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).
a. He can and He will!
b. He is so wonderful, marvelous!
c. What makes Christmas the most wonderful time of the year – God’s glory, God’s gift, God’s present to mankind!
ii. God did this? Who can compare to God – His love – His action plan – His gift?
1. Isaiah the prophet challenges us with the question “Who do you know that can compare to God?”
a. Does anyone match up?
i. Do you know of anyone else who is like God?
ii. Is anyone in His league? Can you do what God did? Can you transcend time? Can you control this world’s direction? Can you do miracles? Can you give a gift to save mankind?
iii. Romans 16:26 tells us that God is eternal – He is the inventor the maker and designer of time.
1. God preceded time and will endure throughout all of time.
a. He sent His one and only Son into the time to change the direction of a world – to give the gift of time to all those who believe.
i. He sent His Son to give eternal time to all who choose to believe!
2. God gave us time to use - to invest into eternity – So how are you doing with the gift of time that He has given you this year.
a. Have you invested it or squandered it?
b. Are you using it wisely – investing it into or eternity?
c. Time do you want more or less?
i. It’s up to you to decide.
iv. God is perfect – no flaws – no mistakes – He’s perfection.
1. God knew what had to be done to fix the mistake mankind made. So he sent the solution to the problem.
a. He sent a baby to be born – to redeem – restore the lost to God.
b. He sent a Son to be adored and to be believed.
i. This is what make this the most wonderful time of the year – to renew our vision of the Savior – to see that he is the one who brings joy and peace to the troubled souls of mankind.
c. His plan was perfect – still is –no flaws in it – no deviation from it – It’s His plan “Believe it or Not!”
2. The prophet Isaiah states in 6:3: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.”
a. Holy because he is without flaw or darkness – no sin – no evil only good through and through.
b. Lucado states, “God is holy. Every decision, exact. Each word, appropriate. Never out-of-bounds or out of place. Not even tempted to make a mistake. “God is impervious to evil” (James 1:13) (page 19)
T.S. – The verse progress forward this Christmas season with the next revelation.
II. “…so loved the world…”
a. Is it not amazing how much God loves us?
i. I mean we reject him today in many ways:
1. We ban him from public life and schools
2. Sports today gets more attention on Sunday than the Lord does?
a. People sacrifice to the idol of sports because they believe in sports more than in God – even at Christmas.
b. But He still loves – he still forgives those who believe!
3. We strike his name from the reason for the season and yet He still loves us enough to give us a way out of our insanity.
4. We say, “Remove Christ from Christmas” how adsorb but how politically correct.
a. We want Him gone from public life because a few are offended – offended by His name.
i. It must mean that His name has power because why fight against something you don’t believe in.
1. Maybe they really “Believe”?
ii. Maybe because deep down they know “He’s alive and real and His name makes them uncomfortable.”
1. So we have to try to erase it away. Many other have tried but they too have failed because in the end – He always wins.
b. Love – wow what a concept – what an act of amazement.
i. Christmas is about that kind of love that gives gifts to others.
1. It sacrifices
a. Do you believe in sacrificing? For the ones you love?
2. A love that is not selfish but caring.
a. It cares enough to give – to embrace the season of generosity.
b. It’s the idea of being willing to give and not selfish like Scrooge.
c. Lucado states:
i. “God so loved the world…” We’d expect an anger –fueled God. One who punishes the world, recycles the world, forsakes the world…but loves the world? The world? This world? Heartbreakers, hope-snatchers, and dream-dousers prowl this orb. Dictators rage. Abusers inflict. Reverends think they deserve the title. But God loves. And he loves the world so much he gave his: Declarations?, Rules? Dicta? Edicts? (Page 9).
T.S. – For God so loved the world and the words echo on into eternity -
III. …that he gave his one and only Son…
a. He gave – the greatest gift to mankind – his own flesh.
i. He gave – it sends shivers up and down my spine – He gave – He freely handed over His life so that we could be set free for eternity.
b. He allowed Jesus to come and to give up his rightful place by the Throne of God.
i. He gave up the glory of Heaven.
1. He gave up the position of Heaven.
2. He gave up the applause of Heaven.
3. He did it for you and me.
ii. He gave up His privileged position to bear the sin of a world that would also reject Him.
1. People spit on him
2. People beat Him
3. People whipped him
4. People punched him
5. People pierced him
6. People mocked him
7. But some people believed – today people still believe – they believe and receive the true Spirit of Christmas.
c. God gave us His son wrapped in a cloth in a manger and all Heaven sang – glory to God in the Highest and many men missed this historical moment in time.
i. Many people today still miss the singing of Christmas Carols.
ii. Many today are blinded by the darkness of sin and they cannot see the light of Christmas.
iii. Many today don’t understand why it is more blessed to give than to receive.
iv. Many don’t see Christ in “Christmas” so all they have is “mas” – a mess!
v. Many still have the choice today – “to believe it or not!”
d. To believe that Jesus was given to them to save them from the evil one and to save them from self-destruction.
T.S. - For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son and here comes the pinnacle point of this verse – Believe it or Not!
IV. …that whoever believes…
a. The greatest revelation a person could realize:
i. To believe in the Savior
ii. To believe there is hope beyond ourselves.
iii. To believe that Jesus was born to save us all - to save me from my sins.
iv. To believe that He was born to save all of us – all of us are the “Whoevers!”
v. To believe that I am a whoever and that He died personally for me.
vi. To believe that Jesus cared enough for me to be born – to live – and to die so that I could have the great gift of eternal life.
vii. I am a whoever – a person lost - He showed us the path of life - the path of truth.
viii. Jesus smiled on me and saved me and it all was set in motion when “I believed” You can believe that or not! But that is what happened to me!
1. I was blind but then I could see!
a. I saw Him in the tree, in the wreath, in the lights, in the gifts.
b. When I believed “I could finally see!’
i. I saw him in the snow – For when I believed my sins were washed as white as snow!
ix. The world treated you meanly but you still died for us – I treated you meanly but you still told me “I Love you” Just believe Mike place your faith and trust in me. I did and I received!
1. The idea is God does the work and we trust Him! We believe and He does the rest for me.
2. He has done the work – He has paved the way –he has opened the holy of holies for us – we just have to trust – to believe to say “Yes, Lord!”
a. Do you “Believe!”
b. Lucado states – “Whoever – a universal word.”
i. It’s for everyone – no one is excluded!
1. It’s for you and me – it’s for Muslims and Jews. It’s for black and white. It’s for male and female! It’s for Democrats and Republicans. It’s for the sick and the healthy.
c. The difference between the ones with eternal life and ones with eternal damnation lies in the action of believing!
i. This action – this confession - this step of faith toward God opens up the gates of Heaven – it opens up a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
1. It all happens with the act of “belief”
a. To say yes – He is true – He is who I want!
T.S. – Our famous verse brings us to promise of believing – “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…” and here comes the promise
V. “…In Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
a. God promises you New Life – eternal life –unlimited time.
i. The Greek word for life is “zoe”
1. This word means intensive – life as God has designed it to be.
a. Intensive and filled with joy!
b. Filled with purpose and eternal meaning.
c. Life that is filled with joy and peace and hope.
d. Life that is wonderful and fulfilling.
e. Life that is abundant!
ii. This verse tells me that if I choose to believe then life is breathed into me for all eternity!
1. This is an ultimate promise for us today – the great gift of Heaven.
a. It’s only a belief away!
i. Lucado states, “Don’t miss the invisible, inward miracle triggered by belief. God reinstates us to Garden-of-Eden status.
ii. We can upon belief walk and talk with God daily!
1. We can feel His presence – feel His fresh breath of life.
2. It’s his breath which pumps up a flat life and makes it run and hum again. It’s allowing him to connect with our pressure release valve. It’s beleiving that He can fill us up new!
b. You get to choose your path – your destination in life – it’s up to you to believe it or not!
i. If you believe then you receive the ultimate gift this Christmas season!
ii. So “Do you believe in Him or not.” Is in your Christmas or not?
Conclusion:
To believe it or not – that is you decision this Christmas – you can believe and receive and see all of Heaven open up or you can choose to not believe and remain in darkness – the choice is yours!
I personally have chosen to Believe!
But today you decide “believe it or not.”
