Faith
Catfish Season 2 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 1:01:25
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· 143 viewsLesson 1 in our second Catfish sermon series. We look at topics, hold it up based on the ideas of man and then describe what God has to say about the matter.
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Intro
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The world will tell you that faith is believing in something that is not real. I beg to differ based on what God has said in His word.
What Is It?
What Is It?
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
The word faith in the original language found in Hebrews 11:1 means “to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliance”.
Illustration: Most fathers love to play rough with their children. You will see fathers who will take their children at very young ages and throw them up into the air. And believe it or not everyone, except maybe the mother, is having a great time! Most children laugh as their tiny bodies are launched into uncertainty. When looking from the outside in you know that if that child is dropped it could result in serious damage (broken bones etc.). But the child in laughter believes that their fathers will catch them based on prior experiences. In mid air with much laughter there is proof that there is faith involved through that child towards the father. When our lies are faced with uncertainty and we are a bit higher than usual do we trust God completely to catch us? Do rely on him to brace us when we have been displaced from his arms at times?
The Hebrew writer states again...
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is the confidence/sure thing of things that we look forward to.
Faith makes the nonexistent VERY much a REALITY
Faith is the proof/verification of things we have not seen
Faith is the belief that through God we have what we don’t yet have.
When the Jesus first uses the word in Mt. 8:10 he speaks of the greatness of faith in a man who has come to Him seeking healing for his servant. He tells Jesus I don’t need you to make your way to the house, “I believe if you SPEAK that he will be healed then it will be so!” The faith of the man was a belief and complete trust and reliance on Jesus. He had to go back home to find out if it really happened. But this man did not need to rush because he already KNEW Jesus would come through!
10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!
What gives faith its power?
9 Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so.
In one statement God created deserts, beaches, mountain ranges, tundras, oceans, lakes, springs etc!
20 Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.”
In one statement God brings about the creation of whales, catfish, dolphins, eagles, falcons, etc.
24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so.
In one statement God brings into existence cats, dogs, lions, tigers, lizards, snakes, cows, pigs, etc.
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
In one statement God chooses to have mankind have dominion over the creation as he takes his time to mold mankind from the inanimate object of dirt and a rib.
Faith has its power because God can speak many things into existence in a single statement and he has a pattern of doing so in such an organized way that it is for your good!
There were not birds before there was a sky!
There were not whales before there was an ocean!
There were not cows before there was dry land!
When the world looks empty let God speak into it and watch what he does!
Faith is believing that something is when it presently is not. This faith is powered by the One who makes something from nothing, God.
What Is It Worth?
What Is It Worth?
When we think about worth we think about things that will benefit us in a major way. We shop at Wal-Mart because there are things there that we NEED for low cost. We shop at Sam’s Club if we have large families because we get a lot for a little. We choose to only pay for internet and watch TV shows through Netflix and Hulu to save money. How is Faith valuable to us as Christians? What is it worth?
How valuable is faith to us as Christians? What is its worth?
Faith plays a part in salvation
Mark 16:16
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 16:31-33
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.
Salvation is something that we all need. It is not possible without faith!
You cannot be pleasing to God without Faith
Hebrews 11:6
6 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.
We should all want to be pleasing to the Father. It cannot happen without faith!
Faith helps you overcome the world
1 John 5:4-5
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
When the world is spoken of in this context it is speaking of the world system. The values, beliefs, and morals of the world not ruled by God.
We exist in the world but do not have to take part in worldly things.
Faith protects from the devil
Eph. 6:16
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
The devil has tools, one of which is fear. Be protected from those fears by having faith!
Faith is a valuable asset given to us by God. We receive salvation, are found to be pleasing to God, over come the world, and are protected from the weapons of the Devil because of faith!
How Does One Get It?
How Does One Get It?
Many will tell you that anything worth having is worth working for. If you want a six pack, you better eat right and workout! If you want a doctorate degree, you gotta put in hard work to earn it! If you want to beat a video game on the hardest level, be ready to invest hours! But God doesn’t give out faith in that way. In order to get faith, you do less!
1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Christian Life, Faith In
Telephone-pole climbing is an art. In order to climb, one must have a belt that goes around the pole and wear spiked shoes. The secret is to lean back and depend on the belt so the spikes can dig into the pole. Depending on the belt is hard to learn; often a beginner slides down the splintery pole because he won’t depend on his equipment. It only takes a few such experiences to convince the beginner that it is better to depend on the belt.
In the Christian life, God wants us to climb by depending on him. When we are hurt by splinters, we should recognize that they are reminders that we need to depend on his strength and loving protection.148
When we learn to let go of our desire to control and let God then faith is produced. But the question still remains...
How does one get faith?
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Faith can be found in any thing and any person. One can be an atheist have faith. They believe that God is not real without actual proof. Their belief is the substance of things hoped for. It is based on what is heard! As Christians when we hear from God’s inspired word it is the source of our faith!
Two avenues of hearing
The scriptures produce faith
John 20:31
31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
2 Timothy 3:15
15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Preaching is designed to produce faith
John 17:20
20 “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word,
Acts 8:12
12 But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Rom. 10:14-17
14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? 15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” 16 But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
Though faith is given it is dead without works. You must read your bible and hear what God has to say through the mouths of His ministers and teachers.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Faith is the gift of God. So is the air, but you have to breathe it. So is bread, but you have to eat it. So is water, but you have to drink it.
So how do we accept this gift? Not by a feeling, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). It is not for me to sit down and wait for faith to come upon me with a strong feeling of some kind. Rather, faith comes when we take God at his word.445
WILL YOU TRUST GOD COMPLETELY?