Well, if you would, open your
Bibles to John chapter 20. I've entitled the message this
morning, The Blessing of Faith Without Seeing, without seeing
miracles and evidences and signs. Now, we've been studying through
the book of John. You've seen this in the past
weeks that the Savior was crucified for the sins of his people. He
rose from the dead, and that very day, he appeared unto his
disciples. And what a blessing they had.
They were glad when they saw the Lord. That's what I pray
for us today, that he'd appear to us, and we leave here glad,
because we saw the Lord. He appeared to them, he spoke
peace to them. But, verse 24 of John chapter 20 begins with
an ominous word, but, Thomas, one of the 12 called Didymus,
was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore
said unto him, Thomas, we've seen the Lord. But he said unto
them, except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails,
and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand
into his side, I will not believe. Now who knows why Thomas wasn't
with the others when the Lord appeared to him. legitimate reasons
we have to miss the worship service. But for whatever reason, I don't
know, Thomas wasn't there. And Thomas missed a very real
blessing, didn't he? When he wasn't with it, he missed
seeing the Lord. It seems like, I don't miss the
service much now here, but In the past, it seems like every
time I would miss the worship service, I'd hear from somebody,
I missed the best message ever. You know, it's hard to think,
you know, you hear Henry preach the best message ever. I missed
it. How can that be? And for that
reason, I'm just always afraid to miss the worship service.
I'm not afraid God's going to punish me or strike me down or,
you know, get my kids sick or something because I missed it.
I'm afraid of missing the blessing of being with the Lord. I'm just
afraid of that. Our Lord promised that he himself,
he not sent an angel, he not sent an emissary, he promised
he himself is going to be with his people when they meet together
to worship him. And I just hate the thought of
missing time with the Savior. And that's what happened to our
brother Thomas. And I hope you understand. I'm not putting pressure
on you. I'm not putting pressure on you.
I want us to be able to worship. True worship doesn't put pressure
on people. True worship takes the pressure.
of this world and our sin and our burdens, it takes the pressure
off. That's what I want for us. I don't want to burden you. I
don't want to feel like you got this burden. You got to come
to the service. I want us to be able to worship the Lord and
true worship is not a burden. True worship takes that burden
and pressure off. And I point this out because
our subject this morning is faith. Hearing Christ preached and being
in the public worship service goes a long way towards increasing
our faith. Now this is Thomas. Thomas has
been with the Lord for three years. Why would he make such
a statement? Unless I see evidence that this
is the Lord, not some imposter, I will not believe. Why would
Thomas make such a statement? because he missed the worship
service when the Lord appeared to them. That's why the writer
to the Hebrews, we read this to open the service. That's why
he said, don't forsake the assembling together of ourselves now. Scripture
says in the mouth of two or three witnesses should every word be
established. And two or three brethren of
good report tell us the same thing. We're to believe them.
Thomas had 10 men of good report, at least two or three women of
good report in the church, all tell him the same thing. Yet
he says, I refuse to believe. I will not believe it. These men came to him and they
witnessed for Christ. They just told Thomas what they
had seen and heard. They told Thomas what the Lord
had said to them. And Thomas said, I refuse to
believe. You know what that tells me?
Unbelief is a choice. Thomas chose not to believe them. He chose not to believe. If you
do not believe Christ this morning, it's because you choose not to
believe. That's open rebellion, choosing not to believe God.
Now faith, when I say unbelief is a choice, don't be mistaken.
Faith is not a choice. You don't just decide to believe.
We believe God because we can't help it. God gives us a nature. He gives us a new heart, a belief,
and we believe God because we can't help it. But unbelief is
a choice. And Thomas was not a whole lot
different than you and me, was he? Thomas not a whole lot different
than the rest of the disciples. Luke tells us the women came
and said, the Lord's risen. He appeared to us. They wouldn't
believe. Luke said it seemed to them as
idle tales. So Thomas wasn't a whole lot different than us
or the rest of the disciples. You who believe, now you know,
you believe, you know God's given you faith. But if you're honest,
you see a whole lot of yourself in Thomas. I do, I see a whole
lot of myself in Thomas. Thomas is kind of a, You know,
kind of a morose kind of fellow. You know, the Lord say he's gonna,
well, he's gonna go to Jerusalem. Let's go with him, so we'll die
there with him, you know. That's Count Thomas. Well, what's
the cure for the unbelief that's still in every believer? A big
part of it is being in the worship service, hearing Christ preached.
That's what Thomas missed. He missed being with the Savior. And missing being with the Savior
weakened Thomas' faith. It made him say things and do
things that Thomas normally would not say or would not do. And
Thomas finds himself on very dangerous ground. Look at Matthew
chapter 12. He finds himself on very dangerous
ground saying, I won't believe unless I see evidence and signs. That's such dangerous ground
because, you know, this is exactly what the wicked want. They want
evidence and signs and miracles before they'll believe. Matthew
12, verse 38. Then certain of the scribes and
of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from
thee. But he answered and said unto them, an evil and an adulterous
generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given
to it. but the sign of the prophet Jonas.
They seek signs and wonders and that's what Thomas was seeking.
Dangerous ground. Our Lord said no sign will be
given to it except the resurrection of Christ, the sign of Jonas.
Jonas was three days and three nights in that fish's belly.
Our Lord was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth
and he rose. That's the only sign that will be given. Look
at 1 Corinthians chapter 14. It's very dangerous ground for
Thomas to say, I won't believe, except I see signs and wonders,
because signs and wonders aren't for believers. Signs and wonders
are for unbelievers. 1 Corinthians 14 and verse 22. Wherefore tongues are for a sign,
not to them that believe, but to them that believe not, and
prophesying, preaching, serveth not for them that believe not,
but preaching serveth for them which believe. Signs and wonders
are for unbelievers. The disciples coming to Thomas
and witnessing to him, that witnessing of Christ, that's for believers.
Saving faith does not come from an experience. Saving faith does
not come because we're convinced of the facts, because we see
all the facts lined up in front of us so we believe. That's not
saving faith. Saving faith comes from the new
birth. Saving faith comes when there's a new man of faith born
in our heart. Saving faith simply believes
God, just because God said it. Even though there's absolutely
no sign, no evidence that we can see with these eyes that
it's true. Look at Romans chapter four. I just, I try to imagine old
Noah There's Noah doing whatever it is that Noah did for a living.
And God comes to him and speaks to him. Noah had never seen it
rain. At that time, the earth was watered
with a mist that come up out of the ground. And God told Noah
it's going to rain. Noah didn't know what rain was.
God said water is going to come down from the sky. Ain't going
to flood this earth. Every living thing in it's going
to die. Noah, you build an ark. I'm going to put you in it. And
I'm going to save you and your family. I'm going to save animals.
I'm going to save their lives. Noah built an ark. I mean, there
sat that ark without, not in sight of any body of water. Noah
built that ark before he ever saw the first drop of rain fell.
And if he would have started after the first drop of rain
fell, Noah would have died. Noah believed God. He built an
ark before he saw the first drop of rain. Abraham was childless. He's an old man. Sarah's too
old to bear children anymore. God said, you're gonna have a
son. Abraham believed. Not because he saw suddenly his
body wasn't old or suddenly because Sarah could bear children. He
believed the word of God. All he had to believe was what
God said. Romans 4 verse 17. As it's written,
I've made thee a father of many nations. Before him whom he believed,
even God who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which
be not as though they were. Who against hope, believed in
hope. He had no reason to believe it
was against all human logic. It was against everything he
saw. Who against hope, believed in hope that he might become
the father of many nations. According to that which was spoken,
so shall thy seat be. and being not weak in faith,
he didn't consider the evidence. He considered not his own body
now dead, when he was about 100 years old, neither yet the deadness
of Sarah's womb. He staggered not at the promise
of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory
to God, being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he
was also able to perform. And therefore it was imputed
to him for righteousness. Now, it was not written for his
sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom
it shall be imputed, if we believed on him that raised up Jesus our
Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses and raised again
for our justification. Abraham simply believed the word
of God. Look over at John chapter 11. Saving faith believes. even though
we see no evidence, no reason to believe. Seeing is not believing. Believing is seeing. John 11
verse 39, see if I can't show you that. This is our Lord standing
at Lazarus' tomb. Lord Jesus said, take away the
stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto
him, Lord, by this time he stinketh. He'd been dead four days. Jesus
saith unto her, said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe,
thou shouldest see the glory of God. See how believing is
seeing, not believing. Believing is seeing. We don't
believe because we see the glory of God. We see the glory of God
in the face of our Lord Jesus Christ because we believe. Believing is seeing. Now back
in our text, verse 26, Thomas is on dangerous ground. He said,
I will not believe except I see evidence. And the Lord told those
Pharisees, you're not going to see a sign, I won't give you
one. Well, verse 26, and after eight days again, his disciples
were within and Thomas with them this time. Then came Jesus, the
doors being shut and stood in the midst and said, peace be
unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach
hither thy finger, and behold my hands. Reach hither thy hand,
and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing.
And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas,
because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they
which have not seen, and yet have believed. Now, why is it
more blessed to believe and not see than believe and because
you've seen the miracles? Why is it more blessed to believe
and then see? Well, several reasons. I think
I've got three if I remember right. Faith that believes, even
though we see no evidence, no reason to believe, is a blessing
because that faith rests entirely on the word of God. Look at Luke
chapter five. We've seen illustration here
of Noah and Abraham. What about Peter in Luke chapter
five? Verse four. When he had left speaking, he
said unto Simon, launch out into the deep and let down your nets
for a draw. Simon answering said unto him, Master, we've toiled
all night and taken nothing. These are experienced fishermen.
It's just not going to be a catch today. They knew what they were
doing. We toiled all night. We haven't caught a thing. Nevertheless,
at thy word, I'm going to let down the net. When they had this
done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes in their net break.
And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other
ship, that they should come help them. And they came and filled
both ships. So they began to sink. When Simon
Peter saw it, he believed first, then he saw. He fell down at
Jesus' knees saying, depart from me for I'm a sinful man, oh Lord. How did Peter see that? He believed
and then he saw the glory of God. Then he revealed, he saw
in the light of who Christ is. Then he saw who and what he is.
Look at Matthew chapter eight. This is, to me, one of the preeminent
examples of faith. Saving faith is based solely
upon the word of God, the centurion that comes to our Lord, Matthew
chapter eight, verse five. And when Jesus had
entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion beseeching
him and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home, sick of the palsy,
grievously tormented. And Jesus said unto him, I'll
come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I'm
not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, but speak
the word only, and my servant shall be healed. He had faith
in the word of God. From a man under authority, having
soldiers under me, I say to this man, go, and he goeth. And to
another, come, and he cometh. And to my servant, do this, and
he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marveled. and said to
them that followed, Verily, I say unto you, I have not found so
great faith, no, not in Israel. This centurion, he wasn't looking
for an experience, was he? You know, you think the Lord
said, I'll come to your house and heal you. I'm gonna see a
miracle, you know, in my house. He wasn't looking for an experience.
He said, I don't need that. I believe your word. And the
Savior himself was impressed with that faith. Who gave him
that faith? God did. Yet God said, I'm impressed
with that faith because it's based solely upon the word of
God. Now the word of God says that
Christ forgives sinners. Even though they've done nothing
but sin against him, even though they've done nothing but rebel
against him, even though they haven't done the first thing
to deserve it. The Word of God says Christ forgives sinners.
I don't see how that can be. I don't see why I do that. But
Gary, I believe it. Because God's Word said it. The
Word of God says Christ receiveth sinful men. I don't see why. But I believe it because God's
Word said it. The Word of God says the blood
of Christ cleanses us from all sin. When I look at me and when
you look at me, you don't see that. I believe it because God's
Word said it. The Word of God says every believer
is righteous or justified. Justified is not just as if I'd
never sinned. Justified is I'd never sinned. I don't see it. All I see in
me is sin. That's all I see. But I believe
that I'm justified. I believe I don't have any sin
because the word of God says so. All of my sin was laid upon
the Lord Jesus Christ. It was charged to him. It was
imputed to him. However God did that, I don't
know, but my sin became his sin. And the Lord Jesus Christ put
my sin away through the sacrifice, the sacrifice of his body and
soul before God. And even though I have no idea
how God did that, I believe it. God's word says it. By God's
grace, I believe his word. The word of God says I have union. I am in union with Christ. I
don't see it. All I see in me is union with
Adam. I don't see it. But I believe God because he's
my salvation. This is my salvation. Faith is
the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not
seen. What's the evidence of God's
election? What's the evidence of being justified in Christ?
You can't see those things. Faith, that's the evidence. Faith
that believes the word of God is such a blessing, not because
it's all miracles, because it's based entirely upon the word
of God. Second, we know this, salvation
is a heart work. Faith that believes the word
of God, even though it's never seen a miracle, it's not based
because on the evidence of seeing miracles. That faith is faith
in the heart, that saving faith. Faith that believes just because
we've seen some evidence and our mind is convinced, well that
faith is only in the mind and it won't save anybody because
salvation is a heart work. You can't trust faith that's
based upon seeing miracles. You can't trust it. Satan can
produce miracles. Remember all the wonders Moses
did in Egypt? Pharaoh's buddies did the same
thing, didn't they? Those magicians did the same thing. How'd they
do that? It wasn't the power of God, it
was the power of Satan. Satan can produce miracles. Look
at John chapter two. You can't trust faith that's
based on seeing miracles, and that faith is not saving faith.
In John chapter two, verse 23. Now he was in Jerusalem at the
Passover and the feast day. Many believed in his name when
they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit
himself unto them because he knew all men. He needed not that
any should testify of man for he knew what was in man. The
Lord did not commit himself unto them because their faith was
based on seeing the miracles. That's not saving faith. Look
at Mark chapter seven. Faith is based on seeing miracles
and evidences and signs and wonders, that's not saving faith. Faith
that sees some good in religion and religious activity, that's
not saving faith. In Mark seven verse six, Our
Lord here is speaking to these Pharisees, and he answered and
said unto them, Well hath Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites?
As it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me. How do we know their heart is
far from God? Because they don't believe God's
word and they don't teach God's word. Read on in verse 7. How
be it in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men? For laying aside the commandment
of God, you hold the tradition of men as washing of pots and
cups and many other such things like ye do. That's how we know
it's not saving faith that's not in the heart. They don't
believe and they don't teach God's word. Saving faith is faith
that's in the heart, that God puts there in the new birth.
And faith that rests upon Christ, that rests solely upon his word,
is going to always remain the same, even when my circumstances
changed. Faith that is based on experience
is going to have to change when my experience changes. Isn't
that right? Things happen in my life that
today are drastically different than they were when Jane and
I first got married. or my faith hasn't changed because my faith's
not based on my experiences, or my faith is not based on what
I see. It's based on the word of God, and that's never changed.
Faith in Christ gives me a good hope, even when I see absolutely
no reason to hope. Faith in Christ gives me spiritual
health, even though I have physical disease. Faith in Christ gives
me joy, even when I'm in a time of sorrow. Faith in Christ gives
me eternal life, even though this body's dying, and one day
soon will die. Saving faith in the heart will
support me when there's no evidence to be found, even in times of
spiritual stupor. In times of spiritual winter,
like we've seen in the Song of Solomon, the bride went through
a time of spiritual winter, went above ground. There's no evidence
of life to be seen. Everything's dead. At that time,
what gives you a good hope of eternal life? Faith in Christ. That's the only evidence. Not
based on any other evidence, just his word, saving faith. And third, faith that believes,
even though we haven't seen any miracles, we haven't seen any
evidence or reason to believe, is a blessing. Because that kind
of faith honors Christ. Now it's a blessing to honor
our Savior, isn't it? That's what every believer desires,
is to give Christ honor and glory, to worship Him. Well, how can
any son of Adam honor God? How's that possible? One way,
by believing Him. Just believe Him. Believing Christ
honors His person. Look in John chapter five. Believing
Christ honors His person. It honors His character. That
he's trustworthy. If we don't believe him, you
know what we're saying? He's not trustworthy. That's what
we're saying. I was talking to my dad one time
about something that happened. And I told him, I said, now you
can check that out. There's, you know, several other
people can tell you this is what happened. And he said, I don't
need to ask him. He said, your word's good enough
for me. I thought, well, I've arrived.
If he thinks that of my character, I've arrived. That's a bad example compared
to our Lord. If we don't believe him, it's
because we don't trust your character. That's why. John 5, verse 22. Believing Christ honors him.
For the Father judges no man, but it hath committed all judgment
unto the Son, that all men should honor the Son. even as they honor
the Father. He that honoreth not the Son,
honoreth not the Father, we're sinning. All right, I see that. So how do I honor Christ then?
Just by believing Him. Verse 24. Verily, verily, I say
unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that
sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation,
but is passed from death unto life. That's how we honor Christ.
by believing Him. You want to know how to please
God? Would you like to please God? Believe Christ. Without faith, it's impossible
to please Him. And God's preachers come to you
preaching the gospel, commanding you, believe on the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Dwayne, I've got no signs and
wonders, none whatsoever that will convince you to believe.
All we have is the word of God. I'm telling you, that's enough.
Just the word of God, the word of God, the gospel of Christ
is the power of God unto salvation. Back in our text, verse 30. John chapter 20. And many other
signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which
are not written in this book, but these are written for this
reason. that you might believe that Jesus
is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you might
have life through his name. The purpose of every word of
this book is so you'll believe on the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Every word. There's not a word
written in here with the sole purpose of telling you how to
live, telling you what to do. Every word of this book, its
sole purpose is to point you to Christ so that you would believe
on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. There's not a better
foundation of faith than this book. This word, the word of
God. Now I want you to believe me.
I do, I want you to believe me. I want you to think that Frank's
a trustworthy fellow. I want you to believe me. I want
you to believe the gospel that I preach, but not because I said
it. I don't want you believing because
I said it. I don't want a following for myself. I'm trying to get
a following for myself. My heart's desire and prayer
for you is that you'll follow Christ. I want you to know Christ
right now. I mean right now. I want you
to know Christ. Now you follow me, you follow
Todd, as he follows Christ. But you follow Christ. You believe
the Lord Jesus Christ. If your faith is based on something
I'm doing, what are you gonna do when I'm gone? You follow
Christ. He's not going anywhere. He's
the same yesterday, today, and forever. Look at 1 Corinthians
chapter two. This is exactly what the Apostle
Paul wanted. This man could do miracles, couldn't
he? He, the apostle Paul, brought a man, Paul preached so long
that a fellow fell asleep sitting in a window and fell out and
died, broke his neck. Paul raised him from the dead.
Paul didn't want you following him or believing him because
he could work a miracle. Look here, 1 Corinthians 2, verse 4. And my speech and my
preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the spirit and power that your faith, should
not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. The
Apostle Paul wanted everybody that heard him preach to believe,
to believe Christ. Now saving faith, just believes. I hope this will be helpful to
you. I hope it will be helpful. I
remember being a boy and thinking, Just tell me what to believe,
I'll believe. I wish I had a nickel for every time Henry said, look
to Christ, and my heart would cry, just tell me where to look,
you know, and I'll look. What do I have to believe in
order to be saved? What does saving faith believe?
Well, simply put, we must believe Christ. In order to be saved,
we must believe Christ. What do I have to believe? Everything
this book says. Just believe it all. That's what
saving faith believes. Our text here gives us very simple
terms. Mike Walker and I were talking
this weekend. Gospel, not complicated. The
Lord didn't give us something complicated. It's very simple.
He simply lays this out to us, what saving faith believes. First,
I must believe this if I want to be saved. Jesus is God. But verse 31, but these are written
that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. Jesus, the man Jesus of Nazareth
is God. It's not like he's God. He's
not some ghostly manifestation. The man Jesus of Nazareth is
God, manifest in the flesh. And someone says, well, I don't
believe that. I don't see how that's possible that God could
be a man. I don't see how it's possible, so I won't believe
it. Saving faith says, I don't understand how that can be either.
But I believe it, because God's word says it. God is seen in the Holy Trinity,
three in one. God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Holy Spirit. Three distinct persons, but one
God. Our Lord told the Pharisees in
John 10, verse 30, I and my Father are one. Jesus is God. When Thomas saw the Lord, what
did he say? Verse 28, Thomas answered and
said unto him, my Lord. Jan and I were channel surfing,
I think it was last Sunday. And you obviously have seen the
show, I don't know what channel it's on, AD, and they're showing
depictions of the Lord's crucifixion and what happened after he died
and arose. And this very scene, It was on
our TV in our living room. I watched it. I'm gonna be interested
in this. And Thomas saw this man supposed
to be the Lord and he bowed to him and he said, my Lord. That's not what Thomas said. And they couldn't put that on
television and say what Thomas really said. Jesus is God. What did Thomas say? My Lord
and my God. Jesus is God. Saving faith confesses
that Jesus is God. Look at Acts chapter 8. I'll
show you another example of this. Such a good example. Saving faith. Based solely upon the Word of
God, upon the preaching of the Word of God, believes that Jesus
is God. This is when Philip appeared
and preached to that Ethiopian eunuch as he was leaving the
feast. In verse 36. And as they went
on their way, they came unto a certain water. And the eunuch
said, see, here's water. What doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.
He already knew what he believed, didn't he? And he answered and
said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Philip said,
that's saving faith. And he commanded the chariot
to stand still, and they went both down in the water, both
Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And this eunuch's
faith was based upon the word of God. It wasn't based on the
preacher, because look here. And when they were come up out
of the water, the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and
the eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing,
because he had faith. He had the Lord in his heart.
Saving faith believes that Jesus is God. And that's very important. It's not just a, you know, kind
of a point of doctrine, you know. It's important because only God
can save. Only God can give eternal life.
Only God can be believed. Only God can be trusted. Saving
faith believes that Jesus is God. Second, if we're going to
be saved, we must believe that the Son of God is the Son of
Man. Isn't that what our text says,
verse 31? These are written that you might
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Now we've just
seen Jesus is God. God became a man so that he could
be the savior of sinful men and women, boys and girls. That's
why he became a man. Now, we almost never refer to
our Lord as Jesus. We say the Lord Jesus. Jesus,
though, is the name of a man. Lord, that's who he is. Jesus
is the name of a man. The word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. The son of God became the son
of man. And he became a man so that sinful
men would have a representative who can save them from everything
Adam did to them. The first Adam sinned in the
flesh and made all of his seed, all of us sinners. The second
Adam came in the flesh so he could save his people, everybody
he represented, from their sin. The first Adam sinned in the
flesh. The second Adam came to establish righteousness in the
flesh. to establish obedience for his
people in the flesh so that his people, who are flesh, could
be made righteous and obedient in him. God became a man so sinful
men would have a sacrifice. The only way sin can be paid
for is by blood. Well, animal blood can't put
the sin of a man away. Animal blood can give you a picture
of redemption, but it can't save anybody. So God became a man. So he'd have perfect blood to
shed as a payment for the sin of his people. The law demands
death for sin. Either I'm going to die or my
substitute's going to die, one or the other. The law demands
death for sin. Well, I need a substitute. I
don't want to die. I need a substitute. Well, an animal can't be my substitute.
A lamb can't be. A bullock, a goat can't be my
substitute. They can't die in my place because
we've got two different natures. My sin's not going to be imputed
to an animal. So God became a man. So my sin could be charged to
him and he'd put it away through his sacrifices, my substitute.
He died the death I deserve so I could have eternal life through
his name. The son of God became the son of man. Thirdly, if we're
going to be saved, We've got to believe that Jesus is the
Christ. He's the only Savior. But these
are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ. Now, when we say Jesus is the
Christ, what are we saying? We're saying that Jesus is the
Messiah. He's the Savior. He's the one
prophesied throughout all of scripture. He's the only Savior. Look back in John chapter 6.
Isn't this Peter's confession of Christ? This is the confession
of saving faith, that Jesus is the Christ. In John 6 verse 66, when our Lord in his preaching
revealed plainly to them who he is, from that time, many of
his disciples went back and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus
unto the 12, will you also go away? You're not being held here
against your will, will you also go away? Then Simon Peter answered
him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life, and we believe and we're sure that thou art that Christ. You're the son of the living
God. That's what saving faith proclaims, that there's no other
way of salvation other than Christ alone. Neither is there salvation
in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved." Jesus is the Christ.
Salvation is Christ. Salvation, not a cooperative
effort between me and Jesus. Salvation is not a combination
of my works and his works. It's not a combination of my
righteousness and his righteousness. Salvation is not a combination
of my will and his will. Salvation is by the will of Christ
alone. Salvation is in his righteousness
alone. Sin is cleansed by his blood
alone. Salvation is purchased by his
blood alone. It's given to us by his grace
alone. We lay hold on Christ by faith alone. Luke Galatians
chapter two. How important is this truth that
Jesus is the Christ? He's the only Savior. There is
salvation no other way except in Christ. How important is that
truth? Galatians 2, verse 20. I'm crucified
with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me. In the life which I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace
of God. For if righteousness come by the law, if righteousness
can come by anything that I do, then Christ is dead and vain."
That's pretty serious, isn't it? We must believe that salvation
is in Christ alone. It's not by him combining his
righteousness with our righteousness. Christ saves us from our righteousness. He saves us from our works of
righteousness where they're nothing but filthy rags that are damaged.
He saves us by His righteousness and clothes us exclusively in
His righteousness. That's believing that Jesus is
the Christ. And the Christ did not come to
make an attempt to do anything. He didn't come attempting to
save his people. He came and he saved his people from their
sins because he's the Christ. He's the only Savior. And saving
faith cries, Lord, save me. You're the Christ. Four, if we're
gonna be saved, we must believe. Saving faith always believes
this. We believe on the name of Christ for all of our salvation. John says, these are written,
that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that believing, you might have life through his name. Now
we say we believe on the name of Christ. This is what we say,
this is what we mean. We believe on the person of Christ. His name reveals his character.
His name reveals his person. Believe on the name Jehovah Sidkenu,
the Lord my righteousness. When we say that, this is what
we mean. I believe Christ is all my righteousness. Either
he's all my righteousness or I don't have any. That's what
saving faith says. Believe on the name Jehovah-Jireh.
The Lord will provide. He's gonna provide everything
God requires and he'll provide everything that I need. Nothing
in my hand I bring. I come empty-handed as an empty-handed
beggar to him, knowing he's Jehovah-Jireh. The Lord will provide all my
salvation. Believe on the name Jehovah Sid Kenyon, the Lord
my peace. I didn't make my peace with God.
Christ did. He's my peace. He made peace
with God through the blood of his cross. Believe on the name
Jehovah Rea, the Lord my shepherd. I was lost. And I'm telling you,
I was so lost, I didn't know I was lost. I didn't know the
right way and I wasn't seeking the right way. I wasn't seeking
Christ. But my great shepherd came and found me where I was
lost. He found me. He bought me. He
put me on His shoulder and He's taken me all the way home. I
trust Him. That name, Jehovah Rea, He's
my shepherd. I believe on the name Jehovah
Refa, the Lord that healeth thee. Oh, how I need healing. Do you? I mean, I was born sin sick.
Just inside to out, top to bottom, covered from toe to head with
wounds and bruises and putrefying sores. But Christ, Jehovah Rapha,
He came and healed me of all my sin sickness by taking my
sin sickness and His body on the tree and putting my sin away
through His sacrifice and washing me in His blood and giving me
His health. That's why I have eternal life.
He healed me by giving me His health. Believe on the name Jehovah
Nissi, the Lord our banner. Christ is our gospel. That's what that name means.
God's gospel is not a series of doctrines that we gotta believe
and we've gotta know. God's gospel declares the person
who we must know, the Lord Jesus Christ, and Christ is my gospel. I believe him. I look to him. I preach him. I hear him. I love his gospel, and I'll have
no other but him. Now you believe on that name.
Right now you believe on that name. You might be wondering. What
right do I have to believe? This is God's son. What right
do I have to believe on his name? God commands you to. That's your
right. God commands you to believe on
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He commands all men everywhere
to repent and believe. Christ said you go into all the
world and preach the gospel to every creature. Is that you? Then that's your right to believe.
It's God's commandment. What right do you have to believe?
Well, are you a sinner? If you are, that's your right
to believe. Christ came to this world to
save sinners. Christ died for sinners. If you're
a sinner, then believe Him. That's your right to believe
Him. Just believe Christ. Not because you see any evidence.
Not because the preacher with some gift of speech was able
to convince you. Not because you've seen some
sort of miracle. You don't believe because you had some experience.
Don't be waiting for this warm, fuzzy experience to come over
you and light be all around you or something. Y'all don't have
it. Just believe Christ because of who He is and who you are. That's saving faith. You're a
sinner. He's the Son of God, who's the
Christ who came to save sinners. And you know what? God's people
are gonna believe. Wherever you find God's people,
they believe Christ. They might be slow to come around.
Thomas was. Frank was. I bet I heard the
gospel. Thousands and thousands of times. I slow come around. But every
one of God's children are going to believe they're going to believe
Christ, because God's going to give them faith. Lord, you know all things you
know, I believe. Help them. Let's bow in prayer. Our father, how we thank you.
than your infinite mercy and grace. You send your gospel to
your people and that you give your people faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ. We don't have to be convinced
by facts and figures and experiences and miracles. We don't have to
have a man with the power of persuasion convince us, but that
you give your people a heart of faith and that we believe
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is all of our salvation. Father,
I pray that in your mercy and your grace, that you give that
heart of faith to one of your lost sheep here this morning.
And for those who do know you, for those that you've given this
precious gift of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that
you'd use this message to strengthen our faith and our confidence
and our joy in the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, we thank you
for this food that we're about to enjoy, this time of fellowship,
and I pray that you'd give us a good time together, a refreshing
time of fellowship together. We thank you for the occasion.
We thank you for Sydney. Father, we thank you that you've
given her to us and that you cause us to remain faithful to
her to all these little ones here, to teach them Christ. We
pray that you continue to watch over Sydney and bless her and
strengthen her as she continues to grow and mature. All these
things we ask and give thanks in the name which is above every
name, the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.