INTRODUCTION:
We've been hearing about those fires in Southern California and floods in Louisiana. And I found this story that really spoke to me...
One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you." The father replied, "But I can see you and that's all that matters."
Do you believe in a God who is there with us through the fire and the flood?
Faith. The Bible teaches us to live… by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7)
Many times we cannot see what's up ahead or where God is leading us, but we can trust Him because we hear His voice calling us to take that leap of faith and He'll be there… to catch us.
From “Fresh Faith” By Jim Cymbala, Page 39- What do you think it would take to amaze Jesus? While on earth, was there anything that impressed him to the point of exclaiming, “That's really something! Wow!” Never in any chapter of the four Gospels was Jesus astounded by anybody's righteousness. Never was he impressed with anyone's wisdom or education.
But he was amazed by one thing: people's faith.
Almost every time that Jesus healed someone he said, “Your faith has healed you” or that they would be healed because of their faith. And he forgave people of their sins because of their great faith.
When those who brought the paralytic to Jesus tore through the roof just so their friend could be healed, Jesus saw their faith.
When the disciples cried out in the midst of storm, “Lord, save us! We're going to drown!” Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” just before he calmed the storm.
In Jesus' own hometown of Nazareth it says that he was unable to perform many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
When Jesus walked on the water and Peter also tried to do so but took his eyes off of the master and sank, Jesus caught him and said, “Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
When Jesus spoke to his disciples about forgiving those who sin against us, they begged him to, “Increase our faith!”
Once while traveling through Capernaum Jesus was met by a Roman Centurion. The soldier wanted Jesus to heal his servant who was at home paralyzed and suffering terribly.
Jesus agreed to go with him, but the man said, “No, I'm not worthy to have you enter my home. Just say the word and I know my servant will be healed.” And Jesus said, ““Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. Go, and let it be done just as you have believed it would be done.” And in that very moment his servant was healed.
FAITH means the conviction about the truth of something.
In Hebrews 11:1New American Standard Bible (NASB) it says…
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Faith means that we can trust in it, believe in it, and depend on it… Why? Because you believe that God is good and trustworthy, faithful, just, fair, and cares about you. So you read your Bible and do what it says. You pray faithfully asking for God's blessing and provision. You go to church to hear God's Word spoken and to Worship Him. Why? Because of your FAITH.
From “Fresh Faith” By Jim Cymbala, Page 43- By contrast, there are many others going to church today in America whose faith has gone dormant. You will see people who think that the object of Christianity is to read the Bible every day, try to live a good life as best they can, and thus earn God's approval.
What this reveals is a Christianity focused on our ability rather than God's.
Transition- Today I want to talk to you about your FAITH. And I want to ask you: Is seeing believing or is believing seeing?
BODY:
Please Turn in your Bibles to... Romans chapter one
Faith is one of main topics discussed in the Bible, mentioned 236 times in NIV and 257 times in the ESV. The word “faith” occurs 40 times in the Book of Romans in 35 different verses. In fact the only other book in the Bible that comes close to this is Hebrews (36 times in 32 verses). No other book in the Bible talks about faith as much as Romans.
Now I'm not planning on sharing with you all 35 verses, but I would like to look at a few key scriptures in Romans and talk about what they mean and how they apply to our lives in regards to faith.
First lets look at Romans 1:16-17New International Version (NIV)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
The righteous will live by faith?
Righteous! Might be a term back in the day of something being cool or something that you like or might enjoy (Shows my age, right?), but what is righteous according to the Bible. What is righteousness?
Righteousness means having “integrity, virtue, purity of life.” It means literally “rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling, and acting.”
It is the “condition of being acceptable to God.” Being Righteous before God.
But in Romans chapter three verses 10-12 it says:
As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
Later in Romans 3:23 it says:
For all have [what?] sinned and fall short of the glory of God...
We're all in the same boat. None of us has bragging rights to say, “I'm better. I'm worthy. Or I'm good enough.” Because none of us are. We're all hopeless messes in desperate need of salvation. How can God make you righteous?
Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel!” The Gospel is the Good News that you and I and everyone who hears this message can be saved from sin and from judgment and from Hell to live eternally free because of Jesus Christ. He says, “I'm not ashamed. I believe in it. I trust in it. I depend on it. And I will share it.”
I'm not ashamed because… because why? Because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.
You know there are a lot of people who feel powerless, beaten and discouraged by their addictions, by their vices and their past. They feel labeled and without hope… or beyond hope I should say. That even if God is good and forgiving, I'm not and I'm still going to be this person even if God does forgives me. Those of you who feel that way… who have the faith that God can forgive you but not enough faith that God can change you… listen to what he says:
In Romans 5:6 (NIV 1984) Paul says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”
Listen, it's not about your power or strength or who you are or who you were. It's about HIS… His power, His strength, His sacrifice. You say, “Well I can't see it. I can't see what He's doing. All I can see is me and my past and my weaknesses and temptations. How can I trust in what I cannot see?”
Is seeing believing or is believing seeing?
Why don't you ask yourself what you know to be true. If you stay here, what's going to happen? If you trust in your own ability, what's going to happen? If nothing changes, what will happen? Now, what do you believe to be true about God? Can you act on that? What can you do based upon that belief?
Can you open your Bible and read it? Can you pray and believe He hears you? Can you obey believing that He will give you what you need?
You see, I believe that you can come to say what it says in Philippians 4:13:
That I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Do you believe that? Can you act on that faith today?
Paul says, “I'm not ashamed of the gospel… I'm not ashamed of the Good News about Jesus. I'm proud of what I believe because “in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by [what?] faith.”
And in Romans 3:22 (NIV) he says…
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
CONCLUSION:
Augustine said, “Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of faith is to see what we believe.”
Now maybe you walked in here today believing the lie that you are beyond saving. You're putting in your time here at church hoping it will be enough to tip the scales in your favor. But I want to tell you… the Good News. There is hope… for you too. Just like there's hope for me. Because there is a good God who loves us calling our name saying, “Just jump! I'll catch you. I'm here and I won't let you fall… if you just trust me.”
Do you believe? Do you believe in that kind of God?
Please stand.
