What will you do with Jesus?
Trust in Him John 6:25-29
Focus: Hearing the good news of Jesus demands a response…will it be to trust in him?
Function: To call hearers to make a decision to put their faith in Jesus.
Let me tell you about a couple of people I know …
Samantha—When the couple from church knocked on Samantha’s door to invite her to their church’s gospel meeting, something about the couple struck her. She wasn’t particularly interested in church, but for some reason that day she just needed somebody to talk to… and so she let them in. That began a relationship that would grow over the next several weeks as this couple returned to study the Bible with her. They learned about Samantha through this period as well. She had grown up in rough circumstances. Her father had left the family when she was just a child and she never knew him. Her mother had remarried and it was only after overcoming her fears that she years later told her mother that her stepfather had abused her as a child. Maybe that’s why she had left home as a teenager—that and the fact that she had become pregnant. The father, himself a teenager wrapped up in himself and his school activities, urged her to have an abortion—which she did, and later came to regret. That set the stage, though, for a series of relationships with men; none of them lasting very long and each leaving her more scarred and battered- emotionally. Two had left her with children to take care of on her own. The last relationship had actually left her physically battered. She didn’t know where he had gotten to—she heard he was in jail somewhere, but all she knew was that there was no child support in sight. And so, when this Christian couple came knocking, she saw an opportunity maybe for some hope. What she got, was the Word of God and something inside clicked! Her heart was pricked by the good news story… a story she had only rudimentary knowledge of from her childhood as fading memories of a grandmother telling her about Jesus were all but gone. And she was convicted and one night around her small kitchen table studying from the shiny new Bible this couple had given her (the only Bible she’d ever owned). She broke down in tears… all of a sudden she could see hope emerge from her hopelessness and she asked them, “What can I do?”
Richard—Richard grew up in about as opposite a setting as you could get. His was the ‘Beaver Cleaver’ family, so he always thought. His father had worked very hard to take care of the family, which meant that he was gone much of the time. But it also meant that Richard had everything he ever wanted plus some! Private school; the trendiest clothes; his was a life of privilege, if not extravagance. He went to the finest university and then grad school. After that it was on to Wall Street where he was determined to parlay his education, experience and money into more. He did and by age thirty he was a partner in the firm in which he worked and on his way to becoming a multi-millionaire. Along the way, he had managed to fall in love, married and had two beautiful children. But it didn’t take long before the hours at the office grew longer, the tension in his job increased and his home life began to suffer. He really wasn’t surprised, then, when one night he came home to an empty house. The wife and kids were gone; there was a note. But it was probably the emptiness he felt in his heart that drove him to church that Sunday for the first time in years. The sermon for the morning: “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus!’ As he listened to the words of the preacher, his mind reflected back upon his life… how he had always put things, stuff and money before anything or anybody else; even his kids. It was the image of his kids that pricked his heart, maybe more than the sermon that morning; the image of his kids growing up with everything money could buy… except a father. He knew what that was like. After the service he introduced himself to the preacher, told him a little of his story and in desperation asked, “What can I do?”
What would you tell them? If you were that couple studying the Bible with Samantha, what would you tell her? If you were that preacher talking with Richard, what would you tell him? Knowing their stories, what would you say?
I love what Jesus said to the crowd who asked him a similar question in the text that was read a moment ago. Jesus had just earlier amazed the crowd not only with his teaching, but also with his miraculous feeding of the 5,000! Then, seemingly wanting to get away with his disciples, they leave. The disciples head out across the lake and John 16:16-ff records another amazing miracle… Jesus walking on water out to meet them. But, when the crowd realizes (the next morning) that Jesus is gone, they head off in search of him. When they find him on the other side of the lake he almost scolds them. “Don’t follow me for the amazing miracles I’ve done; that is, for multiplying the bread. Seek for the food that endures to eternal life!” That’s when they say, “Tell us what we must do to do the works God requires?” vs. 28. He replies, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Did you HEAR what he said? “What should you do? Let me tell you what you should do! BELIEVE in the one God has sent!” I love that response! It’s not as simple, though, as maybe we might think. Reading it in English as we all do, I think we might miss the full IMPACT of what Jesus is telling them. He uses the word “pisteuo” when he says, “Believe!” That’s a verb, but the word is also found all over the N.T. also as a noun… and its translated “faith.” Jesus is saying, “Have faith in me!”
I’d love to think that’s what I would tell Samantha and Richard if they asked that question of me, because I think Its really the only answer there is! Think about it… what’s the answer to this fallen world? What was God’s final answer to fallen humanity? Jesus Christ! Now, we’ll talk in just a moment about what ‘faith’ is (so don’t get ahead of me)… but consider with me this morning that the most basic answer to all of life’s problems is to put our faith; our trust in Jesus Christ. Humanity’s most basic problem is sin. John the Baptist said of Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” If Jesus is God’s answer to our sin; then FAITH in Him is our response to that incredible gift of grace!
Let’s talk about FAITH…
We saw in the text that we looked at last week in Romans 10:17 that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ.” Then Paul asks (about Israel) “Did they not hear?” I ask of YOU, “Did you hear?” That was my challenge to you last week—to HEAR the word of Jesus; to LISTEN to HIM.
This morning I want you to ‘hear’ another challenge in the words of Jesus: to TRUST in Him; to BELIEVE in Him; to have FAITH in Him! I use the word ‘trust’ this morning as a way of getting us to think about what Jesus has said from a little different angle; but what I’m talking about is ‘belief’, ‘faith.’
I mentioned that reading it in English may lead us to miss the full impact of this verse. That’s because we typically think of ‘believing’ as something that just goes on in our head, but its more than that. It involves ACTION! Faith is both (1) Head Belief and (2) Heart Belief.
I. Head Belief
A. Part of Faith IS in the mind. It is what we might call ‘assent’ mentally accepting something to be true.
1. For example, I assent/ agree that Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. I remember studying about him in high school. I’ve read articles about him and seen documentaries. I’ve even been to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. and based on the weight of evidence I’ve seen, I assent that he lived and that he was our 16th President.
2. I might assent to the fact that it may rain today. Maybe I’ve watched the weather report on t.v. or observed the clouds in the sky… so I agree that the possibility of rain is imminent. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I’ll be prepared for it, though.
3. On the other hand, standing in line at the checkout counter at Wal-Mart, I may decide NOT to believe that Saddam Hussein has won the TN state lottery. Based on the weight of evidence and the reputation of the publication making that claim leads me to doubt it.
4. I may have grown up in church or read my Bible and mentally accept the fact that, God probably exists. I may have even weighed the evidence back & forth and come to the conclusion that –sure- Jesus is the Son of God… but that doesn’t mean I’ve got FAITH.
Biblical FAITH is more than mental assent! James says, “Even the demons ‘believe’ that and shudder!” (Js 2:19) They know without a doubt that God exists! They have seen him and witnessed his power! But that doesn’t mean that they have FAITH! Mentally assenting to the fact that God exists isn’t enough, we are called to DO something about it!
II. That’s why, two, Faith is also HEART Belief
A. Its sometimes said that the longest distance in the world is that distance between one’s heart and his head.
B. But, faith becomes FAITH when those are brought together!
1. When we are not only willing to agree to the fact of God’s existence, but we are willing to DO something about it!
2. When we are not only willing to assent that Jesus is the Son of God, but we are willing to put our TRUST in Him!
C. It is ACTING on that mental assent! It is putting your money where your mouth is!
1. Its packing an umbrella if you believe it may rain.
2. Its taking the risk for a million dollars when Regis asks you, “Who was President during the Civil War?” and you name Abraham Lincoln instead of walking.
3. And its putting your TRUST in Jesus when you wonder, “What does God want for me to do?”
FAITH by its very definition is ACTIVE
That’s how James could say that “faith without works is dead” (2:17) b/c faith without ‘doing’ really isn’t faith at all!
If it doesn’t involve some sort of action, it really isn’t faith.
Faith involves ACTION b/c faith IS ACTION!
This is how Paul could say that FAITH is the MEANS of our Salvation!
Many Christians misunderstand this and want to say that there is more to it than that and then want to compile a long list of do’s & don’ts.
But the Bible says, that we are “saved by GRACE through FAITH- and this is not of yourselves it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” in Eph. 2:8.
Its how he could write to Rome and tell them it is “Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” Rom 5:1-2NIV
Put in that proper context it makes perfect sense doesn’t it? We aren’t saved by what we DO…We are saved by God’s grace through our faith alone… but if faith is alone then it really isn’t faith! Faith will always—by definition—involve action… b/c Faith is Action.
This is how it always has been… turn over to Hebrews 11 and go down that list of great heroes of Faith and notice how many times “by faith” is used and how many times it is followed by an action! Every time, isn’t it?
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. Hebrews 11:8NIV
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice, Hebrews 11:17NIV
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. Hebrews 11:29NIV
And on and on and on!!!
That’s what this series is all about. Last week I introduced to us the question: What will you do with Jesus? Just knowing ABOUT Jesus isn’t enough… he calls us to DO something about it The good news expects a response! God calls us to decision! We cannot stay neutral on Jesus… to NOT decide is to decide! It is to say, ‘You’ve heard about him… now what?’ Jesus said, “Blessed are they who hear the word of God and obey it.” Lk. 11:28 Jesus is waiting for a response… what will it be?
Don’t get me wrong… I realize that this is not always an EASY decision… it can be gut-wrenching for some. Like Samanthas…Asking her to put her trust in Jesus when every other person in her life has let her down is really asking her to DO something! Asking her to come to a loving Father, after all she’s ever known of a Father has been rejection or the wrong kind of affection; but NO love—that’s a big challenge!
Or like Richards…All he’s ever trusted in has been himself, his education, his abilities, his work… to ask him to give that up and trust in Jesus- someone he’s just met- is asking him to go against everything he’s ever known. If he’s ever trusted in anything other than himself, its been his money & wealth. Asking him to let those things go and trust only in Jesus is a high order!
I’ve got to admit to you, I don’t know these individuals specifically… but we all know them, don’t we? We know them because they are our friends, our neighbors, our family members in many cases. They are, in fact, all of us! We all have grown up in less than perfect circumstances; we all have ‘issues’ when it comes to TRUST, to letting go and giving it over to God. So, I don’t pretend that fully TRUSTING Jesus is something that is easily done for most of us. If you’re like me, you put an awful lot of confidence in yourself… and sometimes that works against you when it comes to trusting in Jesus. We know them, too, because they are found throughout Scripture… be it the Samaritan woman at the well in Jn 4 or the woman caught in adultery in Jn 8 or the Rich Young Ruler of Lk 18. For him, in particular, the call to leave his treasure and trust only in Jesus was too much to bear! He couldn’t/ wouldn’t do it! So he walked away.
In Mark 9 we meet a fellow who was at the end of his rope…His son had been sick for years! Mark tells us that it was an evil spirit that tormented him; even tried to kill him on a number of occasions. The kid’s dad was grasping out for anything… any hope… anything that might help! Have you ever felt that way? Desperate? He had probably seen Jesus or heard about him and may have seen just the slightest glimmer of hope; he thought that just maybe this man could do something. Anything was worth a try at this point! So he brings his son first to the Apostles who are unable to do anything- but then to Jesus.
17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." 19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. 22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
Can’t you just hear the despair & hopelessness in his voice? “IF you can do anything…?” And Jesus responds with an awesome & incredible promise!
23 "’If you can’?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Everything is possible for him who believes! He says, Believe in me and everything is possible! Put your TRUST in me, and all things can be accomplished!
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” NIV
That’s my prayer for us this morning…We want to believe! We desire a true & saving, ACTIVE Faith! But sometimes its hard to turn loose of the trust that we place in the things of this world; be it our ‘stuff’ our abilities, or ourselves… and put our trust in Jesus.
Prayer
“Father, we DO believe… we know you to be true; we know you to be our Creator & Heavenly Father, we know you have sent your one and only Son so that we might have everlasting life… we KNOW these things to be true… help us put our TRUST in you! Help us turn those things in our lives which we are trying to handle on our own and failing.. over to you. Help us commit our lives wholly to you!” Amen
Invitation—Last week I challenged you to LISTEN to Him… to hear what Jesus has to say about things and give his advice a try in your life… what did you find? I trust you found his words to be true.
This morning, I want to challenge you to take the next step in your journey of faith if you haven’t already… TRUST in Him. When the world has let you down, HE is dependable! When others have turned on you, HE is trustworthy! When everyone has left you, HE will always be there!
What will you do with Jesus this morning?
