Fickle Faith Followers
February 21st, 2006
Corey Rose
Matt. 13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
In Matt. 13:54-58, Jesus comes to His hometown and personally begins to teach the good news of salvation to any willing to listen. The people are amazed at His wisdom and miraculous powers, for apparently Jesus is not only saying great things to them, He is also doing great miracles among them. Their amazement, however, is short-lived as they begin to question the identity of Jesus with each other. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, and Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us?” And then someone yells out, “Where did this man get all these things?” What began as incredible amazement over Jesus, quickly turns into dark skepticism and disbelief about Him. They can’t even call Him by His name, but refer to Him as “this man.” Matthew notes that they actually end up “taking offense at Jesus.” As a result, Jesus does not do many miracles among them because of their lack of faith.” The great works He could have done among them, He chooses not to do because of their fickle faith.
Yes, how fickle we all can be at times when it comes to our faith in Jesus. It doesn’t seem to take much to move us from being amazed over Him one day (or hour) to being offended by Him the next. It seems so easy to ask questions about Him and never really ask a question of Him. I wonder what would have happened in this story if someone would have just asked Him, “Okay Jesus, would you tell us how and where all Your wisdom and power come from?” Or, “Could You help us better understand how You know all this and do all these things?” Would that have been enough for Jesus to continue to do more great works among them? Something tells me it wouldn’t have taken much. After all, back in Mark 8, Jesus healed a centurion’s son simply because the centurion humbly asked Jesus for His help.
Father, you know how fickle of a follower I can be. You know how fickle my faith can be in You on any given day. I can see so much of myself in the people of this story, but I don’t want to become like them. Please continue to cultivate my faith. May it never be said of my life that You couldn’t do many miracles in it because of my lack of faith in You.
February 21st, 2006 at 9:54 am
I find it interesting that when it comes to the issue of faith, I am so quick to ask the question, “How could any contemporary of Jesus not have faith” He was right their with them, and yet somehow they found themselves doubting even what was done right in front of their eyes. It amazes and frustrates me, yet at the same time find myself doing the exact same thing. Despite God’s amazing reality in my life, I still often find myself in the same place of doubting his power and control.
Today, my journal response was to anther passage in Matthew, and was actually a respones to a message that Eric Clarke shared with CCF two weeks ago. Coming from Matthew 13:48 “Which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathere the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.”
This parable, along with the last three or four parables that Jesus shared with his disciples gives us a window into the Kingdom of Heaven.
By His teaching, Jesus shows us the importance of obedience, and simply sowing seed, or casting our nets. So many times I concern myself with who will recieve the Gospel, and how it will be recieved, and if sharing it will be worth my time - what a disgusting reflection of who I am.
My job, however, is simply to cast the nets into the sea. I can’t concern myself with the results. That is not my job. Just as Peter cast out his nets, and unexpectedly caught more fish than he could handle, he was obedient to what the Lord told him to do. I need to be faithful, and realize that God is in control. That I don’t need to worry about who, how, or why. I simply need to obey.
Lord, help me to be obedient. Help me to have faith that you are in control, and that all I need to do is to cast my net into the sea, and You will take care control. Even when it doesn’t make sense. Lord, help me to not worry about they ‘why’ the ‘how’ or the ‘who’ but help me to worry about simply being obedient. Everybody has the choice, just like when You went back to Your hometown, and were not recieved by the people. It was the people who chose not to recieve You, and not You choosing not to waste Your time casting Your net amidst a people who wouldn’t recieve. Help me to have that attitude and faith that You are in control.
February 21st, 2006 at 3:59 pm
“You oh lord keep my lamp burning, my god turns my darkness into light.” psalm 18:28
David is singing his song to the Lord after God delivered him from his Enemies. David was very dependent on the Lord. I don’t live my daily life depending on the Lord for daily needs. I think that having a constant dependency on the Lord creates a deeper faith.
While I was in Thailand I heard of miracles, saw living miracles and saw the lord work in Amazing ways. One lady I talked to told me about when she was younger and she had broken her leg. Her father prayed and prayed over her leg and it was healed! God Healed her leg!
Jesus help me to turn to you more frequently in my days and look for you working in my life. Help me to Depend on you more. Please Streangthen my faith. Help me to Turn to you to keep my light shining rather than trying to find other alternatives for light.
February 21st, 2006 at 4:03 pm
Shaphan, I appreciate what you shared. I worry alot about the aftermath of sharing Jesus with others and it hinders me form sharing. Your entry hit home. Thanks for reminding me that God just needs me to be willing and obedient and to cast my nets out and he will be in control. Obedience… Just cast my nets….