Unbelief

All right. Well, we are in the series on gospel fluency wanting to not only know the gospel be familiar or acquainted with the gospel, but be proficient with the gospel. The gospel is not simply an idea to be believed as much as it is.

a reality to be live The gospel is not a box to be checked. It is something that is to be

It's designed to infiltrate every aspect and area of our lives and it and and like any other reality any other skill. It's something that we need to grow in. I'm so weak. We want to spend the next however many weeks God leads us in the series. Learning not just to know what the gospel says, but learning to live out the reality of the Gospel together this morning. I want to talk about unbelief and I want to talk about it maybe in a way that that would be unexpected for you all to get your Bibles at we've been looking at Romans 1:16. Each week it says for I am not ashamed. of the Gospel that Paul is Paul's writing what ultimately turns into his greatest peak of greatest demonstration of of writing and probably his biggest contribution to the church is the Book of Romans and at the very beginning of it here. He says I'm I'm not ashamed of the Gospel. This is what I'm going to write on. This is what I live about. I'm not going to back down from it why Paul? I'm not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God. for salvation is the power of God for salvation and we're not just talking about getting out of hell and go to heaven. Although that is included in the deal. He says I'm not ashamed of the gospel because God's power to bring rescue and healing and Reconciliation and Redemption to your and my life right here and right now and that will carry through the end of the agent. I'm not ashamed of the gospel because it can change anyone and everyone. I'm not ashamed of the gospel because there's nothing like the gospel the gospel never lets us down the gospel never failed the gospel never encounters an obstacle or a challenge that it is not greater than I'm not going to be ashamed about going to back away. I'm not going to go to something else. I'm not ashamed of the gospel because it is the very power of God for salvation for everyone. It's one of my favorite little phrases in there the gospels not just for a certain group of people that for one ethnicity not for one demographic. God doesn't value one group of people are one type of people over another the gospel is for everyone everywhere. So they say Amen. It's for Americans and everyone else. It's for Democrats and Republicans. It's for men and women. It is not doesn't see skin color. It doesn't see degrees. It doesn't see economics doesn't see political affiliation. The gospel is for everyone made in the image of God.

First for the Jew then for the Greek it because that's the order it came in.

When I think about the gospel.

some of us full grown up in the church and been in the church for a long time. I think one of the greatest dangers we face isn't over familiarity with the gospel. We become far too comfortable with the good news. I'm convinced that the gospel is unbelievably good new anybody else believe that unbelievably good news. Actually, it's almost unbelievable. I'm still scandalize by grace. I still have moments where it takes my breath away cuz I know me. I know the real me not to me that you're seeing right now. I know the Brokenness within me, I know what I deserve. And it's not God. And it's not having it and it's not reconciliation. It's not I know what I deserve and the fact that the scripture in the gospel says if anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creation. The old has gone. The new has come that blows me away.

Set the God so loved the world that he gave his only son. The gospel is unbelievably good news. It's scandalous news. I know sometimes in the church. We become so comfortable with it. So familiar with it. It becomes just a part of what we do in a in a background. You'll elevator music sort away like you're aware of it. But you're trying to ignore it almost you just going through life in it, and it's there and and and we know that was gospels good news and yeah, bring Salvation and and our job, of course with the gospel is to take it to those who don't believe so Living a reality in the American church today for the gospel is for those outside the church. In fact week. We even create language based around right? So we are believers in the gospel. And that makes everybody else what unbelievers non-believers. We use this kind of language that the Believers in the church and unbelievers outside the church and when we're done that kind of mentality just simply by definition and Logic the gospels not for believers cuz we already believe it. The gospel band is for unbelievers. Okay, so now we got to take the gospel to them, but it's no longer for us cuz we checked that box.

I don't think that's true at all. I think this morning when I got up and I looked in the mirror. I think this morning right now as I'm looking out at this room. What I see is a bunch of unbelievers. Let me walk you through that and explain that. because if we don't acknowledge a problem. We never get to deal with it. If we assume that something is true when it's not true. We end up in a world of her. But that's true in every Arena and aspect of Our Lives that's true in our spiritual journey and walk with Jesus to see the gospel is unbelievably good news. And we we are all unbelievers. When I say we are on Believers, I mean this we have places in our lives where we simply don't believe God. There are spaces where we don't trust his word and don't believe that what he accomplished in Jesus Christ is enough to deal with our past or our presence or what we're going to face in the future. We don't believe his word is true or his work is sufficient. We simply don't believe

Maybe better yet. We can say this way. We slip in and out of believe in God's word. We slip in and out of believing God's words about us and what his word says for us and what Jesus has work has done for us. Jesus gave his life to make us New Creations. He died to forgive us of our sins to change our identity from sinner to Saint from failure to faithful. The gospel says that it's already been accomplished and we do believe that.

And there are deep parts of our heart that don't believe it. And those parts of us that don't believe it are the parts of us that still radically need the gospel to be Unleashed in our life.

Everyday everyday we're confronted with the reality of being Sinners living in a sinful world every day. We Face failure and frustration everyday. We are an encounter with the lies of the enemy and the deception of the world. everyday you and I are bombarded with messages that are contrary to the gospel. everyday every day you and I are tempted to believe things that are untrue because the world are the enemy is telling us that they're true and the gospel is offering us something different. The gospel is not simply for those outside the church. We never graduates from the gospel. You're not going to get a promotion ceremony. Like we just did for our kids was like yeah, I heard the gospel. I accepted Jesus and I worked really really hard and now but I don't need it anymore. You know when that's going to be true for you, you're going to be in a box six feet down under and we're going to be throwing a party eating Tex Mex.

Film bad day your graduated from the gospel. But until that day you and I need the gospel every single moment of every single day because there are still parts of our minds. Our hearts are like that are full of unbelief of the truth in the reality of what Jesus has already accomplished for us. If we want to grow in godliness. If you want to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, it's not going to because of how many books we read or how many conferences we go to or how often do we show up at church or how much we put in the offering it's going to be about how much do I apply and appropriate the truth of the Gospel to our lives?

The gospel is the power of God for salvation for you and I is the power of God for salvation from our unbelief to belief. That's good news y'all. That's good news if we will acknowledge. Our need for God. And the unbelief in our hearts, I've grown up in a church culture many if not, most or all of your grown up in a church culture.

Where we we try to pretend to ourselves and to each other that we've got it all figured out. We show up on a Sunday morning and you got to put on your Sunday bath. Can you put on your Shiny Happy Christian faith? And Usher's the bald Usher's greet you on your way in.

And I say how you doing brother. How you doing? I'm doing break, but you ain't doing great. I'm sometimes you are praise God for those days, but sometimes You are just contemplating homicide in your vehicle.

You don't want to admit that to anybody or thinking I could get away with it. We live in the desert. There's a lot of places to hide the body.

But you that we walk into church with praise the Lord. Let's go. Come on. Come on. I'm a Believer Jesus. I want to kill everybody in my family. I like my butt off all week long. I've been cheating on my taxes. My marriage is falling apart. My kids hate me. All this stuff is going on, but I'm at church now. So yay. Let's praise the Lord. what a load of garbage I don't know anything more untrue or anything more debilitating to our growth in the gospel. Jesus said you want to worship God you have to Worship in spirit. What did he say? And in truth? You can't fool God. You can't fool me or each other. I mean, maybe you can pull it off for a little bit, but give me enough time. I'll just talk to your wife your husband.

We'll just talk to your kids will get the real picture.

So why are we why are we working so hard to pretend to put on a mask when Jesus came to set us free from all of that. If I do anything this morning, I want to give you permission and I want to give you the freedom to admit that you believe in Jesus and you don't believe in Jesus because it's only in that reality that the gospel is going to be allowed into your heart to bring the transformation that only the gospel can bring. All right, so you got to buy both. Let's go to let's go together to Mark chapter 9. Mark chapter 9

restart in verse 14 It says when when they came down to the disciples with this interesting, so the beginning of chapter 9 Jesus Takes the the three and they go up to the top of Mount Hebron. And and and we have the Transfiguration. There's a lot of interesting stuff that's going on in that Jesus goes up at he meets with with the father. He he starts to Glow figured before then. They get the gets the veils removed and they start they see his glory. They see him as he is. What's Happening Here is that Jesus Jesus specifically went to the place that is associated with the entrance of evil into the world and end their he revealed himself essentially what Jesus is doing is picking a fight with the spiritual forces of evil in the world. He's making a stand from from that moment from the Transfiguration on he's going to move his way into Jerusalem and go and face and confront Satan and evil and Beth and bring it all crumbling down. The Jesus has best drawing in the sand. He's exposed himself as a spiritual reality. He's gone and picked a fight. And now he comes down with the three. And he finds a fight we came back to the disciples. They saw a great crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd when they saw him Jesus were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. Jesus is coming down the mountain with them. There's the rest of the disciples. There's a bunch of religious Pharisees and leaders and scribes they have in this big argument. Jesus walks into it. Everybody wants to know like Jesus is here. He's going to figure this out.

And he asked them so what are you arguing about? What are you arguing about with them? So who's he asking? Is disciple right? What are you arguing about with them? What what's going on? I love this because it says and someone from the crowd answered him. You've done this with your kids, right? Did you eat the cookie?

They don't want to answer. What are you talking about with them nothing because teacher I brought my son to you for he has a spirit that makes him mute. Here's this guy said I came I probably from a great distance. I brought my son to you for deliverance. He's Afflicted with demonic possession this the spirit comes upon him and controls his body. It renders him mute. He cannot speak he can't communicate. It controls his entire life and I brought him to you to see if he could be set free now when he showed up. Jesus wasn't there cuz he's up on the mountain. But his disciples were there and they said I got this. Let's not blame them for that because Jesus had sent them out two by two feet anointed and empowered them to go out to proclaim. The good news to heal the sick to cast out evil spirits and they done it. When they came back they were even the demons flee at the name of Jesus. They were so excited. So this guy shows up his son that he loves his afflicted with the spirit. Jesus is up on the mountain. I Like It Here We Go Fish.

Just whenever it seizes him and throws him down he phones and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked her disciples to cast it out.

And they were not able.

Don't rush too fast. Think about this man. Think about his son.

Think about the agony of watching your son be afflicted like this in an inconvenience. It's not just uncomfortable. It's dangerous. This spirit is is throwing a trying to destroy his life and I'm sure this guy is tried other healers other exercise. I'm sure he's tried anything and everything for his son. Now he's heard about Jesus.

Journey maybe this one can do it. Maybe this one has the power and ability to set my son free. Jesus isn't there that's got to be a disappointment but the disciples were like, oh no we can do this. We got this. And once again, he's left with nothing but disappointment.

Astra siples to cast it out and they were not able.

Jesus answered them

O faithless generation.

Which almost seems like a hard right turn right. I just tell them this whole story about the sun and the demon in the inability and Jesus's goes.

such little faith

A faithless generation how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me. Bring him to me. And they brought the boy to him. I like this when the spirit saw him immediately. It convulsed the boy and he fell on the ground and rolled about foaming at the mouth. Jesus is just pick the fight up on the Mount of transfiguration. The spirit sees him and immediately knows I'm in trouble. It's doing everything it can to retain control of this boy.

Jesus asked his father. How long is this been happening to him? Your father said from childhood. It is awesome cast him into fire. cast him into water to destroy him matching the heart of the father everyday having to watch is this the moment that I lose my son. Is this the moment?

I take my eyes off them for a second and it's done. You tried everything and everyone. So he looks at Jesus and he says but if you can do anything.

Have compassion on us and help. If you can do anything. Have compassion on us. Help us. That seems like a fairly reasonable thing for that father to say. Jesus on the other hand almost as offended. Jesus said to him if you can.

if you can I wish we could get tone of voice in the scriptures cuz I wonder how he said that if you can.

Don't you know that all things are possible for the one who believe? I know you brought them to other Towers. I know you've brought him to other places. I know you brought him to other people, but now you've brought him to me and it's not an if question anymore. With man many things are impossible. But With God all things are possible. There's no if you can with Jesus.

immediately the father of the child cried out and set my favorite prayer in all the Gospels I believe. Help my unbelief. I pray this more than the Lord's Prayer. I pray that more than the 23rd psalm. I pray more than Romans 8 which is probably my second greatest prayer life. I pray this prayer probably every single day of my life. Oh God, I believe what you say about me help my unbelief. God I believe that you are enough in this situation help my unbelief unlock the door of God's power. I know that's true and I kind of believe it will help the parts of me that don't believe it. You require Faith, but it if that's what you're going to require you're going to have to give it to me and help me with this because if you leave it up to me, I'm a mess it up every time. I believe help my unbelief.

I believe that I'm forgiven. Help me really believe it. I believe that I've been set free from sin. Oh, but when I tried to stop sinning. I've tried to do this when I tried to do that and

like I know what the word of God says, but then here's my experience over here. I believe help my unbelief.

It's something so simple and pure and beautiful about this prayer. It is a prayer of spirit and truth. It is a prayer of vulnerability and authenticity. It is a prayer that you and I should be praying every single that got I believe help me in my unbelief.

Know what your worth says sometimes I just forget. I know what your word says sometime.

I just don't believe it.

I need you to help me believe Jesus said just told this man with faith. All things are possible. With faith your son is going to be heal. And this guy is broken he goes. Okay, I believe. But help my unbelief.

Help my unbelief.

When Jesus saw the crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean Spirit saying to it you mute and deaf spirit. I command you come out of him and never enter him again. And after crying out and convulsing him terribly it came out in the boy was like a corpse so that most of them said he is dead.

but Jesus Took him out by the hand. lifted him up and he

I believe help my unbelief.

I'm absolutely convinced. If we are going to become fluent in the gospel. We need to recognize our need to be fluent in the gospel that we're not becoming fluent in the gospel for somebody out there for somebody else. We got to become fluent in the gospel for the person. We see staring at us out of the mirror every single day. We need to become fluent in the gospel for the people sitting to the left and to the right of you. We need the gospel to set us free to bring Salvation to us in the areas that we believe and it's especially in the areas that right now we don't believe

Tell me you're here this morning. You you you believe the gospel in terms of I believe in Jesus he rose from the dead. I'm trusting that I don't have to go to her house. And when I get to go to heaven when I die and go to heaven, but you don't believe that there's real forgiveness for you. You don't believe that God can restore your relationships. You don't believe that God has a plan and a purpose for you that you can serve God send me this morning believe that you're going to spend the rest of your life enslaved to ascend the Jesus already set you free from

We we don't need the gospel for somebody else. We need the gospel for us. Before we take it to somebody else. Actually the power of the Gospel is validated within us. or other very often people's perception of the gospel and its power and validity comes as a result of what they see Within.

You know what happened in this case through these guys, they come to the disciples the followers of Jesus go all we got this, but they don't got it.

You can't blame the father. You can't blame the krauts. You can't blame the Pharisees and scribes for arguing and going August.

How dare we? Go to somebody outside the walls of the church and tell them there's power in the name of Jesus.

When there's no power in our lives in the name of Jesus. How dare we go and say to somebody you can be set free from your since when we're still in bondage?

We got to break this mentality that's infected. And Shackled the American Church. The gospel is for everybody else church. It's our language.

It's our message. We need to become absolutely ridiculously fluent in the gospel in preaching the gospel to ourselves and preaching the gospel to each other so that together we might Proclaim and demonstrate the power of the Gospel to those who have not yet her the gospel is for everyone and that's starts here.

We need Jesus everyday. We need to be reminded everyday of the truth and the power of the Gospel. It's not just about what happens after we die. It's about what happens in every aspect of our life that's why I love what that Paul says in Galatians Chapter 2. He says I've been crucified with track. The gospels not an idea to believe people leave this alone. It's not just a box to be checked. It is a reality. I have been crucified with Christ. That's the message of the Gospel. He's already happen. It's already done the debts been paid and so he says it is no longer. I who live but Christ who lives in me and the life, I now live in the Flash. I live by what?

You're right. I'm not sure we live that way. I live by performance. I will by obedience. I live by morality.

Somehow we got it into our minds that we start with faith and then we move on to something else.

Search the same faith that saves us is the faith that sanctifies us. We start with Jesus we stick with Jesus. We will finish with Jesus. The life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith. in my face

You can hear people say that on TV. You just have more faith. You just generated if you just grunts a little bit.

I have faith in my face. Doesn't say I have faith in my fiala G. It doesn't say have faith in my ethnicity doesn't say hi Faith in my political affiliation. I don't have faith in my morality or my behavior and my performance or any that I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Why do I need the gospel every day? Because the gospel is God is Jesus the gospel gets me to Jesus and if I live with and by and for and in Jesus, I'm going to be okay and if I live with an in and buy in for anything else, I'm undone. I need the gospel everyday cuz I have to live in Jesus everyday.

My faith is in Jesus not the principles, but the person not the idea, but the Incarnation my faith is in Jesus. The gospel calls to me reminds me of me and empowers me. every single day live by faith in Jesus Because he is the one. It came to set the captives free. a man