John 3:16-17; 1 John 5:12-13
October 27, 2024
INTRO: We’re “knocking on the door” of another Halloween. And, throughout our lives, lots of things have knocked on the door of our personal worlds that give us real reason to fear, make us insecure or grieved. What most of us say we want in life is security and contentment. But those seem so fleeting and difficult to hold onto. We loathe feeling ill at ease. The scary questions about things beyond this world can really pile on to those eerie and foreboding emotions. Is it possible in the midst of this frightening world to experience peace that is beyond challenging circumstances, and confidence that “all is well” in the midst of the many conundrums we face constantly? If security and contentment are what we desire, it would be important to open the door to the right answer to those desires and shut the door on the wrong ones. What does the One who claims to have answers and is knocking on our door have to say about that? What’s the news He has to bring? But first, his question to us.
“Knocking on Heaven’s Door”…and Jesus asks you, “Why should I let you in?”
KNOCKING WITH SCARY NEWS
FAKE FEAR!
With more than 75 million tickets sold, 46 films released and $798 million grossed domestically in 2023, horror movies continue to be Hollywood’s reliable moneymaker, and it’s a genre growing in importance. Since 1995 horror has more than doubled its market share in the US and Canada, and it’s still growing. Hollywood Loves Halloween: Inside the Lucrative Business of Horror Movies by Samantha Stewart, Bloomberg.com Oct 31, 2023
MOMENTARY FEAR!
Americans’ Fears Are Rising
FOREVER FEAR!
Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
KNOKCING WITH DISTURBING NEWS
There’s Good News, and then there’s THE Good News, that God sent his Son to be the Savior of our own personal world. But before we know that it’s essential that we receive the good news, we have to know that there’s a reason we need it. And there is. And that’s the Bad News.
“The Doctor will be in to see you with your results in a minute. He’ll knock before he comes in. You may want to sit down.”
We surveyed God to see how he views our efforts to receive a good spiritual health report.
God’s responses should be headline news! We need to be warned! This is scary stuff!
• Romans 3:10 There is none righteous, not even one.
• Romans 3:23 All have sinned and come short of the glory of God…
• Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death…
Man’s remedy for the disease is not God’s remedy!
• Romans 3:19 By doing the works of the law will no one be found righteous…
• Galatians 2:21 If by doing the works of the law we could be found righteous…
KNOKCING WITH THE BEST GOOD NEWS EVER
This NEWS is Better than a cure for Cancer!
Because after our bodies die anyway of something else, we don’t!
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
John 3:16 *“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world (insert name here
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
KNOCKING; BUT THE DOORKNOB’S ON OUR SIDE
FOMO (FO-ever) There is, at least, if we’re critically thinking, no greater FOMO than rejecting the knocking of Jesus and FOREVER experiencing the torment of being separated from the one who extends the gift of Himself who is all love, all joy, all peace, all security and contentment for never opening the door of your heart to Him. No Jesus who is love. No Love. No Joy.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
If Perfect Love casts out all fear, does perfect fear cast out all love? And if perfect love DOES cast out ALL FEAR, what fear are we talking about?
1 John 5:12-13 Whoever has the Son has life (Good News); whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have the life (Bad News); I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
QUESTION: Which of these two questions is presumptuous: “I think I’m going to heaven or I know I’m going to heaven.”? (This brings us back to our first question this morning)
To know now that you do have the Son is to first know that at one time you didn’t!
Psalm 24:7-10 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!
THE ONE WHO’S KNOCKING ON OUR DOOR, IS HIMSELF THE DOOR!
He has FIRST come to us, so that we can come to him (otherwise we wouldn’t come!)
Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.
John 10:9-10 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Perfect Love IS the One who is Perfect and the One who is Love. He’s come to us offering His Perfect Self to stand before God in our place. What are we going to do about that?
To do nothing is to do something.
And if you let him in, this is what he says over you every day to remind us of who His is…
Isaiah 41:10,13 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”