Believe
John 14:1 “Let anot your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” [1]
I. Allow
A. Peace
B. Power
II. Admit
A. Perfection
B. Prediction
III. Announce
A. Possession
B. Promise
Introduction: Today’s text is heard by more people who don’t go to church than most other texts. John 3:16 and Psalm 23 are probably more well-known but, “let not your heart be troubled” is quoted on TV quite a bit. The other place that people who don’t attend church hear this scripture is funerals. Most preachers use this soothing text to calm the pain of families and friends in their time of loss.
Today we will discuss this text for a different reason. Frankly I am growing tired of cable media. Sean Hannity has been on the air for a long time on TV and radio. I have heard him say those words of John 14:1 so often that they are almost like his trademark. It is interesting because he says the words sometime during his telecast yet for the rest of his telecast his aim is to unsettle his listeners.
In our evening service the other night I was awakened to the idea that I already knew. This nation of ours is not mentioned in the Bible. Not only that; this whole world is doomed for destruction and we know that. It has never really troubled me before because I have faith in a much greater thing than what God created. I trust God and I know that He is the creator.
Hearing some say that they feel the world might have gone too far to return this nation to a place of spiritual leadership does bother me. Other prominent people have said it and I know it to be true but it hit home hard and made me ashamed of myself when I heard it and thought about it here in this sanctuary.
We have been through a lot here at Merry Oaks. We have gone through a lot together since Rachael and I have been here and a part of this congregation. Everyone is truly watching to see how Merry Oaks Baptist Church keeps going. We keep going on faith and our faith is growing stronger in God as He allows the trials and temptations to continue to test us and build us into the faithful congregation that He has made us to be,
I trust what I hear is coming to you as the Holy Spirit guides. Yes I know that other forces influence us and with the Spiritual Gift of Discernment we know the difference. This congregation still would rather fill their bellies than have the Holy Spirit to fill your souls with God’s word. I wish that would change but it has not. Jesus knew when Peter was influenced wrongly and rightly. Jesus rightly blessed Peter when He was righteous and corrected Peter when he was misled.
What I heard that evening was a righteous thing and was not meant to scare or harm. It was prophetic. This world has gone too far. With each passing day we are heading for Jesus’ return. No nation will ever take the place of Jesus. He is the only light and He alone will shine in the darkness of this world. The United States of America was that city that shined on the hill for a while but we are not shining anymore. We are receiving the light but we are not reflecting the light anymore.
That troubled me. It troubled me way more than I should have let it trouble me. We do have national pride and that is not a bad thing to have when a nation really believes our motto, “In God we trust.” We have that on our money but not in our hearts. As a nation we really do not trust God anymore. The temple of freedom has been desecrated and our memories of what we went through to get to God are being toppled. The devil does not want us to remember the mistakes we made. He laughs as we repeat them.
These words that Jesus told His disciples are more important with each passing breath. Let not your heart be troubled. God is still God and in Him alone can you trust.
Scripture: Today’s focal text is John 14:1.
Prayer: Let us pray. Be seated.
Message: Let not… That little word let; it means that what you are about to loan or rent to someone or something else belongs to you. It is yours to let someone else use but it is yours and your responsibility. To let a place means to rent someone room that you own. It is only their habitat as long as you allow.
Jesus said to not let. Do not allow your heart or lend it out to something or someone other than what is good for your heart. Of course Jesus was not talking about the physical blood pump in your body. The heart that Jesus is talking about is the part of you that controls your emotions. It is the soul of a person. If your blood pump is allowed to mess up that is bad. If your soul is disrupted that is really bad. Don’t let your soul be troubled.
If you have ever known what it is like to be troubled in your soul then you know what it is like to lose sleep. Enough lost sleep and it zaps your strength. If you allow something to bother you enough so that you can find no peace it will leave you powerless to withstand the onslaught of the devil. He knows that and he will do everything that he can to take away your peace until you are powerless to show God’s love which is the real strength which God give us. When you are able to love in the face of those who hate you there is nothing more than you need to defend yourself. God is the victor and you can conquer fear because perfect love casts out fear.
1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but sperfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth eis not made perfect in love.“ [2] Fear has torment. Fear is troubling. Let not your heart be troubled. Don’t allow the torment to enter your heart. There is it… the Bible explaining itself. The same John who wrote the gospel also wrote these words as he was exiled on the Island of Patmos. He had no fear. He believed.
And what is this thing that we call belief? To admit that something is fact is to allow something to affect you deeply. I believe that God allowed Jesus to leave heaven for a while because He loved me enough to give up His greatest relationship to save mankind. I believe and admit that with all that I am.
This fact has been predicted from the beginning and Jesus’ coming to repair the imperfection that mankind allowed in was the only thing that could have renewed our relationship with God. Perfection had to replace imperfection. The relationship could not have been mended. Our relationship with God was perfect in the beginning and it must be perfect. There is no good and better and best. There is only perfection with a holy God. Otherwise He could not be believed to be the One True God.
We know the word for God with a capitol “G” cannot be contained in a singular because He is too big to contain. We know and we believe that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We know that. For John to record Jesus’ words to say that, to say the disciples believed was more than to say that they simply understood. They believed with all that they had that God is, was, and always will be God. There was no doubt in their minds, hearts, and souls.
With all of the perfect predictions of the Messiah, the disciples also knew that Jesus was who He said that He was. You believe in God. You admit that. You announce that you do. Jesus in essence said, you have announced to me that you believe that I am the Son of the Living God. Peter you admitted that. Well now it is time for you to announce your belief in Me.
If you say it then own it. If you say that you are a Christian then you are saying that Jesus is living inside of you. You are saying that He left The Holy Spirit to indwell you and guide your life. Take possession of that. As a Christian you have inherited that. You did nothing to receive that. Jesus died for you to own your salvation and bring you into His family. That is the greatest promise that has ever been given and it is yours.
We know this scripture because we have heard it so many times. Do you believe it? Most of our prayers are asking for things that He has already promised and explained. We worry about the things that He allows even though He warns against worry. We make decisions based on our beliefs in mankind and not His promises. Believe! Believe in what?
Do you believe that He would send His only begotten Son to die and would not understand that you live in a planet that has an end? Jesus is back where there is no end. Everything is new there. There are mansions there and Jesus is making preparations for you there. You’re worried about your house, here? He doesn’t want you to worry. You’re going to have an eternal house. You can believe that. You must believe that. If it were not true He would have told you.
Why did He come here? He came here because His Father sent Him here for us! Why did Jesus leave here? To prepare a place for us! He is coming back! Why; for us! How much more do we need? How much more must Jesus do before we believe what is important? How much must Jesus do before we believe that we can believe?
Prayer:
Invitation: Do you know the way? Thomas said after all that He saw from Jesus that he still didn’t know what to believe. Thomas was still stuck in the asking mode. To paraphrase, Thomas asked Jesus, “How can I know that you can be trusted?”
Thomas needed more. Still after Jesus’ resurrection Thomas didn’t know what to believe. What is the most important belief that you possess? With Thomas, he needed proof. With most people it is filling their pockets and their bellies. Jesus wants you to fill yourself with belief.
Today the invitation is to move from where are to where you are going. In Jesus’ Revelation to John, the church at Laodicea was mentioned as not being either hot or cold. They had a lukewarm belief. Do you? Jesus said that He would rather that someone had either a hot or cold belief. Straddling the fence between wanting what is here and heaven is not attractive to Jesus. Make up your mind. Do you want to hear from His Word or do you want to eat? Make up your mind once and for eternity what you truly believe in. Make up your mind!
It has been said that the world has gone too far. It has been said that this nation will not return to the place of Spiritual prominence that we once had in this dying world. If you believe that then you must know that time is getting shorter with each passing day. Jesus is coming sooner today than yesterday. Make up your mind what you believe. Is it time for food to satisfy your worldly lust or faith in Jesus that will satisfy your every need?
What do you believe? It is totally up to you. Nobody can lead you until you are ready to believe. What do you believe you need to do right now? Pray and give Him praise? Come and ask for prayer? Kneel here at this altar in submission to God? Sit there and wait with your lack of faith? Whatever you decide it is up to you. Whatever you decide know this; you won’t stay where you are. You can attempt to blame whatever you believe has control over you but you won’t stay there. God does not only take you to, He takes you through; if you believe. Consider and take your stand as we sing…
a ver. 27. See ch. 11:33. So ch. 16:6, 22, 33.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Jn 14:1). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
s So Ecclus. 25:12. See Rom. 8:15.
e See ch. 2:5. So ver. 18.
[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., 1 Jn 4:18). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
