Sermon Central
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Blessed Assurance - Evidence #1 Series
Contributed by Ray Scott on May 21, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: There are several evidences that give you the assurance that you are a Child of God. The first evidence we will look at is a personal intimacy with Jesus.
“BLESSED ASSURANCE” – Evidence #1
INTRODUCTION: We are in a series on “The Assurance Of Salvation”.
Last time, we looked at the importance of KNOWING that you’re saved.
You can’t have a vital, meaningful, effective Christian life unless you have the assurance that you are saved.
How do you get this “assurance”?
You don’t get it from:
o Someone telling you that you’re saved (when you may not be saved).
o Feeling like you’re saved (feelings rise and fall with your emotions).
o Acting like you’re saved (you can fake it … even the lost often act like a Christian).
You get the assurance of salvation from the WORD OF GOD – 1 John 5:13 – “written”
TONIGHT, we are going to look at the FIRST evidence of the assurance of salvation.
EVIDENCE – When I was with the Police Department, I handled a lot of evidence.
I had to gather evidence from a crime scene … document it … take it back to the Crime Lab … and process it.
I’ve had to testify in court concerning the evidence that I gathered regarding the crime.
It was legal testimony to the facts of the case.
So it is with the EVIDENCE of salvation … it is a testimony as to whether you are really “born again”.
Let’s take a look at our FIRST piece of EVIDENCE … KNOWING JESUS.
There is a difference between KNOWING ABOUT someone … and KNOWING them.
EX.: I “know” Billy Graham … I have met him … talked with him … eaten with him (April 28, 1976) … shook his hand … have his autograph … had my picture taken with him (it’s in my study) … personally heard him preach … read his books … met some of his staff … we even graduated from the same school … he spoke at my graduation … had some of the same professors … I know the man who stole his girlfriend while they were in Bible College!
BUT … Even though I “know” Billy Graham … I don’t really KNOW him.
I don’t have a personal relationship with him … he doesn’t “know” me from Adam … he doesn’t remember ever meeting me.
Some people “know” Jesus … they have read His Bible … go to church … sing about Him … pray to Him … might even use His name in vain occasionally.
They “know” He lived … that He was a great prophet, teacher and man of God … that He died and rose again … that He is the Son of God.
BUT … they don’t have a personal relationship with Him.
When you have a personal relationship with someone, you KNOW your standing with them.
EX.: I personally KNEW my father … he wasn’t a “dead-beat” Dad … I lived with him for 21 years … I knew him for 45 years before he died.
I had a personal relationship with him … and no one could tell me that I wasn’t his son or that he wasn’t my Dad.
I had the ASSURANCE of my SON-SHIP, because of my RELATIONSHIP with him.
I inherited many of his traits and qualities (not all of them good, I hate to say!).
I have his hair … his nose … his impatience … his temperament … his good looks!
My Dad has had a big influence on my life … I am what I am today, in a large part, because of my relationship with my father.
There’s no mistaken that I am Jim Scott’s son!
The same can be said of our relationship with Jesus … and the assurance of our salvation.
The longer we walk with Jesus … the more closely intimate we become in our relationship … the more I am personally involved with Him on a daily basis … THE MORE I WILL BECOME LIKE HIM.
We should become more CHRIST-LIKE the longer we walk with Jesus … and that gives us the ASSURANCE of our salvation.
If you are no more Christ-like NOW, than when you were first saved … you will doubt your salvation.
AND … maybe for a good reason.
It might be because you were never saved … OR … it might be because you’re saved but you’ve strayed so far away from Him that He’s had little influence on your life.
You are what you are today, in a large part, because of your relationship with Jesus.
If it’s been a CLOSE relationship, then He has influenced your life for godliness.
If it’s been a DISTANT relationship, then you won’t see much of His influence in your life.
The Apostle John KNEW Jesus … he had a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Him.
John HEARD with his own ears Jesus preach, teach, and talk … he SAW with his own eyes the miracles, the crucifixion, the resurrected Jesus … he TOUCHED Jesus with his hands.
