Introduction

Good morning, family! I am so thrilled to be standing here with you today, ready to dive into the Word of God. We're like miners, aren't we? Ready to dig into the rich soil of the Bible, eager to discover the gems of wisdom and truth that God has buried there for us. And today, we're going to be mining in the book of Luke, chapter 7, verses 18-35. Let's read it together, shall we [read text]?

You know, this passage brings to mind a quote from the brilliant Christian author, Philip Yancey. He once said, "Faith means believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse." Isn't that just spot on? It's like he's talking directly about our main points today: Trusting in God, Understanding God's Ways, and Believing Beyond Circumstances.

So, let's take a moment to bow our heads and invite God's presence into this space and into our hearts. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this time together. We thank You for Your Word, which is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We ask You to open our hearts and minds today, Lord. Help us to not just hear Your Word, but to understand it and to apply it to our lives. We ask for Your wisdom and guidance, Lord. And we pray all these things in Your precious and holy name, amen.

Trust in God

When we look at the interaction between John's disciples and Jesus, we see a question of faith. John's disciples came to Jesus with a question from John, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" This question shows a moment of doubt from John, a moment where he needed reassurance. It's a moment we can all relate to. We've all had times when our faith wavered, when we questioned if we were on the right path.

Jesus' response to John's disciples is a testament to His understanding and compassion. He didn't chastise them for their doubt. Instead, He gave them evidence of His works, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them."

This response from Jesus serves as a reminder to us. When we have doubts, when our faith wavers, we can look to the works of God in our lives and in the world around us. We can see His hand in the beauty of nature, in the kindness of strangers, in the miracles that happen every day.

But, trusting in God is includes understanding His character. In the book of Luke, we see Jesus showing compassion, healing the sick, and preaching the good news. These actions show us who God is. He is a loving and compassionate God, a God who wants the best for us. Understanding God's character helps us to trust Him. When we know that He is good, that He loves us, that He wants the best for us, it becomes easier to trust Him. We can trust that He has a plan for us, that He is working all things together for our good.

But, trust is not just about belief. It's also about action. When we trust in God, we follow His commandments. We strive to live a life that is pleasing to Him. We seek His will in all things. In Luke, we see Jesus living a life that was pleasing to God. He followed God's commandments, He sought God's will in all things. His life serves as an example for us. When we trust in God, we strive to live like Jesus. We strive to love others as He loved us. We strive to serve others as He served us.

Trusting in God also means accepting His grace. Again in Luke, we see Jesus offering grace to all who would accept it. He healed the sick, He forgave sins, He offered salvation to all who would believe in Him. This is the grace Christ offers. We can't earn our salvation or work our way into heaven. It's only by God's grace that we are saved. Trusting in God means accepting this grace, acknowledging that we can't do it on our own, that we need God's help.

Understanding God's Ways

In the passage we just read, we see Jesus responding to John's disciples with a list of miracles He has performed ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO