Faith

Matthew  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  52:07
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Intro:
What is this? Have a few example for someone to guess about:
Now we know these things have confidence in this knowledge because we have proven it to be true. Too often in our faith, we do not test to see if it is true, we do not test to see if God’s promises are true. Now, don’t get me wrong there is a right and wrong way to test the Lord, but when we are testing to remove doubt from our lives I contest that He is faithful to deliver, as he was at the Cross and as the writer of Hebrews tells us in Heb 11:1-3:
Hebrews 11:1–3 NASB95
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
Pray
Faith is such an ambiguous thing, even to the Christian. We believe most times faith to be blind, well you just have to believe, but doesn’t Hebrews kinda put that to rest? Sure we may not know everything and our lives are a quest to mature our faith, but our faith was never to be blind. Isn’t our faith build on the fact that Jesus Christ died on a cross, even history doesn’t argue that. Isn’t then our faith build upon His faithfulness? I know that before I accepted Christ, I came to answer the doubts of my heart with Truth and reason that my faith would be on the solid foundation of rock and not the shifting sands of blindness. No! To have faith is to have know, to have confidence and to eliminate doubt. But without faith one must be careful as we see in Matt 11.
I. A Great Warning
Matthew 11:20–24 NIV
Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
A. For Every Encouragement a Warning
1. Jesus often warns of the fires
a. Hell is a real thing
b. There is an eternal punishment for those who choose it
Matthew 13:41–43 NIV
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
2. We must have a mind for tomorrow but live for today
a. Remember all we do has eternal consequence
b. Our faith now determines our destination later
i. He says woe to you
ii. He warns that we have seen, turn to faith and belief
iii. Turn away from evil and destruction
B. Faith Can Save or Destroy
1. To have is to live
a. Faith brings life
b. Unbelief brings death
2. To lack is to be destroyed
a. You see and know the Truth, stand by it
b. To see the Truth and turn away is death
i. Sodom would be here if they had known
John 20:27–29 NIV
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
C. Don’t Turn from Truth
1. If you are hear today
a. Hearing the Truth
b. Seeing the Truth
2. Don’t walk from that
Matthew 10:19–22 NIV
But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
a. He could talk but had no faith
b. Thought he could work his way in
c. Have confidence in it
Proverbs 14:26 NASB95
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge.
II. Have Faith and Live
A. The leper
Matthew 8:2–4 NIV
A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
1. No doubt
a. Sure of what he knew
b. Understood because of what he knew
Proverbs 11:9 NASB95
With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
c. To know means that there is no doubt
2. If you are willing
a. Knew Jesus had the choice
b. Did not demand, but honored God’s will
3. Second part of faith
a. Doing
b. Turning your devotion to God
Told there is million bucks at the bank
B. The Official
Matthew 9:18–19 NIV
While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.
Matthew 9:23–25 NIV
When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.
1. Again no doubt
2. Others might doubt
a. They laughed at Jesus
Proverbs 14:6 NIV
The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
b. He had them removed
i. God doesn’t put up with mockery
3. Faith is a powerful weapon
a. against unbelief
b. Against despair
C. Faith is not Blind
1. Born of experience
a. First Jesus on the Cross
i. seeing his faithfulness
b. Then in the resurrection
i. We have bold examples to believe in
c. Take the woman who touched his hem
Matthew 9:20–22 NIV
Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
i. Had seen it was true
ii. But we don’t have to be ashamed in our faith
iii. Let your faith be courageous
c. In my own life
Faith to heal a marriage and turn depression into hope
2. Allow Faith to Build
a. No Miracles
b. Don’t let God be small
c. It will grow your experience and your faith
III. Be Diligent in Faith
A. The Centurion
Matthew 8:5–13 NIV
When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
1. Practice it
a. Prayer, reading, giving or serving
b. Sharing it with others
i. Last time you brought Christ to someone
ii. Part of someone’s coming to Christ
B. Don’t be Surprised
1. When other see your faith and believe
Matthew 5:16 NIV
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
a. Practice with courage
i. be the Super Hero of faith/my favorite is Superman
b. Practice with zeal
2. Watch What God can do
a. Seen a sinner set free
i. Men freed of porn addiction, woman freed of abusive relationships
b. Seen a person healed
i. People were praying and saying goodbyes but He lived on
c. Watched the blind, see
i. Young man who didn’t believe adamantly sent me a letter later on
Conclusion:
What faith do you want to have today? Are you willing to be courageous in faith? Are you willing to step out in zeal because you KNOW your faith is real? I challenge you to accept these things, to go home and write down all the things God has done for you in life and rest that He has been faithful and that your faith is not blind. If you believe God hasn’t done anything for you, I would love to have that conversation with you. For He has done infinitely more that we can possibly imagine, for starters, he brought you hear today to hear this message of faith and of salvation, let that blow your mind!
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