09 Jun “Let’s Talk About Faith” | Dr. David Ireland
TESTIMONIES: Looking for your testimonies! If you have group wins to share, please email them to me! maparsons@waterschurch.org
SMALL GROUP CONNECT: June 22 after service. June 23 after the second service in NA and after service in Woonsocket: You can register here: (You can register for more than one. Your apprentice or coach can stand in for you if necessary). **REGISTRATIONS FOR LEADERS STATE: ‘LEADER SIGN UP’, THE REGISTRATION THAT STATES ‘MEET THE LEADERS’ IS FOR THE PUBLIC TO REGISTER***
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1. Meaningful Conversations Change Us
Critical conversations on pivotal topics shape us as individuals.
A) Faith is essential to all Christ-followers.
We need faith. If we are in one place but need to get to another place, then faith is between those to places. For example, if someone is without a job and needs a job, it takes faith to get there.
B) Faith is so vital God forewarns us that He cannot be pleased without it.
FAITH is an implicit trust in God. FAITH is Full Assurance In The Heart.
Ice-Breaker Question:
Q. What are some examples from your life of both trusting God and doubting Him?
FACTS ABOUT THE STORY
Capernaum, (in Matthew 9:1) is called Jesus’ “own town”, and here in Mark 2, it is called his “home.” Capernaum was the headquarters of Jesus’ ministry. Capernaum was a small fishing village located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Three of His disciples were from Capernaum—Peter and Andrew, originally from Bethsaida moved to Capernaum. It was the office and home of Matthew, the tax collector. Many miracles were performed in Capernaum such as the healing of the paralyzed servant of the centurion; Peter’s mother-in-law was healed of a fever, and that same evening many others were healed of various sicknesses and delivered from demons.
B) There are necessary steps to take before a faith action can be demonstrated.
Three Ingredients to Faith:
1. Knowledge. First, we need to have knowledge. Knowledge of what we are going to trust God to do for us. A man CANNOT believe for that which he has no knowledge of.
This paralyzed man had knowledge that Jesus was a healer and that he had healed people in Capernaum. Knowledge itself is not faith, it is a component of faith.
2. Believe. We need to believe our knowledge. Believe is to have confidence and reliability in the truth. When we believe in God’s ability and willingness to help us, such belief empowers us to overthrow weak and false doctrines. The paralytic did not think, “If God wants me healed, He will heal me right here in my house. And, if He doesn’t want me healed, I won’t be.” This kind of reasoning is detrimental to faith.
- Assent. Assent is to act upon what we believe and know to be true. This man called for a number of his friends to carry him to Jesus on a mat—a stretcher. The three ingredients of faith are: knowledge, belief, and assent. You have to take action. No action, no faith. Faith and hope are different.
Q. How has it been a stumbling block for you, knowing what God’s word says is true, but not acting on it because you find it difficult to really believe it?
3. EXPECTATION Fuels Faith!
A). The paralyzed man had a number of friends carry him to Jesus because his expectation fueled his faith to be healed.
Expectation means the act of anticipating; a thing looking forward to. There was a high expectation as they took this man to Jesus. If doubtful villagers commented: “Where are you going? Don’t trouble the master. Accept your condition!” Some may have said, “Don’t waste your time going there. I just came from there. There’s no room. Too many people are there. You can’t get in.” Expectation was in the air. They still marched on. Their high expectation drowned out any negative and doubtful musings.
The Backstory
The paralytic wasn’t the only one who wanted to hear, see and be impacted by Jesus. So many gathered (and kept gathering) that when they got to the house, they couldn’t get in. They were thankful, though. That Jesus was still preaching when they arrived. Verse 2 declares, Jesus “preached the word to them.” People stayed around because the word was captivating, tender, authoritative, transformational, and hope-filled. It clarified what God was like and His welcoming nature to bring people into His family.
We never know what God is going to do when we demonstrate ‘crazy faith’. (Dr. Ireland told the story of how he was in Kenya and bunch of Kenyan teens were coming after them, but the driver of the vehicle they were in, who was a pastor, took out a Bible (Dr. Ireland thought he was going to take out a gun and was disappointed when he saw it was a Bible) and when the kids saw the Bible, they did not want to mess with God’s people so they turned around).
A). Agreement is the power of many. It’s where our faith is piqued because of our common need and our common goal.
Jesus saw their faith. Not just the faith of the paralyzed man, but he saw the faith of the men who carried him. The friends of the paralyzed man shared his faith-goal of getting healed. They shared his understanding of God’s promises. They also shared his knowledge of the power of agreement. All good Jewish boys…and now men understood the promise found in Leviticus 26:8.
B) The paralytic and his friends were focused on his healing. They were in agreement, “Today is your day! Today is your day!”
The paralyzed man was NOT humiliated to be carried on a stretcher. The friends were in agreement with the paralyzed man about Jesus’ ability and willingness to heal him. They were not deterred by the crowd. It’s moments like this we must be aware of how faith works. Even when we are stuck we can use faith.
“I am so weak that I can hardly write, I cannot read my Bible, I cannot even pray, I can only lie still in God’s arms like a little child, and trust.” – Hudson Taylor.
They tore up the roof and lowered their friend to the floor in front of Jesus. This took great determination and focus. Jesus saw their faith! Faith is a verb! They all took action. Their action was the visible evidence of their unstoppable faith.
C). Jesus healed the paralyzed. But before that happened, it was clear, “First things first.
Jesus said to the paralytic, “My friend, your sins are forgiven.” Forgiveness of sin is more important than medical healing. We need to take care of our spiritual state before we can deal with our physical state. The man experienced forgiveness of sin and healing to his legs.
Q. What is an example of where someone was healed through the faith of others?
Let’s Talk About FAITH because…
ACTION Demonstrates Faith!
EXPECTATION Fuels Faith!
AGREEMENT Strengthens Faith!
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