BELIEVE, THE WORK OF GOD

Sunday Morning - June 23, 1996

Text: John 6:29 "Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." Believe is in the present tense

John 6:47 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth [present tense] on me hath everlasting life."

PAUL A PATTERN TO THEM THAT BELIEVE

1 Timothy 1:16 "Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe [present tense] on him to life everlasting."

BE FOLLOWERS OF PAUL

1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

BY THE GRACE OF GOD

1 Corinthians 15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

JUDGMENT SEAT

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

POWER OF THE RESURRECTION

Ephesians 1:19-20 "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20. Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,"

ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK

1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour [trouble, weariness] is not in vain in the Lord."

ENDURE ALL THINGS

2 Timothy 2:10 "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory."

INSTANT

2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

HE THAT BELIEVETH OVERCOMETH

1 John 5:5 "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth [present tense] that Jesus is the Son of God?"

ABOUND IN HOPE

Romans 15:13 "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."

TO BELIEVE AND SUFFER

Philippians 1:29-30 "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 30. Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me."

BE FOLLOWERS OF PAUL

1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

BE NOT SLOTHFUL

Hebrews 6:12 "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

THESSALONICA WERE EXAMPLES

1 Thessalonians 1:6 "And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:"

1 Thessalonians 1:7 "So that ye were ensamples to all that believe [present tense] in Macedonia and Achaia."

FAITH, LOVE, HOPE

1 Thessalonians 1:3 "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;"

TO SERVE AND WAIT FOR HIS SON

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 "For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."

WORD OF GOD WORKS EFFECTIVELY

1 Thessalonians 2:13 "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe."

FAITH AND LOVE COMFORTED PAUL

1 Thessalonians 3:6-7 "But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: 7. Therefore, brethren, we were comforted [exhorted] over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:"

BROTHERLY LOVE

1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 "But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 10. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;"

SONS OF LIGHT

1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness."

FAITH AND LOVE GROWS

2 Thessalonians 1:3 "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth."

YE ENDURE

2 Thessalonians 1:4 "So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:"

OBEDIENT

2 Thessalonians 3:4 "And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you."

PATIENT WAITING

2 Thessalonians 3:5 "And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ."

PAUL EXHORTS THEM

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 "Rejoice evermore.

17. Pray without ceasing.

18. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

19. Quench not the Spirit.

20. Despise not prophesyings.

21. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

22. Abstain from all appearance of evil."

HE THAT BELIEVETH MAY HAVE

John 6:40 "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth [present tense] on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

BELIEVE FOR A WHILE AND STOP

Luke 8:13 "They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe [present tense], and in time of temptation fall away."