Extraordinary Faith
March 10, 2019 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: We must trust God to take care of us.
Focus Passage: Matthew 8:5-13
Supplemental Passage: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
Introduction: Is your faith any greater than someone who doesn’t believe in God? That’s quite a question to ask this morning. But, in reality, most of us really falter when it comes to faith. We say we believe, but our actions say we don’t. We have nice little sayings that we like to throw around: “let go and let God”; “I believe”; “God can do it”. But when the rubber hits the road, we really don’t think God can. We don’t believe He can take care of us physically or financially. And, we aren’t really sure we WANT Him to! What if He has something in store for me that I don’t want? What if His plans for me are different than my dreams and aspirations? We need EXTRAORDINARY FAITH!
I. A Reward with Faith
a. Jesus marveled at the centurion’s faith
b. Jesus said that faith would make it possible to “recline at Heaven’s table” (vs 11)
c. And 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 seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 NASB)
d. Jesus repeats over and over, “your faith has made you well”
II. Consequences without Faith
a. Jesus says that without faith, even the Chosen People will be cast out (vs 12)
b. Leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side. And they had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. And He was giving orders to them, saying, "Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." They began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, "Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? "HAVING EYES, DO YOU NOT SEE? AND HAVING EARS, DO YOU NOT HEAR? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?" They *said to Him, "Twelve." "When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?" And they *said to Him, "Seven." And He was saying to them, "Do you not yet understand?" (Mark 8:13-21 NASB)
c. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:25-31 NASB)
III. Recognition of Faltering Faith
a. And one of the crowd answered Him, "Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it." And He *answered them and *said, "O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!" They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. "It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" And Jesus said to him, " 'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief." (Mark 9:17-24 NASB)
b. Do we really believe God can heal/save/deliver/provide? Or do we take things into our own hands?
Application/Invitation: Where does your faith falter? What area of unbelief is keeping you from having extraordinary faith? Like the Disciples in the boat, have we forgotten what God has done for us in the past? The key to faith for the future is looking back on the faithfulness of God in our past. If God hasn’t failed you in your past, why would He fail you in your future? Are you being distracted by something in your life that makes extraordinary faith impossible? Do you have a sin habit that needs to be abandoned? Do you have a group of friends who constantly bring you down? Your relationship with God is the most important relationship you can have; don’t let anyone or anything get between you and the Lord!
