Title: Why Believe in Jesus? (Mt 19:26)
Contents
If we classify Jesus' ministry into three categories, the first is preaching, the second is teaching, and the third is healing. What is the goal of this ministry?
The purpose of many miracles, whether proclaiming the kingdom of God or teaching the truth, was to make people believe. In other words, it is to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and have eternal life.
It is for everyone to be saved through faith. Dear brothers and sisters, you believe that you have been saved by believing in Jesus. More important than this is right faith.
In Gangnam, a young man came to visit a pastor's study room out of the blue.
False knowledge is worse than ignorance, so false belief is no better than unbelief.
Right faith is based on the right motive of faith. What, then, is the right motive for us to believe in Jesus? Why do you believe in Jesus?
(Matthew 19:26) Jesus looked at them and said, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
Why should I believe in Jesus? Because humans cannot do it.
1. Because there is a limit to human ability.
Humans live under the illusion that they can do anything on their own. Human power is truly amazing. You can also see the physical and mental strength of a wrestler. The power of wealth, that is, the power of material, is also powerful. The power of power is powerful, but this power is usually almost on its knees in the face of material or money. But they are not infinite. It should be recognized that human abilities are limited.
It cannot be done by humans. Only when we acknowledge the limits of human ability can we come before Jesus.
○Power outage in the orchard / Yes, if you have money, turn on the lights. Without money you can't do anything. The son went to college, but did not graduate. Because making money is more important. He jumped into the industrial front and was quite successful. He lives his life on the principle that money is everything. But a few years ago the father said that there are things that money can't do. Do you know what it is? It is a child. Even if you spend 20 million won a day, you don't feel any remorse. The so-called orange family. And if you don't give your father money, he will stab you to death. It is not possible to build a family by human ability. It seems that everything is possible with human power, but it is never so.
Humans can come before the Lord when they acknowledge their limitations.
When Peter met the Lord and decided to dedicate himself, it was when he could not catch even a single fish.
Perhaps he would not have met Jesus if he had caught a lot of fish that day.
Why does the baby cling to the mother and not fall? Because there is nothing he can do. We need to restore our childish faith. Only when we acknowledge the limits of human ability can we depend on God and entrust our lives.
The reason we believe in Jesus is because human abilities are limited.
However, acknowledging the limits of human ability does not mean that everyone believes in Jesus.
2. Because there is a limit to human life.
Those who acknowledge the limits of their abilities can go to faith, but that is not enough.
A person who has felt the limit of his power before begins to distance himself from God the moment he thinks that he now has power before the Lord.
●In Luke 17, ten lepers appear. Together they came to the Lord with a loud cry. They are unclean people, so there is no access to civilians. But they came out shouting together. They came to the Lord with longing for their ability to acknowledge the limits of their abilities. That's great faith. But except for one of them, nine just went away. When you know the limits of your abilities, you have faith, but in order for that faith to mature, you need to know the limits of life.
● A young man had a wedding in a rural area and was driving to Incheon International Airport for his honeymoon. There was a car accident. The bride and groom died on the spot as well as their friends. The parents did not return home after the wedding. The food used for the wedding became the food of the portrait house a few hours later. Those who know what life is all about will have faith and their faith will mature.
● Enosh (Genesis 4:26) Only then did I find Jehovah God. 'An inevitably dying being'
3. This is because there is a limit to human righteousness.
Do you believe in Jesus if you know that there are limits to human abilities and limits to life?
It's not like that. It is not that those who do not believe in Jesus now do not believe because they do not know the limits of human ability and do not know the limits of human life. Even though I know this all too well, I don't believe in Jesus. Why? All other religions promise a world after death, but the question is whether we should believe in Jesus in the old days. Therefore, believing in Jesus and believing in God must have one more motive. What is that? We need to know that there are limits to righteousness. Human beings can never reach perfect righteousness on their own.
A sociologist and theologian named Tony Campolo said:
“When everyone dies, he doesn't die with regrets for what he has accomplished, but most die with regrets for not living righteously.”
All people fear death. What do you think is the reason? This is God's judgment. It means that you cannot reach perfection on your own. So, the closer you get to death, the more you suffer.
Only when we realize that we are sinners and have a deep sense of it can we come before Jesus.
Jesus wore a crown of thorns on his head. This is because of the sins I have committed in my thoughts.
Jesus was nailed to both hands and feet. This is because of the sin I have done with my hands and because of my sin against the reed. The Lord was pierced in the side. This is because of the sins I have committed in my body. The Lord broke my heart. Because of the sins I committed in my heart.
Jesus died on the cross to atone for my sins. The one who died like this was neither Confucius nor Buddha, but only Jesus. Who will come before this Jesus?
Only those who know that my righteousness cannot come before God. There are limits to human abilities, limits to life, and limits to human righteousness. So we come to Jesus. It is only through this motive that we can fully meet Jesus personally. Why do you believe in Jesus?
“I do not regard my life as precious in the least in order to finish my course and the mission I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.