Who Do You Believe

A man want to talk this morning. About who do you believe? Not not what you believe. I think we often think about we think of it in those terms. What? What do you believe you believe the right things? But I think that's the wrong way of looking at it. The most important thing is who do you believe? And we live in a world. We live as people where we're constantly bombarded with options and Alternatives and thinks pursuing our hearts and our affection our Allegiance. We're constantly given. Not just a multitude of of Alternatives, but we're giving contradictory messages all the time. The question at whatever question it is it always boils down to who are we going to believe? Are we going to believe ourselves what we can see what we can validate what we think is right that that's currently in Vogue in our culture. That's that's what everybody wants to do. But I I know me I don't I don't trust me. That I know most of you I don't trust you.

The word of God says right stop putting your trust in man of what account is he has but a breath in his nostril.

Whatever issue we're facing whatever struggle in our lives it always comes down to this. Who are we going to believe? Are we going to believe our self? Are we going to believe Oprah or are we going to stake our lives on on on a president or a political party? Are we going to stake our happiness or joy R-value our Identity On on what someone else in this world says or Will we respond to God's grace?

Choose to believe what he said. Who are we going to believe who has a better understanding of who we are and what's going on?

the Wii or does he? Wants to talk and think about who we believe in this morning. Jesus had this simple and striking message the beginning of his ministry in Mark chapter 1 verse 14. It says after John was arrested. Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming. The gospel of god good good news announcement of God. The whole point of this series is that we want to grow in Our Gospel fluency are our are not our understanding and our application of the Gospel. This is what Jesus came is very consistent in his ministry. He went around publicly and privately proclaiming the gospel the good news of God saying the time is fulfilled. It's here. It's now it's in your midst and the kingdom of God is at hand repent and believe in the gospel.

This is what Jesus communicated from Village to village town to town city to City day in day out in his ministry.

In some ways it's so strikingly different than how the church has been communicating the gospel. Wait, wait, we produced The Gospel to set of spiritual principles that God loves you as wonderful plan for your life. You've been separated from sin if you pray a prayer and believe in Jesus, you don't have to go to how you get to go to heaven.

The crazy thing is read the Gospels. Read all four in Greek read a minute. Whatever translation you Choose You Don't See Jesus proclaiming the gospel the way we proclaim the gospel.

That's not a good thing. Jesus came. His message was the kingdom of God is Cheer.

And believe in the gospel.

Punch and Believe In The Gospel. I I said this last week, but I want to say it again and start here repentance means to change your mind. It means to take a new Direction.

Idea is your walking in one direction to repent is to turn around and go in another Direction. A very often we've interpreted that in in the the American Church culture as okay. I'm walking this way in sin. And so now I'm going to I'm going to repent and now I'm going to walk in Morality. I'm going to walk in good works. I'm going to walk in righteousness. I was doing bad things now. I'm good things. When I was walking this way, God was angry and upset at me. Now when I'm walking this way. God sees the nice things that I do. I mean I volunteered at VBS Shirley. I get some extra brownie points for that.

Objectified it. We made it about behavior and morality. And so the gospel becomes a gospel of behavior modification. Jesus says you're doing bad things going this way turn around and start doing good things and search. That's not what Jesus said. That's not what he meant. Now this Jesus wants an unexpected change in our behavior of core. but it's an inside out change it changes not because we start doing better things it changes because of who we come to know and believe What Jesus says repent and believe in the gospel? He's not calling us from doing bad things to do in good things. He's calling us from unbelief. shibui But let me say this way. He's calling us from a life without God. And fundamentally, that's what all of us were born into. Our sin nature that we inherited that were born into causes us to want to do life without God. It's actually worse than that. It causes us to want to be God. And I don't want to submit to God. I want to be God. I don't want him to leave me. I want to lead. I don't want to be governed. I want to govern I don't want to be under his control. I want to be in control all the control freaks in the house said

Wow, we are on it.

Jesus the Same you've been living your life in unbelief.

You been living your life believing in yourself. You've been living your life away from God what Jesus is offering is not a new set of behavior. It's not a religious experience or ritual that he wants you to perform what Jesus is offering is a way of life with God rather than without.

Repentance is moving from unbelief to belief. pants And believe in the good news announcements of Jesus. There's our choice. Who are we going to believe are we going to believe what we say about us or what? God says about its we going to believe what the world says about us or what God says about are we going to try to do life the way we think is right. on our own

are we going to get connected to our father? Do life with him? Pants and Believe In The Gospel to the gospel so much better than how we most often hear it and presented. It's better than you get out of hell. It's better than you escape this evil world and Float off to some ethereal place called Heaven good news is that we get God in the Beauty and the fullness of his glory we get to do life with the one that we were made for. We're not only made by them were made for him and in the gospel we get God.

Last week I said it this way we've been saved from the penalty of sin for the purpose of being his beloved children.

We've been saved from our own way of life that there is a way that seems right to a man or a woman. and in the end it leads to we've been saved from ourselves.

for the beauty of our father We've been saved from a life of alienate the alienation and individualism of autonomy and self-control to a life of community and connection. intimacy

the gospel is such good news. We have been saved. That we might be everything. We were made to be an everything our hearts a truly long to be.

Jesus invites to step into God's Embrace to take our seat at the table of Grace. And be the Sons and Daughters of God that Jesus has made us to be. Last week we looked at the role of the spirit in that and I I love Romans 8:16. It says the spirit himself Bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

And if you're in Christ in the spirit of God is in you, you know what that is, you know what that is to have the spirit witness and testify to you. You're accepted you will long your love. You have a hope and you have a future. Don't you know what that's like.

I only wish is that I lived in that reality all the time. Now that's true all the time, but I don't live in that reality all the time and other words when Jesus says repent the kingdom of God is here repent and believe in the gospel. That's not something that only happens one time. Now there's a first time for sure. But I'm not a first-time today about 20 times already.

Did the reality is Just Cause us to repent and believe in the gospel? And that is something that we have to do all the time. Because I I know what it's like to have the spirit testify to me that I'm accepted that I'm forgiven that I'm a free that I have a hope and a future and I know what it's like to be stuck in the shame of sin.

listening to other voices

all you've gone too far this time. Oh you're done. Go back. Can't use you. If if people really knew you they would run away screaming. That's probably true.

We say to ourselves. and so we hide we put on our masks we pretend we State Farm wheat we do all sorts of stuff to protect ourselves because we're believing. Our believe in the lies in the shame and the guilt in the fear that comes not from God, but from the enemy.

It's a spirit is testifying to us that we belong to God and the world is telling us since it is telling us the flash is telling us and they hadn't even telling you don't belong you're not except you're not good enough and the question is and always will be who will you believe not who did you believe last week or ten years ago or when you walked and I are when you prayed a prayer, who do you believe here now in this moment in this place?

Because right now Jesus in through his spirit is saying to every single one of us the same thing that he sent throughout his ministry repents. And believe in the gospel.

Who do we believe? The belief is kind of a big deal.

Hebrews says this way in chapter 11 verse 6 that says without faith. It is impossible to please him.

I put it on to the negative where Paul says anything not done from faith is sin. So I guess I just did.

I like how serious is it without faith. It is impossible to please him.

I think about what that means. Without faith. It's impossible to please him. But do you know what this versus telling us? That there is a way. That it's possible to please go. I don't know about you, but that's scandalous to me. That's amazing to me. That's good news to me. I

can live my life in a way that is pleasing to God. the gifts God joy and pleasure I can do that.

Well you're saying. Whoever would draw near to God. Must believe that he exists. And that he rewards those who seek him.

And this is always the issue who what we believe. Who will We Believe?

We believe the revelation of God. Not just through his word but through the word made flash what we believe and receive what God has said to us and about us what we choose to trust in him over and above anything else.

It's not it's not what you believe so much as who you believe. I'm not saying that what we believe is an important. I think theology is important. I think thinking right thoughts is important. I want to get I want to understand God. I want to know the truth cuz the truth sets us free. But nobody's getting into the kingdom of God because they know the right answers. Nobody's getting into the kingdom of God because of their perfect theology. In fact, the opposite is true.

We're all going into the kingdom of God with imperfect theology. It's one of the things that excites me about the return of Christ and the beginning of the Kingdom, but I want to walk with Jesus having tell me what I've done wrong and Learn and Grow. Can't wait. I have to wait on you doing out with me now. But I know that when I die or if he returns before I die, I'm not entering the fullness of the Kingdom because I know the right things.

Feels like this is over sad and over using the church, but but it's true that the devil knows the right things. the demons know the right answers But they rejected the one who is true. It's not it's not just about what you know, ultimately it's about who you know, no one's getting into heaven because they have perfect theology. No one enters the kingdom because they have the right answers we get into the kingdom because we get to know the king. I'd like that its relation of its personal. Priorities to me the church last 40 Years of been talking about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus, but we stripped it of all the personal reality. We have checked the fire. Jesus is the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father but through him. Not your church. Your Creed not your confession. Not your prayer. Not your pedigree. Not your behavior. The way to the father is through a relationship with Jesus. Jesus says repent and believe in the gospel of believe in me.

Church is not what we believe in its who? Also this way to Timothy talking about all the suffering he's going through and Paul. Knew what suffering was? And not not the suffering the most of us. I just bad hair day. Some of you would be so happy to have a bad hair day. I'm looking at you Usher.

Tell me what it was to be rejected to be abused physically emotionally verbally, he was beating he was left for dead. He was he suffered greatly. for Jesus But in talking about his suffering in the last part of verse 12 and says that he says but I'm not ashamed I'm not ashamed that I suffer by suffer doesn't my suffering doesn't make me a failure. My suffering doesn't mean I'm getting it wrong. It says I'm not ashamed because I know whom I have believed. You see he didn't say what I have to leave cuz I'm not ashamed because I got the right answers.

I'm not ashamed because I know whom I have believed in and I am convinced. That he is able. Who's able he is able to guard until the day that which has been entrusted to me. Whatever suffering comes my with whatever challenges whatever success whatever failure my confidence is not in me at all. My confidence is in the ones that I have believed. Assurance I have faith I have hope not because of me but because of him not ashamed I know the one in whom I have believed and I'm convinced. He is able to God.

the last day

what we know it's who we now

okay Bible. I want to look. I look chapter 11.

just think about one aspect and it's appropriate on Father's Day about how we see ourselves and how we see our lives what we what we believe the gospel or will we believe something else? about our relationship to God and who God estas

search up this way to Jesus was praying in a certain place and when he was finished one of his disciples said Lord teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.

I just witnessed Jesus pray. Nmac, something in it how to do that. John pot his disciples you teach.

And he said to them. Luke is a set a little shorter version most of us are familiar with Matthew's but low price eye this father.

father there's so many ways that we can come to God we can come to miss Kane. We could come to his judgment could come to his creator. We come to God. It's so many different ways. But Jesus says this is how you God wants you to come to him come to see him as father. Come to him as father. Feeling right there. We are one word into Despair and we got to make a choice. Who are we going to leave? Are we going to believe what Jesus is saying that God is our father. Are we going to believe what the enemy says? What are flash toddlers? What are eyes color? What a heart can fix us up sometime. Who are we going to believe?

Are we going to believe that God sees himself as our father? And that we can come to him as a child.

Jesus says this this is how God wants you to approach him. And this is how you can approach him and it's more than just a word. This is not giving them some wrote prayer to just rattle off. Giving them a paradigm shifting really a paradigm shattering understanding of how we are to relate to God. A dog wants us to relate to him as our father right off the bat for some of us. That's really really difficult. Actually want to stay this way right off the bat for all of us. This is difficult.

Some of you may be grew up without a father. So you read that. That's my father. You didn't have a father even know what that means summer you had dad father

God my father. I'm not sure I want anything to do with that.

Let me throw it out this way. Some of us had really good Fathers.

Even then. We still need faith. I believe that God is our father not just like our Earthly fathers because as good as your father may have been You didn't get it right all the time.

I took some of matter what kind of Earthly father you've had no matter what kind of idea of conception you have of what it means to be a father. We need to learn what it means to be a father not from our experience. But what from God says being a father as father is an active face for everyone in the room. Will we believe that God sees himself as our father and he wants us to see ourselves as his children. And will we approach him like that?

father

Hallowed be your name may your name be treasured Above All Else? Again, an Act of Faith do we believe that God's glory is greater than any Glory do we believe that God's name is his personhood is to be valued above anything else in this world.

Because my heart. Apart from the spirit is wicked and deceitful and no man should trust it and I'm constantly being tempted to believe that there are other things. That are to be hallowed. I'm constantly being tempted to worship something other than God. I'm constantly being pulled into idolatry.

This is when you pray come to the father Hallowed be your name. May you be treasured may you be magnified may you be trusted you are the one that's trustworthy. You are the one that's glorious. You are the one that's beautiful. Who do you believe not just words?

Father Hallowed Be Your Name may your kingdom come?

We want do we want God's kingdom or our kingdom God's way or our way. The priorities are priorities are agenda other ways. I can say it.

What are we looking for?

Father Hallowed Be Your Name Your Kingdom come give us each day our daily bread. Who's our provider?

If we listen to the world. If we listen to the world if we listen to our family.

That's not our provider. We are. Where car? Pizza Elgin pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. That's how most of us grow up now. That's not the world of today.

World of today is the governmental provide for you.

Don't worry. You have a right to whatever you want. The government owes it to you. The government will be your provider doesn't matter whether you think you provide for yourself or whether you think the government or somebody else is supposed to provide for the word of God. Ultimately wants to say God is your provider. Who are you going to look to you as your provider? Who will you believe I do believe that God is your father. Do you believe that he's got your back?

Give us today our daily bread forgive us our sins.

believe the god genuinely forgives you sex you watches you

Forgive us our sins. Help us to forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.

Go on and on every single part of this is a choice. Who are we going to believe? What are we going to believe is shaped and influenced by who were going to play? Jesus continues he says which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him friend lend me three loaves for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey and I have nothing to set before him. And he will answer from within don't bother me the doors now shut my children with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything. I tell you though, he will not get up and give you anything because he has his friend yet because of his impudence. He will rise and give him whatever he needs.

It just gives us an area you're in bed. It's midnight. You're asleep pounding on the door. It's your neighbor. that neighbor So you shut up. I need some bread. Can you help me out?

Can't they go to Safeway? go away, not because because

cuz the impudence titties there just pounding. Because I tell you this ass.

Ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find knock. And it will be opened unto you.

How are we to come to God? where to come as a child to a father I've been a father for 15 years. So I got a little bit of authority. to say that Our children use and abuse us.

That's just the way it is. I'm not driving or complaining that is that not the way it is. mothers

that's ridiculous at the worst time.

There aren't children. We love them. If anybody else asked us for us not a chance for our children, I mean from day one. right But I'm going to wipe your butt.

Not doing stick something in your nose and suck.

I'm not going to let you vomit all over me. And then Pat you on the back and say it's okay. Look at the stuff we do for this is what Jesus is saying when you come to God you come to him like that. You come to him as a child with ridiculous Hill times Parable annoying request. Jesus says just half just seek just knock and it will be opened unto you just for everyone who asks receives in the one who seeks find the one who knocks it will be opened. For what father among you if his son asks for a fish will instead of a fish give him a serpent. and tempted sometimes

or if he asks for an egg will give him a scorpion.

You then? Who are you evil?

You then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children?

How much more will the heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask?

No matter if you've had a good dad or bad dad. Even the best dads evil.

and God's fatherhood outshines and outstrip song

You believe that.

Do you believe him?

Who do you believe who will you believe who are you believing right now? And who will you continue to believe Jesus came with the simple invitation repents? And believe in the gospel of God.