Why I believe #4

Believe #4

Jamey Mills

Northside Church

3/28/21

Testimony by…. Karen Tambling

Intro:

Thanks Karen,

My name is Jamey Mills, I am one of the pastors here at Northside Church, it’s such a blessing to be here and be able to share with you…

We are in our 4th week of a short series called “Why I believe” where we have been looking at what the bible means when it uses the word “Believe” as well as the impact the presence of Jesus had on the belief of those who had face to face encounters with Him.

So far we’ve talked about how

belief is more than just acceptance of the existence of God

… but Biblical belief impacts our worldview and changes the way we do life.

We talked about one of the major obstacles for many when it comes to belief is the fact that Jesus did things that are hard for us to explain or even understand, we call them miracles. Jesus isn’t normal… and the tendency to want to simply see Jesus as a good person or even a good teacher… to try and tame the reality of who He is… erodes and robs us of the power and meaning of belief.

We have talked about how there were some who had heard enough and seen enough to believe enough to bring their most cherished things to Him… and it would be something they’d never regret.

Last week we talked about how Biblical belief… involves stepping out of the boat… it means understanding that God works in our lives in powerful ways even if our attempts at belief aren’t perfect. God uses that to inspire others around us and even draw others to himself through it. Our willingness… to step out… to trust… is the invitation for the work of God in us and through us in a lot of ways. Developing greater belief within us.

But not everyone who Jesus interacted with came to the point of belief.

One example is in

Mark 10:17–31 (NLT)

Mark 10:17–18 NLT

As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.

17-18

17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.

This passage is often referred to as the Rich Young Ruler, which helps us to know a little about him… He was rich, he was young, and… he had some authority. The fact he was known that way tells us that his money, and influence were abnormal for his age…

In a lot of ways he was likely comfortable… influential and seemed to have it all together… didn't seem to need anything.

But even when that, it seems like he knew something was missing; something out of sorts… a longing… a sense of being incomplete or unfulfilled…

He felt this sense of lacking in his life… and those things were symptomatic of the real issue.

And Jesus’ response is interesting… and it shows that Jesus knew what the core issue was.

When Jesus said, there is only one who is good, why do you ask me… He wasn’t misleading... He wasn’t denying his identity. He was teaching… It was a “who do you really think I am” or “what is it you believe about me” moment.

This guy had honest respect for Jesus… he meant what he said when he called him “good teacher” but at the end of the day… respect isn't going to get it done.

He came looking, even kneeling it seems… for the right thing from the right person…

He asked… what do I do… to obtain what I somehow know that I lack.

What was he looking for? It says eternal life… the majority of the time

when the New Testament speaks of eternal life, it's talking about quality of life and not just quantity.

living out the fullness and freedom that God desires for us here and now. Eternal life… isn't just a then and there thing, it's that along with a here and now thing… and part of what Jesus is teaching… it starts with an accurate view of Him.

Mark 10:19–20 NLT

But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

Am I the only one that wants to call this guy out a little? Obeyed them all since you were young… never lied, never stole, always honored your parents?

But this was a common thing. Jesus helps us see this guy was a fairly knowledgeable Jew.

It was a way of life… Obedience was huge. The law had become centered around humanity… humanity became its focus, sort of on the throne of it all, which meant value and acceptance before God had little to do with God and more to do with what YOU do… the way to life was by the doing of humanity.

It came to this place of wanting the blessing of God without the presence of God.

And so that’s where Jesus went…

Jesus says, you know what the Commandments… and then Jesus rattles off the second 1\2 of the 10 commandments… did you notice anything interesting about the ones he mentions?

He left out the ones that deal with how we relate to God.

He went right into the ones that deal with externals or how we relate to others… but not the ones that deal with how we relate to God… almost as if to say… Do you see the problem?

And his response was, I have obeyed them since I was young… so what am I missing?

And it was exactly what Jesus was getting at…

We’ve been talking about how belief is more than this cognitive acceptance of God’s existence… but Biblical belief impacts how we see and do life…

Belief leads us to obedience… giving God and His Word that kind of authority in our lives is HUGE.

But I think we learn something new about belief here.

Biblical belief draws us close to God.

What we do matters, but drawing near to God… how we relate to God through our belief is incredibly important… in fact, Obedience that is not grounded in a belief that draws Us near to God exactly where this Rich Young Ruler was. Very superficial faith where we wander around knowing something is missing, something is incomplete, unfulfilled, lack of Direction, lack of purpose, finding meaning in all the wrong things.

The law was never meant to glorify the doing of man… rather… in honesty… show us our need for Jesus and grace. (Romans 3:19-20)... it leads to repentance… and glorifies His doing… His work in us.

Mark 10:21 NLT

Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

One of the patterns we’ve seen as we have looked at these interactions… is the compassion of Jesus. He called the bleeding lady what? Daughter, He took the young lady by the hand, he had compassion on the crowd and here… it says Jesus genuinely loved the guy.

And that is part of what God is developing in us who believe as well; making us more like Christ… it will look like that.

This interaction is in all three of the synoptic gospels… Matthew, Mark and Luke… and Matthew recorded it like this…

Matt 19:21

Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

If you want to be perfect… that world means… if you want to be full, or complete. Jesus was saying if you really want to experience the life that God has for you…

This is what it's gonna look like… Sell all your stuff, give it to the poor and then come and follow me…

Jesus knew there were things in the way… that the things he values and trusts… if that never changes he will never experience the eternal life, the wholeness he’s looking for… he will always be discontent, longing…

Do those things Jesus said… and then come and follow me, and it's not the first time we’ve seen Jesus say that. The invitation to come and follow Him… was the same invitation that came to people like Peter, James and John…. Whose lives were radically changed…

The invitation was far more than this man made it out to be, and it's the same invitation God extends to you today…

Luke 9:23–25 (NLT)

Luke 9:23–25 NLT

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?

23 “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?

This is exactly what Jesus is getting at with this guy. If you really want to find what you're looking for, you’ll never find it in the stuff you're clinging to. Stuff that he’d already admitted has left him discontent and empty.

If you try to hang on to your life… He’s not asking if you're ready to die for Him… but if you're ready to live for Him. Jesus isn’t talking about life and death… He is talking about your will and your way… our priorities and purpose.

It was an invitation that would have changed this man's life in radical ways and provided what he knew was missing.

Mark 10:22–31 NLT

At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”

22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.

29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”

This guy went away sad… it's like he understood one other important thing about belief… and that is… it costs.

Salvation is a free gift of God for all who believe… but this idea of a cost is all over in scripture… but it's not the “cost” we often think of. It’s not money… or work hours.

Belief in part means coming to Jesus with open hands. Not clinging to anything else… The point about the camel going through the eye of the needle, is basically the truth that

The more we have to cling to, the harder it is to let it go.

SLIDE GOLF BALLS

It’s impossible to embrace Jesus the right way when our arms and hands are full of other things we refuse to put down… and even leave behind.

And if we don’t come to Jesus with that kind of belief, with open hands and a willingness to lay it down… we are in danger of finding ourselves in this same position of unsatisfied longing… that is trying to prove itself by doing.

Wanting the blessings of God… without the presence of God is that way.

There is a letting go… within belief. Letting go of those things that we have allowed to define us… and even own us… to play roles in our lives they were never intended to play…

Things that by his own admission had left him empty even though… he had it all.

And that is something that every single one of us face when we come to Jesus. If this idea of eternal life; both quality and quantity is something you desire...There is a letting go… that belief requires.. Our way, our wisdom, our sense of morality, our stuff…. There is a dying to self that is required… and it flies in the face of what our culture values most.

But Jesus says… that if you want to experience a life that is full and free… it is ushered in by a belief… that so far we define like this

Biblical belief is more than accepting the reality that God exists… but it sees Jesus the right way, it impacts the way we see and do life everyday, It comes to Him with open hands, a willingness to get out of the boat, and it draws us near to God.

His own effort could never provide what his soul longed for. His money, his influence… all that he had acquired and accomplished… all of his doing… left him empty… the cost to come and follow Jesus… was a cost he was unwilling to pay…

And to those who were closest to Jesus… He made sure they understood… it would be more than worth it. The quality and quantity of life that God desires for you… what you lay down to pick it up… is like comparing an apple to an orchard… a snowflake to an avalanche, what lasts for a moment… with something that literally lasts forever.

When I ask you if you believe, that's what I am talking about. Do you see Him the right way, does it impact and inform your day, does it lead you to do things you wouldn't do without it, does it help you see your need for Jesus, and does it draw you close to Him?

When we learn how to see belief that way… you understand why it matters so much.

What are the things you need to lay down in order to embrace Jesus well?

Communion