The Courage of Faith, Part 2
Notes
Transcript
ILLUST: What do you fear?
ILLUST: What do you fear?
True tests of faith, our response in the worst of times
PASSION WEEK
PASSION WEEK
Sunday - Entry, Parade, teaching
“Faith in a champion is easy, right?”
Monday - Teaching, Cleansing the temple, Fig tree
Tuesday - Parables, Cornerstone (focus on ), Olivet Discourse on End Times
Wednesday - Little known, (betrayal of Judas payment, perhaps)
Thursday - Last teaching, Last Supper, Gethsemane, Arrest, trials begin
Friday - Trials, crucifixion, 9:00 a.m.
Saturday - Quiet
Progression...
Progression...
Hosanna Parade, exciting, thousands shout “Hosanna” (save us now), but also a general phrase, like “Hip, Hip, Hooray!” (do we even know why we are cheering?)
Exciting, so people follow, “Faith in a champion is easy, right?”
1000’s “following”
Monday-Tuesday - harsh, direct teaching, impassioned, begging people to get it
“Faith in a champion is easy, right?”
Thursday - life gets very tough, “Faith in a champion is easy, right?”
By Friday morning - Faith in a champion, when it looks like that champion is defeated, Easy? Re-considering options?
Jesus Spends His Week, Seeking Out Those Who Want to Know Him
Jesus Spends His Week, Seeking Out Those Who Want to Know Him
1) Faith Follows - even when tough
1) Faith Follows - even when tough
Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.’
Mathew 26: 31 - You’ll leave me
- We’re all in, all the way!
- They all disappear
The disciples KNOW Jesus, and… (following gets hard)
The world scares us
The world scares us
The truth can weed people out
The truth can weed people out
We tend to want God “our way”, to fit “our” expectations
(Jesus rides in on a colt of a donkey, not exactly the conqueror)
US - “That Bible thin works for you, but I’m OK, I’ll be fine
No acceptance of Heaven and Hell, even though Jesus hammers the point home that last week
It might not get easier to follow, but it will get clearer, and more convicting to do so, to where it becomes second-nature
ASIDE: Look who shows faith that last, tough week
Women at the cross, Mary anointing with perfume, Joseph of Arimathea, Peter and John at the trial, John at the cross
2) Faith is what cushions your fall/failure
2) Faith is what cushions your fall/failure
If you don’t understand repentance and forgiveness, no time like the present
When we fail, then what?
We may face humble circumstances
Will we say “God is good!” ??
People fail
God heals - HEALS!!
Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, the people are sick
Some will accept the healing - most will not
Faith drives repentance - our choice to follow
Faith drives repentance - our choice to follow
Yeah, the disciples fail, but look at all they have done to this point
(3 - 3.5 years of following)
The betrayal, arrest, and the disciples’ departure is a low point
But they will remember, and grow, and respond amazingly
MAIN POINT - Look at the opportunities for faith to be on display, Passion Week
MAIN POINT - Look at the opportunities for faith to be on display, Passion Week
Jesus message : NOT “Watch me rise”,
BUT “Know Me, All I’ve said is true, Follow!”
ALL THE WAY
Jesus focused on His sheep, and those would wanted to be
READ:
Christ is focusing on the biggest decision to make
The sheep - people, whose works demonstrate that they have properly responded to Christ’s message
(humbly, regardless of the action of others)
Sheep get scared (FEAR), then they look to and look for the Shepherd
THIS IS IT:
Trust, Believe
Follow
Demonstrate (obedience, and for others to see and choose)
OR
REJECT
Point from - whatever you do, if Christ is not at the center, is worthless - Jesus says “DEPART”
JUDGMENT - That is Jesus’ warning that week
Prior to this, He warned, but also encouraged, life abundant, abiding in Him, came to bring peace
Christ judges based on how you relate to Him
Position of salvation - Avoid the GWT judgment
Surrender - look forward to JSOC
ASIDE: Teaching point - some reject eternal Hell, while accepting eternal Heaven
Look at verse 46 - same word, used for both
People like the Pharisees, refused to believe the truth about eternity, etc.
POINT: 2 kinds of people, related to God, or NOT
SUMMARY/CONCLUSION
SUMMARY/CONCLUSION
Knowing God, Genuine Faith, PRODUCES FRUIT
Rejecting God - then work, life, kids, family, etc., is ALL there is
Jesus makes it clear, “spiritual activity” does NOT produce faith
Repentance builds faith
Repentance shows faith
Turn direction, follow Him
SO…end of Jesus’ week (bad, dark, deadness)
What about the 11 (12, less Judas)?
GOD USES THEM FIRST
His “go-to” team?
But they left Him, they failed Him, they don’t qualify, right?
(YOU ever feel like that?)
They failed, but had faith
AND…WE know the exciting end of the story!!
(CLOSE)
Faith in our champion
Easy? Not always
Everything needed for life? YES
God is so patient with us (we tend not to be)
He stays right where He is (we run, we are fickle)
WE HAVE AN AWESOME CHAMPION!
He conquers fears
He conquers death - we MUST understand, if you are saved, your death occurred, totally
THIS WEEK, THIS MONTH, YEAR...
Let’s get past the superficial excitement of the parade, and LIVE, really LIVE, in the shadow of the cross, and all that means.
HE IS FAITHFUL, and He gives us every opportunity to be, too.