Sermon Central
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Limiting What God Can Do Series
Contributed by Jim Butcher on Nov 1, 2019 (message contributor)
Summary: Mary expresses disbelief that she, a virgin, could fulfill the angel's prediction of a baby. We too often limit what we believe God is capable of.
HE CAN'T DO THAT: We limit in our minds what we believe God can do.
- Luke 1:34.
- There is no doubt that the angel’s message about the virgin birth is a lot to take in. Because of that, it’s easy for us to be sympathetic toward Mary. We would no doubt have also struggled with this miraculous news.
- We pay quite a bit of attention to hard disbelief. Those who say they don’t believe in God or in the Bible.
- We pay less attention to soft disbelief. Soft disbelief acknowledges there is a God, but doesn’t expect anything from Him. Soft disbelief has faith in God, but not enough to take His promises seriously.
- Christians display a lot of soft disbelief. We claim a faith in God, but then don’t really expect anything to come out of it.
- In both cases, we limit in our minds what we believe God can do.
- Why do we do that? Let’s look at a few reasons.
WHY DO WE DO THAT?
1. We don’t think He works today.
- Example: God answered Paul’s prayers and did amazing things, but that doesn’t happen today.
2. We don’t think He could use someone like me.
- Example: we believe God wants to use the ministries of the church to see lives changed, but don’t see where we could be part of that.
3. We don’t know His plans.
- Example: someone might look at a meth user and presume that they are beyond God’s interest, not knowing that God explicitly says that He’s seeking out the lost and hopeless.
4. We don’t believe His promises.
- Example: a Christian might ask for forgiveness from God for a sin, but then continue to be consumed with guilt because they can’t believe that God would really forgive them.
5. We don’t know His power.
- Example: a church continues to exist believing that the best they can do is what they can do in pooling their resources but having no vision of God doing something greater.
MARY'S MISTAKE: Mary believed in God, but didn’t believe God.
- It’s a common mistake, but a deadly one.
- Let’s close with a simple thought: do I believe that God will do what He said He will do? And that He still does it today? And that He would still do it in my life?
- Let’s not live with the soft disbelief we discussed earlier. Let’s be people who take God at His word.
