Sermon Series “Toolbox of Faith” #1
Inside of our faith
Luke 7:1-10
Mark 1:40-45
Prayer-
Father, today would you do something amazing!
Those of us who have gathered to hear your word desire it.
Those of us who have come hungry and wanting more for our lives, allow us to be in your presence and hear from you.
Today as we begin a new series, give us insight on how we can live productive, pure, energized,
empowered lives for you and through you.
May the tools that you give us bring us that abundant life now and also for eternity. In Jesus Name! Amen.
Introduction-
Today, we begin a new series, I like to see down the road to what we want to accomplish. I want us to use the tools that God gives us so that we can become all that God wants for our life and that we are vessels that others not only see Christ in us but we are sharing Christ with those that we come into contact with.
Conviction- That is a word we don’t use very much anymore. That was a word that was used heavily from church pulpits years ago.
Conviction defined is “A firmly held belief or opinion.” “The quality of showing that one is firmly convinced of what one believes or says.”
As a believer in Christ- we should be convicted that we live what we believe and share what we believe.
We should not be swaying back and forth and determining every day wither we are believers because it should become who we are.
Living out our commitment to Jesus and be grateful for the things that God has done for us.
We live in an age that commitment has become an option.
Well, for me… I will leave that to preachers and leaders.
Well for me…I cannot live that Holy of a life- so I will do the best I can.
Well for me…I am not committed to anything that much! So the Lord will understand.
Well… it is not about us, it is about Jesus in is in our lives.
Jesus says… “My disciples will hear my voice”- They will hear my voice and they will respond with obedience.
Jesus says… “Follow me”- If Jesus looks behind, He should see you and I following.
Jesus says… “Make disciples” A disciple is a follower of Jesus. Learning, studying, and becoming a teacher of His Word. That does not mean we are all preachers, teachers for pay. It means that in our lives where God has placed us, we will be vessels that the Lord can use and when He needs us, we will be there.
Coming back to conviction-
We have got to settle our relationship with Jesus.
As a follower, we do not have the option of getting in and getting out. It is all in just like Jesus was all in for us.
Conviction is allowing the Holy Spirit of God to readjust our path, teach us to look at the compass and see when we are off track and get back to going into the right direction.
People today are struggling because they are trying to live their own life and attempt at living for God as long as it lines up with what they want.
It is totally the opposite- we are to live for Christ! We are to be seeking His face for things going on in our lives.
Then when our lives are in sync with the Lord, we find that many times He gives us the desire of our heart because we are willing to be in His will.
When our will is to do His will- wow! We see amazing things begin to happen!
What to look at and discover in His Will
Faith- internal and lived out
Holy Spirit and the enabling power of His Spirit working in our lives
Forgiveness- given and received
Generosity- Given and received- That is not only for those with money.
Connection and finding purpose
Word of God- Allowed to change our lives- used to change other people’s lives.
So let’s look at our faith- some say it is private. That Is not biblical.
Our faith is lived out for the world to see and be drawn to God.
I believe that there is an element of internal faith and external faith.
One part see’s us through the rough times of our life and keeps us on track.
Another part is lived out and expressed to others that God brings into our path.
No one sitting here was saved totally on someone living out their faith. It may have drawn you and encouraged you to pursue God, but at some point, someone told you about Jesus and you made your own decision.
If your faith is not operating like that, could maybe be why we struggle with day to day things that should be settled and under the blood of Christ.
There is a book by Malcolm Gladwell entitled “Tipping Point” How little things make a difference.
For a moment, maybe the little things or the things that you think are little are what keep you from accomplishing all that the Lord wants for us.
Awhile back, I shared with our church board that I believed that we are at a tipping point in some ministry decisions and the window of opportunity is still open but we cannot do church the way of the fifties anymore.
Does not change God’s Word but does change the approach we take to people.
In Gladwell’s book, he talks about tipping points that happen to change the course of people or situations.
What made Hush Puppy shoes who only sold their shoes in the hole in the wall stores and almost out of business to become the most widely worn shoes of the 80’s?
The power to spark an epidemic of enthusiasm. Word of mouth, average people that opened their mouth and suddenly made an unknown a known thing! Gladwell calls them Mavens and connectors-
Mavens are data people- They educate people on good deals, safety standards, read consumer report and know what’s happening in the world.
They are the ones that actually read junk mail to make sure something of value was not in there.
Connectors are connectors- They go to a good restaurant and they tell everybody about it.
They stay at a good hotel and they put it out in conversation and on social media.
If they told ten people about the restaurant, all ten would probably go to the restaurant because of their enthusiasm.
Mavens are not persuaders- They will give you the information, but you determine what you will do with it.
Connectors are social glue- they will spread it! If they like it they will let you know! If they do not like it, they will let you know.
God needs Mavens and Connectors when it comes to the gospel of Christ! All of us play a part.
Mavens will tell you about Christ and let you decide and Connectors will spread it and socialize but the bottom line is we live out our faith. Both groups of people are sharing in a way that is comfortable.
Here are two examples of what I mean about internal and external faith from Gods Word-
Luke chapter 7:1-10 Read from Bible
This centurion officer was a Maven- He did his homework-
He seen and heard what Jesus did and what He could do.
He checked out the reports
He used his experiences to make a firm and rational decision- “For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one go, and he goes; and that one, come and he comes. I say to my servant, do this, and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him.”
Why was Jesus amazed at this man’s faith?
Because this man’s faith was internal- he did not have to go after it when he needed it, it was there! Internally, ready to be lived out.
The healing of the servant of the centurion was an eye opener of the Gentiles being welcomed into the community of salvation. It was inclusion instead of exclusion.
For that officer to have enough faith that Jesus only had to speak healing to his servant was faith down to the very being of his existence. He knew for a fact that if Jesus would only speak healing, that the servant he cared much for would be healed.
He believed so much that he was willing to risk losing his friend that Jesus was the real deal and not a cheap imitation.
His faith is based on sound argument.
He believed Jesus for the here and now and the there and then if you will.
He argued his own experience. He believed if his authority produced the results he got, then how much more would Jesus authority mean?
Lord Jesus, I know you can do this!
Here is the second example as external faith
Mark 1:40-45 Read from the Bible
Why external? Because he could not keep it to himself.
When you have had an experience with Jesus, you cannot keep it to yourself.
You want and desire and feel the need to let others know what you yourself have experienced.
The love of God shown to you is shown to others.
I don’t get it how some can keep their experience with the Lord a secret!
How they can come to church and watch God do something amazing or hear His word and it touch our heart and not want someone else to experience what you did.
This man that was a leper knew he was a leper! He knew that being a leper he was banned from being in the presence of people let alone the ‘Son of God. He came and begged him on his knees, and asked God to heal him.
If you are willing, you can make me clean!
Scripture says that Jesus was indignant- by definition angry, feeling like an injustice has happened. He saw this man’s leprosy and healed him. He was willing and He did! Immediately he was healed. He was told to not tell anybody because it was not yet Jesus time… but he could not, not say anything!
He understood the disease of leprosy- the destroying of nerves.
The disfigurement.
The banning of being around people and the shunning and taking away of everything they have.
His hair falling out.
The average person living years tortured until they die a horrible death
The having to run away from people yelling “unclean, unclean”
He could not do it- He had to tell people what Jesus has done!
He knew what Jesus had prevented from happening in his life. Even though he would have to go to the priest and show himself clean, He knew that Jesus had just done a miracle in his life!
Miracles have happened in our lives and we forget to tell others of Jesus!
We are blessed! We should be thankful!
Wind up-
The tool in the toolbox this morning is faith- We are not done talking about faith. The faith I am talking about this morning is the faith that is internal. The faith that you know that you know that God is real and that God has changed your life and you cannot help but tell people about your God.
You cannot help but talk about him in the store.
In your workplace if they give you a chance.
Your neighbor.
Your family members! Why would you not want them to experience the same love shown to you? To have that peace down deep in your soul. If you don’t have that this morning, I would encourage you to meet that Lord that wants you to experience him in a fresh way and never be the same.
My prayer for all of us is that we are not like the ten lepers that Jesus healed and only one of them ever came back to thank him and did not tell anybody of what Jesus had done. It was a waste of an opportunity to show the love of God to someone who may have been praying for God to do something in their lives. You might have been the answer to someone else’s prayer and God was waiting to use you to do it.
Amen! Jesus! faith down deep in our souls is what we are after!
