THE EFFECTS OF FAITH
A. FEAR is certainly prevalent in our society.
1. Saturday, a week ago, our nation marked the third anniversary of 9/11.
a. Although we heard the word "TERRORISM" in newscasts and read about in newspapers, it was something that did not affect America only other countries.
b. That is, until September 11, 2001.
COMMENT:
TERRORISM hit home. And now it is a word that we hear every single day. Both the Republican and Democrat Presidential Campaigns are run on the platform of who’s the BETTER MAN to KEEP America safe from TERRORISM.
2. We are a GENERATION consumed by FEAR.
a. However, FEAR certainly isn’t NEW to the 21st Century.
ILLUSTRATION:
Although TERRORISM wasn’t a concern in the 1950’s and 60’s, people were AFRAID of "THE BOMB!" Special made BOMB SHELTERS sprung up all over the PLACE. My uncle built one equipped with everything imaginable needed for their SURVIVAL in case Russia ATTACKED. I can remember asking my COUSIN if my family could come stay in the SHELTER with his family if the "BIG ONE" was dropped. He told me, "No. Because the SHELTER wasn’t big enough." He said that we would just have to DIE. Talk about SCARING a 10-year-old kid. When I heard a PLANE fly over I often wondered if RUSSIA was coming to DROP the BOMB.
Then there was the BOMB DRILL at school. How many of you remember the "DUCK AND COVER" drill?
2. Last week I stated that HEALTHY FEAR steers us away from HARM.
a. However, if we allow FEAR to keep us from courageously SERVING the Lord, then our FEAR becomes SIN.
b. John said that the "FEARFUL--the COWARDLY" will be CAST into the BURNING LAKE of FIRE"- Revelation 21:8. WHY? Because the FEARFUL hinder the WORK of God.
B. FAITH is the CURE for FEAR.
1. Hebrews 11:6- "Without FAITH it is impossible to PLEASE God."
COMMENT:
FEAR is not what PLEASES God, it is our FAITH. But there have been times when I have allowed my FEAR to PARALYZE me from truly SERVING the Lord with BOLDNESS and CONFIDENCE and STEPPING out on FAITH. How about you?
2. Last week we saw the EFFECTS of FEAR. FEAR PREVENTS A PERFECTED LOVE FOR GOD,IT CREATES A SPIRIT OF SLAVERY, AND IT SUPPRESSES ACTION.
3. This morning I want to look at the EFFECTS of FAITH.
MESSAGE:
I. FAITH SEES BEYOND THE VISIBLE- "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we
do not see" - Hebrews 11:1
A. Every example the Hebrew writer gives presents men and women BELIEVING in God’s PROMISES and ACTING upon that BELIEF even though they could not be SEEN.
COMMENT:
These people did extraordinary feats because they SAW beyond the VISIBLE and ACTED upon the UNSEEN.
B. I believe God still WORKS through the FAITHFUL today, but the problem is we often allow FEAR of the SEEN to replace FAITH in the UNSEEN.
1. There are many examples in the Bible of how people allowed the SEEN--the VISIBLE--to prevent them from ACTING on FAITH.
a. Remember the 12 men that God sent SPY OUT the PROMISE LAND? - Numbers 13.
ILLUSTRATION:
When they saw the GIANTS of the land 10 of them said there was no way they could take the land. They reported, "We seemed like GRASSHOPPERS in our OWN eyes, and we LOOKED the SAME to THEM"- Numbers 13:33. What they could SEE suppressed their FAITH, so they were made to WANDER in the WILDERNESS for 40 years until they all DIED.
b. When the giant Goliath made his CHALLENGE, the entire army of ISRAEL trembled with FEAR- I Samuel 17
ILLUSTRATION:
Eighty times, morning and evening for 40 days, Goliath raised this CHALLENGE to the Army of Israel: "Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us."
The entire Israelite ARMY shook in their BOOTS. They compared their size to Goliath’s size and felt in their HEARTS that not one of them could DEFEAT him in BATTLE. They were allowing the ENEMY of God to PARALYZE them and DISSIPATE their FAITH.
Enters young David who couldn’t tolerate this Philistine "taunting the ARMIES of the living God." Given permission by King Saul to fight the GIANT, David goes to the BATTLEFIELD to meet Goliath with only a SLING-SHOT and five smooth stones.
Goliath saw that David was just a teenager and said, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" David replied, "You come against me with sword, spear, and a javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied." With one throw of the SLINGSHOT, David brought the GIANT to the GROUND.
By FAITH David looked beyond the SEEN and saw that God was BIGGER than this GIANT and that through His POWER he would be able to DEFEAT Goliath.
2. If this or any other church is to grow SPIRITUALLY and NUMERICALLY, then it has to see beyond the GIANT OBSTACLES--the VISIBLE--and see the INVISIBLE working of God in our lives and the life of this church.
COMMENT:
The Bible states over and over that God wants His children to STEP OUT on FAITH beyond the SEEN to the UNSEEN. It may not always seem WISE or LOGICAL, but what is "WISE to man is FOOLISH to God"- I Corinthians 1:25-29.
II. FAITH CALLS FOR COURAGE
A. "PLAYING IT SAFE" is a component of FEAR.
1. As I stated last week, FEAR suppresses ACTION.
ILLUSTRATION:
The 10 SPIES who were AFRAID to take the LAND that God had promised them because of the GIANTS who lived there, decided to "PLAY IT SAFE." Because of their FEAR and PLAY-IT-SAFE ATTITUDE, they were not allowed entrance to the PROMISE LAND.
Joshua and Caleb were the only two of the SPIES allowed entrance because they were the only ones who had the COURAGEOUS FAITH to say, "We can take the land with God on our side."
2. Listen to what God says to Joshua after the death of Moses- Joshua 1:1-9 (READ and COMMENT)
B. TAKING RISKS is a COMPONENT of FAITH.
1. Hebrews 11 is packed full of examples of men and women TAKING RISKS because of their FAITH.
a. Noah and his family RISKED being RIDICULED by the people when they built the ARK.
b. Abraham RISKED his home and all of his possessions when he moved into a FOREIGN land.
c. Moses RISKED his WEALTH, STATUS, and even his own LIFE when he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be MISTREATED along with the other Jews.
d. Rahab the harlot RISKED her own life when she hid the JEWISH SPIES in her home.
COMMENT:
These EXAMPLES of FAITH are not written only for the benefit of First Century Christians, but for us today. God still wants His people to TAKE RISKS in His NAME--to STEP OUT on FAITH.
2. I believe the REASON the church is making very little IMPACT in the world today is because we
have ceased TAKING RISKS in the name of the Lord by FAITH.
a. When every situation has to be "JUST RIGHT" before the church can ACT, then that church is no
longer "WALKING BY FAITH" but "WALKING BY SIGHT!"
b. Churches with the WHAT IF MENTALITY (i.e. "WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS IF WE DO THAT?") will never be a CHURCH that GROWS because it will never TAKE RISKS for God.
C. GROWTH WON’T COME--it CAN’T COME--without taking RISKS.
1. Churches are made up of three types of PEOPLE: RISK TAKERS, CARETAKERS, and UNDERTAKERS
a. A CHURCH that wants to be a DYNAMIC, THRIVING FORCE in the community for Jesus Christ will have to take RISKS.
COMMENT:
Every church that has ever been existence was ESTABLISHED by RISK TAKERS. This is also true of the Rossville Church of Christ.
RISK TAKERS say things like, "We have to listen to the voice of God." "It’s simply the right thing to do." Or, "The Spirit of God is calling us to this." They ask questions like, "What would Jesus do here?" "Can this make a difference in someone’s life?" "Will this help us reach the community for Christ?"
b. RISK TAKERS build churches, but when a church starts on a DECLINE it’s because the role of RISK TAKERS is taken over by CARE TAKERS.
COMMENT:
It’s easy to spot CARE TAKERS in the CHURCH. They say things like, "We’ve never done this before!" "I’m not sure we’re ready for it!" "It’s a good idea, but impractical for now!" "You’re right about that, but . . .!" They ask questions like, "But where could that lead?" And, "Do you think it might hurt our giving?"
CARE TAKERS mean well. They think they are PROTECTING the church, but in reality they are gradually SAPPING the LIFE out of it.
c. If CARE TAKERS don’t recognize what they are doing to the church and start taking RISKS again to REVIVE and STRENGTHEN the church, they soon become UNDERTAKERS.
COMMENT:
There are a lot of UNDERTAKERS in PULPITS and in the ELDERSHIP as well. You can spot them rather easily because they say things like, "We’ll never be able to do that here!" or "We need to defer action on that and talk about it some more!" Their standard question is, "Couldn’t that get us CRITICIZED."
With UNDERTAKERS in the LEADERSHIP, it’s only a matter of time when the church will have a "FOR SALE" sign on the building.
2. God has always BLESSED RISK TAKERS.
COMMENT:
Churches with UNDERTAKERS are RAPIDLY DYING. Churches with CARETAKERS will be around for awhile LONGER, but there is no GROWTH and, consequently, without GROWTH they, too, will soon DIE. Churches with RISK TAKERS are those who STEP OUT on FAITH and do WHATEVER IT TAKES to GROW SPIRITUALLY and in NUMBER. After all they realize that it is not their CHURCH, it belongs to Christ--and Christ never PLAYED IT SAFE.
III. FAITH CREATES CONTROVERSY
A. There are many BIBLICAL EXAMPLES that DEMONSTRATE how CONTROVERSIAL faith is.
1. When Caleb said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it," ten of the SPIES said that "there is no way we can take the land because the inhabitants are too strong"
Num. 13:30-31
2. When David inquired as to what will the man receive who DEFEATS Goliath, his brother became very ANGRY with him- I Samuel 17:26-29.
3. When the sinful woman came into Simon the Pharisees house uninvited to anoint Jesus’ feet with perfume, Simon became very angry. Yet, Jesus said that it was an "ACT of FAITH"- Luke 7:36ff.
4. The entire MINISTRY of Jesus was one CONTROVERSY after another, and yet He did not BUDGE one inch from His MISSION despite the people He OFFENDED and UPSET.
COMMENT:
If we are true FOLLOWERS of Jesus and set out to WALK in His STEPS by FAITH, we are going to create CONTROVERSY. Sadly, much of the CONTROVERSY comes within the church by people who haven’t the COURAGE to "WALK by FAITH."
B. "WALKING by FAITH and not by SIGHT" is SCARY!
ILLUSTRATION:
I am sure when the leaders of this church decided to STEP OUT ON FAITH and SELL the building on Chicago Street and build in our present LOCATION, it created CONTROVERSY and FEAR of the UNKNOWN. But now we have a NICE FACILITY in which to WORSHIP.
1. Scary or not, I truly believe that there is no way that we can TAP into the POWER that God says is
available to the church until we STEP OUT on FAITH.
2. I have seen marvelous things happen within the Lord’s church when God¡¦s people STEPPED OUT on FAITH and not by SIGHT.
CONCLUSION:
ILLUSTRATION:
There were two Churches of Christ in the small north Texas town. The church where I ministered had split from the older church years before over some petty differences.
I was beginning a sermon series on the "One-another" passages of the Bible, when Gabe, a former elder, got up and walked up to the pulpit and said, "Fred, do you trust me?" Confused as to why he interrupted my lesson to ask if I trusted him, I warily said "Yes". Gabe then asked to speak with the congregation. I relinquished the pulpit and sat down.
I’m unable to recall the exact words, but in essence Gabe pointed out a lack of love that permeated our congregation. Then he requested that we get up and hug one of our brothers or sisters. No one moved!
Raising his voice he pleaded, "Do you hear me? Please go hug one of your brothers or sisters and say "I love you." Immediately I jumped up and ran to the song leader and hugged him. Almost everyone else followed suit.
"Okay," he said, "now let’s go across town and tell our brothers and sisters at the other church that we love them, too.’ No one moved!
Returning to the pulpit I said, "I was going to present a lesson on strengthening Christian relationships this morning, but brother Gabe did a much better job than I could have. Let’s get into our cars and tell our brothers and sisters across town that we love them."
The majority of the congregation got into their vehicles and headed toward the downtown church. As the long procession began, someone commented to Tom, our Family Involvement Minister, that it looked as if someone had died and we were going to a funeral. "We are going to a funeral," Tom astutely replied. "We are dying to ourselves!"
During the invitation song Gabe came forward and requested to speak to the congregation. He told the assembly that there had been hard feelings between the two churches since the split. He said we had come to let them know that we love them and want full fellowship once again.
We sang the song: Blest Be the Tie That Binds, and closed with a prayer.
After the "Amen," almost everyone in the building started embracing each other. I overheard comments like:
"I’m sorry for the way we have been acting."
"Let’s forget the past."
"I have done you wrong. Will you please forgive me?"
Tears. Laughter. Hugs and kisses. Hearts opened. Offenses forgiven. Grudges forgotten. Bitterness melted. Barriers destroyed. Hatred dissipated. Love permeated.
One could truly feel and see the effects of the Holy Spirit moving through that little church all because of the efforts of one man who dared to step out on faith even when he was afraid.
