Confidence in knowing Jesus
Psalm 119:105, Phil. 4:13
Introduction-
I want to talk to you this morning about walking with Jesus.
I didn’t say the knowing of Jesus. I didn’t say religion or denomination.
I said the confidence we can have walking with Jesus.
It probably is the last part of this series we have been doing in “Connecting to God and others.” (If you missed any of them, you can catch up on our web-page)
We have looked at understanding who God is.
How we have to understand that it is about a relationship and not about religion.
That God has instituted the church to equip us, prepare us to share the gospel, to help us live victorious lives.
Jesus promises us that the gates of hell will not prevail against us.
Today, the confidence of knowing Jesus!
Not book smart. Knowing Jesus!
Illustration-
It is like the little boy walking with his big brother, and knowing that nothing is going to happen to him as long as he is walking with him.
Two texts this morning: (write them down.)
Psalm 119:15 and Phil 4:13 – two familiar verses.
Psalm 119:105-
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Phil 4:13-
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Opening Prayer
The key to living a victorious life lays between God’s Word being your light and pathway and the strength of the Lord working on your behalf.
Between these verses is he truth of God’s word that can help you live a victorious life.
If the path you are following is lit up and you know where you are going, and You know who you are walking with, there is less chance of you stumbling, If you do stumble, He(Jesus) is there to keep you from falling.
The Bible is God’s “inspired Word”. Meaning, that under the anointing of God, God gave us direction for our lives.
The Bible is also trustworthy and reliable.
The promises of God are true.
The Bible has stood the test of time and stood the test of scientist trying to prove it wrong, and trying to poke holes in it.
According to Barna Research Group, the percentage of people reading their Bible is increasing.
That is encouraging to this preacher!
I find people today, much like the Ethiopian official in Acts chapter 8. He is reading God’s Word when Phillip came up to him and asked him a question. “Do you understand what you are reading? How about you? Do you understand what you are reading?
THE ANSWER SHOULD BE YES!
As the Spirit of God gives me the interpretation.
As the Holy Spirit of God guides me.
Isaac Hayes died in 2008. He was a soul singer. Along with John Travolta, Tom Cruise, he was also a Scientologist. Scientology is the religion that believes that you will be born again to a different body. That you move up the spiritual ladder until your spirit is clear to make heaven. That makes sense, but here’s the problem with that! The Bible does not tell us that.
Not anywhere close to that.
The Word of God lights our path and gives us direction.
After we know God’s word, we can know that this will not happen.
Where is Jesus in all this?
A Holy God does not need our help in getting to heaven. He has provided the only way.
Entrance is provided by Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the living way, no more animal sacrifices. They covered our sins, Jesus takes our sins away.
Jesus is the high priest. He went into the Holy of holies, tore down the barrier (curtain) so that we can have access to the presence of God.
Worshippers of old were fearful. They were under the law of death.
We are under Jesus Christ, the giver of life.
“Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.”
If you are not reading the Word of God, you do not know these things.
We could have a no excuse Sunday. (This is what it would look like)
1. Put cots in the foyer for those that say that Sunday is their only day to sleep in.
2. Have lounge chairs available, for those that say the pews are too hard.
3. Provide helmets for those that said the roof would fall in if they ever went to church.
4. Blankets for the cold, and fans for the hot.
5. Doctors and nurses available for those that get sick every Sunday.
6. Hearing Aids for those that cannot hear the preacher, and cotton balls for those that can hear me.
It is not about excuses, it is about reading, understanding God’s word and letting it be a path for your life.
Jesus says
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
I am the bread of life.
I am the great shepherd.
I am the light of the world.
I am the gate.
I am God’s only Son.
I am the resurrection and the life.
It is in here! (Bible)
Jesus said about Lazarus after raising him from the dead. “Take those grave clothes and let him go.!”
Peter said,
“He is the Christ. The Son of the living God!
John 5:24
“I tell you the truth, who ever hears my words and believes who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, he has crossed over from death to life.”
Jesus wants us to be more than tour directors. He wants to be our Lord and Savior.
Jesus wants to be that bridge between God and man, but if you do not read His Word, you’ll never know it.
Faith builds us up- doubt tears us down.
Studying God’s Word builds us up.
Fellowshipping and worshipping with people of like-minded faith builds us up!
Staying out of God’s word tears us down.
Listening to everyone’s personal opinions about what and who they think God is or how He should act tears you down and creates doubt.
I’ve never seen heaven, but I know it exists.
I never physically walked with Jesus, but he walks with me everyday.
God’s Word tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
See where I am going with this
Hebrews 10:19-
“Therefore brethren, since we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assistance of faith.”
It is much easier to walk with Jesus, when you know Jesus!
There is confidence in knowing Jesus! You know Him through a relationship with Him!
The first point refresher- your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light to my path.
Once you take God’s word as your lamp, you can grasp this 2nd text.
Phil 4:13-
“I do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Your faith is to only be as good as the object or person that you put your faith in.
You can’t touch your faith, but you can hold unto your faith!
That’s the kind of faith that we need
Able to identify it.
Realize it is real.
See the value in it.
No promises of God can be claimed for your life until you know what the promises are.
You cannot do all things through Christ until it is Christ that is strengthening you.
I don’t have to have blind faith. I have to have faith in the promises of God.
My faith pushes me, moves me forward.
Swimmers that cannot stay between the lines , won’t win races.
Runners that always look back and are not disciplined will not finish strong.
James says
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. Your faith and your actions will work hand in hand.
Bringing it home
Corrie Ten Boom
If you look at the world, you will be distressed.
You look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.
It is where you put your eyes.
I have confidence in Jesus.
I have confidence in knowing Jesus.
I can exercise my faith because I am in a relationship with Jesus.
We know Jesus holds unto us. But we also need to hold unto him.
When it comes to your eternity, procrastination is like Russian roulette. Tomorrow is never guaranteed. Today if you hear his voice, let not your heart be hardened
