384 Sermon Illustrations on Faith

Submitted by:

David R. Sincerbox

dsincerbox@aol.com

Most police consider racial profiling to be a tool, not an act of racism. African-Americans make up 12 percent of the population, but committed 58 percent of all carjackings between 1992 and 1996. Whites committed only 19 percent of the carjackings. Most victims of black criminals are black. Blacks commit almost 50 percent of all robberies. Black males make up 1.1 percent of the total population of the United States but commit more than 28 percent of the homicides. Bernard Parks, the black police chief in Los Angeles, says that racial profiling is “rooted in statistical reality, not racism.”

Police have developed racial profiles from experience. Black smugglers who haul drugs along interstate highways drive long distances because they don’t want to leave their drugs untended. They stop only for gas and snacks. If the police happen to pull over a car used for smuggling, the police will examine the floors of these cars checking to see if they are littered with food wrappers. They’ll notice if the possible smugglers have day-old beards and are wearing loose-fitting clothing. They’ll sniff the cars checking for an overwhelming aroma of air-fresheners, which the smugglers use to fool drug-sniffing dogs.

Sgt. Mike Lewis of the Maryland State Police said, “I debrief hundreds of black smugglers, and I ask them, ‘Why don’t you hire white guys to deliver your drugs?’ They just laugh at me. ‘We ain’t gonna trust our drugs with white boys.’ That’s what they say.” (This illustration was developed using information from Jeffrey Goldberg’s article, “The Color of Suspicion,” in The New York Times Magazine, June 20, 1999. See especially pages 52 and 53.)

If police had a racial profile of faith, would you and I be fit its characteristics? Paul tells us in the 4th chapter of Romans, the 18th through the 25th verses, that Abraham, the father of all who believe, would be the prototype of this profile of faith. It would indeed be racial because Abraham is the progenitor of a new race of humans, one drawn from both Jew and Gentile, consisting of all believe in God for justification through the propitiatory work of Christ Jesus on the Cross.

Paul tells us in this passage that this racial profile of faith consists of seven characteristics:

1. When it rests on the promises of God, it hopes even when everything is hopeless.

2. When it rests on the promises of God, it assesses circumstances realistically.

3. When it rests on the promises of God, it knows that God can do that which defies even nature.

4. When it rests on the promises of God, it grows stronger as it is exercised.

5. When it rests on the promises of God, it expresses itself in giving glory to God.

6. When it rests on the promises of God, it roots itself in the atonement and Resurrection of Jesus.

7. When it rests on the promises of God, it is credited to us as righteousness.

Incidentally, at the end of Goldberg’s article, he states that the police, both black and white, often have tunnel vision: "They understand half the equation—blacks commit more of certain types of crimes than whites. But what they don’t understand is, just because blacks commit more crimes than whites doesn’t mean that most blacks commit crimes (page 85)."

A policeman will see a 16-year-old white male in a Mercedes and assume his father is rich. He’ll see a 16-year-old black male in a Mercedes and assume the boy is selling drugs.

1. Faith of our fathers, living still

In spite of dungeon, fire and sword–

O how our hearts beat high with joy

Whene’er we hear that gracious word!

Chorus

Faith of our fathers, holy faith,

We will be true to thee till death!

2. Our fathers, chained in prisons dark,

Were still in heart and conscience free;

How sweet would be their children’s fate

If they, like them, could die for thee!

3. Faith of our fathers, we will love

Both friend and foe in all our strife;

And preach thee too, as love knows how,

By kindly words and virtuous life.

[Tune: “St Catherine”]

[This hymn, unfortunately, has a tendency to look on faith as a set of doctrines rather than as a relationship of trust of the believer in God.]

1. Oh for a faith that will not shrink,

Though pressed by ev'ry foe;

That will not tremble on the brink

Of any earthly woe:

2. That will not murmur or complain,

Beneath the chast'ning rod;

But in the hour of grief or pain

Will lean upon its God:

3. A faith that shines more bright & clear

When tempests rage without;

That when in danger knows no fear,

In darkness feels no doubt—

4. A faith that keeps the narrow way

Till life's last spark is fled,

And with a pure and heavenly ray

Lights up the dying bed.

5. Lord, give us such a faith as this,

And then, whate'er may come,

We'll taste, e'en here, the hallowed bliss

Of our eternal home!

[Tune “Evan”]

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1. Simply trusting ev'ry day

Trusting through a stormy way;

Even when my faith is small,

Trusting Jesus — that is all.

Chorus

Trusting as the moments fly,

Trusting as the days go by;

Trusting Him whate'er befall,

Trusting Jesus — that is all.

2. Brightly does His spirit shine

Into this poor heart of mine;

While He leads I cannot fall,

Trusting Jesus — that is all.

3. Singing if my way is clear,

Praying if the path be drear;

If in danger, for Him call,

Trusting Jesus — that is all.

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Higher Math

Read: James 1:1-8

Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. --James 1:2-3.

Faith + Trials = Patience

One might better try to mix oil and water. But what makes this formula work is confidence in God's unfailing love, which allows for all the human emotions that come with life's trials.

Shirley and her husband Roy proved that this equation is still up-to-date. Here's their story: Roy was told that in 6 months the plant where he worked would close but he would receive severance pay.

Shirley wrote, "Praise the Lord for that--but also praise the Lord that He loves us so much He's given us yet another trial in our lives. (This will be the fourth time we're starting over in the 13 years we've been married.) At first I panicked and questioned God's love. But I kept reading my Bible, stopped feeling sorry for myself, and started to pray for others. As long as God gives us this roof over our heads (and even if we lose it), I'll thank Him."

So when you face trials, you can "count it all joy" if you add faith, knowing that God's love will never fail. As you do, you will develop an attitude of patient expectation, confident that God will do what is best. --DJD

Afflictions may test me,

They cannot destroy;

One glimpse of Thy love

Turns them all into joy. --Willett

The first lesson in patience is learning to count our trials as joy.

When teaching adults, Jesus talked about childlike faith {Luke 18:15-17}. In 1 Corinthians 13:11 Paul spoke of childish thinking.

In an article for Good News magazine, Duffz Robbins contrasts childish faith and childlike faith:

CHILDISH FAITH

1. Good Christians don't have pain and disappointments.

2. God wants to make us happy.

3. God always answer prayers.

4. Faith will help us always understanding what God is doing.

5. Good Christians are always strong.

CHILDLIKE FAITH

1. God uses our pain and disappointment to make us better Christians.

2. Sometimes He answers with NO or wait.

Faith will help us to stand under God's sovereignty even when we don't have a clue about what God is doing.

5. Our strength is in admitting our weakness.

Here is the heart of the matter: Childish faith is self-centered and demanding. It expects God shield us form all difficulties and to make life comfortable for us. In contrast, childlike faith focuses on God. It trusts Him to use even difficulties for our good and His glory.

What kind of faith is yours?

”Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that God is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

If your idea of faith is having to do with an attitude of the mind, then you are still dealing with the natural abilities imbedded in your soul. Our conflict begins when we desire to see where we are going before we decide to make the trip.

The exercising of our “faith muscle” begins when we are determined to allow God to put His life into us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God (Rom. 12:1). In James 1: 22 it says, to be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, for we deceive ourselves. Do not be like some Christians who agree that the Bible is true but never act on faith. It is a process that allows our “blind eyes” to see through the “spiritual eyes” that He gives us as our faith grows. Prayer does not cause faith to work, but it is faith that causes prayers to work. Do not doubt the integrity of the Word or the ability of God to stand behind His Word. Amen

Two boys stood at the edge of a frozen pond. One of them said to the other, "Billy, I believe it will bear our weight." "Do you?" asked the other. "Yes." "Then get on it." "No," said he, "I don't want to."

"Then," said the other, "you don't believe it will bear you."

Dr. J. M. Buckley, a Methodist preacher, was once asked to conduct what they used to call in those days an "experience meeting" at a church in the South. That was a meeting similar to a testimony meeting such as we sometimes have today. A woman arose and bore witness to the preciousness of her religion as light bringer and comfort giver.

"That's good, sister!" commented Dr. Buckley. "But now about the practical side, the positive side. Does your religion make you strive to prepare your husband a good dinner? Does it make you look after him in every way?" Just then Dr. Buckley felt a yank at this coat tails by the host preacher, who whispered ardently, "Press those questions, doctor; press those questions. That's my wife!" Does our faith show by what we do for others?

A wounded soldier said to his comrades who were carrying him, "Put me down. Don't bother to carry me farther. I am dying." They did as he requested and returned to the scene of battle. A few minutes later, an officer saw the man weltering in his blood and said to him, "Can I do anything for you?" "Nothing, thank you." "Shall I get you a little water?" "No, thank you. I am dying." "Isn't there anything I can do for you?" persisted the kind-hearted officer. "Shall I write to your friends?"

"I have no friends that you can write to. But there is one thing for which I would be much obliged. In my pack you will find a Testament.

Will you open it at the 14th chapter of John, and near the end of the chapter, you will find a verse that begins with 'Peace'. Will you read it to me?" The officer did so and read the words, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

"Thank you, sir," said the dying man. "I have that peace; I am going to that Savior-God is with me-I want no more," and he was gone.

“Therefore [it is] of faith that [it might be] according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, ‘I have made you a father of many nations’) in the presence of Him whom he believed — God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be.’” (Romans 4:16-18 NKJV)

The Reason Of Faith

• faith…grace — Rom 3:24, Gal 3:22 — or free unmerited favour

• sure, being the result of the Divine promise; not of human obedience

• all…seed — Rom 9:8 — all true believers

• written — Gen 17:5 — Scripture warranty

• nations — not of one nation — the Jews — only

• who…dead — and can therefore perform His word

• calleth…were — all time being present with the great I AM — Acts 15:18, Rom 8:29

• against hope — when those was no human ground for hope

• believed — that the promise would be fulfilled — Gen 15:5

• in hope — the hope inspired by the promise

The father of the faithful — Anon

I. The object of the patriarch’s faith –God, who

1. “Quickeneth the dead,” — giveth life to dead matter;

2. Always fulfils His promises — “And calleth those things which be not,” etc.

II. Its pre-eminent vigour and efficiency — “Who against hope,” etc. Three things belong to hope:

1. It has always reference to that which is future;

2. Its object must be something good or desirable;

3. Something attainable.

III. The important results which followed:

1. The fact stated in reference to Abraham;

2. The application made of it to ourselves.

Acceptance through Christ — A lady called to see a sick child who had been seized with croup in the night, and thought that he should die. “Oh, mother,” he said, “I’m frightened to go before such a good God!” Then suddenly he added, “but I have prayed to Him to make me a better boy; and, mother, there’s the navvies’ prayer, that they pray beside their beds in the next room.” And then the little child knelt up in his bed, and, amidst paroxysms of coughing, prayed, “Oh, God wash me from all my sins in my Saviour’s blood, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Almost directly afterwards, with the simplicity of childhood’s eager faith, he said, “Now, mother, I need not mind dying, because I am washed, you see, in the blood of Jesus Christ.” — Bible Treasury

“The salvation of believers is so much the more sure by how much it has its foundation in the Divine covenant of grace.” — Howe

“Faith, the foundation of salvation; Hope, the rising edifice ; Charity, the topstone and perfection.” — Origen

“The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.” — Auqustine

1. We believe in God the Father,

maker of the universe,

And in Christ the Son, our Saviour,

come to us by virgin birth.

We believe He died to save us,

bore our sins, was crucified;

Then from death, He rose victorious

ascended to the Father's side.

Chorus

Jesus, Lord of all, Lord of all.

2. We believe He sends His Spirit

on His church with gifts of pow’r.

God, His Word of truth affirming,

sends us to the nations now.

He will come again in glory

judge the living and the dead;

Ev’ry knee shall bow before Him,

then must ev’ry tongue confess.

”The watchman on the walls”

“Behold new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” — (Isaiah 42:9, NKJ)

— For reading & meditation: Isaiah 42:1-9

“There is a vital faith element which is always in evidence in the days preceding a revival,” says Arthur Wallis in his book “Rain from Heaven,” and the stimulus for that faith is provided by those whom we may call “the watchmen on the walls”. In Bible times watchmen stood on the walls of Jerusalem during the night so that they could report any signs of enemy activity. These watchmen were also the first to see the dawn and in its light assess the situation in a way that those in the city could not.

Just as Jerusalem had its watchmen, so too does the modern-day Church. They are the seers, the prophets, the intercessors, who are constantly on watch and report to us their findings. I do not regard myself as one of this favored group, but I do know many who are. They tell me that like Elijah of old they see “a cloud the size of a man’s hand” scudding across the heavens and know that soon we shall see a deluge such as we have never seen before. I believe them, for my own spirit witnesses to what they say.

Charles Finney tells the story of a woman in New Jersey who felt that God was about to send revival to her town. She encouraged the leaders to arrange some special meetings and when they refused she went ahead herself, getting a carpenter to make seats so that she could have meetings in her house. He had hardly finished before the Spirit of God fell upon the community. How could this woman have been so sure? She was a watchman — a watchman of God.

PRAYER:

O Father, I may not be in the category of a “watchman” but help me keep so close to You that I will be able to hear Your faintest whisper. This I ask in Christ’s peerless and precious Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

Rev. 2:1-7; Acts 3:19; 8:22; 17:30; Luke 15:21

1. What was Jesus’ message to the Ephesian church?

2. What does repentance mean?

And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. — Acts 6:5

Something happened in the life of this man [Stephen], chosen for menial service, and he became mighty for God. Faithful in little, God brought him to full fruition. Under the inspiration of divine power by which he spoke, they could not help but listen even the angels listened.

As I read about Stephen in Acts 6 and 7, I have a vision of this scene in every detail the howling mob with their vengeful, murderous spirits ready to devour this holy man; and he, “being full of the Holy Ghost,” gazing steadfastly into heaven. From his place of helplessness, he looked up and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.”

Is that the position that Jesus went to take? No!

He went to sit at the right hand of the Father; but in behalf of the “first martyr,” in behalf of the man with that burning flame of Holy Ghost power, God’s Son stood up in honorary testimony of him who, called to serve tables, was faithful unto death. This man chosen for an ordinary task but filled with the Holy Ghost was so moved upon by God that he finished his earthly work in a blaze of glory, magnifying God with his last breath. Looking up into the face of the Master, he said, “Lord Jesus, forgive them! Lay not this sin to their charge!” And when he had said thus, he fell asleep. Friends, it is worth all to gain that spirit. What a divine ending to the life and testimony of a man that was “chosen to serve tables.”

Pray this closing prayer today: “Lord Jesus, fill me with faith and the Holy Spirit, that I might blaze with Thy glory like Stephen no matter what I face in life. Amen.”

”Wow! I’m amazed! That blows my mind!”

Can you hear Jesus saying those words? If you’re like me, probably not. But did you know that two different spots in the Gospels tell us that Jesus was amazed? Both times it was in regard to faith. Once because of a show of faith, the other because of the lack of it.

In Mark 6:1-6, we’re told that Jesus was teaching in His hometown of Nazareth when the people began to question Him and His wisdom. Why, this was the carpenter’s son. They knew his mother and his brothers. He wasn’t any different from them, they thought. He was nothing extraordinary; they had no reason to believe that He was specially anointed by God. And Jesus was “amazed at their lack of faith” (v.6). Because they didn’t have faith, Jesus chose not to do any miracles in their city.

The second time Jesus’ amazement is mentioned is in Luke 7:1-10, which tells of Jesus entering the town of Capernaum. A centurion there had a servant who was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some men to ask Him to heal the servant. Jesus started to go to the centurion’s house, but while He was still a little way off the centurion sent word to Him not to trouble Himself by coming all the way in. The soldier didn’t feel worthy to have Jesus come into his house, so he said, “Say the word, and my servant will be healed” (v.7). When Jesus heard this, He was amazed at the centurion and his faith. (By the way, Jesus healed the servant.)

So why does faith have such an impact on Jesus? Why does it elicit such a strong response from Him? Why is He amazed when we have it and when we don’t? Because our faith is based on God’s loving and faithful character. “Great is Your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies” (Psalm 57:10). Faith believes that God is good. He loves to give, and our faith allows Him to do just that. Read Mark 6:1-6 again. He didn’t perform miracles in that city because of their lack of faith. Could He be holding back from you because of your lack of faith?

God knows how important it is for us to trust Him. He knows how we come alive when we’re confident in Him. Think about those people you really trust–the person you trust with your deepest secrets, the person you trust with your dearest possession. You are confident when you’re around him or her. Just as certain people bring out the worst in us, some people bring out our best — that’s God!

So where are you on the Faith Meter? Are you causing Jesus to be amazed? With your show of faith or with your lack of it?

Are reason and faith opposed to each other? Philosophers, scientists, theologians, and countless others have been wrestling with this question for centuries. We must all face this question when naturalism conflicts with the supernatural. We must face it when our experience seems to conflict with our theology. We must face it when our finite minds cannot answer infinite questions. And, most of us face it every time we get onto an airplane.

I have only a rudimentary grasp of aerodynamics. I can understand why balloons float, and, in theory, I can understand why planes fly. But, in reality, the sight of a metal aircraft that weighs several hundred tons gliding through the air always seems slightly absurd to me. How can something that heavy fly? This lack of understanding on my part means that I get onto an airplane by faith. Yet, the faith that allows me to step onto an airplane is not opposed to my reason but completely dependent upon it! I trust that, in spite of the fact that I can't understand the reasons the airplane flies, there are nevertheless good, sound reasons. I trust that the physicists and the engineers who designed the plane and the pilots who fly it understand the laws of aerodynamics better than I do. Flight is not a miracle, in the strict sense of the word. When I believe in it I am not denying reason, rather I am trusting the reasoning of someone else who has figured it out. By getting onto a plane I am assenting that someone else understands the science of flight, even though I do not.

A similar choice is before most people who undergo surgery. If a person is ill, cutting them open seems like the last thing in the world one should do to help them. Won't this further add to their pain and injury? Yet, we trust surgeons, diagnosticians, and those with a thorough knowledge of the human body who tell us that this will ultimately help the body heal. If I am the patient, my trust in the surgeon supersedes my instinct that I should never let someone cut me open. Though I may reason that surgery will be painful and though I may not be able to understand how the operation works, I must choose to put my faith in the surgeon's better-informed reasoning that this will ultimately help me.

On apparent conflicts between faith and reason, philosopher Alvin Plantinga has written, “[T]he poignancy of the clash is just that what faith teaches conflicts with an immediate teaching of reason.”[1] Plantinga here employs the word “immediate” in the sense of being “in the present time or place.” Our faith may clash with the information immediately available to us (such as that heavy things don't float, or that people shouldn't be cut open), but this does not mean that it conflicts with what will be shown to be true when more truth is revealed (such as when airplanes fly and operations save people's lives).

With this in mind, we are never really required to choose faith over reason, but rather merely to accept certain beliefs in the expectation that the reasoning behind them will one day be understandable to us. As Ravi Zacharias has said of God, “He's put enough in this world to make faith one of the most reasonable things. He's left enough out to make it impossible to live by sheer reason alone.”

The writer of Hebrews calls faith “the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, ESV). We ought not to be misled into thinking that one can only be convinced of what one can see. At one time, many people would have said that it goes against reason to believe that an 875,000-pound aircraft could fly across the ocean. It took centuries for humans to figure out how to fly a plane, and it only came about because some who had never seen an airplane fly believed it was possible. Things that seem rationally impossible or improbable to us now may not always seem so. There are times when faith requires us to defer our desire for rational explanations, but this does not mean they will ultimately be denied. Our final and greatest hope for explanations is to be in the presence of God himself, whose understanding surpasses anything we could imagine.

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1. “Reason and Belief in God,” The Analytic Theist (Eerdmans, 1998), p. 159.

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Copyright © 2003 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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A reflection on Matthew 18:3 by a motivational speaker:

Remember the master teacher once said 2,000 years ago, “Unless you can become like little children, your chances are zero, you haven't got a prayer.” A major consideration for adults.

Be like children and remember there are four ways to be more like a child no matter how old you get --

1) CURIOSITY - Be curious. Childish curiosity. Learn to be curious like a child. What will kids do if they want to know something bad enough? You're right. They will bug you. Kids can ask a million questions. You think they're through. They've got another million. They will keep plaguing you. They can drive you right to the brink.

Also kids use their curiosity to learn. Have you ever noticed that while adults are stepping on ants, children are studying them? A child's curiosity is what helps them to reach, learn and grow.

2) EXCITEMENT - Learn to get excited like a child. There is nothing that has more magic than childish excitement. So excited you hate to go to bed at night. Can't wait to get up in the morning. So excited that you're about to explode. How can anyone resist that kind of childish magic? Now, once in awhile I meet someone who says, “Well, I'm a little too mature for all that childish excitement.” Isn't that pitiful? You've got to weep for these kinds of people. All I've got to say is, “If you're too old to get excited, you're old.” Don't get that old.

3) FAITH - Faith like a child. Faith is childish. How else would you describe it? Some people say, “Let's be adult about it.” Oh no. No. Adults too often have a tendency to be overly skeptical. Some adults even have a tendency to be cynical. Adults say, “Yeah. I've heard that old positive line before. It will be a long day in June before I fall for that positive line. You've got to prove to me it's any good.” See, that's adult, but kids aren't that way. Kids think you can get anything. They are really funny. You tell kids, “We're going to have three swimming pools.” And they say, “Yeah. Three. One each. Stay out of my swimming pool.” See, they start dividing them up right away, but adults are not like that. Adults say, “Three swimming pools? You're out of your mind. Most people don't even have one swimming pool. You'll be lucky to get a tub in the back yard.” You notice the difference? No wonder the master teacher said, “Unless you can become like little children, your chances, they're skinny.”

4) TRUST - Trust is a childish virtue, but it has great merit. Have you heard the expression “sleep like a baby”? That's it. Childish trust. After you've gotten an A+ for the day, leave it in somebody else's hands.

Curiosity, excitement, faith and trust. Wow, what a powerful combination to bring (back) into our lives.

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There was a fine Scottish pastor named George Matheson. Matheson wrote hymn "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go." But in the early years of his ministry, Matheson was plagued with doubts, doubts so intense and severe that he decided in order to be true to his conscience he should resign his call to be a pastor. He went to his Church Council and offered to resign, but they wouldn't let him go. They told him to stay and preach as much about Christianity as he could believe in. So he stayed and gradually as he served that church and those people, his faith returned, strengthened stronger than ever. And with that renewed faith he wrote the words,

O Love that will not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in thee;

I give thee back the life I owe,

That in thine ocean depths its flow,

May richer, fuller be.

For Matheson, out of doubt came renewed faith and the same is true for us.

Much is offered in the symbols and images of certain ancient traditions for constructing homes and buildings. In one particular tradition, a large stake was used as a central pillar for the structure, driven into the ground by the future occupants. Their homes were built as a miniature cosmos, and believed to be founded on the center of the world.

The New Testament thrust is that our center is not here. “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). While alienation is considered a part of all religions, what distinguishes the New Testament is that its writers do not wish to resolve that sense of alienation. It seems they want to know it fully and to preserve it as the very key to life in Christ.

What do you expect from your Christian life? What do you believe, wish, hope that it will deliver?

I believe that many of us look to faith for a resolution to problems, perhaps for a more successful life, or at least less difficulties or pressures than others have to face. In faith, some approaches to Christianity give the impression that being a Christian will help you to be comfortable in life, to fit in, to have a happier life.

Many perhaps have had an inkling that this was not true to real life; neither is it true in the Scriptures or church history. Jurgen Moltmann offers helpful insight: “Faith, wherever it develops into hope, causes not rest but unrest, not patience, but impatience. It does not calm the unquiet heart, but is itself this unquiet heart in man. Those who hope in Christ can no longer put up with reality as it is, but begin to suffer under it, to contradict it. Peace with God means conflict with the world, for the good of the promised future stabs inexorably into the flesh of every unfulfilled present.”(1)

Our culture and our daily lives tell us constantly and continuously that “I” am the center of the world. But the Western pursuit of individualism, autonomy, and privacy, comes with a heavy price tag. By pursuing the fulfillment of lives here and now and acting as if this world, this moment, this opportunity is all there is, we sacrifice the ability to look out and beyond life; we sacrifice the ability to see past self. We live by trying to make life and the world fit our personal desires. Yet we are not the center of the world; to behave as such is to live falsely.

The New Testament is anchored in the proposition that the aim of life is altogether outside of life. To the kingdom of men and women Jesus declared the anomaly of the kingdom of God: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39). Since this world is not our home, there is a sense of alienation that must be taken into the heart of all experiences. We are hopeful, but we are restless. We are foreigners with treasures in heaven; we are resident aliens looking toward home. If this world is not the end, but a journey, then we must not treat it as if it is the sum of all things. The choices we make now with our time, our talents, and our lives have eternal consequences.

What are you living for? What do you see? What vision, whose values, what treasure drives you?

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1. Jurgen Moltmann, THEOLOGY OF HOPE (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993), 21.

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Copyright © 2005 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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Family, faith, and finance are the three ingredients of a successful life.

Isn’t it interesting how so many things come in threes? There are three aspects of God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There are three parts of humans -- body, mind, and soul. There are three stages of life -- eternity past, eternity present, and eternity future. The Pauline epistles refer to a group of three as well; Paul writes of faith, hope, and charity. The Hebrew chronologist speaks of the inner court, the outer court, and the holy of holies. Even our government breaks down into three branches: the executive, the judicial, and the legislative, all three working together to form a system in which justice is served.

In my near 25 years of pastoring, I have discovered another cohesive triplet that is essential to the life traveler in order to be happy and successful. We can carry only a limited number of bags if we are to move efficiently and effectively to our desired destination. I believe there are three bags we should all carry: faith for the hard times; family for the fulfillment of intimate and interpersonal needs; and finances through which one acquires the luxury of options. Faith, family and finance -- if you carry these three and not destroy one in the pursuit of another, nothing is impossible.

To achieve success, any sojourner needs to have those three bags and five concepts plotted out on a map to get to a destination expeditiously and securely. We need to locate our faith in the favor of God; identify our gifting; recognize the power of a plan; learn that giving is the cycle that releases more in our lives; and always have the knowledge that 10% of what we have is not ours -- but belongs to God.

Faith in the Favor of God -- Favor will come to your life when you understand who God is and who you are, and when you find out your unique purpose in life in light of God’s will. As a carrot placed in front of a horse causes him to gallop more swiftly, people with a dream before them run the race with tenacity because they are motivated by their goal.

Identify Your Calling -- God gives each of us unique gifts. It is our job to recognize, nurture, and utilize these gifts in order to live up to our full potential. Many people do not succeed because they have more appreciation for what God has given someone else than for their own resources and gifts. Many aspire to imitate greatness in others rather than excavate the greatness that is in them. You must identify your own gifts and then use them. Your plan to get wealth must include a willingness to do what you do best whether you are in the spotlight or behind the scenes, receive adequate compensation or are underpaid.

Have you ever considered at what point a test becomes so difficult that you decide you can no longer trust in God and you must take over to solve the problem? The prophet Jeremiah describes a situation in which the temptation to solve a financial problem can become so great that we trust in man's way to solve it.

This is what the Lord says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit" (Jeremiah 17:5-8).

Jeremiah drew a sharp comparison between the man who trusts in his own effort to solve his problem and the man who trusts in God when he cannot see the outcome. The man who trusts in God bears fruit despite the circumstances in his life. He does not shrivel when the heat comes; in fact, his roots go deeper into God's grace. He continues to bear fruit in spite of his circumstances.

Recently, a friend from South Africa explained to me that whenever a plant lives in an arid climate, the roots drive deeper and deeper into the soil to get the water they need. This forces the plant to develop a root system that is far beyond the normal plant because it is forced to go deeper to gain the water it needs. Sometimes God forces us to go deeper into the grace of His love in order to build a greater foundation in our own lives. These lean times are designed to accomplish this in us. If you find yourself in this condition, ask the Lord who provides the water for our soul for the grace you need today to continue to bear fruit in the desert.

The way people talk, you could get the idea that faith is nothing more than a spiritualized form of wishful thinking. The slogan "Just Believe" decorates everything from sweatshirts to wall hangings. But the kind of faith those two words advocate has more to do with the mystical power of positive thinking than with anything God ever said on the subject.

Although it does no good to talk back to a slogan, someone ought to ask, "Believe what?" Believe that God will repay money I foolishly borrowed? Believe that God will neutralize the consequences of all my bad choices? Believe that God will give me the car, career, or spouse of my dreams if I promise to behave in a certain way?

Contrary to what we may want to believe, faith is not in convincing ourselves that we have God's stamp of approval on our plans; it's believing that God's plans are better than our own.

Noah had that kind of faith. In obedience to God's instruction, he built a houseboat, enduring the ridicule of his neighbors, because God said He was going to flood the earth (Genesis 6).

Abram had that kind of faith. In obedience to God's command, he left the comforts of home and headed across the desert to an unknown place because God said He would bless the entire earth through him (Genesis 12).

Moses had that kind of faith. In obedience to God's call, he gave up the privileges rightfully his as the adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing instead to identify with Pharaoh's slaves because God said Moses was to lead them out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10; Hebrews 11).

As these and other passages indicate, biblical faith is not about getting permission to do what is easy; it's about gaining the courage to do what is difficult. It's not about staying in your comfort zone; it's about going where God leads. It's not about believing what people say about God; it's simply believing what God says. -- Julie Ackerman Link

DESTINATION POINTS * Do I strengthen my faith through obedience or let it get weak while I wait for a certain experience? * In what ways do I hide behind doubt to avoid the demands of faith?

LINKS: Do I Have The Right Kind Of Faith? http://www.discoveryseries.org/q0603

bottom line: Faith precedes experience, follows obedience.

A story is told of a young man who learned of Christ entirely by listening to the maids who sang hymns as they went about their day. The child had never been to church, seen a Bible, or heard anyone mention God. But in the singing that filled the hallways, he found an unknown desire in his heart confronted. Though as a child he knew several by memory, the hymn he chose most as his own seems to confess with stirring appropriateness his own reality: “I love to tell the story/ of unseen things above.” What was unseen in his life became the certainty that moved him most.

The writer of Hebrews gives us a definition of faith in similar terms. The chapter begins, “Now faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see” (11:1). If I am being honest, this definition has always somewhat eluded me. As John Wesley once observed of the same words, “There appears to be a depth in them which I am in no wise able to fathom.” In the examples of faith in the verses to follow, we find exactly that — an unfathomable depth of belief. We find faith moving across the pages of history, the gift of God sparkling in the eyes of the faithful, and the unseen, a certainty by which countless lives were guided. “By faith,” writes the author of Hebrews, “Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country... For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (11:8-10).

Near the end of Abraham's story in Genesis — after God had promised that his descendants would outnumber the stars and his people would dwell in the richness of the promised land — Abraham buries his wife, his only son is yet unmarried, and he owns only a small plot of land in a world in which he is still living as a foreigner. Yet what was unseen was the certainty that moved him; what he was looking forward to was a vision for which to live and die.

In C.S. Lewis' THE SILVER CHAIR, Eustace, Jill, Prince Rilian (who is the prince of Narnia) and Puddleglum (who is a marsh-wiggle) are trapped beneath Narnia in the land called Underworld. The Queen of Underworld, who is really a witch, has thrown a green powder into the fire that produces a sweet and drowsy smell. In the enchanting haze, she convinces the group that Narnia does not exist; like the sun, moon, and Aslan, the great lion, Narnia is all a dream. The children and the two Narnians try their hardest to describe the things they are certain exist. Yet with each argument the Witch makes it all seem more and more foolish.

It is at this moment of despair that Puddleglum makes a brave move. With his bare foot he stomps on the fire, sobering the sweet and heavy air with the unenchanting smell of marsh-wiggle. Boldly he turns to the Witch, “One word, Ma'am,” he says coming back from the fire, limping, because of the pain. “One word... Suppose we have only dreamed, or made-up, all those things — trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself... Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one... We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world. I'm on Aslan's side, even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as much like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that's a small loss if the world's as dull a place as you say.”

In a world where faith is defined as foolish and irrelevant, the definition of faith in Scripture stands by the better country. For the faithful admit like Abraham that we are like strangers on earth, setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for a country of our own, telling the story of things unseen. It is in this depth of certainty by which Abraham lived and died, knowing that He who promised is faithful, knowing that the small family he could gather together in his final days would yet one day outshine the starry sky. Let us therefore hold onto the hope we profess, looking forward with Abraham to the city with foundations, the city of the living God. For with our eyes fixed on Christ, the light born out of Abraham's promise, we shall see.

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Copyright © 2004 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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Luke 12:1–12 — Teachings on Various Subjects « Leader information shown in this fashion »

« A. Today’s Outline

1. the division is somewhat arbitrary

2. here are teachings that are loosely tied together; that is, there is some progression in the ideas involved

3. there are no parallel passages in the other gospels but the same teachings will be found there in different form and context »

B. Discourses to His Disciples — 12:1–12

1. … on Hypocrisy — 12:1–3 (NKJV): 1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

a. regarding leaven « — you may have heard, or even been taught, that leaven invariably represents sin in the Bible; I would like to point out some reasons that such blind use of typology in interpreting the Scriptures can be dangerous »

(A) its character — leaven in Bible times was usually used in the form that we know as sour-dough; that is, a piece of dough was saved from that currently being kneaded in order to mix with the next batch of dough. Even if not mixed by kneading, the leaven will silently permeate the whole lump of dough, affecting all it touches. Baking destroys the leaven, but not its effect.

(B) typical meaning: this is connected with the types found in the old testament system of feasts and sacrifices

(1) the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread — held annually, as described in Deuteronomy 16:1–8

(a) what is unleavened bread called in verse 3? « — the bread of affliction »

(b) what did it represent to the Hebrews? « — the affliction they had in Egypt and their haste in leaving it »

(c) « to say that leaven stands for sin in this context is to say that if you give up sin for the first week of the year it is alright to sin for next 51 weeks — a wholly unwarranted conclusion! »

(2) the sacrifices — only two of the five sacrifices are connected with bread or leaven

(a) Leviticus 2, 6:14–23 The Grain or Meal Offering which was to be seasoned with salt but not with honey or leavened, and was to be partly burnt on the altar and partly a portion for the priest; this was offered in thanks of the first fruits

(b) Leviticus 3, 7:11–21 The Peace or Fellowship Offering was to be offered

¤ 7:12 « — with unleavened cakes »

¤ 7:13 « — also with leavened bread »

¤ 7:14 « — the priest was to share both of these »

¤ 7:14–15 « — it was eaten by the offeror »

¤ « so here we have both priest and person worshipping together with both the bread of affliction and the bread of non-affliction; to suggest that leaven typifies sin destroys this picture of rejoicing fellowship; the fact that leaven is coupled with honey, a mark of God’s blessing in the land of promise, shows that leaven is typical of good gifts given by God to be enjoyed in their place but never to supplant the One giving them »

(C) symbolic meaning: Luke 13:20–21 (read also verses 18-19)

(1) « because of its character, leaven is symbolic of a silent, unseen growth. »

(2) these two parables, taken together, describe how the kingdom of God grows;

(a) like a mustard seed. « from small beginning to a great result; »

(b) like leaven, « silently and unseen, with no moral connotation »

(c) « If you insist on leaven standing for sin here then you have Jesus saying ‘the kingdom of God is like sin’ and, if we are to pray that God’s kingdom come, are we not praying for sin to come? Romans 6:1–2 (AV) “1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” »

(3) but associated with this symbolic meaning there is often a negative aspect: as leaven works silently and insidiously, affecting all it touches, so there are things that can enter our lives which will, if allowed to stay, affect them negatively

(a) 1 Corinthians 5:6–8 « — allowing immorality to coexist with worship »

(b) Galatians 5:7–10 « — allowing false teaching »

b. what is the “leaven of the Pharisees” « — hypocrisy »

c. why is leaven a good symbol for this?

(A) « because its working will eventually be apparent »

(B) « because it affects what it touches — those who admire the Pharisees will become affected by their same spirit »

2. … on Fear or Worldly Anxieties — 12:4–7 (NKJV): 4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

a. Who is to be feared in verse 5? « — God »

(A) what is the occasion for fear in this instance? « — because He is judge and the One who executes judgment »

(B) what other kinds and reasons for fear should be shown?

(1) « the fear of respect for His majesty »

(2) « the fear of awe of His power »

(3) « the fear of His holiness or “otherness” from us »

b. Who is not to be feared by God’s children? Why not?

(A) « earthly rulers »

(B) because

(1) « their power is limited only to this present life »

(2) « of God’s providential care of His own »

3. … on Faith and the Holy Spirit — 12:8–12 (NKJV): 8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven. 11 Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

a. what does this tell us is

(A) a mark of faith? « — confessing Jesus before men »

(B) a mark of lack of faith? « — denying Jesus before men »

b. “blaspheme” means to “speak evil of”

(A) what are primary roles of the Holy Spirit

(1) John 3:5–8 « — effect the new birth, regeneration »

(2) John 15:26 « — bear testimony to Jesus as the Christ »

(3) John 16:8 « — convict of sin and judgment to come »

(4) John 16:13 « — guide the believer into truth »

(B) in practical terms, how does one speak evil of the Holy Spirit? … why does this prevent forgiveness? « — denying His witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Saviour of the World and that we are sinners … so we are prevented by our own response from coming to repentance »

Loving God is a commandment in the Bible. But “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19, KJV).

Many years ago I spoke at the famous Park Street Church in Boston. That day my topic was God’s unconditional love, one of my favorite topics.

A missionary with whom I had gone to seminary twenty years earlier came up to me afterwards. “I could never preach a sermon like that,” he scolded. “I leave talking about God’s love to the theological liberals. I just talk about faith.”

Faith is important, but this poor man had lost sight of one of God’s greatest qualities. The apostle Paul writes, “We know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5, NLT).

God’s love for us, and His love through us, have always been the main focus of my ministry. His love is the central message of the gospel. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NLT).

God not only loves us, but it is noteworthy that His very Person is love. The Bible says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8, NLT). Love is the essence of His being, the driving force behind everything He does. That is why He wants this chief attribute to be the driving force behind all that we do.

Many people already know that they are lost and that they are sinners. Many do not need to be reminded. This includes many who are in other countries with dominant, non-Christian religious systems. But many have never been told of God’s great, unconditional love for them and what He has done for them. The revelation of God’s love has no doubt brought more souls into the kingdom and caused more repentance and personal healing than any other message.

As God leads, we must proclaim the whole counsel of God and tell of hell and eternal punishment, but the good news is that because of His great love, God wants to redeem us. That is not because we deserve it, because we do not, but only because of His love and grace.

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, NLT).