Faith, Don’t Leave Earth Without It!
Am service December 2nd 2007
1 John 5:1-12
Introduction
American Express credit card has an advertising slogan, called American Express, Don’t leave home without it. Meaning this card is accepted and can be used in so many places you really don’t want to live without it. They don’t tell you about interest rates and so many bad things about credit cards, but they want you to believe that you should not walk out of the door of your home without this piece of plastic.
The apostle John in this passage of scripture is going to teach us something similar with faith. Now we know that scriptures teach us that without faith it impossible to please God. The scripture also teaches us that the just shall live by faith. If we really open our minds up to this passage of scripture the Holy spirit will reveal to us that faith is something that we really don’t want to live without, in this life or in the life to come. The apostle John will teach will teach us what faith will do for and in the life of the believer.
Read Scriptures: 1 John 5:1-12
I. Faith, allows me to be called a child of God.
Vs. 1 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.”
This passage indirectly implies a biblical truth, that when we come to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, when we are born into the Kingdom of God through Jesus, we become children of God.
The apostle Paul speaks of this in the book of Galatians 3:26 “You are all sons of God though faith in Christ Jesus,”
In Romans 8:14-15 again the apostle Paul says, “because those led by the spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a Spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received a Spirit of sonship.”
We are adopted into God’s family through Jesus Christ, and with that adoption comes all of the promises of the scriptures. We don’t have to live in fear or worry, we are children of the God of this universe. It is time that we start living like it and acting like, we walk around almost ashamed of our Christianity, like we are ashamed to be called by God’s name. My faith in Jesus allows me to be called a child of God.
II. Faith shows me a different way to live.
Vs. 2-3 “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,”
The unbeliever will say to himself, “I will change, I will be different”, the problem is that so often that difference doesn’t last.
When we come to faith in Christ, we receive God’s spirit, his divine nature, and that produces inward change. That is how drug addicts can become clean, alcoholics can become dry, the person battling depression can experience true and pure joy in this life.
We receive a Godly nature that can give us strength to flee temptation. We receive that set apartness that only comes from a Holy and righteous God. The apostle Peter says because He is Holy we should be Holy. True faith shows me a different way to live.
III. Through faith I can have Victory in this Life.
Vs. 4-5 “4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
We are told that a soldier in the army of Alexander the Great was not acting bravely in the battle. When he should have been pressing ahead, he was lingering behind. The great general approached him and asked, “What is your name, soldier?” The man replied, “My name, Sir, is Alexander.” The general looked at him straight in the eye and said firmly: “Solider, Get in there and fight-or change your name!”
What is our name? “Children of God-the born again ones of God” Alexander the Great wanted his name to be a symbol of courage; Our name carries with it assurance of victory. To be born of God means to share God’s victory.
We Christians do not have to walk around defeated, because Jesus Christ has made us victors! He has defeated every enemy and we share His victory name by faith. We need to claim His victory. We can have victory in this life through faith.
IV. Faith shows me the promises of God’s word.
Vs. 6-9 “6This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that testify: 8the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.”
“Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” Benjamin Franklin wrote those words in 1789. Of course, a wise man like Franklin new that many other things were certain.
The Christian also knows that there are many certainties. When it comes to spiritual truth found in God’s word we should not be afraid to say “We Know!”.
We know that God promised not to leave us in our sinful state, so He sent us a savior in that of Jesus Christ.
We know that when we come to faith in Jesus we are promised a heavenly home.
We know that Jesus promised never to leave us alone here and now.
“We know”, is probably two of the most powerful words that we can speak
Faith shows me the promises of God’s word.
V. Faith allows me to leave Earth knowing I will be in Heaven.
Vs. 10-12 “10Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
Eternal life is a gift; it is not something that we earn. But this gift is a person-Jesus Christ.
We receive eternal life not only from Christ, but in Christ. “He who has the Son has the life”
This gift is received through faith. God is going on record in His word as offering eternal life to those who will believe on Jesus Christ. Millions of Christians have proved that God’s record is true. Not to believe is to make God a liar and if God is a liar, then nothing is certain. God wants His children to know that they belong to Him. John was inspired by the Spirit to write His Gospel to assure us that Jesus is the Christ, The Son of God, He wrote this epistle so that we may be sure that we are Children of God. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart.(Wiersbe Commentary Vol. 2)
As children of God we have the certainty of scripture to assure us that if we are truly in The Faith we will have eternal life. Therefore, we don’t have to fear death because Jesus conquered death.
When Sir James Simpson, the discoverer of Chloroform, was on His death bed, a friend asked him, “Sir, what are your speculations?” Simpson replied, “Speculations, I have no speculations! ‘For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.’”
Faith in Jesus is something that you do not want to leave Earth without!
Conclusion
Do you have that assurance, it will not come from religion, or trying to change it will only come through faith in Jesus Christ. Maybe you are a child of God but you are living defeated you have given too much ground to satan. This alter will be open this morning for you to come a talk to Jesus.
