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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