Do I Have Great Faith?
Pastor Jim Parisi HHM May 4, 2003
(Mat 15:21-28 NKJV) Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. {22} And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." {23} But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us." {24} But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." {25} Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" {26} But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs." {27} And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table." {28} Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
(Mat 8:5-13 NKJV), a centurion had great faith also
"Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.
What is your definition of great faith?
Of what does such faith consist?
We can study what the Lord called great faith for the answer.
In Matthew 8:5-13 a centurion came to Jesus seeking,
"only speak a word, and my servant will be healed."
Jesus marveled I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! (v. 10).
What insights do we gain into the nature of the faith which is required for salvation from this example?
Likewise consider Matt 15:21-28. A foreign woman came to Jesus to request help for her demon possessed daughter.
Despite efforts to discourage her she persisted until Jesus complimented her great faith and gave her request.
Characteristics of Great Faith
Great Faith is Humble
A faith unto salvation must be in humility.
The centurion said I am unworthy to have you in my home.
The Syrophonecian woman accepted the term dog as indicating her status relative to the Lord’s people.
Jesus proclaimed, Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:4).
Humility before God is important because it will cause our faith to be sincerely directed to Him in obedience, just as our Lord was.
"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8).
Our faith must imitate that of the centurion as he bowed himself in humility before the Lord in intercession for another.
It must imitate that of the Syrophonecian woman who even accept the insult of being likened to a dog in order to obtain her request from the Lord.
God has always connected humility to obtaining blessings from Himself
(2 Chr 7:14 NKJV) "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
1 Pet 5:6 NKJV) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
A Great Faith Trusts The Power Of God
(Psa 26:1 NKJV) Vindicate me, O LORD, For I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the LORD; I shall not slip.
Integrity isn’t his stronghold but the evidence of his trust in God as his stronghold.
The recognition of the centurion that Jesus could heal his servant, with a word, even from a remote location is evidence of great faith.
The centurion had complete confidence that Jesus could heal his servant.
A faith that saves can not be one that denies the power of God to work His part in salvation.
God has shown us His love and desire for our salvation, "...in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom 5:8).
The centurion’s faith would not have been commended as great except that it trusted God’s ability to do whatsoever He chose.
The Scriptures over and over emphasize how we should trust God.
The opposite of faith is doubt. (Heb 11:6 NKJV) But 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 diligently seek Him.
(James 1:6 NKJV) But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
A Great Faith is persistent
Notice about the Syrophonecian woman, that she was not easily turned aside not even by the appearance of insults.
Jesus directly praised the importuning widow for this quality. Another story also emphasizes the importance of persistence.
(Luke 11:5-10 NKJV) And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a
A Great Faith is Fruitful
Both cases before us and in the parable of the persistent widow as well the faithful had the result that they desired.
Will God do less for us? He cannot for it is his very nature to reward faith and love that trusts him to do what he says.
He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him ( Heb 11:6)
As a further illustration of faith and reward.
Woman with an issue of blood
To the bind men (Mat 9:27-30 NKJV)
To the syrophonecian woman (Mat 15:28 NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
To the paralyzed man (Mark 2:5 NKJV) When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."
To the sinful woman (Luke 7:47-50 NKJV) "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. To the ten lepers (Luke 17:19 NKJV) And He said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well."
Jesus taught that great faith was capable of great things
(Mat 17:20 NKJV) So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
(Mat 21:21 NKJV) So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ’Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.
And He says it to us as well.
(Gal 5:6 NKJV) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
(1 Pet 1:9 NKJV) receiving the end of your faith; the salvation of your souls.
God is like the father who asked for his little girl’s prized possession- her cheap pearls so that he could give her real ones.
A Great Faith is Active not Passive
The centurion had to go to Jesus in the first place so too did the foreign woman. So did the importuning widow.
So too must we all. This does not deny the power of Deity but shows our true faith by acting.
(Heb 4:16 NKJV) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Those who believe act based on that faith.
Indeed what more could the Lord do to save us than He has?
If you will humbly act upon your faith surely the Lord will take note of your great faith.
A Great Faith is Obedient
The fruitfulness of faith is related to its obedience.
When He said go, the centurion went-- as satisfied and as easy in mind as if the blessing had already been delivered and indeed it was.
(Heb 11:8-10 NKJV) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance.
So you see that :
FAITH ALONE DOES NOT get you there.
But it’s a good start to getting there.
Communion
