INTRODUCTION
SLIDE #1
• We talk a lot about faith and how faith in Jesus changes our lives. Our faith in Jesus is the thing that allows us to overcome the world.
• Our faith helps us to overcome the sin that is so prevalent in the world. Our faith in Jesus changes everything about us.
• I know in my life before I gave my life to Jesus, I was not on the right track. I was driven by selfish motivation. I was all about me.
• I had no real direction in life; I had no real purpose in life.
• All that changed when I gave my life to Jesus. Faith in Jesus is a wonderful thing to have. It gives hope it gives purpose and it leads to life.
• When I was considering whether or not to give my life to Jesus, I did not just blindly jump off of a cliff, I needed to see something I could trust so that I could make an informed decision as to what to do with my life and where to place my faith.
• Robyn did not tell me about Jesus and then I just blindly followed it. I studied and I looked at some things that convinced me that Jesus was the way the truth and the life.
• Today we are going to look at a couple items concerning our faith. I hope they are items that will help you in your faith today.
• Let us look at 1 John 5:5-12 together this morning. SLIDES #2, #3,#4
SLIDE #5
SERMON
I. TESTIMONIES WE CAN TRUST. (6-9)
SLIDE #6
1. The testimony of His life. (6)
• When we are trying to decide if we want to follow Jesus as our Lord, we cannot go up and speak with Him. We cannot set an appointment to go and visit Him; we have to rely on the testimony of others.
• This is not an unusual thing for us to have to do. Every day we make faith decisions based on the testimonies of others. I have never been to Hawaii. I believe it exists because I have seen pictures I have been told by others who have been there that it exists.
• I have been given testimonies by those who have been there.
• There are some other things in which I believe that I have not been able to speak to those who witnessed the person or event.
• Years ago we went to Washington D.C. When we were there I went to George Washington’s home Mount Vernon.
• I do believe that George Washington was the first president because I have read the testimonies of others who said he was.
• I trusted the people at Mount Vernon. I believe their testimonies concerning Mount Vernon. As far as I knew, those people could have been lying to all of us, but that kind of thinking would have been irrational.
• As we ponder Jesus, we have some reliable witnesses concerning His life.
• It is easy to say those testimonies from the Bible cannot be trusted.
• Why? What evidence can be provided that would suggest you cannot trust the Bible? What evidence do we have that would tell us we cannot trust the testimony of those who wrote it by the inspiration of God? SLIDE #7
• Luke 1:1-4 SLIDE #8
• John 21:24 (GWT) This disciple was an eyewitness of these things and wrote them down. We know that what he says is true.
• Let us look at a couple of the witnesses that John lists for us concerning the validity of Jesus life. These testimonies attest to the life of Jesus. They confirm His humanity and His deity. These items were attacked by some during John’s day.
• Some said that Jesus was not God and some said that before the crucifixion Jesus left the human body He inhabited so that He really did not suffer in the flesh for our sins. Let us look at the first testimony. SLIDE #9
a. The water.
• We are told that Jesus is the one who came by water and blood. What does this mean?
• There have been a lot of explanations as to what this means, but the most logical concerning the “water” is the fact that it refers to Jesus baptism.
• A literal reading of the passage would not violate the scriptures elsewhere.
• The word “came” denotes a one time past act with continuing results.
• Jesus baptism was something that happened in the past when John penned this letter. SLIDE #10
• Jesus was affirmed at His baptism. Luke 3:22 (NASB) and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” SLIDE #11
b. The blood.
• John not only tells us that Jesus came with the water, but he also states that He came by blood.
• SLIDE #12 The blood spoken of was the blood shed on the cross. This completed Jesus redemptive work. John 19:30
• The blood of Jesus is the mechanism by which we are saved. (Hebrews 9:11-14)
• John speaks of the water and the blood to stress that Jesus came to die for us.
SLIDE #13
2. The testimony of the Spirit. (6)
• We also have the testimony of the Spirit in verse six.
• The Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. In the Luke 3:22 passage (SLIDE #14) it tells us the Spirit descended upon Him. This is part of the Spirit’s testimony concerning who Jesus is.
• SLIDE #15 Romans 8:11 tells us the Spirit raised Jesus and that same Spirit is within us!
• SLIDE #16 The Spirit empowered the Apostles as they carried out their mission. Acts 1:8.
• The Spirit testifies that Jesus the Son of God. SLIDE #17
3. The testimony of God. (9)
• When we jump into verse nine we see that God the Father has given testimony concerning Jesus also. SLIDE #18
• Once again we can go back to Luke 3:22. The Father acknowledges Jesus as His Son.
• SLIDE #19 John 5:36 (NASB) 36“But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.
• SLIDE #20
• The Old Testament Scriptures testify about Jesus also! John 5:39
• Verse nine tells us that the testimony of God is greater than that of any man. If we are going to believe the testimony of man concerning matters of guilt or innocence, we MUST realize we can trust God as a faithful and true witness!
SLIDE #21
4. The testimonies are in agreement! (7-8)
• In verses 7-8 we are told that the water blood and Spirit are all in agreement concerning their testimony.
• All three agree that Jesus is the Son of God.
• On top of that, the Father also says the same thing.
• The testimony from all point to Jesus as being God’s Son!
SLIDE #22
II. WHAT YOU BELIEVE MATTERS! (10-12)
• You have heard it said, “It does not matter what you believe as long as you believe.” Maybe you have heard the one that says “We are all heading to the same place, we are just on different paths.
• What you believe matters. What you believe is very important. Verse five tells us that the one who overcomes the world is the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
• There is nothing about any other person being what Jesus is. The water, blood, Spirit and the Father give no testimony concerning any other who claims to be a path, way or channel to God!
• Here are a few reasons why what you believe matters.
SLIDE #23
1. God’s testimony resides in the believer. (10)
• The practical meaning of this is that the Christian experience corroborates the validity of Christianity in the lives of those who accept it and walk in the light of it.
• We are a living testimony of what Jesus can do.
• We are the sermon that everyone sees day in and day out.
• The Spirit also testifies concerning Jesus.
• The Christian has the Spirit abiding in them. SLIDE #24
• Acts 5:32 (NASB) “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” SLIDE #25
• Romans 8:9 (NASB) However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
• If we do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God then God’s testimony or Spirit does not reside in us. The Romans 8:9 passage tells us that if we do not have the Spirit in us, we do not belong to God. EXPAND
SLIDE #26
2. When we reject God we make Him out to be a liar! (10)
• When we refuse to accept God’s testimony, we are calling God a liar. In our minds we are saying that God is not being truthful.
• If we think there are more than one path to Him, we are telling God we think He is lying to us.
• IF we think there is another way truth or life outside of Jesus we are saying that God has lied to us.
• When I reject Jesus, in my heart I am rejecting God and I think God is a liar.
• The Life Application Bible makes this statement concerning verse 10
• John has a shocking assessment of those who refuse to believe the testimony of God: “You are, in essence, calling God a liar.” Such an image seems harsh. Few people would be so bold. Yet whenever someone questions what the Scriptures teach or sits in judgment of difficult theological truths, that is what he or she is doing—attacking the holy character of the Creator. What does your lifestyle say about God? Are you living in such a way that others can see that God is trustworthy and true? Or do others see your example and conclude that God’s words and ways are not to be believed?
CLICK #26
3. The gift of eternal life is God’s testimony in us. (11)
• When we give our lives to Christ, when we are converted to Christ, we are giving the gift of eternal life!
• Eternal life is not just the duration of life, but it deals with the quality of that life.
• God has many blessings awaiting those who love Him.
• We not only receive eternal life from Christ but we get to live it in Christ!
CLICK#26
4. It all comes down to what you believe! (12)
SLIDE #27
a. Belief equals eternal life!
• This is pretty simple. If you believe you will have eternal life. Remember belief is more than a verbal agreement; it will lead us to take action.
CLICK #27
b. Rejection equals no eternal life.
• If you chose to reject Jesus, then you chose not to have eternal life. You chose not to go to heaven, you chose not to be with God for eternity, you chose to thumb your nose at the great blessings plans and future God has in store for you!
CONCLUSION
• When you give your life to Jesus, it is not a blind leap of faith; it is not a cutting off of the brain. God gives us His testimony, the testimony of the water, blood and Spirit.
• All agree that Jesus is the Son of God, that He is the way, the truth and the life!
• If you want to be able to overcome the world, it must start with belief in Jesus!
