Edited Sermon Notes: Why I believe in Jesus by Adrian Rogers
Jesus is the Lord and God (Lk 4:8). When you come to believe this, his spirit
will testify with your sprit that this is true (1 Jn 5:6).
Jesus came by water and blood, not water only (water came out of his side). In
heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost agree. On earth: water, blood
and the spirit agree. You should too.
Some believe in Jesus because he is a historical fact. Some believe in Jesus
because the Bible says he is God. Some need more. It is the Holy Spirit that
that convicts and convinces a person that Jesus is the Lord. Anything that men
can talk you into, other smarter men can talk you out of. If men receive the
witness of the Holy Spirit (1 Jn 5:9), then the witness of God is greater than
the witness of men. The Holy Spirit testifies in the heart of the individual.
We trust men all the time. We trust our pilot to get us from one destination to
another. We trust our cook to prepare the food so that we do not get sick. We
trust map-makers as we plan a road trip. That is the witness of men. The witness
of God is greater.
Do you want to know who Jesus is, really? Ask the Holy Spirit. If you want to
believe, God says he will help you understand to know that Jesus is the Lord and
God. It is not that men cannot believe, some refuse. When you stop refusing and
believe, the witness will be inside of you (1 Jn 5:10).
You can tell a Christian all day long that apple pie is not good. But if he has
just had apple pie, he has the witness inside him. He will not believe your
testimony because he has tasted apple pie and it is good. The Bible says taste
and see that the Lord is good (Ps 34:8).
You can bring sophisticated arguments but we have the witness inside of us. A
Christian with a witness in his heart is never at the mercy of a man with an
argument in his mouth. Taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps 34:8).
We have history, scripture, and a spiritual witness. We also have personal
reasons for believing in the Lord (Jn 6:68). Peter said, "Lord to whom shall we
go?" We know the Lord personally and he is real to us. The best people know him
and the best people love him (Adrian Rogers, Why I Believe in Jesus).