The Faith of Many

 

The Various Acts Of Faith

Luke 8:43-48

English Standard Version

43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians,[a] she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter[b] said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Today’s message is about faith. Faith is probably the most important aspect of Christianity. Faith is the belief that Jesus is God’s Son and that he died for our sins. This idea is cornerstone to what we believe. What makes faith faith is that we believe it with our hearts. If faith can be proven with formulas and equations, then it’s no longer faith, but an explainable action that isn’t special.

The Bible is overflowing with faith. Even Jesus’s sacrifice and crucifixion is one of, if not, the ultimate acts of faith. Against all odds, Jesus would have to ordeal paramount pain and suffering. He went through it though as he knew that he could put faith in his father that he was going to deliver through with the promise of Salvation.

David

The odds were against David as well. Their was this giant Philistine terrorizing the land. Goliath was an unstoppable monster. The Israelites were terrified of him. However, David stepped up to the challenge. He went to King Saul declaring that he could stop the monster. Saul was desperate. He was probably dismissive of what David claimed that he could do. Under normal circumstances, he would have probably even laughed at him. However, things were so grim for the Israelites that he was desperate.

One wonders how David to pull off such a feat. He was just a simple shepherd kid who was caught up in the mayhem like everybody else around him. However, King Saul was so desperate that he was open to the idea of a simple shepherd kid challenging the giant.

David was full of faith that his God would deliver. David’s faith was also defined by his life experiences though, even if he never fought Goliath up to that point. As a shepherd, wild animals would occasionally attack his sheep. As a result, David fought against them and learned a lot on the way. He became proficient with the slingshot. Those predator animals didn't have a chance. Nobody was going to mess with David's sheep. David would apply this knowledge against Goliath.

Would that stone deliver the knockout that would be needed? David remained committed to God as the stone was flying towards the giant, unknown to others whether that stone would reach its target. David knew that with God’s blessing, that he could take down even the biggest of foes with the simplest of objects. Goliath certainly didn’t see it coming. David prevailed and took down Goliath with one simple stone.

Abraham

Abraham had a massive test of faith as well. God wanted to see if he would remain committed to him at any cost. He commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. One could wonder how much of an emotional toll this had on him as had to sacrifice his own son. Isaac would become that sacrificial lamb. However, at the very tail end, knowing that he was going to go through the sacrifice, an angel sent from God quickly descended and appealed to Abraham to stop the sacrifice. Abraham saw a bull in the brush that God provided for the sacrifice instead of Isaac.

Abraham had so much faith in God that he was willing to go through with the painful sacrifice if it meant that continued relationship with him. God, knowing that Abraham had that unconditional faith, had to step in in order to stop the sacrifice from taking place.

Moses

Their was a lot riding on Moses. He had to put his faith that God was going to give him the tools and will to guide his people. By his own devices, Moses didn’t have much. The adopted son of the daughter of the Pharaoh, he held a very prominent in the past. However, he lost it all and had to flea Pharaoh after committing murder. From their, he lost everything, but yet, found a nice home free from the demands of the Egyptians. However, all was not well for those still enslaved in Egypt. God had other plans for Moses as he was going to use him to demonstrate his power.

How could one man do this. With God, nothing is impossible. God would provide the tools for Moses to free his people. Moses wouldn’t be by himself though. His brother Aron would be there with him along with a strong leader named Joshua. It was easy for Pharaoh to tell Moses no. However, with God on his side, this wasn't a smart thing to do. God unleashed multiple plagues on the Egyptians until they relented and freed the Israelites. However, stung by these turn of events, Pharaoh wasn't in the best of moods. He sent his army against Moses and the Israelites. Things looked hopeless for those caught up in the situation.

However, Moses had faith that God was going to deliver against all odds, and he did. He stopped Pharaoh's army and parted the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites to escape. Even when things looked hopeless, Moses knew that God would deliver.

While they were in the desert, Moses knew that God would provide regardless of the situation that they were in. Manna rained from Heaven and their was plenty to drink as rocks were turned to water. Moses knew that God would provide, even with the frustration of the Israelites who lacked faith. The Israelites constantly doubted God despite him delivering on there behalf. Despite God parting the Red Sea, many Israelites doubted his power. Many Israelites continued to doubt God despite him feeding them manna while they were in the Sinai Desert.

Joshua

The odds were against Joshua as well. They have been wondering the desert for 40 years after leaving bondage from Egypt. Would the Israelites have faith that Moses would lead them in the promised land. Often though, many of the Israelites became disheartened by Moses. As such, their faith always took a back seat. When Joshua became the leader, he was given the task of conquering the promised land. Would God deliver? Their army was one of refugees who had little combat experience. Those living in the land were warriors who would stop at nothing to keep what they have. As such, Joshua would have to rely on God to deliver.

God’s commands were very unusual, but they weren’t without purpose. The army that surrounded Jericho were given the instructions to walking around the fortress-town for 7 days and on the last day, to blow their trumpets and God would do the rest. Joshua’s army did this. They walked around the city for 7 days and blew their trumpets on the seventh. The walls came crashing down and the Israelites stormed the city. This was a victory that was delivered to Joshua because of the faith that he have in his God.

The Faith of Mary

Mary found favor with God. Her faith was validated when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. Even though she was initially startled (who can blame her), the angel declared that she have found favor with God. Mary knew of the special circumstances as her relative, Elizabeth was also pregnant as well. Despite her age, Elizabeth would carry a son who would be named John. This confirmed to Mary that God was at word.

Mary was going to be the mother of the Messiah. She was pure in God’s heart. Mary’s faith was very important as she had to deal with several issues that bore down on her. Mary was a poor woman living in a culture that largely dismissed both women and the poor. Not only that, due to the nature of the pregnancy, she was confronted with the stringent rules that were on the verge of consuming her. What I mean is that when a woman became pregnant outside of marriage, that implies adultery. Within the customs of the time (that many still exercise now), she could have been stoned to death.

Mary would have to have that intense faith in God. One could have made the safe assumption that Joseph confronted these social norms as well. It’s ironic that the one who was a descendant of David was kept in the dark of God’s plan for the longest of times. How would Joseph navigate the social expectations? Joseph’s faith was tested as well. One could have made the safe assumption that Joseph was comprehending how to break things off with Mary as tactfully as possible. As mentioned earlier, breaking things off with Mary was essentially feeding her to the wolves.

The angel Gabriel appeared to Joseph as well. Joseph knew that he would have to put his faith in God as he would be going through adversity himself. An edict dictated by Caesar was issued throughout the Roman Empire calling for a census to be conducted for tax reasons. Mary and Joseph would have to travel to Bethlehem.

Mary’s faith was molded by the events around her. The Holy Spirit would guide Mary through the confusion of the virgin birth. This was the birth that God was going use to to fulfill the promises of Messiah foretold by Isaiah. Mary would have to have faith in God’s plan as Jesus would be pure from sin while still assuming a physical human presence. The execution of this plan was needed as an angel couldn’t fulfill what God demanded. Mary would have to have faith in God’s plan regardless of how things play out. This includes the sacrifice that Jesus would have to make down the road. Mary would need to have faith in God’s plan as she was a very big part of it.

Mary would have to have that faith that God was going to protect her and her child. King Herod, the ruler of Israel appointed by the Romans, did not take well to the idea of someone usurping his power. Herod learned from the Magi, or holy men from the East, that their was a miraculous birth that was taking place. The fact that the stargazers traveled hundreds of miles on camelback says a lot about their inquiry about the birth.

The Magi were guided by the stars. They didn’t know what it meant at the time, but they knew it was something important. Their faith in the unknown lead them to the miraculous birth. The Magi knew that God was giving them a sign of faith, but what did it mean? They went to Jerusalem so that they can get a better understand of what they were following. They weren’t Jewish. They only had limited knowledge of Judaism. They weren’t familiar with Jewish scripture of prophecy.

Yet, they were guided by the unknown. God used those who weren’t Jewish to be witness to his grand plan. God reached the Magi in a manner that they would understand; by using the stars. For ancient societies, star-gazing was a very typical activity. One could liken star-gazing as the ancient equivalent of watching TV or surfing the Internet. One of the reasons why we know about star patterns is because the ancients studied the stars and their paths in great detail over the centuries.

When that mysterious star appeared, they became very intrigued and decided to follow it. The mysterious visions didn’t end their. They got a warning for them not to go back to King Herod as he didn’t have good intentions. The magi, instructed by this unknown, but yet, powerful vision, went back to their home via another path.

Both Mary and Joseph would have to trust that God would protect them. They knew they would have to follow whatever urgent warnings that God would give them and follow through without knowing how things would play out. The angel of Lord appeared to Joseph warning him to leave and go to Egypt. The trust in God’s messenger caused them to leave Bethlehem and flee to Egypt as refugees as King Herod was about to embark on a murderous rampage.

Pain And Suffering

Someone’s faith can be affected by the events that play out around them. Pain and suffering spares no one. Everybody is a recipient to it, regardless of their background. One often becomes a victim of unfortunate circumstances as they try to navigate that minefield called life’s experience. These circumstances could be numerous in nature, like job loss, illness or cancer, natural disaster, or in this case, an outbreak. These concerns become paramount. Will they be able to make ends meet in the current climate while putting food on the table. Will one be able to stay safe in the outbreak. Several constantly think about their loved ones. For many, family issues come up as well. These concerns will burden those who have to deal with them. Pointless boogeymen aren’t needed when life itself serves the role as the villain.

When one’s faith is affected by such events, we start to question why they happen. For those events that were man-made, we understand that in a world where their a free-will, many innocent people will get hurt by either our actions or that of others. This was the case with King Herod when he killed the young children in Bethlehem. Innocent people are affected by the events that played out.

Sometimes, those full of faith can still die from events that are beyond their control. These are the believers who aren’t afraid of death, but yet, they didn’t want to die either. The family of those who lost their loved ones become consumed with intense pain that will linger around for awhile. There is no magic bullet for those going through this intense pain. If a person wakes up feeling depressed in the morning, all the sentimental words won’t mean a thing when that person goes to bed at night. Only the passage of time will heal. Even when time heals, things are never the same again.

However, we move on. We try to live life despite the obstacles that it throws at us. We are also reminded that Jesus is by our side when we seek him. Jesus is by our side when we need him. He is there for us. Faith is the continuation of that relationship, through both the good times as bad.

The best answer that can given of why we experience pain, sorrow, and loss is that they are an unfortunate part of the human experience. Where not in God’s control room, nor should we pretend like we are. While God’s will is in motion, various aspects of his will remain a mystery for us here on Earth. Their role in God’s plan is unknown except for he himself. Their is more than what meets the eye though. This is the case with Job and his test of faith.

Job

Job remained faithful to God through both the good times and bad. He was a very wealthy man who owned a large estate. In the grand dueling between Satan and God, Satan declares that the only reason why Job was faithful to God was because he made him wealthy. God responds that Job would remain faithful to him, regardless of what circumstances play out. God allows Satan to torrent Job with the only condition that he couldn’t take his life. After one traumatic experience after another, Job continued to remain faithful to God. He lost his livestock, children and his servants and went through horrible suffering himself. He got a horrible skin disease that brought excruciating pain along with it.

At that time in history, and even occasionally now, the self-righteous will see the severe affliction of pain on others as a direct punishment against God. This was the mindset embraced by Job’s friends. They saw that Job horrible wronged God and that he was making an example of him. They, along with Job’s wife, were telling him to make amends to God so that he could stop the torrent.

However, Job was blameless to God. He had no wrongdoing to confess and he knew it. His faith allowed him to remain committed to God as he wasn't gong to make that false confession. Job’s friends looked down upon him for that perceived pride.

Those self-righteous individuals residing in their spiritual ivory tower will thumb their noses at those who go through pain and suffering. Unable to take that wooden plank out of their own eyes though, they see the pain inflicted as divine punishment for their perceived actions. However, what they forget that many people of faith go through these extreme challenges as well. Again, no one is spared from suffering. Job was one of intensely devout faith, and yet he wasn't spared from that pain either.

Job still remained faithful to God. He knew that his faith in him was the only thing holding him together during those extreme times of adversity. God remembers though who remain faithful to him, even in the darkest of times.

The Faith Of Those From The East And The West

The name of Jesus spread far and wide in Galilee. Many would travel far and wide to see him so that he could cure them from whatever afflicted affected them. Many of those who came to him didn’t know anything other than the fact that they could cure them. They came simply because they knew that he could cure them. Everybody became a recipient of Jesus’s faith, regardless of whether they were Jewish, Samaritan, Greek, or Roman.

While Jesus was at Capernaum, he was approached by a Roman Centurion. A Roman Centurion was a very prestigious commander in the Roman army. Yet, this Centurion made the effort to see Jesus. His servant was paralyzed with pain. The Centurion recognized that Jesus has the ability to heal people.

When Jesus offered to walk to the camp where the Centurion’s servant was at, the Centurion declared that this wasn't necessary. He then stated that he wasn't worthy of having Jesus come under his roof. Just speak the words and the servant would be healed. The Centurion knew that Jesus was a man of authority, and as such, like the Centurion, Jesus could simply issue his own order and that was good enough to heal the servant.

Jesus was astonished by the response of the Centurion. “I will tell the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I will say that many will come from the East and many will come from the West to take there places among Abraham, Issac, and Jacob in the kingdom in Heaven. However, many of God’s own children will be tossed aside into the darkness with the weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus didn’t find faith like this among his own people. Jesus returns to the Centurion “Go! It will be done as you believed it would.” The servant was healed that very hour.

It wasn't only the Centurion who had unquestioned faith with Jesus. One day, Jesus was called by Jairus, a synagogue leader who’s daughter was dying. Jesus started to head over their. Not surprisingly, given his reputation as a healer and holy teacher, he was constantly surrounded by a giant crowd. As he was walking, he was touched by a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years. Jesus instantly felt his energy leave him and inquired about who touched him. The woman quickly confessed about what she did. She stated that the only way she could be healed from her terrible disease was simply by touching the garment and that would be enough to heal her. Jesus was impressed by her faith. The woman’s faith cured her from the horrible disease. From their Jesus proceeded to the house of Jairus and performed another miracle to bring his daughter back.

Jesus

God’s own son became a recipient of the most brutal suffering witnessed by anyone in the Bible. Jesus would endure great pain as he was on the cross. He continued to have faith in his father as he was up their and as he was dying. Many were their for entertainment value, along with one of the criminals who was lampooning Jesus’s suffering. However, the other criminal saw an opportunity in faith. This criminal made the realization that they were nailed because of crimes of their making, but that Jesus was blameless. He didn’t deserve the punishment that he got. He made an appeal to Jesus to remember him when he entered his kingdom.

That criminal also demonstrated that their isn’t a moment that too late. Even at the very close of his life, the criminal made an appeal to Jesus which he embraced with a loving heart. The effort of that criminal wasn't in vain.

With the case of Jesus, Job, and others, one’s faith still guides them through harsh times. One can still find that warm entrancement of God in a very cold and hostile world. Regardless of the circumstances that one goes though, one still finds that loving friendship with God. Regardless of how things play out, God will remain their for us while we remain committed to him. With Jesus, all things are possible.

Articles of Interest

Luke 8:43-48 (Bible Gateway) : https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%208%3A43-48&version=ESV

15 Bible Stories About Faith (Bible Motivation) : https://www.biblemotivation.com/blog/bible-stories-about-faith/

Top 10 Extreme Acts of Faith in the Bible: Part 2 (Revolution Now) : https://revolutingnow.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/top-10-extreme-acts-of-faith-in-the-bible-part-2/

Top 10 Examples of Faith in the Bible for Sunday School (Share Faith) : https://www.sharefaith.com/blog/2016/08/top-10-examples-of-faith-in-the-bible-for-sunday-school/