INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• We have hit on the subject of faith a couple of times during this 1 John series. Faith is a big issue and John speaks on the subject frequently.
• Awesome- defined as: extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear:
• Life is so awesome when one possesses faith in Jesus because with Jesus all things are possible!
• Do we do we find ourselves not getting too far with our faith? Do we find ourselves living out an average faith? Do we see our walk with Jesus as an adventure or as something we are a bit afraid to totally open up to?
• Let me tell you, no I implore you, OPEN THE DOOR, go all in with Jesus.
• Faith is awesome because it leads to so many awesome things in this life and the hereafter.
• Something that is awesome is something that is impressive and inspiring. That is what faith in Jesus should be for us!
• Today we will look at three aspects that make faith so awesome, three reasons we can have AN AWESOME FAITH!
• LET’S BEGIN in 1 John 5:13
• SLIDE #2
• 1 John 5:13 (HCSB) I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
Faith in Jesus is awesome because:
I. Our faith leads to eternal life.
• Faith is awesome because God wants us to live in Him with confidence!
• We spoke of a confident faith a couple of weeks ago.
• In verse 13 we see that John has written this entire letter so that we could know that we have eternal life.
• Verse 13 is not too different from John 20:31 where he says that he was writing so that people could believe in Jesus and therefore could have life.
• John says he wants us to KNOW this. The word John uses for “know” in verse 13 is not the word that just means to perceive, but it means to know with settled absolute knowledge.
• This word for KNOW means to know through reflection, study, and mental deduction.
• The strength of this word also is found in its other meanings, to be sure, to be assured, to HAVE NO DOUBT!
• How many of you here today know without a doubt that you are saved?
• How many of you are pretty sure you are saved?
• How many are not really sure either way?
• Now, of all that answered, how many are Christians? When I ask if you are a Christian, I am asking you if you have placed your faith in Jesus, repented of your sin, confessed Jesus as Lord and have been immersed into Christ.
• If you have done what God has told us to do in His word, then why do you doubt your salvation?
• Do you think that God wants you to go through life not knowing if you are saved?
• Do you think God wants you to have doubts concerning your salvation?
• If you believe in Jesus, you HAVE eternal life.
• JOHN USES THE PHRASE IN THE FIRST PART OF VERSE 13 “TO YOU WHO BELIEVE IN THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD…”
• The verb tense indicates those who continually believe will continue to have eternal life.
• If you belong to Jesus, you need to know without a doubt you are saved!
• The other thing we need to realize once again is that we NOW possess the eternal life promised.
• We have not received it in full as of yet, but we will one day when the lord returns!
• Eternal life is a present possession, not just a future hope, it is an ongoing reality for the faithful believer.
• Eternal life is a quality of life, an abundant life both now and the hereafter!
• The contrast of eternal life versus life in this world is found in Galatians 5:19-23
• Let’s look at verses 19-21
• SLIDE #4
• Galatians 5:19–21 (HCSB) Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
• Now let’s look at the contrast of eternal life.
• SLIDE #5
• Galatians 5:22–23 (HCSB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.
• These verse contrast the way of the world with the way of God!
• When we have confidence in our salvation, it will lead us to do great things for God.
• If you are in doubt as to where you stand with God, it will affect how you live out your faith. If you are not confident on God’s promise to you, you will be easily led down the wrong path, you will have nothing to anchor to in order to keep you on the right path.
• If you may not be saved, then why worry about living for Him? It is kind of like knowing you are going to get in trouble for something you did not do. If you are going to get in trouble, the thought is that you might as well carry out the act.
• If you have full confidence in your standing with God, then you will be more apt to try to serve Him in greater ways.
• How did Satan get at Eve? In Genesis 3:5 he tried to get her to doubt what God said and He tried to get her to doubt that God was really looking out for her best interests.
• SLIDE #6
• Genesis 3:5 (HCSB) “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
• Satan is implying that God really was not looking out for Eve, that God in some way was cheating her out of something.
• If you have confidence in your salvation you will live up to the standard that God has set. We will rise to the challenge!
• Our behavior, our lifestyle and our priorities will change when we trust God enough to believe what He has told us.
• I believe we will live up to standards and expectations if we know who we belong to and where we are going.
• If we do not understand where we are with God, then we will always live out a “sort of” saved faith where we will sort of follow Jesus and sort of try to live for Him.
• Faith is Awesome because our faith in Jesus leads to eternal life!
• SLIDE #7
• 1 John 5:14 (HCSB) Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
• SLIDE #8
Faith in Jesus is awesome because:
II. God hears your voice.
• One of the most discouraging things for us can be thinking that God does not hear us or listen to us.
• The word CONFIDENCE or BOLDNESS is used on 4 occasions by John in this letter.
• Twice it is used in connection with Judgment Day. 1 John 2:28 and 1 John 4:17
• It is twice used in connection with PRAYER in this verse and 1 John 3:21-22.
• The basis for this confidence is found in your connection with Jesus and the Father.
• Verse 14 reminds us that when we ask anything from Him that is according to His will, HE WILL HEAR US!
• The implication by the text is that not only will HE hear us, but He will hear us favorably.
• 1 Peter 3:12 reminds us that God hears the prayer of the righteous!
• SLIDE #9
• 1 Peter 3:12 (HCSB) because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil.
• Let’s face it if you do not think God hears you, you will not speak to Him. Have you ever known a person you knew was not listening to you? Most of the time we will quit trying to speak with them.
• If you do not think God has the time or cares enough to listen to you why would you waste your time?
• If we know God is listening, it will give us confidence to pray to Him.
• Too many times we think our request is either too bog or too small for God to handle. If we feel this way, we will not pray to Him.
• I think some of the reason a typical church does not have a vibrant prayer ministry is because many think it is a waste of time.
• If I were to tell you that if you would call me on the phone daily that you would receive $100 million, I bet you would call me. God has more to offer than $100 million.
• When we know God hears us we will consistently speak with Him.
• Why does it seem that God does not hear our prayer? More times than not it is because we are praying for things that God would want is to have.
• As a parent, aren’t there times you do not “hear” what your child is asking for because you know it is not what they need?
• If we do not receive the outcome WE are looking for, that does not mean that God is not hearing you.
• In Matthew 26:39, When Jesus prayed in the garden just before He was arrested. He prayed to God three times asking that if there was another way other than the cross that God do it.
• God did not make Jesus avoid the cross by coming up with another way to save mankind. God did hear Jesus; the request was not God’s will.
• We must be careful not to equate the results that WE want with God hearing or not hearing us.
• Let’s look at verse 15
• SLIDE #10
• 1 John 5:15 (HCSB) And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for.
• SLIDE #11
Faith in Jesus is awesome because:
III. God answers your prayers!
• The language used in verse 15 lets us know that if we are praying for things within God’s will, we will have the requests we ask for!
• What is John’s formula for prayer that moves the hands of God? Pray in line with his will and pray with confidence!
• God always hears and answers requests that are in accordance with his plan. To pray effectively, then, believers need to determine God’s will.
• Most of God’s will is revealed to us in His word.
• Prayer is a conversation with God concerning His will for us.
• Many times our prayers fall short because our prayer life is all about telling God what we want, how we want it, and when we want it instead of truly seeking His will in our situation.
• Prayer should be more of a conversation with God asking Him WHAT HIS will is for us and then asking Him to carry it out.
• In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul was praying to God about something he called “ the thorn on the flesh”. Paul prayed three times that God remove it, but God in verse 9 (2 Cor 12:9) told Paul the thorn was going to stay because it was His will for Paul.
• In reality, it is all about God.
• When we realize that it is all about God and not so much about us, we will grow in our confidence and prayer life.
• Our purpose is found in God our faith is found in God and our life is found in God!
• Our life is about spreading God’s will and sharing the love God has for mankind.
CONCLUSION
• AWESOME FAITH!
• God wants you to know that you possess eternal life if you belong to Him. He wants you to know He hears your prayers and when we pray to Him and are in tune with His will, He will respond to your petitions.
• Satan is working on you every moment trying to get you to doubt your faith, doubt where you stand with God concerning salvation, and He wants you to think God does not hear your or care to answer you.
• Every time we fail to lift our prayers to God, we give Satan a victory in our lives.
• Every time we let him cause us to doubt our salvation, we give him a victory in our lives.
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