Sermon – “What Do You Believe about Jesus?”

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

I’m a direct these questions towards the children children what’s Christmas about the birth of who Jesus. Where was Jesus born. Who announced his birth. We just saying about that last course who announced his birth us spoke about it. Christmassy to the shepherds to announce it to the shepherds. Angels Angels did. Questions questions right. You know a couple weeks ago. There was a little bumping around on some jobs down and not in the shop but out in the. The made its way to apartment. So they had one of the carpenters from out their command of the shop and he was going to bump the carpenter that that I work with every day every day. But instead of displacing they said. It’s only going to be for a couple weeks it will do is hold our guy here. To his guy goes back out with this guy’s a young. Thirty couple. Hand. Working with them that week he was in there. He asked so many questions I mean question after question after question and I just laugh and you know he did I have to do was a boy you ask a lot of questions don’t just go. Yeah I do. Because I promise I want to get him work. Three minutes later yes question this at all to we’re going to ask more questions. And he’s you know he’s laugh. That’s how we learn. But questions make you think that’s what was discussed in Sabbath school. Questions make use of think. Because it was a question that I ask myself is why I’m standing here today. In this pope and the question that I asked myself many years ago was. If Jesus was to come back my rich and the answer was a no. But today’s sermon title is a question. What do you believe about Jesus. What do you believe about Jesus. No there was. It’s not my scripture. Topic this morning. Or lesson. But there was a time in Mark chapter eight. It tells were Jesus and His disciples were walking along in Jesus asked the disciples who do men say that I am. And a disciple said well some say that your John the Baptist’s. Some say your illogic. Come back. But he says but what do you say. What do you believe who do you believe that I am. That’s the most important question. The most important question that we can ask anybody or that anybody can ask themselves. What do you personally believe about Jesus. So now my scripts are less and comes from first John chapter four verses one through sixteen. They love a do not believe every spirit. But test the spirits. Whether they are of God. Many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God and ever spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God and this is the spirit of the anti-Christ. Which you have heard was coming and is now. Already in the world. They are of the world therefore they speak as of the world. And the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us. He who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error. Beloved let us love one another for love is of God in everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God For God is love. In this the love of God’s will was manifested toward us that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. In THIS IS LOVE. Not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved. If God so loved us we also ought to love one another no one has seen God at any time. If we love and not love one another God abides in us and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He and us. Because he has given us. Of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the father as sent the Son as savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is born. As is the Son of God God abides in him and he and God. And we have. We have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love and he will bide as in love abides in God and God in him. Every spirit. That does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is a spirit of the anti-Christ. Which you have heard was coming and is now already in the world. We know what spirits are we know the Spirit of God God’s Spirit there’s the heavenly Speer God’s angels. There’s evil spirits. And they try to convince you that Jesus is not real to convince you that Jesus is not who God says he is or who is Word says he is and then in fourteen fifty five A.D.. Gutenberg invented the printing press. And you know what the very first book printed was. The Bible. And it was in Latin. We were discussing that Sabbath school when Adam like go to use. It seems like we always start discussing his abs goal what some of my messages about. But they didn’t have this word so some you know if we have doubts we can. We can flip through this and. Yeah that’s we believe that that is true. They didn’t have that privilege. So some of them are only going on with the heard from others. And then of these eyewitnesses have passed on some of the early Christians had Greek backgrounds that were tied to plate Platonism. Which is those who adhere to the philosophy of Plato especially the doctrine that objects are mere copies or images of eternal ideas. And that these ideas are the ultimate metaphysical realities which means beyond or above the physical the physical or the laws of nature. And therefore the objects of true knowledge. That’s why they were having a hard time accepting the idea that Jesus was divine as well as fully human. They were having a hard time grasping that there was a similar. Heresy that’s called Dasa tism may not pronounce that right. And they held that Jesus was actually Spirit who only appeared to have a body. But they thought in reality that he cast no shadow and left no footprints. They claim that he was God but not man but what I preach last Sabbath. God stepped into manatee. He was fully God. Divine. Yet fully man. Human. And it’s not hard to figure out who was behind all these lies and heresies is it. The Anti-Christ. Site trying to deceive people and distort their understanding of who and what Jesus truly is in was. John eight forty four says you are of your father the devil. And the desires of your father. You want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning. And does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaks a lot. I he speaks from his own resources for he is the liar. Is a liar and the father of it. And you know I am sure that the devil. Laughs and scoffs whenever he can. The see someone into thinking Jesus was not fully human or to thinking. He is not the vine. He laughs and scoffs. It doesn’t matter which way he can. Would he don’t care which direction he gets people to go. Just as well he is he can deceive them. But we need to stand on the truth. You know up on a cot of ironic that in those days. They were having a hard time thinking that Jesus could be human and today it seems like there’s many that have a hard time thinking he’s. Because there’s many Tetons out there that today. Are many religions out there that might say well yes we believe he was a prophet. He was a good man. But they don’t adhere to that he was divine that he was also God. So he’s continually twist in things around from one generation to the other and we need to stand against it burst one said to test the spirits to see that they are of God. Christians should not be so naive as to believe. Every teacher every preacher that they hear. They need to test a spear. To know whether it is to truth whether it is of God. We need to test it to make sure the lines with the Word of God. And we know that every spirit to confess is that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh and his divine is true is of God. We need to ask what do they believe about Jesus. What do they believe about Jesus Christ. You know there’s a lot of things that we can agree to disagree on that is not pertinent to our salvation. You know we can debate a little about baptism you know do we don’t this way or do we don’t that where does wrinkle but that’s not going to make a difference from where you spend eternity. But what you believe about Jesus Christ. Does make a difference. We need to take a stand on that. I don’t care if you don’t come back or don’t come forward but what do you believe about Jesus. Few believe he is a Son of God Do you believe that he died for your sins. Did you believe that he is human but yet he was divine. That I will stand or. We need to stand our ground not just I we need to stand our ground on ad. Stand on that Victor we need to rebuke to falls spirit that would say otherwise. John throughout the epistles makes it clear that Jesus is the only way to receive eternal life in first John one versus one through four. Said that which was from the beginning which we have heard. Which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon. And that our hands have handled we have touched a new concerning the Word of Life. The life was manifested and we have seen and we bear witness in the clear to you that eternal life which was with the father. And was manifested to us that which we have seen and heard we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the father. And with his son Jesus Christ. With his son Jesus Christ’s. There is no way to receive eternal life apart from Jesus Christ. John is telling his of his experience with Jesus. He Clare’s that we have seen him with their own eyes we have touched him with our own hands. And he was fully human. You know we didn’t go to shake his hand and just pass rate through know. He had a body just like we have fully human. First John two twenty two through twenty five says. Who is a liar. But he who denies that Jesus is the Christ. He is anti-Christ who denies the Father and a son who ever denies a son does not have the father either. He had to acknowledge his son has the Father also. Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you you also will bide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he has promised us eternal life. He has promised eternal life to all those who believe in the Son. You know there’s a couple gentlemen that I that I work with that. You know they tend to tell lot of tales lot of fish and a lot of stories you know and people laugh and they’ll say well you know how to tell and so on says lion. So now how his lips are moving. You know how to tell when the devil’s lion. His lips are moving. Because the devil opens his mouth it’s a lie. Because he’s come to deceive. To deny either. Jesus dive in a tea or his humanity is to consider him blessed. Than the Christ the Savior. The came to worth. And you know why is it so easy for us to ask someone what do you think of the president. Don’t answer that. What do you think of this congressman or senator. What do you think of this coach what do you think of this celebrity. What do you think about this person or that person should it not be deceased the for us to ask. What do you think about Jesus or what do you believe about Jesus. Especially this time of year in East to see those you know. Why should it be just as easy for us to say. What do you believe about Jesus. Because it is absolutely the most important question that we can ask anyone or anyone can ask themselves. What do you believe about Jesus. Because what a person believes about Jesus Christ will determine where they spend eternity. That’s why it’s so important. You must believe the truth that he is the son of the God who created the heavens and the earth. Did he came to earth. Became a Man took on the human flesh was still be vine. You may not fully understand that but you must believe it you must stand known and accepted as truth. And that he died for our sins. And it’s true that blood that he said that we can have eternal life that’s the promise. My next point. Overcoming the lies and deceptions. Overcoming them them is the anti-Christ in the false teachings verse for said you are of God Little children have overcome them. Because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Or you walking in the victory that is yours that can be yours. That is promised to you in his book Forever triumphant. F.J. UGLE toe. Told a story that came out of World War two. Said that after General John R. Jonathan not John Jonathan Wainwright was captured by the Japanese. He was held prisoner in a Manchurian concentration camp. Cruelly treated he became broken. Crushed hopeless. Saw a starving man. But file of the Japanese surrendered. And the war ended. A United States Army colonel was sent to the camp to announce personally. To the general that Japan had been defeated. And that he was free and in command. After right Wainwright heard the news. He returned to his quarters and was confronted by some of the guards who began to mistreat him. As they had done in the past. Wainwright However with the news of the Allied victory still fresh in his mind declared with a store to know I am in command here. These are my orders who observed that from that moment on one. General Wainwright was in control. Who will made this application. Have you been informed of the victory of your savior in the greatest conflict of the ages. Have you been informed of the victory. Because that conflict of the ages is between the forces of evil in the forces of good. The Devils trying to convince us that we are defeated that we’re not good enough to chew can have eternal life because you’re a bad person you’re a sinner. He doesn’t want you to know the Jesus Christ died for you that you can have a life. You need to resist it says then rise up in a search your rights. Never again go under. When the enemy comes to oppress you claim the victory in Jesus’ name. That’s the word for today claim the victory in Jesus’ name. We must learn to stand on the Resurrection ground. Because we have the Victory in Jesus Christ. Reckon dead the old creation life. Which is over Sunder Satan’s power. But stand on that new creation life which is in Jesus Christ. That Satan has no power over. Absolutely no power over. Stand in the victory. Rise up in a circular rights to get behind me Satan. You have no control over me. If Asians one eighteen to twenty three declares a victory. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened. That you may know what is the hope of his calling. What are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe. According to the working of his mighty power which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand. In the heavenly places for above all principality and power and might end to Mannion. And every name that is named not only in this age but in that which is to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church which is his body. The fullness of him who fills all in all. I was the fees and one eight hundred twenty three. My last point is the love that God’s love was manifested towards us. In the person of Jesus Christ. And I think the same thing that I shared with before last. There’s no greater example of love then God sending his only begotten Son into the world. He’s so loved the world. That’s a point that we should never get tired of hearing personally even. Each of us every day. When we rise up we need to say thank you father. That you love me so much that you larger son the come. We need to remind ourselves that every day because. Reminding ourselves that every day reinforces who we are in him. Reinforces who he is the he is truly the Son of God that He is the Christ. He is the Christ in order to believe. Back full circle. That he is the Christ and we must fully understand and believe that he was human and divine. He is who this word said he is. And we must believe that in our heart. What do you believe about Jesus. We can witness. With just that one question. To people and make them think. Make them think it make them search their hearts. With that one question is all it takes. And if they say I’m not sure. You can share. Who Jesus was and it was Sharon in Sabbath school. About a devout Muslim. Was in prison. And while in there. He questioned his faith. And that is a forbidden in the Muslim faith. You do not question your faith. But that question. Caused him to search his heart and search who Jesus was. He was being oppress he felt a spear. Trying to destroy him. And this is a Muslim. And he cried out to Jesus Jesus saved me or Jesus help me. So then the question was. Why did I caught the Jesus. Why did I caught the Jesus. Because deep down within each of us were created in the image of God. How believe that’s why he had to reach deep down within that which had been oppressed for years to call out to the only one who could save. And that’s Jesus Christ. And men.