Sometimes you have to “go there”… you’ve wondered whether something is true.
Do I believe it? You’ve thought about it. You’ve wrestled over it. But the time
comes when you have to make a bold move…you have to “go there” to discover
whether it indeed is true.
I faced such a decision on December 26th, 1976…staring at the phone in my hand.
Call…don’t call? I had been a friend of this girl for months. We performed in a
music group together. We genuinely enjoyed each other. Hung out…took
walks…laughed. And just weeks before had commiserated with each other when
the people we were dating both broke up with us on the same day. And then just a
few weeks later I had an epiphany. Huh…I realized I kinda liked her…and I
wondered…hey… could she feel the same way about me? This girl is more than a
friend!!!... So, I found myself staring that the phone in my hand wondering
whether I should call her…and I made a bold move…I went there…I called her.
Good thing I did! And we’ve been married for over 36 years.
This is the way it is with belief in Jesus….at some point you have to make a move,
for most of you, likely a bold move.
You’ve been thinking about it for some time. Been sitting in church taking it
all in. Even dealt with some of your doubts.
Lately you’ve realized you need something more and you’ve wondered could
it be that I need to believe? You’ve even found yourself getting welled up
from time to time…emotional…stirred by someone’s prayer or a worship
song…or you’ve watched baptisms and felt an ache inside.
Or…this is your first time back to church in…what?...years? And sitting here
right now something is going on inside of you…a stirring…?
Well, at some point you’ve got to make a move…a bold move. You’re not going to
back into faith. You are not going to ease your way into surrender. You have to go
there.
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If you intend to believe in Jesus, then at some point, you are going to have to make
a bold move.
This is a perpetual truth. Every generation has to face this - including the very first
generation of young men and women…the disciples of Jesus …who trudged along
after him.
One day they found themselves face to face with it. No more equivocation.
No more hedging. No more wondering. No more waiting. When it came to
their belief in and surrender to Jesus … it was go time. It was paint or get off
the ladder time. It was time for a very bold move.
Let me tell you that story. John 20:19 ______________
The context: Resurrection evening. Just days even hours since the horror of the
crucifixion.
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together,
with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and
said, "Peace be with you!"
Of course he said “Peace be with you”! They were freaked out!
Hiding, hoping to avoid capture - they were scared. And then a man appears
without opening the door.
20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.
Why? Why did he show them his wounds?
o To convince them that it was him and convince them of his resurrection
- Because they did not yet believe he had risen from the grave.
Maybe they thought it was a dream…some mystical dream
Maybe they thought he was an angel – that wasn’t uncommon
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Jesus knew that this next belief was the last belief…the game changer
belief…the belief that he had physically raised from the dead!
You haven’t believed in Jesus until you believe in his resurrection.
You can have admiration for Jesus, an appreciation for Jesus, even a profound
respect for Jesus, but it isn’t belief until you accept that he is risen from the dead!
You haven’t believed in Jesus until you believe in his resurrection.
That’s why Jesus said “Look at my hands and side.” Now, do you believe?
20 The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said,
"Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with
that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive
anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not
forgiven." John 20:19-23
Don’t miss this…notice what happens next…Jesus in essence says…OK, I want to
see if you truly do believe in me (in particular, my resurrection). Time for a bold
move.
will you go where I am sending you? …in the same way my father sent me?
will you receive the Holy Spirit. (receive was a command not a passive action)
will you carry my message of forgiveness?
It’s time for a bold move. You can’t play around anymore with faith and belief.
Look at these wounds!
Belief can no longer be a hobby. Belief can no longer be a pastime. Belief can
no longer be a slip into church from time to time. Do you believe in me or do
you not?
Jesus resurrection separates him from every other religious leader in history…
It separates him from Buddha who died in the early 5
th century at age 80 and
did not rise from the dead)
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Confucius – died in the late 5th century at age 71 and did not rise from the
dead
Mohammed – died in the 7th century about my age and did not rise from the
dead
Dalai Lama (14th) – who is currently 65 years old…he will die…and he will not
rise from the dead
Jesus of Nazareth died in 33 AD at age 33…and was dead for mere hours before he
rose from the grave…
You haven’t believed in Jesus until you believe in his resurrection.
and…
If you intend to believe in Jesus, then at some point, you are going to have to make
a bold move.
That’s what Jesus was saying to Thomas when he next saw him.
24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples
when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But
he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where
the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
Thomas wasn’t having it. For 7 days they kept trying to convince him. But,
nope. not buying it.
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them.
Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said,
"Peace be with you!" 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my
hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
Thomas you are going to have to make a bold move, son.
You’re wondering whether it’s true what these boys have been telling you?
o Well, you’re going to have to go there…touch this! (a command, not a
suggestion)
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o We are not told whether he did nor not…but I think he did. Whether he
did or didn’t imagine the tension in the room.
28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
literally – “The Lord of me and the God of me”. A statement less religious
than deeply personal. Not a creed…a cry!
Jesus, I believe into you. I surrender to you and receive you into my life.
It was a bold move. My friend are you ready to make a bold move?
stop admiring Jesus! stop respecting Jesus! stop appreciating Jesus!
If you intend to believe in Jesus, then at some point, you are going to have to make
a bold move.
Are you ready to believe in(to) Jesus? It’s time to go there.
While you’re thinking about that…one more story.
21;1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It
happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana
in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 "I'm
going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So
they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in
the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was
Jesus. 5 He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they
answered. 6 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will
find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the
large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the
Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer
garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The
other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not
far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of
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burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, "Bring
some of the fish you have just caught." 11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and
dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net
was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the
disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came,
took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was
now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the
dead. John 21:1-14
There’s all kinds of mystery and wonderfulness in this story. But I want to point out
the bold move of Peter… when he is blown away at Jesus power over
creation…when once again he is overwhelmed with the truth that Jesus is raised
from the dead…
He makes a very bold move: he jumped fully clothed into the water and walks or
swims 100 yards to shore.
that’s fully clothed 100 yards = 2 Olympic sized swimming pools – 3
professional basketball courts.
o This was a man who stopped thinking with his head and started acting
from his heart.
o This was a man who stopped waffling and started moving.
o this was a man who stopped responding out of reason and started
responding out of revelation.
o This was a man who stopped analyzing and started acting.
o This man made a bold move of belief.
If you intend to believe in Jesus, then at some point, you are going to have to make
a bold move.
it’s jump out of the boat time!
it’s time to go there!
it’s time to believe!
Let me shoot straight with you…you’ve been dabbling.
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You’ve, for years, kept a tidy belief system. It’s cost you nothing.
You’ve gone along for the religious ride with your family.
Maybe you’ve explored Jesus but never went much further than that.
Well, it’s time for a bold move. But right now…your heart is racing…your mind is
spinning… there is a nagging tug on your will…and you know it is put up or shut up
time.
it’s time to go there
it’s time to wake up from your spiritual nap!
it’s paint or get off of the ladder time
it’s time for a bold move
Can you say that you believe that Jesus rose from the dead? - that’s a bold
intellectual move
Can you declare publicly that Jesus is the Lord of you and the God of you - that’s a
bold social move
Can you redesign your life around belief in him - that’s a bold life move.
Are you ready for it? If you are let me get insanely practical. If you are ready to
believe and act on it:
Bold move #1 - you can pray this prayer
Jesus I believe in you. I surrender to you and receive you into my life.
o in a few minutes on all our campuses we’ll give you the chance to do
just that
o say it directly to Jesus. Say it under your breath. Or take the hand of the
person with you and pray it with them. Or just think it to him!
Bold move #2 - you can come up right after this service and seal this deal
with one of our pastors.
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o we’ll have our business cards
o will give you one with that prayer on it.
o we’ll pray with you
o we’ll set up an appointment to process this further
Bold move #3 – come next weekend and be baptized.
o Be like Peter! Jump into the water fully clothed
o Be like Jesus! Die and rise again!
It’s time for a bold move of belief…it’s time to jump out of the boat.
Let’s get on with it!