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Recent Sermons CHRISTIAN BASICS FAITH IN JESUS Ephesians 2:1-10 Talk about what it means to have faith in Jesus for the first time.. and faith in Jesus for each day of our lives.. Question :- Is it reasonable to have faith? Define faith… at a very basic level we exercise faith when we touch a switch:- light switch, car ignition switch, button in a lift, timer on the oven.. So it’s not unreasonable to have faith in someone or something we can’t see.
Question :- Is it reasonable to have faith in Jesus? "Faith is not the opposite of reason. Faith rests squarely upon reason but with the added component of revelation." - Famed geneticist Francis Collins, quoted in TIME magazine (Nov. 13, 2006) Jesus came to earth as a baby born to a virgin in 1 That Jesus was born as a baby in 2 That he was God’s son.. God visited this earth of ours when Jesus was born.. Jesus came as part of the Trinity, fully God and yet fully man, a mystery that we can’t fully understand. As God - yet able to identify with us. He laid aside his deity and humbled himself to be as a servant. He was till God’s son. 3 That he and he alone forgives sins.. This was a sticking point for many in Jesus Day.. the Rabbis who had taught the people for centuries by Old Testament rules said quite rightly that God alone could forgive sins.. When Jesus stood over the woman caught in adultery and spoke forgiveness for her he broke every religious rule.. Only God can forgive sins.. but he was God… 4 That belief in his death and resurrection make eternal life sure is a step of faith beyond belief for many…That’s where our title comes into it’s own.. Faith is required.. 5 That heaven is a reality.. Our faith in Jesus is a huge thing.. it’s not just for a better time here, but for heaven itself! Again some will not even consider the idea of a place that the bible calls heaven where those who put their faith in Jesus are headed. Paul says “If for this life only we have hope we are of all men most to be pitied” Having defined faith and having seen that it is not unreasonable to have faith. We still know that to believe in Jesus – to have faith - is at the same time at one level simple and at another level very difficult. The good news is that faith is a gift of God.. (Eph 2:8-9) Its something God gives us so we don’t have to indeed we can’t work at being able to believe or good enough to deserve salvation. So what does it man to have faith in Jesus. We titled this FAITH IN JESUS deliberately.. There are many who would say they believe there is a God.. I’ve been with enough people in enough different situations to realise that many, particularly of my generation and older would say yes there is a God. Believing THERE IS A GOD and believing IN Jesus are two very different things. 1 There needs to be desire because of desperation. The human situation is desperate – even with all man’s ingenuity, technology, wealth and scientific discovery he cannot change his human, sinful nature, his human heart’s emptiness, his human natural end,
i. Our sinful nature
Sin is a powerful force Sin not dealt with will keep us out of heaven Sin will not go away.. ii. Our empty hearts Created in God’s image means there is in all men space for God – he built it in. iii. Our human end. 1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 2 There needs to be response because of revelation The human mind has an amazing capacity to see some things so clearly, but to be unable to see some things at all. That’s certainly true in the spiritual area. You can know all you need to know about God and Jesus, you can have researched the bible, and a million other historical documents about the truth of the bible – but it can still remain a very interesting or not so depending on your viewpoint book. Unless the Spirit of God takes hold of it and burns it’s truth into your heart. So that it is inescapable.. every waking thought is troubled by it, it’s challenges break in on every quiet moment. The truth of the bible becomes not something to discuss as to its relevance but to have as a lifestyle. That sort of response only comes from the human heart when the Holy Spirit of God breaks into that hard heart and softens it to accept it as life changing… I am a sinner - that sin condemns me to eternal separation from God and all good - Jesus somehow took the penalty for my sin at Calvary - Accepting him into my life now gives me life forever 3 There will be blessing because of belonging.. Belonging is important… we belong to the family of God.. Christianity is not about what we do don’t do, what we say or don’t say, its not about being religious but about having a relationship with Jesus. It is about knowing Him… sounds like madness to the many… but the blessing of life for those who believe.. CHRISTIAN BASICS– JOINING THE CHURCH Acts 2:42-47 Perhaps it would be a good start to define what the church is.. people generally have some interesting ideas about that… from a building with a spire.. a place you go to be married or buried to a group of odd people doing boring things.. In the bible the word ‘Church’ in NT 79 verses in KJV. Is always the same word in the original Greek.. ekklesia, ek-klay-see'-ah a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both):--assembly, church. Some dictionary’s have a number of definitions of ‘church’ so in some way these must be part of what church is.. A building / an organisation .. A denomination. i.e. the Baptist Church A believing group of people.. We have been told hundreds of times that the church is not the building – but the people who attend the building and that wherever we gather as God’s people we are church. Look at this concept of the church as a group of people who share a common set of beliefs.. in a little detail.. and at two levels. Global & local People over the whole globe who are part of the church…the worldwide (catholic) church, which is all who have accepted Christ into their lives as their Lord and Saviour. We are part of that church the moment we accept Jesus sacrifice on At the last count approximately 2 billion Christians in the world today, 33% of the world's population is considered to be Christian.. 645 million (11% of the world's population) are Evangelicals or Bible believing Christians. Compare that to an estimated 50 to 61 million golfers worldwide.. (Xtns outnumber golfers 10 to 1) and you begin to realise that you are not part of a small insignificant group of strange people… and the RSPB with just over a million members is not even on the scale! So that’s a great encouragement - as is the fact that this worldwide church is growing. Its total number of adherents is growing at about 2.3% annually. Approximately equal to the growth rate of the world's population
2 LOCAL The other demonstration of this amazing group of people is us, the imperfect local church - which is the visible local expression of this worldwide family.. The means God chooses to build up his people – to demonstrate a different way to live - and show forth his love to others. Look at the biblical pattern in Acts 2. When we pick up the account in vs 42 a couple of things have already happened.. Peter has preached the truth about Jesus.. That is an important part of what Church is called to do.. ThThe people listening have asked the all important question vs 37. Peter has given clear instructions in answer to their question vs 38, that process is still in this innovative age exactly the same! Repent (turn your lives round) be baptised ( powerful testimony of a decision that has been made and powerful symbolism of a changed life and changed future hope) They meeting with one another for a number of reasons. i. In order to grow in their new found faith… vs 42 ii. In order to be encouraged by what God was doing vs 43 iii. In order to support one another practically vs 44-45 iv. In order to encourage one another in their faith vs 46 v In order to be a testimony for God – to others vs 47a vi In order for the local expression of church to grow vs 47b This local church here in Aston trying, with God’s help to do these things. i. They express faith in Jesus and their lives witness their faith, and a desire to identify fully with the local church. ii. They are baptised. This is, as has been said, not a sign of being a Christian, but a outward declaration to the world of something that happened in their lives. Following the biblical pattern makes the act of baptism a powerful symbol of death to the old life and rising out of the water to New life in Jesus.
ii They go through a brief ‘commitment course’ where we explain how we operate as a family of God’s people – all families have ways of keeping house, and the family of the church is no different. It’s largely a time of asking questions mostly them of us! Why do we do things the way.. What is OCC…? What’s this Salt & Light thing all about?…. iii They are welcomed into the church usually at a communion service
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