The Bible’s Basis For Faith
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon OutlinesFaith Sermon Outline
SUBJECT: Faith
TITLE: The Bible’s Basis For Faith
PROPOSITION: To teach that the faith of many is based on man’s idea of what faith is and what exactly faith is based on.
OBJECTIVE: That all may trust that the faith they have is based on a biblical foundation
INTRODUCTION: Read Acts 10:34-42
1. Concerning the text:
1) Peter has the privilege of introducing the Gospel to the first Gentile audience, the household of Cornelius.
2) Cornelius tells of the supernatural circumstances of this event, vv. 30-33.
3) Then Peter bears witness, he testifies, vv. 34-42.
2. Many are confused as to how to come to saving faith and it’s no wonder.
1) Some believe that they must have an “experience” to have faith.
2) I personally have been asked to pray for a burning in my heart to know that Joseph Smith is God’s prophet.
3) Some have heard a message from an angel.
4) Some have noticed odd things and have accounted them miraculous.
5) Some say you have to take a leap of faith, that you can’t really know Bible truth.
6) Does the Bible say this is how we are to come to faith? Indeed not.
3. The Bible is a record of events. Things that happened in time and space. Things that cause us to believe Bible truth.
4. It is a record of things that men and women have witnessed.
5. We have studied and learned that faith comes by hearing the word of God, Rom. 10:17.
1) Many of your friends have problems with that because of misconceptions of what the Word is.
a. “The Bible was written by the early church to regulate Christians.”
b. “It’s just a translation of a translation of a translation.”
c. “It’s a collection of Myths.”
2) Your friends need to learn from you that the Bible is
a. A record of things seen and heard
b. Seen and heard by credible witnesses.
c. Recorded in a book that has withstood the scorn of skeptics and all others who have placed it under a microscope.
DISCUSSION:
I. YE HAVE SEEN
1. Joseph, Gen. 45:13, 24-28.
2. Signs of Moses; Exod. 4:1-9, 29-31.
3. What I did to the Egyptians, Exod. 19:4-8; Deut. 1:31-32 .
4. That I have talked with you from Heaven, Exod. 20:22.
II. WITNESSES ARE TO BE BELIEVED
1. Death Penalty, Deut. 17:6.
2. The matter is established, Deut. 19:15.
3. That every word be established, Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1.
4. Accusations against an elder, 1 Tim. 5:19.
5. This is the standard we use in law every day.
6. This is the standard we trust.
7. Witnesses that are not to be believed, Mark 14:59
III. “WE ARE WITNESSES”
1. Ye are witnesses, Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8.
2. We all are witnesses, Acts 2:32; 3:15.
3. We are his witnesses, Acts 5:32.
4. We are witnesses of all things which he did, Acts 10:39.
5. Over 500, 1 Cor. 15:1-6.
6. John as a witness, 1 John 1:1-3;
7. Eyewitnesses of His majesty, 2 Pet. 1:16
IV. RECORDED IN A BOOK
1. 2 Kings 22:8ff
2. John 20:29-31
3. It is so common to believe things that are written, especially those things that can be corroborated.
4. Without this there is no reason to research history.
5. Nor is there a reason to record court decisions.
CONCLUSION:
1. The Bible is, in part, a book of events.
2. It records God interacting with mankind in miraculous ways.
3. It records the identity of those that saw those events.
4. It records corroborating witnesses.
5. It does all of this in such a way as to cause us to believe in the God of Heaven, in His Son, and in His promises.
6. It does all of this in such a way that if we don’t believe we are unreasonable. We don’t really have the option of not believing.
7. In years to come there will be some group or other that will deny the events of 911.
1) Just as some have denied the holocaust of WWII.
2) Just as some have denied the moon landings.
8. The testimony is just too strong to reasonably believe that these things never happened. We just don’t have that option.
9. It’s the same with Bible events.