Do You Believe in Jesus? Part II

Do You Believe in Jesus?

John 3:16 (HCSB)

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

Review previous message from April

ΙΧΘΥΣ

Jesus

Christ

God

Son

Savior

The First Step of Belief - John 1:12

John 1:12 (HCSB)

But to all who did receive Him,

He gave them the right to be children of God,

to those who believe in His name,

We Learned in our message in April that:

Jesus is God.

Jesus Created everything that has been created.

God gave His Son, Jesus, so that we may be saved.

In order to be saved, we must believe in Jesus as our Savior.

How do we put our faith into practice?

WWJD

VS

WDJD

Acts 11:26 (HCSB)

and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

the word christian is simply an adjective for those associated with Christ, or “Christ Followers”

It was a term that the Roman’s used to describe followers of Christ.

Christians referred to themselves as:

brethren

elect

the faithful

believers

saints

Whatever we call ourselves, if we are to follow Christ, we must first understand that God has a plan for us.

Romans 8:28–29 (HCSB)

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

Christians Must Evangelize

Leith Anderson, in "Making More Disciples," shared:

In the People's Republic of China, the largest nation in the world and a billion people strong, is what is called the Three-Self Church. That is the state-approved church. Several of us from Wooddale, a couple of years ago, were in Beijing, and we went to one of the services of one of the Three-Self Churches. It was an old building, built around the turn of the last century. We had a translator there. There were hymns sung, some of them were to western tunes which we knew. They read the Bible. They had prayers. There was a sermon, a Bible teaching, that I thought was fine.

But they're not allowed to evangelize. That's part of the deal with the state. "You can do your thing as long as your thing doesn't include persuading somebody else."

There are about 50 million Christians in the People's Republic of China who have chosen not to be part of the Three-Self Church, and meet in house churches, because they're convinced you can't be a Christian unless you evangelize. They say that the two go together; and if you don't evangelize, you're not a Christian. They would say that those who are in the Three-Self church are really not Christians, as far as the New Testament definition is concerned.

- Leith Anderson, "Making More Disciples," Preaching Today, Tape No. 165.

Today’s Best Illustrations, vol. 1–4 (Christianity Today, 1997).

Matthew 28:18–20 (HCSB)

Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

If we are to Do What Jesus Did we must be willing to do whatever we can to see others come to know Jesus!

If we are to Do What Jesus Did we must be willing to sacrifice our desires and priorities to fulfill God’s calling to reach the lost!

Matthew 26:39 HCSB

Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

In Jesus’ humanity He did not want to go through the horrendous suffering and death on the cross.

But He Did

Will you surrender your life for Him?

Will you let go of what is holding you back from serving Jesus?

Will you Do What Jesus Did?