Jesus used the withering of the fig tree to call His disciples to faith. Faith is defined in Hebrews 11:1. Faith comes from the Greek word "pistis," which means "belief,"
firm persuasion that God is real and alive and that He will enter into any work in our lives. We, too, are called to have faith in God. I. It is a call to personal surrender to God. A. Through faith we give our lives to Jesus. 1. To save us 2. To sustain us 3. To use us. B. Have you personally surrendered your life to God through faith in Jesus? 1. He calls upon you to do that now. 2. It is something that you need to do no matter what others may say or no matter what else you have planned for your life. C. Surrender you life to Jesus now as He calls you to faith. "Have faith in God," Jesus says to you. II. It is a call to certainly. (Faith breeds certainty.) A. This is an age of doubt and fear. People ask: "What can we be certain of?" Hebrews 11:6 1. By faith we are certain that the God of the Bible is real. 2. By faith we can be certain taht the God of the bible wants to reward us here and hereafter. B. Vs. 23 - It is certainty that God can move the mountains in our livesd that keep us from the highest and best. 1. Faith removes the mountain of doubt. 2. Faith removes the mountain of fear. 3. Faith removes the mountain of sin. C. Vs, 24 - It is certainty that God hears and answers our prayers. III. It is a call to hope. (Faith and hope work together.) A. Many ask today "What possibilities are there?" Not Christians!!!! B. Faith brings the hope of assurance. 1. Assurance that Jesus loves us. 2. Assurance of the presence of Jesus. 3. Assurance that Jesus will help us to overcome anything that we need to overcome. C. Faith is the guarantee the God is on our side. 1. Not that He always agrees with us or likes what we do. 2. People who do not have faith in Jesus have chosen to oppose God. 3. People who do not have faith cannot understand the Christian life, the Bible, being saved, or etc. Listen to Jesus: "Have faith in God." Have faith in God and be saved. Have faith in God in daily life and watch your life grow. Use that faith to work for you every day. Have faith in God in everything. Have you put your faith in Him?
0 Comments
One word came to mind when I thought of this text - UP. Why? There is nothing down about it. It is all up. If we are to live victoriously, we must be up like these first Christians. Here is what I mean:
I. They were prayed up. 1:14 A. They prayed individually. 1. We need time alone with Jesus. 2. D.L. Moody: "Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure." B. They prayed together. 1. In 1:14 they prayed in "one accord." In 2:1 they were in "one accord." We can't have one without the other. 2. There is power when we pray together. It makes satan tremble. C. They prayed fervently. James 5:16 II. They were filled up. 2;4a A. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8: Fulfillment of a promise. B. They allowed this to happen. 1. We have to open our hearts and minds to Him in order to be filled. 2. Can we be filled. Illustration: "Are you a cup or a sifter?" 3. Will you be filled? C. They acted on the filling of the Holy Spirit. They began to follow His leadership, and this is what we need to do. III. They were fired up. 2:4b (and vs. 3) A. They were fired up to obey Jesus. (They obeyed Acts 1:8. Will we?) B.They were fired up to share Jesus. 1. The Holy Spirit fires us up to tell others. That's God's plan. 2. Others need to hear and we need to tell! C. They were fired up to be together, to be in fellowship with each other. Acts 2:42 & 44 IV. They were caught up. (The whole sense of the text.) A. They were caught up by a great person - Jesus. 1. Jesus is who and what it is all about. 2. Jesus is our head and our passion. B. They were caught up in a great cause. 1. The cause of Christ and His church. 2. It should be our cause too. 3. What is your cause? C. They were caught up by a great purpose. 1. A great Christian was asked what was the greatest lack in people today. He replied: "Purpose!" 2. We need to get caught up in the purpose of serving Jesus, for we are all His servants. Look what these disciples did with nothing like the resources that we have. So let's get prayed up, filled up, fired up and caught up. When we do, we will have victory and we will have revival. Jesus' mother stands as an example of motherhood for all ages. She showed herself to be a good mother. There are many things about a good mother that reminds us of the gospel of Jesus.
I. A good mother's love is sacrificial. When everyone and everything else fails, our mothers will be there for us. They go into the "valley of the shadow of death" to bring us into the world. II. A good Mother's love is unconditional. Mothers love us even when are unlovable, and even when we sin and err, Just As Jesus did. John 3:16 comes to mind. III. A good mother's love causes her to discipline us as God does. It is not a good mother who fails to discipline us, for discipline is a form of love. 2 Corinthians 12:6-8 IV. A good mother's love is unchanging. The get angry with us, but good mothers do not give up on their children, nor do they cease loving them. There are probably other ways that a good mother's love is like the gospel, but these should suffice to give us a better view of a good mother and a good God as well. Bro. Joe |
All of these materials are free of charge. There is no copyright on them and you are free to use them as you see fit. I am happy to be of assitance to you in your preaching/teaching minstry.
|