

Why do we still lack confidence in the person of Christ? Like I said, the distractions of culture, life, laziness to read His Word, and the list goes on and on. John’s final conclusion hits the lack of confidence square between the eyes. In the shadow of Thomas’s doubt being shattered (last week), John wants you to come to the same conclusion as Thomas and the rest of the disciples.

His purpose of this book is to show us that our LORD was about His mission and He accomplished every bit of it. “Now Jesus did many other signs…” For 3 years the LORD walked this world physically. It is said that He would have walked over 1,560 miles while preaching who God is and the need to repent from sin. It is thought that He walked between 18-22 miles per day (excluding Sabbath).

He was all over the holy land talking to those whom He pre determined. Each interaction was pre-planned, scripted and thus recorded here for you and me. Remember that John’s intended audience is not like Matthew, Mark and Luke. John wants ALL people to read this book. It is not limited to the Jew or the gentile. He wants ALL to believe.

In His conclusion, he says that there are many other signs/miracles but John only selects 7. 1. The water to wine in Cana (2), 2. Raising the royal officials son (4), 3. Healing the lame man at the pool of Bethesda (5), 4. Feeding 5,000 (6), 5. Walking on water (6), 6. healing the man born blind (9), 6. Raising Lazarus from the dead (11). John records seven major signs.

SIGN: semeion=means sign, indicator or miracle. In short a sign points you to something. The ONE who did it. Not the sign itself.

If Jesus came, died on the cross, and went home, we would have a problem. John 4:48 “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” Jesus Himself recognized that signs and miracles were necessary. The signs were not just a fulfillment of prophecy, but a sign of who He was.

Why not record more? John presented the case for faith. Did Jesus do more? Obviously. The synoptic Gospels record in combination over 40 signs and miracles. Later John goes on to say that He did so many that all the libraries could not contain them. But he wants us to see that the signs were an act of mercy that the Father provided through the Son to validate, and prove that Jesus is 100% Messiah beyond any reasonable doubt.

John, by inspiration of the HS us painting you in a corner. The evidence is so overwhelming that we cannot deny the facts. He did signs. He died on a cross to fulfill all Scripture, He was buried and rose on the third day. He rose again and was seen by many people. According to John, pride of non-belief has no leg to stand on. In short, he is asking all of us, why are you doubting what was recorded?

2.  Belief that leads to salvation

Vs “…but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the CHRIST…”

The faith and belief that John is offering is not one without evidence. We do not shut off our brains. He just provided the evidence in signs, but now expects that the evidence leads to something. It has to be more than the knowledge or feeling that it is possible. Here is where our survey questions prove a point. Question 7:

How disturbing those results are! John does not leave us the opportunity to answer that question in any other way but to say, HE IS GOD IN FLESH, the CHRIST! Why doubt this with the weight of evidence provided? To John, it is crazy not to believe, belief that leads to transformation.

As pastor, my job is to get all of us to the pool of the Gospel, the good news of salvation, and then you must come to the conclusion that HE is the source of eternal life. Church, hear me, your requirement is to repent and believe that Christ is LORD and the only means of your salvation.

Now for some, that may have triggered you. You may be saying, but what about obedience? Obedience is a RESULT of the person’s belief. We are to REPENT: see your sin for what it is, rebellion from a Holy and just God. Then, believe that Jesus Christ is the only means for your salvation. Obedience is the fruit of that faith.

My goal is to create a thirst in you all that makes you want to drink from the pool of salvation! When you hear the words of God, does it cut you to the heart? Do you see your sin? Now, do you believe that your salvation is from Jesus Christ alone?

The word that John uses in vs 31 “believe,” is piseous and is a continual belief. It is a maturing belief. For those in the room who say, yea, I know that He is LORD, He is my LORD. Now, if we say that we believe, it will change our behavior. It does not leave us where we were (in constant sin). The belief that John is talking about is a transformative faith that is growing and maturing. It calls on your time, talents, and treasure to get into the game. It never leaves us where we are.

PAUSE

It took three years for John to walk with Christ. He takes three years and puts it into a nice package of 21 chapters for us. I find it interesting that our launch day for MBC is Jan 2nd three years ago. Let’s go back in time. Instead of expositing and teaching the entire book, what would have happened if I jumped to this verse? Would it have had the affect that it has now on you?

The goal of the last three years is that you have dust on your feet. You have walked this walk with the LORD. You have seen the signs, miracles and the doctrine of salvation He taught everywhere He went. You are now familiar with the sights and sounds. And now, John says, you are without excuse. It was all so that you would believe!

3.  Be assured in your belief.

I wish one of the survey questions was, “how often do you doubt your salvation?” I wonder if I did that study in here, where would you land? Would you say, “yes pastor, I struggle with doubt.”

Doubt is a powerful tool of the devil. There are some diagnostic questions I would ask you if you are doubting.

a.             How often do you open your Bibles daily? Psalm 119:105 says “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet.” And Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 directly to the devil, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every WORD that comes from the mouth of God.” You doubting lately? How’s your time in the WORD? Is it dark? Maybe you need the lamp under your feet? Are you spiritually starving? How’s your diet of the WORD?

b.             Doubt is also kept in check by fellow brothers and sisters. Hebrews 10:24,25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Doubt comes from isolation. Is church a priority or just something we do sometimes?

c.              Doubt is also a result of spiritual laziness. Romans 12:11 says, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the LORD.”

The devil does not have to do much to get us to doubt, so let’s not give him a foothold by being lazy in our faith. During periods of doubt, take a hard look at your time, talent, and treasure. Is something off?

John wants doubt to have no part of our spiritual life. He wants us to know that if we believe, we are now children of God and we are a new creation. But, what does that really mean? You can count on Paul to help us out. Turn to Romans 8:14-17

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” PAUSE

Allow me to break that down:

“LED”= Ago: (bring, carry, guide) Gal 5:18 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.[2] Due to HIS Spirit, we are SONS, not under the Law, but under freedom! He ternderly leads us by HIS Spirit to know that we are His children. We are not longer under bondage but are free to receive.

Receive = Lambano (take hold of, acquire, collect) 1 Cor 2:12 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. [3] Now that we have been led, we now receive and take hold of what our hearts know. We exchange our spirit of the world in exchange for HIS so that we understand this new relationship He has given us as sons and daughters.

Now let’s continue to read verse 16.

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, providedwe suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.[1]

“the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God: 2 Cor 1:22 “22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee[4].” What God HIMSELF has guaranteed, who are we to question? God HIMSELF is telling us in our spirits that we are now children of HIS! It’s Him!

If children, then heirs- kleronomos. Someone who will inherit the possessions from a parent.[5] Galatians 3:29 “29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. [6] We are children of promise! A promise of God is a guarantee of fulfillment. We are no longer at odds with our creator! Rather, if we believe these words of John, we are children and heirs to the God of the universe!

Finally, the qualifier: “provided we suffer…” sympaschomeans to suffer together. 2 Timothy 2:11 “11 The saying is trustworthy, for If we have died with him, we will also live with him;12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; [7]We are to die to self so that we may LIVE in Him! We follow Him in death in exchange for the eternal.

Church, the belief that John is taking us to, will sooner or later be validated in your heart or mind, or it will be noise. Real faith will be transformative from slave hood to sin, to child of God. If a child of God, His Spirit stands as a witness with our spirit that the relationship has in fact changed.

The change is that we are no longer slaves to sin, but child of God. If a child, we are no longer like our old selves, who in our sin deny Him continually. Rather, we look and act like our Lord and we are children of promise to salvation.

My question is this, is what is written in the Word of God enough for you to believe? In response to doubt, Jesus says to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Ladies and gentlemen, God, the God of the universe, has an answer for your sin and doubt, and it is His written Word. All 66 books, interlocking together with one voice, point to what John records for you and me. “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the CHRIST, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”

Like I already said, if God is the One who is doing this work, and John has given you and I all the evidence, why in the world would we or could we ever doubt this? This message is from Genesis to Revelation. Now, believe.

Conclusion:

Let me take us back to my introduction. I like to be as objective as possible. What happens if the Ligonier survey is flawed (I do not believe it is) but let’s just say that it is not a good measure.

Barna is another study group. It is a Christian research organization that provides data and insights on the trends affecting faith, culture and ministry today. In a recent barna study it showed that 65% of Americans say that they are Christian and yet:

74% say all faiths are of equal value (how does that work with John 14:6 (6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.[8])

Only 16% believe they will go to heaven because of faith in Christ (how does that work with John 6:33 where Jesus says, I am the bread of life, “33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world[9]”

And finally and most disturbing, less than ½ of all adults embrace the Bible as the primary guide to morality. Church, can you see why this message is so important? It is written so that you may believe. If we say that we believe, it should be preached, taught and shared with the world around us!