Indeed, their faith did make them well from a God who loves us in spite of us. The Samaritan’s gratitude, makes us want to be like that outsider, who God also loves and cares for through his faith. And that is what we are going to explore together this morning you and I. Today, I am excited to say that we are continuing our look at faith, and how it applies to our relationship with God in our lives. How our faith in who the Lord is, and what God can do, helps us to control who we are, and how we act towards God, and other people.
Excited, because I know there are many if not most of you. No let me change that thought to, most of you, if not all of you, who have or are, right now, struggling. And although your faces do not, and behavior may not reflect your angst, inside you feel besieged by the events of life.
So, if you are listening or reading this message, and you are feeling harassed in spirit, distraught in heart, and overwhelmed in your soul… Because every time you think you are making progress in addressing the challenges that you are trying to overcome with the Lord’s grace, instead of success, you get punched in the stomach with even more on your plate than before.
Today’s message is for you!
Since you are in the midst of adversity, just coming out of, or have someone close by that is struggling through the cloud of affliction, it is important for each and every one of us prayerfully, hopefully, and humbly, … to dive into God’s word for comfort, reflection, and hope.
Hope for our faith to be in renewal and fortified in the fact that our God is real, He is here, and all of the challenges that we meet with our Lord, are at our service. Yes, your pain, hurt, and affliction, can actually be at your disposal, to grow, strengthen, and prepare us for the next big thing that we will overcome with our Lord, His Holy Spirit, and our family in God, the Body of Christ.
Not sure? Well, here is our Apostle Paul (who knows a thing or two of overcoming with faith), with some words he had for Timothy, when he was growing Timothy into a mighty servant for the Lord. Reading from 2 Timothy 2:11-15;
11 Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
13 if we are faithless,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Because the word of truth, God’s word, is His living lifeline into our distress, and the foundation for our recovery from worldly pain. A pain and struggle, for understanding, perseverance, and hope for deeper faith strengthened by God’s love for us, and in us. And even when we are faithless;
“he (God) remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
That means that even when we are in the midst of our pain and hurt and are losing hope, God is still there. Always has been. What we must be about, are the deep and real things about our Lord, and not allowing things to sidetrack our determination to grow, strengthen and mature our faith in Him who is faithful to us through all our challenges.
It’s important for you to know that even though you might be feeling all alone right now, this is a common feeling for all of us when we tread through hardship. But you are not alone, and this has been happening to God’s people ever since the fall of mankind, and those who sought a faithwalk in and with our Lord. Reminding me of today’s Call to Warship from Psalm 66:1-12;
1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”
5 Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
6 He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
8 Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
*Interrupting our Psalmist to say; when we cling to our Lord in faith, God will lead our way and keep us from slipping into destruction. That does not mean that all is easy sailing. No! Into the tempest, our God will grow us through the storms and in challenges. Here is our Psalmists take, continuing now at verse 10;
10 For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
God grew and grows the children of Israel (His chosen people then and now according to Paul), through hardship, fire, and pain. And my friends, since we consider ourselves adopted into the family of God, we too must strive to grow, harden, and refine our strength in the one who created all that is wholesome and good in this life.
Notwithstanding of if we are battling addiction (name your poison, there is virtually an unlimited list to choose from things to be addicted to), regardless of the hurt, pain, and abuse from others (or ourselves), disease, infirmity, plus physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual duress, our God is there, His family the Body of Christ is there, and we have the opportunity to turn our sufferings into tools to edify us in this life as happy warriors of the working day! And a place of abundance, paradise, Heaven itself awaits our future.
I would like to share with you a passage from the Old Testament, from the days of the Prophet Elisha (also called the man of God), who actively instructed Israel what faith was, and how to live humbly in faith through his own example. This passage is from 2 Kings, Israel and the kingdom of Amram to the east werenot at war, but have boarder disputes and both are trying to maintain freedom from larger kingdoms in the area. God isoverseeing not only Israel, but all kingdoms and peoples, just like He does today in our world. Reading now from 2 Kings 5:1-16;
1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
*Let me interrupt to say; just like we people of God do today when we share the Good News and the joy we have found in God’s family with those the Lord places in our lives, and when we are concerned and care for others. Continuing now at verse 4;
4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”
**Please let me cut in again to say; sometimes its easier for those who have no history with God to have more faith and trust because they are pragmatic and not overthinking the situation (because I sure do). Here someone who should know better (the King of Israel), is so caught up in worldly affairs that He can’t just listen and then follow God’s promptings and direction. Enter Elisha at verse 8;
8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”
11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.
**Side Bar; Naaman want’s to be healed, but like many of us going through our trials in life, he wants the cure or God’s grace on his terms and not based on who God is, and what we are not. And yet, God’s man, who Elisha is referred to as, has told Naaman what is required. What is required on our part when we are being led and directed from God is to follow in good faith, even when we don’t understand. Remembering, God will not direct us in conflict with; His own word, and we have scripture to keep us on track when confused, along with the Spirit, and our church family, the Body of Christ. Continuing now at verse 13;
13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”
16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.
Reminding me of last week’s message readingfrom the Gospel of Luke, where our Lord instructs us in so many words who God is and what we are not. Reading from, Luke 17:10;
10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
When we are living in faith, we do not need worldly rewards, we do not require praise, glory, or notoriety. Just knowing we have served God by loving Him with all that we have, and loving our neighbor as ourselves, by humbly walking with our God is payment enough. Since we know our glory in eternity awaits. Our faith validates that statement, and guides our way ahead. And that’s when we begin to; Rise and Live, (because) Our Faith (in Jesus Christ) Makes it So! And when we do, life become richer and full of things you could never have imagined on your own.
This is where our faith will also aid us in an attitude of gratitude for all that God is doing in our lives. Because let’s face it, miracles are taking place all around us the live long day, regardless of; if we are believers or not, understand God’s grace, or not, are kind to others or not, or are working on our faithwalk humbly in Him, or not. God’s majesty of the miracle working day begins early and retires late each evening, providing all of the creation the spender of the moment. Regardless of status, past sins, or present attitudes, your God is fueling the miracle of today. Which leads me to today’s Message Reading for confirmation. Reading again from Luke 17:11-19;
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
As I said earlier, indeed it has. When you are saddened by your experiences with others in life, or wonder if life is worth the pain you feel on occasion… Go find another Christian you trust for comfort, then go find one of those people in your life hurting more than you; unlovable, or not, and give of yourself. Be the anointed miracle workers God has created you to be, and placed in this location at this time, and begin to change your world with God;
- One prayer at a time
- One good greeting at a time
- One gesture of love and caring at a time
- Then faithfully thank God like a Samaritan!
And before you know it, each of us will be living today’s thought of: Rise and Live, Our Faith Makes it So! Our God makes it a reality into eternity. Amen!