THE GOOD NEWS COMES CLOSER

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33

Oh! You of Little Faith

Introduction 

Growing up as a child in a place where constant electricity supply was scarce especially in the evening, the most uncomfortable call had always been my mother, Abena Manu sending me into the darkroom to bring the matches or lantern. The fear of being attacked by an unknown being in the darkness quickly possesses me. 

Jesus translates the fear that engulfed Peter and the other disciples as a sign of little faith. 

Are you living with any sense of fear?

How can you grow over your fears through faith in Christ?

In our subsequent discussions, we would be dealing extensively with fear.

Oh! You of Little Faith

FAITH IN CHRIST

Is faith really important?

Faith as defined by the Scriptures as; "...the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report." (Hebrews 11:1-2) 

Faith is found in almost all the books of the New Testament. The scholarship has it that, faith is mentioned 336 times in the King James Version whiles it appears 458 times in the New International Version of the New Testament.

Beloved, faith is undeniably very important to the Christian. 

Faith is actually the begging of our salvation in Christ Jesus. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith..." Eph. 2:8 

In Romans 10:8-10, "...what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."

I invite you to believe in our Lord Jesus and confess Him as Christ to receive His grace of salvation today.

This faith is found in God's Word, the Holy Bible. "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." (Romans 10:17). The Word of God illuminates the hearer to build faith for salvation and Christian living.

Does faith end after Salvation? Why is it so easy to believe that Christ has saved us and yet so difficult to believe that Christ can take care of us?

It seems we terminate our faith in Christ after being saved. But in truth, this is rather the beginning of our walk with Christ which must be powered by faith.

Matthew 14:22-33

Common to Christ, He spends some time alone with His Father in prayers. To be like Christ, we must be spending both solo as well as fellowship times with our Father in Heaven (vs. 23)

"When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear." (vs.26)

The 12 begun to fill their minds and hearts with fear on seeing someone walking on the Sea of Galilee (Sea of Tiberias). Like my childhood days, my mind creates the imaginary being and makes the horrific episode so real.

We mostly fill our conscience and life with so much fear of the unknown that they become so real with us than the God who is in us. "It's a ghost ... cried out in fear."

When we make Christ's presence with us so real, we overcome every scene of fear and doubt that rise in our stormy situations.

Bro Peter gathered courage as Jesus said, "Take courage! It is I" to walk on the sea. "Come" Jesus called on him. 

Peter was able to walk on the sea so long as he held unto the confidence of what he hope for and assurance about what he does not see. But, he began to sink when fear took over his faith. 

Sometimes our stormy life becomes so threatening that we lose our confidence and assurance in God to protect us. Like Peter, we are so glued to the problems around us that we deny God's saving power.

Don't substitute your faith for fear in doubt.

They believed in the Sonship of Jesus, after seeing what He did. (vs33).

One with faith: "believing is seeing" and one of little faith: "seeing is believing".

We are expected to grow and keep hold of our faith in Jesus Christ for Christ-like formation. 'You of Little Faith', so little that it can only believe what it sees. Little faith is selective to God's promises and doubts the possibility of some of them.

Today, many Christians have conformed to the standards of this world that, they fill every aspect of their lives with fear and doubt until they see God's intervention before they believe. Oh! you of little faith.

Like many people, COVID-19 is a mirage until they are diagnosed as positive. Oh! You of little faith.

Come to think of it, we believe in the manifesto promises of the politicians and always create room to accommodate their failures but cannot believe in God's promises which He has never failed His people.

Why is it so hard to have faith?

Could it be our education system that has taught us that everything must have tangible evidence and explanation without that then it is impossible and unacceptable?

Remember, "Jesus looked at them and said, “With man, this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”" (Mark 10:27)

PEOPLE OF FAITH

For the sake of your loads of doubts, let me run you through some few results of Faith in Christ in some people's life.

Some friends brought a paralyzed man to Jesus.

Matthew 9:2 

"Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”"

Jesus saw the "faith" and there was forgiveness and healing.

A woman had been bleeding for 12 years. She touched the hem of Jesus.

Matthew 9:22

"Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment."

There were two blind men. They called on Jesus.

Matthew 9:28-30

When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored.

A Canaanite mother with a demon-possessed daughter came to Jesus

Matthew 15:28

Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

One day, a Centurion asked Jesus to heal his paralyzed servant. When he expressed faith in Christ's words to heal the servant.

Matthew 8:10, 13

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... 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.

On one occasion, two of the Apostles healed a beggar at the beautiful gate. In explaining to the onlookers.

Acts 3:16

By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

What do you see as the common determination in these few examples? FAITH! FAITH!! FAITH!!!

You see, if we ask Christ Jesus to; heal, bless, give us a spouse, save us, grant us good carrier/job, financial stability, etc without faith then we will not have it."Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6) 

Oh! you of little faith.

Conclusion 

True faith in Christ is the key to open all the doors you have been knocking on since. Just open with faith and you will be ushered in. Stop living in fear instead of faith.

Stop wasting time and strength and exercise an act of faith for your breakthrough. 
Amen

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🤝🏽 Shalom Aleichem...