Sunday Sermon
morning service 6th Dec 2009
Derek Lamont took the morning service and baptised Noah Macdonald.
He preached on Luke 2v10-11 "Great News"
sunday evening service 6th Dec 2009
Mat 8v5-13:
the Christian life is all about faith.
The context here as Matthew records it for us is that large crowds are now following Jesus. He has just given his Sermon on the Mount with the closing story about putting His words into practice. Then he meets a man in need of healing and Jesus heals him.
Then a centurion comes to him asking for help.
The centurion is the man who has great faith!
Faith that astonishes Jesus. What can we learn about faith from this man?
1. faith brings us to Jesus. 2. Faith keeps us with Jesus. 3. Faith is amazing.
1. faith brings us to Jesus v5-6.
The centurion goes to Jesus.
Jesus has just entered Capernaum, his home town.
Immediately a centurion comes to him asking for help!!
In this action we see what faith does!
What does faith do? V5-6
Faith brings us to Jesus.
The Centurion has a problem and he goes to Jesus with it.
Faith is simply turning to Jesus for salvation, for help, for everything!
How do we do that?
Just by turning to Jesus. That is all that’s required.
No need to have full understanding, no need to be perfect, no need to be overcome with sorrow for sin. Simply as you are turn to Jesus!
Why turn to Jesus?
Because He is the only One who can really help.
He is the only one who can save.
Because life with God is what we have been made for.
We are spiritual beings who need God, without God we are dead!
2. faith keeps turning to Jesus. V7-9
True faith brings us to Jesus then we live by faith for the rest of our days!
The centurion understood this well.
He has gone to Jesus for help: knowing that Jesus really can help.
Then Jesus reveals his intension to help v7. Says he will go and heal him.
That is all the centurion needs. The word that Jesus will heal.
Now he knows his servants problems are over. He is trusting in Jesus. He has faith.
He lives by that faith in the word of Jesus!
What does his faith tell him? V8-9
That Jesus is under authority and that with that authority he has power to act.
It was a matter of power and authority. Jesus had the power and authority to heal.
So when He says he will heal, the centurion trusts the word and needs nothing else.
The kingdom of God operates as we trust the Word.
How do we learn to trust the word?
By acting upon it. By hearing the word of Jesus and putting it into practice.
The first step of faith turns us to Jesus as the Saviour.
Faith then grows as we keep turning to him on a daily basis.
He is our Saviour, our Lord, our Teacher.
Thus we keep turning to him, trusting him, following him. – living by faith!
Nothing else will work, faith only grows as we follow Jesus, practicing His teaching.
Why?
Wise and foolish builders!
It is only by practice, by obedience that our faith will grow!
3. faith is astonishing! V10-13
As we live by faith, in the authority and power of the Kingdom our lives will be amazing!
a. The centurion astonishes Jesus v10-12.
The word for astonishment here is usually applied to people who are astonished at the work of God. But here it is Jesus who is astonished at the work of men!
The challenging question for us is: is God astonished by my faith?
Or more appropriately, is God delighted by our lives of faith?
We don’t need to be missionaries or miracle workers to delight God by our faith.
The Roman Centurion is proof of that.
We simply need to rely upon, act upon the word of Jesus.
The sad, humbling point about this is how few of us eventually do live by faith.
It is too easy in our day and age to live by our own wisdom, strength, power and money!
That makes the challenge of living by faith all the more difficult.
Yet, if we are to truly “live” we need to face up to the challenges of our present times.
b. The servant is healed v13.
The results of faith are astonishing.
The servant was healed from the moment the centurion believed.
It’s astonishing because all we need to do is trust the Lord.
That is live by the power and authority of the kingdom.
What things are we holding onto ourselves, instead of trusting God about?
Perhaps we do not see astonishing things today because we never try anything that’s impossible? We manage our lives so that faith in God is not required.
As followers of Jesus we are to take all our problems/issues to him for his wisdom and then we are to follow as he directs.
c. finally it’s astonishing because it is open to everyone who desires it. V11-12
The good news of Jesus Christ is that whosoever will, can come to God.
No-one who wants to trust in Jesus will be cast off.
The life of faith is not for the specialised spiritual gurus but for those who will simply come to Jesus and rely upon Him.
The only way to find out if that is true is to do it!
