Rev. David Holwick U Grow Your Faith, #8
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
June 29, 2014
2 Corinthians 13:4-6
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I. Exams are over.
A. Testing has always been the bane of students.
1) It was much harder in my day.
2) Final exam that came from my college, Wheaton:
HISTORY
-------
Describe the history of the Papacy from its origins to the
present day, concentrating especially, but not exclusively,
on its social, political, economic, religious, and
philosophical impact on Europe, Asia, America and Africa.
Be brief, concise, and specific in your response.
MEDICINE
--------
You have been provided with a razor blade, a piece of gauze,
and a bottle of whiskey.
Remove your appendix.
Do not suture until your work has been inspected.
You have fifteen minutes.
SOCIOLOGY
---------
Estimate the sociological problems which might accompany the end of
the world.
Construct an experiment to test your theory.
PHILOSOPHY
----------
Sketch the development of human thought.
Estimate its significance.
Compare with the development of any other kind of thought.
EXTRA CREDIT: Prove the existence of the universe.
Give three other examples.
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B. Some exams are more significant than others.
1) School exams can determine whether you go to college or not.
2) There is another exam that determines whether you go to
heaven or not.
3) Which exam do you think is more important?
C. The most important issue of spirituality.
1) Are you saved and are you sure?
2) Are you accurate about your confidence?
a) Jesus himself said plenty of people are satisfied
with their spiritual status, but shouldn't be.
b) Even some in this church may not "get it."
c) Methodist pastor William Willimon tells about a church
service where people were giving testimonies.
One man stood and said, "I was a Methodist for 38 years
before anybody told me about Jesus."
Willimon said he scratched his head when he heard that.
What the man probably should have said was, "I was a
church member for 38 years before I really
experienced my faith and began to live it."
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1> This is the fear of most preachers.
2> You give the message but it never really sinks in.
3> I try to preach about Jesus every week but it can
take years before the light goes on.
A> I have heard this from many in our own church.
B> Has the light gone on for you?
3) The principle of salvation is taught throughout the Bible.
a) Here are the essential elements.
II. You must experience lostness.
A. This means you are separated from God and you realize it.
1) More than just realize it - you must be devastated by it.
2) It is easy to say, "I am sinner - just like everyone else."
a) But do you realize the gravity of your sin?
B. The Bible talks about godly sorrow over sin. 2 Cor. 7:10
1) Not being sorry about your sin like Judas was.
a) He was upset when he saw what his actions had done
to Jesus.
b) But his anguish drove him farther from God, not closer.
2) Godly sorrow drives you closer to God.
III. You must experience Jesus.
A. He is not one religious teacher among many.
1) He claimed to be unique.
a) It is popular to say that early Christians made Jesus
into God's Son but he saw himself as only a rabbi.
b) The evidence in the gospels do not back this up.
c) Even one of the earliest pagan references to
Christianity by the pagan historian Pliny says
Christians worshipped Jesus as a god.
"They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before
it was light, when they sang an anthem to Christ as God,
and bound themselves by a solemn oath not to commit any wicked
deed, but to abstain from all fraud, theft and adultery,
never to break their word, or deny a trust when called
upon to honor it;
After which it was their custom to separate, and then meet
again to partake of food, but food of an ordinary and
innocent kind."
[Pliny, "Letters" X:96, AD 112]
1> His description sounds very mellow.
2> The rest of his letter discusses at what point
these Christians should be executed.
2) They took Jesus very seriously. Do you?
a) Christians are facing death in Sudan, Iraq and Iran.
b) One Christian pastor returned to the Iraqi city of Mosul
which is now controlled by the terrorist group ISIS.
1> It could easily cost him his life.
2> Apparently he believes Jesus is worth it.
B. They were willing to die for Jesus because he died for them.
1) When Jesus died on the cross, he died as a sacrifice for
our sins.
2) Only he could do this, and he did it out of his love for you.
IV. Salvation is by God's grace alone.
A. It is not by good we have done, but only what Jesus did for us.
1) You may think this is old news you've heard a thousand times.
2) But according to researcher George Barna, only 43% of
Baptists believe salvation is by grace alone.
a) This means a majority do not believe it.
b) They have been influenced by a cult.
1> It is not the Mormons in Salt Lake City or the
Scientologists in Clearwater, Florida.
2> Seminary president Philip Roberts says the most
dangerous false religious movement in
America today is organized, social, cultural,
traditional Christianity that emphasizes
all the good things about the faith but misses
the point.
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c) The point is that you need a personal relationship
with Jesus.
1> Without that, Christianity is as nutritious
as pre-chewed sawdust.
B. True faith results in repentance and holiness.
1) Note that they FOLLOW salvation.
a) Jesus saves us while we are still his enemy. Rom 5:8
b) Our repentance shows we are sincere and really believe.
c) True moral change is only possible with God's help.
2) According to David Jeremiah, repentance results in evidence.
a) Physical evidence.
1> The places you go.
2> The language you use.
3> Your driving habits.
4> The way you treat people.
5> What are you doing about obvious sins in your life?
b) Testimonial evidence.
1> Would your life convince someone that Christ really
can change someone?
2> Has anyone ever asked you why you were a Christian?
3> Would they even know you claimed to be one?
c) Fingerprint evidence.
1> Are you leaving an imprint on the world for Christ?
2> Has your integrity influenced anyone?
3> Has your spirituality led one other person to faith
in Christ?
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3) Is there enough evidence to convict you of being a Christian?
C. Repentance is an ongoing process.
1) The Bible never claims that Christians are perfect.
a) It gives many examples of selfish, proud, or defeated
believers.
2) But genuine Christians always turn back to God and try to
follow him.
V. You need to make a decision.
A. We tend to underplay decisions.
1) They can be swayed by emotionalism.
a) Just think of all the little kids in summer camp.
2) They can lead to unwarranted conclusions about salvation.
B. Perhaps we need to emphasize them again.
1) Especially public decisions, where you are not afraid to
take a stand for what you believe.
2) Even Jesus confronted people with the question, "Do you
believe this?" John 11:25-26
3) Doing something in front of the world requires courage.
C. Jesus still saves people today.
1) A Colorado girl's testimony.
National Public Radio has an ongoing program called "This I
Believe."
It seeks religious testimonies from a wide range of people.
One of those who gave her story was a girl named Christina
who lives in Loveland, Colorado.
Christina said that for as long as she could remember she
had been a Christian.
But although she believed in God, she started to become
more and more distant from him.
She question why such bad things could happen in her life,
such as how her younger brother could go to jail even
though he was only 17 years old.
Christina's life began to feel as though it was spiraling
out of control.
She felt alone, depressed, and like she didn't belong.
She was lost!
One night she decided that if she only she would allow God
to take control, and ask him for forgiveness, and let him
know how much she needed him in her life, she would
feel whole again, like she had a purpose.
She prayed, "Lord, please forgive me of all my sins.
I'm sorry that I've been so distant.
Lord, I don't want to be selfish but I need you, Lord, now
more than ever.
I haven't felt complete for awhile now and all I ask is
that you give me guidance.
Lord, direct me in the path of life you want me to follow,
and please help me to be more like you.
You are my everything and I can't do it with out you, Lord.
I love you with all her heart. ... Amen."
The next morning she decided she was going to go to a young
adult youth group called "Flip The Switch" at Timberline
Church that Friday.
It was only Tuesday but she had made her decision to go
even though she wouldn't know a single person there.
When Friday finally came, she was very excited, which was
unusual because she had always felt like a loner.
That night at "Flip The Switch" was amazing.
It was like it all centered on her from the message to the
worship.
And then a young woman named Noelle walked to the piano and
began to sing.
The words she sang touched Christina's heart so much she
began to cry.
She couldn't control herself as she wept.
The song felt as though it was written from the exact
emotions she was feeling.
Christina could only picture herself as Noelle sang,
"I turned my back but you still call my name..."
That's when Christina realized God hears her prayers.
Christina later asked Noelle, a person she'd never spoken
to before, what that song was called.
Noelle told her that she had written it the night before
and had prayed to God that it would touch just one
person, just one.
Christina now believes God hears her prayers, and she can't
think of any better way to discover this than the way
she did.
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2) Is it something you have discovered?
a) Have you completely surrendered your life to Jesus?
b) If you haven't, you can do it right now...
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
# 4664 “The Ultimate Final Exam (or, Final Exam From Heck), multiple
sources, http://www.albertsquare.com/humor/final.html,
June 26, 1999. I believe this humorous exam was originally put
together at Wheaton College (Illinois) and published in Eternity
Magazine in the 1970's.
#19787 “Are You Saved and Are You Sure?” Larry B. Elrod, Baptist Press,
http://www.baptistpress.org, August 27, 2001.
#26113 “God Took Control,” Christina of Loveland, Colorado, May 4, 2006,
National Public Radio, Morning Edition: This I Believe;
www.thisibelieve.org.
#26754 “Late Bloomers,” William G. Carter, Rev. Brett Blair's
Illustrations by Email, www.sermonillustrations.com,
January 11, 2004. The illustration comes from Carter’s book
“Praying for a Whole New World” (CSS Publishing Company, 2000).
#36076 “Your Faith, On Trial,” David Jeremiah, Baptist Press,
http://www.baptistpress.org, November 30, 2009
These and 35,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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