From Unbelief to Belief

Date: October 16, 2011
Text: John 7:1-18
Preached by: Pastor Van Morris

Main Idea: Unbelief in Jesus is a result of living for one’s self rather than for God.

Introduction

The background for the text is the Jewish Feast of Booths (Lev 23:42-43) that reminded Israel annually of God’s presence and provision.

Surprising Unbelief

For not even his brothers believed in him. (John 7:5)

We are used to the kind of hateful unbelief demonstrated by the Jewish leaders of Jesus day and the militant atheists of today.  But Jesus’ brothers were excited about his miracles and encouraged him to publically display himself to his disciples and the world – yet they did not believe in him.

The Cause of Unbelief

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? (John 5:44)

…and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Cor 5:15)

The roadblock to belief is the prideful seeking of self-glory; it is living for oneself. 

The Necessity of Belief

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:36)

Believing in Jesus is how one obtains eternal life and remaining in unbelief leaves one under the wrath of God; therefore, believing in Jesus in necessary.

What Does Believing in Jesus Look Like

…and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Cor. 5:15)

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:36)

The unbelief of Jesus’ brothers included (1) an awareness of Jesus, (2) a welcoming of his miracles and (3) an involvement in religious activities.  In 2 Cor. 5:15 believing in Jesus is living for him and in John 3:36 we see that believing in Jesus is paralleled with obeying him.  Jesus appearance at the feast showed God’s presence and provision.

Application Questions

1.     In what ways might someone display the kind of unbelief that Jesus’ brothers had today?  How prevalent do you think this kind of unbelief is?

2.     Why is pride and self-glory and obstacle to believing in Jesus?  What is it about Jesus that conflicts with our pride and self-glory.

3.     How would you explain the necessity of believing in Jesus to someone?

4.     What are some of the commands Jesus gave to his disciples to obey?

The Evidence for God

Date: October 9^th, 2011

Text: Psalm 19:1

Presented by:  Dr. James Spiegel

Main Idea: Atheists deny God’s existence based on willful resistance, not lack of evidence.

Introduction

Bertrand Russell – there is not enough evidence

Is this so? Is there really “not enough evidence” to believe in God?

If there is plenty of evidence, then why do atheists deny this?

The Evidence for God

Antony Flew went from being an atheist to being a theist based on (1) the fact of the universe, (2) cosmic fine-tuning, and (3) the fact of life.  Three more pieces of evidence are (4) the mind/consciousness, (5) near death experiences and (6) biological systems unexplainable by Darwinian evolution.

Why Atheists Reject the Evidence for God

Atheists reject God based on willful resistance, not for intellectual reasons like lack of evidence.(Romans 1:18-20; Ephesians 4:17-18; John 3:19-20)

Unbelief is a consequence of disobedience because sin corrupts us cognitively, especially our thinking about moral and spiritual matters, and sin damages the sensus divinitatis (innate awareness of God) thus compromising a person’s ability to perceive the clear evidence for God.

The Blessing of Obedience

Obedience enhances cognition and thus moral-spiritual awareness. (Psalm 19:7; John 7:17)

Application Questions

1.     Which of the evidences for God do you find most compelling?  Why?

2.     Do you know anyone who does not believe in God?  What reasons does he/she offer against there being a God?  Does the evidence presented address the reasons he/she gives?

3.     In light of the corrupting power of sin on a person’s moral and spiritual awareness, what would you tell someone who said he planned to wait until he was older to be concerned about spiritual matters?

4.     How does the concept of sensus divinitatis show itself in your own life?

5.     How should my worship of God deepen through what I have learned today?