Believing is Seeing

Welcome to the radio ministry at Cleveland church in Henderson. Margo is to make Christ visible Clearview is a place of genuine worship with ministries for all age groups and all people. For more information, visit us at 3485 Oxford Rd. in Henderson for visit us online@clearviewb.org now join us for this week's message by Pastor items the Christmas season upon us from preaching a short series of message messages now until the 25th titled believing is seeing now. No sounds awkward to the years because we always go back.

Seeing is believing, but believing is seeing during Christmas season. We are told to believe in the magic of Christmas, but there's something more to that and once we understand this passage today. You think realize is actually backwards is believing is seeing. If you have your Bibles turn to John chapter 5 and let's all stand together.

Listen to verse 39 Jesus said you source the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me says Jesus. But you're not willing to come to me that you may have life. Verse 45 do not think that I shall accuse you to the father.

There is one who accuses you Moses, in whom you trust. Verse 46 for if you believed Moses, you would believe me. Listen carefully.

This line, for he wrote about me, but if you do not believe his writings. How will you believe my words, deep words, very tempting to ignore and go on to simple passages. But there's a reason why the Holy Spirit has chosen to leave these words in the word of God. Seeing is believing. That's what anybody says. That's what we say before I can believe something I have to see it show me the proof. Show me the evidence and then I would believe, then I will take the action.

Now there is a point to that you have to see something in order take some action. For example, if you're crossing the road. He got up, make sure you look both ways and make sure you don't see anything coming and then you cross, you can say while believe. I believe if I just believe in my heart that no one will hit me. I can go through and I'll see it all works out. No, that's not what will happen or financial investment you can say I'm just gonna believe and just put my money over here you go bankrupt, or a medical procedure.

I feel something wrong just cut me open and get it out, and later on I'll see what happens. You know, many times in life that would be a big disaster when it comes to Jesus Christ when it comes to faith believing comes before seeing you have to receive him by faith. First, that he is who he said he is and then you will begin to see how he is exactly everything he said is in the passage we got a look at today.

That's the main pain. Jesus rebuked the Jewish religious leaders because they were refusing to believe in him this and show us more proof.

Show us more evidence you don't believe in Jesus chastised them why because they were asking for more and more, but they were refusing to place their faith in him. In fact there were more interested in getting honor from each other, then submitting to Jesus Christ.

They even took pride in the fact that they studied the holy Scriptures, we study the Bible, we study the Old Testament we study the Torah and we are so diligent they took pride in that. And Jesus declared to them as we just read that if you really believe in me, you will realize that Moses wrote about me but since you don't believe in me. You can see me in the writings of Moses mask this morning. Are you having trouble seeing Jesus and I'm asking the question to those who are lost as well as saved the principle is the same believe comes before site. First you have to say.

I don't understand everything but just reading what he has said about himself or hearing what people are saying about him for the word of God. I place my faith in him. What you receive is all of us on the light comes on and you begin to see Christ everywhere, you begin to see him as you've never seen him before you see him as a son of God who came in this world perfectly or give his life on the cross for you and it all begins to make sense when you read the Bible. It comes alive is not just a book of do's and don'ts is not just the history of the Hebrews and the Israelites is not just some group of people building the charge, you begin to see that Christ is the focus is the theme of this book if you lost this morning and you say I don't I don't get all this Christian stuff the order is first believe and then cite. I'm also asking the same question to those who are saved. Are you having trouble seeing Christ when you read the Bible say the book of Moses, so or the first five books all you can see are the 10 Commandments. All you can see is Moses parting the Red Sea, all you can see his miracles and wonders of God you're having trouble seeing Jesus, you have the same infection as those who are lost. You have stopped believing in Jesus doesn't mean you're lost doesn't mean you will need to get saved again.

You just need to return back to Jesus Christ. Are you saved, do you know Christ as your Savior.

You are saved but are you seeing Christ in your life you we we have all people talking about put Christ back in Christmas and I think sometimes it just becomes a slogan but is Christ really in your Christmas this year is Christ really the center of your life so you look at all that this morning. Let's walk through this passage and understand how believing comes before seeing. Let's begin number one.

The vein search. Listen to what Jesus says in verse 39 you search the Scriptures. He is talking to the Jewish religious leaders. He says you study the Bible just studied the books of Moses, for in them you think you have eternal life. You know, in Judaism, the Jewish religion during the time of Jesus. The Scriptures, especially the Torah, the first five books of Moses were considered to be the source of life. In fact, one of the greatest rabbis by the name of Hillel listen what he said.

The more study of the law, the more life and he also said if a man has gained a good name he has gained somewhat for himself, but if he has gained for himself.

Words of the law. He has gained for himself. Life in the world to come. In other words, this book is all there is to it. The more you study, and the more you find life. I've been to Israel several times and I've sat next to some very religious Jewish people.

One time I sat next to a an Orthodox Jewish man and he was reading the Hebrew Bible and he said it down for a few seconds turned to me, just to be nice and be talked a little bit and somehow the conversation came up about what he was reading and I said I can read that is a really he was shocked that I could read Hebrew. We give it to me as an what is essay and I read it. He said I can believe it, but I didn't tell them as I can understand and explain it better than he cute the problem is he was reading it, just to memorize it, just to regurgitated because he was thinking and it probably still does that is studying the Torah. He finds life but listen to what Jesus said and these are they which testify of me.

Meaning, yes, the Scriptures do tell you how to find eternal life. But the point to Jesus as the source of eternal life. By the way, this was not something that Jesus invented that hey I'm here. Go back and read Moses and you will see me everywhere. The Jewish people during the time of Jesus were reading the Old Testament that way already.

For example, in John chapter 1 did Rev. Philip came to the pale Neo's friend and said listen, we have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote means the Jewish people, even during the time of Jesus knew that this is not just about the 10 Commandments and how to sacrifice and how to burn incense in the story of how the people left Egypt, and even further back all about the creation of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel and Noah's Ark this there is more to this studying the Bible without Christ is no different than reading a cookbook and thinking your full imagine if you're hungry this afternoon. I'm sure y'all gonna be hungry about 12 o'clock and go home and he pulled on Betty Crocker as a man looking at meatloaf in the casserole, hop, Terry was SBU. I love that and and look at look at this and look at and then to get to the desert hand cheesecake that looks so good that pecan pie goes on to mention pecan pie man this is so I'm staff would you do that. Oh, just a cookbook. What you do with the cookbook is a whole different thing you know, when you study the Bible and if you are saying the Bible is just I just want to find God's will for my life. I just want to know his purpose in this work, I just want to know how this was going to come to an end. What you will find is, it is no different than reading a cookbook and thinking that it will satisfy you. It will never satisfy you. You walk away hungry. That's what happens in many of these so-called Bible studies you get together and you studying the Bible you're watching a video it in there some wonderful ones out there but if it's without Jesus Christ as the center and the focus of everything you walk away hungry. No wonder people do Bible studies in the next it is to leave their husbands and the wives. No wonder the still there in a small group in this studying and working together in the still cheating and lying and doing crazy thing.

How is that happening because without Christ on every page.

You will walk away hungry is Christ the center of your Bible study. The problem is never the Bible study. The problem is what you are hoping to get out of the Bible study unless Christ is the focus unless you asked the question, how does this bring me closer to Jesus Christ.

If you walk in from this book is and I'm so convicted about my sin, you miss the point of this book. Man, I need to make some changes in my life. You miss the point of this book. I need more wisdom and strength and peace in my life.

You missed the point of this book because Jesus Christ is wisdom and strength and peace personified. The question is not God, give me more wisdom, God give me more strength.give more peace what should be praying is God, give me more Christ. I'll send you read this book and say while he's everywhere and I walk away from the Bible study and a heart of repentance. But in the heart of gratefulness, but more than anything the heart is full of Jesus, so the first thing the vain search. They were searching the Scriptures for in them.

They were thinking that maternal life. Jesus said there about me. But here's number two, the unwilling life. Listen to what Jesus says the next verse 40 but you are not willing to come to me now. The word for not willing is the word in Greek called Ruth the lady on the trying to demonstrate how much on the great but literally what it means is you choose not to these people. After studying their Old Testament Moses. They had already made up their minds that I don't come to Jesus you know people even today. Do that most people not some lost people will come to me or to write me a note or they will send me a message or Facebook me and they'll say hey listen I'm struggling with this and this. Typical questions are.

If you believe Jesus is the only way, truth alive. How about people before Jesus.

How did they get saved if they were not Jewish people. Or how about today people living in the jungles of Africa. How do they get saved I'm struggling with that if you help me understand and I can tell of their sincere and I will answer for them, but in their people will try to engage me in a battle and ice to fall for that I have to stoop I have wasted a lot of hours answering people back in for long emails and did not do a lot of my work that I should've been doing on here answering them and they would come back with another question I would answer that in the coming only I was last is one person is it will you change your belief. If I give you this answer. He honestly said no. Possible, why am I even wasting my time with you while were learning from each other. I said no, you're unwilling to come to Jesus you've already made up your mind that you do not want Jesus in your life. No amount of Bible study. No amount of questioning and answering back and forth is gonna change your mind you have chosen not to come to Christ. Let's talk the same people. Why did you come this morning to church when you come Sunday morning ordeal Sunday August go to school or or to Bible study. Are you coming with a willingness to say whatever Jesus tells me to do.

I will do it. You know what will happen the same message that maybe some of your thinking was going with this office and you go. Oh, he's going where it needs to go is changing my life.

I am beginning to see how Christ is everything. These people were unwilling to come to Christ that they may have life. What was keeping them from coming to Jesus not any serious questions they had made a decision by the way, if you go in John chapter 1 when people came to Jesus with questions. Jesus always answered them.

For example, when Philip went to Nathaniel and said, we have found him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote what did Nathaniel say can anything good come out of Nazareth.

Jesus heart him.

What did Jesus say to him. There is a man in whom there is no deceit. You know what Jesus was saying, not not the way he is part of the Pharisees. He was saying there is an honest man. There is a sincere seeker of Phillips like how did you know that Nathaniel said how do you know.

And Jesus said, you know, before you were under the fig tree, I saw you I know everything about you, buddy. Was his response.

Rabbi you are the son of God, you are the king of Israel. You see, Nathaniel was willing, he was willing to ask this morning again. The same question.

What is your hangup when you come to church.

What is your purpose behind it. What is your hangup while you unwilling to follow Christ.

Are you willing to be made willing. Someone said that years ago and it really impacted me.

Are you willing to be made willing this morning to sitting are going well and I'm glad to check it out.

I will wait a minute he's talking to me.

Are you willing to be made willing the vain search studying the Bible but not with Christ is the center the unwilling life already. You made up your mind. I'm not changing anything. Well, you defined life.

Here's number three the serious charge. Listen to what Jesus says next.

By the way, you know, sometimes when you read passages like that you wondered like Jesus should've given these people to break that they didn't know he was a son of God.

They didn't know that he was the fulfillment of all the prophecies.

Why was Jesus so harsh with them why daddy talks so blunt with them. I mean, he should've given them more time and more interaction will here's your answer. Listen to verse 41 Jesus said, I do not receive honor from men. We already covered that in a previous message but want to hear. Verse 42, but I know you that you do not have the love of God in you.

Stay with me there vain search of the Old Testament, specially the Torah was because they were unwilling to come to Christ. Why were they unwilling to come to Christ because the love of God was not in them you know when God comes into someone's life.

Things change their people at Clearview amid some a few years ago. Some of you met a few years ago first time they came. Some of them came just you know they were going through struggles in life.

They were hurt through problems.

Relationships broke down when through separation or divorce various reasons people come and there is a brokenness about them. Some people come there is no brokenness about them. There is anger because of things that happen in their life that come just angry at God, but that they are willing to search and I have to look past that angered the surface and I'll reach out to them as a list, send me an email. Let's connect. Let's have lunch and then sure enough, it comes out. They were struggling with something that happened to them or something someone did to them or their struggling with. Why did God allow this to happen and you can work with that kind of anger and frustration. There's another group that comes on the surface. They may be very nice but between the lines and you look in their eyes, and all you can see there mean as a snake and you walk away from those people thinking I don't know why but I don't feel right. Anybody ever in my refill that way you walk a legal I don't I don't know where to put my finger on this one, but something in right down the road comes out boy they don't have the love of God in them, that they may even be say the love of God never reached deep into their veins. Jesus says I know you that you do not have the love of God and you notice that made the statement somewhat of somebody here this morning we been talking back and forth about this that when you have hate and anger and bitterness and meanness in your heart. Something is seriously wrong when you are refusing to forgive people and still hold on those grudges and say I love Jesus and a man.

I'm going to heaven and I'm does something is really wrong.

This in verse 43 I have come in my father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, him you will receive a meaning I'm telling you that the father has sent me read the Bible, believe in me, and you will see me but you want to receive me but anybody else comes around and says hey look, let's go against the Romans, who believe them you supporting now comes a very sobering passage, verse 44 how can you believe was a scary words, how can you believe who receive honor from one another and do not seek the honor that comes from the old and the words lost their only God what's going to happen.

Listen to verse 45 do not think that I shall accuse you to the father means there's going to be a court session in that court session you will be on the stand, but I'm not accuse you to the father guess call is there is one who accuses you Moses, in whom you trust means if you come to this Bible as a man I love you love the whole story.

David and Goliath is about man not given up and going against the odds and I love Esther and and and how man.

She stood up for her people: and I love the Proverbs is all about making wise choices and and and making good business deals and treating people like you want them to treat you man I love.

I love he says one day that same Moses is going accuse you the 10 Commandments are God's gift to us. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not take my name in vain. You shall not make any image of me on and on. Honor your father and your mother remembers all these things are a gift to you. But if you think for a moment that you can simply trust and try to live according to those commandments. One day that same commandment is going to judge you and you will be found guilty. One day God will use your standard in your stand against you and say by your own standards you have condemned yourself Moses is the one accusing them ask again this morning.

What is keeping you from turning to Christ.

Can you see your condemnation. Can you see that even by my own standards. I am so guilty because I want to help everybody that I am not the nicest person on the earth, and he will give the shirt off his back only to his best friends he doesn't do it for everybody has hate and bitterness and prejudice in his heart in her heart. You are guilty, whether by standard or your own standards.

Listen to the last point, the logical step. What is a logical step. Listen to verse 46 for if you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me in the next three weeks going to try to understand that we can go to the book of Moses will go to the first five books of the Bible.

Let me briefly explain to you what I think it means is not just about prophecy that Moses prophesied about Jesus coming is not just about the presence of Jesus in the Old Testament that the angel of the Lord or Jesus as the pre-incarnate one in the Old Testament. I don't think this is exactly what Jesus had in mind thing was all about types you know how we talk about Abel being a type of Christ or Noah being a type of Christ.

I believe what Jesus meant.

Is this the more you read the Old Testament, the more you realize you cannot keep the standard of God's holiness and when you are helpless before God.

Just the way Moses was and David was and Ruth was, and you get before God is a God I cannot come to you. You have to come to me, belief comes before side is that God turns on the light and says you got it now because it was never meant to bring you eternal life.

It was simply meant to bring you to my son, Jesus Christ. Listen to verse 47 but if you do not believe his writings.

How will you believe my words.

You know these people had made their own laws they had made their own rulebooks.

They have stopped believing Moses. They had stopped believing what God had said and Jesus says what you don't even read the Torah anymore. You got your own set of oral and written laws. You don't believe him. It is impossible for you to come to me folks for every sin.

If you have an excuse.

You will never find Jesus.

I know a lot and I know I'm wrong for lying about a what if I had lied.

This person would would take advantage of me tell you I'm gossiping is not really gossiping because as a bunnies know the truth you've already made excuses for every one of your sins, you will never come to Jesus.

When you stand before the law of God and say, God, I'm condemned to die unless you help me you see Jesus everywhere in this Christmas season where is Christ if you're not running towards him. Even this message is a waste.

You will walk with him and he was on fire. Today, may I I don't quite understand anything you know most of most just I went over my head.

You not seeking come to Christ, you, your anger with somebody or you're trying to justify yourself or your trying to pat yourself on the bag is getting somebody else about you on the back of your mind is not on Christ. How can you believe thank you so much for joining us today. Faith does come before site. If you're waiting to see Christ why not place your faith in him first. For more information visit us online@clearviewbc.org and for today's sermon notes visit my blog site@avedonshaw.com