Meeting The Challenge
“A People of Faith”
2 Timothy 4:7 / Hebrews 11
* Do you remember that old challenge, “I dare you?” Or how about the next level, “I double-dog dare you?” Those words were a ‘line in the sand’ type of statement. Most of the time, we would rise to the challenge or go down trying. No self-respecting southern male would walk away from this.
* This month I am laying before us a similar challenge. In fact, if I thought it would work, before God, I would ‘double dog dare us’ because we have a huge challenge before us. In our community we literally have church buildings on every corner. We have all sizes, types, flavors, and styles. (From time to time it occurs to me about how much more effective for the Kingdom we could be together than separate even why it is that, even those who believe alike cannot be together—but that will wait).
* Here is the sad part, just as surely as we have church buildings on every corner; there are people on those same corners who have no relationship with God through Jesus. The heart wrenching, heart breaking part of all of this is that it seems like the two cultures never intersect. While it is not surprising that the unchurched, unsaved culture seem to want little to do with the church, I wonder; do we really have a concern about them & their eternal destination? If we do possess a concern, what is it that we are willing to do to show that concern so they can know the Jesus we know?
* When the Apostle Paul was facing his death, he penned one final letter to the young preacher we know as Timothy. As far as we know, 2 Timothy is the last letter Paul would write. In chapter 4:7 he writes, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.”
* As we think about “Meeting the Challenges” which we face, let us center our thoughts on these words of Paul. Two years ago, I preached a 3 part series of messages from this one verse on “How do you stay the course?” Today, this verse is still as fresh as it was back then.
* However, every time I read this verse it gives me the sense that Paul was on the third & final journey of his manhood (journey of sacrifice). A review of his life & ministry will reveal that he has lived out all three journeys in the life of a man (submission, strength, & sacrifice). As he reviews his own life he writes, “I have fought, I have run, and I have kept.” Today let’s talk about this “Keeping the Faith” and what it might mean.
* If we are to meet the challenges we are facing today, we must be a people of faith so our community can see a people of faith so that they will come & share our faith with us. FOR SOME: this reality is painful as it will require a personal check up about your faith. Let’s begin here with ‘faith.’ Let’s ask & answer 3 questions about faith; what is it, what it does, & will do?
1. What Faith Is? – (Hebrews 11:1) – So much of what we do in life displays faith. Without thinking we turn on a light switch, the ignition key for our car, or push the button on our ‘garage door opener’ expecting a response. We expect the response because, without even thinking about it, we trust the power company to provide the power. We know that if the power is on, the light bulb will work (if it is a good bulb). This is the essence of faith. When we see something work so well & so often, it receives our trust with no thought. We simply have faith. We can’t see the electricity, the remote control frequency for our garage door opener, or even the internal combustion of the car engine, but through the success of past performance, our faith tells us what will happen.
* Or how about this: you go to a doctor whose name you cannot pronounce and whose degrees you have never verified. He gives you a prescription you cannot read. You take it to a pharmacist you have never seen before. He gives you a chemical compound you do not understand. Then you go home and take the pill according to the instructions on the bottle. All in trusting, sincere faith!
* We never have to question whether God can do what He says He will do because He done it before. He has demonstrated His power in a myriad of ways. He parted the Red Sea, closed the mouth of Lions, cooled the fiery furnace, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, and even raised the dead. We can trust Him because He has proven Himself trustworthy, and we can put our faith in Him because He is worthy of our faith.
* Faith is the essence, the reality, the assurance, and the substances of things hoped for. The Greek word is “hupostasis” which is a compound word which would mean ‘underpinning’, a ‘substructure’, or even a ‘foundation.’ It is the foundation for those things we have not seen. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “We (believers) focus on what is unseen because what we see is only temporary.” If God people could ever get our minds around this one trust, it would revolutionize what we do. Why are we called to be the ‘light?’ Could it be that we are to ‘light the way’ to those things which are unseen? Could it be that the reason so few sees the way to God that so little focused light is pointing the way? People are looking to find God more than ever and the culture is as dark as it has ever been, so could it be that people of faith have another kind of faith.
* Consider 7 different types of faith which I see in God’s word:
a) A Deceived Faith – You may ask, “What could this be?” In Psalms 20:7 it says, “Some trust in horses” which symbolizes ‘their own strength.”
* We may not like to hear this but when we put our trust in the bottom line, our bank account, what fits human logic, or anything other than Jesus, we have inadvertently developed a deceived faith.
* Additionally, when we give ‘credence’ to other beliefs, we have a deceived faith. Think about the “Rich Young Ruler.” He had faith in HIS life, HIS possession, HIS goodness, & walked away from the ‘truth.’
b) A Demonic Faith – This is not a demon-possessed faith, this is having the faith of demons. James 2:19 says, “You believe that God is one? You do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.” The demons believe God is one, they know it, BUT – there is no trust, no obedience, & no hope of eternity. This might be a telling point for some. Do we believe in God more than the demons? The difference is, we may respond to Him, but they won’t and don’t respond. How sad it would be if you and I didn’t have more faith than the demons.
c) A Dangerous Faith – Five times in the gospel of Matthew does Jesus speak of a ‘little faith’ and I will submit that having only little faith is dangerous. Why do I say this is a ‘dangerous faith?’ Follow the reasoning: Every time Jesus used this term, He was expressing disappointment & amazement. Next, the impact this gives the gospel & our Lord the appearance of impotence and inability. Jesus came down from the transfiguration & was faced with the problem of inept disciples. It would be fair to say, that the dad was ready to walk away from the truth, the help, & from the faith.
d) A Damaged Faith – It’s a familiar story, but not told nearly as much today. Numbers 20 records the story of God telling Moses & Aaron to take the staff and speak to the rock and solve the water problem for the people. Instead Moses (possibly a little perturbed at the COI) spoke to & struck the rock. He did more than what God said was required. Verse 24 records God giving Moses the sad news that neither he nor his dead brother would be allowed into the Promised Land. Why? They had ‘broken faith’ (Deut 32:51) by their disobedience. Many lessons can be learned here.
e) A Developing Faith – Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10, ‘as your faith continues to grow or is increased.’ Faith should always be growing & increasing. In Romans we are told that, “Faith comes by hearing & hearing by the word” which means we must be listening & growing. By the way, Jesus uses a Mustard Seed illustration which teaches us much.
f) A Deep Faith - Scripture is replete with examples of this type of faith. Ephesians 3 speaks about being rooted & grounded for understanding the deeper things of God while chapter 4 speaks about ‘maturity’, Being rooted pictures a deep root that has grown down as deep as the trees grows up. In Matthew 9, Jesus encountered 2 blind men desiring to see. When they expressed their desire He said, “Let it be done by your faith.”
Dr. Luke records many of the healings of Jesus. At least 7 times Jesus states, “YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WELL!!” What would our lives be like if our Lord only responded this way?
g) A Dynamic Faith – Dynamic faith doesn’t show where you might expect it, at least it didn’t for Jesus. In Luke 7 a Roman Centurion came to Jesus seeking hearing for his slave. Jesus said, “Let’s go” and the response was ‘You don’t have to come, just speak it.” Jesus called this a “GREAT Faith”.
* A developing, deepening, and dynamic faith is what Jesus calls us to, it’s what He died for, and it’s why He came to earth. Without faith, it’s impossible to please God and to spend eternity in heaven.
2. What Faith does? – Authentic faith impacts our life. We do what we believe, the rest is just talk. Consider 3 ways authentic faith impacts;
* It will control what you do – Verse 4-38 gives us a list along with the actions of is commonly called, “Faith’s Hall of Fame.” The list is long, but is incomplete as not all the names are listed. The only way to be admitted into a hall of fame is to earn your way in. These were so obedient to the word, will, and ways of God that they are listed. Obedience is the key.
* It will change how you think – Abraham’s faith was tested by his son of promise. It would be safe to assume that Abraham had no clue that God would ask him to sacrifice Isaac. But when God gave the word, Abraham’s thought processes were that God had the power to bring the “Son of Promise” back to life and the God had a reason for His call.
* It will convey whose you are – While we tend to think we fool people, the truth is, that happens very little. What comes out of our mouth & what others see in our lives are very revealing. A person’s heart (faith) is clear as water because it is seen in their words & deeds. To be a person of faith is to walk by, live by, be justified by,
3. What Faith will do? – Our authentic faith will impact our life so that we can impact the lives of others.
* It will give you an Approval – (Vs 2) Most of us have applied for a loan on a house & were excited when you heard the words “APPROVED!” You were approved based on information about you. Your faith in Christ will give approval on several different levels with salvation leading the way. By grace you are saved thru faith!
* It will give you an Assignment - (Vs 32-34) My faith gives me a purpose! All the saints had a purpose. God gives every believer a purpose or an assignment! Jesus was always saying, “GO.” We are to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth, and the face of a gracious God to this world.
* It will give you an Aim – (Vs 40) this is a goal or target. What exactly is this? Look at Vs 40---to gain what God has provided for us. Be practical with me—God’s call to each of us is found in the Great Command & the Great Commission. Within these we live with & touch people with the truth so that they can find eternal life & we don’t meet HIM empty handed. As a people of faith, we are to answer HIS call of faith.
