Go! And Believe In Jesus - A Call To Move From Familiarity To Faith Series

GO! And Believe in Jesus - A Call to Move from Familiarity to Faith

Introduction

It is possible to live your whole life around Jesus, to be familiar with His teachings, to even admire Him, yet never truly believe in Him.

Kevin DeYoung rightly observed: "You can live your whole life around Jesus, familiar with Jesus, filled with good ideas about Jesus, and still not really believe in Jesus." This is a sobering thought. Could it be that we are surrounded by the things of God but have never fully surrendered to Him?

Today, I want to challenge us to Go! And Believe in Jesus—not just in a superficial, intellectual way, but with a deep, life-transforming faith. We will explore what it means to move beyond familiarity and into true faith.

I. Proximity to Jesus is Not the Same as Belief

John 5:39-40 "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life."

Jesus spoke these words to the Jewish leaders, who prided themselves on their knowledge of the Scriptures. They were religious scholars who studied the Word diligently, yet they missed its very purpose—to lead them to Christ.

The Greek word for "search" here is ??e???? (ereunáo), which means to examine thoroughly, to investigate deeply. The Pharisees were meticulous in their study, yet their hearts remained hard. Knowledge without faith is empty.

Many people today know the Bible but have never encountered the living Christ. Knowing about Jesus is not enough; we must come to Him to receive life. The challenge is simple: Are we reading the Bible just to gain knowledge, or are we reading it to deepen our relationship with Jesus?

James 2:19 "You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror."

Even demons acknowledge the truth about God, but they do not submit to Him. Faith is more than intellectual assent; it is wholehearted trust and surrender.

Imagine standing on the edge of a bridge with a safety harness. You can read about how strong the harness is, how many people have used it before, but unless you trust it enough to step off the edge, your knowledge means nothing. Likewise, faith in Jesus requires us to step out and trust Him with our lives.

II. Familiarity Can Breed Complacency

Matthew 7:21-23"Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’"

Jesus warns that many will assume they are His followers simply because of their religious activities. Saying the right words and doing religious things do not equate to a relationship with Christ.

The phrase "I never knew you" in Greek is ??d?p?te ????? ?µ?? (oudepote egnon hymas), which means a complete lack of relational knowledge. This is not about mere acquaintance but deep, intimate knowing.

True faith is marked by obedience and relationship, not just religious performance. Are we merely going through the motions, or do we truly know and follow Jesus?

2 Corinthians 13:5 "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith."

Self-examination is necessary. We must ensure that our faith is authentic.

A counterfeit currency may look real but has no value. Likewise, outward religious activity without a real relationship with Jesus is worthless.

III. True Faith Requires Transformation

Romans 10:9-10"If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved."

Salvation is not just a private belief; it requires a public confession and a heart-level transformation.

The Greek word for "believe" here is p?ste?? (pisteuo), meaning to trust fully, to rely upon completely. This is a faith that changes how we live.

True faith produces transformation. When we believe, we are changed from the inside out. Are we living out our faith boldly?

2 Corinthians 5:17 "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

A caterpillar does not remain a caterpillar when it transforms into a butterfly. Likewise, true belief in Christ leads to a radical transformation.