From Superficial to Genuine: The Essence of Faith

Devotional

Sermon Summary

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

"Now remember this is quite unsettling list to me in a book that is designed to awaken Faith because why would you want to mess it up you know why would you want to mix it up and confuse matters if your goal is to help people believe John and Jesus why you bring up this issue of there's Faith but it's not really Faith that's kind of confuses the matter and and it needs to be clarified the only reason they would do this the only reason Jesus would talk like this is if if it weren't a part of his love for us there is faith that is not saving Faith you don't want to have that you don't want to go into eternity thinking you're a Believer and you're not a Believer This is Love." [00:58:55]

"Many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing verse 24 instead of being thrilled about that it says Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them because he knew them and what he knew he didn't like and would not sit with walk with he wouldn't give himself this faith in verse 23 has got something wrong with it something wrong here and we need to figure this out because you don't want to be in the you don't want verse 23 to be said of you I saw his signs I believed in his name and he walked away from me." [00:59:59]

"Nicodemus comes on the scene as a person who has a lot of beliefs about Jesus but Jesus says he needs to be born again and so his belief isn't what's necessary what else is wrong well take that word signs in verse 23 many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing is that a problem well Nicodemus saw the signs and he's Blown Away by how amazing they are and he his faith Rises to the level of you're from God and God is with you and you're a faithful teacher in Israel and and his faith is rising but what what's wrong with sign driven Faith Jesus warned against this sign based faith is so precarious it's precarious because of what's under it and it's precarious where it's going." [00:07:17]

"How can you believe when you receive Glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God what's the answer to that question you can't let's make a statement out of it you can't believe in me while you're seeking Glory from one another and not seeking the glory that comes from God why not because Faith consists in Breaking that idolatry breaking the back of the praise of the love of man when Jesus Calls the person he says if anyone would follow me let him deny himself and take up his cross and die with me you don't glut your addic to self-exaltation when you follow Jesus." [00:12:25]

"Satan loves the glory of Jesus minus cross and so did his brothers and so did these folks in 223 they had seen signs they had seen signs they love power and they love signs this is our Messiah and he's going to do the signs for us and he's going to win the Victory and he's going to establish the throne and we're going to be swept into Victory to squash these R and and Jesus looks at all that he says I'm not going with that I'm not walking with that that's not the faith I came to produce it's a faith it's a faith a lot of people think my Miracles are are fake you don't think they're fake you're believing in them it's not the faith I'm after." [00:14:24]

"So I think the point of this text on this on the sign part is that we today should be warned about sign chasing signs and wonder chasing I don't know when the second coming is going to happen but it's going to happen could happen in my lifetime and yours and there's some things that are going to happen they're already happening and I'll read you one this is a warning from Jesus to you and me Matthew 24:24 false christs and false prophets so big time and little time guys false christs and false prophets Sun Moon considers himself to be Christ false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders so as to lead astray if possible even the elect." [00:15:26]

"The elect cannot be led astray but oh it's close so powerful are the signs and wonders that are done by the false christs and the false prophets that thousands of people are swept out of the church into Allegiance and they turn out to be John 2:23 believers they were hanging on the signs they were hanging on the music they were hanging on the whatever but they hadn't penetrated through the signs to the savior they hadn't seen his glory glory as of the only son from the father full of grace and truth they had stuck on the externals and they not broken through to the person himself and loved him." [00:16:06]

"Saving Faith rests on the glory of the person of Jesus Christ remember 2 Corinthians 4:4 the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ not the light of the Gospel of the Miracles of Christ Miracles are meant to reveal who you're dealing with so that you love him know him cherish him so that he becomes the resting point and when another another Prophet comes along another Christ comes along doing greater Miracles perhaps than the ones you've ever seen or come to terms with you are so locked in to Jesus as self-authenticating glorious Son of God you cannot be swept away." [00:19:38]

"Jesus did the opposite knowing exactly what was in man he walked into situation after situation where he got in trouble and finally got killed and he says if anyone would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me if you walked in here unprepared to hear the truth that Jesus knows everything about you and hear it as good news and you have been wondering how could anybody regard that as good news if he knows everything about you here's the answer he uses his omniscience not to kill you but to save you that's what you're offered now if you will have it if you will receive him believe in his name then he died for you he took the knife for you he took the nails for you took the sword for you and the crown for you and you are now on the brink of Eternity." [00:22:12]

"Father we worship you and we worship your son the Lord Jesus who knows us and knows all men and who knows everything about us and everything about everybody and we stand amazed and in awe of this knowledge it is glorious to us nothing compares with it we tremble at the thought that he knows us and then turning to him the crucified one who died in our place so that we might know him without fear and we lay down our fear and we receive forgiveness and we receive acceptance and we receive love even though you know everything everything about us if any is afraid to do that Lord help them help them now in Jesus name I pray amen." [00:24:00]

"Jesus' knowledge of our hearts is not a threat but a promise of His love and sacrifice. He knows us completely and yet chooses to save us, offering us the opportunity to receive Him and experience eternal life. This is the essence of the Gospel, that despite our flaws and failures, Jesus' omniscience is used for our redemption, not our condemnation. It is a profound truth that should lead us to worship and trust in Him more deeply, knowing that His love surpasses all understanding and His sacrifice is the ultimate expression of His grace." [00:23:36]

"True saving faith rests on the glory of Jesus' person, not just His miracles. We must penetrate through signs and wonders to love and cherish Jesus Himself, ensuring we are not swayed by false prophets or superficial beliefs. This is the call to a deeper, more authentic faith that is rooted in a personal relationship with Christ, where His glory is the foundation of our belief and the source of our hope." [00:19:38]

Ask a question about this sermon