THE POWER OF THE FAITH OF OTHERS
MATTHEW 9:1-7 GETTING INTO A BOAT, JESUS CROSSED OVER THE SEA AND CAME TO HIS OWN CITY. 2 AND THEY BROUGHT TO HIM A PARALYTIC LYING ON A BED. SEEING THEIR FAITH, JESUS SAID TO THE PARALYTIC, "TAKE COURAGE, SON; YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN." 3 AND SOME OF THE SCRIBES SAID TO THEMSELVES, "THIS FELLOW BLASPHEMES." 4 AND JESUS KNOWING THEIR THOUGHTS SAID, "WHY ARE YOU THINKING EVIL IN YOUR HEARTS? 5 "WHICH IS EASIER, TO SAY, 'YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN,' OR TO SAY, 'GET UP, AND WALK'? 6 "BUT SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT THE SON OF MAN HAS AUTHORITY ON EARTH TO FORGIVE SINS"—THEN HE *SAID TO THE PARALYTIC, "GET UP, PICK UP YOUR BED AND GO HOME." 7 AND HE GOT UP AND WENT HOME.
INTRODUCTION: PERHAPS ONE OF THE WAYS WE MOVE INTO HAVING A LIFE OF GREAT FAITH IS BY ENLISTING THE HELP OF OTHERS.
I AM WOEFULLY OUT OF PRACTICE PLAYING GOLF. IN FACT IT HAS BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE I HAVE PLAYED A ROUND. BUT, WHEN I PLAYED, I ALWAYS TRIED TO PLAY WITH SOMEONE WHO I KNEW HAD A MUCH BETTER GAME THAN I DID. NOW, I WAS NOT LOOKING TO LOSE, WHAT I WAS LOOKING TO DO WAS USE THEM TO SPUR ME TO PLAY BETTER GOLF. I WOULD WATCH THEIR SWING, BALL PLACEMENT, AND CLUB SELECTION. THE END RESULT WAS THAT I HAD A BETTER GAME IN THE END.
ILLUSTRATION: JOHN NEWTON, AUTHOR OF THE SONG AMAZING GRACE, HAD RECEIVED FROM THE LORD SOME ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE ANSWERS TO HIS PETITIONS, AND SO HE OFTEN ENGAGED IN "LARGE ASKING." IN SUPPORT OF THIS PRACTICE HE WOULD FREQUENTLY TELL THE STORY OF A MAN WHO ASKED ALEXANDER THE GREAT TO GIVE HIM A HUGE SUM OF MONEY IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS DAUGHTER'S HAND IN MARRIAGE.
THE RULER CONSENTED AND TOLD HIM TO REQUEST OF HIS TREASURER WHATEVER HE WANTED. SO HE WENT AND ASKED FOR AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT. THE KEEPER TO THE FUNDS WAS STARTLED AND SAID HE COULDN'T GIVE HIM THAT MUCH WITHOUT A DIRECT ORDER. GOING TO ALEXANDER, THE TREASURER ARGUED THAT EVEN A SMALL FRACTION OF THE MONEY REQUESTED WOULD MORE THAN SERVE THE PURPOSE.
"NO," REPLIED ALEXANDER, "LET HIM HAVE IT ALL. I LIKE THAT FELLOW. HE DOES ME HONOR. HE TREATS ME LIKE A KING AND PROVES BY WHAT HE ASKS THAT HE BELIEVES ME TO BE BOTH RICH AND GENEROUS." JOHN NEWTON CONCLUDED THE STORY BY SAYING, "IN THE SAME WAY, WE SHOULD GO TO THE THRONE OF GOD'S GRACE AND PRESENT PETITIONS THAT EXPRESS HONORABLE VIEWS OF THE LOVE, RICHES, AND BOUNTY OF OUR KING!" ASK GOD FOR GREAT THINGS AND TRUST HIM TO FULFILL YOUR GREAT EXPECTATIONS.
HEBREWS 4:16- LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY UNTO THE THRONE OF GRACE, THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY, AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.
WHAT WE SEE HERE IS THE RESULT OF “LARGE ASKING”
THERE ARE REASON WE SHOULD ASK LARGE FOR OTHER MEN OF FAITH – GREATER FAITH THAN WE POSSESS, TO COME ALONGSIDE US FOR THE EXPRESSED PURPOSE OF STRENGTHENING OUR FAITH TOWARDS GREATNESS.
I. THE FAITH OF OTHERS INCREASES OUR FAITH
a. PREVIOUSLY, CHRIST HAD HEALED MANY
b. NOW CHRIST IS IN A PLACE WHERE THESE MEN CAN BRING THEIR FRIEND FOR THE SAME HEALING
c. REAL FAITH HERE COMPELS ACTION
i. BRING THE MAN TO JESUS
ii. CLIMBING THE ROOF AND TEARING IT OPEN
iii. LOWERING THE PARALYZED MAN DOWN
d. MAN IN THE BED HAD NO COMPLAINT, AGREEING TO WHAT THE OTHERS WERE DOING
i. NOT SURE WHAT HE MAY HAVE BEEN THINKING
ii. CONVENTIONAL THOUGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN THAT HIS CONDITION WAS A RESULT OF SIN.
1. WHEN WE TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT IT, SIN STILL PARALYZES US TODAY (AND THE WORLD FOR THAT MATTER)
2. SINCE THE FIRST SIN IN THE GARDEN, MAN HAS FOUGHT THE EFFECTS OF SIN
a. DEATH
b. ILLNESS
c. PRODUCTION
3. THE ROOT CAUSE SIN AND THE ISSUES WE FACE IS SPIRITUAL.
4. THAT IS THE REASON JESUS FORGAVE FIRST AND THEN HEALED!
e. THE PROCESS OF USING YOUR FAITH
i. YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM
ii. YOU HAVE THE DESIRE TO USE YOUR TIME AND ENERGY
iii. YOU HAVE THE INGENUITY TO SEEK THE SOLUTION
iv. YOU HAVE AN IRREFUTABLE FAITH IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING
f. THE PROCESS OF FAITH IN THE SITUATION
i. THESE MEN WANTED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF THE MAN IN THE BED
ii. THE WERE WILLING TO USE THEIR TIME, ENERGY, AND PASSION
iii. THEY KNEW THE SOLUTION – JESUS
iv. THEY HAD A FAITH THE WAS ROCK SOLID AND LET NOTHING HINDER IT!
g. THE REACTIONS TO THE FAITH OF OTHERS
i. EVIDENT TO JESUS – RESULTS IN ACTION BY THE LORD
ii. EVIDENT TO OTHERS IN THE CROWD
MARK 2:12 AND HE GOT UP AND IMMEDIATELY PICKED UP THE PALLET AND WENT OUT IN THE SIGHT OF EVERYONE, SO THAT THEY WERE ALL AMAZED AND WERE GLORIFYING GOD, SAYING, "WE HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS."
1. THE CROWD WAS AMAZED – “PUT OUT OF POSITION, DISPLACE, OR CHANGE OF PLACE”
a. IN OTHER WORDS THEY WERE SHIFTED ABOUT THEIR PERCEPTION OF CHRIST.
b. THEY KNOW LONGER VIEWED HIM THE SAME WAY
2. THEY GAVE GLORY TO GOD
a. LITERALLY, GOD WAS HONORED IN THEIR LIVES
WHAT WAS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS RESULT – THE FAITH AND SUBSEQUENT ACTING ON THAT FAITH BY THE MEN WHO CARRIED THEIR FRIEND TO JESUS!
II. THE FAITH OF OTHERS CALMS OUR FEARS
a. WE LIVE IN A WORLD FILLED WITH THINGS TO FEAR
i. EBOLA – JUST RECENTLY HAD MATERIAL TO READ REGARDING PRECAUTIONS IN THIS AREA.
ii. ISIS
iii. SOUTH KOREA
iv. IDENTITY THEFT
v. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
b. THOSE WHO FOCUS TOO MUCH ON THEIR FEARS ARE DEBILITATED BY THEM.
i. JUST THINK OF THOSE AFFECTED BY A PHOBIA. THAT PHOBIA INCAPACITATES THEM!
c. NOTICE THE WORDS OF CHRIST AS HE SEES THE MAN ON THE BED BEING LOWERED THROUGH THE ROOF AND THE FAITH OF THE MEN DOING THE LOWERING
i. JESUS SAYS “TAKE COURAGE”
ii. THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COURAGE IN SCRIPTURE
1. COURAGE #1 IS THE COURAGE THAT SAY, “BEAR P UNDER WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH, DO NOT GIVE IN.”
a. THIS IS NOT THE COURAGE JESUS IS TELLING THE MAN TO HAVE
2. COURAGE #2 IS THE COURAGE THAT ALLOWS US TO BE CALM BECAUSE IT HAS ELIMINATED THE CAUSE OF OUR FEAR
d. THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MOMENT; THAT FAITH OF OTHERS BROUGHT THIS MAN TO JESUS WITH THE RESULT THAT HIS FEARS COULD BE CALMED
e. THE SAME IS TRUE TODAY
i. WE NEED TO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR CALM IN OUR WORLD TODAY
ii. JESUS COULD TELL THE MAN TO BE CALM BECAUSE HE (CHRIST) KNEW WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO.
iii. YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS AN ENTIRE BOOK THAT LAYS OUR GOD’S PLAN FOR OUR PRESENT AND OUR FUTURE. NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, AND THEREFORE, NO REASON TO FEAR.
iv. KEY POINT IS THAT THE LEVEL OF OUR FAITH IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE LEVEL OF OUR CALM. THIS CAN CHANGE WITH THE SITUATION.
1. I CAN HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF FAITH IN ONE AREA AND A LOW LEVEL OF FAITH IN ANOTHER.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE SEEK OUT PEOPLE OF FAITH THAT CAN BRING CALM INTO OUR LIVES!
III. THE FAITH OF OTHERS REVEALS OUR CONVICTIONS
a. THE ACTIVITY OF JESUS – FORGIVENESS AND HEALING RESULT IN TWO VERY DIFFERENT RESPONSES
b. THE FIRST RESPONSE IS ONE OF AMAZEMENT
c. THE SECOND RESPONSE IS ONE OF CONTEMPT AND ACCUSATION
d. THE ACCUSATION IS BLASPHEMY
i. EXTREME
ii. PUNISHABLE BY DEATH
e. JESUS DEALS DIRECTLY WITH THE ISSUE
i. WHICH IS EASIER
ii. SIN ARE FORGIVEN
iii. GET UP AND WALK
f. THE VALUE OF ACTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAITH
i. IMPORTANT THAT OUR ACTIONS MATCH OUR FAITH
ii. MORE IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT OUR ACTIONS WILL MATCH OUR FAITH!
g. OBSTACLES TO FAITH
i. PEOPLE
ii. POSSESSIONS
iii. FALSE PERCEPTIONS
iv. PASSION (LOVE) FOR SIN
v. PREJUDICE
h. OBSTACLES TO OR REDUCERS OF FAITH
i. BE ON GUARD
ii. YOUR FAITH DEPENDS ON IT!
