The Faith Of An Overcomer Series

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