TOPIC: Faith (living or simple)
TITLE: OH YOU OF LITTLE FAITH – What must God do to convince?
TEXT: Matthew 5:5-13
CONCISE OUTLINE
We’re challenged everyday with events and circumstances which cry out for faith, for trust in God, for confidence in Him, for simple belief. Yet, how do we deal with the testing?
I believe it had to do with another event involving a member of the church, where a lack of faith has been exhibited for some time. That lack of faith revealed a misunderstanding of faith by still another member.
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What kind of faith did the Centurion exhibit that attracted the Lord’s notice?
EXPANDED OUTLINE: To answer that we need to notice what stands out as significant in our scriptural vignette …
Consider the following in light of the Centurion’s interaction with Jesus –
Are you coming proactively or with doubt? Are you expecting your church or your pastor to go to the Lord for you? Are you coming on behalf of others or self? Are you going due to something the Lord did or something He promised to do? Is your supplication be exalting to God or man?
Are you seeming to be foolish to others? When you come to you understand … "the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those (are the things that) defile the man." [Matthew 15:18]
We’ve been so busy licking our wounds, we’ve forgotten we’re to live by faith, believing God will do great things.
Our text tells us a world of things about the kind of faith which gets the notice of God. Let me suggest that we start being noticed!
TITLE: OH YOU OF LITTLE FAITH – What must God do to convince?
TEXT: Matthew 5:5-13
And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented." Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it."FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What kind of faith did the Centurion exhibit that attracted the Lord’s notice?
Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed that very moment.
CONCISE OUTLINE
I. HE EXHIBITED A PROACTIVE FAITH!TRUTH/CONTEXT: Faith is not a normal feature of human existence; having been given intellect/reason man has a hard time dealing openly with acts of faith (e.g., child discipline, patriotism, moral values, traditions, etc.).
II. HE EXHIBITED A SELF-RELIANT FAITH!
III. HE EXHIBITED AN UNSELFISH FAITH!
IV. HE EXHIBITED A FAITH-BASED FAITH!
V. HE EXIBITED A GOD EXALTING FAITH!
VI. HE EXHIBITED A CHILD-LIKE FAITH!
We’re challenged everyday with events and circumstances which cry out for faith, for trust in God, for confidence in Him, for simple belief. Yet, how do we deal with the testing?
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.This week’s message is a result of two separate events. I get together each week with another member for Bible study; it was at this week’s get together the Lord pointed to our text as the text He wanted me to preach today!James 1:2-8
I believe it had to do with another event involving a member of the church, where a lack of faith has been exhibited for some time. That lack of faith revealed a misunderstanding of faith by still another member.
[SOVEREIGNTY] One night when a diplomat and his valet were required to sleep in the same railcar, the valet noticed his boss having trouble sleeping. “Whazzzzup?” He asked (things have changed). “Oh, I have so many things on my mind; the responsibilities I have to bear.”As pastor, I’m called upon to address issues such as faith and nothing can be more important to a Christian church than faith …
“Look, I want to get some sleep, so let me ask you: do you think God was governing the world okay before you were born and don’t you think He'll manage after you're dead and gone?” “Absolutely!” “Okay then, let’s get some sleep, cause He’s gonna do just fine while your alive … right?"
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What kind of faith did the Centurion exhibit that attracted the Lord’s notice?
EXPANDED OUTLINE: To answer that we need to notice what stands out as significant in our scriptural vignette …
I. HE EXHIBITED A PROACTIVE FAITH!
He didn’t worry himself sick; by faith he took action! He didn’t sit around wringing his hands; by faith he went to the Right Hand of God! He didn’t complain to local religious leaders; by faith he went to the Son of God! He didn’t call for a healing service; by faith he went to the Healer! He didn’t go to the medical community; by faith he went to the Great Physician!II. HE EXHIBITED A SELF-RELIANT FAITH!
He didn’t send others; by faith he went himself! He didn’t seek intercessors; by faith he went directly to the One he believed could solve his problem!III. HE EXHIBITED AN UNSELFISH FAITH!
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.Hebrews 11:30
He didn’t go for himself; by faith he went for a servant!IV. HE EXHIBITED A FAITH-BASED FAITH!
By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.Hebrews 11:7
There is no record of God having done anything for this man that would have explained such proactive faith; by faith he simply went.V. HE EXIBITED A GOD EXALTING FAITH!By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.Hebrews 11:8
By faith he went and humbled himself before someone people considered of less stature. By faith he recognized Jesus authority and sovereignty and power!By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.Hebrews 11:11By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.VI. HE EXHIBITED A CHILD-LIKE FAITH!Hebrews 11:24-26And said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”Matthew 18:3
By faith the Centurion told Jesus, “Just say the word” and he will be healed.
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son.Hebrews 11:17
[I SEE YOU] A dad stood in the cellar looking up at his son standing at the edge of a trap door. He called up, “I’m right here son, go ahead jump down to me."
The boy hesitated, in uncertain fear. "I can't, dad; I can't see you." Up came the answer, "I know you can't, but I see you!”
We may not see our Father but He sees us!
APPLICATION/CHALLENGE:
And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.I’m usually conflicted when I hear people try to describe the difference between Christianity and another religions ... "by grace you are saved, through faith" [Ephesians 2:8]; this includes every thing from Genesis to Revelation, from the Garden to the incarnation, from Calvary’s cross to the Judgment seat, from the ascension to the 2nd Coming, from the Rapture to the millennium, and from Creation to our first moment in eternity future ... in a word, Christianity is summed up in Christ.
Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us …Hebrews 11:32-40
Consider the following in light of the Centurion’s interaction with Jesus –
Money: both personal and related (e.g., paying your bills and the church’s)At this point in your life, what behavior, what words, what faith would impress the Lord similarly to that of the Centurion?
Career: both the one you are in and the one you want
Health: both yours and those around you (e.g., recent events regarding your health or the health of a loved one)
Family: yours or that of someone near you; parents or grandkidsConsider how you, by faith, would approach the Lord; put yourself in the Centurion’s shoes of faith, just change his need to your need.
Are you coming proactively or with doubt? Are you expecting your church or your pastor to go to the Lord for you? Are you coming on behalf of others or self? Are you going due to something the Lord did or something He promised to do? Is your supplication be exalting to God or man?
Are you seeming to be foolish to others? When you come to you understand … "the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those (are the things that) defile the man." [Matthew 15:18]
[YOUR WALLET] Faith is resident in the heart of the believer; dozens of Scripture support this. Capitol One runs a popular commercial which has the punch line, “What’s in your wallet?” For our purposes, let’s morph this to, “What’s in your heart?”For nine long years we’ve been a church which has lived in the past; everything that happens, good or bad, seems to be examined by our history, rather than looking forward by faith to what can be … to what is promised!
[TWO PARTS] An old preacher was fond of saying, “There are two parts to the Good News; the first is believing and the second is behaving.” The one who hears but does not do is the one James describes as having dead faith. [James 2:17]
We’ve been so busy licking our wounds, we’ve forgotten we’re to live by faith, believing God will do great things.
Our text tells us a world of things about the kind of faith which gets the notice of God. Let me suggest that we start being noticed!
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