Title: Potential of Faith (Matthew 17:15-20)
Content I. What is Faith
1. To believe in God.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1) It is believing, and resting in the love and power of God.
The psalmist is telling us to rest in the Lord and not fret. Worry, fear, anxiety, and anxiety are all signs of a lack of faith.
2. Faith is a blessing God puts into each of us.
'God gives us according to the measure of our faith.' Faith is a natural thing. But we are learning too much distrust in the world.
It's really painful when I discover that someone I've trusted in my life doesn't trust me, or when I'm distrusted by others. And once faith is broken, it is extremely difficult to restore it.
Relationships between people are built on trust. When a person shows that he is unreliable, the relationship is broken.
Our relationship with God is also built on faith or faith in God.
“He who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
We sometimes distrust God in various situations because we lack faith, but God clearly shows that God Himself is trustworthy through various devices.
3. Things promised to those who believe in God.
God is their shield. God hears the pleas of those who believe in Him. Blessed are those who believe in God. Whoever believes in God will not be brought to ruin. God saves those who believe in him. God is a shield for those who believe in God. Those who believe in God do not move like Mount Zion does not move. They will be safe.
4. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
In the text, we can see how disappointed Jesus was because of the disciples' lack of faith.
When Jesus came down from the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, a man from the crowd came up and knelt at Jesus' feet, pleading for mercy for his demon-possessed son. But the disciples were of no help to him.
Because of this situation and the faithless disciples, the Lord groaned in his heart and said, 'O unbelieving and perverse generation, how long will I be with you and how long will I endure you? This was a lament for the faithless generation and its people.
And when Jesus commanded the demon to be cast out, the demon departed from the child at that hour. It was the lack of faith of the disciples that caused Jesus to suffer.
Here we have to think about how much our lack of faith, which is shown by our worry and concern for our situation, will torment Jesus.
But at this point the disciples did something wise. They came to Jesus and asked why they could not cast out the devil. The answer was that it was because of your unbelief. But soon afterwards, he did not despair, but spoke encouraging words of hope to his disciples, saying that they had the potential of faith.
II. Even a small belief has the potential to accomplish great things.
The Lord's encouraging words of comfort and courage are words of great grace to us who do not have faith today. “If your faith is as small as a mustard seed, you say to this cup to move from there, and it will move, and nothing will be impossible.”
Above all else, it is important to whom Jesus is speaking. Jesus' disciples had taken him by themselves to ask questions. Therefore, Jesus is speaking these words to his disciples. These are the words he spoke to the disciples who were ashamed, shamed, and frustrated because they had no faith.
These hopeful and precious words were the words the disciples heard. If we too are not lacking in discipleship, we will always be able to hear the words of the Lord. What are the elements of being a disciple of the Lord?
The Lord said to be a disciple, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.” In other words, He is speaking to those who want to live for the Lord but do not yet have faith.
What is Jesus telling them? If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can move mountains.
Faith like a mustard seed speaks of the possibility of faith. Mustard seeds are very small. A faith the size of a small mustard seed will grow into a faith that can move mountains in the future.
It's too small for now, making it feel like it's not there at all. But there is the life of the Lord and it will grow.
1. People of faith had glory.
By faith Enoch was taken to heaven without seeing death. By faith Noah had escaped God's judgment to destroy the earth. By faith, the walls of Jericho fell. countries were conquered. The lions have their mouths sealed. Three Hebrew boys came out of the furnace. I became strong in the midst of weakness. He was valiant in war and even defeated the cup of the Gentiles. Women also received their dead back.
2. Conversely, there were hardships that people of faith suffered.
they were punished They were brutally ridiculed. they had been imprisoned. they were whipped they were stoned Killed by sawing. They were even killed by the sword. They were penned in sheepskins, and they suffered privation, tribulation, and oppression.
3. What does this tell us about faith1). Faith does not always save us from opposing circumstances.
Faith did not save Daniel from entering the lions' den, but faith kept him from harming him by the lions in the cage.
Faith did not save Daniel's friends from entering the furnace, but it did protect them in the furnace.
I will not escape from the valley of the shadow of death, but God will be with me when I must meet such a thing.
(Isaiah 43:2) When you pass through the fire, I will be with you; and through the waters, you will not be burned, and the fire will not be consumed.
We think we are making a big mistake when we think that if we have enough faith there will be no problem for us.
A great mistake is also being made by teachers of faith who teach faith as a means of gaining personal wealth and power.
There is nowhere in the Bible where faith is used for personal gain.
Faith is not an instrument to accomplish my will, but an instrument to accomplish God's will.
Maybe it is God's will that I suffer.
It was clearly God's will that the Son of God suffered.
Peter is telling us about suffering according to the will of God.
The greatest faith is not manifested in running away from all suffering, but in believing that God will keep us for His will and purpose, even if it brings suffering.
Faith will not always provide a way out. But faith will give you the capacity to accept.