“I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.”
“Christ died for you; therefore die to sin.”
John Wesley
Faith as in Believe: What is the difference between Faith and Believe?
In my last blog at the beginning of the month of August, under the topic priceless grace, I mentioned that faith is a journey that begins by hearing the word of God. In this article I want to examine how faith works in believe.
Faith shows us in advance what God will do about a given issue before He does it. It also shows us in advance what our part, and future activity of God. God not only shows us in advance what He is about to do, He shows us in advance what He wants us to do with Him in this given future activity. Therefore, this is faith.
I want to take the case of Noah as an example. God showed Noah in advance everything about the Flood and its outcome. He also showed him in beforehand what his part was in this future undertaking. He showed him that He wanted him to build an ark and what kind of wood to use. He also showed him how high, how long and how wide to build it. He showed Noah in advance about the animals and so on. Because Noah had faith he was able to understand and know the plans of God in advance. "By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house...” Hebrews 11:6.
Faith is information God gives us to walk out or act upon. There are so many stories in the bible of people of faith.Is Faith the same as Believe? Faith is a noun that tells us what we have. Believe, on the other hand, is a verb. Believe is what we do. Believe is acting upon our faith or our advance information. Please note the following statement extremely well. Believe is not just agreeing mentally with what God said in a scripture. Believe, in the Bible sense, is acting out what is contained in the "if" part of our advance faith information. To put it differently, Noah acted out his part (building the ark)
Paul tells us our faith is living and can go through many stages. It never stays permanently fixed after a single conversion experience no matter how genuine or sincere. Our faith can be shipwrecked (1 Timothy 1:19) The Bible tells us we must have faith in order to be saved (Hebrews 11:6). Yet is faith nothing more than believing and trusting? Searching the Scriptures, we see faith also involves assent to God's truth (1 Thessalonians 2:13), obedience to Him (Romans 1:5, 16:26), and it must be working in love (Galatians 5:6)
Part Four - Knowing the True Way- John 14: 5- 14
Sermon title: Knowing the true way in Jesus.
Sermon subject: Jesus reassures his Disciples
Sermon Objective: That listeners would understand and follow in the light of what Jesus
met by the True Way
Introduction.
There is no other part in the gospel I have observed more confusion with the disciples as chapter 14 of the gospel according to St. John. This is because the attention is turned to the problem of death and separation. The little company that had been so much together is so much threatened by the loss of its leader and the disruption of the fellowship. How are the disciples going to make it without Jesus?
Explanation
In the beginning of chapter 14 the disciple are troubled for what he had said to them. He however wanted them to set their hearts at ease. He urged them to maintain their trust in God and in him in spite of the threatening circumstances 14:1-2. Jesus did not elaborate to them about the way which he is going but he said “Where I am going you know the way.” He assumed that they know the way for he has been with them for a while now and many times he has talked about his Father in heaven.
We see Thomas being genuine and speaking his mind when he said that they do not know the way. He is talking on his own behalf and that of others. I like him for his honesty, pessimism, and uninhibited thoughts. As many Christians would do today he did not suppress his feelings but he voiced his despair. In many ways he acted as peter to questions. cf 13:6 36-37. Thomas was not ready to accept a state of permanent bewilderment. His question reveals a man who is confused in life and felt that its riddle was insolvable.
Jesus’ reply seems to put them in more confused state. He claims to but three things at the same time” I am the way the truth and the life.” Compare what God said to Moses in Deut.5:32-33. “You shall walk in the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you.” What did he mean? He was echoing Isaiah 30 21. He meant to tell them that he was what they didn’t know. He was the truth. Read Ps 86:11, and that he was the life. The writer of Proverbs said: The commandment is a lamp and the teaching light and the reproofs of disciple the way of life.
Thus there is one way of putting all this together. He said that no one comes to the Father except through him. He alone is the way to God. In him alone we see what God is like, and he alone can lead men into God’s presence without fear without shame. “Let not your hearts be troubled” John 14
Illustration
I want to illustrate this by identifying with the disciples and maybe share their feelings with you. One morning I was driving in downtown Houston (large city). I could not find my way out of the city thus; I had to ask for direction. The person I asked was very familiar with downtown unlike me. What he said was something like this, “Take the first to the right, and the second to the left. Cross the square, go past the Park and the road is the fourth on the right” I felt even more lost than before I asked. It were better if he said “come I will show you”
Have you been in a place that you have to relay on people for direction? Are there times you feel so uncertain of what is ahead of you, and the options you have are limited? The disciples of Jesus were in worse situation than this. As discussed earlier, they were confused of what will happen now that the leader will be gone.
Application
Jesus is not willing to disband any that is his. He has the impression to us that he is expecting as to follow him as the way the truth and the life. He does not only advice us on the directions. He takes us by the hand and leads us; he strengthens us and guides us. Every day personally, every day for he is the way and the true one. He does not tell us about the way, he is the way. Isn’t this encouragement to us as it was to the disciples?
At the end of this chapter, Jesus is promising to send a helper to them, so that they continue with the work he has been doing. But by the power of the promised Holy Spirit we see more converts who came to belief.
We see growth today in the church. Jesus expects that the church should become an instrument by which he could manifest his salvation to his people. How can the church of today become this instrument? By knowing the true way which is Jesus without whom no one can find the life?
Sermon subject: Jesus reassures his Disciples
Sermon Objective: That listeners would understand and follow in the light of what Jesus
met by the True Way
Introduction.
There is no other part in the gospel I have observed more confusion with the disciples as chapter 14 of the gospel according to St. John. This is because the attention is turned to the problem of death and separation. The little company that had been so much together is so much threatened by the loss of its leader and the disruption of the fellowship. How are the disciples going to make it without Jesus?
Explanation
In the beginning of chapter 14 the disciple are troubled for what he had said to them. He however wanted them to set their hearts at ease. He urged them to maintain their trust in God and in him in spite of the threatening circumstances 14:1-2. Jesus did not elaborate to them about the way which he is going but he said “Where I am going you know the way.” He assumed that they know the way for he has been with them for a while now and many times he has talked about his Father in heaven.
We see Thomas being genuine and speaking his mind when he said that they do not know the way. He is talking on his own behalf and that of others. I like him for his honesty, pessimism, and uninhibited thoughts. As many Christians would do today he did not suppress his feelings but he voiced his despair. In many ways he acted as peter to questions. cf 13:6 36-37. Thomas was not ready to accept a state of permanent bewilderment. His question reveals a man who is confused in life and felt that its riddle was insolvable.
Jesus’ reply seems to put them in more confused state. He claims to but three things at the same time” I am the way the truth and the life.” Compare what God said to Moses in Deut.5:32-33. “You shall walk in the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you.” What did he mean? He was echoing Isaiah 30 21. He meant to tell them that he was what they didn’t know. He was the truth. Read Ps 86:11, and that he was the life. The writer of Proverbs said: The commandment is a lamp and the teaching light and the reproofs of disciple the way of life.
Thus there is one way of putting all this together. He said that no one comes to the Father except through him. He alone is the way to God. In him alone we see what God is like, and he alone can lead men into God’s presence without fear without shame. “Let not your hearts be troubled” John 14
Illustration
I want to illustrate this by identifying with the disciples and maybe share their feelings with you. One morning I was driving in downtown Houston (large city). I could not find my way out of the city thus; I had to ask for direction. The person I asked was very familiar with downtown unlike me. What he said was something like this, “Take the first to the right, and the second to the left. Cross the square, go past the Park and the road is the fourth on the right” I felt even more lost than before I asked. It were better if he said “come I will show you”
Have you been in a place that you have to relay on people for direction? Are there times you feel so uncertain of what is ahead of you, and the options you have are limited? The disciples of Jesus were in worse situation than this. As discussed earlier, they were confused of what will happen now that the leader will be gone.
Application
Jesus is not willing to disband any that is his. He has the impression to us that he is expecting as to follow him as the way the truth and the life. He does not only advice us on the directions. He takes us by the hand and leads us; he strengthens us and guides us. Every day personally, every day for he is the way and the true one. He does not tell us about the way, he is the way. Isn’t this encouragement to us as it was to the disciples?
At the end of this chapter, Jesus is promising to send a helper to them, so that they continue with the work he has been doing. But by the power of the promised Holy Spirit we see more converts who came to belief.
We see growth today in the church. Jesus expects that the church should become an instrument by which he could manifest his salvation to his people. How can the church of today become this instrument? By knowing the true way which is Jesus without whom no one can find the life?
Priceless Grace - The Compassion and Grace of God has no bounds
It is my believe as a Christian/theologian that due to humanity's fallen and sinful nature, it is difficult if not impossible for an individual to attain the goal and purpose of life by himself or herself. In fact, help is available through Jesus Christ; God's grace is sufficient for people on the journey of faith. Faith is a journey that begins by hearing the word of God. The scriptures often emphasize the priority of divine grace; it is present even before a person accepts the call to be a believer, giving faith to those who otherwise would have no clue of how to start the journey of faith. Romans 3.23-25. Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption, which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as expiation by his blood, to be received by faith.
There are several scripture verses that describe God as the savior of lost and sinful people. People would be lost if God’s grace was there to work for. Grace is entirely God's initiative, given to people regardless of their attitude or merit, class or gender, height or weight. Furthermore, God's grace far overshadows the merit gained by good works; indeed, nothing can come of a person's good works or efforts that can pay the grace of God. John 3.16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”. Grace is priceless as far as salvation is concerned. In the absence of divine grace people have no hope. God's grace is also described as sufficient, regardless of the person's burden or strength to bear it. 2 Timothy 2.13
There are several scripture verses that describe God as the savior of lost and sinful people. People would be lost if God’s grace was there to work for. Grace is entirely God's initiative, given to people regardless of their attitude or merit, class or gender, height or weight. Furthermore, God's grace far overshadows the merit gained by good works; indeed, nothing can come of a person's good works or efforts that can pay the grace of God. John 3.16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”. Grace is priceless as far as salvation is concerned. In the absence of divine grace people have no hope. God's grace is also described as sufficient, regardless of the person's burden or strength to bear it. 2 Timothy 2.13
A good example is the parable of the Prodigal Son the New Testament (Luke 15.11-32). The teaching of this story cautions against self-righteousness on the part of the believer as represented by the prodigal's brother, the theme of divine compassion for errant humanity shines throughout the parable.
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