SMALL THINGS ARE GREAT WITH GOD!
PROV 4:18
Sunpm 04/07/02
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
Matt 17:20 - I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Luke 17:6 - He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ’Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
Matt 13:31-32 - He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."
We have a world view of Christianity that sometimes opposes God’s view of Christianity!
We think the larger the church the greater the ministry.
We think the larger the finances the greater the ability of the church.
We think the more people there are the more powerful services we will have.
But in truth, GOD doesn’t respect things that are great in our eyes as if He is dependent upon their size or our view of their greatness!
God is looking for people of faith to simply believe that God will take something small and use it for His glory!
I. MUSTARD SEED FAITH:
A. Great faith is measured by the condition of the heart:
1. The Centurion understood authority – He recognized the authority of Jesus – He then simply believed –
Matt 8:8-11 - The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 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." 10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. “
2. The Canaanite woman believed simply because big things didn’t matter to her – Just a word from the Master’s lips!
Matt 15:22-28 - A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." 24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." 25 The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. 26 He replied, "It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs." 27 "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table." 28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Summary: Mustard seed faith is small at first, but when totally submitted to God, yielded to His control – great things happen!
II. MUSTARD SEED FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD SEED!
A. It is because God knows our hearts that we must be careful to be willing to serve God with even the smallest faith!
1. With great blessing comes great responsibility!
2. We believe in being Spirit filled, but do we believe in being Spirit spilled?
a. Are we an offering pouring out of God’s Spirit to a lost and dying world?
Filters – How much time will it take? How much effort will it take? How much money will it cost? What’s in it for me?
Filters are our way of calculating God’s will according to our willingness TO WORK THE WORKS OF GOD!
B. But a mustard seed offered with the willingness to work according to what God is doing is going to get great reward!
1. What is the reward? Being used more! Being used more! Being used more!
To whom much is given – much is required!
a. When we bring live, working seed to God – as small as it is – He will use it to makes things happen.
b. And when He does, we will responsible for faith that has grown to believe God for greater things – which will make us responsible for greater faith, and greater seed and so on it goes!
Summary – Mustard seed faith that is willing to work is of great value to God!
III. HEART CONDITION IS OF GREATEST VALUE –
A. The mouth confesses – the heart believes –
1. This is not mind over matter – this is not lips confessing something into existence – this is not seizing the power of God.
a. This is simply so hungry for God that He blesses!
b. This is being so desirous of something from God that he honors our little faith and blesses us!
c. This is being so deeply desiring to be used of God that He answers our prayers to be used, and then He sues us more!
CONCLUSION –
John 6:5-13 - 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, "Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" 10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
I want to be the little boy willing to give up my lunch to feed the thousands!
We may not have much – but if it is fully yielded to the Lord, it can be a source of great blessing!
