Sermon – August 20, 2017: “Obedient Belief Leads to Faith Exercise”

Obedient Belief Leads to Faith Exercise

Luke 8:22-25

Parallel accounts

  • Matthew 8:23-27
  • Mark 4:35-41
  • Luke 8:22-25

Where they seem to disagree

  • Matthew seems to place the event earlier in Jesus’s ministry.
  • Luke is ambiguous as to the time of the event but records it in the same general area as Mark.
  • Mark tells us the event happens in the evening on the day of Jesus’s seaside teaching (Luke 8, Mark 3 & 4 and Matthew 12 & 13).

Purpose of Luke’s Recording

  • The next three stories in Luke serve to answer the question “Who is this Jesus that he should be obeyed?”
  • This particular event parallels Psalm 107 where God’s power to help his people in times of distress is revealed.
  • This event provides the answer. “Jesus is God!

Basic Elements of the Story

  1. Jesus commands and the disciples obey.
  2. Disciples get into a precarious situation while obeying.
  3. Disciples respond negatively.

The Responses of the Disciples

  • Tempted to despair and believe all was lost (Luke).
  • Tempted to accuse Jesus of not caring (Mark).
  • Tempted to turn to Jesus out of fear (Matthew).
  • We will be tempted the same ways!

Applying It to Ourselves

  • Jesus commands us and expects us to obey.
  • When we obey we will get into precarious situations.
  • The Enemy will be there using the situation to tempt us to respond wrongly.

Consequences of Such Responses

  • Despairing and believing all is lost can lead to dismal hopelessness.
  • Blaming and accusing God of not caring can lead to life without joy and peace.
  • Turning to God only in times of fear reveals fickleness and contributes to its continuation.
  • Problem is, all of these, if unchecked, lead to a turning away from God.

What We Can Learn

  • Jesus wants us to live by faith.
  • Jesus wants us to constantly move in obedient belief despite precarious situations.
  • Jesus wants to use such situations as exercises that lead to greater faith.
  • The faithful eventually discover that the “marvel” of God’s working becomes “common place.”

The Transformation Expectation

  • Know God and live according to such knowledge.
  • Stay aware of moments when the Enemy will tempt.
  • Use every situation to build your faith instead of allowing it to contribute to its loss.

 

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