Believing is Seeing (#2 of 2)

Greg Laurie: You know, people get passionate about a lot of things. Some people are passionate about food. Another person, it might be music or movies. Oh, but for others, it's politics. That's what they're passionate about. Listen, the Christian should be primarily passionate about Jesus Christ.
Dave Dellman: Pastor Greg Laurie says we should feel strongly about the one who loved us before we were born and died for us while we were yet sinners.
Greg Laurie: We enjoy life and all the things around us, but our passion is for Christ.
Dave Dellman: It frankly would be hard to list all the things Jesus has done for us. The top of the list would be that he loved us enough to die for us. So here's the question. If we love Jesus, what are we willing to do for him? If he died for us, are we willing to live for him? Today on a New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie takes us to the Gospel of John for an important look at a well-known miracle. As we examine this account, we learn a lot about how Jesus wants us to live for him and speak about him.
Greg Laurie: This is the story before us of a blind man that was healed by Jesus. And this man not only had his eyes opened physically, he also had his eyes opened spiritually. We've all heard it said, seeing is believing. But in this case, believing was seen. So let's read together John chapter 9. I'll read verses 1 to 7. By the way, I'm reading from the New Living Translation. As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind from birth. Rabbi, his disciples asked him, why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins? Jesus answered, it was not because of the sins of his parents or his sins. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned to us by the one who sent us. The night is coming when no one can work. But while I'm here in the world, I am the light of the world. Then Jesus spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes and told him, go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam. Siloam means sent. So the man went and washed and came back seeing. Now was everybody excited that he was healed? Somewhere, others weren't. He got in trouble with the religious authorities. Go back to John 9, look at verse 10. They asked him, who healed you? What happened? He told them the man they called Jesus made mud, spread it over my eyes, and he told me, go wash in the pool of Siloam. Okay, I went and washed, and now I can see. They asked, where is he now? He says, I don't know. This is kind of funny to me. They cross examining him. I don't know. I'm I was blind and he put mud in my eye and told me to go wash, and that's what I did, and now I can see. So what do we learn from this story? Point number one, Jesus changes everything. Jesus changes everything. I love what the man says in verse 11. I met the man named Jesus. When you meet the man named Jesus, everything in your life will change. He could have dropped that detail because you see back in this day for the Jewish person, the synagogue was a center of their life. And these religious leaders ruled the synagogue. If you got in their bad side, they could expel you from the synagogue. And the synagogue was the place where you worshiped. It was the place where you had friends um to meet with. It was the place where you would even get business deals set up. It was it was the center of all activity. So he could have just omitted the fact that Jesus did it because Jesus was already a controversial figure. But he gave glory to God. And I think it's so important when someone asks us how our life has changed, that we are not embarrassed to say the man called Jesus touched me. Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. Cuz sometimes God will change a person's life. They were strung out on drugs, they were an alcoholic, they were in some criminal lifestyle, they were uh having other issues. They were in deep depression, and Christ came into their life and changed them. And someone says, man, your life is so much different. You seem so much happier. What happened? What did you do? Well, it's just clean living. And you even use that weird voice, and no one knows why. Clean living. Is that really all it is? No, tell him. Well, I'll tell you what. It's the man called Jesus. Jesus did this for me, and he can do it for you. This guy owns it. He speaks up for his faith. That brings us to point number two. Following Jesus will cost you. Following Jesus will cost you. He got in trouble with these religious authorities. When I became a Christian, I realized I need a new set of friends. These old friends are dragging me down. Cuz you can accept Christ and go hang out with your old friends, and they're living in a way that is not the way God wants them or you to live, and you can get pulled down so quickly. Sometimes you need new friends. But it costs to follow Jesus. But let me say this, while it's true that it costs to follow Jesus, it costs a lot more not to follow Jesus. And it's worth it, right? It's worth it. So that brings me to point number three. We need to tell others about what Jesus has done for us. This guy's only seconds old in his faith, and he's already talking about Jesus. And I love that. You know, we will tend to talk about what we're passionate about, right? And that's true of tweeting and posting, too. You know, a lot of employers will they're going to look at your social media before they hire you cuz they want to see what what does this person really care about. And so you can say, oh, I love Jesus. Jesus is everything. Well, okay, I'm going to look at your Instagram account now. Will that reflect that as well? That doesn't mean every post has to be a Bible verse, but do I see that reflected or your tweets? Do I see that reflected? You know, people get passionate about a lot of things. Some people are passionate about food. Food. They're foodies. I'm a foodie. I can't go there. We have to go to this other place. I I've already done all the research on it. Okay, that's great. All I watch is the Food Channel. They're just obsessed with food. Another person, it might be something else. It might be music or movies. Oh, movies. You talk about movies. Oh, but for others, it's politics. They're not engaged in the conversation until politics comes up. And all of a sudden, they're into it, you know? And that's what they're passionate about. Listen, the Christian should be primarily passionate about Jesus Christ. That's our main passion. We care about politics. We certainly like to eat food. We enjoy life and all the things around us, but our passion our primary passion is for Christ.
Dave Dellman: Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment.
Greg Laurie: You know, I've heard people describe a trip to Israel as seeing the Bible actually come to life. Hey everybody, Greg Laurie. And I've been to Israel many times, and I've led a lot of tours. And I have to say that's absolutely true. Listen, when you're walking on the same stones that Jesus himself walked on, well, that's something that's enriching to your faith. It's not just a travel experience, it actually energizes and enhances your study of the Bible. Think of it this way. It's a vacation with a purpose. And we're going to be taking a tour of Israel April 6 to 15 20 27. You can find out more at israel.harvest.org.
Dave Dellman: Step right into biblical history. Join Pastor Greg for a tour of the Holy Land April 6 through 15 2027. Get details at israel.harvest.org. Well, you've joined us today for Pastor Greg's message in John 9 called believing is seeing. Let's continue.
Greg Laurie: Point number four. If you walk with Jesus Christ, you need to find new friends. You need to find new friends because it comes down to this. You're either going to have harmony with God and friction with people or you're going to have harmony with people and friction with God. What do you want? Well, I want everyone to like me. Oh, really? Jesus said, beware when all men speak well of you. Now, if you're a real follower of Christ, you can be the nicest, most considerate, loving person, you're going to have some enemies. And it 's not really so much about you. It's about who you're following. But those enemies can be turned into friends as you seek to engage them with the gospel. And that brings me to this next movement of the story. Let's go to John 9 verse 24. For the second time, they calling this man who had been born blind and told him, give God the glory because we know this man Jesus is a sinner. The man replies, look, I don't know whether or not he's a sinner. But I love this verse. But this I know, once I was blind, but now I see. Please underline that verse. That's one of the greatest statements in all of the Bible. Once I was blind, but now I see. I love the zeal of the new believer. Listen to this. Did you know that 80% of people that hear the gospel hear it from someone who has been a Christian for less than two years? Isn't that interesting? Most people who hear the gospel hear it from someone who's a new Christian. Why doesn't that stat say most people who hear the gospel hear it from someone who's been a Christian for 10 years? I'll tell you the answer. New believers are filled with zeal for the Lord. Here's another question. Why is it that those that know the most do the least? And those that know the least do the most? Example, all of someone come up and say, I want to serve here at Harvest. Like what what what can I do? I'll do anything. I'll set up chairs, I'll I'll help people find parking spaces, I'll counsel people, I'll work in children's ministry. Well, thank you for offering. How long have you been coming to Harvest? One week. Oh, one week. Wow. Where did you go to church before? I didn't. I got saved last week. But I want to serve the Lord. I love that. But we'll say, well, you know, we think you need to attend for a while and get grounded in your faith before we give you these responsibilities. But then there are people that have been coming here 10 years, 20 years longer, and they've never volunteered for anything. The church needs new believers. New believers are the lifeblood of the church. New believers need older believers to stabilize them. Older believers need younger believers to energize them. You get around a younger Christian with all their questions and you find yourself getting fired up even talking to them. The zeal of the young believer. Point number five. Your personal testimony is one of the most powerful tools you have. It's a great way to start a conversation. Here's this guy's testimony. Once I was blind, but now I see. And we already see spiritual growth in the life of this man. Verse 32, he says to the religious leaders, hey, ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn't have done it. So already he's evangelizing them. He's taking them to task. So it's fascinating to notice the progression of his understanding. First he called Jesus a prophet. Then he says he's from God. And now he he realizes he is the Lord. Bringing me to point number six, your faith grows stronger when you share it. Don't miss this point. Your faith grows stronger when you share it. You say, but Greg, I I don't I don't know that much. I'm not a theologian. You may not be a theologian, but you are the world's expert on you. You know your story. And a great way to start a conversation is by beginning with your story. Example, the apostle Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus, Christian killer, persecutor of the church. But he was a great orator. He was a brilliant intellect. He had on almost every occasion when Paul stood before non-believers, he began with his testimony. Guys, let me tell you what happened to me. I'm on the Damascus Road hunting down Christians. All of a sudden, Jesus appears to me. Always started with that cuz everyone can relate to that. People can argue with your theology. They can't argue with your story. It's a great way to begin. And that's exactly what this guy is doing. And there's something energizing about making a stand for your faith. There will be times when you're feeling down. Maybe you're even depressed. Maybe you're feeling sorry for yourself. And then you encounter someone, and somehow you get into a conversation about Jesus. And as you tell them about what Jesus has done for you, you getting all excited. Your mood changes. Why? Cuz you're remembering how faithful God has been. And you leave that conversation refueled. You see how it works? Final point. If you stand up for Jesus, he will stand up for you. If you stand up for Jesus, he will stand up for you. Look at verse 35. Jesus heard they had thrown him out. And when he found him, he said, do you believe in the son of man? The man asked, who is he? Tell me, and I'll believe in him. Jesus said, you have now seen him. In fact, he is the one speaking with you. And the man said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped him. I love that. Do you believe in the name of the son of man? Who is he? Where is he? You're talking to him, buddy. I believe. I believe. You're the one that healed me. I believe right there on the spot. Religion turned this man away. Jesus took him in. The religious leaders said, get out of here. You're trouble. We don't like you here. You're a living miracle. But Jesus was ready. Have you been disillusioned with religion? You've tried to keep all the rules and regulations, and you still come up empty. I love how this man started up by calling Jesus a prophet and now was worshiping him. And I close with this question of Christ. Do you believe in the name of the son of God? We had a crusade a number of years ago down in San Diego. And there was a 90-year-old woman in a wheelchair that attended with her granddaughter. The lady's name was Henny. And I happened to be speaking on what happens beyond the grave that particular night. And when we gave the invitation for people to come to Christ and walk forward, uh Henny's granddaughter, at her request, wheeled her grandmother down to the front. And Henny prayed and asked Jesus to come into her life. And then Henny turned to the counselor that greeted her and was so thankful what God had done for her. And I left out one important detail. Henny was also blind. And she said to the counselor she was looking forward to being able to see forever in eternity. We changing a life. You might say, all right, Greg, show me and I'll believe. Prove it. And God effectively says, believe and I'll show you. That 's why I called this message believing is seen. Oh, seeing is believing. Prove it. God says, you believe and I'll prove it to you. And I know I'm talking to somebody right here that maybe is depressed, that maybe is down. They're afraid. You you wonder what's going to happen to you in the afterlife. Where are you going to spend eternity? Listen, that's entirely up to you. Where do you want to spend eternity? Well, I would like to go to heaven. Well, great. You can go to heaven. God wants you to go to heaven. That's why he sent his son Jesus Christ, who was fully God and yet fully man, to die on a cross for us. And Jesus is the only one who is qualified to bridge the gap between a holy God and unholy people. And with one hand, he took hold of the father, and with the other hand, he took hold of us. And they pounded spikes through his hands. And as the Bible says, Christ died for our sins. Jesus said, for God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God loves you. He did this because he loves you. And he's ready to come into your life and forgive you of all of your sin. You can have your life changed as surely as this man had his life changed some 2,000 years ago. Jesus died on that cross. He rose again from the dead. And now he stands at the door of your life and he knocks, and he says, if you hear his voice and open the door, he will come in. Are you ready to ask Christ to come into your life right now? He'll do that for you, but you must say, Lord, I believe, just like this man. Lord, I believe. Do you believe in the son of God? I don't know. Who is he? I'm him. I believe. Will you believe in the name of the son of God? Will you reach out to Jesus? If so, this would be the greatest day of your life. We're going to pray in a moment, and I'm going to extend an invitation for you to have Jesus Christ, the son of God, forgive you of all of your sins. An opportunity for you to have the trajectory of your life changed as you choose life instead of death. An opportunity for you to come into this relationship with God. He's just a prayer away. Let's all pray together. Father, I ask you to speak to everyone here, everyone watching online. If they don't know you yet, let this be the moment they believe. Speak to them now, we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
Dave Dellman: An important prayer from Pastor Greg Laurie today here on a New Beginning. And Pastor Greg, maybe someone wants to come to the Lord right now. Could you help them with that?
Greg Laurie: Yeah, I can do that, David. I'd be happy to. In the book of Isaiah, we read these words. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous man their thoughts. Let them return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them. And to our God, for he will freely pardon. Listen, that's God's word to you. And let me address this to the person who has never asked Jesus Christ to come into their life. Why don't you do it now? That verse says, seek the Lord while he may be found. God has touched your heart today, perhaps, and you thought, I need this relationship with the Lord. One of these days, I'm going to make that commitment to Christ. No, don't wait for one of these days. This is the day. This is your moment. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he's near. Listen, God is near to you, wherever you are, in your home, in your car, and you're out walking, perhaps. I don't know where you are, but God is near and he is ready to come into your life. And there's another part of this verse when it says, let us return to the Lord. I want to also extend an invitation to you that have fallen away from your faith. You've fallen away from the Lord, and you need to make a recommitment. So if you want Jesus Christ to come into your life, if you want your sin forgiven, if you want to go to heaven when you die, or if you've fallen away from the Lord and you want to return to him, pray this prayer with me. In fact, you can even pray it out loud. But just pray this after me right now. Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner, but I also know that you are a savior. And I need your help. I need your forgiveness. Come into my life and forgive me of all of my sins. I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Be my savior, be my Lord, be my God, and be my friend. Thank you for hearing this prayer. Thank you for answering this prayer. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Hey, I want you to know on the authority of Scripture, if you just prayed that prayer in minute, Christ has heard you and he has forgiven you. So God bless you.
Dave Dellman: Yeah, and we want to help you as you begin to walk with the Lord. Pastor Greg would like to send you his New Believers Bible. It's full of practical helps to get you on your way in your journey of faith. And we'll send it free of charge when you call 1-800-821-3300. You can reach us anytime at 1-800-821-3300. Or go online to harvest.org and click Know God. And Pastor Greg, we're so thankful for the work God is doing through this ministry.
Greg Laurie: Yeah.
Dave Dellman: We're touching lives for eternity.
Greg Laurie: Mhm.
Dave Dellman: And we're really thankful for our friends who see the fruit of this ministry and advance so this work can reach even further. Isn't that right?
Greg Laurie: Absolutely. When you invest in Harvest Ministries, you're investing in the souls of men and women, boys and girls. And what is the value of a soul? Well, let me personalize it. What's the value of your soul? What's the value of the soul of your husband, your wife, your son or your daughter, or your mom or your dad, or your best friend? Well, I would say you probably couldn't put a price tag on it. It's so valuable. Well, listen, God says all souls are mine. God loves us and sent his son to die on the cross to pay the price for all of our sins so we could be forgiven and come into a relationship with him. I can't think of a better investment of my resources, of my money than in the work of the kingdom of God. So we would ask you to prayerfully consider investing in Harvest Ministries as we continue on to fulfill the Great Commission.
Dave Dellman: Yeah, that's right. And you can make your donation right now at harvest.org or call 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24/7 phone number. 1-800-821-3300. Well, next time in the finale to Pastor Greg's series The Seven Signs of Jesus, we'll look at the inside and comfort we can find inside the account of the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead. Join us here on a New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie.