Will Jesus Find Faith In the Earth - Part 2

What does he mean by, what did Jesus mean by when the son of man returns will he find faith on the earth? He didn't, notice he didn't say will he find religion on the earth. Oh no, men are very religious whether they have faith or not. So what does he mean by faith? What is faith? Faith is really knowing God for who he is in complete trust. There's a verse in the book of Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6. Most of you can probably quote with me. Without faith it's impossible to please God. For those who come to him must believe that he is. And what else? Must believe that he is and what? And that he is the rewarder of them. The diligent that he can please. That's the question. Do you believe that God wants to reward you with fullness of life? Do you believe that Jesus said I have come that you might have life? And have it more abundantly. Jesus is the one that says these things I have spoken unto you. That my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full. Do you believe that God saw the world as busy as it was? People married, people having jobs, people living in homes. But empty and lost and in bondage. And he sent his son to bring real life, real joy, real freedom. So that life could be restored and renewed through him. And that in Jesus Christ every good thing that God desires to do for his people. Is available for you and I. Life beyond, beyond. To him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. Because when our lives are full of his joy. Jesus and God the Father knows the joy of the Lord is our strength. If we are full of joy we are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. And we serve the Lord with gladness. And we come before his presence with singing. We know that he the Lord he is God. He made us not we ourselves. We are his people. We are the sheep of his pasture. So we enter his gates with thanksgiving. In everything we give thanks. This is the will of God in Christ Jesus. And it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord. And to sing praises to his name. God most high. We enter his gates with thanksgiving. And into his courts with praise. We are thankful unto him. And we bless his name. For the Lord is good. He is the rewarder. To those who know him that way. What about if through injury. And through difficulty. You begin to cave in to the temptation to say. What's the use of it? I mean my body is falling apart. I take more medication every day. I seem like all I ever do anymore is make doctor's appointments. Outwardly we are wasting away. Wasn't Paul honest? If only for this life we have hope in Christ. We are of all men to be what? Most pity. Have we forgotten that although we are Christians. And the Lord Jesus is our king. That we live in the enemy's territory. That Satan is called the God of this world. He is in control of the government. He is in control of the media. He is in control of the entertainment industry. He is in control of culture and society. Are you supposed to feel at home here? Aren't we supposed to feel like we are aliens and strangers? Out of place. Awkward. We don't fit in. We don't belong. We are supposed to feel that. This is not our home. And you know Jesus was very realistic. We shouldn't think we need some kind of big majority. For us to feel at home. Because Jesus himself said. Wide is the gate. And broad is the way. That leads to destruction. And many enter therein. But narrow is the way. And small is the gate that leads to life. And then what did he say after that? Few there be that find it. Does it bother you being in the few? I mean when Jesus returned to the father. And left a group of followers in Jerusalem. It says he showed himself to almost 500. 400 to 500 people before he returned to the father. But when he. After ascending to the father within 40 days. The day of Pentecost. How many followers of Christ were together? 120. Not even 1% of the city that they lived in. Now let me ask you a question. The reason I'm pointing this out is. So is it worth it to God? To send his son? To sacrifice himself? Just to save 1%? What's the use? What's the purpose? What difference does it make? This didn't come from me. I don't know if it's a true story or not. But it was a beautiful illustration. And I've never forgotten when I heard it. It was an old man. At the beach. On the day when a certain current and a tide. Was causing. A number of starfish. To be washed. Onto the shore. And then the account says that this older man. Was just going along. One at a time kind of a slow pace. He bent over. He picked up a starfish. And he threw it in the ocean. But the tide was still washing him in. So he's picking up one at a time. And as he's walking along. They're being stranded again back on the. And it's just there's starfish everywhere. And it's just one here and one there. And this young man. Was watching him. How it goes. And said sir. What are you doing? You're not making any difference at all. The story goes. He looked at the young man. Bent down. Picked up another starfish. Threw it out. He said it did to that one. I think sometimes. Our expectation. And our perspective. Gets us. Messed up. And that's what's difficult. Because we set our hope on something. We think. We think something should be a certain way. And we put our hope on it. And then our hope. Gets disappointed. And what does the bible said happen? Hope deferred. Makes the heart sick. And people get. Disappointed. And discouraged. And believe me. Discouragement. Is a powerful weapon. In the devil's hand. Now I don't understand it. This is almost mysterious to me. But do you recall. An account. In the book of Exodus. It's in chapter 17. When the Amalekites. Came. The Israelites were camped at Rephidim. It's a place where they had quarreled. About no water. And God had brought them water from the rock. Right after that. After bringing them water. The Amalekites came. And attacked them. So Moses told Joshua. Take some of the strong men of Israel. And you go out and meet the Amalekites in battle. I will stand on top of the hill. With the staff of God. In my hand. And you go and fight in the name of the Lord. So the next day. The battle began. And Moses was at the top of the hill. And this is what the Bible says. As long as Moses hands. Were held up. Joshua and Israel was winning the battle. But when his hands. Grew weary. And he lowered them. The Amalekites. Started winning the battle. Now I. This is a record in scripture. And it's there for our instruction. And here's what it clearly tells me. You lower. Your hands. In discouragement. And see the enemy. Take advantage of you. You think he's going to stop? Oh I'm not going to hit him now. He's down. Satan would never kick a person who's down. We endanger ourselves. When we give in. To despair. This is actually in the book of Hebrews. I'll read it to you. I often wonder. I don't know that it is. A direct connection. But there's only one place in scripture. That warns against letting hands. Hang down. And knees to people. Because this is what it says. In Hebrews. And we'll finish the story there. In Moses. This is what this says. It talks about listen. Don't complain. When the Lord begins to discipline you. Train you. Because. No discipline seems pleasant at the time. It's painful. But later on however. It produces a harvest of righteousness. And peace. For those who've been trained by it. So he says this. Therefore strengthen your feeble arms. Or. In the literal language. Lift up the hands that hang down. And. The knees to become paralyzed. It's interesting. Lift up the hands that hang down. Strengthen the feeble knees. Well back to the story. You remember what happened. When Moses' hands began to fall down. And the Amalekites began to win the battle. Two men. Aaron, Moses' brother. And Herb. They each. Here's what they did first. Because it wasn't just his arms. What were weak. He wasn't able to stand on his feet. His knees were getting weak. They brought a rock. And had him sit. So he could be stable. And then they stood on either side of him. And lifted up his hands. All day. Until the battle was won. Man. We need a lot more Aaron's and Herb's. In the church of God. We need someone. Who sees the enemy. Winning. And realizes someone. Has let their guard down. Someone is saying in their heart. It ain't worth it. Nothing's changing. What's the use. It's dangerous. You know things can get bad. Even for. The people of God. One. And we may not. Remember these stories. We need to. Because these stories have been written down. For our encouragement. Amen. And our hope. Remember David. The man after God's own heart. He started off like a house of fire. One of the first things we know about him. After being anointed the king of Israel. Is that he ended up slaying Goliath. The giant. With a single stone. He was just fearless. In the name of the Lord. And then he was. Saul had him serve in his army. And every place he went. The Lord gave him success. He became so famous. That the young ladies in Israel. Made up this song. Saul has slain his thousands. And David his tens of thousands. Like ten times what Saul's done. Well that did not sit well with the king. The spirit of the Lord. Had already departed from him. And an evil spirit from the Lord. Came and was tormenting him. And one of the things the evil spirit of the Lord. Tormented him with. Is the desire to kill David. And that made. David become. Public enemy. Number one. And he was forced to live. In caves. Running for his life. Like the fugitive. Constantly on the run. With a price on his head. With Saul and the army of Israel. So here you have a wicked king. Who the spirit of the Lord has departed. Hating someone for no reason. And he's in the palace. Enjoying the easy life. Being served by people. And here's the man of God. Who has the spirit of God. Living out in the wilderness. In caves. And he. And he lived out there. So long. And his encounters were so close to death. That I think he said. He did have a group of followers. Yet his group of followers. Were those who were in debt or in trouble. Or discontent. If they were. People that it wasn't going well with. They went to David. And said maybe things will be better with him. So he had a group of men. But it became so hard to live. That David himself said. This is what he said. You know what. Eventually Saul is going to kill me. So I'm going to leave Israel. So David decided. To leave the land of Israel. And go to the land of Philistine. And he kind of became friends. With this one Philistine king. And he asked him for. A small little city. That he and his men could just enjoy. A little bit of normal life. Settle down. So they were given this city of Ziklag. This little city. And from Ziklag. What they would do. Is they would have little raiding parties. And so things seemed to be better for them. They would have homes. And life seemed to be a little bit normal. And then you know how the Lord would stir things up. And not let us get too comfortable. Well the Lord calls the Philistines. To want to go to war. With the people of Israel. Well David was living in the land. Of the Philistines. And I think David might have been. In a little bit of a state of confusion. Because he literally. He and his men. Went with the Philistines. And began to assemble with them. At least to pretend. If not for real. To fight against his own people Israel. But all the other Philistine commanders. Remembered what the ladies. What all the young ladies sang. Isn't this the person that they would sing about. Saul has slain his thousands. And David his tens of thousands. And so all the other Philistine commanders. Not the king that he. Not the one king that he had come into favor with. But all the rest of them said. We don't trust him. This may be a perfect opportunity. For him to turn on us. And be back in favor with his master. So they said no. Go back home. So he and his men. Travel back home to Zikzak. Back home. And when they get there. They find it burned. To the ground. While they were gone. A raiding party came. Burn the city to the ground. Now fortunately they didn't find. Dead bodies everywhere. Because instead of slaughtering everybody. The Malakites decided to take. All the women and children. With them and just burn the city down. David. And it says this about. What happened with David and his men. When they got there and they saw it. They wept. All day. Until none of them had any strength. And in that state of utter. Despair. In all the years of living. On the run. You know what begins to happen. When you're really at a low point. And you're sick and tired of it. There is someone. To blame for that. This is somebody's fault. And all of his men. Began to talk about. Stoning David. It's his fault. He got us into this situation. David's lost his family too. He's crying with everyone else. But now. He's the bad guy. What would you do in that situation? What's to you? You know what it says that David did? Says he encouraged. Himself. In the Lord. I don't know if I know how to do that. But when I see that. That's glorious to me. To me that's a miracle. That that could happen. That a man. That low. Would not give in to despair. And turn. To the Lord. In faith. And seek help. And the Lord answered him. The Lord. The Lord spoke to him. And he asked the Lord. Should I pursue the Amalekites? And the Lord said go. And I will restore all. And he did. He pursued. They found a servant in the field. It was Amalekites. It had been two weeks to walk with him. They abandoned him. He told them where they were. David and his men fell upon them. And recovered not only all of their own wives and children. But all the spoil that raiding party had been collecting. And two weeks later. David. Was sitting on the throne. Over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. After a long. And arduous ordeal. He's not the only one. Remember Joseph? The Joseph. Whose brothers were jealous of him. Because his father gave him a coat of many colors. And kind of made him a. Like the head of the family. Although he was. Not near one of the oldest. And it says that his brother. The Lord gave him his dream. And people think in his pride. Scripture doesn't say that. If he had not told his dreams. We wouldn't know. It wouldn't be a miracle. I'm very grateful he told his dreams. And the dreams only made his brothers. And even his own mother and father. Angry with him. His own brothers came to hate him. Said they were not even able to say. A kind word. To him. And God used that hatred. Just one day. Wise old dad. You know it's like. It's amazing how men can get. In such a state where they don't even know. What's going on in their house. He sends Joseph to go check on his brothers. And they're way out in the field. Well so he does. He obeys his father. And he goes out to check on his brothers. And they see him from afar. And oh he becomes the old dreamer. That's hell. And if it hadn't been. For the intervention. Of one of the brothers. Who was thinking maybe. I can get him out of this. And get him back to dad. Yeah thank you. If it hadn't been for Reuben. That's what would have happened. But instead what happened. God just happened to bring about. A band of traders on the way to Egypt. And Reuben gave him this idea. Why don't we. We don't profit anything he did. Let's make some money. So they sold him as a slave. Here's this man. That God had given dreams about. Special dreams about a special relationship. A special place. And you know the story. He goes to Egypt. But God's with him there. He's bought by a man named Potiphar. Everything Joseph is so skilled. And I believe that's where dad just saw it. Dad saw his skill. And God's favor upon him. Well that favor and that skill. Blessed Potiphar's house. Things went so well for Potiphar. He didn't have to concern himself with anything. Everything Joseph touched. Was prosperous. But Potiphar was off and away. Serving the Pharaoh. And that left Potiphar's wife. A lonely wife there by herself. And here's this young Hebrew man. That everything he touches. And he's evidently handsome. And she sent her heart to try to connect with him. And he feared God. And wouldn't submit to this. But she caught him in a situation. You know the story. She made it look like. He tried to attack her. When she was trying to proposition him. But she. The Lord allowed it. The Lord allowed her to get his cloak off. Now how's an old lady going to get her cloak off a strong young man. He was set up. He had nothing to say. She. She put on a great act. To her husband. About how horrible. You brought this Hebrew in and he's molested me. And oh. Potiphar's heart turned like that. And had Joseph thrown in prison. Now he's been sold as a slave. And now he's thrown into prison. Unjustly. What's the use? Nothing's going to change. But that's not how he was. All it says. During that time in prison. And the Lord. Was with Joseph. Didn't get him out of prison. But the Lord is with him there. And what do you think he does? It's just who he is. What has he said about doing? Making improvements. Just goes about doing. Taking care of prisoners. What has that ended up being? Now he's in charge of the whole jail. The Lord's with him. He's not out of prison. But he's at least being effective there. Well that. Just because he cares about people. He noticed that there were these two guys. And they seemed to be down. The butler and the cup bearer. The baker and the cup bearer. And you know the story. Through just him asking him about them. Why are you down? Why should he care about them? He could be just all pessimistic. Down the mouth. Just doing the minimum. Because it's all unfair. It's not right. It's never going to be. This world is just messed up. No. He noticed they were down. And you know what that leads to? That leads to two more years of waiting in prison. Yes. After he told the cup bearer. When you stand before favor. Tell them who I am. Tell them I'm not here. I was innocent. Then get me out of this place. It's not like he likes it there. But the lord waits two years to give Pharaoh this dream. The lord leaves him in prison two more years. But instead of Joseph giving in to despair. He walks in faith. And he ends up. You know it. Sorry. Second in command over all of Egypt. And god uses him to save that whole area of the world at that time. From the coming seven years of famine. It's a glorious story. Of someone who did not give in to despair. But kept his faith in the lord. Oh that we could have that. Now. What about for us? I doubt we're going to have Joseph's story. I hope you don't have to go through what David did. But how about something as simple that takes just as much faith. And just as much courage. As it did with Joseph and David. And Job. We could name so many more. But something that will take just as much faith. But it's something we're asked to do as believers. We are asked to do everything without murmuring or complaining. Now that takes. That's going to take a lot of courage. Because you're going to be in situations where you feel like complaining. Joseph. Yes. But the lord said in the world you will not treat humanity. He was very honest. And the scripture says many are the afflictions for the righteous. And so knowing we're going to have many afflictions. We live in the enemy territory. The devil roams about like a roaring lion thinking whom he may devour. And yet for us with the heavenly father that we're supposed to believe he is the rewarder of those who seek him. That he sent his son that we might have life and have it more abundantly. That he wants us to be joy to rejoice in the lord always. And do in everything give thanks. He wants us through faith. And courage to do everything without murmuring and complaining. And you know what that makes us? It doesn't make us a David. It doesn't make us a Joseph. But you know what it makes us? Blameless and pure children of God. The world can't find fault with us. Because when it's hard what do we do? We give thanks. When it's when we get rest and when it's good what do we do? In everything we give thanks. And we never can we do that? Is that high enough for us? Can we honor the lord in this way? In our own prison? In our own time in the wilderness? In our own season of testing? Can we actually learn what Peter meant? I'll read it to you. He tells us this. He goes Praise be to the God and father of our lord Jesus Christ in his great mercy has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance. Get this. This is our inheritance. Which can never perish, spoil, or fade. It's kept in heaven for us. Who through faith are shielded by God's power into the coming of the until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this in the salvation that is coming and will be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice. I'm not rejoicing in my present situation. I'm not rejoicing in arthritis. I'm not rejoicing in dialysis. I'm not rejoicing in my aches and pains and my body is starting to feel its years. I'm rejoicing in the salvation that's coming. And he says although for now you may have had to suffer pain in all time. These have come that the refining of your faith which is of greater worth than gold is purified, refined by fire. May be proven genuine. I like the term may be refined to a more excellent quality. And you know what it results in? In praise glory and honor when the Lord Jesus is revealed. So that even if we're despised now, even if we're abused now, those who curse me I can bless. Those who do bad to me, I can do good. And those who despitefully use me, I can pray for them. You know why? So that I can be son of my Father in heaven. He's kind to the wicked and the ungrateful. And that's enough for me. Whether they benefit fully from it or not, I find life in being the vessel of kindness and goodness for my Heavenly Father. And He's already promised me an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. It's kept for me. I am a multi-billion, trillion millionaire. I just like, I don't need anything here. I just want to endure. I just want to endure. And you know what strengthens me to endure? I don't set my eyes upon this. This is why Paul said in 2 Corinthians, he said our light and momentary affliction. Now how in the world could he call what the things he went through light and momentary? I mean this guy was constantly in prison, flogged five times with 40 lashes minus one. Stoned. He was beaten with rods. He spent, he was shipwrecked in the open sea. He was once thrown into arena and survived somehow. The lions were there. This guy had a, was filling up in his flesh the sufferings that were lacking of Christ. And he said this light and momentary affliction are not worth comparing to the far exceeding weight of glory. So you know why, you know why Paul was a man of faith? He believed God was a rewarder. He believed that everything he endured, God would reward him for doing it well. That's faith. That's the kind of faith Jesus was wondering will he find that faith on the earth? Or has the church not intentionally but somehow slipped into making pseudo saints that don't take the words of our apostles and our Lord seriously enough and commit ourselves to live by faith. To literally because God says so in everything to give thanks. And we never murmur or complain. When we encounter difficulty we do what James says. We consider it pure joy. So that patience and endurance can have beautiful finishing work. And when we are tempted because we are. So all through the New Testament, the New Testament writers know we are going to be tempted to become discouraged. Here's what I do. And here's what the writer of Hebrew said to do when you are tempted to become weary. And you kind of want to cut back or let your hand hang down. Just quit. Give in. Here's what the writer of Hebrew said. Consider him who endured such hostility from the sinner. Remember the Lord we're following? Remember the reason we follow him? They tied him to a whipping post and beat his back there. They mocked him and spit in his face. They blindfolded him and hit him in the head mocking him saying prophesy to us Christ. The Jews mocked him. The Roman soldiers mocked him. They stripped him naked. They grabbed a purple robe, threw it on him. Decided oh he's a king. Let's make him a crown of thorns, jammed it into his head and not once brothers and sisters did he ever come back. And we can't handle what someone thinks about us or what they said about us because we're not considering him. He's taken our eyes off our Lord. He left us an example. We are to suffer like he suffered. He uttered no threats. He was reviled and he did not revile. He was abused and he gave no abuse back. He was like a lamb led to the slaughter. And he brothers and sisters are our example. But here's why. He's the example in this beautiful last phrase. Who for the joy set before him endured the cross? Now what's set before us? We have an inheritance kept in heaven for us. It can't even be molested by rust. No thief can break in and steal. And we are shielded by God's power until that comes. Our reward is already there. That's the joy set before us. And so what do we how do we endure without murmuring and complaining? How do we endure giving thanks in all things? He lived by because Paul goes on to say this when he talks in Corinthians. Therefore I do not consider our present sufferings to be worse comparing to the future glory that awaits us. Therefore we live by faith and not by with the son of man return. Is that the kind of faith you're going to find in you? A faith that enables you to never murmur or complain. A faith that's going to enable you to in everything you think. A faith that will enable you to bless those who curse you. Do good to those who do bad to you. And even those who despitefully use you, you pray for them. You do it by faith. You do it following your Lord. You believe your Lord and you believe when you say Jesus Christ is Lord it's his example we follow. We walk in his steps. It's not just he's not some museum piece that we just do and all how wonderful he was. He's the pattern. He's the type and God is predestined that you and I be conformed to his image and likeness. Amen. He never complained and so neither do we. In everything he submitted to the will of his Father so do we. So we are. That is a people of faith. And that's the only, really, that is the only safeguard against weariness. Is it when you feel weak turn to God. Do what David did. Encourage yourself by faith in the Lord. Amen. Turn to the Lord. Okay?