1. ICEL Three realities of the Christian faith I believe in Kees Rosies 26 April 2015

2. ICEL Reality one: I believe great things can happen in my life! Acts 3 1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter and John It was 3 o’clock in the afternoon He was over forty years old. Acts 4.25 He was put there everyday asking for money

3. ICEL 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. verse 8 ( verse 7 …taking him by the hand he helped…) …many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. Acts 4.4

4. ICEL 7 They (the Sanhedrin) had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them… (this happened the next morning) 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. “By what power or what name did you do this?” No mention of the 5000 who became believers!

5. ICEL Jesus comforting His disciples in John 14 1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Greater things… What greater things? What yardstick do we use to measure!

6. ICEL

7. I'm always feeling like I'm lacking wisdom. This reassurance that one can ask God for that and it will happen is certainly reassuring to me. Nobody gets argued all the way into becoming a believer on the sheer basis of logic and reason. That requires a leap of faith. Francis Collins

8. ICEL Reality two: I believe in the good shepherd John 10:11-18 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep The good Shepherd takes care for the cast (down) sheep

9. ICEL Reality three: I need not to fear death Psalm 23 1 The L ORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

10. ICEL 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the L ORD forever. The last (lasting) messageThe last (lasting) message