Saturday, October 31, 2020

VIDEO: 11-1-20 Sermon "CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: Gentleness”

 VIDEO: 11-1-20 Sermon "CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: Gentleness”

As we worship together "from house to house," we are in great need of power and gentleness.  We need Your power in our lives for holiness and righteousness.    We need Your power to accomplish Your mission in this world.  We need Your gentleness as to not add to the violence of this world.  We need Your gentleness to demonstrate the grace which power must know.

If you cannot join us this Sunday, we invite you to sing along with the worship videos.  We encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper.  In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart.  Pray for one another.  Watch my message CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: Gentleness.  Respond to the invitation.  Enjoy the bonus video.

WORSHIP




COMMUNION

Read Ephesians 2:19-22, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.  In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.  And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which Gods lives by his Spirit.”  Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice, “Father, we are grateful for the foundation of the apostles and prophets.  We rely upon the chief cornerstone, Jesus.  We are humbled that You would live within us by Your Holy Spirit.  Cleanse us and make us holy.  In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

Pray for nation this week.  We have an election Tuesday.  We have growing numbers of COVID-19 cases across our nation.  We have deep hatred and animosity among our people.  We need you.

MESSAGE

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. 


But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 


But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 


Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:13-26‬ ‭NIV‬‬



CHALLENGE

Display gentleness by appropriately standing up for righteousness this week.  Help the weak and hurting.  Show the restrained power God has given you through the Holy Spirit.

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word at Kenwood Church.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, I encourage you to speak with me via phone (248-476-8222) or an email (toddlackie@kenwoodchurch.org).  I would be honored to speak with you about what God is doing in your life and try to connect you with a community of faith in your area.

Bonus Video



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: Gentleness (Galatians 5:13-26) Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on November 1, 2020)

 CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: Gentleness - November 1, 2020


INTRODUCTION


Gentleness


“Gentleness is required to heal a violent world.”


At their school carnival, our kids won four free goldfish (lucky us!), so out I went Saturday morning to find an aquarium. The first few I priced ranged from $40 to $70. Then I spotted it--right in the aisle: a discarded 10-gallon display tank, complete with gravel and filter--for a mere five bucks. Sold! Of course, it was nasty dirty, but the savings made the two hours of clean-up a breeze.


Those four new fish looked great in their new home, at least for the first day. But by Sunday one had died. Too bad, but three remained. Monday morning revealed a second casualty, and by Monday night a third goldfish had gone belly up. We called in an expert, a member of our church who has a 30-gallon tank. It didn't take him long to discover the problem: I had washed the tank with soap, an absolute no-no. My uninformed efforts had destroyed the very lives I was trying to protect. Sometimes in our zeal to clean up our own lives or the lives of others, we unfortunately use "killer soaps"--condemnation, criticism, nagging, fits of temper. We think we're doing right, but our harsh, self-righteous treatment is more than they can bear.

Richard L. Dunagin


“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 


If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 


But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 


Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:13-26‬ ‭NIV‬‬


Fruit and its counterfeits


Love - pleasure

Joy - happiness

Peace - satisfaction

Patience - passivity

Kindness - nice

Goodness - self-righteousness 

Faithfulness - knowledge


I.  GENTLENESS AND ITS COUNTERFEIT


Strong's Concordance

prautés: gentleness

Original Word: πρΰτης, τητος, 

Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine

Transliteration: prautés

Phonetic Spelling: (prah-oo'-tace)

Short Definition: mildness, gentleness

Definition: mildness, gentleness.

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 4240 praýtēs (compare 4236 /praótēs, another feminine noun which is also derived from the root pra-, emphasizing the divine origin of the meekness) –  meekness("gentle strength") which expresses power with reserve and gentleness See 4236 (praotes).

For the believer, meekness (4240 /praýtēs, "gentle-force") begins with the Lord's inspiration and finishes by His direction and empowerment. It is a divinely-balanced virtue that can only operate through faith (cf. 1 Tim 6:11; 2 Tim 2:22-25).

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NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin

from praus

Definition

gentleness

NASB Translation

consideration (1), gentleness (8), humility (1), meekness (1).


NAS Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries

Copyright © 1981, 1998 by The Lockman Foundation

All rights reserved Lockman.org


Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4240: πραΰτης


πραΰτης, see  πραότης.  


THAYER'S GREEK LEXICON, Electronic Database. 

Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc. 

All rights reserved. Used by permission. BibleSoft.com


Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

meekness. 

From praus; mildness, i.e. (by implication) humility -- meekness. 

see GREEK praus


Strong's Greek: 4240. πραΰτης (prautés) — 12 Occurrences


1 Corinthians 4:21 N-GFS

GRK: πνεύματί τε πραΰτητος 

NAS: with love and a spirit of gentleness?

INT: spirit moreover of gentleness


2 Corinthians 10:1 N-GFS

GRK: δι τς πραΰτητος κα πιεικείας

NAS: urge you by the meekness and gentleness

INT: by the gentleness and gentleness


Galatians 5:23 N-NFS

GRK: πραΰτης γκράτεια κατ

NAS:  gentleness, self-control; against

INT: gentleness self-control against


Galatians 6:1 N-GFS

GRK: ν πνεύματι πραΰτητος σκοπν σεαυτόν

NAS: in a spirit of gentleness; [each one] looking

INT: in a spirit of gentleness considering yourself


Ephesians 4:2 N-GFS

GRK: ταπεινοφροσύνης κα πραΰτητος μετ μακροθυμίας

NAS: humility and gentleness, with patience,

INT: humility and gentleness with patience


Colossians 3:12 N-AFS

GRK: χρηστότητα ταπεινοφροσύνην πραΰτητα μακροθυμίαν 

NAS: humility, gentleness and patience;

INT: kindess humility gentleness patience


1 Timothy 6:11 N-AFS

GRK: γάπην πομονήν πραϋπαθίαν 

INT: love endurance gentleness


2 Timothy 2:25 N-DFS

GRK: ν πραΰτητι παιδεύοντα τος

NAS:  with gentleness correcting those

INT: in gentleness disciplining those that


Titus 3:2 N-AFS

GRK: πσαν νδεικνυμένους πραΰτητα πρς πάντας

NAS: every consideration for all

INT: all showing humility toward all


James 1:21 N-DFS

GRK: κακίας ν πραΰτητι δέξασθε τν

NAS: of wickedness, in humility receive

KJV: with meekness the engrafted

INT: of wickedness in humility accept the


James 3:13 N-DFS

GRK: ατο ν πραΰτητι σοφίας 

NAS: his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.

KJV: works with meekness of wisdom.

INT: of him in humility of wisdom


1 Peter 3:15 N-GFS

GRK: λλ μετ πραΰτητος κα φόβου

NAS: that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

KJV: you with meekness and fear:

INT: yet with gentleness and fear


A.  Gentleness

1.  Meekness

2.  Power in control - a bridled horse

3.  Popeye

B.  Counterfeit

1.  Weakness

2.  Timidity


"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

‭‭ 2 Timothy‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

II.  GENTLENESS AND OUR PRESENCE


"Gentle Giant" - Not powerless, but not an ogre

A.  Power in control

B.  A force

C.  Difference makers determined to change the world


III.  JESUS AND GENTLENESS

A.  Did not confuse authority and power

B.  Did not abuse his power


“The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;”

‭‭ Luke‬ ‭4:9-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬


“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.”

‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭26:52-56‬ ‭


Power under control


We need to display more power with control


CHALLENGE


Display gentleness by appropriately standing up for righteousness this week.  Help the weak and hurting.  Show the restrained power God has given you through the Holy Spirit.


INVITATION


It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, I would be honored to speak with you in the upper parking lot following the service about what God is doing in your life.




Saturday, October 24, 2020

VIDEO: 10-25-20 Sermon "CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: Faithfulness”

 VIDEO: 10-25-20 Sermon "CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: Faithfulness”

As we worship together "from house to house," we proclaim our faith in you and ask for your spirit of faithfulness to fill us.  We rely upon your grace for the fulfillment of our faith.

If you cannot join us this Sunday, we invite you to sing along with the worship videos.  We encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper.  In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart.  Pray for one another.  Watch my message CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: Faithfulness.  Respond to the invitation.  Enjoy the bonus video.

WORSHIP




COMMUNION

Read Isaiah 40:31, “ . . . but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they walk and not be faint. ”  Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice, "Father, we place our hope in you.  We pray for renewed strength as we celebrate the wonderful grace you have given us through Jesus.  We pray that we might soar as we are renewed.  In Jesus' name, amen."

Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

Pray for our nation as we near our Presidential election.  We pray for peace.  We pray for an upright process.  We pray for patience and proper attitudes as we await the results.  We pray for God’s providential hand to lead us through this process.

MESSAGE

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. 


But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 


But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 


Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:13-26‬ ‭NIV‬‬



CHALLENGE

Practice your faith this week.  Demonstrate the faith you have in God.  Do something that requires you to trust him.  One thing!   Just one act of faith.  

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word at Kenwood Church.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, I encourage you to speak with me via phone (248-476-8222) or an email (toddlackie@kenwoodchurch.org).  I would be honored to speak with you about what God is doing in your life and try to connect you with a community of faith in your area.

Bonus Video



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: Faithfulness (Galatians 5:13-26) Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on October 25 2020)

 CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: Faithfulness - October 25, 2020


INTRODUCTION


Faithfulness is more than an endearing quality in a dog or best friend. 


“Faithfulness . . . 


Mark Hatfield tells of touring Calcutta with Mother Teresa and visiting the so-called "House of Dying," where sick children are cared for in their last days, and the dispensary, where the poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention. Watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding and nursing those left by others to die, Hatfield was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the suffering she and her co-workers face daily. "How can you bear the load without being crushed by it?" he asked. Mother Teresa replied, "My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful."

Beyond Hunger, Beal


“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:13-26‬ ‭NIV‬


Fruit and its counterfeits


Love - pleasure

Joy - happiness

Peace - satisfaction

Patience - passivity

Kindness - nice

Goodness - self-righteousness 


I.  FAITHFULNESS AND ITS COUNTERFEIT 

     

"Faith is the divinely given conviction of things unseen" (Homer Kent Jr., Hebrews 217, quoting Theological Dictionary of the NT vol 2, 476). 


A.  Faithfulness

1.  Not just loyalty

2.  Faithfulness - “full of faith”

Text Illustration:

God does not ask how many talents one has; he asks for faithfulness.


Strong's Concordance

pistis: faith, faithfulness

Original Word: πίστις, εως, 

Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine

Transliteration: pistis

Phonetic Spelling: (pis'-tis)

Short Definition: faith, belief, trust

Definition: faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.


HELPS Word-studies

4102 pístis (from 3982/peithô, "persuade, be persuaded") – properly, persuasion (be persuaded, come to trust); faith

Faith (4102/pistis) is always a gift from God, and never something that can be  produced by people. In short, 4102/pistis ("faith") for the believer is "God's divine  persuasion" – and therefore distinct from human belief (confidence), yet involving  it. The Lord continuously births faith in the yielded believer so they can know what  He prefers, i.e. the persuasion of His will (1 Jn 5:4). 

[4102 (pistis) in secular antiquity referred to a guarantee (warranty). In Scripture,  faith is God's warranty, certifying that the revelation He inbirthed will come to pass  (His way). Faith (4102/pistis) is also used collectively – of all the times God has  revealed (given the persuasion of) His will, which includes the full revelation of  Scripture (Jude 3). Indeed, God the Lord guarantees that all of this revelation will  come to pass! Compare Mt 5:18 with 2 Tim 3:16.] 


1. The root of 4102/pistis ("faith") is 3982/peithô ("to persuade, be persuaded")  which supplies the core-meaning of faith ("divine persuasion"). It is God's  warranty  that guarantees the fulfillment of the revelation He births within the  receptive  believer (cf. 1 Jn 5:4 with Heb 11:1). 


Faith (4102/pistis) is always received from God, and never generated by us. 


Ro 12:3: "For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to  think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have  sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith (4102/ pistis)" (NASU). 


Eph 2:8,9: " For by grace you have been saved through faith (4102/pistis); and  that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God9not as a result of works, so that no  one may boast" (NASU). 


Gal 5:22,23: "22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, 

patience, kindness, goodness, faith (4102/pistis), 23gentleness, 

self-control; against such things there is no law." 


2 Thes 1:11: "To this end (glorification) – indeed each time we pray about (peri you for the purpose (hin) of our God counting you worthy of the call – even that  He may fulfill (His) every good-pleasure that comes from (His) goodness and  work of faith, in (His) ability." 

Reflection: Faith is only (exclusively) given to the redeemed. It is nota virtue that  can be worked up by human effort. 


2. Faith (4102/pistis) enables the believer to know God's preferred-will (cf. J.  Calvin; see 2307/thelçma). Accordingly, faith (4102/pistis) and "God's preferred- will (2307/thelçma)" are directly connected in Scripture. 


Ro 12:2,3: " And do not be conformed to this world, but betransformed by the  renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will (2307/thelçma) of  God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 3For through the grace  given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself  than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has  allotted to each a measure of faith (4102/pistis)" (NASU). 


2 Cor 8:5,7: 5 " And this, not as we had expected, but they first

gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will (2307/thelçma) of 

God" (NASU).  7" But just as you abound in everything, in faith (4102/pistis

and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love 

we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also" 

(NASU). 


Heb 10:36,38: "36For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done  the will (2307/thelçma) of God, you may receive what was promised" (NASU). 


" BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH(4102/pistis); AND IF HE  SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM" (NASU). 


1 Jn 5:4: "For whatever is born of God conquers the world; 

and this is the conquest that has conquered the world – our faith 

(4102/pistis)." 


3. In sum, faith (4102/pistis) is a persuasion from God that we receive as He grants  impulse ("divine spark"; cf. the Heb hiphil form of believe, *mn, in a later  discussion). Faith is always the work of God and involves hearing His voice –  whereby the believer lays hold of His preferred-will (cf. J. Calvin). 


Hab 2:1: " I will stand on my guard post And station myself on the rampart; 

And I will keep watch to see what He will speak in (Heb me" (NASU). 


Hab 2:4: "Behold, as for the proud one, 

His soul is not right within him; 

But the righteous will live in his faith" (= 4102/pistis, "faith from the Lord"). 


More on what faith is . . . and isn't 

    1. In Scripture, faith and belief are not exactly the same. Faith always comes from God and involves His revelation therefore faith is beyond belief
    2. Faith is God's work; faith is never the work of people. We cannot produce faith ourselves, nor can we "drum it up at will." Rather, faith comes as Christ speaks His rhçma-word within (see Ro 10:17, Gk text). 
    3. In all of Scripture, only the term faith is ever used in the following way: Ro 14:23: Whatever is not of faith(4102/pistis) is sin." Heb 11:6: "And without faith (4102/pistisit is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him" (NASU). 


Reflection: Nothing quite like this two-fold witness appears elsewhere in the  Bible. These sweeping statements sober the heart and inspire the soul! 


The Lord offers to inbirth faith in each scene of life – so that each matters  equally in eternity . . . no matter how insignificant they seem (Lk 16:10 with Lk  17:6 and 2 Pet 1:2). 


Key quotes 


"Faith always pre-supposes revelation" (W. H. Griffith Thomas, Genesis, 55). 


"Faith is always a response to a divine revelation" (W. H. Griffith Thomas, Hebrews,  143). 


"Faith . . . both in its initiation and every step of the way, is Spirit given . . . faith is  God given" (W. Hendriksen, Galatians, 197). 


"Faith precedes works, and is not something merely deduced by reason of  existing" (D. Edmond Hiebert, Thessalonians, 2 Thes 1:11). 


"Faith is always a gift of God" (L. Morris, John, p 520). 


"The basis of faith is God's revelation of Himself . . . Christianity came to be seen  as a faith event" (O. Michel, Dictionary of New Testament Theology). 


"Faith is the divine response, wrought in man, by God" (from Berkof's Systematic  Theology, representing the views of Barth and Brunner). 


"Faith always has the element of assurance, certainty and confidence . . . and  evidential value substantiating the thing we hope for . . . with faith, there is no  strain or tension; rather, it has the element of assurance and confidence in it . . . if  there is strain or tension . . . trying to persuade yourself to keep from doubting, you  can be quite sure that it is not faith . . . faith is not the law of mathematical  probability, . . . faith is not natural . . .faith is spiritual, the gift of God . . . you cannot  command faith at will, faith is always something that is given-inwrought by  God; . . . therefore, if you want to be a man of faith, it will always be the result of  becoming a certain type of person" (M. Lloyd Jones, Romans, Ro 4:18-25). 


"Faith is the divinely given conviction of things unseen" (Homer Kent Jr., Hebrews 217, quoting Theological Dictionary of the NT vol 2, 476). 


"Faith is the organ which enables people to see the invisible order" (F. 

F. Bruce, Hebrews, 279). 


"Faith is knowing what is His will toward us; therefore, we hold faith to be the  knowledge of God's will toward us" (John Calvin, as quoted by R. McAfee Brown in  Is Faith Obsolete?). 


"Right faith is a thing wrought in us by the Holy Spirit" (Wm. Tyndale). 

"We have made faith a condition of mind, when it is a divinely imparted grace of  the heart . . . we can receive faith only as he gives it . . . you cannot manufacture  faith, you can not work it up . . . you can believe a promise, and at the same time  not have the faith to appropriate it . . . genuine, Scriptural faith is not our ability to  ‘count it done,’ but is the deep consciousness divinely imparted to the heart of man  that it is done, . . . it is the faith that only God can give . . . do not struggle in the  power of the will . . . what a mistake to take our belief in God and call of faith . . .  Christ, the living word, is our sufficiency . . . (Charles Price, The Real Faith, Logos/ publications). 


Note: On the distinction between believing (belief), and faith in the Scriptures see  Js 2:19; Jn 10:38; Ac 8:13, 26:27,28; Ro 14:2; 2 Thes 2:11; 1 Jn 4:1; also Jn 2:23,  7:31, 12:42 and 4102/pisteuô("believe"). 


As in the Gospels, a person's believing (belief) is vital (cf. Heb 11:6). But a personal  encounter with Christ (a true connection with Him and His Word) is always  necessary for believing ("man's responsibility") to be transformed into faith (which  is always and only God's word). See also Mt 8:10,13, 9:22,28,29, 15:28; Ac 20:21;  Ro 9:32; Gal 3:9,22. 


Summary 


Belief and faith are not exactly equivalent terms. When Jesus told people, "Your  faith has made you well," faith was still His gift (Eph 2:8,9). Any gift however, once  received, becomes the "possession" of the recipient. Faith however is always from  God and is purely His work (2 Thes 1:11). 


Note: The Greek definite article is uniformly used in the expressions "your faith,"  "their faith" (which occur over 30 times in the Greek NT). This genitive construction  with the article refers to "the principle of faith (operating inyou" – not "your faith"  in the sense that faith is ever generated by the recipient

[The meaning of the definite article in this construction is "the principle of faith at  work in you," "the operating-principle of faith in them," etc. For examples see: Mt  9:2,22,29; Lk 17:19; Phil 2:17; 2 Pet 1:5, etc.] 


Faith (4102/pistis) involves belief but it goes beyond human believing because it  involves the personal revelation (inworking) of God. Faith is always God's work. Our  believing has eternal meaning when it becomes "faith-believing" by the  transforming grace of God. 


Reflection: Demons believe (and shudder) . . . but they do not have (experience)  faith!  Js 2:19: "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe,  and shudder" (NASU)

B.  Faith

1.  Belief

2.  Confidence and assurance

C.  Counterfeit

1.  Knowledge

2.  Vanity of information


II.  THE GRACE OF FAITH

"Faith always has the element of assurance, certainty and confidence . . . and  evidential value substantiating the thing we hope for . . . with faith, there is no  strain or tension; rather, it has the element of assurance and confidence in it . . . if  there is strain or tension . . . trying to persuade yourself to keep from doubting, you  can be quite sure that it is not faith . . . faith is not the law of mathematical  probability, . . . faith is not natural . . .faith is spiritual, the gift of God . . . you cannot  command faith at will, faith is always something that is given-inwrought by  God; . . . therefore, if you want to be a man of faith, it will always be the result of  becoming a certain type of person" (M. Lloyd Jones, Romans, Ro 4:18-25). 


A.  More than believing

B.  A gift of God

C.  Faith beyond hope and knowledge

III.  A CRISIS OF FAITH

A.  A lack of faithfulness 

B.  Trust and corresponding action

C.  The question is not what you know but who you know and how you live

 

Demons believe but they don't have faith!  “You believe that there is one God. Good!  Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”

‭‭ James‬ ‭2:19‬ ‭NIV‬‬


What do you do because of your faith?


CHALLENGE


Practice your faith this week.  Demonstrate the faith you have in God.  Do something that requires you to trust him.  One thing!   Just one act of faith.  


INVITATION


It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, I would be honored to speak with you in the upper parking lot following the service about what God is doing in your life.