Four Levels of Faith (Pt. 1)
1st: A lack of faith results in a lack of miracles
Matthew 13:54-58 (NIV)
Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor." And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Mark 6:5-6 (NIV)
He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
2nd: We can have faith for people who do not have faith
Luke 5:17-25 (NIV)
One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said,...to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up on front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.
4 Levels of Faith
1. "If You can" faith
Mark 9:20-23 (NIV)
So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Reasons for his weak faith:
1st: The seriousness of his son’s condition
Mark 9:17-22 (NIV)
A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.
People often only have an “if you can” faith because...
1. Their problem is bigger in their mind than their God.
2. Their eyes on their problem instead of God.
2nd. The length of the sickness
Mark 9:21 (NIV)
Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered.
3rd. The disciples had failed to heal the boy
Mark 9:18 (NIV)
I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."
1st. The man was honest and acknowledged his lack of faith
2nd. Even though he had doubts he brought his son to Jesus
3rd. He appealed to Jesus’ compassion
Mark 9:22 (NKJV)
But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
2. "If you are willing faith"
Mark 1:40-42 (NIV)
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
Things in the leper’s favor regarding his approach to Jesus.
1st. He was desperate for Jesus to heal him
Mark 1:40 (NIV)
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."
2nd. This man probably came because he had heard a testimony that Jesus could heal people
Mark 1:41 (NIV)
Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"
