Share A Story Of Faith

SHARING A STORY OF FAITH
Text: Galatians 3:23-29 and Luke 8:26-39

Last week Pastor Monica spoke about Share a Story of Hope, Christian hope on how we live today and live for tomorrow. Today we continue this theme with Share a Story of Faith.

Hope and faith go together they are bound to each other. We see this in the Biblical definition of faith as given to us in Hebrews 11, known as the faith chapter. Hebrews 11:1 speaks of both Hope and Faith. It says “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” NIV Faith is an active trust in God, a belief in what He says is true. 2 Cor. 5:7 says: we “walk by faith and not by sight”.
A man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab hold of a tree limb on the way down. Holding on to the tree limb, he shouts out: “Is anyone up there?” A voice replies, “I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?” “Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can’t hang on much longer.” “That’s all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch.” There was a moment of pause…, then: “Is anyone else up there?”
When we think about our faith in God, how would we react in the same situation? When it comes to the nitty gritty and our faith is tested how do we react. Perhaps we need to hold on to this statement to keep our faith in God active and in-line with his will. “Is anyone else up there?” For this should help us understand that only God is our answer, not someone else.
The scriptures have many stories about faith that can help on our faith journey of life.
Noah was told by God to build an ark big enough to hold his family and pairs of all the animals, because God was going to destroy all of creation because of their sinfulness. By faith Noah built the ark but they had never experienced rain only copious dews watered the land at night.
Abram (later his named was changed to Abraham) was asked by God to leave his country, his people and his father’s household and go to a land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you. Grounded in faith Abram, at age of 75, he and his wife Sari went in faith.
By faith the mother of Moses put her three month old son in a reed basket and floated him down the Nile River hoping to save his life. She did this because the Pharaoh gave orders that every male child born was to be thrown into the Nile. He was later found by the Pharaoh’s daughter and was saved.
Jericho, the first obstacle in the taking of the Promised Land, was captured by faith as the walls of Jericho fell, after God’s people marched around them for seven days and blow the trumpets.
Hebrews 11:6 tells how important faith is to us. It says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” And we hear “Is anyone else up there?”
When Thomas heard the stories of the resurrection, he wouldn’t believe them until he saw Jesus with his own two eyes. Jesus accommodated Thomas’ lack of faith by making an appearance to him and allowing him to see and touch Him. Thomas responds “My LORD and my God”. Jesus says to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Many skeptics today echo Thomas’ sentiment: “Unless I see Jesus face to face, I will not believe!” We must not behave as the unbelievers do. We need to continually keep in mind Paul’s exhortation to walk by faith rather than sight. We heard from Hebrews that without faith it is impossible to please God, because faith believes the Word of God and acts upon it, not responding to the way of the world, “Is anyone else up there?”

Faith is an active trust in God, a belief in what He says is true.

Satan and his demons also believe in God and they fear God. In our gospel lesson we heard of a man who was filled and controlled by demons. When this man saw Jesus he cried out, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” In fact, it was the demons who spoke to Jesus because they responded when he asked his name and they responded, “Legion”, meaning many demons possessed this man. By Jesus’ presence the demons asked to enter the herd of swine and the pigs could not stand the demons presence within them and they ran off the cliff into the lake and drown. The man who was cleansed from the demons wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus told him to stay and to tell his faith story of what Jesus did for him. He didn’t say “Is anyone else up there?”

Faith is not merely something we only exercise during life’s moments of crisis. It is not just something to consider when “things aren’t going well.” In other words, faith is not just for the “bad times”—it is full-time! We need to grasp this vital point. Matthew Henry, the great 20th century theologian said this about faith. “It is a firm persuasion and expectation, that God will perform all he has promised to us in Christ.”

We as believers are the body of Christ. Jesus came to earth to reveal the Father and to give us faith. As our Galatian text says, “23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.”

Under the law we were prisoners until Jesus came and fulfilled the law and set us free from the law when he died in our place on Calvary. Now it is our faith in him that sets us free from the law and we are now in Christ Jesus.

Let me share a story of faith. Betty and I were on our world cruise and Betty came down with a bronchial infection and was being treated by the ships’ medical staff. However, it lingered on. One day she became so fatigued she had trouble getting around. So we headed for the medical on the 4th deck. There they examined her and after an x-ray and blood work, they said she has pneumonia and would have to stay the night in the medical to receive antibiotics. This was April 10th and the next day the ship was stopping at St. Helena, an UK island, located in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, between Africa and Brazil. I was up early and got a glimpse of this volcanic island as we were getting ready to drop anchor and to proceed with the tender operation to take people ashore.

I went down to the medical to see how Betty was doing. We had hope that the medication would help her. A friend on the ship had pneumonia and they treated her back to health on the ship. The doctor said from last night to the morning, along with the medication, her condition did not improve and was concerned. The next port of call after St. Helena was not to after four more sea days and if she got worse they may not be able to help her and a medical evacuation may not be possible. So, they made arrangement with the hospital on this island, which is 6 by 10 miles in size, to evaluate her to see if she could continue on the ship. It was about noon time when Betty was taken by wheel chair to the tender deck and we boarded the tender to go ashore. There was an ambulance waiting for her to take her to the hospital. They put her in a room and performed tests and they gave her lunch as we waited the results. About an hour and a half later, the doctor said her condition did not warrant her to continue on the ship but required she stay for continued treatments. This did not sit well with both of us. We needed to get off the ship that was sailing at 5 PM. Frustrated, we realized all was not lost, but here we were, exiled to this island, till she got better.

Is this what God wanted for us? It was only a few days before Palm Sunday and I had made plans to serve communion at the Interdenominational Church Services that I conduct while onboard and Easter was another week away. But God’s plans were not mine. I hurried back to the ship and many of our friends heard what was happening and they came and helped pack our four duffle bags and two carry-ons so I could get the last tender ashore.
Princess had a local rep on the island to help care for us and he took me to a wonderful hotel right near the port. The hospital however was about a mile away and it required I take a taxi up and back twice a day. After five days on April 15th Betty was released from the hospital to join me at the hotel. Now our problem was getting off the island and go home. We could not rejoin the ship as it was not practical. The problem we faced was there is only one flight a week out of the island and it was a Monday and we had to wait to Saturday. This air flight then took us back 2400 miles to Johannesburg, South Africa where we had to wait 22 hours for our 17 hour flight to Atlanta, GA. After three days, from Saturday to Monday afternoon we arrived home exhausted and tired on April 22nd.

I spent much time in prayer and in scripture during this time. Both of us were thankful that the island was there, had a hospital supported by the UK and a English doctor was present. We did not know what would have happened if she stayed on the ship and Betty’s condition got worse. The way of the world is to seek someone other than God. But it was our faith in God that carried us through. We are very thankful for this Journey of Faith. Sharing a faith story is away we can help other people realize how important God is within our life and the blessings we receive day after day. The key is that we need to recognize these blessings come from God. I trust you can share a faith story with someone this week. We walk by faith and not by sight. Thanks be to God for the way he blessed and cared for us. Amen.

Join me in prayer.
Heavenly Father, I thank you for Jesus who came to show us the way to you. I thank you for what he did for us by going to the cross and taking our sin and dying, was buried and rose the third day to live again forever. He did it for us that by our faith in Jesus, as the Son of God, we may have life everlasting. Amen

New Testament Lesson: Galatians 3:23-29
Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

  • Gospel Lesson: Luke 8: 26-39
    Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me”— for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
    Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
    When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.

Meditations For Your Week
Sunday, June 23 ~ Saturday, June 29

Sunday: “Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed.” Galatians 3: 23. Who can you share your testimony of faith with today?
Monday: “Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. “Galatians 3: 24. Where, today, can you share God is justified in your faith life?
Tuesday: “But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.” Galatians 3: 25- 26. Consider that you are a son or daughter of God through faith. How will you strengthen that faith?
Wednesday: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28. Pray that all will know true freedom in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Thursday: “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29. Where is God calling you to share this story of faith?
Friday: “Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.” Luke 8: 35. Consider that God is taking care of whatever we need. Do you know what you need?
Saturday: “Return to your home and declare how much God has done for you.’ So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him. throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.” Luke 8: 39. Pray for Philadelphia. Pray for our local city. Pray for how God will be with us.