INTRODUCTION:
1. MANY THINGS CAN KEEP A PERSON’S FAITH FROM GROWING
LIKE IT SHOULD.
2. IT SAD WHEN WE SEE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE
LORD’S BODY FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND THEIR FAITH HAS NOT GROWN AND IN SOME
CASES THEY HAVE LESS FAITH NOW THAN A FEW YEARS AGO.
3. THIS MORNING LET US LOOK AT FOUR CHARACTERISTICS
THAT CAN MAKE OUR
FAITH LITTLE.
I. THE FIRST OF CHARACTERISTIC IS HUMAN REASONING.
A. NOW I AM NOT SAYING THAT WE SHOULD NOT THINK,
BECAUSE WE MUST USE
WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US.
1. GOD HAS GIVEN TO US THE ABILITY TO REASON THINGS
OUT AND THIS IS GOOD, BUT WHEN WE ALLOW OUR REASONING TO OVER RULE GOD’S
WORD THEN THAT IS WRONG.
B. WE MUST BE ON GUARD NOT TO TAKE SPIRITUAL THINGS
AND ALWAYS TRY TO
MAKE THEM PHYSICAL.
1. NOTICE THE APOSTLES REASONING IN VERSE 7,
“AND THEY REASONED AMONG
THEMSELVES, SAYING, IT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TAKEN NO BREAD.”
2. JESUS WAS SPEAKING OF SPIRITUAL THINGS WHEN
HE SAID, BEWARE OF THE
LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND THE SADDUCEES, AND THE APOSTLES
WERE CENTERED
ON PHYSICAL THINGS.
3. ALSO THE SOURCE OF THEIR REASONING WAS AMONG
THEMSELVES, INSTEAD OF
ASKING JESUS WHAT HE MEANT THEY THOUGHT THEY KNEW.
4. HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU KNOW THAT ARE DOING
THE SAME THING?
5. THEY REASON AMONG THEMSELVES ABOUT SPIRITUAL
THINGS INSTEAD OF
STUDYING THE BIBLE.
6. WHAT IS THE DANGER IN USING HUMAN REASONING
FOR THE STANDARD?
a. SOLOMON WROTE IN PROVERBS 14:12, “THERE
IS A WAY WHICH SEEMETH RIGHT UNTO A MAN, BUT THE END THEREOF ARE THE WAYS
OF DEATH.”
b. JEREMIAH THE PROPHET ECHOED SOLOMON’S
WORDS IN JEREMIAH 10:23 “O LORD, I KNOW THAT THE WAY OF MAN IS NOT IN HIMSELF:
IT IS NOT IN MAN THAT WALKETH TO DIRECT HIS STEPS.”
C. THE APOSTLES USED HUMAN REASONING WITHOUT TAKING
INTO ACCOUNT GOD AND
HIS POWER.
1. LOOK AT WHAT JESUS SAID TO THEM IN VERSES 9,10
“DO YE NOT YET UNDERSTAND, NEITHER REMEMBER THE FIVE LOAVES OF THE FIVE
THOUSAND, AND
HOW MANY BASKETS YE TOOK UP? NEITHER THE SEVEN
LOAVES OF THE FOUR
THOUSAND, AND HOW MANY BASKETS YE TOOK UP?”
2. THE PHARISEES AND HERODIANS USED HUMAN REASONING
TO TRY TO TRAP JESUS IN HIS WORDS IN MATTHEW 22:15-22.
3. THEY REASONED THAT THEY HAD JESUS ON THE HORNS
OF A DILEMMA, WITH
THEIR LOGIC.
4. THEY FELT THEIR QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT
IS WAS ACCEPTABLE TO PAY
TAXES TO THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT WOULD TRAP JESUS FOR SURE.
5. IF HE SAID “YES, IT IS ALRIGHT TO PAY TAXES,”
THEN THEY FELT THE PEOPLE WOULD TURN AGAINST HIM.
6. IF HE SAID, “NO, IT IS NOT ALRIGHT TO PAY TAXES,”
THEY WERE READY TO
CALL THE ROMAN GUARDS TO ARREST HIM FOR TREASON.
7. BUT JESUS’ ANSWER WAS BEYOND THEIR HUMAN REASONING
AND THEY WENT
THEIR WAY.
APPLICATION: THE CHARACTERISTIC OF HUMAN REASONING WITHOUT
TAKING INTO
ACCOUNT THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING BY SIGHT AND NOT BY
FAITH. AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE COMMANDED TO USE OUR MINDS AND TO REASON
PROPERLY (2TIM. 2:15), BUT WE ARE COMMANDED “FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT
BY SIGHT.” (2 COR. 5:7). THE CHARACTERISTIC OF HUMAN REASONING ALONE CAUSE
ONE TO HAVE A WEAK FAITH. CAN JESUS CHARACTERIZE YOUR FAITH BY SAYING “O
YE OF LITTLE FAITH, WHY REASON YE AMONG YOURSELVES,...”
II. ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC THAT CAN CAUSE OUR FAITH TO
WEAKEN IS FOUND IN
(MATT. 14:22-33) IN WHICH WE FIND THAT DOUBT DOES WEAKEN
OUR FAITH.
A. HERE WE FIND THAT AFTER JESUS FED 5,000 MEN
WITH ONLY FIVE LOAVES AND
TWO FISHES THAT HE SENT THEM AWAY AND TOLD HIS APOSTLES
TO GET INTO THE
BOAT AND RETURN TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE.
1. THEY WERE CAUGHT IN CONTRARY WIND AND ABOUT
THE FOURTH WATCH OF THE
NIGHT THEY SEE SOMEONE WALKING ON THE WATER TOWARD THEM.
2. HUMAN REASONING SAID NO ONE CAN WALK ON WATER
SO WE MUST BE SEEING A
GHOST AND THEY CRIED OUT.
3. JESUS TALKED TO THEM AND PETER HAD ENOUGH COURAGE
TO ASK JESUS IF HE
COULD WALK ON THE WATER OUT TO HIM AND JESUS SAID “COME.”
(V. 29).
4. SO PETER DID, BUT AFTER HE HAD GONE A WAYS
FROM THE SHIP TOWARD
JESUS, PETER TOOK HIS EYES OFF OF HIM AND BEGAN TO LOOK
AROUND HIM.
5. HE SAW THE STRONG WIND AND WAVES ALL AROUND
HIM AND HE BEGAN TO
DOUBT.
6. HE ALSO BEGAN TO SINK AND THEN HE CRIED OUT
FOR JESUS TO SAVE HIM.
7. JESUS REACHED OUT AND CAUGHT PETER AND SAID,
“O THOU OF LITTLE FAITH, WHEREFORE DIDST THOU DOUBT?” (V. 31).
B. DOUBT CAUSED PETER TO SINK AND DOUBT CAN SINK
OUR FAITH ALSO.
1. LOOK CLOSELY AT WHAT PETER DID, HE WALKED ON
THE WATER AS LONG AS HE
KEPT HIS EYES FIXED ON HIS GOAL WHICH WAS JESUS CHRIST.
2. BY TAKING OUR EYE OF FAITH OFF OF OUR GOAL
WE ALSO BEGIN TO DOUBT.
3. WE SEE THE PROBLEMS FACING US ON EVERY SIDE
LIKE THE WIND AND WAVES
THAT PETER SAW AND WITH DOUBT IN OUR EYES WE BEGIN TO
SINK.
4. REMEMBER THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL IN 2
TIMOTHY 4:6-8 “FOR I AM
NOW READY TO BE OFFERED, AND THE TIME OF MY DEPARTURE
IS AT HAND. I HAVE
FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE, I HAVE
KEPT THE FAITH:
HENCEFORTH THERE IS LAID UP FOR ME A CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
WHICH THE
LORD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, SHALL GIVE ME AT THAT DAY:
AND NOT TO ME ONLY,
BUT UNTO ALL THEM ALSO THAT LOVE HIS APPEARING.”
5. ARE YOU WALKING WITH YOUR EYES FIXED ON YOUR
GOAL?
6. ARE YOU FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT?
7. OR DO YOU ALLOW DOUBT TO FILL YOUR MIND?
APPLICATION: AS CHRISTIANS WHO ARE WALKING BY FAITH AND
NOT BY SIGHT, WE
MUST KEEP OUR EYES FOCUSED ON OUR GOAL AND NOT ALLOW
THE CHARACTERISTIC
OF DOUBT TO CAUSE US TO SINK BACK INTO THE WORLD.
DOES JESUS
CHARACTERIZE YOUR FAITH BY SAYING, “O THOU OF LITTLE
FAITH, WHEREFORE
DIDST THOU DOUBT?”
III. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN REASONING ALONE WILL
PRODUCE DOUBT
WHICH LEADS US TO HAVE LITTLE FAITH AND WITH LITTLE FAITH
WE FIND ANOTHER
CHARACTERISTIC THAT OF FEAR IS NOT FAR BEHIND.
A. IN MATTHEW 8:23-27 WE AGAIN FIND JESUS AND THE
DISCIPLES ON THE SEA
OF GALILEE.
1. IN THESE VERSES WE SEE AGAIN THE HUMANITY OF
OUR LORD JESUS, HE WAS
TRIED AND WHEN THEY WENT INTO THE SHIP HE LAID DOWN AND
WENT TO SLEEP.
2. A GREAT STORM CAME UP AND THE DISCIPLES HUMAN
REASONING CAUSE THEM
TO FORGET WHO WAS IN THE SHIP WITH THEM AND THEY WERE
FILL WITH DOUBT TO
THE POINT OF BEING AFRAID FOR THEIR VERY LIVES.
3. LOOK AT VERSES 24-25, “AND, BEHOLD, THERE AROSE
A GREAT TEMPEST IN
THE SEA, INSOMUCH THAT THE SHIP WAS COVERED WITH THE
WAVES: BUT HE
(JESUS) WAS ASLEEP. AND HIS DISCIPLES CAME TO HIM,
AND AWOKE HIM,
SAYING, LORD, SAVE US: WE PERISH.”
B. FEAR CAN BE SUCH A STRONG EMOTION THAT IT CAN
CAUSE SOME PEOPLE TO
BECOME PARALYZED.
1. WE CAN BE AFRAID OF MANY THINGS THAT CAN HINDER
OUR GETTING THE WORK
OF THE LORD DONE.
2. FEAR CAN MAKE US SAY, “I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH
OF THE BIBLE TO TEACH
CLASS.”
3. FEAR CAN KEEP US FROM GOING NEXT DOOR AND TALKING
TO OUR NEIGHBOR
ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THIS LIFE OUR SOULS.
4. FEAR KEPT A WHOLE GENERATION OF PEOPLE OUT
OF THE PROMISE LAND, WILL
IT KEEP YOU OUT.
5. FEAR OF THE GIANT KEPT THE ARMY OF GOD FROM
ANSWERING GOLIATH’S
CHALLENGE (1 SAM. 17).
6. THEY REASONED AMONG THEMSELVES ABOUT THE SIZE
OF GOLIATH AND THEY
DOUBTED THEIR ABILITY AND SO THEY FEARED HIM.
7. “AND ALL THE MEN OF ISRAEL, WHEN THEY SAW THE
MAN (GOLIATH), FLED
FROM HIM, AND WERE SORE AFRAID.” (1 SAM. 17:24).
8. ALONG CAME DAVID, WHO TOOK THE POWER OF GOD
INTO ACCOUNT IN HIS
REASONING SAID, “...WHAT SHALL BE DONE TO THE MAN THAT
KILLETH THIS
PHILISTINE, AND TAKETH AWAY THE REPROACH FROM ISRAEL?
FOR WHO IS THIS
UNCIRCUMCISED PHILISTINE, THAT HE SHOULD DEFY THE ARMIES
OF THE LIVING
GOD?” (1 SAM. 17:26).
9. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THE WORDS OF DAVID FOUND
IN VERSES 37, “DAVID
SAID MOREOVER, THE LORD THAT DELIVERED ME OUT OF THE
PAW OF THE LION, AND
OUT OF THE PAW OF THE BEAR, HE WILL DELIVER ME OUT OF
THE HAND OF THIS
PHILISTINE. AND SAUL SAID UNTO DAVID, GO, AND THE
LORD BE WITH THEE.”
C. DAVID REMEMBER GOD AND HIS POWER WHEN HE REASONED
ABOUT GOLIATH.
1. HE GAVE GOD THE CREDIT FOR DELIVERING HIM FROM
A LION AND A BEAR AND
HE SAID TO GOLIATH IN VERSE 47, “AND ALL THIS ASSEMBLY
SHALL KNOW THAT
THE LORD SAVETH NOT WITH SWORD AND SPEAR: FOR THE BATTLE
IS THE LORD’S
AND HE WILL GIVE YOU INTO MY HANDS.”
2. WHEN WE ARE DOING THE LORD’S WORK, WE MUST
ALWAYS REMEMBER IT IS THE
LORD THAT IS WORKING THROUGH US, THE BATTLE IS STILL
THE LORD’S.
3. THIS IS HOW JUST 12 APOSTLES COULD TAKE THE
GOSPEL INTO ALL THE
WORLD AND SO CAN WE IF WE DO NOT RELY UPON HUMAN REASONING
ALONE.
4. HUMAN REASONING SAYS, “LOOK AT THE WORLD, LOOK
AT HOW MANY PEOPLE
THERE ARE IN THE WORLD. THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN
TAKE THE GOSPEL INTO ALL
THE WORLD.
5. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN REASONING ALONE
CAUSES DOUBT AND DOUBT
WHEN IT HAS GROWN CAUSES EVEN THE STRONGEST TO FEAR.
APPLICATION: WHAT DO WE FEAR? DO WE FEAR THAT WE
WILL BE REJECTED?
JESUS PLAINLY STATED THAT THE WORLD WOULD HATE US IF
WE ARE TRULY LIVING
FOR HIM (MT. 10:22). DO WE FEAR DEATH? JESUS
BROKE THE BARS OF DEATH
AND IT CANNOT KEPT US (1 THESS. 4:16). IS THE CHARACTERISTIC
OF FEAR
MAKING YOUR FAITH LITTLE? CAN JESUS CHARACTERIZE
YOUR FAITH BY SAYING,
“WHY ARE YE FEARFUL, O YE OF LITTLE FAITH?”
IV. WHEN WE TAKE ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN REASONING
COUPLING IT
WITH THAT OF DOUBT AND ADD THE CHARACTERISTIC OF FEAR
THEN WE LIVE A LIFE
THAT IS CHARACTERISTIZED BY ANXIETY.
A. IN MATT. 6:25-34, IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
JESUS SAID FOUR THINGS
ABOUT ANXIETY.
1. IN VERSE 25, HE SAID, THEREFORE I SAY UNTO
YOU, TAKE NO THOUGHT FOR
YOUR LIFE, WHAT YE SHALL EAT, OR WHAT YE SHALL DRINK;
NOR YET FOR YOUR
BODY, WHAT YE SHALL PUT ON. IS NOT THE LIFE MORE
THAN MEAT, AND THE BODY
THAN RAIMENT?”
a. NOTICE THE CHARACTERISTIC OF LITTLE FAITH.
b. OVER CONCERN FOR ONE’S LIFE, ALWAYS RUNNING
TO THE DOCTOR THINKING
YOUR DYING.
c. OVER CONCERN ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING
TO HAVE TO EAT AND DRINK,
MAYBE WORKING YOURSELF DEATH FOR THE THINGS OF THE WORLD.
d. OVER CONCERN ABOUT BEING IN STYLE, HAVING
THE LATEST IN FASHIONS.
2. LOOK AT VERSE 27, “WHICH OF YOU BY TAKING THOUGHT
CAN ADD ONE CUBIT
UNTO HIS STATURE?”
a. CAN WORRY CAUSE US TO GROW TALLER?
b. CAN WORRY ADD YEARS TO OUR LIVES?
c. DOES WORRY ADD TO OUR HEALTH OR TAKE
FROM IT?
3. NOTICE VERSE 28, “AND WHY TAKE YE THOUGHT FOR
RAIMENT? CONSIDER THE
LILIES OF THE FIELD, HOW THEY GROW; THEY TOIL NOT, NEITHER
DO THEY SPIN:”
a. DOES HOW YOUR CLOTHES LOOK MEAN MORE
TO YOU THAN ANYTHING ELSE?
b. DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE LATEST IN FASHIONS
TO BE HAPPY?
c. DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE AIR NIKE’S TO BE
HAPPY?
d. DO YOU SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR
ON CLOTHING WHILE GIVING
GOD JUST A FEW DOLLARS?
e. REMEMBER GOD’S LILIES AND OTHER FLOWERS,
EVEN SOLOMON IN HIS FINEST
CLOTHING COULD NOT COMPARE TO THE GRASSES OF THE FIELD
WHICH BLOOM TODAY
AND ARE BURNED IN THE OVEN TOMORROW AND NEITHER CAN WE.
4. IN VERSES 31,32 JESUS SAID IF THESE THINGS,
FOOD, DRINK, AND CLOTHING ARE OUR DRIVING FORCE FOR OUR LIVES THEN WE WERE
LIKE THE GENTILES OR HEATHEN.
a. REMEMBER THE GENTILES WERE NOT THE CHILDREN
OF PROMISE.
b. THEY WERE REFERRED TO AS BEING AT ONE
TIME WITHOUT GOD AND WITHOUT
HOPE IN THE WORLD (EPH. 2:12).
B. JESUS SAID ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WERE WORRIED ABOUT
THINGS OF THIS WORLD,
“O YE OF LITTLE FAITH?”
1. YOU CAN SEE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF LITTLE FAITH
IN THE PASSAGES THAT
WE HAVE LOOKED AT.
a. HUMAN REASONING WITHOUT GOD.
b. DOUBT
c. FEAR
d. ANXIETY.
2. DO THESE THINGS DESCRIBE YOUR LIFE?
3. THEN TAKE HOLD OF THINGS BY USING THE CURE
THAT THE GREAT PHYSICIAN
PRESCRIBED IN MATTHEW 6:33,34.
a. “BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD,
AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU.
TAKE THEREFORE NO THOUGHT FOR THE MORROW: FOR THE MORROW SHALL TAKE THOUGHT
FOR THE THINGS OF ITSELF.
SUFFICIENT UNTO THE DAY IS THE EVIL THEREOF.
b. ARE YOU SEEKING THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND
HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS THESE ARE
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GROWING FAITH?
c. ARE YOU SEEKING IT FIRST?
d. “LAY NOT UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES
UPON EARTH, WHERE MOTH AND
RUST DOTH CORRUPT, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK THROUGH AND
STEAL: BUT LAY UP
FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE NEITHER MOTH
NOR RUST DOTH
CORRUPT, AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK THROUGH NOR STEAL:
FOR WHERE
TREASURE IS, THERE WILL BE YOUR HEART ALSO.
© Copyright 2000. Paul Fisher. All rights reserved.