From Belief to Knowing: Embracing Life in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: From Belief to Intimacy

Knowing Jesus is more than intellectual belief; it is about cultivating a deep, personal relationship with Him. This relationship transforms our lives as we experience Jesus as the resurrection and the life in our daily walk. It is not enough to simply acknowledge Jesus; we must strive to know Him intimately, allowing His presence to permeate every aspect of our lives. This journey from belief to knowing requires us to engage with Jesus through prayer, scripture, and obedience, moving beyond surface-level faith to a vibrant, life-giving connection. [35:25]

"For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him." (Ephesians 1:15-17, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take today to deepen your relationship with Jesus beyond mere belief? Consider setting aside dedicated time for prayer or scripture reading to know Him more intimately.

Day 2: Resurrection as a Present Reality

Jesus' declaration as the resurrection and the life is not just a promise for the future but a present reality that He embodies. He desires to bring new life and vitality to the areas of our lives that feel stagnant or lifeless. By inviting Jesus into these areas, we can experience His transformative power, allowing Him to resurrect our hopes, dreams, and spiritual vitality. This understanding challenges us to see Jesus not only as a future hope but as an active presence in our daily lives, bringing renewal and restoration. [47:50]

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area of your life that feels lifeless or stagnant. How can you invite Jesus to bring resurrection and new life to this area today?

Day 3: Conquering Doubt through Trust

Doubt often arises when we are called into new experiences, creating a barrier to experiencing the fullness of life in Christ. Overcoming doubt requires us to lean into Jesus, trusting Him to bridge the gap between belief and knowing. By focusing on His promises and faithfulness, we can navigate through uncertainty and embrace the new experiences He calls us to. Trusting Jesus in the face of doubt allows us to grow spiritually and experience His presence in deeper ways. [53:05]

"Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!'" (Mark 9:24, ESV)

Reflection: What is a current situation where you are experiencing doubt? How can you actively choose to trust Jesus in this situation today?

Day 4: Transforming Discouragement into Encouragement

Discouragement can hold us back from engaging with God and His plans for us. It is crucial to fill our minds with positive, life-affirming truths and trust in Jesus to bring life where there is death. By focusing on encouragement rather than discouragement, we align ourselves with God's purposes and open ourselves to His transformative work. This shift in perspective allows us to see challenges as opportunities for growth and to rely on Jesus for strength and guidance. [55:22]

"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God." (Psalm 42:11, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent discouragement you have faced. How can you reframe this situation with encouragement and trust in God's purposes today?

Day 5: Embracing God's Perfect Timing

Delays or perceived unanswered prayers can lead to frustration, but trusting in God's perfect timing is essential. He always has our best interests at heart, and His plans are for our good, even when they don't align with our immediate desires. Embracing God's timing requires patience and faith, knowing that He is working behind the scenes for our benefit. By surrendering our timelines to Him, we can find peace and assurance in His sovereign plan. [01:05:57]

"For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay." (Habakkuk 2:3, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a situation where you are waiting for God's timing. How can you practice patience and trust in His perfect plan today?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound difference between merely believing in Jesus and truly knowing Him. This distinction is crucial for our spiritual journey, as knowing Jesus involves a deeper, more intimate relationship that goes beyond intellectual acknowledgment. We began by reflecting on the story of Lazarus in John 11, where Jesus declares, "I am the resurrection and the life." This statement is not just about a future event but about a present reality that Jesus embodies. He is life itself, and through Him, we can experience resurrection in our daily lives.

We discussed the concept of "dead ends" in our spiritual journey—those moments of doubt, discouragement, and delay that hinder our growth. Doubt often arises when we are called into new experiences, and it can be a significant barrier to experiencing the fullness of life in Christ. Discouragement, as seen in Mary and Martha's initial reactions to Jesus, can hold us back from engaging with God and His plans for us. Delay, or the perception of unanswered prayers, can lead to frustration, but it's essential to trust in God's perfect timing and His plans for our lives.

The key to overcoming these dead ends is to lean into Jesus, allowing Him to resurrect those areas of our lives that feel stagnant or lifeless. By remaining in Him, trusting Him, and obeying His word, we can move from mere belief to a vibrant, life-giving relationship with Him. This journey requires us to fill our minds with positive, life-affirming truths and to trust that God can do anything, including resurrecting us from our dead ends.

Key Takeaways

1. **Believing vs. Knowing Jesus**: There's a significant difference between believing in Jesus and truly knowing Him. Knowing Jesus involves a deep, personal relationship that transforms our lives. It's about experiencing Him as the resurrection and the life in our daily walk, not just acknowledging Him intellectually. [35:25]
2. The Power of Resurrection: Jesus' declaration as the resurrection and the life is not just about a future event but a present reality. He desires to resurrect the dead areas in our lives, bringing new life and vitality to our spiritual journey. [47:50]
3. Overcoming Doubt: Doubt can be a significant barrier in our spiritual journey, often arising when we're called into new experiences. Overcoming doubt requires leaning into Jesus, trusting Him, and allowing Him to bridge the gap between belief and knowing. [53:05]
4. Dealing with Discouragement: Discouragement can hold us back from engaging with God. It's crucial to fill our minds with positive truths and trust in Jesus to bring life where there is death. Encouragement, rather than discouragement, aligns us with God's purposes. [55:22]
5. Trusting God's Timing: Delays or perceived unanswered prayers can lead to frustration, but trusting in God's perfect timing is essential. He always has our best interests at heart, and His plans are for our good, even when they don't align with our immediate desires. [65:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:26] - Introduction and Prayer Requests
[33:03] - Opening Prayer
[33:39] - Series Introduction
[35:10] - Believing vs. Knowing Jesus
[36:43] - Knowing Jesus Through His Word
[37:48] - Experiencing Jesus
[39:03] - Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life
[41:00] - The Story of Lazarus
[46:50] - Journey from Belief to Knowing
[47:50] - Resurrection as a Person
[49:49] - Dead Ends: Doubt
[53:53] - Dead Ends: Discouragement
[64:55] - Dead Ends: Delay
[69:35] - Conclusion and Invitation to Respond

Sermon Clips

There is a chasm between believing in Jesus and knowing Jesus right now believing in Jesus is part of knowing Jesus but sometimes believing in Jesus isn't always knowing Jesus you see the difference right and and sometimes I think that uh even even those of us that maybe have been in church for a long time or maybe have uh families that are uh you know have been committed to uh Christians you know sometimes it's just real easy for us to to kind of get lost in that limbo right uh we believe in Jesus but our life is just kind of stagnant there right [00:35:14]

One of the ways in which we see Jesus one of the ways that we know Jesus is just by turning to his word right and all throughout uh Jesus's ministry he gives us uh so many different descriptions of who it is or who he is he reveals himself to us through scripture and a lot of times he does well the vast majority of the times he does that through tangible things in other words like uh I am the door i am the gate i am the way i am the truth i am the life i am the good shepherd i am the light of the world i am the vine [00:36:43]

There is no way of knowing Jesus without doing those things that I just talked about without believing in him without remaining in him without trusting in him without attaching yourself to him without obeying him there's just no way of doing it right if we try any other way we just kind of that's what that's what I think in our modern day we just call religion right and I I want you to hear this as well [00:38:01]

He did not call us to join in religion he called us to join him in relationship he wants us to know him right he wants us to know him because he knows us and he wants that sort of intimacy with us and so this whole series is really really about that and so today we're going to talk about I am Jesus i am the resurrection and the life [00:38:44]

Jesus told her "I am the resurrection and the life anyone who believes in me will live even after dying everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die." Do you believe this Martha yes Lord she told him I have always believed you are the Messiah the son of God the one who has come into this world from God [00:41:55]

A lot of people think that resurrection is an event right martha herself thought that the resurrection was an event he says "Oh yes Lord i know that my brother will rise because on the last day right he'll rise." But that's not what Jesus is saying jesus follows that statement up with this statement i am the resurrection and the life so this tells us that the resurrection is not an event it is a person what does that mean it means that Jesus is life there is no life without him [00:47:50]

The only way that you and I can bridge the gap between here and there or bridge the gap of doubt is by leaning into Jesus and remaining in him and allowing him to resurrect those dead spaces those dead ends in our life right and a lot of times he cuts those things out so that we can have healthy growth [00:53:05]

Encouragement brings life where discouragement leads to death on all sorts of levels and so Mary is discouraged but just a few sentences later what helps take care of her discouragement i love the fact that Martha goes back to her after after having this moment with Jesus and goes back and she doesn't say "Hey Jesus wants to go see you." Now we just read that they are dear friends right she goes back and says "The teacher wants to see you." [00:55:22]

A not yet or not good for you is not a no it's different it's different now we tend to be a little humanistic in our wants i know this because I'm an only child and I want what I want right i'm a little spoiled that way but when it comes to my personal relationship with Jesus Christ it's important that I realize that he he listen he always has my best interest always in timing and even in and even in the moments in which he says this is not good for you [01:05:57]

He wants to be the resurrection of life in your life right now not sometime in the future not sometime when you take your last breath or not sometime when he when the trumpets blow and he comes riding in right he wants to be that to you right now he wants to resurrect the deadness that's in your life whatever that is i can't identify that for you but I know that I know that some of you listening right now as soon as I said those dead things in your life you knew exactly what it was what it was talking to you [01:09:35]

If God can defeat death God can do anything including resurrecting me from my dead ends." And that just I just really invite you to make that a mantra this week kind of kind of a marching statement right look if God can raise Jesus Christ from the dead right so if you've accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior you're saying you believe that there's many historical accounts beyond scripture that talk about this resurrection right [01:10:48]

If Jesus can raise uh through God Lazarus from the dead if the dead can be raised then God can certainly do anything in your life including resurrecting whatever doubts whatever fears whatever dead ends you might have won't you bow your heads with me just for a moment we're going to listen to a song as we transition into this baptism time that uh really the words just kind of reflect much of what's been said today [01:11:48]

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