Text: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
Story: “Show Much Have You?”
A friend tells of overhearing two little girls, playmates, who were counting over their pennies. One said, “I have five pennies.” The other said, “I have ten.”
“No,” said the first little girl, “you have just five cents, the same as I.”
“But,” the second child quickly replied, “My father said that when he came home tonight, he would give me five cents, and so I have ten cents.”
The child’s faith gave her proof of that which she did not as yet see, and she counted it as being already hers, because it had been already promised by her father.
-----Otterbein Teacher
Do you and I have this kind of faith? Can you and I think and believe like these little girls? Children are amazing in many respects, but especially in the area of trusting and believing.
If you tell your son or daughter you are going to do something involving them, you had better come through. They trust and believe in your honesty. Their faith ensures them of something that has not yet transpired as if it already has become reality.
I. Where there is faith there is doubt
II. Where there is faith there is life
III. Where there is faith there is Jesus
Let’s look at faith through the eyes of a father who had a desperate need. His son suffered from seizures leading to convulsions. This father had faith just as you and I have and he knew that his son could be made whole.
This event takes place as Jesus, Peter, James and John return from the mountain where “The Transfiguration” had taken place. “When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them” (Mark 9:14).
The father had taken his son to the disciples believing that they could cast out the demon from his son that was causing the seizures. The father might have witnessed the work of the disciples on previous occasions: “And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them” (Mark 6:13).
I can imagine the father’s excitement as he prepared to take his son to be healed. His faith was overflowing knowing that the disciples would cast out the demon causing the seizures. His son would be able to live a normal life and the father-son normal activities would be restored without fear of seizures.
There were many people surrounding the disciples and included in the group were scribes. Jesus and the scribes did not see eye to eye. Jesus called them hypocrites because outwardly they appeared to be generous in their teaching and instruction, but inwardly, they were greedy. There was a tendency for them to take advantage of people in order to collect excess fees for their services.
As Jesus, Peter, James and John approached the crowd; they heard arguing and disputing. As the people saw Jesus, they ran to greet Him. In reality, Jesus already knew the issue at hand, but He still asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?” (Mark 9:16).
At this time, the scribes were probably not too happy when Jesus appeared, but without a doubt, the disciples were happy. When Jesus asked the scribes what the discussion was about, the scribes did not reply. By the same token, the disciples did not respond, but a man in the crowd did respond. This man was the father who brought his son to be healed.
This was the father who had a great deal of faith, but when the disciples could not cast out the demon, his faith turned to doubt. To make matters worse, the scribes pitched in and began to take advantage of the fact the disciples failed in their endeavor to free the boy of the demon. This brought about discussion, arguing, and words that belittled the disciples making them look bad and feel bad in the presence of the crowd.
This same thing happens to all of us. Each one of us has faith, but there are times when something doesn’t occur or something doesn’t happen as we think it should that we begin to doubt. This is the moment the devil is waiting for. It is at this time Satan is planting negative seeds in our mind.
Jesus said, “….if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).
When a seed is planted, God causes changes in that seed so that the power of life springs up through the soil and extends upward in the form of a plant.
The same thing happens when we take our faith and release it to God a miracle takes place. Just like the little seed planted in the ground takes on a change, our faith placed into action takes on a change.
You might asked, “How do I know I have faith?” You know you have faith because God “….God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).
The fact that the disciples could not cast the demon from the boy caused the father’s faith to be shaken and weakened. This happens to most of us every day.
We are like Peter when he saw Jesus walking upon the water and said to Jesus, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water” (Matthew 14:28). Peter did fine as long as he kept his eye on Jesus, but as soon as he began to concentrate on the negative aspects of the wind, he took his eyes off Jesus and he began to sink.
Jesus said, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). Jesus gave His disciples the power to carry on regardless of the hardships or difficulties they may encounter. He has given us that same power. The measure of faith we have has God given power just as the seed planted in the ground.
God gives us the same power today as He gave his disciples. On the other hand, the devil is working as hard today as he did in the days of the disciples. We have a choice and as a Christian our choice is to believe, trust, and follow God’s Word.
Where there is faith there is doubt.
After the father informed Jesus concerning the failure of the disciples, Jesus took immediate command. Jesus said, “Bring him to Me” (Mark 9:19). Jesus was about to show the father that where there is faith there is life. The seed of faith can be very minute, but when planted in the Maker, a miracle occurs.
Maybe the disciples failed in their attempt to cast out the demon because they were relying on their own efforts and not on the power of Almighty God. Satan is continuously at work casting doubts our way. Victory in life can only come through faith in Jesus Christ.
The father brought the boy to Jesus and Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” (Mark 9:21). The father said the boy has suffered since childhood.
At this time, the father must have still had some doubt because he said to Jesus, “….But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us” (Mark 9:22). The father’s faith still showed a weak faith by the way he asked Jesus for help.
To indicate that faith and life go together, Jesus said to the father, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). Jesus meant that anything is possible if we believe because nothing is impossible for God.
The Father will give us all things we need to serve Him. We won’t get everything we pray for because many of the things we pray for will not bring glory and praise to the Father.
The father responded to Jesus’ question by saying, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). We must diligently seek God and believe that by doing this, we will be rewarded. Hebrews 11:6 says, “….for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”
Faith and life go together.
Jesus said to the unclean spirit, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” (Mark 9:25). As the father watched, the boy convulsed and became as a dead person. As indicated in the Scripture, everyone though the boy to be dead, but “Jesus gook him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose” (Mark 9:27).
Can you imagine how the father’s heart was racing and the excitement in his body as he saw the boy alive and well? I can see the father embracing the boy and shedding tears of joy for the healing that had taken place. I can also see the scribes as they move away from the crowd hoping no one would see them.
Faith and Jesus go together.
Conclusion:
Hebrews 11:1
‘Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:6
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
All of us have a measure of faith, but doubt is present.
Faith brings us into a living relationship with God Almighty.
Faith in God the Father who sent His Son Jesus to pay our sin debt gives us the opportunity to regain a right relationship with Him and to spend eternity in His kingdom.
Later when the disciples and Jesus were together in private, the disciples said to Jesus, “Why could we not cast it (demon) out?” (Mark 9:28).
Jesus responded with these words, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29).
Jesus was saying that there will be tough situations in life that we will all face and the only way to deal with them is through prayer. It is through prayer that God gives us faith and power. The only way we can be victorious over situations in life that seem impossible is through prayer.
James 5:16 says, “The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
Learning
“You will never learn faith in comfortable surroundings. God gives us the promises in a quiet hour; God seals our covenants with great and gracious words, then He steps back and waits to see how much we believe; then He lets the tempter come, and the test seems to contradict all that He has spoken. It is then that faith wins its crown. That is the time to look up through the storm, and cry, “I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me.”
---From Streams in the Desert
Amen.
