Don’t Give Up Your Faith Introduction: Every man has his breaking point. A. Every Christian has an all-knowing God that will not allow him to reach that point! (1 Cor 10:12-13) 1. One writer said: “when God permits his children to go through the furnace, he keeps his eye on the clock and his hand on the thermostat.” 2. Rest assured that our God will test us, but it is always for our good. B. Why then do Christians quit? 1. In contrast to a living faith that looks to God for escape and help, a Christian may choose to cast off his faith. (Heb 10:35-39) 2. I believe that this happens because of neglect in the building of one’s faith. (2 Pt 1:10-11) 3. I have seen “knowledgeable” Christians who were commonly bored to death with the assemblies of Christians. Over time most of these fell away. 4. Over time our faith will be tested! How will your faith come out? (1 Pt 1:6-7) I. There are many snares that can cause you to stumble. A. One must build a faith that has “roots.” (Mt 13:21) 1. Notice the time element between the challenge and the fall: “immediately.” 2. One must build a faith on reason, reason that can look back and know! 3. Far too many people become Christians because of “relationships” and not because of the power of the gospel. That “faith” cannot stand. (Rom 1:16) B. One must build a faith that can overcome alleged contradictions. (Jn 1:45-46) 1. How could Jesus be from Nazareth and still be the Messiah? (Micah 5:2) 2. Did Jesus fulfill the prophecy? How would one come to know this? 3. Those who are quick to turn away will never find God’s truth! C. One must build a faith that can overcome ones own prejudices. (Rom 9:30-33) 1. The Jews had as a people accepted many wrong concepts, among which was an attempt to be justified by law keeping. 2. A genuine faith is teachable! A tender heart can fight though one’s prejudices and erase them from their heart. 3. Why were the Gentiles more ready to believe? Their prejudices and pride did not stand in the way. D. One must build a faith that can see the difference between what men do and what God does. (Rom 3:1-4) 1. The Gentiles were wrong to reject God because of the hypocrisy of the Jews. (Rom 2:24) 2. Jesus wanted His disciples to know this in advance so that the rejection of men would not destroy their faith. (Jn 16:1) 3. Jesus willing tested these men in His ministry so that they could reason correctly! (Jn 6:61, 66-69) 4. What do you really know? Will your faith stand upon it? 2 II. One example in the ministry of Christ A. Jesus faced a woman that had “great faith.” He knew this in advance, but he wanted to demonstrate this to His disciples. Consider 4 tests Jesus gave her. 1. Jesus refused to answer her in a time of great need. (Matt 15:21-23a) a. Do you realize what it meant to be “severely demon possessed”? b. Consider the anguish of the parent who had to witness this! c. She only asked for mercy, how does He answer? Jesus ignored her! 2. Jesus’ disciples asked that Jesus send her away. (Matt 15:23) a. Jesus disciples were saying “Get rid of her.” b. Did the actions of Jesus disciples reflect upon Jesus? c. Satan can block us from the truth when we are hot-headed and sensitive. 3. Jesus said that He was sent only to the Jews. (Matt 15:24) a. Would she think that Jesus was a racist? These tests are getting harder. b. The woman’s response: “Help me.” Did she understand why all of this was happening? I doubt it. c. Did she know who Jesus was? Yes! She did not quit. 4. Jesus said that is was not good to take the “children’s” bread and feed it to the “dogs”. (Matt 15:26) a. A dog at this time would be like a rat or a buzzard in our times. If the daughter were a dog, what did that make the mother? b. Most would be angry if you said something about their sick child. c. How would the average person respond? “I though you were the Lord, I guess I was wrong.” How would you have responded? d. Listen to her reply: “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” B. This woman knew something about God. 1. This woman had humility. “Do not give me a dish, just the crumbs.” 2. Those Jews who got the dish by in large rejected it! (1 Pt 2:8) 3. Aren’t you glad this daughter had this kind of mother? 4. Jesus blessed this woman and proclaimed that she had a great faith. (Mt 15:28) III. Lessons for us A. When we quit, we cheat ourselves. (Heb 10:38-39) 1. What if this woman had become angry and quit? Her daughter would have been cursed for a lifetime. 2. Some parents today are teaching their children how to quit. B. Let every test draw you closer to God. (Lk 18:1-8) 1. How does God view quitters? (Lk 14:28-30, 33) 2. Why did Jesus never quit? (Heb 12:2-3) C. Let us not be the source of stumbling to another. (Mk 9:42; 1 Cor 8:9, 13) Conclusion: Our God will provide for us if w would let Him. (Jude 24) A. Hell will be full of sensitive people. (Matt 11:6) B. Heaven will be full of hurt people who never quit following the Lord. (Rev 21:3-4
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 08:29:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015