YOUR FAITH
MATTHEW 17:14-21 WHEN THEY CAME TO THE CROWD, A MAN CAME UP TO JESUS, FALLING ON HIS KNEES BEFORE HIM AND SAYING, 15 "LORD, HAVE MERCY ON MY SON, FOR HE IS A LUNATIC AND IS VERY ILL; FOR HE OFTEN FALLS INTO THE FIRE AND OFTEN INTO THE WATER. 16 "I BROUGHT HIM TO YOUR DISCIPLES, AND THEY COULD NOT CURE HIM." 17 AND JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID, "YOU UNBELIEVING AND PERVERTED GENERATION, HOW LONG SHALL I BE WITH YOU? HOW LONG SHALL I PUT UP WITH YOU? BRING HIM HERE TO ME." 18 AND JESUS REBUKED HIM, AND THE DEMON CAME OUT OF HIM, AND THE BOY WAS CURED AT ONCE. 19 THEN THE DISCIPLES CAME TO JESUS PRIVATELY AND SAID, "WHY COULD WE NOT DRIVE IT OUT?" 20 AND HE *SAID TO THEM, "BECAUSE OF THE LITTLENESS OF YOUR FAITH; FOR TRULY I SAY TO YOU, IF YOU HAVE FAITH THE SIZE OF A MUSTARD SEED, YOU WILL SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, 'MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE,' AND IT WILL MOVE; AND NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO YOU. 21 ["BUT THIS KIND DOES NOT GO OUT EXCEPT BY PRAYER AND FASTING."]
FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND BY MARY STEVENSON
ONE NIGHT I HAD A DREAM--
I DREAMED I WAS WALKING ALONG THE BEACH WITH THE LORD
AND ACROSS THE SKY FLASHED SCENES FROM MY LIFE.
FOR EACH SCENE I NOTICED TWO SETS OF FOOTPRINTS,
ONE BELONGED TO ME AND THE OTHER TO THE LORD.
WHEN THE LAST SCENE OF MY LIFE FLASHED BEFORE ME,
I LOOKED BACK AT THE FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND.
I NOTICED THAT MANY TIMES ALONG THE PATH OF MY LIFE,
THERE WAS ONLY ONE SET OF FOOTPRINTS.
I ALSO NOTICED THAT IT HAPPENED AT THE VERY LOWEST
AND SADDEST TIMES IN MY LIFE.
THIS REALLY BOTHERED ME AND I QUESTIONED THE LORD ABOUT IT.
"LORD, YOU SAID THAT ONCE I DECIDED TO FOLLOW YOU,
YOU WOULD WALK WITH ME ALL THE WAY,
BUT I HAVE NOTICED THAT DURING THE MOST TROUBLESOME TIMES IN MY LIFE
THERE IS ONLY ONE SET OF FOOTPRINTS.
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IN TIMES WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST,
YOU SHOULD LEAVE ME."
THE LORD REPLIED, "MY PRECIOUS, PRECIOUS CHILD,
I LOVE YOU AND I WOULD NEVER, NEVER LEAVE YOU
DURING YOUR TIMES OF TRIAL AND SUFFERING.
"WHEN YOU SAW ONLY ONE SET OF FOOTPRINTS,
IT WAS THEN THAT I CARRIED YOU."
INTRODUCTION: SO FAR IN OUR SERIES ON FAITH, WE HAVE LOOKED AT LITTLE FAITH, GREAT FAITH, AND THEIR FAITH. NOW, AS WE CONTINUE, WE WANT TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO LOOK AT “YOUR FAITH”. JESUS, AS HE SPEAKS TO HIS DISCIPLES, IS CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR FAITH, ESPECIALLY AFTER HE HAS LEFT. WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR US, IS TO DEVELOP A FAITH THAT CARRIES US THROUGH THIS LIFE UNTIL WE SEE CHRIST.
TRANSITION: THERE ARE FOUR POINTS ABOUT “YOUR FAITH” THAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW.
I. FAITH IS OURS TO POSSESS
a. JESUS SPEAKS OF FAITH IN TERMS OF “IF”
b. “IF” IN REALITY IS “SINCE”
c. THE REALITY IS WE POSSESS FAITH AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.
d. THE QUESTION TO ANSWER IS WHAT TYPE OF FAITH DO WE POSSESS?
i. DO WE POSSESS THAT “LITTLE FAITH” WE SPOKE ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO
1. LITTLE FAITH IS THE FAITH I HAVE WHEN I HAVE SOMETHING “IN HAND”.
2. SALVATION IS A FORM OF “LITTLE FAITH”.
3. WHEN I CAME TO KNOW CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR, I EXERCISED FAITH.
4. THIS EXERCISED FAITH CANNOT BE TAKEN BACK, NOR THE RESULT OF THAT FAITH LOST.
ii. DO WE POSSESS THE “GREAT FAITH” OR THE “THEIR FAITH” WE SPOKE ABOUT IN THE PREVIOUS WEEKS?
1. BOTH OF THESE ARE FAITHS OF “EMPTY HANDS”.
2. BOTH OF THESE ARE FAITHS OF TRUST.
a. CENTURION IS TRUSTING IN THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST
b. WOMAN IS TRUSTING IN THE MERCY OF CHRIST
c. FRIENDS ARE TRUSTING IN THE POWER OF CHRIST
SAVING FAITH IS NOT A SUFFICIENT FAITH TO USE THE POWER GOD HAS GIVEN TO US AS HIS CHILDREN.
e. NOTICE THAT OUR TEXT INVOLVES THOSE WHO FOLLOWED CHRIST AS HIS DISCIPLES.
i. THESE WERE THE ONES WHO HAD BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY TO DO THE THINGS THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DO.
ii. THEY HAD ALSO BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL UP TO THIS POINT (HAD RECEIVED THE AUTHORITY FROM CHRIST ABOUT A YEAR EARLIER)
MATTHEW 10:6-8 BUT RATHER GO TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 7 "AND AS YOU GO, PREACH, SAYING, 'THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.' 8 "HEAL THE SICK, RAISE THE DEAD, CLEANSE THE LEPERS, CAST OUT DEMONS. FREELY YOU RECEIVED, FREELY GIVE.
MARK 6:13 AND THEY WERE CASTING OUT MANY DEMONS AND WERE ANOINTING WITH OIL MANY SICK PEOPLE AND HEALING THEM.
iii. LOOKS LIKE THE DISCIPLES HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WE HAVE TODAY – USING OUR FAITH WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF HAVING CHRIST IN HAND.
1. FOR THE DISCIPLES – CHRIST WAS THERE, COULD ALWAYS GO TO HIM
2. FOR US, WE HAVE YET TO ABIDE IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST. EVERYTHING WE DO, WE DO WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF HAVING CHRIST “IN HAND”.
OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE TO JESUS (AND TO US AS WELL) IS THE DEVELOPING OF OUR FAITH IN ORDER TO USE ALL THAT IS OURS AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.
II. FAITH IS OURS TO DEVELOP
a. DEVELOPING OUR FAITH HAS STARTS WITH JESUS
i. OUR FIRST STEP IN A DEVELOPING AND DEVELOPED FAITH IS JESUS!
ii. JESUS SPEAKS OF A PERVERTED GENERATION
1. THE WORD MEANS TO TWIST OR EVEN TO DRAW AWAY.
2. JESUS SHOULD BE OUR FIRST DIRECTION
3. THIS MAN SOUGHT TO DEAL WITH HIS ISSUE APART FROM JESUS
4. WE CANNOT HOPE TO GET REAL RESULTS APART FROM JESUS
iii. WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO POINT TO OTHERS, OR TO TRUST IN OTHERS INSTEAD OF TRUSTING IN JESUS!
1. FAITH FAILURES DO NOT COME BECAUSE OTHERS FAILED US, AS MUCH AS THEY COME FROM US FAILING TO GO TO JESUS WITH THE ISSUES!
2. THE BLAME GAME IS AS OLD AS THE GARDEN OF EDEN!
THE AMOUNT OF OUR FAITH IS LIMITED BY THE OBJECT OF OUR FAITH
b. DEVELOPING OUR FAITH CONTINUES WITH JESUS
i. OUR FAITH IS IMPORTANT IN SERVING GOD
ii. FAITH WITHOUT THE DIVINE CONNECTION IS A FAITH LACKING SOMETHING – IT IS A DEFICIENT FAITH
iii. THE LITTLENESS OF FAITH OR UNBELIEF IS IN REALITY A LACK OF FAITH.
1. FAITH WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK.
a. HAPPENS TO ALL OF US
b. SHOULD DRIVE US TO THE LORD
c. OFTEN DRIVES US AWAY FROM CHRIST!
c. DEVELOPING FAITH IS COMPLETED AFTER CHRIST
i. WHAT I MEAN BY THIS IS THAT THE TYPE OF FAITH WE NEED IS THE FAITH THAT OPERATES APART FROM THE VISIBLE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
ii. THIS WAS THIS ISSUE CHRIST WAS HAVING WITH THE DISCIPLES
1. THEY HAD CHRIST WITH THEM
2. THERE WAS A DEPENDENCY ON HIM
3. CHRIST WAS PREPARING THEM FOR MINISTRY AFTER HE WAS GONE
4. CHRIST GAVE THEM THE SAME RESOURCE FOR MINISTRY THAT HE HAS ALSO GIVEN TO US
a. THE HOLY SPIRIT
b. ENABLES US TO WALK WITH GOD
c. ENABLES US FOR MINISTRY
FAITH IS THE CONDUIT BETWEEN US AND GOD!
III. FAITH IS OURS TO ENGAGE
a. MUSTARD SEED FAITH
b. FAITH CAN BE QUANTIFIED BY THE QUALITY OF OUR FAITH
i. DO WE HAVE FAITH THAT GOES BEYOND THE FAITH THAT SAVES US?
c. WHAT JESUS IS SAYING ABOUT ENGAGING OUR FAITH
i. FAITH IS A SEED
1. THE FIRST PURPOSE OF A SEED IS TO SPROUT
a. SEVERAL FACTORS AFFECT THE ABILITY OF A SEED TO DO WHAT IT IS SUPPOSE TO DO
i. SPIRITUAL ISSUES
ii. PREPARATION ISSUES
iii. PRIORITY ISSUES
2. THE SECOND PURPOSE OF SEEDS IS TO REPRODUCE
a. A SEED THAT DOES NOT REPRODUCE BECOME THE END OF ITS KIND.
b. ONCE SOMETHING BECOMES EXTINCT, YOU NEVER SEE IT AGAIN!
ii. FAITH IS PERSISTENT
1. PRESENT TENSE FAITH
2. DAILY FAITH
3. FAITH THAT IS ACTIVE EVERY DAY
iii. FAITH IS SUFFICIENT
1. WITH FAITH WE CAN “MOVE MOUNTAINS”
2. TO MOVE A MOUNTAIN WAS TO SAY THAT NO ISSUE WAS INSURMOUNTABLE.
FAITH THAT REMAINS A SEED NEVER SEES ITS FULL POTENTIAL
IV. FAITH IS OURS TO SMOTHER
a. IN REALITY WE CAN LOOK AT THIS POINT IN THE FORM OF A QUESTION.
b. HOW MUCH FAITH DO WE REALLY NEED?
c. WE NEED ENOUGH FAITH TODAY SO THAT WE TURN TO GOD WHEN WE HAVE A MOUNTAIN TO CONQUER.
d. A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT GOD AND FAITH
i. GOD REWARDS OUR FAITH
ii. GOD LOVES IT WHEN WE COME TO HIM IN FAITH
iii. GOD HIMSELF IS PRESENT IN OUR DAILY FAITH
iv. GOD ASSURES US THAT BY FAITH WE ARE NEVER ALONE
OUR FAITH SHOULD ALWAYS BE ON THE ROAD TO GREATNESS
