A Little Faith

Introduction

➟ ➟ ➟ Today’s scripture reading is familiar to us - and it seems especially relevant right now.

Jesus cuts to the heart of the matter.

If there is anything our current crisis has challenged us with — it is the need for a strong moral/spiritual foundation for our life.

We are being challenged in ways we never have before.

Our routines are out the window. Norms are different. Just try to go shopping.

➟ ➟ ➟ News is conflicting. Who do we trust?

“Angst” might be the word of the day.

So it would be good for us to review the three imperatives in our main text:

➟ ➟ ➟ 6.25 - do not be anxious about your life.

➟ ➟ ➟ 6.31 - do not be anxious.

➟ ➟ ➟ 6.34 - do not be anxious about tomorrow.

The heart of the message is …do not worry - even about our necessities.

It is said in such a way that communicates we need to stop what is already being done. The essence of which is to “stop doing it and don’t do it again.”

➟ ➟ ➟ 6.25 - “Your life,” encompasses the entirety of our life. It’s all-inclusive.

Nothing in any part of our life justifies worry when God is our Father.

It’s a challenge for many of us. If you’re battling worry, you’re not alone.

Our english word for “worry” is actually German in origin. Comes from a word meaning “to strangle or choke.”

Not the same thing as “concern,” which is regard for, care for, or interest in the welfare of someone or something else.”

We can be “concerned” about the weather & take appropriate measures when a storm comes. We dress for a certain temperature.

We can be “concerned” about getting sick - so we socially distance ourselves from others to not get what they may have.

This is a far cry from the type of anxiousness Jesus has in mind in our text.

He is talking about being crippled by something … to the point where we are mentally or emotionally strangulated.

➟ ➟ ➟ Have you ever seen a fog congest and cut off traffic flow?

Did you know it only takes 1 glass of water to create a dense fog 100 ft deep that covers 7 city blocks?

Think of how just a few gallons of water can cripple an entire city.

Now, let’s make the application. The substance of what we worry about is existentially small compared to the size it forms in our mind and the danger it does to our life.

➟ ➟ ➟ It has been said, “Worry is a thin stream of fear that trickles through the mind — which if encouraged, will cut a channel so wide that all other thoughts will be drained out.”

So here we are — somewhere in the midst of one of the greatest challenges we ever faced personally and as a church. How will we choose to respond?

Think personally … and locally as a church...

➟ ➟ ➟ A worldwide pandemic is keeping us from being together. Subjected to separation / isolation.

We’re now getting into weeks since we’ve been in each other’s personal presence.

Our shepherds are shepherding in ways today they could not have imagined 4-5 weeks ago.

➟ ➟ ➟ Thursday, Max Dawson wrote about the need for shepherds to shepherd now more than ever.

The crisis we face this hour may be the most crucial we have seen in all our years of shepherding.

➟ ➟ ➟ We’re exploring new ways of communication; with hours on the phone every day trying to stay in touch with people who need it most.

Much time in prayer.

Many hours in strategy sessions with other part of the leadership …

Many hours of the day … and just about every evening of this crisis, your leadership has been together in person … or via video teleconference.

We were busy before … and now this.

➟ ➟ ➟ Now we’re in midst of an incredible opportunity to purchase a new worship facility.

Your leadership has been working with realtors, viewing the prospective property.

Negotiating an offer to purchase; and now many hours have been logged to get the financial components / documents to banks to secure a mortgage.

They’re managing building inspections; showing our building; and talking to architects.

All during the middle of a global pandemic and economic crisis.

All while tending to and caring for their families and homes.

So we have personal change and upheaval … plus tremendous change with the pandemic with the added change of relocation in the next 60 days.

Lots of opportunity for angst/worry.

Please be patient.

Please trust the judgment of your shepherds.

Please treat them the way you want to be treated and provide the benefit of the doubt.

They have never given us any reason to doubt their commitment to the gospel.

So again, we ask that you be patient. We must resist the urge to worry.

This is what today’s text urges. Jesus uses three examples from nature to illustrate:

➟ ➟ ➟ 6.26 - look at the birds.

➟ ➟ ➟ 6.28 - consider the lilies.

➟ ➟ ➟ 6.30 - the grass of the field.

Jesus says God will provide the things they need with abundance and if He does that for these perishable things … how much more will he provide for us?

➟ ➟ ➟ Now, let’s concentrate on 6.30. I want you to focus on how the verse ends: O you of little faith.

Sounds abrupt in our 21st century context of manners.

What exactly does Jesus mean? Remember, He is speaking to his disciples here.

He doesn’t say they were without faith … but He is informing them that their faith was inadequate in some way.

You of little faith is found in 4 other places in the NT, all in relation to worry about food, clothing, and longevity of life.

So, I got to thinking — how has the current crisis shown me areas where my faith may be inadequate?

Before, it may have seemed like things were good … but had I really experienced the type of abundant living promised by Jesus?

Do I need to increase my faith? The answer is yes. Probably the same answer is true for you.

When we speak of increasing faith, we’re not speaking about vague concepts.

We’re talking about something intended to be active; the practice or force that impacts our entire life.

➟ ➟ ➟ Paul Earnhart: “little faith is a faith that has not been carefully thought out and applied.”

Now, during the emotional valley we’re walking through is challenging many of us. Maybe we’ve been exposed and now realize our faith has need of being expanded.

➟ ➟ ➟ How do I develop or expand my faith during crisis?

➟ ➟ ➟ That’s what we’ll talk about for the remainder of our time. We will:

See why this is so essential

Talk about the need to take God at His word

Come to realize the implication of our salvation

Faith Expansion is Vital

➟ ➟ ➟ We have to go beyond salvation.

Most of us at one point were convicted of our sin; saw the hope Jesus provides; and grabbed onto salvation by obeying the gospel.

But then, at some point, our faith may have stopped.

Faith was associated with what happens inside a building one or two days a week.

The practice of our faith may have never really rise above the form and the things we do in worship are centered primarily on the fulfillment of commands.

Once the commands have been fulfilled … it’s back to our regularly scheduled life .. that in some ways wasn’t all that different than before.

Little faith .. holds on to only some of God’s promises. We’re holding on to the salvation promises, but not much else.

- we have been given precious and very great promises. Every aspect of our life is covered by these.

Sometimes our little faith believes on the Lord, but doesn’t believe the Lord when He says He will take care of us and provide everything we need.

➟ ➟ ➟ We must refuse to be governed by life.

Instead of being mastered by our circumstances, we must come to master them..,

We would do well to think on this.

We profess faith in God. We believe in Jesus’ desire to save.

But what do we reveal in ordinary conversation?

Where is our focus?

Does it reveal an overemphasis and dependence on the physical?

Upon our own power and resources to survive?

This is not the picture painted of the Christian in the NT. In every circumstance, God’s people are shown to rise above their circumstances.

➟ ➟ ➟ - are are more than conquerers.

➟ ➟ ➟ - be patient in tribulation. This is not being the victim of circumstance … it’s coming to where we master our circumstances.

➟ ➟ ➟ Little faith does not think.

Sometimes … especially in times of crisis and change … we don’t think things through.

We develop tunnel vision … and see only problems instead of blessings. We only think of “what could go wrong,” instead of seeing things through the prism of opportunity and the hand of God working.

How is God working through the pandemic to recharge, revitalize, and revolutionize my faith?

How is God working to bless Kettering with a new building? Instead of seeing only problems … can we look for ways God can use us in even more effective ways to broaden the kingdom here in Dayton?

➟ ➟ ➟ Negative thoughts create a vortex in our minds … with the type of gravitational pull that can simply overcome our entire mindset.

That’s the essence of worry. Worry masters our thoughts … to react to them … instead of mastering or controlling them.

Think again of our main text in 6.25-34. What is Jesus asking us to do? Please look at the verbs again:

➟ ➟ ➟ 6.26 - look.

➟ ➟ ➟ 6.28 - consider.

➟ ➟ ➟ 6.30 - asks an open ended question… if …, will he not?

What is Jesus asking us to do? Slow down and think… not just react.

God wouldn’t lead us down a path toward destruction.

Our shepherds have never given us a reason not to trust them.

That’s the essence of worry. Worry masters our thoughts … to react to them … instead of mastering or controlling them.

Take God at His Word

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➟ ➟ ➟ Will we take these passages at face value?

When giving consideration to Bible characters like David, Elijah, Daniel, have you ever thought to yourself, “how did they do it?”

Sometimes we can read/study about biblical heroes and somehow come away with the idea, “that was then, this is now. that was them, this is me.”

Let our faith be like Abraham.

➟ ➟ ➟ - He was fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. No hesitation; no wavering.

- note the key concepts here:

➟ ➟ ➟ 1.18 - it is a surety that God is faithful.

➟ ➟ ➟ 1.19 - for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, …in Him it is always Yes.

➟ ➟ ➟ 1.20 - For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him.

➟ ➟ ➟ 1.21a - God has established you in Christ.

1.21b - He has anointed you.

➟ ➟ ➟ 1.22 - He has put His seal on you and given you his spirit in your heart as a guarantee.

Will we operate with the certainty of Paul? Will we take God at His word?

What Salvation Implies

➟ ➟ ➟ - May we come to a greater realization of what is ours because God is our Father.

God has plans and purposes for you. He is directing your life.

Just as He did with Jesus and your favorite hero in Scripture.

➟ ➟ ➟ - God is acquainted with all my ways. God knows you. You are of value to Him.

➟ ➟ ➟ Eldred Stevens:

Abraham, Joseph, and Moses could all smile at calamities and say: “I do not understand it, but God does not contradict himself and his purposes are sure.”

God loves you abundantly.

➟ ➟ ➟ - how different would your life and my life be if we came to a greater comprehension of God’s amazing love.

God is real.

He will become real to us when we spend more time in His world … coming in greater contact with the things He has made and less with the things we have made.

He will become real to us when we spend more time in His word … His reality confronts us on every page.

God has complete concern for us.

Back to - if he is concerned with birds, flowers, and grass, he is most certainly concerned about you.

He’s so concerned about you, , he knows the # of hairs on your head.

God has all power.

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➟ ➟ ➟ ; ➟ ➟ ➟ 3.20 - this is the power working inside of you.

Conclusion

Will you apply what you know and believe?

Will you raise your faith to the next level?

➟ ➟ ➟ - storm is raging. What is the only thing the disciples could see?

➟ ➟ ➟ 8.24b - Jesus arises and rebukes the storm.

➟ ➟ ➟ 8.25 - where is your faith?

➟ ➟ ➟ little faith is a faith we fail to apply what we know and believe.

8.25 -

It is a poor type of Christianity that has this wonderful faith in respect to the remission of sin and then melts when confronted with the trials of this life.

May we all increase our faith.