How Can I Find God?
Intro:
1. Here’s a popular question - Can’t anyone who is searching for God & sincere enough about wanting to please God find salvation?
a. In the movie “Oh God”, George Burns makes the statement, “Sure Jesus is my Son; so is Mohammed & Buddha!”
b. That movie would include the founders of all the great religions!
2. I would like to believe that salvation was guaranteed for all the sincerely religious people of the world regardless of the source of it - but Jesus said in verse 6, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
3. What, then, is the real way to find God & His salvation?
John 14:1-6
I. v1 - Through Faith
A. Start with your faith in God. Heb 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
1. Examples of faith in God.
a. ILL: While on his way to sacrifice Isaac on Mt. Moriah Abraham said, God will provide for Himself a lamb . . . - Gen 22:8.
b. ILL: Before he fought Goliath, David said, The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. - I Sam 17:37.
c. ILL: The 3 Hebrews before they were thrown into the fiery furnace said, If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. - Dan 3:17.
2. Evidence for belief in God.
a. He was revealed in His creation. Rom 1:19-20 - since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
b. He was revealed throughout the Old Testament.
B. Then - proceed to have faith in His Son - Jesus!
1. Because Jesus is God revealed in human terms.
a. Jn 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
b. Then - Jn 1:14 - The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
2. Because Jesus is God revealed as supreme. ILL: Healing of the Man Carried by 4 (Lk 5:17-26).
3. Because Jesus is God revealed as love & forgiveness. ILL: The Woman Caught in Adultery
(Jn 8:1-11 & Deut 22:22).
4. Of the Lord Jesus, Jn 3:15 would say, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
II. v2 - Through Foresight
A. How did the Lord prepare a place for us?
1. He died on the cross so you would be able to go to heaven.
2. He rose from the dead & ascended into heaven to take possession of it for you.
B. How do you prepare yourself?
1. By surrendering yourself to the Lordship of Jesus.
2. By laying hold of the basics of your relationship with Him. Heb 6:1-2 - Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3. By maturing in Christ. Phil 3:13-14 - Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
III. v3 - Through Fellowship
A. Fellowship with the Lord.
1. By trusting Him to save you like He said He would. Jn 11:25-26 - I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never never die. Do you believe this?
2. By praying to Him continually.
3. By worshipping & praising Him regularly.
B. Fellowship with one another. Heb 10:24-25 - And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
1. When we assemble for praise & worship on Sundays.
2. When we assemble during the week for prayer & study.
3. When we assemble for service to the Lord.
4. We will be spending eternity in heaven with one another. We are eternal companions. Our fellowship will never end! This may help you think of one another in a different way!
You can successfully find God. He loves you and wants you to find Him!