Hearing + Belief = ?

Summary of Hearing + Belief = ?

Preamble

Brent asks the audience about receiving inheritance. He asks those who have received that gift how it felt and how they benefited. He explains his own experience with an inheritance. Brent talked about how the possibility of an inheritance can cause many people to think about future possibilities.

Ephesians 1:11-14 – The doctrine of the Trinity

In this passage we are introduced to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and then God. It is important to note that the term Trinity does not appear in the Bible. It is a term that describes a doctrine that there is God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

There is one God that exists as three distinct persons.

1. There is one God. We don’t believe in three gods, but one God with three distinct parts.
2. Each unique part is each eternally God
3. Each unique part is given the characteristics as distinct persons, not one person with three roles.

Human understanding of a supernatural holy being

This doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to us! We can only accept the qualities of God through the faith he provides us. We cannot expect to understand the qualities of God while we are stuck in a human exsistance.

Ephesians 1:11 – Our inheritance

Examples of this interesting wording in this verse:

“…In him we were also chosen…”

“…we have obtained an inheritance…”

The qualities of an inheritance is something of quality and importance that is passed down from a loved one to another. We are given an inheritance because our parents (or other family members) believe we are of value and would benefit from the inheritance.

Hearing the truth

As we grow up we receive knowledge passed down to us from our family, our teachers, from friends, and from society. This is sort of like an inheritance of knowledge and learning. We can accept this inheritance as truth or reject it as lies. It is up to us to accept an inheritance, not matter what type it is: financial or knowledge.

We might miss hearing the truth

When we are so focused on our own passions we might miss hearing the truth. We can easily ignore great advice and great truths because it doesn’t match up with our own interests.

Jesus spoke the truth so we could hear it

Jesus said over 80 times, “I tell you the truth….” Jesus even said, “I am the truth…” (John 14:6). Jesus proclaimed the truth and he also will challenge what we believe as truth. We must be ready to hear His truth.

Being in life’s routine will cause us to miss God’s influence in our lives

The danger in our routine based lives will causes us to miss God’s truth and God’s influence in our lives. We must listen to God. We must seek after God.

Hearing must be coupled with belief

Hearing the truth doesn’t mean we will accept it as truth. We can become skeptical and reject God’s inheritance. We must couple our hearing with believing that it is truth.

Tension between us and God

God is in control, while we want to be in control. We want to be the masters of our fates. This leads to a hard heart.

Tension – Universalism vs. Jesus

Ephesians 1:11 “In Him…”. It is only through Jesus that we can approach God. Our society says that there are multiple ways to reach God. This is a lie and so many people reject the truth and accept this lie. Jesus is the only way to reach God.

The parable of the seed sower

This parable is a great example of hearing the truth from God and the various examples of how people either accept or reject what they have heard.

Are you hearing what God is telling you? Or are you ignoring God? Pastor Brent genuinely pleads with us to listen to God and open our hard hearts to God’s influence in our lives. Pastor Brent asks those who were listening, “what will you do with what you hear?”

Challenge

Go! Get up and walk across the street to your neighbor and start a relationship with the purpose of introducing them to Jesus. Step out in faith with confidence. Our friends and family cannot hear the truth if no one speaks it.