Introduction

Hey there, church family! Today, we're going to be talking about some pretty important stuff. We're going to be looking at John 3, and we're going to be talking about understanding faithfulness, God's call and our response, and living a life of commitment.

Before we get into it, I want to share a quote with you from A.W. Tozer. He once said, "Faith is seeing the invisible, but not the nonexistent." Tozer was a pretty wise guy, and he knew a thing or two about faith. He knew that faith isn't about seeing things that aren't there, but about seeing things that are there, but invisible to the naked eye. And that's what we're going to be talking about today.

But first, let's read our Scripture passage. It's John 3, and it goes like this:

[Read passage]

That's some pretty deep stuff, isn't it? It's all about faith, about believing in things we can't see, and about responding to God's call in our lives.

Alright, let's pray before we get started.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this beautiful day, for the chance to gather together as a church family, and for Your Word that guides us and shapes us. We ask that You open our hearts and minds today as we talk about faithfulness, about Your call in our lives, and about what it means to live a life of commitment to You. Help us to see the invisible, just like Tozer talked about. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Alright, let's get into it, shall we?

Understanding Faithfulness

When we look at the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, we see a man struggling to grasp the idea of faithfulness. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, was a religious leader, a man who knew the law and the scriptures. Yet, he was missing something crucial. He was missing the understanding of faithfulness that comes from a deep, personal relationship with God.

Faithfulness: In its simplest form, it’s about commitment. It's about sticking with something or someone, even when the going gets tough. It's about being reliable, dependable, and trustworthy. But faithfulness is more than just a commitment to a person or a cause. It's a commitment to a set of values, to a way of life. In the context of our relationship with God, faithfulness is about our commitment to Him. It's about our willingness to follow His commands, to live according to His teachings, and to trust in His promises. It's about our willingness to put God first in our lives, above all else.

Nicodemus: He was a man who was committed to his religion. He was a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He was a man who knew the law and the scriptures. But he was missing something crucial. He was missing the understanding of faithfulness that comes from a deep, personal relationship with God.

Jesus in His conversation with Nicodemus: He was trying to help him understand this. He was trying to help him see that faithfulness is not just about following rules and regulations. It's about being born again, about having a new life in the Spirit. It's about seeing the kingdom of God, not with our physical eyes, but with the eyes of faith.

Faithfulness is not just about what we do: It’s about who we are. It's about our identity as children of God, born of the Spirit. When we are born again, we become new creations. We are no longer defined by our past mistakes, our failures, or our shortcomings. We are defined by our relationship with God, by our faith in Him, and by our commitment to live according to His teachings.

A shift in our understanding of ourselves and our place in the world: It's not something that happens overnight. It's a process, a journey of transformation that begins when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and continues as we grow in our relationship with Him.

Not a one-way street: It's not just about our commitment to God, but about God's commitment to us. God is faithful. He is reliable, dependable, and trustworthy. He keeps His promises, and He never fails us. He is always there for us, no matter what we're going through. He never leaves us or forsakes us. When we understand this, it changes the way we see our relationship with God. It's not just about us trying to be good enough for God, trying to earn His love or His approval. It's about us responding to God's love, to His faithfulness, with our own faithfulness.

It's not just about our relationship with God: It’s about our relationships with others. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be faithful in our relationships. We are called to be reliable, dependable, and trustworthy. We are called to love others as we love ourselves, to treat others as we want to be treated. This is not always easy. It's not always convenient. It requires sacrifice, patience, and perseverance. But it's what we are called to do. It's part of our commitment to live according to the teachings of Jesus.

It's not just a personal matter: It’s a communal one. As followers of Jesus, we are part of a community, the body of Christ. We are not alone in our journey of faith. We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, by a community of believers who are also striving to live faithfully. We are called to support each other, to encourage each other, to hold each other accountable. We are called to be faithful not just in our personal lives, but in our communal life as well.

God's Call and Our Response

In the passage from John 3, we see a curious Nicodemus seeking answers from Jesus ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO