Introduction: We have all heard of Ripley’s Believe it or not. They have a show that gives us bizarre information that is either true or false. Much of which is true…and bizarre. Well, here’s Pastor Bob’s Believe it or not.

ILL: This may come as a surprise to those who have never visited Las Vegas, but there are more Catholic churches there than casinos. Not surprisingly, some worshippers at Sunday services will give casino chips rather than cash when the offering basket is passed. Since they get chips from so many different casinos, the churches have devised a method to get the chips exchanged for cash. The churches send all their collected chips to a nearby Franciscan Monastery for sorting and then the chips are taken to the casinos of origin and cashed in. This is all done by the group of Franciscans called ‘Chip Monks’ Believe it or not. (source unknown)

Belief can be funny, but often it’s very serious, even a matter of life and death. 

ILL: Bob Vernon, formerly with the Los Angeles Police Department, tells of how the Department would test bullet-proof vests—and demonstrate to rookie officers their value—by placing them on mannequins and then shooting round after round at them. They’d then check to see if any of the rounds penetrated the vests. Invariably the vests would pass the test with flying colors. Vernon would then turn to the rookie officers and ask, “So who wants to wear it now instead of the mannequin?” (Source unknown)

Explanation: Believing a bullet proof vest really works is one thing, choosing to wear one is a matter of life and death for a police officer…right Bill?

Our text this morning will show us that belief in Jesus is also a matter of life and death. Because it’s not enough just to say, I believe in Jesus.

    •    We must follow the advice  of Bob Vernon and put on the bullet proof vest
    •    We must follow the advice of the Apostle Paul and put on Christ.

Why? Because God’s Word in the Book of James tells us that ‘faith without works is a dead faith’. You see, belief must be accompanied by action or it is not really belief.

Background: Jesus had entered Jerusalem in a grand way, but the people misinterpreted his intentions. They believed what they wanted to believe about him…not what was true. We saw that in his triumphal entry, things were not always as they seemed.

Now Jesus is about to move out of the spotlight and into the last week of his ministry, the last week of his life, which will be a ministry devoted to his disciples. But, before he goes private, he publicly gives one more opportunity for people to believe and then receive eternal life.

Transition: Turn in your Bibles to John 12:27 where we will find that the bottom line for everyone…is belief. And it is a matter of life and death.

John 12:27-28a     Jesus believed…but was troubled
Read: John 12:27-28a

I love how Jesus opens his heart, by displaying his emotions to those around him. The Bible never says that belief is easy.
    •    Jesus was troubled, ‘agitated’ is a more literal translation. Not unlike what he will experience in just a few days in the Garden of Gethsemane.
    •    He knew what was to come… he would die on the cross bearing the burden of our sin.
    •    He believed it was God’s will, still…he struggled with it.
    •    However, even though he struggled, he never let his emotions control his actions.
    •    Troubled or not, he would choose to do the Fathers will.
    •    And so it must be for us as well.

Remember just a few verses earlier Jesus said ‘Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’ (Jn. 12:24)

Believing in Jesus is hard…it’s so hard it requires.
    •    that you die to thinking you can get to heaven on your own
    •    that you die to your selfish and worldly ways

Dying, even when it’s not physical is hard. Jesus knows that. And he is showing us that it’s OK to struggle with belief, it’s OK to be troubled when you are faced with a crisis of belief and you must either
    •    choose to act on your belief and honor God or
    •    choose to do and say nothing rendering your belief useless.

By Jesus’ actions, God shows us that in the end…he expects our faithfulness, he expects our obedience…he expects our belief!

Transition: Jesus, even though he was troubled, believed God and God to encourage the faith of others, God speaks… But some of the people miss it.

John 12:28b-33    The People didn’t believe the voice of God
Read: John 12:28b-33

    •    God spoke and the faithful, those who believed, heard him.
    •    God spoke and those who did not believe, did not hear God speak…they attributed it to some natural phenomenon…as people usually do when confronted
         with the mighty acts of God.
    •    Jesus said that God’s voice was not for his benefit but for theirs.
            -Those who believe heard and understood  the voice of God and were encouraged,  their faith built up.
            -Those who did not believe didn’t understand what they heard but should have seen this as yet another sign that God was confirming who Jesus was…
              but they missed it because of they chose not to believe.

Next, Jesus speaks some of the most powerful words he had ever spoken…also the most encouraging, especially to those who were lost in their sin and under bondage to Satan. Jesus said And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.’ (Jn. 12:32) Let’s break this down.

    •    Jesus wasn’t referring to his ascension to heaven after his resurrection…but to his crucifixion, his being lifted up on a cross and dying there..
    •    Jesus did not mean everyone would be saved when he said ‘all men’.  He meant all humanity indiscriminately…he meant people from all tribes, tongues
         and lands.
    •    Jesus’ death would draw people; not to a system of religion, not to a way of life even, but to a person…to a forever relationship with Jesus Christ,
         the Son of the Living God. How awesome is that?

Transition: Belief in Jesus not only brings forgiveness of sin and eternal life, it brings the ability to hear and understand God voice. But not all choose to believe…do they?

John 12:34-36 The people didn’t believe what Jesus said
Read: John 12:34-36

The people were confused. Notice they say ‘We have heard’ not ‘We have read.’
    •    Why is this important? What’s the difference inferred here?

The religious leaders taught that the Messiah would live forever. If Jesus was going to die, then he couldn’t be the Messiah. That’s what the religious leaders taught and many of the people didn’t look it up themselves to see if it was true…Why?
    •    Because the religious leader’s version of who the Messiah will be was a much better one, in their eyes, than the one Jesus is offering. So they choose to believe
         the religious leaders rather than Jesus.

So they ask who is this Son of Man? Basically they say ‘Who are you talking about since it’s obvious you can’t be the Messiah?’ They asked him questions…intellectual ones, as unbelievers will do. But Jesus wanted to show them salvation, eternal life is not an intellectual issue, but a moral one…it’ s not so much a matter of the brain, of intellect, but a matter of the heart. To believe here (point to heart).

To continue the moral aspect of belief, Jesus said he was light to people who walk in darkness.
    •    People walk in darkness not because they do so at night, but because they do so without knowing where they are going or why.
    •    People who walk in darkness are overcome by darkness…that is they give in to temptation, they give in to sin.
    •    People walk in darkness because they choose unbelief rather than to believe in Jesus.

ILL: The temps soared up to the mid to upper 50’s a couple days this week. Anyone take advantage of it by doing something outdoors? The weathermen on TV said take advantage of the warmer weather because it’s not going to be here for long…and they were right…for once.

Jesus was saying to those around him:
    •    I am the light of the world
    •    I am the light of truth,
    •    I am the light of hope
    •    Walk in my light
    •    Believe in me while there is still time.

Transition: The people had a choice to make. As we all do. Unfortunately, we already know how many will choose.

John 12:37-41        Unbelief prophesized
Read: John 12:37-41

This is fairly straight forward. The Old Testament, specifically the prophet Isaiah, prophesized that many would not believe the Messiah when he came. The prophesy came true…then and today.

Why? The reasons are many but the bottom line is that they just didn’t want to…also for many reasons.
    •    And the more often they denied Jesus, the more often they chose not to believe, the easier it became to continue to choose not to believe.
    •    Their hearts become hard, closed to the idea that Jesus is the Messiah.
    •    Know anyone like that? Some one with a cold, stubborn heart when it comes to Jesus?

Transition: But praise God it is not that way for everyone. Some get out of their own way and by God’s grace, choose to believe.

John 12:42-43        Hidden belief
Read: John 12:42-43

In spite of massive national unbelief, the situation was not hopeless. God always has a remnant; God always has those who by the enablement of his grace, choose to believe. This includes some in high places. However, the higher up one goes on the ladder of success, the more silent they often become about their faith. Why?
    •    Because they seek respect in the wrong place.
    •    They seek acceptance from their peers rather than from their God.
    •    Know anyone like that?

Statistically only 1 in 20 Christians regularly share their faith with those who chose not to believe. 1 in 20…the rest are silent, the rest are like the religious leaders here who hide their faith by keeping it to themselves.
    •    There is no indication that these people with hidden faith were not true Believers. But there is an implication that they were living a life not honoring to
         God and thus miss enjoying his blessing.

Transition: Jesus’ time with the crowd is over. So, he gives one parting plea…a plea to believe.

John 12:44-50        Belief…the bottom line
Read: John 12:44-50

ILL: Jonathan Whitfield was preaching to coal miners in England. He asked one man, “What do you believe?” “Well, I believe the same as the church.” “And what does the church believe?” “Well, they believe the same as me.” Seeing he was getting nowhere, Whitfield said, “And what is it that you both believe?” “Well, I suppose the same thing.” (Source unknown)

Just so there can be no mistake, Jesus tells the people, once again, what it is he is asking them to believe. Let break this down too.
    •    By choosing to believe in Jesus, you are saying you believe there is a God.
    •    By choosing to believe in Jesus you are saying he is the perfect and complete manifestation of God in the flesh.
    •    By choosing to believe in Jesus you are saying that he was sent by God the Father.
    •    By choosing to believe in Jesus you are saying he came as light to give direction and purpose in life.
    •    By choosing to believe in Jesus you are saying that he came to save that which was lost and separated from God by sin.
    •    By choosing to believe in Jesus you are saying that you have asked for and received forgiveness for your sin.
    •    By choosing to believe in Jesus you are saying that you have accepted the free gift of eternal life in heaven.

By choosing not to believe in Jesus you are saying that you reject everything I just said…including forgiveness and eternal life in heaven.
Jesus’ public ministry is now over…bottom line is do you believe, it’s a matter of life or death?

Conclusion
ILL: Christian belief, saving faith,  may be defined as a voluntary turning from all hope and grounds based on self merit, and assuming an attitude of expectancy toward God, trusting Him to do a perfect saving work based only on the merit of Christ.  (L. S. Chafer, True Evangelism, pp. 55–6)

If you are not yet a Christian this may well be your hour of decision. It is not what I’ve said that’s important. What’s important are the words Jesus has spoken to you, so clearly in his gospel.

In light of what we have just examined, by God’s grace
    •    will you choose to believe Jesus?
    •    will you choose to accept his offer of forgiveness for you sin?
    •    will you choose to ask him to be your Savior?
    •    Will you accept his free gift of eternal life in heaven?

For those who are already a Child of God by choosing to believe in Jesus
    •    I pray that at every point in your life you will choose to believe God’s Word and so walk in his light.
    •    I pray that the light of Christ would fill your lives and show you how to serve him better so that you might bear great fruit for God.

Yes, my friends, belief is the bottom line…..for everyone.