“I Believe”
June 29, 2014
Acts 16:29-34
“The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.”
One of the blessings in my life is the opportunity to have friends from many different faiths and religions. Most of my friends are Christians of one faith or another. Some are Arminian; some are Calvinists; some are atheist; some are Buddhists; some are New Age. I don’t believe it is my job to convict someone of sin. It is not my place to judge or condemn. I leave that to God.
I believe it is my job to love everyone as they are and to live my life in such a way as to let God’s light shine through me. The Holy Spirit’s job is to convict and correct. My job is to be the light and the salt God called me to be. My job is to love everyone. I don’t have to agree with them – but I have to love them. And I do.
Having said that – I’m okay with who I am and my beliefs. I don’t feel a need to agree with everyone – in fact, that is impossible. I am comfortable with living in the Light God has shed on me. I have to walk the path that God has revealed to me. I don’t know everything – but I know some things. I don’t have to live anyone’s life but my own. I will only have to answer for myself when we stand before the Great White Throne of God one day.
Have you ever realized how different we are? Have you thought about how strange our beliefs are? The light bulb jokes illustrate that.
How many Arminians does it take to change a light bulb?
Since the bulb has free will – it must make the decision.
How many Calvinists does it take to change a light bulb?
None. God has predestined when the lights will be on… let Him turn it on if He wants.
How many TV evangelists does it take to change a light bulb?
One. But for the message of light to continue, send in your donation…
How many Baptists does it take to change a light bulb? Two, one to change the bulb, the other to preach on tithing in order to pay for the new bulb.
How Many Liberal Christians does it take to change a light bulb?
None – they don’t think it needs to be changed.
How many Evolutionists does it take to change a light bulb?
None – it will change itself – it will just take billions and billions of years.
Many people focus on the differences between us – and it drives us farther apart. I think God wants us to love one another and accept one another for who we are. We don’t have to compromise and change our beliefs – and the one who demands that of you to have a friendship or a relationship – you want to avoid. The people I like to be around are those who allow me to be myself and love me the way I am with the beliefs I have - even though they are different from their own.
There are some things I will change for people. I may dress differently or talk differently when I am around certain people. I may dress up or even clean up for some people- maybe even use deodorant. But there are some beliefs I won’t and can’t compromise on. I want to share a few of those this morning.
The first belief that I will not compromise is my belief in Jesus Christ as God. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15). He is the Creator and the Savior. (Col. 1:16, 20) I believe in His divinity.
The Bible teaches us that we have all fallen into sin and rebellion with God and He loved us so much that He came to earth as Jesus (incarnation) so He could die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins. Believing that and living that truth is called “living by faith”. All throughout the Bible this truth is communicated.
“Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”
Genesis 15:6
“What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:3
“So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Galatians 3:6
“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.”
James 2:23
Over and over we are told to believe God. We are instructed to put our faith in Him.
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
Today we question everything, and I think a certain amount of questioning is healthy, but there comes a time we need to choose to believe. We need to choose to put our faith in something – and everyone does. Some choose to believe a particular scientist or teacher; some choose to believe a particular teaching on enlightenment; some choose to believe and put their trust in a particular politician or political ideology. Did you notice that previously I included the atheist as a religion? It’s a choice. People put their faith in the teaching that there is no God. I choose to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior. The Bible says,
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10
I choose to believe that. I believe in Jesus Christ. He is my Savior and Lord. I am not Him. I am not Christ, nor am I God. I believe God made us ‘like’ Himself. We are created in His image – but we are not God. There is only one ‘I Am’ and that is God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We can have God indwell us as we allow Him to – but we are not God.
“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
John 14:23
“And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”
1 John 3:23-24
Jesus alone is God. He is not a great teacher or a guru or ascended being. He is God. He claimed to be God. Listen.
“53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.” John 8:53-59
Jesus used the Name of God – “I Am”! (see Genesis 3:14) He claimed to be God – that is why the people were going to kill Him. Now you have a choice. You can believe He is telling the truth or that He is not. If you believe He is not telling the truth then you have another choice. He is not telling the truth and knows He is not or He is not telling the truth and doesn’t know it. The first makes Him a liar and the second makes Him insane.
Jesus did not give us the option of making Him a Great Teacher. No great teacher is a liar or insane. Insane asylums are full of people who claim to be Jesus or Napoleon or Cesar and really believe it. But they are not. They are insane. They are crazy or deluded. You have the option of believing that.
The other option is that Jesus is telling the truth. He really is God. You then have two choices if you believe that. You can reject Him as your God and suffer the eternal consequences of that choice or you can accept Him and make Him your God and your Lord. It is faith in Him that overcomes the world.
“Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” I John 5:5
I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe He is my Savior. Secondly, I believe the Bible is the Word of God. I don’t believe it lacks anything we need to get us from planet Earth to Heaven. The Bible says of itself,
“…from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:15-16
I don’t know why God impressed on my heart as a young Christian to read the Bible daily, but He did. Consequently, I have read the Old Testament a couple of dozen times and the New Testament over 50 times. I still don’t know it as I would like to. As I grow in maturity I see more and more. God reveals more and more.
Some people believe the Bible is merely one of a number of great literary works. I don’t. I believe it is a special revelation of God and His will to us. Many people have become believers by trying to disprove the Bible; Josh McDowell shares how He began to read the Bible to disprove it and to shut his Christians friends up in “Evidence that Demands a Verdict”. C. S. Lewis shared a similar story in “Mere Christianity”. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn – Nobel Prize-winning dissident author was another who converted from atheism to Christianity. All are worth your time to read. To me the evidence is clear and convincing. I believe the Bible is God’s revelation to man. It is accurate and pure in its modern day translation. Evidence that Demands a Verdict make a compelling case as do many other authors. You can read books on apologetics for yourself. I have through the years – but the bottom line is faith. In the final analysis you have to choose to believe in it or not. I choose to believe. This is what I believe,
“We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, by which we understand the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration, inerrantly revealing the will of God concerning us in all things necessary to our salvation, so that whatever is not contained therein is not to be enjoined as an article of faith.” (Nazarene Manual)
That’s pretty simple. I choose to believe it.
Here’s one more thing I believe. I believe God asks us to follow Him. Jesus went around Israel or Galilee hunting down men who would follow Him. When He found them – He called them to follow.
“18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” Matthew 4:18-22
“9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.” Matthew 9:9
Jesus loves everybody. God so loved the world He provided salvation for all – but only those who believe in Him receive eternal life. Only those who believe enough to lay down their tools and their life and follow will be led to the streets of gold.
Do you believe? It’s a choice. Belief in Christ results in joy. Remember the jailor? The Bible says,
“… he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.” Acts 16:34
You have a choice today – believe or don’t believe. Maybe you need help to believe like the man in Mark 9:24. He prayed, “Help my unbelief!” We need to do the same sometime. But the choice is ours. I choose to believe – won’t you, too?
