Where Is Your Faith?

Luke 8

And He said to them,"Where is your faith?" They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?" – Luke 8:25 NASB

Where is your faith? This isn't so much as a question of its existence as to its focus? In other words, we all have faith. We all trust in something or someone. The issue has to do with the who or what our faith is in. For the disciples, they were having to learn to have faith in Christ. And every time they turned around they were having their misguided, misdirected faith exposed. In the case of verses 22-25, they had their misguided faith in themselves exposed. Think about it, a good portion of these guys were professional, seasoned fishermen. They had been around and on the water for most of their lives. They had seen their fair share of storms. So they knew what to do when one blew in while they were out on the water in a ship. They could probably predict the weather without fail. The could read the signs. They could ride out the worst of storms like the best of sailors. In other words, they had faith in themselves and their own abilities.

In this story they found themselves in a storm on the sea of Galilee and they began to panic. They woke up Jesus who was calmly sleeping in the bow of the boat. They fearfully explain the gravity of their situation to Jesus. "Master, Master, we are perishing!" (Luke 8:24 NASB). What happened to all their boating acumen and experience on the waves of the Sea of Galilee. It was all gone. They suddenly discovered that they were no match for this storm. They weren't going to be able to get themselves out of this one. No, from their perspective, they were about to drown. Which is right where Jesus seems to want them. Jesus heard their cries and calmly rebuked the wind and waves. The sea suddenly calmed and so did the disciples. To a degree. They were now fearful because of what they had just witnessed. They realized that they had just been part of something truly amazing. They had just seen a power displayed that that they had never seen before. A power greater than the waves and winds of nature. A power greater than anything they could bring to bear on the situation. Jesus asked them, "Where is your faith?" It seems to be a rhetorical question. He knew the answer. Their faith was non-existent. At one time it would have been in themselves and their own abilities. Now it was nowhere. Nothing they had ever relied on before was going to help them out of this predicament. Only Jesus!

That's where we need to be each and every day. We need to stop putting our faith in anything or anyone other than Christ. And every day they spent with Him was going to be a lesson in faith. They would watch Him heal. They would hear Him teach. They would see His power on display. They would take in all His parables and witness Him casting out demons and healing the sick. They would even see Him raise the dead. They were eyewitnesses to the power of Christ. And it was rocking their faith system. Over time they would learn to put their faith in Him and not in themselves. That is the journey of the disciple. Before we can place our faith in Christ, we must openly admit where our faith has been. In whom or what have I been trusting? Where have I been turning for comfort and consolation? Tearing down the idols we have erected and the sorry substitutes we have turned to for years is the first step in putting our faith in the One who is always faithful.

Father, I feel as though you are asking me each and every day, "Where is your faith?" And the truth is, I still struggle with putting my faith in the wrong things. I still want to trust myself and others more than I trust You. Forgive me for that and show me how to trust You more. Your power is limitless. You alone are worthy of my faith. Everything and everyone else will fail me. They don't deserve my faith. But You do. Amen.

A Low View of Our Own Righteousness.

Luke 7

For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little. - Luke 7:47

So how much have you been forgiven?

If you're like me, you probably don't think of yourself as THAT sinful. I mean, there are plenty of people who rank higher on the sin-o-meter than me. Sure, I commit the occasional sin, but nothing major. No murder. No adultery. No genocide. Nothing that will get me on the evening news or make me the star of my own made-for-TV movie.

But when you read Luke 7, you have to come to grips with the fact that Jesus puts a high priority on having a low view of our own righteousness. In other words, He wants us to recognize the magnitude of our sinfulness. He makes His point with a simple, short parable and through the actions of a woman who was anything but a model for righteousness. In the parable, Jesus juxtaposes two debtors: one who owed 500 denarii, the other 50. Keep in mind that a single denari was the equivalent of an entire day's wages for an ordinary worker. So the bottom line is that both of these guys had been forgiven a LOT. More than they could ever repay. That's the point.

Then Jesus turns His attention and that of Hishost (a Pharisee) to the woman. He points out that she had washed His feet with her own tears and hair, then anointed His head with costly perfume. Yet His illustrious host hadn't even offered Jesus water with which to wash His own feet. According to Jesus, what was the motivating factor behind their two responses? It seems to have something to do with their understanding of their own sinfulness. Jesus says, "her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."

This woman, like the debtor who owed the 500 denari, was aware of the magnitude of her own sinfulness and the insurmountable size of her indebtedness. She knew she could never pay off the debt she owed for her sin. It was out of her reach and her moral budget. Yet the Pharisee, just as much a sinner with a debt too large to repay, refused to even acknowledge he owed a debt. He saw this woman as a greater sinner than himself and unworthy to even be in his home.

But Jesus reminds this arrogant Pharisee, and each of us, that "he who is forgiven little, loves little." In other words, if you don't think you owe anything to begin with, forgiveness means nothing. And that is where some of us fail to appreciate the incredible gift we have received from Christ. We simply refuse to see ourselves as debtors. We don't want to admit that we are spiritually bankrupt and on our way to the poorhouse.

Even the apostle Paul was willing to acknowledge his sinfulness. In 1 Timothy 1:15 he stated:

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

Paul called himself, "the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle" (1 Corinthians 15:9). He knew his past. He knew his life before Christ. And he knew he was guilty of much and forgiven much. So his response was love! He showed his love through his sold-out commitment to the cause of Christ. He dedicated his entire life to spreading the good news about Jesus Christ. He was an avid defender of the faith. He was a dedicated proponent of the gospel. He was willing to give his life so that others might have eternal life. All because he was fully aware of the size of the debt he had owed and the magnitude of the forgiveness he had received.

Father, open my eyes so that I might see my debt. Show me the balance sheet and the place where it says, "PAID IN FULL." Don't ever let me think of myself as rich in righteousness or unneedful of forgiveness. I have been forgiven MUCH, so I want to love MUCH! Amen.

Good Fruit.

Luke 6

For each tree is known by its own fruit ... the good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. - Luke 6:44-45 NASB

No good tree produced bad fruit. You don't get figs from thorn bushes or grapes from a briar bush. And you would be an idiot if you went there expecting either to deliver anything fruitful. The truth is, each tree is known for its fruit and by its fruit. It delivers what is expected based on the kind of fruit tree it is.

And the same can be said for us. What comes out of our mouths is just the fruit of what is in our hearts. We can't help but produce what is inside us. No more so that an apple tree can help but produce apples. It is a natural outgrowth of its true identity.  So what kind of fruit does your life produce? Love, joy, patience, peace, kindness, self-control.? Or does the fruit of your life have a distinctively different look to it? Anger, resentment, doubt, impatience, impurity, jealousy?

This passage makes me think of John 15 where Jesus talks about fruitfulness. In the parable Jesus share there, He talks about God being the owner of a vineyard. As the owner, he expects fruit. He is interested in fruitfulness. The vine, which represents Jesus, wants the same thing: fruitfulness. The branches (you and I) should desire the same thing. In fact, the branches greatest desire should be for fruitfulness and nothing else. When we bear fruit, we give evidence of who we belong to.

So are you bearing fruit? What kind? Why not ask the Father to prune you so that you can bear more fruit? Scary isn't it? But pruning is a requirement to fruitfulness. Ask God to cut away those things in your life that are interfering with your fruit-bearing capabilities. They are robbing you of life and limiting your fruitfulness. Don't worry, he's the gardener and he knows what's best. You can trust him!

Father, I want to live as one of your disciples, giving, joyful, fruitful, merciful, loving -- not judging, condemning, fault-finding. I want the treasure of my heart to be life-giving. I want to produce fruit that nourishes and refreshes others, not robs them of life. Help me to hear your words and act on them that I might stand firm in the storms of life. Amen.

Seeing Their Faith.

Luke 5

Can faith really be seen?

According to this passage it can. But I've always thought of faith as something invislble and unseen - one of those spiritual character qualities that can't be seen with the naked eye. Then along comes this passage and the simple three-word statement found in verse 20: "Seeing their faith." It's a familiar story. Some guys carry a bed with their friend on it so he can be healed by Jesus. But they find the crowd so large that they can't get him in the door.  So they get creative and head for the roof, where they do some minor deconstruction and then lower him down right in front of Jesus. Now those are some serious friends!

Luke records Jesus' reaction to their efforts with the statement, "Seeing their faith." What He saw caused Jesus to say, "Friend, your sins are forgiven you." His words were directed at the man on the bed, but they were prompted by the actions of the man's friends. Jesus had seen the faith behind their actions. What they had done to help their friend had made their faith visible to Jesus and all those around them. Their faith had led to their friend's healing. They acted on faith. Their friend was healed.

So how often can people see my faith? Or do I have to tell them about my faith? The truth is, my faith should be evident at all times. It is what should be behind my actions. It should motivate my decisions. I sit in a chair because I have confident faith that it will hold me up. I turn the key in the ignition of my car faithfully anticipating the sound of the engine starting. I wake up in the morning with faithful confidence that the sun will come up.

But the faith described in this story is of a different kind. It has a different source. These men did what they did because they had faith in a person - Jesus Christ. They carried the bed containing their friend and cut the hole in the roof, all because they had confidence that their efforts would be well worth it. Their friend would be healed by Jesus.

So how many of my daily efforts are motivated by belief in what Jesus can and will do? Do I take the first step of the morning with confident assurance that Jesus is going to do something great in my life that day? Do I "lift up" and carry my friends into the presence of God fully expecting Him to provide healing? Do I give financially to the cause of Christ eagerly anticipating that He will not let my needs go unmet?

Faith can be seen. And even if no one ever sees it but Jesus, isn't that really all that matters? So how about you? Is your faith out in clear view? Is it where it can be seen? What we say we believe about Jesus only matters when it takes the form of visible faith in Jesus.

The men in the story had faith that Jesus could heal their friend. But what if they had never picked up his bed? What if they had never carried him to Jesus? What if they had given up when they saw the crowds? There would have been no healing. But their faith was visible that day. Jesus saw it and their friend was healed because of it.

What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. -- Hebrews 11:1

Father, I want my faith to be visible. I want my faith to be tangible. I want my belief to motivate my actions. Forgive me for showing my doubt through my unwillingness to take the first step. Help me put my faith into action - trusting that you will act on my behalf. You've never given me any reason to doubt You and I thank you for that. Amen.

Three Temptations.

Luke 4

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness. – Luke 4:1 NASB

This passage outlines three different temptations that Jesus was subjected to. It has always fascinated me that this circumstance in Jesus' life was Spirit-directed. In other words, the very Spirit of God led Jesus out into the wilderness to be tempted. It was part of God's divine plan. Yet how many times do I reject times of testing and difficulty as being out of God's plan for me. Am I greater than the Messiah Himself? Am I somehow exempt from trials, temptations, and testings? Probably not.

But it is interesting to see what Jesus was led into by the Spirit. After 40 days of fasting, Jesus has an encounter with Satan himself. This wasn't any second-string demon. It was the great deceiver. And he personally brought three specific temptations just for Jesus. Each has ties to the Old Testament.

Temptation #1: Turn the rock into bread Passage: Deut. 8:1-3 Meaning: God wanted the Israelites to remember how he took care of them during their 40 years in the wilderness.

Satan was tempting Jesus to provide for Himself. In the devil’s estimation, the only reason for loyalty to God is if He meets all your needs. If He cannot or will not, meet them yourself. To gratify His own desires would have been to abandon the will of God for His own will. And that is the temptation Satan throws at each of us every day. Provide for yourself. Meet your own needs. Satisfy your own desires – your own way.

Temptation #2: Worship Satan Passage: Deut. 6:12-14 Meaning: God wanted the Israelites to remember to fear and worship Him only because of all He had done for them.

In this temptation, Satan was appealing to Jesus to promote Himself by throwing Himself off a 600 ft. pinnacle. What a way to get attention?

Jesus stands on the watch-post which the white-robed priest has just quitted. Fast the rosy morning light, deepening into crimson, and edged with gold, is spreading over the land. In the Priest’s Court below Him the morning sacrifice has been offered. The massive Temple gates are slowly opening, and the blast of the priest’s silver trumpets is summoning Israel to begin a new day by appearing before their Lord. Now then let Him descend, heaven-born, into the midst of the priests andpeople. What shouts of acclamation would greet His appearance! What homage of worship would be His! The goal can at once be reached, and that at the head of believing Israel. – Alfred Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah

It would have surely led to the immediate acclaim of the people. It would have accomplished God’s ultimate will, but not His way. God would exalt Christ, but only after His crucifixion and resurrection. Satan wants us to get ahead of God. He wants us to focus all the attention on us instead of God's bigger plan. God will glorify us, but in His time and according to His plan, not ours.

Temptation #3: Leap off the pinnacle Passage: Deut. 6:16 Meaning: Don’t test the Lord. The Israelites had doubted that God would take care of them and tested Him.

In this final temptation, Satan teased Jesus with the idea to plan for himself. Satan promised to give Jesus the throne God had promised but without having to go through the pain of the cross. The kingdoms of this earth were to be rightfully His, but not by this plan. The worship of Satan takes place when we willingly disobey God. How often do we attempt to accomplish God’s will our way? We are reacting to our own lusts, desires, and selfish impulses.

Conclusion

1. The temptation is not evil in and of itself. Our Lord was ‘spirit led’ to be tempted.  What Satan meant as a temptation, God used as a test. While Satan seeks to cause the saint to fail, God strives to bring about greater faith. Temptation is a part of God’s program in the lives of the saint for his growth, and His glory
2. The temptation of Christ proved Him qualified for His work on the cross. Only a sinless, spotless ‘Lamb of God’ could take upon Himself the sin of the world.
3. The temptation of our Lord prepared Him to be a merciful High Priest.
4. The temptation of Christ was a test of submission. Underlying the entire temptation was a solicitation to set aside submission to the Father and act independently of God.
5. Because our Lord could not sin, He bore the burden of the temptation to the full. When Adam was created, he was made able not to sin. When Christ, the last Adam, was begotten, He was not able to sin. Some have concluded that the impeccability of Christ would diminish the victory of our Lord over Satan, but, in fact, it intensified the victory.

Father, thank You that Jesus was tempted, but never gave in to the temptation. He was tempted, yet without sin. And it is because of His sinlessness that we have forgiveness. Thank You for reminding me that I can be Spirit-led and sorely-tested. It is in the trials and tests that I am forced to lean on the indwelling power of Your Spirit. Thank You for that inexhaustible resource. Amen

Ken Miller Grow Pastor & Minister to Men kenm@christchapelbc.org

Repentance.

Luke 3

And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. – Luke 3:3 NASB

John came preaching a message regarding repentance. What exactly were people to repent of? Was John really expecting the people in his audience to turn from their sins, never to sin again? What was this baptism for? What did it signify?

According to the NET Bible study notes, "John the Baptist was the forerunner of our Lord. As the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets, he was announcing that the Messiah promised in the Old Testament was soon coming. Until Jesus’ baptism, he did not know for certain that, indeed, Jesus was this Messiah. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, an acknowledgment of sin, and of the need for the forgiveness of sins which Messiah (the “Lamb of God”) would bring about. The baptism was the symbol of their acknowledgment of sin, and of their need for a Savior."

John's baptism was a baptism of repentance, an acknowledgment of sin. But ALL sin? The more I think about it, I believe the main, if not the only, sin the people of John's day needed to repent of was the sin of self-righteousness. For generations, the Jewish people had been trying to solve their sin problem on their own – attempting to keep the Law and satisfy the holiness of God through their own efforts. Jesus' main attack on the Pharisees involved their self-righteousness. They didn't need a Savior. Referring to the Pharisees, Jesus said, "Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don’t need a doctor––sick people do" (Luke 5:31 NLT). The Pharisees saw themselves as righteous because of their ability to meticulously keep the Law. The average Israelite had bought into this lie as well. So when John came preaching a baptism of repentance, he was telling them that they were going to have to admit that, in spite of all their efforts, they were still sinners in need of a Savior. One of the first things any of us had to do before coming to Christ was to admit our need of a Savior. We had to admit that we couldn't save ourselves. That's exactly what John is requiring of the people who came out to hear him.

There is still a need for us to repent of our self-righteousness, even as believers. We are prone to work our way into God's good graces. While we believe we were saved by faith through grace, we somehow believe we have to stay in God's good graces by keeping Him satisfied. So we work hard to please Him and perform for Him. We serve, we give, we study, we go, we do, we _________. Fill in the blank. It's all a form of self-righteousness. And we need to repent of it. Every day we need to turn away from our tendency to DO for God and remember it is what Jesus has DONE that matters. I can't add anything to my salvation or my sanctification. I can't earn favor with God through my hard work and self-effort. I can't make Him love me more and I can't make Him love me less. He just loves me.

Just a few verses later, John warns the Pharisees to "bear fruits in keeping with repentance" (Luke 3:8 NASB). In other words, stop trying to earn favor with God through self-righteous acts of piety and performance. Admit your need for a Savior. Admit your need for forgiveness that you can't earn on your own. That is still the call to us today. Turn from religion and turn to the Redeemer. He alone can save. He alone can forgive sin.

Father, thank You for Your Son. Thank You for reminding me that I must repent every day from my own self-righteous attempts to redeem myself and get on Your good side. I can't do anything that Jesus Christ has not already done. Never let me forget that. Amen

A Familiar Story.

Luke 2

This chapter is a permanent part of Christmas morning in our home. Ever since our six kids were little, we have started each December 25 in the same way. With the reading of the Christmas story from Luke 2. We gather by the Christmas tree in our pajamas and read this familiar passage - before we eat, before we open presents, before we rush into the rest of what is usually a very busy day.

So this chapter is very familiar to me. Almost too familiar. So this morning I had to look closely to see past the familiarity in order to find something new. Something I had never see before. And it was hard. Partly because we have turned this passage into a warm, fuzzy holiday moment. It has become little more than a Hallmark card scene, complete with manger, angels, shepherds, sheep, cows, and a star. And in the sentimentality we lose the real significance.

There has been born for you a Savior.

There it is. That's the thing that jumped out at me this morning. Kind of obvious isn't it? But in reading this passage over the years, I have almost numbed myself to the real point of the story. I get wrapped up in the scene and miss the Savior. I get enthralled with the Kodak moment and miss the Messiah who is the focus of the picture.

Jesus wasn't just a baby in a manger, He was the Messiah. He was the long-anticipated answer the Jews had been waiting for. He was the Savior sent from God that the prophets had predicted hundreds of years before. And Luke 2 is a glaring reminder of that fact. It starts with the message the angels shared with the shepherds:

...today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. - Vs 11

Then in verse 21, Luke reminds us of this infant's name, given by the angel at His conception. It isn't just any name, but literally means "the Lord is salvation."

In verse 25, Luke tells us of Simeon, a "righteous and devout" man who was "looking for the consolation of Israel." That word, "consolation" can be translated "comforter" and was used by the rabbis of Jesus day to refer to the coming Messiah. Because He would comfort the people of God by providing salvation from their oppressors. He would save them. In verse 30, Simeon exclaims, "...my eyes have seen Your salvation." He had seen the Savior he had long been waiting for!

In verse 38, the widow and prophetess, Anna, after having seen the baby Jesus, began immediately thanking God and telling everyone who had been waiting for the "redemption of Jerusalem" that the Messiah was here. Salvation had come.

Salvation has come!

So in reading this chapter again, it dawned on me that the real message is about salvation. And in Luke's day that word had a lot more significance than it has now. They were desperate for salvation. They had longed for it for generations. They had eagerly anticipated it. They were desperate for it. They were extremely needy people who could not save themselves. So they waited for a Messiah, a Savior sent from God. Someone Who would turn their desperate circumstances into times of rejoicing. So the news of Jesus' birth was really good news. The cavalry had come! Rescue was about to happen.

But do I have that attitude toward Jesus today? Do I still see Him as my much-needed Savior? Am I excited each and every day when I wake up to know that my Savior has come? He is alive and well and ready to save me from the attacks of the enemy, the influence of my own sinful flesh, and the constant onslaught of a world that hates me. He is as much the Savior today as He was when He came, and as much as when He came into my life more than 46 years ago. I need a Savior and I need to rejoice in the fact that He is here. He is with me daily. The Savior of the world has entered into my world and continues His saving work in my life each and every day. It reminds me of the song, My Savior, My God by Aaron Shust.

My Savior loves, my Savior lives

My Savior's always there for me

My God He was, my God He is

My God He's always gonna be

Father, thank you for sending Your Son as my Savior. Help me to see Him as My Savior each and every day. Remind me daily that I need Him not only for salvation from my sins, but for sanctification. Amen

God of the Impossible.

Luke 1

For nothing will be impossible with God. - Luke 1:37 ESV

This book starts out with a bang. A barren old woman finds herself pregnant. Her doubting old husband finds himself made mute. A young virgin girl gets the jaw-dropping news that she is going to have a baby - by the Holy Spirit! On top of that, the baby she is carrying would be called the Son of the Most High God. And that's all in just the first chapter.

But doesn't that make sense? I mean, here is God Himself breaking the barrier between Himself and mankind, by entering into the world in the form of a man. This is huge! This isn't just another day in Judea. God is about to shake things up in a big way. And Luke is there to record every last detail. Including the increased activity of the Holy Spirit. Zacharias and Elizabeth are told their son will be filled with the Holy Spirit while he is still in his mother's womb. Mary is told by the angel that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, causing her to conceive a son. Zacharias, at the birth of his son, John, finds himself filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesying.

These are incredible days. This is an amazing point in history. And the angel Gabriel sums it up best with his words, "For nothing will be impossible with God." Barren women, virgin girls, Roman occupiers, religious hypocrites, doubting priests, corrupt kings - nothing is going to stand in the way of the divine plan of God. Nothing is too hard for Him. Nothing can stand in His way. God can use the faithful and the doubting, the unborn and the old, the obscure and the powerful, to accomplish His agenda. And He's still doing it today.

He wants to use you. But do you really believe that nothing is impossible for Him? Do you trust that He can use even you to accomplish His will in His way? Mary did. So did Elizabeth, Zechariah, Joseph, and John the Baptist. God was about to do something radical on earth, and while we tend to think of Jesus' birth as having taken place in relative obscurity and anonymity, the reality is that some incredible things were happening behind the scenes. This was anything but business as usual.

And the same it true today. God is still shaking things up. He is still using the unknown, the unqualified, the unexpected, and the unlikely to do His will. And that includes you and me! Nothing is impossible for Him, because He is the God of the impossible.

Father, thank you for reminding me that nothing is impossible for You. The Bible is a fact-filled reminder of that reality. Keep my eyes open so that I can see you all around me. Don't let me fail to recognize your hand at work in the world and in my life. Because You are the God of the impossible. Amen