Sermon from January 17, 1999

Sermon "I Believe In You"
Rev. Lonnie Richardson
Sunday, January 17, 1999

John 1:29-42

Most of us have heard many times in sermons and church school lessons, "Believe in God," "Have faith in God." And indeed we should. Nothing is more important for a meaningful life than this. But what we are not often told is this astounding fact: God believes in us! God has faith in us!

The message of the Bible is not just - "Believe in God!" But that "God believes in you!" The Bible is more the story of God's faith in human beings than our faith in God. Story after story in the Bible is about how God believes in persons in spite of their lack of faith in God or themselves! Consider the very first book - Genesis. There we learn about the risk God is forever taking with the human race. God said to Adam and to each of us, "Here is the world. You may have dominion over it. I have entrusted it into your care. Care for it as I would myself. I believe in you."

Look wherever you will in the Bible - Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Deborah, the prophets, Mary, Joseph, the disciples - and what stands out is God's faith in ordinary people. And all that is distinctive about these ordinary people is a result of their response to God's faith in them. God's faith in people enabled them to do extraordinary things. It doesn't end in the inspiring pages of scripture. God believes in you today!

Consider the disciples Jesus chose. There was nothing extraordinary about them. In fact, they were not even ordinary - some were outcasts, of questionable character to many of the religious folks of the day - like Matthew the tax collector; others were poor, uneducated, rough-living fisherman; a zealot who wanted to overthrow Rome...And the four gospels are often far from flattering in their descriptions of Jesus' disciples. They are often shown as misunderstanding Jesus, of twisting his words to suit themselves, of seeking their own glory and honor. And all of them ended up betraying and deserting him in one way or another. These were the very last persons many would have trusted. Yet, to such untrustworthy people, Jesus, said, "Follow me." He picked them out, relied upon them, believed in them to continue his work. And the great persons they became and the great things they accomplished were the result of the faith of Christ in them!

It was the faith of God in Abraham and Sarah that enabled them to become the parents of a great nation. It was the faith of God in Jacob that enabled him to become Israel, father of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was the faith of Christ in Saul that enabled him to become Paul, the first great missionary and theologian of the church. What was true for them is also true for us. God believes in you!

The fact of the matter is that often God has more faith in us than we do in ourselves! We too easily lose faith in ourselves. Whole churches can do this. They start to see only who they are - only the problems, limitations and difficulties of the present. Their motto becomes, "We can't!' instead of, "We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us."

It was the knowledge of the commission of Jesus, and the empowerment of the holy spirit which continued to inspire the future advance of God's church. They remembered God was counting on them.

Look at how many times Peter disappointed Christ - even to the point of denying even knowing him! Peter more than once lost faith in Christ, but Christ never, ever lost faith in Peter. And it was the knowledge that Christ still believed in him that picked Peter up and keep him going.

How often the disciples must have encouraged themselves during times of failure and weakness by remembering, "He believes in us. He has entrusted his work to us. For all our inability and weakness, he has faith in us."

For those of us who have lost our faith in ourselves or in the church, for all who may feel that we have failed Christ, let him and the church down - the message today is clear - God still has faith in you!

God has not given up on us! And we must not give up on one another. Christ sees who we can be. Hear his words: "So you are the members of First Congregational Church. You will be a great rock, a great people... A light on a hill for all to see... A people I can use... I have called you. I am relying on you to carry out my work. You can do it! I believe in you!" Amen.

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