Daring Faith
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Desperate/Daring Faith (Mark 5:22-36, 41-42) It is said that there are 3 types of people in this world: Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened! (e.g. Esther 4:16, see also James 1:22-25) Gk. Sesoken – healed, made whole, saved. What is the connection between physical/spiritual healing? (Matt. 9:2-6, James 5:14-15) Sincere/Demonstrated faith heals? (Mark 5:34) Jarius demonstrated faith/hope on his child’s behalf There was a major humility factor here (Mark 5:22) Do you approach God in faith on your children’s behalf? Young Augustine was a hedonist, a philosopher, an agnostic, and a rebel, but his mother Monica was a godly, persistent, and resourceful woman. Augustine often laughed at her mother’s pious ways, mocked her faith, and deliberately defied her continual pleading for repentance from his pagan lifestyle, conversion to Christ, and a transformed life. When Augustine wanted to leave the shores of Carthage, North Africa, for the bright lights of Rome, his mother feared the worst for her son, dreaded the outcome, and often fled to the church for solace, prayer, and advice. In her despair, she often wept uncontrollably for her son, and one day a minister noticed her painful cries, and asked her why she was so bitter. She told him of his wayward son, and the bishop comforted her with these words: "Go in peace; as you live, it cannot be that the son of these tears should perish." Augustine avoided her mother as much as possible and ignored her warnings time and again, but he could not escape her prayers day in, day out. Monica prayed, wept, and tracked his son painstakingly, and after 30 years St. Augustine surrendered his life to Christ. Do they see you do so? (Setting an example) Do you approach God in faith on behalf of others? God responds in His own, perfect time (Gen. 18:14, Ecc. 3:1) God sometimes performs even greater works than we ask for. The woman demonstrated faith on her own behalf (Mark 5:28, see also Mark 3:10, 6:56, 8:22, Luke 6:19 and Matt. 14:36)
What is the connection between healing and touch?
Laying on of hands (Mark 8:25, Luke 13:13, Acts 8:17, 19:6, 28:8) How can we touch Jesus? Touching requires drawing near to Touching sometimes requires effort/determination to overcome obstacles The woman did not let her weakened condition and the perception of her uncleanness (Lev. 15) (stigma) prevent her from making the effort (also example of Heather as a young child at bookstore) Your attitude towards your limitations/handicaps determines their ability to affect/inhibit your actions (despair = surrender = defeat) Helen Keller said, “Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them, but do not let them master you.” Renoir was elderly and suffered from arthritis that was incredibly painful Matise asked why he persisted to paint through such intense pain. Renoir responded “The pain passes, but the beauty remains” Before the effort comes a recognition of the need Before the effort comes a belief in the value of the effort Why did it take her 12 years? Do you try every other option before you try prayer/faith? (Mark 5:26) The Talmud gives no fewer than 11 cures for bleeding like the woman had. Some of them were tonics and astringents; but some of them were sheer superstitions like carrying the ashes of an ostrich-egg in a linen rag in summer and a cotton rag in winter; or carrying a barley corn which had been found in the dung of a white she-ass. Or also “Let them dig seven ditches, in which let them burn some cuttings of vines under four years old. Let her take in her hand a cup of wine; let them lead her away from this ditch and make her sit over that. Let them remove her from that and sit her over another. At each removal you must say to her, "Arise for thy flux".’ Is this any more ridiculous then some of the “pop psychology” people rely on today to try and solve their problems?
A theology student decided his academic pursuits were a travesty and that he should go forth and seek the meaning of life for himself. And in the course of his travels, he was directed to a distant peak in the Himalayas where a great sage resided. Arriving at the age’s austere cave after a trek of many days, the student prostrated himself and asked humbly, "O reverend Master, what is life?"
"Life," pronounced the wizened old man gravely, "is the scent of jasmine after a spring rain." The student frowned, "But Master," an Incan wise man I encountered told me life was a thorn like a needle of tempered steel." The sage nodded, unperturbed, and said, "My friend, that’s his life." In what/whom do you put your faith? Do you put feet to your faith? Do you live your life as though you believe in the promises of God? (Heb. 11:1, 6) A lady who had a small house on the seashore of Ireland at the turn of the century was quite wealthy but also quite frugal. The people were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home. Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. “I’m wondering if you can explain something to me,” he said. “Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?” “Certainly,” she answered. “Each evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.” She’s tapped into the power but doesn’t use it. Her house is connected but not altered. Don’t we make the same mistake? We, too-with our souls saved but our hearts unchanged – are connected but not altered. Trusting Christ for salvation but resisting transformation. We occasionally flip the switch, but most of the time we settle for shadows. (“Just Like Jesus”; Max Lucado) There is a story about John Wesley, shortly after his return from Georgia in the American Colonies. The Americas had been nothing like what he expected. He returned from there feeling like his ministry had been an utter failure. On top of that, there was a terrible storm at sea on the trip back to England, and John Wesley had feared for his life. On the same ship, were a group of Christians who had a sense of calm John Wesley didn’t have. They had assurance that their fate rested in God’s hands whether they lived or died. Upon his return to London, Wesley discussed his concerns with a German minister named Peter Bohler. He could see the lack of faith on Wesley’s part. Wesley, an ordained minister, had knowledge of salvation, but no assurance of his own. He knew all about Jesus, but didn’t know Jesus in his heart. Peter Bohler gave Wesley this memorable advice: “Preach faith until you have it, and then because you have it, you will preach faith.”
What is the connection between healing and touch?
Laying on of hands (Mark 8:25, Luke 13:13, Acts 8:17, 19:6, 28:8) How can we touch Jesus? Touching requires drawing near to Touching sometimes requires effort/determination to overcome obstacles The woman did not let her weakened condition and the perception of her uncleanness (Lev. 15) (stigma) prevent her from making the effort (also example of Heather as a young child at bookstore) Your attitude towards your limitations/handicaps determines their ability to affect/inhibit your actions (despair = surrender = defeat) Helen Keller said, “Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them, but do not let them master you.” Renoir was elderly and suffered from arthritis that was incredibly painful Matise asked why he persisted to paint through such intense pain. Renoir responded “The pain passes, but the beauty remains” Before the effort comes a recognition of the need Before the effort comes a belief in the value of the effort Why did it take her 12 years? Do you try every other option before you try prayer/faith? (Mark 5:26) The Talmud gives no fewer than 11 cures for bleeding like the woman had. Some of them were tonics and astringents; but some of them were sheer superstitions like carrying the ashes of an ostrich-egg in a linen rag in summer and a cotton rag in winter; or carrying a barley corn which had been found in the dung of a white she-ass. Or also “Let them dig seven ditches, in which let them burn some cuttings of vines under four years old. Let her take in her hand a cup of wine; let them lead her away from this ditch and make her sit over that. Let them remove her from that and sit her over another. At each removal you must say to her, "Arise for thy flux".’ Is this any more ridiculous then some of the “pop psychology” people rely on today to try and solve their problems?
A theology student decided his academic pursuits were a travesty and that he should go forth and seek the meaning of life for himself. And in the course of his travels, he was directed to a distant peak in the Himalayas where a great sage resided. Arriving at the age’s austere cave after a trek of many days, the student prostrated himself and asked humbly, "O reverend Master, what is life?"
"Life," pronounced the wizened old man gravely, "is the scent of jasmine after a spring rain." The student frowned, "But Master," an Incan wise man I encountered told me life was a thorn like a needle of tempered steel." The sage nodded, unperturbed, and said, "My friend, that’s his life." In what/whom do you put your faith? Do you put feet to your faith? Do you live your life as though you believe in the promises of God? (Heb. 11:1, 6) A lady who had a small house on the seashore of Ireland at the turn of the century was quite wealthy but also quite frugal. The people were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home. Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. “I’m wondering if you can explain something to me,” he said. “Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?” “Certainly,” she answered. “Each evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.” She’s tapped into the power but doesn’t use it. Her house is connected but not altered. Don’t we make the same mistake? We, too-with our souls saved but our hearts unchanged – are connected but not altered. Trusting Christ for salvation but resisting transformation. We occasionally flip the switch, but most of the time we settle for shadows. (“Just Like Jesus”; Max Lucado) There is a story about John Wesley, shortly after his return from Georgia in the American Colonies. The Americas had been nothing like what he expected. He returned from there feeling like his ministry had been an utter failure. On top of that, there was a terrible storm at sea on the trip back to England, and John Wesley had feared for his life. On the same ship, were a group of Christians who had a sense of calm John Wesley didn’t have. They had assurance that their fate rested in God’s hands whether they lived or died. Upon his return to London, Wesley discussed his concerns with a German minister named Peter Bohler. He could see the lack of faith on Wesley’s part. Wesley, an ordained minister, had knowledge of salvation, but no assurance of his own. He knew all about Jesus, but didn’t know Jesus in his heart. Peter Bohler gave Wesley this memorable advice: “Preach faith until you have it, and then because you have it, you will preach faith.”
