Believe It Or Not! Series

Sermon: “Believe it or Not!”

Thesis: We have the choice this Christmas season to believe in Jesus or not! It’s all about our choice – “Believe it or not!” It’s an action that is within us. It’s there within our heart and mind to decide to believe or not!

Scripture text: John 3:16: “16“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Introduction:

Max Lucado describes this famous verse this way in his book 3:16 The Numbers of Hope pages 8, 9: “A twenty-six-word parade of hope: beginning with God, ending with life, and urging us to do the same. Brief enough to write on a napkin or memorize in a moment, yet solid enough to weather two thousand years of storms and questions. If you know nothing of the Bible, start here. If you know everything in the Bible, return here. We all need the reminder. The heart of the human problem is the heart of the human. And God’s treatment is prescribed in John 3:16. He loves. He gave. We believe. We live. The words are to scripture what the Mississippi River is to America-an entryway into the heartland. Believe or dismiss them, embrace or reject them, any serious consideration of Christ must include them…Could you ponder the words of Christ and never immerse yourself into John 3:16? The verse is an alphabet of grace, a table of contents to Christian hope, each word a safe-deposit box of jewels. Read it again, slowly and aloud, and note the word that snatches your attention. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”…Whoever…a universal word… (Pages 8, 9).

T.S. – Let’s this morning take a look at our famous Christmas verse. Can we get a fresh view of it this morning?

I. “For God…”

a. God initiated the solution to the problem of sin and the inability of man to get themselves into Heaven.

i. He sent Jesus to deal with the problem of sin in man and to become the bridge for mankind to God.

ii. That’s why the baby in the Manger came – to bring a solution to man’s inability to get themselves right with God.

1. That little baby in the manger would become the one to restore our relationship with God the Father.

iii. God sent the solution to earth in a way that would open the door for all of us to discover His love.

1. Love – a characteristic of the season – We are to love one another and express that love through gifts and spending time together.

2. His love is revealed through Jesus’ birth, life and death!

a. We can experience that kind of love this Christmas season.

b. Yes, you read it right – you heard it right – FOR GOD!

i. Yes, the same entity that created this world.

ii. Yes, the entity that created light.

iii. Yes, the same entity which created the sky and the atmosphere.

iv. Yes, the same entity that created the oceans and the creatures in them.

v. Yes, the same entity that created things like elephants, and tigers.

vi. Yes, the same entity that created mankind.

vii. Yes, the same entity that chose your character traits, your hair and skin color.

viii. Yes, the same entity that listens to your prayers.

ix. Yes, the same entity that knows how many hairs are on your head.

x. Yes, the same entity who controls this world made a bold move to save mankind 2009 years ago.

1. The Angels rejoiced in this bold move.

2. The Demons ran for cover because of His bold move.

3. The Devil tried to stop and eradicate this God move – but they failed and the King of Kings was born.

a. No one could touch Him because God was there!

b. No Devil – not demon – no man!

c. God – The all powerful one – the all knowing one!

i. God’s glory is declared in the Heavens and we can see it if we believe. God set in motion this Christmas miracle and gift to mankind and He deserves the glory.

1. Look into the night sky! You can see His glory!

a. He is the same God who loves you!

i. He is the same God that sent the angels to the shepherds to declare His glory!

b. He is the same God who prepared a place for you in Heaven – if you believe.

i. So “Believe it or Not!”

2. Ponder this thought from Lucado, “If God can make a billion galaxies, can’t he make good out of our bad and sense out of faltering lives?” (page 22).