By Faith, Faith = Action — Leroy Yoder

Good morning. I'm just going to greet you with the words of John this morning. So, John to the church in Southwest Missouri. Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priest serving his God and father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Look, he is coming with the clouds.

Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come.

The Almighty, oh God in heaven, come before you this morning with thankful hearts we thank you for another day. Mercies and patience which are new every morning. We thank you for this opportunity to gather.

We ask that you would be with us in our midst, help us as we communicate together, help us to grow, help us to learn, to love you more. We thank you. We ask for your presence here with us as we continue throughout the day, reading out of your word.

Help us to learn what we need to learn. Thank you. We pray Jesus' name. If you want to turn to Hebrews 11. We start here, maybe end here later. So verse 1, Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Indeed by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. Then by faith Abel, by faith Enoch, I'm not going to read the whole thing.

Go to verse 6. And without faith it is impossible to please God for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. If we just think about that verse. Without faith it is impossible to please God for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists.

That's the first, what do you call it, a requisite, prerequisite. I mean without a belief, without faith, there will be no action. If I tell Harvey his house is on fire, if he has no belief or faith, and what I'm telling him, he won't move.

Right? Anyway, so without faith it is impossible to please God for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. I'm going to stop there. I'm just going to read a few accounts in the Gospels, not nearly all of them, but a few of people that came to Jesus and were rewarded for their faith, which was what I started out to do, and I just thought of this verse.

So I went to here and then I didn't know for sure where to stop when I came to Hebrews 11 and 12. Matthew 8, verse 1. When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.

So here we see a leper despised of society, if I understand it correctly, from that time, unclean, had to stay away from people, but he had faith that this man that he had heard about, maybe seen, could make him whole.

So he did something about it. There was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean. He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, I do choose, you may clean.

Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Then Jesus said to him, See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded. As a testimony to them. And if anyone has any thoughts about these incidences or whatever that I'm reading, just feel free to butt in and share, or just have your own thoughts about how you think this worked out.

Think about how these people had lived and how they were coming to Christ. Verse 5, When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him, saying, Lord, my servant is lying at home, paralyzed, in terrible distress.

The account in Luke says that he sent the elders of the Jews to Jesus, and they said he is worthy because he has builded us a synagogue. But then part of the rest of the story, like the thing the centurion then says later, is the same in both accounts.

Anyway, and he said to him, I will come and cure him. The centurion answered, Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only speak the word and my servant will be healed. This is the part that's the same, like in the other account, but the closer the centurion comes out or sends word to him, I think he sends word, like he sends someone else in Luke's account, to say that I'm not worthy that you should come under my roof.

But then it goes on. So here was a man, one thing I thought of when I read through this again, okay, so here's a centurion, a man in power, and this is his servant, but this man had compassion, even though it was his servant, this man was important to, like he was another human being, and he had compassion on him, and here again, he knew of this man Jesus, and he had faith, and he did something about it for his servant.

And he said to him, I will come and cure him. The centurion answered, I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. Four, I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me, and I say to one, go, and he goes, and to another, come, and he comes, and to my slave, do this, and the slave does it.

But here the man is just saying, I know how power works, I'm a man in authority, and I've got people under me, and I tell them do this, come, go, and they obey, and I know you're in authority over these things, and you can do it.

When Jesus heard him, he was amazed, and he said to those who followed him, have I found such faith? I tell you, many will come from east and west, and will eat with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And to the centurion Jesus said, go, let it be done for you according to your faith, and the servant was healed in that hour. We'll go down to chapter 9, verse 27, we have two blind men putting in an effort.

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, have mercy on us, son of David. When he entered the house, the blind men came to him and Jesus said to them, do you believe that I am able to do this?

They said to him, yes, Lord. Then he touched their eyes and said, according to your faith, let it be done to you. And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, see that no one knows of this.

But they went away, and they spread the news about him throughout that district. They didn't really say the same thing. Like I was just thinking when I was reading this, like there were probably other blind people in these countries and around about, and not all of the blind people got healed.

So some of them didn't have faith. They didn't have a belief that this man they had heard about or not a big enough faith to produce any actions and asking for their sight as these two did. And the same could probably be said of any of the other accounts.

There were probably other centurions that had six servants or all of the all of the miracles and things that we read about, the ones that I'm not reading about but just the ones that we know of. We could think of all the other people that probably had the same ailments that we know of.

We don't really have any that came to Jesus and said I want to be healed and then he said you're not worthy. You've come in faith but I've decided not to heal you. Or I can't think of any. Someone else can correct me.

Luke chapter 8 verse 43. Luke chapter 8 verse 43. So I'm just picking out this one account. Within another account but the other account is it's of a leader of a synagogue that had come to him asking for help for his dying daughter so I guess we could just read the whole thing.

Why don't we start at 40. Now when Jesus returned the crowd welcomed him for they were all waiting for him. Just then there came a man named Jairus a leader of the synagogue. He prayed and begged him to come to his house for he had an only daughter about 12 years old who was dying.

Then as he went the crowds pressed in on him. As he went the crowds pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for 12 years and though she had spent all she had on physicians no one could cure her.

So she climbed him and touched the fringe of his clothes and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked who touched me? When all denied it Peter said Master the crowds surround you and press in on you.

There's a lot of people touching me. What do you mean who touched me? But Jesus said someone touched me for I noticed when the woman saw that she could not remain hidden she came trembling and falling down before him she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed.

And he said to her daughter your faith has made you well. Go in peace. And what started my whole thinking of relating to a separate book that had talked about this woman and it just mentioned a little phrase at the bottom like today this idea of like so many people are thronging Jesus like even the author seemed to imply like okay even today it works that way there's so many people thronging Jesus but how many are actually you know reaching out in faith and touching him.

I mean there were more people touching him in this account I mean they were thronging about him like where are we in this where am I we can go on. Verse 49 while he was still speaking someone came from the leader's house to say your daughter is dead do not trouble the teacher.

When Jesus heard this he replied do not fear only believe and she will be saved. When he came to the house he did not allow anyone to enter with him except Peter, John and James and the child's father and mother.

They were all weeping and wailing for her but he said do not weep for she is not dead but sleeping. He raised a hand and called out child, get up. Her spirit returned and she got up at once and he directed them to give her something to eat.

Her parents were astounded but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened. This account not only does it also involve faith but because we're thinking of gathering tonight having foot washing I thought of this as well.

One of the Pharisees ok. Verse 36. Luke 7. Verse 36 one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him and he went into the Pharisees house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city who was a sinner having learned that he was eating in the Pharisees house brought an alabaster jar.

She stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it he said to himself if this man were a prophet he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him.

And he said to him Simon I have something to say to you teacher. He replied speak. A certain creditor had two debtors. One owed him 500 denarii and the other 50 when they could not pay. He cancelled the debts for both of them.

Now which of them will love him more. Simon answered I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt. Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon do you see this woman. I entered your house and you gave me no water for my feet but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

You gave me no kiss but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you her sins which were many have been forgiven.

Hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little. Then he said to her your sins are forgiven. But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves who is this.

Who even forgives sins. And he said to the woman your faith has saved. You go in peace. Now let's go back to Hebrews 11. Moses is just going to skim skim through here a little bit. So after verse 6 just read verse 6 again.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. For whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Then we have by faith did by faith Abraham. And I think in the King James it mentions Sarah later in mine it doesn't by faith Sarah by faith Abraham did by faith Moses by faith.

I didn't finish my business. I'm missing them because it's not set up the same as in the King James by faith Isaac. By faith Jacob verse 21 22. By faith Joseph. By faith Moses by faith Moses verse 29.

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea. 30 by faith the walls of Jericho fell. 31 by faith Rahab did what she did. And what more should I say to tell of Gideon Barak Samson Jephthah David Samuel.

The prophets all did things by faith. Through faith conquered kingdoms administered justice obtained promises shut the mouths of lions quenched the raging fire escaped the edge of the sword died by faith.

Women received their dead by resurrections. Others were tortured others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death. They were sawn in two. They were killed by the sword.

They went about in skins of sheep and goats. Destitute persecuted tormented. And all these though they were commended for their faith did not receive what was promised since God had provided something better so that they would not apart from us be made perfect.

Therefore in chapter 12. Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising its shame and has taken his seat at the right hand at the throne of God.

Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners so that you may not grow weary or lose heart of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children.

My child do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when you are punished by him. For the Lord disciplines those whom he loves and he chastises. Every child whom he accepts endure trials for the sake of discipline.

If you do not share whom a parent does not discipline. If you do not have that discipline in which all children share then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover we have human parents to discipline us and we respected them.

Should we not be even more willing to be subject to our good in order that we may share his holiness. Now discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time. But later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Therefore lift your drooping hands strengthen your weak knees and make a prayer pursue peace with everyone and holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God.

That no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble and through it many become defiled. See to it that no one becomes like Esau an immoral and ungodly man. For God is something that can be touched a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them.

Verse 22. But you have come to mount Zion and to the city of Jerusalem and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant. And to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking. For if they did not escape his voice shook the earth. But now he has promised yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven. This phrase yet once more indicates the removal of what is shaken that is created things so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken let us give thanks by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and all. For indeed our God is a consuming fire. But I think I'll stop there.

Maybe the first verse in the next chapter. Let you shall love. Continue. Comments.

Corrections we appreciate.

That it reminded me of a song that we used to.

Sing you've heard it because reach out and touch the Lord.

You'll find he's not too busy to hear your heart scrap he is passing by.

This moment your needs.

To supply reach out and touch the Lord.

That's really it really is. Um I really appreciated the thought how you said how many people today are longing Jesus but.

You know it's such a large number but how many people are actually willing to reach out and touch him.

And have that faith. Amen brother Leroy.

And I appreciate your comments for the tale. You said you couldn't go on. Wonderful words of life. Yeah Jesus.

Didn't do many miracles in Galilee because of.

The unbelief and the ones I believe that were healed had faith many other lepers and blind and crippled and you name it they weren't healed because it's not for me. They just lacked faith. I assume that's the one.

So it is today with God's goodness too. The grace of God the goodness of God. Yeah. He saved Paul the chief of all sinners and Manasseh. But he can't save me. I'm just not good enough like Peter depart from me.

I'm a sinful child in the face that saves. And I think brother Daniel said to me this morning he asked about polycarp when they were burning polycarp that's how he died in the stakes on fire. And he says I'm not afraid of the fire this temporary fire.

But you should be afraid of the fire that burns forever and ever. Am I quoting it right. Who read polycarp to me this morning. One of the brothers read polycarp to me this morning. That's what I'm dreaming.

But even second hand faith is good like the Shunammite woman with Naaman. You know that Naaman's wife. Rather was it Naaman's wife. Oh there is a prophet. A young maiden said there's a prophet in Israel who could heal your leprosy.

And they got him and they believed him. And they sent Elijah up to meet Naaman and then Naaman's servants. Right. Naaman. He was in a rage. Naaman's servants said wait wait. If he has the great thing you do it just do.

Do what he says. Faith is a victory.

The Lord be magnified. I don't thank you brothers for your comments and thank you brother Leroy for that. It was very edifying. I don't want to re-read.

Everything I just I like everything that was read today especially.

How in chapter 11 it says. Now faith is the substance of things hope for the evidence of things not seen. For by the elders obtained a good testimony. It's easy as children to hope for things that they can see but we're called to hope for things that are not seen.

And he repeats sort of the same understanding here that things that are not that here in verse 3 at the end of it so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. And then later on you know Enoch or sorry Noah is warned.

He's divinely warned of something that something that was coming that he couldn't probably even imagine and it condemned the world. But he became an heir of righteousness because of his faith in doing what God wanted him to do.

Then he goes through Abraham. And at the end of or in verse 10 he says. For he waited for the city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God. And you know there's you know there's you know this Zion in Jerusalem that really the foundations are made by men.

I know that many evangelical groups wait for what they would call the third temple I suppose to be put together maybe to call on their Messiah to force his coming I guess or whatever. But really we're supposed to be waiting for a city that's builder is not man but is God.

And you know I could go on and on. But the thing through here is all these people that that's what this faith is defined as is that you couldn't they couldn't tangibly hold it they couldn't see it but they believed it.

And yeah me maybe all just have that child like faith and God.

I wasn't planning on sharing but I guess I had this thought that kept penetrating and I.

It was a blessing thank you. I appreciate that.

I really liked how you put faith and kind of bringing it to two other analogies where somebody doesn't take action if there is no faith. And I think often especially in mainstream Christianity and we talked about this before faith is the thing that really gets pushed.

It's you know faith Ephesians 2 8 gets pushed and really emphasized. But I really liked. And it's true like we cannot please God without faith. We're not going to take action without faith. And yet when we read about judgment the judgment is always about the works that we had.

And and I think sometimes that creates a theological problem. Especially if we think that it's it's only faith. But if we think about the words of James I'll show you my faith by my works. It it really is perfect.

The works that will be judged by are really a referendum of the faith that we have or did not have. And I'm just thinking about this. Hopefully that makes sense.