Entrance to the Master’s Program (Understanding Faith)
(A Message to the Ministers)
(Preached Saturday Evening, May 23, 2020)
“And the sons of Ephraim; Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eladah his son, and Tahath his son, and Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in that land slew, because they came down to take away their cattle.
And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him. And when he went in to his wife, she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Beriah, because it went evil with his house.”
(1 Chronicles 7:20-23)
Nine sons. The last one dead. One more given (10th) but disregarded for regard to his emptied faith! Alas! Alas, the plight of faith vs. unbelief!
Entrance to Our Lord’s Master’s Program means that you understand
I. Faith surrendered to loss = Self-corruption
“And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, ‘This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no.’ And he knew it, and said, ‘It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.’ And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, ‘For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning.’ Thus his father wept for him.” (Genesis 37:31-35)
A. Possession(s)
“And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, ‘This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no.’ And he knew it, and said, ‘It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.” (Genesis 37:3133)
B. Dynasty/Perpetuity
“And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted.” (Genesis 37:34-35a)
C. Control
“and he said, ‘For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning.’ Thus his father wept for him.” (Genesis 37:35b)
Entrance to Our Lord’s Master’s Program means that you understand
II. Faith surrendered to anger = Self-deification
“Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, ‘Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.” (1 Samuel 20:30-31)
A. Pride
“Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, ‘Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness?” (1 Samuel 20:30)
B. Offence
“For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom.” (1 Samuel 20:31a)
C. Retribution/Murder
“Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.” (1 Samuel 20:31b)
Entrance to Our Lord’s Master’s Program means that you understand
III. Faith surrendered to Failure = Self-satisfaction
“And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (1 Kings 19:8-10)
A. Scared
“And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” (1 Kings 19:8)
B. Lonely
“And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: For the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away” (1 Kings 19:9-10)
C. Wrong/Mistaken
“Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18)
Entrance to Our Lord’s Master’s Program means that you understand
IV. Faith! – The Key to the Master’s Program of Our Lord
“While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, ‘Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.’ But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, ‘Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.’ And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. (Matthew 16:8-10)
A. “Fear not!”
B. “Believe only!”
C. “And She shall be made whole!”
D. “He suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John…”
Conclusion
“And he saith unto them, ‘Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?’ Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.” (Matthew 8:26)
O’ ye! O’ ye of little faith who make a god of men: of those whom you have loved and lost; or of those whom you have lost them to, or even more so… to yourselves.
Who are you, o’ frailty of women? Breathless, you arrived here from the womb, and breathless you shall go; buried away (again) from the eyes of men… but not from God.
Too much! Too much of you, and them, and the others so easily puppeted by he who the Bible calls the “god of this world.”
“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Sir! “Sir, we would see Jesus.” (John 12:21)
From rotting men, lift up your eyes unto the preference of every fulfilled saint. There! Up above is the God of Israel, glorious in his majesty! Evermore shall he endure.
Indeed, as it is written,
“And the Lord said, ‘I have pardoned according to thy word: but as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” (Numbers 14:20-21)
Ah, fill it now, o’ “salt of the earth”, o’ “light of the world.” Yes, Christian He called you not, but rather “light” and “salt.” Ordained He for you to be in the “earth”, in the “world.” Salt it! Light it up!!
And as he said amidst other words of finality before his ascension back to where he is even now upon his throne in Heaven, at the right hand of God the Father: yea, as he said, “Go!” Did you hear him? He said, “Go!”
Yes, we end this message with the beginning of his and yours. In power, with life, today, and tomorrow, and we dare to say… yes, forever! So, as it is written,
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ Amen.”
Now, stand ye, like men, like women for Christ. Arise! Lift up your hearts and place them in him, and… “Go!!!”
OUTLINE:
Entrance to the Master’s Program (Understanding Faith)
- Faith surrendered to loss = Self-corruption (Genesis 37:31-35)
- Faith surrendered to anger = Self-deification (1 Samuel 20:30-31)
- Faith surrendered to Failure = Self-satisfaction (1 Kings 19:8-10)
- Faith! – The Key to the Master’s Program of Our Lord (Matthew 16:8-10)
WORSHIP: