1stBBC
Shall He find faith?
Luke 18:8 I say unto you, that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
To know why it shall be very hard to find people of faith when He comes back, let’s look at a model story in the Bible of someone converting and joining the faith. The story of Philip and the Ethiopian in Acts 8.
1. Shall He find someone like Philip
Someone who is guided by God not by himself.
Act 8:26 But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert.
He did not send most of today’s teachers and preachers
Jer 23:16 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah.
Jer 23:21 I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied.
Jer 23:25 I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
Jer 23:32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy lying dreams, saith Jehovah, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I sent them not, nor commanded them; neither do they profit this people at all, saith Jehovah.
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Philip was appointed by the church.
Act 6:3 Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Deu 13:1 If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams: for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
2Co 2:17 For we are not as the many, corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.
It is not that the faith is dependent on who preaches it but God will never use such people to preach and teach about his faith.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.
2. Shall He find someone like the Ethiopian
a. Someone who is ready to listen
Jam 3:1 Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.
1Ti 1:7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm.
1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers?
Eph 4:11 And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
b. Someone who is ready to verify
Act 17:10-11 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.
Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:
Psa 119:113 I hate them that are of a double mind; But thy law do I love.
Psa 27:11 Teach me thy way, O Jehovah; And lead me in a plain path, Because of mine enemies.
3. Shall He find someone who can love from all his heart
Act 8:36 And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Mat 22:37 And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.
He loved us abundantly and we should do the same
Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
The real hinder that keeps us from moving to the next step in our Christian life is the kind of love we have. When we love from all the heart, nothing will hinder us.
Shall He find faith?
Pastor Tony Skaff
2006
