WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?—II—Luke 8:22-25
Jesus unveiled the location of His disciples’ faith.
Christian faith is to have a specific focus.
But where is that focus or rather....
Where does Christian faith take us?
Christian Faith takes us to...
1. Those in Need(:22)
2. Physical Exhaustion(:23a)
3. Peril(:23b)
4. Calm(:24a)
5—Christian Faith takes us to
RELEASE/Ease(:24b)
—Explanation:(:24b)
“And being aroused, He rebuked the wind & the surging waves, & they stopped, & it became calm.”
if we allow Jesus to do it...
....Mountains can be moved; Marriages can be saved; Purpose can be met
We release such a burden if we allow Jesus to do what Jesus can do!
Mat. 17:18-20—“And Jesus rebuked him, & the demon came out of him, & the boy was cured at once. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately & said, “Why could we not cast it out?” And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ & it shall move; & nothing shall be impossible to you.”
—Argumentation:
Isa. 50:2—“Why was there no man when I came? When I called, why was there none to answer? Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, I dry up the sea with My rebuke, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink for lack of water, And die of thirst.”
Mat. 11:27-30—“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; & no one knows the Son, except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, & anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. “Come to Me, all who are weary & heavy-laden, & I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you, & learn from Me, for I am gentle & humble in heart; & YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy, & My load is light.”
—Illustration:
Moving furniture/Dresser/Wood digging into hands/Someone on other side making it wobble/Pail—Weakness/Need to release burden/Sin is that way/RELEASE
—Application:
?Your faith taken you into RELEASE/EASE?
?Where is your faith?
6—Christian Faith takes us to
REEVALUATE SELF(:25a)
—Explanation:(:25a) Relocate
“And He said to them, “Where is your faith?”...”
Question forces self-examination.
—Argumentation:
2Cor. 13:5—“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?”
—Illustration:
Walking barefooted down street at beach/Fine in sand but not one pavement/Blister feet & cut foot/REEVALUATE SELF
—Application:
?Your faith taken you to REEVALUATE SELF?
?Where is your faith?
7—Christian Faith takes us to
REEVALUATE GOD(:25b)
—Explanation:(:25B)
“... And they were fearful & amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds & the water, & they obey Him?”
In reevaluating self, our grasp on God had been skewed by sin.
Hebrews is all about wooing a people back to God by reminding thm of His goodness. Reevaluation
—Argumentation:
Ps. 34:8-9—“O taste & see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him, there is no want.”
Ps. 25:4—“Make me know Thy ways, O LORD; Teach me Thy paths.”
Ps. 123:2—“Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He shall be gracious to us.”
—Illustration:
Snapping turtle/Slow moving/Get hand near it & ‘Snap!’/Quickly called to reevaluate the nature of the turtle!/REEVALUATE God
Our dog, Molly runs full blast after an intruder(a cup) across the street—100ft away/Eyes not too good & she ‘sees’ an intruder/Stops about 5 yds from cup & quits barking/Reevaluted the ‘intruder’/REEVALUATE GOD.
—Application:
?Your faith taken you into REEVALUATE GOD?
?Where is your faith?
—CONCLUSION—
Action:
Christian Faith takes us to...
RELEASE(:24b)
REEVALUATE SELF(:25a)
REEVALUATE GOD(:25b)
Those in Need(:22)
Physical Exhaustion(:23a)
Peril(:23b)
Calm(:24a)
Presented 04/28/02pm to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Church
Whigham, GA 31797
