December 26, 2004, Selected

CSI: CHANDLER
A VERDICT THAT MEANS SOMETHING!

"It doesn't matter where you are going, what matters is deciding to get on!"
" The most real things in the world are the things we can't see!"
Quotes from "Polar Express"

SOME SAY THAT SEEING IS BELIEVING, BUT THE TRUTH IS
THAT BELIEVING IS SEEING!

WITNESSES:

GOD'S FINGERPRINTS:

THREE POSSIBLE VERDICTS:

1. I STILL WON'T BELIEVE!
*** Acts 28:24 "Some of them were persuaded by what he said, but others refused to believe a word of it." [Message Bible]

A. SOME ARE BLINDED BY SATAN!
*** 2 Cor. 4:4 "Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don't understand the message we preach about the glory of Christ...." [New Living Translation]

B. SOME ARE BLINDED BY SELF!
*** Eph. 4:18 "Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him." [NLT]

John 3:16, 19-20

C. SOME ARE BLINDED BY SITUATIONS!
*** Matthew 13:3-7 "A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seeds fell... among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades." [NLT]

HOW TO WITNESS TO A RESISTANT PERSON:

RELATIONSHIP! 1 Cor. 10:33 "I try to please everyone in everything I do, not doing what I like or what is best for me but what is best for them, so that they may be saved." [Living Bible]
STEADFASTNESS! 1 Peter 3:15 "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...." [NIV]
VARIETY! 1 Cor. 9:22 "When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ." [NLT]
PRAY! 1 Tim. 2:1, 4 "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them...for he wants everyone to be saved...." [NLT]

2. I BELIEVE, BUT WON'T CHANGE!
*** James 2:17 "So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds is no faith at all--it is dead and useless." [NLT]

TRUE BELIEF IS EVIDENCED BY BEHAVIOR!
*** JaS. 2:14 "Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can't save anyone." [NLT]
*** Col. 1:21-23 "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies... because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight...-- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel." [NIV]
*** 1 Jn 3:3 "All who believe will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure." [NLT]

GET ON BELIEVE! ADMIT! SURRENDER! EXPRESS! WITH GOD!

THE THREE "R's":

REPENT! Acts 3:19 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord...." [NIV]
RENEW! 1 Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord."
REIGNITE! 2 Tim. 1:6 "This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you...." [NLT]

3. I BELIEVE, SO NOW WHAT?

A. IT SHOULD CHANGE OUR ATTITUDE!
*** Matthew 2:10 "When they saw the star, they were overjoyed." [NIV]

B. IT SHOULD CHANGE OUR WORSHIP!
*** Matthew 2:11a "They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him." [Message Bible]
*** Luke 2:20 "The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God...because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said." [NLT]

C. IT SHOULD CHANGE OUR STEWARDSHIP!
*** Matthew 2:11b "Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh." [NIV]

D. IT SHOULD CHANGE OUR LIFESTYLE!
*** MT. 2:12a "But when it was time to leave, they went home another way...."

E. IT SHOULD CHANGE OUR WITNESS!
*** Luke 2:17 "When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child..." [NIV]
*** Luke 2:38 "She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem." [NLT]

F. IT SHOULD CHANGE OUR OBEDIENCE!
*** MT. 2:13-14 "God's angel showed up again in Joseph's dream and commanded, "Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt...and wants to kill him." Joseph obeyed." [MSG]

"Jesus' disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life." -- John 20:30-31 [NLT]