The Journey To Believe

The Journey To Believe
Easter Sunday, April 20^th, 2025
Pastor Mark England

Romans 8:11 (NLT) The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

There is available to everything “mortal” in your life.

“The of Jesus wasn’t just an to , it is to be .”

Belief beautiful, easy, and “churchy”, but it’s hard to put your faith in something that you and are of.

Belief is a .

John 11:25-26 (CSB) Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.²⁶ Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

The answer to Jesus’ question for most of us… “I’m not sure.”
“It sounds good, but I’m having a hard time getting there.”

How do we end up in a place of ?

Mark 9:17-24 (CSB) Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.” ¹⁹ He replied to them, “You unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” ²⁰ So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father. “From childhood,” he said. ²² “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

²³ Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.” ²⁴ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

Unbelief Finds It’s Roots In

We God does the right thing.

We’ve and it didn’t work.

We’ve to the doubts of .

Faith
Believing what you can , , and are by.

You don’t need to or what you believe.
You need an .

The From The Condition of to .

Doubting Thomas Changed His Identity to Thomas.
Thomas was the first person to the nation of India and was because of it.

John 20:24-25 (CSB) But Thomas (called “Twin”), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

John 20:26 (CSB) A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

1. Realize that Jesus will .

“Your won’t keep Jesus .”

John 20:27 (CSB) Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”

Jesus will go with you and meet you at your .

2. to discover who Jesus is.

“Belief won’t , you have to .”

Some have it wrong…
They make you before you .
They make you before you .
*That’s NOT What The Says*

We don’t have to to go .
We to be .

Some of you are waiting to before you .
You might need to before you can .

Go for Jesus.
Give it a of your life and .
What do you have to lose?

John 20:28 (CSB) Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”

3. Give to the One who gave for you first.

Christianity is not just a .

“Belief isn’t , it is .”

What is your life on?

You can be on Jesus, and still not be on Him.

on Jesus puts me in His presence, and connects me with Him while the to as I please.

This is why “” is !

Matthew 18:2-4 (CSB) He called a small child and had him stand among them. ³ “Truly I tell you,” he said, “unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

on Jesus with my life requires .

A: I’m already in a real relationship with Jesus.

B: I’m believing on Jesus today.

C: I’d like to consider it a bit more first.

D: I don’t ever intend on making that decision.