Nicodemus: Evidence That Demands Faith Series

NICODEMUS: EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS FAITH

This morning we come to the our tenth and final message of this sermon series on the Cross of Jesus Christ. The message of the cross is powerful and life changing and I can’t think of any better way for us to end this series on the cross than to end it with today’s message, “Evidence that demands faith.”

Last week we saw the power of the cross at work in the heart of a battle hardened Roman centurion, who was moved by the evidence he saw at the cross and said, “Surely this man was the Son of God.” If God can change the heart of an unbelieving Roman centurion, He can change the heart of anyone who is willing to examine the evidence and believe the truth.

In today’s message, I want to show you a man who examined the evidence, and had the courage to believe in spite of fierce opposition.

Let’s stand together to read from God’s word and discover what He has to say to us.

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

BLIND FAITH

Our message this morning is titled, “Nicodemus- Evidence that demands faith.”

It is a sad reality that in our society we are faced with the fact there are many who do not believe the Bible, nor do they believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and they do not believe He is the only way of salvation. They demand convincing evidence before they will believe. And I don’t have a problem with that, because there is a huge amount of evidence that clearly proves that Jesus Christ is who He claims to be. God is not afraid for anyone to examine the evidence.

However, what is disturbing is the number of people who still refuse to believe even when they are faced with very solid, convincing evidence that proves that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

Nonbelievers mistakenly think Christians simply accept the message of the Bible on nothing but blind faith. There is no reason for anyone to think they have to accept and believe the Bible on blind faith because there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that proves God is for real and that His word is the truth.

I personally have not accepted God’s word just on blind faith. In my personal search of the truth, I have discovered there is real historical and Biblical evidence that proves the validly of God’s word and the reality of the cross and the resurrection.

History clearly demonstrates without any doubt that the cross of Jesus Christ was a real historical event. The cross of Jesus Christ is one of the most highly documented

events in history, and there is absolutely no doubt that it took place.

The question for us today is, out of all the historical evidence that stands before us, what is the one piece of evidence that stands out above all other evidence and proclaims to us the reality of Jesus Christ as the Son of God?

I believe the most convincing evidence that speaks to us of the reality of the cross and of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, is the testimony of countless millions who lives were forever changed by the message of the cross and the reality of an empty tomb.

I am talking about the countless millions across the ages, who sacrificed their lives, their bodies, and all that they had because knew in their souls the truth that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. And I am one of them.

The Bible is filled with stories of the miracle working power of God, but the greatest of all miracles is the salvation of a soul for eternal life.

The most amazing miracle of all is when a person chooses to believe in Christ and to love Christ and to follow Christ and even willing to give up their lives to honor Christ. There is no miracle like the miracle that happens in the heart of a human soul.

This is the miracle God wants to happen in your life and in the life of those you love.

It is God’s great desire for you to move from being a non-believer to a believer who believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

We have already seen how the cross affected the thief and the Roman centurion.

But there was one other whose life was also forever changed that day because of the cross, and that was a Pharisee named Nicodemus.

With far less evidence than you and I have today, this man took a hard look at the evidence and then he boldly chose to believe what his heart told him to be true, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.