Sermon
of the Month!
FAITH
MARK 11:22
Introduction:
Consecration to God and faith in God ought to characterize every servant
of God. And who can tell the limits of the possibilities of such? There
are many believers in Jesus, but few consecrated to Him. Fewer still
who actually prove His faithfulness in fulfilling all His promises.
I. THE NATURE OF FAITH.
(Heb 11:1 KJV) "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen."
A. Faith acknowledges
the things unseen, and acts as it they were visible.
1. Noah built the ark (v. 7). Though there
had never been a flood.
2. Moses forsook Egypt (v. 27). "seeing him
who is invisible."
3. Through faith Jacob coveted the birthright
(Gen. 25). And because Esau could not
see its value he despised it and sold it.
a. " Oh, I see it " is not equivalent to "
Oh, I believe it."
b. (Rom 10:10 KJV) "For with the heart
man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
c. (1 Sam 16:7 KJV) "... for the LORD
seeth not as man seeth; for man
looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."
4. A clear head is no evidence of a believing
heart.
II. THE OBJECT OF FAITH.
(Mark 11:22 KJV) "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith
in God."
A. A process must
be used, but the process must not be the object of trust.
1. They are the ditches we dig but GOD must
fill them (2 Kings 3.16).
a. Jehoshaphat’s army needed water.
b. God promised to fill those ditches.
B. God can be trusted
to fulfil every promise He hath made, for " God is faithful
"
(I Cor. 10:13).
1. (Psa 89:33 KJV) "Nevertheless my
lovingkindness will I not utterly take from
him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail."
2. (Psa 89:34 KJV) "My covenant will
I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone
out of my lips."
C. How, then, can
His power be doubted. Nothing shall be impossible with God.
1. (Jer 32:27 KJV) "Behold, I am the
LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any
thing too hard for me?"
2. The object of our faith is One who cannot
change, One who cannot fail.
(Titus 1:2 KJV) "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot
lie, promised
before the world began;"
III. THE GROUND OF FAITH.
(1 Pet 1:23 KJV) "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
by
the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."
A. The Word of God
which liveth and abideth for ever
1. (Prov 30:5 KJV) "Every word of
God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put
their trust in him."
a. There is no dross, nothing to be put
away.
b. To be received just as it is given.
c. According to 1 Peter 2 we are to desire
the sincere milk of the Word. Many
seek to boil it down before receiving it.
d. They attempt to refine what God has already
purified.
B. The Word is not
only pure, but " sure." (2 Pet 1:19 KJV) "We have also a more sure
word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light
that
shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in
your hearts:"
1. (Isa 40:8 KJV) "The grass withereth,
the flower fadeth: but the word of our
God shall stand for ever."
2. (Psa 119:89 KJV) "For ever, O LORD,
thy word is settled in heaven."
C. Then the ground
of our faith is as faithful and true as the Object of it.
IV. THE EXERCISE OF FAITH.
A. Abraham believed God
(Rom. 4, 5), and went out, not knowing whither he went
(Heb. 11:8). He had but " His WORD," as we have.
B. Caleb believed
God when he said " Let us go up at once and possess it "
(Num. 13:30). God had promised to give them the land, and he believed.
although the
difficulties were great and numberless God wouuld do what he said.
C. Peter believed when
he said, "Nevertheless (although there seemed nothing but
failure),
at Thy Word I will let down the net" (Luke 5:5). His Word
was all he had , but it was
enough.
D. Paul exercised faith
when he said, " I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told
me" (Acts 27:25), Do you ?
V. THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF FAITH.
A. (John 11:40
KJV) "Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest
believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?"
1. Did Abraham not believe and see when
made rich ?
2. And Caleb ?
3. Peter believed and saw a great draught.
4. What was Joshua's testimony ? (Josh
21:45 KJV) "There failed not ought of any
good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came
to
pass."
5. What was Solomon's testimony 400 years after
?(1 Ki 8:56 KJV) "Blessed be the
LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that
he
promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which
he
promised by the hand of Moses his servant."
6. Again, in (Mark 14:16 KJV) "And
his disciples went forth, and came into the
city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover."
a. The disciples went forth and found, as
He had said unto them.
b. If they had not gone forth they could
not have proved the truthfulness of His
Word.
Is there a single case where faith has been disappointed
in all of the Bible? And
if not, will there ever be one ?
VI. THE NEED OF FAITH.
A. Have faith in God.
1. (Mat 17:20 KJV) "... ye have faith as
a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto
this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing
shall be impossible unto you."
2. (Mat 21:22 KJV) "And all things,
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing,
ye shall receive."
B. This is either
true or it is not true.
1. If it is not true, we can have no confidence
in God
2. If it is true, then why is it not our
experience?
3. Might Jesus not say to us : (Luke
24:25 KJV) "Then he said unto them, O fools,
and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:"
C. Let the question
be faced. " Believe ye that I am able to do this ? " (Matt. 9:28).
1. If He can say to you, " Great is
thy faith," you may also expect that it shall be unto
you, " even as thou wilt."(Matt. 15:28).
2. He cannot do many mighty works through us,
because of our unbelief.
VII. THE RESULT OF FAITH.
Many wonderful results are recorded in Hebrews chapter
11.
A. It would be impossible
to mention all the possibilities of faith, since it is written, To us
as was to the blind men " according to your faith be it unto you."
(Matt. 9:29)
B. There is no limit given.
(Mark 9:23 KJV) "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe,
all things are possible to him that believeth."
C. Elijah prayed, and it
rained not by the space of three years and a half. He prayed again,
and the heaven gave rain (James 5:17-18).
D. Hezekiah trusted in
the Lord God, and there was none like him (2 Kings 18:5).
E. There are none today
like those who trust God.
Conclusion: Do you have real faith in God? Do you trust when
to provide for any need that may arise in your life? Do those around you
know as "one full of faith" by your words AND actions?
(James 2:14-26 KJV) "What doth it profit, my brethren, though
a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? {15} If
a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, {16} And one
of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding
ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth
it profit? {17} Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
{18} Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy
faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. {19}
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also
believe, and tremble. {20} But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without
works is dead? {21} Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when
he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? {22} Seest thou how faith
wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? {23} And the
scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed
unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. {24} Ye
see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. {25}
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had
received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? {26} For as
the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
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