Audacious Faith

Audacious Faith

Matthew 8:5-13

5 When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, 6 "Lord, my young servant lies in bed paralyzed and in terrible pain." 7 Jesus said, "I will come and heal him." 8 But the officer said, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 9 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, 'Go,' and they go, or 'Come,' and they come. And if I say to my slaves, 'Do this,' they do it." 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, "I tell you the truth I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel! 11 And I tell you this that many Gentiles will come from all over the world - from east and west - and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. 12 But many Israelites - those for whom the Kingdom was prepared - will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, "Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened." And the young servant was healed that same hour.

1. Faith or a Lack of Faith Makes a Difference
   1. James 2:2-7
      1. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sister, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person would not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
      2. Hebrews 11:6
         1. Without faith, it is impossible to please God.
2. Building and Maintaining our Faith
   1. Romans 8:35 & 37
      1. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
   2. Psalm 119:11
      1. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
   3. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
      1. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strick a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
   4. Hebrews 12:1
      1. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every weight that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles us. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.