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One of the more popular praise songs today is by the Sidewalk Prophets, “Live Like That”. “Am I proof that You are who you say You are- that grace can really change a our heart- do I live like Your love is true? And even if they don’t know my name is there evidence that I’ve been changed? When they see me, do they see You?”
In our morning worship services we are working through the Gospel of John in a series entitled, ‘Believe’. Believe is found 98 times in John and every time it is the verb form meaning basically “placing into” or choosing an active vital trust in Jesus. It is the action we take in trust. It’s not the action we do to earn or receive salvation but the active faith to know the truth. I may possess eternal life by believing in Christ as my Savior but in John we are seeking to know Christ by possessing and living out that truth.
We move from what we have by ‘faith’ to what ‘do’ because of it.
“But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” John 3:21
“lives by the truth”- Action of Believing
“comes into the light”- Results of Believing
“done through God”- Power of Believing
Real faith is not pretty, its not perfect, its not easy. Its raw and its gritty. It’s messy, difficult and a battle every single day. To ‘live like that’ is risky. We live in a sin filled broken world with broken people. None of us gets to live sin free or have perfect faith this side of heaven.
The gospel of John is different from the other gospels. He emphasizes who Jesus is- the deity of Christ. He is the Son of God with the power to save and change lives. Our theme verse is “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:31
Life in His name is the ‘proof that You are who You say you are.’ What evidence of a changed life do those around you see? “When they see me, do they see You?’
The great Christian writer C. S. Lewis once said, “The church exists for no other reason but to draw men INTO CHRIST; to make them LITTLE CHRISTS. God became man for no other reason.”
Are you a ‘little Christ?’ When people look at your life, who do they see? You or Christ? ‘Gonna live like that.’
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