10.23.2011 How to Have Faith Like Jesus

SermonAudio

Lord, thank You for this time – for this study – People have been studying the Gospel stories and working it out in their own lives – You have been teaching us together – as we work hard together – seeking You and asking questions of the text and scripture to find what it means. Take these words – empower them to connect with each heart to say what You must say – what You need to say into our hearts. We give you freedom this morning – we are available to You – fill us with Your word that we might hear Your voice today. In Your Name we pray - amen
Today we are looking at the issue of Faith – we’ll look at Matthew 17 – but this is also found in Mark and Luke. This is found right after the Transfiguration.
Matthew 17:14 And when they came to the multitude, a man came up to Him, falling on his knees before Him, and saying, 15 "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic, and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 "And I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him." 17 And Jesus answered and said, "O unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you?
This seems a little harsh! So what we have – Jesus is confronting/rebuking/criticizing both the disciples and others for their lack of faith. This happens often. He is often saying something about their lack of faith. And there are times we realize our faith is not working right. Jesus places a significant emphasis throughout the gospels on faith. The story continues:
Bring him here to Me." 18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" 20 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,' and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you.
Over and over – Jesus tells the disciples that they don’t have enough faith – WHAT IS THE PROBLEM! Is the way it comes across.
In Chapter 10 – Jesus sent them out on their first missionary journey and he told them they would cast out demons and do miracles and they did! And just a few chapters later they fail in their faith again.
Their question – Why couldn’t we cast it out? It shows a frustration among the disciples. We see that their faith wavers – there are times it is okay and then times of failure – it tends to be a pattern for the disciples.
This shows us that maintaining faith is a struggle – At times doubts come in – but this passage gives us hope. At times I feel lousy – like Jesus, if He were here, would be saying – You perverse and unbelieving louse! But I would be in good company – because Jesus is always saying that to the disciples! Hey – you wanted to be like them – well, you are! The reality – we will all face times of faith crisis.
Leadership Journal – another good periodical – if you want to borrow one, they are in my office.
The Dark Night of the Soul –“ After nearly 30 years as a ministry leader and pastor’s wife, I went through a dark night of the soul In the past, when I heard someone else going through that, I was less than compassionate. …My dark night was marked by a series of unanswered prayers. I am a lifelong activist and doer – I can take anything but standing still. Then there was an extended sense of divine silence – that lasted for 3 years.”
There will be times when we all experience dark nights – but this should give us hope.
In this story of the father –
Mark adds some more to the story:
9:21 And He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. 22 "And it has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" 23 And Jesus said to him, "'If You can!' All things are possible to him who believes." 24 Immediately the boy's father cried out and [began] saying, "I do believe; help my unbelief."
Same crisis – I believe; help my unbelief.
When we have been praying and trying to believe God and it seems like every door is closed and God’s answer is no – how do we respond? What do we do? We say - – I believe; help my unbelief.
The man is not clear whether he believes that Jesus is able to do what we are asking Him to do – we need to believe that He is powerful enough and capable.
It is not a question whether God is able – Jesus turned it back to the man – IF you can! All things are possible to him who believes! God’s power is not the question – the question is whether the man can trust.
We need to believe that God is able – and then we need to believe that God cares –
Mark 4: 35 And on that day, when evening had come, He ^said to them, "Let us go over to the other side." 36 And leaving the multitude, they ^took Him along with them, just as He was, in the boat; and other boats were with Him. 37 And there ^arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. 38 And He Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they ^ awoke Him and ^said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"
How often do we ask God that – don’t you care? We think - If He cared, He wouldn’t let us go through that! As a parent, you wouldn’t want your kid to go through bad things!
39 And being aroused, He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40 And He said to them, "Why are you so timid/cowardly? How is it that you have no faith?" 41 And they became very much afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"
If we are going to win the faith battle, we have to believe that God is able and that God cares.
The battle is won or lost there.
Why couldn’t we cast it out? You had little faith. What do you need? Big faith? No! Jesus says the opposite – if you have faith the size of a mustard seed (the smallest seed in the garden), if you have really small faith (like a mustard seed) – then He uses another idiom – say to this mountain move! (Take the smallest thing and move the biggest thing). The issue isn’t big faith. Jesus speaks of those with great faith – and it is not a measurement. There is no measure for the kind of faith that is great.
It is not the size of faith – what matters is this: Is there any faith at all? Is the smallest amount you can imagine present inside of you? If it is there, what matters is taking that little tiny bit and placing it in the Right Person – a God who is able, and Who cares.
Week 3 will be discussing this – as we talk about living like Jesus, we’ll talk about living by faith.
I urge you to do what I’ve done over the past few weeks – look at the miracles of Jesus – how Jesus did it – who received it – and you know, they are all different – like how He heals the blind – some are healed immediately. Another time He makes a mud pie and sticks it in the guy’s eyes and says – go wash in the pool. Another guy – He spits in His eyes. And it was only like half complete. So He does it again. Another time He touches the guy’s eyes.
About 1/3 of the miracles had nothing to do with the person’s faith – Jesus did the miracle – He sees a demon possessed boy – and the demon leaves. Another 1/3 of the time – a person is rewarded for the faith of others – like the paralytic lowered through the roof. Then another 1/3 of the miracles have to do with the faith of the recipient.
I think this tells us this: There are no faith formulas. There are no 3 point sermons on how to increase your faith. That is just the reality. But what He is saying – is faith present for the circumstances you find yourself in now. Now take that small amount of faith and place it in a Big God. Now, you could be sitting there thinking – well, maybe there is NO faith present. But I want to tell you – I think it is! If you have come to Christ – that is the most important faith – that He died on the cross for your sins. If you believe that – that is the foundation. If that is there, then there is faith present in you. You’ll see what that faith looks like –
Jesus tells about a woman with bad theology – pounding on the judge’s door seeking justice for those who are treating her wrongly. And Jesus uses this as an example of faith. In your circumstance, do you have the ability to keep praying? To continually ask God for that issue? If you do – then you have faith.
I was the first Marette to become a Christian. And I began praying for my family. And it was not like, oh, I have such great faith that they will come to Jesus – but all I could do was keep praying. And that is mustard seed faith – to keep praying and to not stop – to keep pounding on that door –
There is a story of a woman who is desperate – who spent all her money on doctors and magicians and faith-healers - -and she breaks through the crowd – and all she does is touches Jesus’ cloak. Who touched me?! And the woman would have been ashamed – because a woman does not touch a man in that society – but she had a mustard seed of faith.
There are stories in the New Testament of parents whose children are sick – it is not because of their great spirituality – it is their love for their kids – and to one woman – Jesus said NO! I am not doing it – he called her a dog! But she came back because she loved so much – it is like a deep burden – if you have a deep burden in your soul – that is the seed of faith God wants you to place in Him.
These stories go on and on. There is a story of a disciple named Peter – Jesus is walking on the water – if that is You Jesus, command me to come out – and then his faith started to waver – and he sunk. But you know what – there are only two people who have ever walked on water. Jesus – and Peter. It was short – but he did it!
One final one – The leper came – if You are willing – You can make me clean.
That is the perfect picture of faith – there is no question of ability or love – but is He willing – something He chooses or wishes to do. The leper has placed his circumstances in God’s hands to allow God to determine the final result in life.
The blind folks are the same – if you are willing – you can give me sight! When they say – Son of David – they know He is able. That is the prophecy of the Old Testament. They know what is going on – but leave it in His hands – and that is the hardest aspect of faith
Luke 17: 5 And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you. 7 "But which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down to eat'? 8 "But will he not say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat, and [properly] clothe yourself and serve me until I have eaten and drunk; and afterward you will eat and drink'? 9 "He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? 10 "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done [only] that which we ought to have done.'"
Again – He uses the mustard seed as an example.
What does this have to do with faith? Why is that in the context? A slave coming in from the field?
We can never control or manipulate God by our faith – or demand from Him – we must leave final authority – Faith understands its position before God.
The Centurion – a Roman Centurion – not a man of the Scriptures – but he has a son – or a servant – who is sick, and dying – He doesn’t come in with I am a man of faith – but he says – I am a Roman commander – and I tell a soldier, do this, and he does it – if I have that power and authority – I must give my faith to let the one who has final authority work.