“HOW TO BECOME A CHILD OF GOD” John 1:1-12
FBCF – 10/25/20
Jon Daniels
INTRO – WELCOME TO FRIEND DAY!
Nothing like having a good friend.
- Share good times – play ball, hunt/fish/camp, shop, cheer teams
- Go through the bad times
- Have fun together
- Have each other’s back – take up for each other
- Take care of each other
- Want to be together as much as possible - Want to be together forever.
1989 – “Without Reservation” – 4 kids killed in car accident – “Bill” is the only Christian in the group. He & his best friend, John, played on basketball team together.
- John: “If you really believe what you’re saying, why didn’t you say something about this before now, when it could have made a difference?”
That’s what this day is all about. We want to say something about salvation, eternal life, heaven, & hell now when it can still make a difference in your life & in your friend’s life.
In just a few minutes, you are going to have the opportunity to make a decision. Not just any decision, but the most important decision you’ll ever make in your life.
EXPLANATION – John 1:1-12
Focus of each of Gospels:
- Matthew – wrote to Jews to prove that Jesus was the Messiah – quotes OT more than any other Gospel writer
- Mark – wrote to non-Jews to show them that Jesus was Savior & Servant to strengthen their faith in the face of persecution
- Luke – Luke was a physician – Very meticulous, orderly account of Jesus’ life & ministry, emphasizing His compassion to many who were outcasts – Samaritans, lepers, women, children, sinners of all kinds
- John – Not a chronological account like others – wrote to display the deity of Jesus – 100% God & 100% man
And that’s what we see right off the bat in John 1 – the foundational truth that Jesus is God – v. 1.
- Not “a” god
- But God w/ skin on
- He was involved in every aspect of creation – v. 1-3
- He was God who became a man so that He could take away our sins & save us.
- Only Jesus could do that! Only God could do that!
- After His death, burial, & resurrection, Thomas – “Doubting Thomas” – saw Jesus, saw His nail-scarred hands & the scar on His side from the spear. When declared, “My Lord & my God!”
- THAT’S WHO JESUS IS!
o He’s the Lord
o He’s God
o He’s the Master
o He’s the Redeemer
o He’s the ONLY Savior of the world
o And He’s the ONLY Savior who can & will save YOU today.
? He’ll forgive you of ALL of your sins
? He’ll set your life on a path of purpose & direction
? He’ll give you His awesome, abundant life in this life
? And He’ll give you the free gift of eternal life & secure you a home in heaven when you die
THAT’S WHO JESUS IS! And He wants to make YOU a child of God TODAY!
APPLICATION – God will make anyone, anywhere into a child of God at any time.
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
“receive” – take hold of; grasp; take possession of
UPS – Order something from Amazon. Somebody somewhere in some warehouse distribution center gets that order, finds your merchandise, & gets it out the door. Along the way, that package gets to a UPS driver who puts it into his brown truck, drives it to your house, brings it to your front door, rings your doorbell, & drives off. You receive that package – take possession of it. It is yours now.
2000 yrs ago, b/c God loves you so much, He delivered a package when sent His one & only Son, one-of-a-kind Son into the world. He was born in Bethlehem, lived & ministered in this world for 33 yrs, & was crucified on a cross to pay the price for your sins.
- He died so you wouldn’t have to die
- He paid the price that you couldn’t pay
- He experienced the wrath of God so you wouldn’t have to experience it
(PIPER) "Receiving Jesus means that when Jesus offers Himself to you, you welcome Him into your life for what He is.”
- He comes to you as Savior, so you welcome his salvation.
- He comes to you as Leader, so you welcome his leadership & direction in your life.
- He comes to you as Provider, so you welcome his provision for EVERY NEED YOU HAVE.
- He comes to you as Counselor, you welcome his counsel & guidance in your life.
- He comes to you as Protector, you welcome his protection & covering over your life.
- He comes to you as Friend, so you welcome His perfect friendship in your life.
- He comes to you as King, so you welcome his rule over your life.
Receiving Jesus means taking Jesus into your life for what He is…You receive HIM! ALL of Him! Not just His blessings. Not just His benefits. Not just to make you a good person. You receive HIM &, in turn, He makes YOU into a child of God FOREVER!.
- Remember what the word “receive” means?
o You TAKE HOLD OF HIM & He takes hold of you FOREVER!
o YOU GRASP HIM & He grasps you in His grip FOREVER!
o You TAKE POSSESSION OF HIM & He takes possession of you FOREVER!
“believe” – Not only do you receive Jesus, but you believe in Jesus.
- Believe IN Jesus
- Trust IN Jesus
- Put your faith IN Jesus
Not just a head knowledge of believing historical facts about Jesus. You can find those in lots of secular history books.
But believing IN Him to the point that you turn complete control of your entire life over to Him. Not just a matter of SAYING you believe in Jesus – you entrust your life completely to Him b/c you believe that there is no other way that you will become a child of God & go to heaven when you die.
- Chair illustration
HERE’S WHAT GOD DOES:
“gives you the right” – grants, allows, appoints, & bestows on you the right – the authority, power, permission to…
“become” - come to exist, to come into being; to be born; to be created
A CHILD OF GOD! And once you become a child of God, you never UN-become a child of God!
HERE’S WHAT THE RESULTS ARE:
- Eternal life that starts right now
- Abundant life that starts right now
- A completely forgiven life that starts right now
- A fresh, new, clean slate life that starts right now
CONCLUSION – Now that you know how to become a child of God, who wants to become a child of God right now?
