STUDY/DISCUSSION GUIDE. OVERARCHING THEME: Faith That Produces Results INTRODUCTION. I. Faith is a Verb FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

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1 STUDY/DISCUSSION GUIDE For the week of April 28-May 4, 2013 Based on Pastor Bob s message of April 28, 2013 OVERARCHING THEME: Faith That Produces Results THIS WEEK S READING: Matthew 9:27-34; Mark 5:24-34, 6:1-6 INTRODUCTION Faith is the greatest defining force in our lives. What we believe about God shapes how we respond to every circumstance, situation, and challenge. This week s reading explored the faith of people with great needs. As we examine the experiences of two blind men and an ailing woman we discover the essential element that creates an effective faith and also learn that yielding to the thief of unbelief robs us of our ability to have enriched, powerful lives. I. Faith is a Verb I m convinced that few of us fully realize how our faith in God, or lack thereof, has shaped the people we are and the lives we live. This fact cannot be avoided if we take these words of Christ seriously, according to your faith let it be to you (Matt. 9:29). Here we see two blind men who put faith in Christ as He revealed Himself to be and then acted on their belief. Then He touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith let it be to you. Matthew 9:29 Read Matthew 9: Faith based upon who Jesus is These two blind men leave us a clear sign pointing to the origin of a faith that gets results. Their faith was based upon evidence proving Jesus was the fulfillment of the many ancient prophecies describing the Messiah. This is evident as they cried, Son of David, have mercy on us. The Messiah was foretold to be a son of David. They knew it was promised that the Messiah would come from the family line of David, Israel s greatest king. The Messiah, as a king of a kingdom, would have authority to forgive sins and heal disease (Is. 53:3-61; 11, Ps. 103:3). Therefore, these blind men concluded Christ must have the power to heal their blindness. It would also be fair to assume that these men had heard the many accounts of Jesus healing others as He traveled throughout Galilee (Matt. 9:35-38). Their faith was also based on God s mercy. Their belief that Jesus was full of mercy assured them He would, in that mercy, heal them. They believed God would be faithful to who He has declared Himself to be in Christ. 2. Faith built on who God is With this solid basis of faith, their faith became a verb they acted on it. Whether we are drawn by God s mercy or any number of things God has revealed Himself to be, God will always be faithful to respond to us who come to Him in faith. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Heb. 11:6). Page 1 of 5

2 3. Faith in action These blind men acted by finding their way to the street where they had learned Jesus would be. Next, they tried to follow after Him even though they were blind. Lastly, they cried out to Christ publically, without any fear, convinced Christ would heal them. Real faith begins in knowing God but ends in action. Genuine faith becomes a verb. Faith will always take action based upon our knowledge of who God is. Know Him, and act on what you know. It s that simple! 4. Living in active faith Paul the Apostle clearly understood the potent, life-shaping power of faith when he wrote, I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Gal. 2:20). His entire life grew from the faith that responded to the knowledge of God. 1. What tends to happen if we act to obtain what faith promises us, but our actions are not birthed from a firmly established confidence in God s character and His promises? 2. Describe the elements of faith and the actions that resulted from faith in the following two examples: a. Abraham Romans 4:17-21 b. Elijah James 5:13-18, 1 Kings 18: Together, discuss ways family members can learn to discover God s character and promises. Then take time to identify common family challenges where faith in action can be applied. II. Faith that Presses Through In this section we are given an amazing account of the faith of a woman plagued for 12 years with a serious illness. Her faith generated a nothing will stop me approach in bringing her need to Christ. For she said, If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well. Mark 5:28 Read Mark 5: A faith that will not be denied Though extremely sick and weak, this woman pushed through the throngs of people pressing around Christ in the hope of being healed by somehow simply touching Him. Her faith in Christ brought about her healing. And in the process she has left us a transferrable principle one that can enrich our own faith to enable us to experience great things from a great God. 2. Different methods, same results We also are taught that there is no set method for faith to be effective. She directed her faith toward the most likely thing she could make contact with. In the overwhelming excitement and noise of the crowd pressing in upon Christ, she didn t try to explain Page 2 of 5

3 to Jesus what was wrong with her, or what she needed Him to do. She didn t even ask for prayer. She had faith that if she simply touched the hem of His clothing she was sure to be healed. Though hundreds of people were touching Jesus as He passed through this massive crowd, only one person touched Him with faith that resulted in a noticeable transference of power. As she touched His garment this power instantly healed her. This same abandonment to faith in Christ can give us the confidence to press through any obstacles that come between us and Jesus. This applies to much more than physical healing. As an example, in Romans 8:31-39 Paul describes his faith in God in the salvation of Christ that pushes through condemnation and every imaginable difficulty and in the process keeps believers so close to God s heart that we will never be separated from His love. Paul also applied this to his own spiritual maturity, saying, Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13-14). 1. What are the most common obstacles that discourage us from pressing through to see God fulfill His promises in our lives? 2. How can faith be strengthened to overcome those obstacles? 1. Select some of God s promises recorded in the following passages and describe the the corresponding action of faith that will be required to see it realized: Healing - Jeremiah 30:17 Having prayers answered - Matthew 18:19 Facing impossible situations - Luke 18:27 Protection Psalm 91:10-11 God s provision - Philippians 4:19 2. Discuss how to help your children apply these passages to their own lives. 3. Discuss methods to help your family memorize one of God s promises every month. Page 3 of 5

4 III. Our Unbelief What Amazes Christ About Us Our unbelief provides one of the few things that causes Christ to marvel. When we consider the light of scripture, the work of the Spirit, and the supernatural things Christ has done and is doing our unbelief is completely unfounded. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. Mark 6:6 Read Mark 6: Despite Christ s superiority many harden their hearts. The teaching of Jesus was unequaled. No man had ever spoken as He had. No man had ever performed so many varied miracles as He had. And no man had ever displayed such complete authority over demonic forces. Yet, in spite of all that, many who saw and heard Him went from curiosity to hardened hearts of unbelief. 2. Pride prompts irrational unbelief. What poison can so harden and anger those who in other ways appear quite reasonable? Pride is the answer. The most common poison corrupting our souls is our irrational unbelief. Jesus Christ s teaching and power have made it abundantly clear that His authority and His direction are from Heaven exclusively. No political or religious leader, no new philosophical idea will ever come close to His perfection. All things must adjust to Him. He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. It is His Lordship and perfections that threaten us. 3. God s ultimate authority challenges self-idolatry. This ultimate authority of God often challenges our own sense of self-idolatry, our delusion that we can be our own gods. How common it is to say to ourselves, Just who does Jesus think He is, defining God or telling me how to live? Our pride rises up and we become irrationally offended when Christ does not yield to our self-idolatrous views of God. 4. We can all be victims of unbelief. When we choose self-idolatry the resulting unbelief becomes a thief that robs us just as it robbed those at Nazareth of the wonderful things Jesus would have loved to do for them. Ultimately, this unbelief becomes the greatest thief we will ever encounter enslaving us to our preconceived views of God, ourselves, and the world around us. We can unlock the self-imposed prison of unbelief with courageous personal honesty and a willingness to open our eyes to clearly see God no matter who He reveals Himself to be. 1. Describe how unbelief can rob you of what Christ has come to do for your life, both now and for eternity. 2. Discuss how pride can elevate our unbelief to cancel out what faith could have done in our lives and brought us from God. Page 4 of 5

5 1. Identify situations, issues, or circumstances where unbelief can rob your children of faith s power to enrich them. CONCLUSION May we all seek to build our faith on the ongoing revelations of who God says He is and what He says He can do. May we, like the blind men in this week s account, search for His truth. May we like, the desperate, sick woman, do what we can to reach out to touch Him. When we act on what we know we will resist the thief of unbelief and live in the power and riches God promises all who come to Him in faith. Page 5 of 5