Exploits Of Faith
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 1,908 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Intro
Intro
Text - ;
12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.
Title - Exploits Of Faith
Exploit = deed, act, especially a notable or heroic act
a daring act,
a risky endeavor
a challenging performance
Exploits of faith refers to:
daring acts of faith
faith acting on the challenges of life through circumstances, dangers, problems, and the like.
risky moves of faith in order to experience more of God
Question
Question
When was the last time your faith accomplished something great for the glory of God?
When was the last your faith stepped beyond the limits of common sense and practicality?
W
Background
Background
Jesus’ statement was initiated by the disciple Philip’s request to “show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
Jesus declares:
He who has seen me has seen the Father, because I am in the Father and the Father is in Me.
If you CANNOT believe this, believe Me for the sake of the works
If you CAN believe this, you will do the works, and you will do greater works than these.
In , an angel was speaking to Daniel about end-time events. Specifically, the angel was talking about the “antichrist”:
Specifically, the angel was talking about the “antichrist”
he will defile the sanctuary fortress
he will take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation
he will corrupt (seduce) with flattery those who violate the covenant
Despite these things, there is a people who know there God and they will take a stand and take action.
Main Point
Main Point
Real faith in Christ is an active force. It is never dormant, it is certainly not dead!
It is always ready for action
It is always moving
It is always reaching out for greater things
It is ready to do something new, to experience something new from God
When was the last time your faith brought a new thing in your life?
When was the last time your faith produced something greater?
Sermon Points
Sermon Points
How can the believer experience doing “greater things” in his/her life?
Your faith must be founded on the right knowledge of God.
Your faith must be founded on the right knowledge of God.
The people who know their God shall be strong!
32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.
In , Philip had yet to know His God and His Christ.
“Show us the Father...”
Jesus said, “Believe Me… or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.”
How do we know God?
by faith
by intellect - we know what He is
by experience - we know WHO He is and WHAT He can do!
WHAT’S THE POINT?
DON’T JUST KNOW GOD THROUGH BIBLE STUDY - KNOW GOD EVERYDAY BY EXPERIENCE!
KNOW GOD EVERYDAY BY EXPERIENCE!
THE MORE YOU KNOW GOD BY EXPERIENCE, THE MORE YOUR FAITH GROWS!
Your knowledge of God will empower you to be “strong” and “carry out great exploits”
Your knowledge of God will empower you to be “strong” and “carry out great exploits”
- …but the people who know their God…
strong - display strength (NASB); stand firm (ESV)
32 “By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.
32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.
32 “And those who violate the covenant he will seduce with flattery, but the persons who know their God will stand firm and will take action.
Real faith teaches you to “take a stand”, take a strong position on issues and things in life.
on the doctrines of faith - the truth
from wrong to right
on what is morally right before God
from sin to righteousness
from error to truth
from evil to good
WHEN YOU SEE YOU ARE IN THE WRONG SITUATION, DOING THE WRONG THINGS, YOUR FAITH WILL NOT BE QUIET! IT WILL URGE YOU TO GET OUT OF THE WRONG PLACE, AND MOVE UP TO THE RIGHT PLACE WITH GOD!
Examples
Joshua after their defeat at Ai - He fell on his face before God!
He fell on his face before God!
the prodigal son - he came to his senses and decided to come home and humble himself before his father!
doctrines of faith
moral and immoral actions and behaviors
Real faith will “take action” (carry out great exploits)
a “God-ward direction”
from wrong to right
from sin to righteousness
from error to truth
from evil to good
WHAT’S THE POINT?
WHEN YOU SEE YOU ARE IN THE WRONG SITUATION, DOING THE WRONG THINGS, YOUR FAITH WILL NOT BE QUIET! IT WILL URGE YOU TO GET OUT OF THE WRONG PLACE, AND MOVE UP TO THE RIGHT PLACE WITH GOD!
Examples
Joshua after their defeat at Ai - He fell on his face before God!
the prodigal son - he came to his senses and decided to come home and humble himself before his father!
a “God-hungry” action - real faith is hungry for a demonstration of God’s power and glory!
WHAT’S THE POINT?
WHEN YOUR LIFE IS STUCK IN THE “RUT”, FAITH WANTS RELEASE! FREEDOM FROM THE RAT RACE OF LIFE!
FAITH ACHES FOR A FRESH WORK OF GOD!
Examples
Gideon - “If God is with us, why then has all this happened to us?”
11 Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites.
12 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”
13 Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”
Judges 6.11-1
14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”
Judges 6.14
“Go in this might of yours!”
Gideon’s strength (might) was his hunger to see God in action in his life!
Elisha - “Where is the God of Elijah?”
14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.
15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.
12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.
Elijah’s God was not on the mantle, but ON ELISHA HIMSELF!
2 Kings 2.14
Elisha was eager to see God in action!
Conclusion
Conclusion
Are you hungering for your faith to bring you to great adventures for God?
Why don’t you…
Destroy “baal” today?
Gideon destroyed his father’s baal, by God’s instruction
;
later, he came to be known by the name Jerubaal, “let baal plead”
Challenge your faith in God
Gideon asked God for a sign twice
Our story:
last year, we challenged our faith in God by saying: our financial problems will end this year (2018). Next year, we will be debt free!
we had to deal with internal problems - sins, wrongs and failures
we had to commit to keep our faith and relationship strong
we had to start doing what is right and pleasing to God
What’s your story?
The story of your life is a series of actions and in-actions.
Every action and in-action in your life is based on your faith or non-faith in God.
they are either “actions of faith” of “actions of disbelief”
SONG - I WILL OVERCOME
You can triumph in your trials!