Faith

Good morning, everyone.

Thank you all for not when Larry said I was giving the lesson, I appreciate it that you didn't all go screaming, running out the door.

This morning in a minute, I'll I'll be talkin about faith and faithfulness.

But I want to start by asking you a question and I want you to think about this question as I talk. What did we see?

We live in very difficult times. Amorality runs rampant.

We have wars, we have disease hunger. Our politics is disgraceful.

We have all these feel good. Message, put before us. Help us with everything. Is this anything different? Did any other time in history?

Same thing keeps repeating itself.

Satan uses.

All of these things.

To try to weaken our faith in God.

Sometimes it's out, right? Sometimes it's very subtle. How he does it?

As Christians. What do we do about it?

This morning, I want to focus on a couple of lessons. From Matthew.

I'll be reading in Matthew 4.

Then Jesus was led by the spirit Into the Wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, if you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. Jesus answered it is written man shall not live on bread alone. Put on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the Temple. If you are the Son of God, he said, throw yourself down for it is written. He will command his angels concerning you and they will lift you up. In their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Jesus answered him. It is also written. Do not put the Lord, your God to the test.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain. And showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. All of this, I will give to you. He said if you will Bow Down and Worship me,

Jesus said to him away from me, Satan. For it is written Worship the Lord, your God and serve him only.

In this passage.

Jesus would not allow Satan. The weakened his faith in his father.

Even with hunger.

Even being offered all the kingdoms of the Earth. Jesus stayed faithful to his father.

Jesus teaches us no matter what happens. Stay faithful to God.

the next passage is for Matthew a

When Jesus had entered capernium. I sent Orion came to him asking for help. Lord. You 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 until there's 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 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 aside in 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.

In times like what we're living through. And all the people of the past.

It's very difficult to keep our faith.

but I want you to think about the Centurion,

Now. He was a soldier in a distant land. I'm assuming he came. From another country. He upheld the laws of a very cruel. And corrupt, leader, and government. We don't know how many innocent people he himself. Head Slade.

But the Centurion saw something in Jesus.

What do we see in Jesus?

Do you remember when we accepted Jesus? Is our Lord and savior. What did we see?

Do you remember when we Rose from the water? During baptism.

What did we see?

I encourage all of us to have the faith, like the Centurion. God is in control. During good times and bad.

As we think about our faith, I will finish with part of Jesus's prayer in John.

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.

Jesus is praying for us.

What does that mean to us? The Son of God is praying for us. What, what an encouragement?

That all of them, maybe one father. Just as you are in me and I am in you. They, they also being us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. What is prey?

Father this morning as we think about faith. We ask that you help strengthen ours.

That you helped us through our daily lives. Play loyal to you.

Father, we thank you for the many blessings that you give us each and every day. And father. We especially thank you for your son Jesus. It's in his glorious name. I pray, amen.