A Reasonable Faith: Part 4

This is Amy Thomas from the masculine journey podcast where we discover what it means to be a wholehearted man your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill, you feel like Christianity is just a system of rules and regulations, I can do this. I can't do that.

Do you feel like your efforts to reach God. Find God, and please God do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today. Pastor Russ Andrews will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose of local Triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and finding purpose could visit us online@findingpurpose.net connect with us on Facebook. Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious.

You got most to say he wants to say to call out you remember these two war to let them just thinking he wants to see humility that is he wants to see a man who is lonely in spirit, not not depressed, but that you have a humble heart and he wants to see faith in your heart. This all got most of C&S. First, God wants to say that we have a sense of unworthiness. Someone tell me the Billy Graham once said that before you can teach amended yesterday say if the teaching that is lost inside, we witnessed we need to get to the place men went with it. When we realize that we are totally dependent upon God and secondly all got one from anyone in the entire world is to be believed that all got a sign from heaven. Believe me, man. He's looking for a man is willing to trust him with everything you have your mind, your heart, your eyes your hand your feet your very soul. Your bank account your health, your family, you come and you say Lord here I am, all of me. I got news for you. You can out give God. You give them all of you and you see what he will give you what you give you he will overshadow you with his favor and ask you that man are you willing to trust God with your entire being the one the one we meet tonight is the type of person God is looking for. See Mary had two incredible qualities that God was drawn to. He was attracted to this woman, we look down from the earth. He looked at this little town that we don't talk about just a minute and he saw this humble woman who believe in him, seek God was attracted to Mary because she was lowly and humble in spirit and she and she believed in God with our whole heart, not part of it, but all of it so wants to can also take a look at Mary and was forced to look at where she was from and then I want us to see who she really was as a person. So where are you from limiting what she was never far from she was not from Jerusalem or Rome or Alexandria through the greatest cities in the history the world she was from the insignificant nothing of a place in town that it shouldn't be called a town is like the armpit of Israel knows what Nazareth did. Nazareth was located in Galilee character that was despised by the religious Jews because the people there were half breeds. They were a people that have been formed from mixed races.

Nazareth was not even mentioned in the Old Testament. Did you know that and you remember when John sees when Jesus told his disciples and somebody said to Manny Nathaniel. Come meet Jesus, who is from Nazareth and he said you gotta be kidding me.

That's not exactly said Nazareth can anything good come out of Nazareth. You have I would name a few towns around here Monday through my hometown. They much left off some of our towns. I feel sad every time I drop my name Montana well I will is Buffalo love Bethel but running Bethel is just sandwich happened to east and north Carolina towns you see everybody look down on Nazareth and listen in the eyes of the world. Mary herself was of little account number was she from a despised Tampa she was engaged to a lowly carpenter and Joseph to both Mary and Joseph came from very poor families. We know this because if you look at the Gospels when it came time to take Jesus to Bethlehem as a young boy and they were taken their sacrifice to the temple. Most people brought a lamb but they were so poor they can only bring two pigeons so we know they were poor may also was very young. She was probably 13 or 14 that was not unusual back then, the girls, but they got married at a very early age because she was so young. She was not looked upon as a wise person in the eyes of the world and she was probably illiterate, so men in the eyes of the world. Mary was from a no place and she was cut she Was not in yet with all this working against her job still chose her to be the woman in the entire history of the world, to whom he would give the greatest news the world has ever heard. Martin Luther said he might've gone to Jerusalem and pick daughter who was fair and rich in clad in gold embroidered raiment less close because you just know that word means and she was attended by she would've and attended by an entourage of maids and waiting, but God prefer a lowly made from a shabby downtown such as Mary sought spiritual truth. We learn from this is what we learn when God chooses a person. He comes to those who are needy who are humble and who broken and contrite in spirit, who consider themselves insignificant. The rich young ruler's of the world. You shall not interested in the things of God. She know God is with them, listen, go their own way. We fed Richard and Rose come through here and they come in they hear but only rich generals who remain here usually all rich young ruler's and God bless. Some of you with with wealth. That's wonderful, but the ones who are here are still issues because they got and they reckon us or need, and they've learned that money cannot make you happy and see what the problem with most man's we can't handle money so got instant I heard one person say money on only says one thing and they goodbye never fought a good sign.

She's not all just got sick those who are humble, but also the Lord Jesus comes to those who possess a genuine faith, listen before I move on. Let me remind you that our faith with learning is a reasonable faith is based on what was some evidence fulfill prophecy when Joseph asked Mary for her hand in marriage. I don't think he realized he was eager to fulfill one of the greatest prophecies found in the Old Testament in order to return to that prophecy.

Take your Bible and turned back to second Samuel chapter 7 and they don't have to look it up for tonight's lecture would just go back is one of the first annual first Samuel and then second Samuel, let me just say what's going on here. David King David in his heart. This was before the temple had been built.

He in his he had this wonderful desire he want to build a house for God shows you where to happen.

God's will build a house for David, so the prophet Nathan comes to David and he speaks a prophetic word regarding his kingdom, David's kingdom, and also about an error that would come from his own body who would one day rule over this kingdom forever and by the way, second Samuel was written almost a thousand years before the birth of Christ, and here's what Samuel writes, listen carefully, the Lord declares to you, David. When your days are over and you rest with your father's. I will raise up your offspring to succeed succeed you who will come from your own body and I will establish his kingdom.

He is the one who built a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father and he will be my son. Jesus baptism. This is my son with him I am well pleased and he says your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me. Your throne will be established forever. What kingdom was he talking about. He was talk about the kingdom of God. The kingdom of light.

The kingdom of heaven is the guest list. If you sit here tonight and you are in Christ you know why your sitting here in Christ is God is rescued you from one kingdom the kingdom of man. The kingdom of darkness.

The kingdom of Satan and is transferred you over by faith into his kingdom listed. Colossians 113.

It says for he, God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins so that prophecy guys from standard Samuel recorded for us under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit was written a thousand years before Jesus was even born, and then you've got the profits of Isaiah.

There will written 70 years before is was born about this one who would become and who would be called a a mighty king, everlasting Father, Prince of peace. And then we have Malachi who gave us to the incredible prophecy that he would be born in the town of Bethlehem and that there would be a forerunner who would announce his coming. And then we had 400 years of silence were weeks where the with the people of Israel did not hear a word from God that all of a sudden out of heaven comes a messenger from God, whose name is what Gabriel, Gabriel and Gabriel announces he's got he's got announce the good news to Mary, the good news that she is going to give birth to a son by the way, both Mary and Joseph came from whose line, David's is this guys if there's no one if if for no other reason people should believe the Bible because it has fulfill prophecy and it is the only book in the world they can claim that truth and when Mary heard the words from Gabriel that she was highly favored and that the Lord was with her the text says that she was greatly troubled and wondered about what he said about the way this court wondering what it means. It means to consider to reason. That's what I'm trying to get all of us today. This is a reasonable faith God has given us a mind and we need to use it to to understand God's truth is, we can make a reasonable decision. We don't have to have blind faith.

Mayor was afraid of the angels presence is I would say Gable said Mary don't be afraid you found the favor of God's love to go to say that you see is what we should pray for Lord this listen, pray for this Lord. I really want you favor. Listen, I don't want the world's favors is nothing wrong with asking God to give you his favor that may not be a check in a son is not common money is talk about this.

You can't buy peace.

You can't buy contentment you but you couldn't read a book called the last words of Saints and sinners, with a record of the testimonies of saints who have died in the year that their last words in the in the and and what some of the most well-known atheist and how they died and what they said.

Once once like light and one is darkness. There were there words of the of those who die without hope. Hunting there there there words of desperation and so God hate me and he'll give you his favor. You go through something difficult. God give you his favor if Sean is grace upon you.

You his peace.

Gable amounts. The good news is what he said. He said you will be with child, Mary, and give birth to a son, and you to give him the name Jesus. You will be great and will be called the son of the most high, the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever in his kingdom will never in the list have to be honest with you I don't like them. Mary fully comprehended the total impact of Gable's announcement, Mary was to name her son, Jesus, by the way, Jesus was a very common name back then that means Savior but I don't think Mary understood the full scope of the salvation that her son was going to offer to the world. She did not really realize it will be sit here 2000 years later listening to this good news that Gable is now telling her about Gable said that her son would be great and be called the son of God, of the most high is listen Mary knew about the coming Messiah. She had been in the sanctuary. I'm sure religiously listening to the rabbis read the ancient scrolls of Samuel, but in this moment I don't think it dawned on her that this was that her son was going to be God's son and say Gable continue to try to explain the recent list of the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, his kingdom will never in Mary was certainly familiar with the messianic promise and second Samuel, she heard us talk to her but is she really grass the full implication of Gabriel's pronouncement. I doubt it can fuse rights.

She understood the just of the Angels announcement you going to become pregnant. You want to call your son's name. Salvation is what Jesus names main salvation is going to be the son of God and he will be the Messiah. What an earful.

What an incredible heart full obligor got the gist of what he was saying and then she ponder these truths in her mind and then she asked a very reasonable question, a question that any of us would ask Gabriel to me know how this is going to happen. I'm a virgin which means she never slept with a man let me ask you this DC her faith in that question she actually believe. Again was saying when the house will happen so want to see the life giving her flight was blind faith. No she believes because her faith rest upon the evidence she was familiar with all the stores in the Old Testament. She had heard about the miracles of God, he performed in the past and deep in her heart she knew that nothing was impossible for God so she was curious Gable has is going to happen. So Gable told her again.

Read it again. He said the Holy Spirit will come on you and the power of the most high will overshadow you.

So the holy want to be born will be called the son of God, even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child enrolled age, and she who was said to be barren is in her six month for nothing is impossible with God. What was Gable describing here. It was certainly not sexual union with the divine being. It was nothing remotely close to that very important word to folks on here is the Greek word for overshadow which the word literally means to throw a shadow over to throw a shadow upon.

According to Hughes, it is a picture of God's presence in the sanctuary unit in the site were when he went when his spirit hovered over the ark of the covenant near the Shekinah glory and refer to the bright cloud that overshadow the Lord and the apostles at the Transfiguration is the same word used in Matthew when it's you know when Jesus is transfigured that the Holy Spirit, the cloud overshadowed them. It's also a reference pointing to the virgin birth, which fulfill the prophetic son. It was given by Isaiah 700 years earlier when he said the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him what is your question when when Christmas arrives this year you think these verses will have little meaning in the normatively for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given his name will be Madi father, I got it all backwards. Prince of peace. Wonderful counselor, I messed up some of that but anyway you got the gist of it was Mary's response. This is like the highlight of the soul sermon. May it be to me as you have said, may it be done to me according to the word of God is what she was saying do you feel that way. Let me ask you this. Would you rather be done to you according to your will, of God's will. You think nose was best for your life. We shall say, Lord, may it be to me according to your no matter what it is is what he has. He wants the best of you to unfold. If only we had the faith of Mary. Why did Mary believe the word of God, pounded him because her faith was based upon reasonable evidence. Mary knew all about Sarah and Abraham. They will old and she was barren and yet God gave life to what was in essence dead bodies such as Sheriff Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to Isaac and Isaac gave birth to Jacob. Jacob became the father of the 12 tribes that was born the nation of Israel is God pronounced life over at the dead body of Sarah. It was a miracle I guess what made it really happen in on the one person who believed it. Mary Mary also knew of God's amazing deliverance of her people have been enslaved in Egypt for 430 years. She knew of Joshua's victories as he led the Israelites into the promised land. She knew her Lord stood in the fire with Shadrach me shack and Abednego one who looked like the son of God. She knew of God's protection of Daniel in the lion's den.

She knew God's work in. She took God at his word. Do you believe God's word under I can remember when I was 13, 14, and I might brag about this on just tell you that I came to God for the faith of a child when I read Matthew Mark Luke and John believed it and nothing so I'm standing here today because I don't deserve to be here. I'm just evidence that God is so full of grace, that is ridiculous. I've made so many bad choices with my life I felt committed so many egregious sins. And yet God in his grace and mercy rescued me from the kingdom of darkness in his satiny firmly in the kingdom of light and guess what this whole front amount of stock. The watcher in the kingdom of light is impossible to go back to the kingdom of darkness, how good is that like my dear friend Joyce God has a way what he means to be will be what he purposes to be will come to pass. What he starts. Rest assured he will finish if you don't believe it, just ask the little shoebox girl. Her name is Joyce McFarland and she lives right here in Raleigh and she's a saint. She is poor and the this world, but she is rich in faith and she will have great reward in heaven. Mary believe because she knew that nothing is impossible for God you believe that some of you coming or not you been in a very dark place. You have struggled with alcohol and drugs and pornography and bankruptcy in your thinking there's no way I can get out of this really was not faith that we do have to pay will unify the consequences that are due to our sentence, but this is the moment that you asked Jesus to forgive you and the moment you say, Jesus, I'm all in. That's when you will begin to experience his favor. It would just begin to overshadow you when Mary went to Elizabeth verse 38, Elizabeth confirmed her genuine belief when she said, Blessed is she who is believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished and that's one of the greatest things of faith. What it really means to believe in the Bible. Blessed are you, man. When you believe that what the Lord has said to you will be accomplished. So let me ask you this basic question.

Do you believe in Jesus, who is who claim to be. You believe that Jesus died that he was buried using the term for three days and then by the power of God that he was resurrected that he walked around Israel for thing was a 40 days of 50 days, 40 days and how many people saw him him 500 500 eyewitnesses and yet the world wants to tell you that your food if you believe all that well guess what, count me as a fool for Jesus is. That's what I believe and if you're not in Christ.

And like you want to make sure that your you know what you value has right now disclosed by you had to close your eyes. You have heard you've heard the gospel John 316 says for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not.

What perish, but have what eternal life is man. I remember when I read that as a senior. Just a lot of the what perish is not notable that I'll be got existing eternal life just because of with the faith of a child. I see Jesus, please save me, forgive me Lord, I want to walk with you the rest of my life. So, my journey began man and you can have a journey that begins right now so you guys right now as closed. If you not sure that your that you transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light and you want to make sure tonight.

Raise your hand right now. Just raise your hand is 12345678 hands. Some of you raise him up for not many is nothing wrong with raising many times I got news for the first time you raise your hand if you really meant you were saved for those who raise their hand. For the first time pray this prayer with me silently to yourself. Do you have a father. I confess to you that I'm a sinner. I want to repent, to turn away from my sins and determine to you by faith. And that's what I do now. I want to know that I've crossed over from the kingdom of darkness and that on their walk in the kingdom of light in Lord, I want your favor in my life. So I give my life to your give my heart to you right now, Lord, due to me according to your word and mailed it for you. From this day forward. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Okay guys if you prayed to receive Christ.

His website is going to do is okay. We generally nine. We don't believe that you don't give a figure to get what you give the evidence and give him what God's word says if you if you have a train you got the farm of the truck you got the engine as fact. The next car is faith in the caboose is feeling switch once drop in the trying the engine which is followed by faith. Yet that is not the feelings is you, your faith is based upon the fact that Jesus arose from the grave and limitation on the guys this my second sermon one day Jesus is going.

Return to this earth regards to the holy city come down from heaven as a broad view for dress for husband is going to establish his kingdom on this earth, and he is going to rain forever upon the throne of David is going to restore this earth. And guess what.

If you are in Christ you going to reign with him for how long. So you decide you believe that I day I just looking for the day when the clouds part. The trumpet sounds and those who are dead in Christ will rise first in the way who still live with the call up in the air to meet him and we will live with him forever. Being a Christian is not about being religious but about having a dynamic alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders, a local triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living.

You can discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources finding purpose.net will connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local tribal men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh.

Find out more finding purpose.net. This is the Truth Network say what would you do if you are a new Christian and you didn't have a Bible like a Woolworth. By the way, from Bible, the international you probably say well it happened my car and go to Christian bookstore or have one shipped to make one of those word options sing with him due to the faith.

I mean I need to know what it means to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, you know, you would pray that someone, anyone would bring you a Bible. That's exactly the way it is for literally aliens are Christians around the world are part of our spiritual family there new to the faith they want to know what it means to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus but God has them planning where it's very difficult to access the Bible and that's why the Truth Network and Bible league of teamed up to sing God's word to 3500 Bible as believers around the globe. Our campaign is called the world needs the word five dollars sins of Bible $100 since 20. Every gift matched make your most generous gift by calling 800 yes word 800 why ESW ORD 800 yes word or give a Truth Network.com