WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH
PASTOR: TERRY VAUGHAN
SERMON TITLE: YEA LORD, I BELIEVE
09-30-01 P.M. SERVICE
“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. FOR GOD SENT NOT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD; BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED. HE THAT BELIEVETH ON HIM IS NOT CONDEMNED: BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HATH NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.” JOHN 3:16-18
TURN TO MATTHEW 9:27-30 “AND WHEN JESUS DEPARTED THENCE, TWO BLIND MEN FOLLOWED HIM, CRYING, AND SAYING, THOU SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON US. AND WHEN HE WAS COME INTO THE HOUSE, THE BLIND MEN CAME TO HIM: AND JESUS SAITH UNTO THEM, BELIEVE YE THAT I AM ABLE TO DO THIS? THEY SAID UNTO HIM, YEA, LORD. THEN TOUCHED HE THEIR EYES, SAYING, ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH BE IT UNTO YOU. AND THEIR EYES WERE OPENED:...”
I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THAT TWO BLIND MEN FOLLOWED JESUS. YOU MIGHT WONDER HOW BLIND MEN COULD FOLLOW HIM. LET ME TELL YOU THAT YOU DON’T FOLLOW JESUS BY THE SEEING OF THE EYES BUT BY WHAT YOU FEEL IN YOUR HEART.
WHEN JESUS WAS COME INTO THE HOUSE THE BLIND MEN CAME TO HIM AND JESUS ASKED THEM IF THEY BELIEVED HE COULD DO THIS AND THEY SAID YES. I WANT TO PREACH TO YOU ON YEA, LORD, BELIEVING IN HIM. I THOUGHT ABOUT THE SCRIPTURE IN THE BIBLE WHERE JESUS ASKED HIS DISCIPLES, “WHO DO THE PEOPLE SAY I AM?” THEY SAY THAT YOU ARE A PROPHET AND SOME SAY YOU ARE JOHN THE BAPTIST AND SOME SAY YOU’RE ELIAS AND JESUS SAID, “WELL, WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?” AND PETER SAID THOU ART THE CHRIST. THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. AND JESUS SAID, “FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED THIS UNTO YOU BUT MY FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN.” I THANK GOD FOR THAT SCRIPTURE BECAUSE THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TODAY THAT KNOW THE NAME JESUS AND THEY’VE HEARD ABOUT HIM. HEARD HIM PREACHED AND TAUGHT IN THE SUNDAY SCHOOL ROOMS BUT THEY REALLY AND TRULY DON’T KNOW WHO JESUS IS. THEY JUST DON’T GRASP WHO JESUS IS. BUT THESE BLIND MEN KNEW WHO JESUS WAS. THEY KNEW WHAT JESUS COULD DO AND THEY WENT TO HIM. WHEN THEY LEFT THERE, THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE. I WONDER WHAT YOU’VE COME FOR? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS ABLE TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOU? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT HE’S ABLE TO SAVE THOSE LOST SOULS IN YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS? GOD’S ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK BY HIS POWER, BY HIS GRACE AND BY HIS MERCY. THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SAY, “YEAH, I BELIEVE IN HIM.” BUT I WONDER DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE. HE SAID TO THE BLIND MEN, “ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH BE IT UNTO YOU.” IF WE HAVE THE FAITH, GOD HAS THE ANSWER AND THE POWER. OUR FAITH IS LIKE A KEY TO A MOTOR. IF WE HAVE IT, THEN GOD CAN TURN IT ON AND USE IT THROUGH HIS GRACE AND MERCY.
IN MARK 9:23 “JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, IF THOU CANST BELIEVE, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO HIM THAT BELIEVETH.” JUST BELIEVING, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. ONE PART OF BELIEVING IS FAITH. THE BIBLE SAY THAT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD. WE’LL BELIEVE IN WORLDLY THINGS MORE THAN WE BELIEVE IN WHAT GOD CAN DO. WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN HIM. THESE TWO BLIND MEN BELIEVED. JESUS PERFORMED A MIRACLE IN THEIR LIFE. HE’S STILL PERFORMING MIRACLES TODAY.
I WANT TO SHARE SEVEN THOUGHTS ON BELIEVING IN HIM.
NUMBER ONE: WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN HIS PERSON. WHO HE IS. NOT JUST JESUS OR NOT JUST GOD. THESE PEOPLE ON TV ARE ALWAYS THANKING GOD FOR THE AWARDS THEY GET BUT I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON AND GOD THE HOLY GHOST. THERE’S NO GREATER PERSON THAN JESUS CHRIST. LET ME SHARE THESE VERSES:
HEBREWS 12:2 “LOOKING UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH; WHO FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, AND IS SET DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD.” HE’S THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF YOUR FAITH. HE’S ABLE TO GIVE YOU FAITH AND WHEN HE’S READY TO CALL YOU HOME, HIS FAITH IS THERE STILL.
JOHN 1:17 “FOR THE LAW WAS GIVEN BY MOSES, BUT GRACE AND TRUTH CAME BY JESUS CHRIST.” DO YOU BELIEVE IN HIM FOR WHO HE IS? A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T SPEND ENOUGH TIME WITH HIM TO KNOW WHO HE IS.
1 TIMOTHY 2:5 “FOR THERE IS ONE GOD, AND ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN, THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.” THERE ISN’T ANYBODY ELSE THAT CAN GET YOU TO GOD EXCEPT JESUS CHRIST. HE’S THE ONLY WAY FROM SIN TO SALVATION. HE’S THE ONLY WAY FROM THIS EARTH TO HEAVEN. WHEN I THINK OF CALVARY I THINK OF HOW MY SAVIOR SUFFERED AND DIED FOR ME. IT’S NOT JUST SOME PICTURE I SEE ON THE WALL OR IN BOOKS. I BELIEVE IT DOWN ON THE INSIDE THAT HE DIED FOR MY SINS. I BELIEVE IN HIS PERSON.
JOHN 1:1 “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. THE SAME WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD. ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM; AND WITHOUT HIM WAS NOT ANYTHING MADE THAT WAS MADE.” HE WAS ALSO THE SALVATION OF GOD. JOHN 1:10-12 “HE WAS IN THE WORLD, AND THE WORLD WAS MADE BY HIM, AND THE WORLD KNEW HIM NOT. HE CAME UNTO HIS OWN AND HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT. BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM GAVE HE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD, EVEN TO THEM THAT BELIEVE ON HIS NAME.”
HEBREWS 13:8 “JESUS CHRIST THE SAME YESTERDAY, AND TODAY, AND FOREVER.” HE IS THE PERSON OF GOD MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:57 “BUT THANKS BE TO GOD, WHICH GIVETH US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.” WE’VE GOT VICTORY THROUGH THAT. WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN HIS PERSON. HE’S NOT SOME FORMAT SOMEWHERE THAT SOMEONE CREATED. HE’S REAL IN MY LIFE. IS HE REAL IN YOUR LIFE?
NUMBER TWO: WE HAVE TO BELIEVE IN HIS PRIESTHOOD. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THERE USED TO BE MANY PRIESTS AND THEY WERE ONLY THE ONES ALLOWED IN THE FIRST TEMPLE. AND THEY WOULD GO IN AND SACRIFICE THESE YOUNG LAMBS AND GOATS. THEY SACRIFICED THEM FOR THE PEOPLES SINS. MULTITUDES OF THESE SACRIFICES WERE CUT OPEN AND BURNT. IN THE SECOND TABERNACLE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT COULD GO IN WERE THE HIGH PRIESTS. HE WOULD GO IN FOR HIS SINS, THE PRIESTS SINS AND THE PEOPLES SINS. THANK GOD WE NO LONGER LIVE UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE. OUR PRIEST IS NOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
HEBREWS 4:15 “FOR WE HAVE NOT AN HIGH PRIEST WHICH CANNOT BE TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES; BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS WE ARE, YET WITHOUT SIN.” HE DIDN’T HAVE NO SIN BUT HE BECAME SIN FOR US.
HEBREWS 10:21-22 “AND HAVING AN HIGH PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD; LET US DRAW NEAR WITH A TRUE HEART IN FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH, HAVING OUR HEARTS SPRINKLED FROM AN EVIL CONSCIENCE, AND OUR BODIES WASHED WITH PURE WATER.” HE’S OUR HIGH PRIEST.
HEBREWS 7:3 “WITHOUT FATHER, WITHOUT MOTHER, WITHOUT DESCENT, HAVING NEITHER BEGINNING OF DAYS NOR END OF LIFE: BUT MADE LIKE UNTO THE SON OF GOD; ABIDETH A PRIEST CONTINUALLY.” HE’S NEVER BEEN ONE TO STOP OR QUIT. HE ABIDETH FOREVER. WHEN I QUOTED TO YOU IN THE BEGINNING IT DIDN’T MEAN HIS BEGINNING IT MEANT OUR BEGINNING. HE’S ALPHA, THE OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE END. WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN HIS PRIESTHOOD. YOU KNOW WHAT IT’S ABOUT? IT’S ABOUT LEADING LOST SOULS TO HIM TO BE SAVED FROM THE DEVILS HELL.
NUMBER THREE: WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN HIS PERFECTNESS. YOU SAY WELL GOD FORGOT ABOUT MY PRAYER. GOD DOESN’T FORGET ABOUT A PRAYER. HE’S A GOD THAT CANNOT LIE. HE PROMISES US THINGS AND BRINGS US THROUGH THINGS. HE’S A FLAWLESS GOD. IF SOMEBODY ISN’T GETTING SAVED IT’S NOT GOD’S FAULT. IF YOU’RE BROKE IT’S NOT GOD’S FAULT. I DON’T CARE WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE DON’T YOU BLAME IT ON GOD. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED WITH EVIL. THERE’S NO FLAWS IN THE GOD THAT I’M SERVING. THE PSALMIST DAVID SAID, “GOD’S WAYS ARE PERFECT.”
HEBREWS 5:9 “AND BEING MADE PERFECT HE BECAME THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION UNTO ALL THEM THAT OBEY HIM.”
HEBREWS 7:19 “FOR THE LAW MADE NOTHING PERFECT, BUT THE BRINGING IN OF A BETTER HOPE DID; BY THE WHICH WE DRAW NIGH UNTO GOD.” JESUS IS OUR BETTER HOPE TODAY. YOU SAY THINGS AREN’T GOING RIGHT IN MY LIFE. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT PERFECT. WE’RE SERVING A PERFECT GOD BUT WE’RE NOT A PERFECT PEOPLE. THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH GOD, THERE’S JUST SOMETHING WRONG WITH US. THE BIBLE SAYS WE’VE ALL SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.
MATTHEW 5:48 “BE YE THEREFORE PERFECT, EVEN AS YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT.” YOU SAY PREACHER I CAN’T BE PERFECT. NO, BUT YOU CAN STRIVE FOR PERFECTION. PAUL SAID I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. WE’RE GOING TO GET THAT PERFECTION ONE DAY AFTER AWHILE. BUT WHILE WE’RE HERE WE NEED TO KEEP PRESSING.
NUMBER FOUR: WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN HIS PROMISES. HE’S A GOD THAT CANNOT LIE OR FAIL. WHAT HE PROMISES HE’S ALSO ABLE TO PERFORM. DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE PROMISES OF GOD? I LIKE THAT ONE IN JOHN 14:1-3 “LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED: YE BELIEVE IN GOD, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME. IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS: IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME AGAIN, AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO.”
IN JOHN 6:37 “ALL THAT THE FATHER GIVETH ME SHALL COME TO ME; AND HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT.” THAT’S A PROMISE FROM GOD. IF YOU’LL JUST COME TO HIM, HE’LL RECEIVE YOU AND WILL NOT CAST YOU OUT. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU’VE DONE, WHAT YOUR RACE IS, JUST COME AS YOU ARE.
HEBREWS 10:36 “FOR YE HAVE NEED OF PATIENCE, THAT, AFTER YE HAVE DONE THE WILL OF GOD, YE MIGHT RECEIVE THE PROMISE.” DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE PROMISES OF GOD? I BELIEVE HE CAN HELP US. I’M A FIRM BELIEVER OF GOD. I LIKE JOHN 14:6 “...I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.” THINK ABOUT IT. I AM THE WAY... YET THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT OF THE WAY. I AM THE TRUTH......YET THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVING A LIE. I AM THE LIFE....YET THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE DEAD IN THE WORLD FROM SIN. NO WONDER JESUS LOVED US. WE CAN’T BE LOVED BY ANYBODY ELSE. WE’RE NOT WORTHY ENOUGH. WE’RE SINNERS...SINNERS....SINNERS. IN ROMANS 5 IT SAYS WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.
NUMBER FIVE: WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN HIS PRESENCE: IF YOU WERE TO ASK IF JESUS WAS HERE, SOME OF YOU WOULD START LOOKING AROUND. YOU CAN’T SEE HIM WITH THE NATURAL EYE. WE FEEL HIM THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. I FEEL HIM AND HE’S HERE. YOU BELIEVE THAT.
PSALMS 125:2 “AS THE MOUNTAINS ARE ROUND ABOUT JERUSALEM, SO THE LORD IS ROUND ABOUT HIS PEOPLE FROM HENCEFORTH EVEN FOREVER.”
HEBREWS 13:5 “LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE WITHOUT COVETOUSNESS; AND BE CONTENT WITH SUCH THINGS AS YE HAVE: FOR HE HATH SAID, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE NOR FORSAKE THEE.” HE MEANS WHAT HE SAYS. I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU’RE GOING THROUGH. JESUS SAID HE’D NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU. EVEN WHEN WE FEEL LIKE HE’S NOT THERE, HE’S STILL THERE. I TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL ONE TIME. WE TAUGHT A CLASS OF TEENAGERS AND I TAUGHT WITH A BLACKBOARD. I’D TAKE SCRIPTURES AND DRAW PICTURES. ONE TIME I WROTE THE WORD GOD IN BIG LETTERS AND FROM IT DREW A LINE TO CIRCLE BENEATH IT AND WROTE IN THE WORD JESUS AND FROM THERE ANOTHER CIRCLE WITH THE WORDS HOLY GHOST. THEN I DREW THREE LINES TO THREE CIRCLES BENEATH IT AND WROTE YOU IN ALL THREE CIRCLES. WHEN YOU ACCEPT CHRIST IN YOUR LIFE YOU’RE NO LONGER YOU BUT (JESUS YOU). HE HAS TO COME FIRST IN OUR LIFE.
JOHN 14:18 “I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU COMFORTLESS: I WILL COME TO YOU.” I BELIEVE IN HIS PRESENCE TONIGHT. IF WE COULD SEE THE SPIRITUAL, WE WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO SEE FOR ALL THE ANGELS THAT ARE WRAPPED AROUND GOD’S PEOPLE. I BELIEVE THERE’D BE SO MANY ANGELS INSIDE THIS CHURCH THAT WE WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO SEE THE WALLS.
NUMBER SIX: WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN HIS POWER. WHEN YOU GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU SAY I CAN’T GO ON, WHEN YOU GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU SAY I CAN’T TAKE NO MORE, WHEN YOU GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU SAY I JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND. THAT’S WHEN YOU NEED TO TURN IT OVER TO GOD. GOD IS POWERFUL AND HE CAN WORK IT OUT. HE’LL TAKE OVER WHEN WE’VE DONE ALL THAT WE CAN DO.
EPHESIANS 1:19 “AND WHAT IS THE EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TO USWARD WHO BELIEVE, ACCORDING TO THE WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY POWER.”
ROMANS 13:1 “LET EVERY SOUL BE SUBJECT UNTO THE HIGHER POWERS. FOR THERE IS NO POWER BUT OF GOD: THE POWERS THAT BE ARE ORDAINED OF GOD.”
WE NEED FOR EVERY SOUL TO BE SUBJECT UNTO THE HIGHER POWER. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN MOSES WAS LEADING THOSE OUT OF BONDAGE IN EGYPT? THERE WERE MULTITUDES OF PEOPLE. THEN HE CAME UPON THE RED SEA AND THERE WAS NO WHERE TO GO. JUST AN OPEN SEA BEFORE HIM AND MOSE’S ARMY COMING AT HIM. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE POSITION HE WAS IN ? HE TOLD THOSE PEOPLE THAT GOD WOULD LEAD THEM OUT OF THERE AND MAKE A PLACE FOR THEM IN THE WILDERNESS. GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU. ALL MOSES COULD DO WAS HOLD UP HIS HAND AND SAY GOD WE NEED TO HELP. GOD PARTED THE SEA AND THEY WENT ACROSS ON DRY LAND. DID YOU KNOW IF YOU WENT OUT HERE TODAY AND SUCKED THE WATER OUT OF A MUD PUDDLE, IT WOULD STILL WET UNTIL THE SUN DRIED IT UP. GOD ALWAYS PROVIDES A WAY FOR HIS PEOPLE. LITTLE DAVID WENT UP AGAINST GOLIATH. HE WENT BECAUSE HE DIDN’T BELIEVE IN WHAT HE COULD DO BUT WHAT GOD COULD DO. HE KILLED THAT GIANT WITH A STONE. WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF GOD. I BELIEVE GOD HAS THE POWER TO FILL THIS CHURCH UP WITH PEOPLE. TO SAVE PEOPLE, BLESS PEOPLE AND TO CHANGE PEOPLE’S LIFE. RELY ON GOD’S POWER AND NOT YOURS.
EPHESIANS 6:10 “FINALLY, MY BRETHREN, BE STRONG IN THE LORD, AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT.”
NUMBER SEVEN: WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN HIS PROVISIONS. PHILIPPIANS 4:19 “BUT MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY.” DO YOU BELIEVE GOD’S GOING TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED?
2 CORINTHIANS 9:8 “AND GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TOWARD YOU: THAT YE, ALWAYS HAVING ALL SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS, MAY ABOUND TO EVERY GOOD WORK.” HE’S ABLE TO SUPPLY OUR NEEDS. WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN HIS PROVISIONS.
MALACHI 3:10 “BRING YE ALL THE TITHES INTO THE STOREHOUSE, THAT THERE MAY BE MEAT IN MINE HOUSE, AND PROVE ME NOW HEREWITH, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, IF I WILL NOT OPEN YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN, AND POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING, THAT THERE SHALL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT.” HAVE YOU EVER GOT A BLESSING LIKE THAT? WHEN YOU GET A BLESSING LIKE THAT YOU’LL BE ABLE TO SHOUT AND SAY AMEN. YOU’LL BEGIN TO WORK AND GROW SPIRITUALLY. HE’LL GET SO BIG ON THE INSIDE OF YOU THAT HE’LL SHOW UP ON THE OUTSIDE.
I BELIEVE THAT HE’S ABLE TO DO ALL EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK.
LET US PRAY: THANK YOU LORD FOR THIS MESSAGE. I PRAY YOU WOULD TEACH ME LORD HOW TO DRAW CLOSER TO YOU THAT I MIGHT USE THESE SEVEN POINTS. I WANT TO BELIEVE IN THE PERSON, THE PRIESTHOOD, THE PERFECTNESS, THE PROMISES, THE PRESENCE, THE POWER AND THE PROVISIONS. BY HAVING THESE I KNOW THAT I CAN GROW SPIRITUALLY AND HAVE A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU. IN JESUS NAME. AMEN.
