What Do You Believe

Refusal To Believe

The Ladies

When Jesus was crucified, no one believed that He would be resurrected. We see this, even with those that were closest to Him. First we see the ladies going to anoint His body. Why would they go anoint His body if they believed that He was going to be resurrected? These ladies are not just acquaintances of Jesus, they are his mother and very close friends. They had heard him teach that the Son of God must be crucified and resurrected.

21 From then on Jesus began to point out to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. Matt. 16:21

As they were going to the tomb they were concerned about the stone that had been rolled in front of the tomb. It was too large for them to move, so they were concerned about how they were going to anoint a body that wasn’t there.

God had made provision beyond what they expected. They were not going to have to roll the stone away because God had already done it. God did not roll the stone away for Jesus to get out, but so the ladies could see in. It was the seeing that the body was gone and they explanation of the angel that caused them to believe. God removes three big stones for us and gives us a message of His resurrection.

Creation

God’s creation declares that there is a God. One can not logically look at creation and say that there is not a God.

20 For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. Rom. 1:20

We serve a creative God that designed all things. I am not an expert on how creation sustains life, but I know that it does. I also know that minor modifications could also destroy life. God designed creation to sustain life so that we would know Him and worship Him. The question is do you believe that God exists?

Bible

God inspired men to write 66 books of the Bible. Both the Old and New Testament point to Jesus as the Messiah. It also gives the story of Jesus life, death, and resurrection.

16 All Scripture is inspired by God[a] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Tim. 3:16

The question is do you believe that the Bible is true?

Holy Spirit

The Lord has sent His Holy Spirit to reveal to us personally that Jesus is our savior. He does this through the conviction of sin and the hope of salvation.

7 Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send Him to you. 8 When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: John 16:7-8

The question is do you believe that Jesus is your savior?

Two Men on their way to Emmaus

There were two men that were leaving Jerusalem that had witnessed the crucifixion. They were extremely sad because they didn’t believe in the resurrection.

18 The one named Cleopas answered Him, “Are You the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” He asked them.

So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a Prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that He was the One who was about to redeem Israel. Luke 24: 18-21

Hopelessness of unbelief

Just as these men were without hope because they didn’t believe in the resurrection, so we are without hope apart from belief in the resurrection. Apart from the resurrection, this life is all we have. There is no hope in eternal life. If this life is all we have then I would contend that we are to be pitied because it is meaningless.

Belief in the resurrection brings a hope that fills your soul with joy.

The question is do you have hope?

The disciples

The disciples were Jesus closest friends. They spent day and night with Him for the last three years of His life on earth. The encountered the manifestation of Jesus the Son of God. Though they were witnesses of His glory and power, they still did not believe. The ladies told them that He was resurrected and the two men from Emmaus told them, but they refused to believe.

Hear today

Today I am here to proclaim to you that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is real and that there is a day appointed when He is going to return.

The question is do you believe?

Jesus Rebuked Them for Unbelief

Because the disciples failed to believe in the resurrection, Jesus appeared to them to prove that he was resurrected. The Bible says He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. Did you catch that? The reason for their unbelief was their hardness of heart. They didn’t want to believe. The expectation they had of Jesus did not come to fruition. They thought Jesus was going to rise to power and they were going to reign with Him. This did not happen, so they were upset and failed to believe.

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Him and said, “Teacher, we want You to do something for us if we ask You.”

36 “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked them.

37 They answered Him, “Allow us to sit at Your right and at Your left in Your glory.”

38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

39 “We are able,” they told Him.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with. 40 But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to give; instead, it is for those it has been prepared for.” 41 When the other 10 disciples heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John. Mark 10:35-41

Unmet expectations

Many people claim to want to know Jesus, but in actuality they want to know what Jesus can do for them. They have an expectation that if they become religious that will fix all their problems and make sure that they have an easy life. I can assure you that if you put your faith in Jesus Christ this will not happen! As a matter of fact, I can almost assure you that life will become more difficult if you chose to put your faith in Him and follow Him.

The question is are you willing to follow Him?

If You Believe Then Go Tell Someone That Jesus is Resurrected!

15 Then He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16

Jesus instructed those who now believed to go preach the gospel to the whole creation. Jesus told them this because the gospel is the only message that has the power to save people from sin and give them eternal life.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

People share what they believe in

One thing I know is that people are going to share what they believe in. For example, if someone asks you for a recommendation for someone to do work at your house, you will only give a recommendation for someone who has done a good job for you. Why is that? because you believe in them to do as good a job for the other person as they did for you. You want them to receive the same blessing that you got.

I know this is a trivial example, but if Jesus has given you eternal life through His death, burial, and resurrection, wouldn’t you want someone else to have the same blessing?

We know that we are suppose to share the gospel. The question is will you share the gospel?