02/24/13 Do You Really?
Text: 1
John 5:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God,
and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By
this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His
commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.
And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God
overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our
faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus
is the Son of God?
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common
to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what
you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that
you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
Intro: Everyone believes in
God, so they say! Or is it almost everyone. There are a few agnostics and
atheist, but the rest of us claim to believe there is a God, right?
Most people
claim to believe in God and claim to have some idea in their minds about what
God is like. I am sure we would also agree people's beliefs and ideas differ. You’ve
got your Baptist and their always right! Right? You’ve got Jews, Hindus, and
Muslims… It is amazing the number of people in this world who just think
differently about who God really is and what He means to them. Some would also
agree it doesn’t really matter who you believe in as long as you believe. Who
is right? Whose belief and idea of God is correct? One thing is sure: if God
really exists, then it is of utmost importance that we be correct in what we
believe and think about Him. Someday we shall all stand before Him and give an
account to Him.
How can we tell if we believe in God, if our beliefs and
concepts of God are accurate? How can we tell if we really believe in the only
living and true God? This is the discussion in our text today. Are you born
again, do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ? (REALLY?)
God would not
have given His divine nature to a person who does not believe in Him.
Therefore, if we have the divine nature of God, if we have been truly born
again, then we believe in God, in the living and true God. But how can we tell
if we have been born of God? There are three proofs.
Application: Do you really
believe you have a relationship with Jesus Christ?
Do you really believe you
have a relationship with Jesus Christ?
Proof 1: believing Jesus is the Christ: vs.
1 “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who
loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
The first proof of you
really having a relationship with Christ; is understanding. Understanding who
He is and why he came to live and die and rise the third day from the grave. Another
part of understanding is realizing you’re a sinner and those sins separate you
from God. “Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3
Do
you really understand what it means to be born again? How many times have you
heard someone say: “you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand” In
the book of John chapter three Nicodemus was a religious man, a well learned
man. He was probably looked upon as a rocket scientist. Let me ask the question
again, because your lack of fully understanding this could keep you out of
heaven. Do you really understand what it means to be born again? Nicodemus
didn’t! He didn’t really get it.
The first proof reminds us you become a new
creature: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things
have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
(NKJV)
You become a new creature in Christ; a person who is "born of
God" loves God, and you must love the LORD your God with all your heart,
all your soul, and all your strength. This is the hard part of this proof! It
shouldn’t be but seems to be, A person who loves God will love other believers
as well. True believers love one another. There are no believers who do not
love their brothers and sisters in Christ. How can we say this? Because a true
believer has the nature of God, and God is love. “A new commandment I give to
you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have
love for one another." John 13:34-35 (NKJV)
So the first proof is
understanding. (Really)
Do you really believe you have a relationship with Jesus
Christ?
2. Proof 2: obeying and keeping God’s Commandment: vs. 2-3
“By this we
know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His
commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His
commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”
The second proof of you
really having a relationship with Christ is obedience. The person who has a
relationship with Christ keeps God's commandments. Do you really believe God? Keep
His commandments. Here’s the good news! If you believe in what the scripture
teach, there “not burdensome” Our obedience and love for God proves that we
love the children of God.
There is no other way to show God that we love Him
except by doing what He says. Some people feel that God's commandments are
grievous, a real burden. They feel that the commandments of Scripture restrict
them too much, and keep a person from the pleasures and possessions of the
world. They feel that to be a Christian disallows a person from having fun and
enjoying life. To them the demands of God are just too large a price to pay,
that demanding all one is and has is too much to ask of a person. But the exact
opposite is true: Scripture declares that God's commandments are not grievous.
They are not too large a burden to carry. You just got too decide if you’re
even going to try to pick it them up.
This second proof demands we pledge
allegiance to God! As for me and my house we will serve the Lord and pledge our
allegiance to the Lamb! What I mean is Cast all your cares upon Him He does
care but He demands obedience. Jesus Christ never allows a trial or temptation
to come upon a person beyond what the person can bear. Christ always provides
the strength or the way to escape.
“No temptation has overtaken you except such
as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted
beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of
escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
God gives all
true believers His Spirit, and the Spirit gives all the assurance, confidence,
and security, and all the love, joy, and peace that one could ever need or
want. The believer is filled with life and all the real and meaningful things
of life. Therefore, the believer never thinks of God's commandments as being burdensome.
They are a joy to him, for they bring abundant life to him. “Peace I leave with
you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not
your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
So the second proof
is obeying. (Really)
Do you really believe you have a relationship with Jesus Christ?
3. Proof 3: conquering the world: vs. 4-5
“For whatever is born of God overcomes
the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. 5 Who
is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of
God?”
The third proof of you really having a relationship with Christ is overcoming
the world. The person who is born of God overcomes the world. The victory that
overcomes the world is our faith. The person who overcomes the world is the
person who believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Who is it that really
has a relationship with Christ? It is the person who believes that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God. The world is overcome by faith. Victory is gained over the
world by faith in Jesus Christ, by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God. Really!
This proof is telling me conquer the things of this world, because
Christ is already victorious! Nothing can stop this love for Christ when we are
conquerors. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation,
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 37 Yet
in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For
I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers,
nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other
created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39
It means that God gives the believer
victory over sin. It means that God gives the believer victory over
death. It means that God gives the believer victory over judgment. “For
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through
him might be saved.” God gives the believer victory over fear and despair and
fills him with love, joy, and peace. We have victory over Satan, he can’t enter
in and allow us to make bad decisions. Keep that full armor of God on!
The new
commandment is the mark of a true disciple. The distinguishing mark of a true
believer is not the normal human love of neighbors, not even the love of
brothers and sisters or of husband and wife. It is the spiritual and
supernatural love of Jesus Himself that dwells within the life of the believer.
By this love shall all men know that a person is a true disciple of the Lord.
"This
is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you" John
15:12
Conquering the world gives you Victory in Jesus: I heard an old, old
story, how a Savior came from glory, How He gave his life on Calvary to save a
wretch like me… O victory in Jesus, my Savior forever! He sought me and bo’t me
with His redeeming blood. He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due
Him. DO YOU KNOW HIM! REALLY?
So the third proof is conquering the world.
(Really)
The proof is in the pudding!
In : Sermon
Tags: proof
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