Where Is Your Faith?—part 2

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