Fire Filled Faith
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1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. 2 At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. 3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. 4 So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, 5 “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.” 6 So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. 7 I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 8 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
Last we we talked about new years resolutions and that while they mean well there not as important as looking back on the last year and the year ahead to reflection on how we lived as kingdom people.
Do you believe that he is the same God - yesterday, today forever? Scripture declares it!
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
It is interesting because most of us would claim to know what that looks like
There is a new bible study called Jesus Centered - through out the OT and NT of this bible called Jesus Centered Bible - anything that points to Christ or anything he said is highlighted in blue.
It is cool because reading just the blue helps us see a detailed look at Jesus
We claim that he is the same yesterday today and forever and we often fail to be in the word to know what that truly looks like
Some of us depend on the preacher or our early child hood teaching and or even tv evangelist, and we have often taken it for truth without even checking the word.
Many long for the good old days of revival where many came to Christ, where our churches were full and children and families had faith in God.
We long for loved ones to know Jesus like people knew Jesus years ago.
As i thought about it this week I realized if Christ is the same yesterday today and forever, then what changed?
Well the pews did, the preachers did, the songs did, the buildings did, the pulpit did the people the band did, people passed on and moved on! Yet word of God didn’t change, the way which we can communicate with God didn’t change. So we should still be able to experience the spirit of God that rushed through the upper room in Acts and filled people with the spirit right?
What changed ? maybe we did! Maybe our faith has become lukewarm, maybe we have become comfortable, maybe, just maybe we have become complacent and haven’t looked for God at work that we are just coasting through the motions, maybe we have become so caught up in the traditions of religion that we have forgot the Christ who has called us! Maybe we need a reawakening, to desire a fire filled faith in God.
Jesus just finished the sermon on the mount. If you have never read it - you really should or
1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. 2 At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. 3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. 4 So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, 5 “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.” 6 So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. 7 I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 8 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
This story is amazing first of all in that time if there was a sick slave they would be left to die because there were many, but this roman officer who was compassionate instead wanted to ask Jesus to heal him.
This was unheard of because the roman soldier was a Gentile, he had not spent years studying and learning about the coming messiah. Gentiles had little to do with the Jews and in fact the Jewish people did not recognize them as those who Christ was coming to save as well.
The Centurion was so humbled that Jesus would even respond that he didn't feel worthy and sent friends to speak on his behalf, even though he as hero in others eyes for building a synagogue and liking Jewish people, he felt unworthy to meet Christ
Just say the word, his faith was so powerful that he believed that if Jesus said it, it would come to pass.
Jesus was amazed at his faith
There are only 2 times in scripture where Jesus is amazed at faith
He wasn’t surprised he was in awe of such faith.
The NIV Application Commentary: Luke Original Meaning
The power of Jesus and the presence of faith form a powerful combination.
It is faith like this that we are called to have. while there are seasons in our life we have only had the faith of a mustard seed, we are called not to stay as children being spoon feed but to grow in faith and believe that God does what he says he will do.
Jesus can heal, he can save, he can transform, he is the same yesterday today and forever.
The second story of Jesus amazement is in Mark
Jesus was travelling was travelling around healing people
Jesus was travelling was travelling around healing people
1 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. 2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” 3 Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. 4 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people.
Mark 6:1-6
You have often heard that being a pastor in your home community is difficult. Familiarity is dangerous. If you grew up in a town you will likely be known as you were when you were there. If you were a good boy, you are probably still seen as a good boy., many times they do not take into consideration that people change. These people knew Jesus he is just the carpenter.
He was amazed at their unbelief and he couldn’t do miracles among them. Miracles where what pointed to the fact that he was the messiah and the power of God rested upon him the son. These people had no regard for who he was, they were so familiar that they did not stand in awe of him.
This struck me like a ton of bricks. We hear about Jesus, we read about him, we talk about him and he has become familiar, and to believe that he could be up to something new leaves us as the towns people in unbelief. While he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, Jesus also makes all things new. When church is the same for years and things are different - we lose awe of the God who is with us in change. When buildings close and we are to move on ....we act as if God is confined to the four walls of 423 Bartlett dr when in fact the spirit of God is in us the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead! We find it hard to imagine that God is in the midst of our situation and doing a new thing.
We when lose the awe and wonder we take things for granted and we become stuck!
We can become a hindrance to the move of God’s spirit - and forget that God power is inside of us. We become believes with unbelief.
We sing the chorus Faith in God can move the mighty mountain, faith in God can calm a troubled sea, faith can make the desert like a fountain, faith can bring us the victory
Faith in God can move the mighty mountain, faith in God can calm a troubled sea, faith can make the desert like a fountain, faith can bring us the victory
If he was to search our hearts, what kind of faith would he find, would he be in awe because of the faith that believes that if he says it...it will be done, or will he be in awe of the stagnant disbelief
Don’t worry about others this morning
worry about you
will he find a faith that believes and earnestly seeks him to save their loved ones, to heal their sick, to move mountains
Faith that loved ones see and want to know more about Jesus - those closest to you
Do you have faith that the Christ of Yesterday today and forever can still do what he has done and fill our churches and save our loved ones.
If we believe he can do it then lets become the prayer warriors we ought to be ! Don’t walk out of here this morning until you have encountered God! Don’t leave these doors until you make a commitment to Jesus Christ to live for him, to seek him, to be people of the word.
If we fail to do so, then we will not experience the power of God that we would see when we have faith. let us not be a hindrance to the spirit but be one like the centurion that says you speak it and it will be done.
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11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
11 “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
29 For our God is a devouring fire.
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)
Do you have a faith this morning that Christ would marvel at ?