Sermon June 30

“Can Your Faith Be Seen?”

Mark 2:1-5

One question that every Believer should consider is “Can My Faith Be

Seen By Others?” We know that we should endeavor to be a verbal
witness for Christ to those we come in contact with, but its equally
important that we live our lives in such a manner that people can also
see the difference that Christ makes in our own lives.

A much smarter man than I (T. S. Eliot) said:

“The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not how far a man can
logically analyze his reasons for believing, but how far in practice he
will stake his life on his belief.”

What kind of faith can be seen and how can it be seen? Lets attempt
to answer these questions as we begin our reading in Mark chapter 2.

In this text we see Jesus re-entering the city of Capernaum. Christ had
chosen this city, which was located on the northwest shore of the Sea
of Galilee, as His base of operations when He began His ministry.

(Read Mark 2:1-5)

Mark 2
1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was
heard that He was in the house.
2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer
room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the
word to them.
3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four
men.
4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they
uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through,
they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins
are forgiven you.”

In this passage we find:

Jesus in a house. (it could be Peters house as referenced in chapter

1)
word got out that he was there,
the house was filled with people to the point that nobody else could
get in the door
Four men carrying a paralyzed man.

The four men carrying the paralyzed man must have had faith, As we
can see their faith by their actions:

1) They gave of their time.

2) They gave of their energy. “…bringing a paralytic who was
carried by four men.”
3) They had selfless ambitions. “And when they could not come
near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof
where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down
the bed on which the paralytic was lying.”

Lets try to visualize.

In that time the roof would have likely been flat and made of
crossbeams covered with thatch and clay tiles and it was likely
reached by an outside staircase.

How do we test ourselves to see if what we are doing for others is

infact selfless?

Philippians 2:3-4
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in
lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself,
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for
the interests of others.

We can also use Jesus’s second great commandment here (Matthew

22:39) “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

4) The four men in our text today truly performed a labor of love.

Here is the Key: If these four men hadn’t believed in Jesus, they never
would have gone to all of the trouble. When people looked at these
four guys, they saw men who had faith in Christ!

Here is how Jesus Responds: 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said
to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

When others see our faith as well as hearing it, they will be more likely
to trust in God and accept Jesus as their Savior!

Can People See Your Faith?

James 2:14-20
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but
does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and
filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the
body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me
your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my
works.
19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons
believe—and tremble!
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is
dead

James is not saying that faith plus works saves us. He is simply
distinguishing between saving faith and a head knowledge.

Paul explains more clearly in Ephesians 2:8-10:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good
works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

So we see that genuine faith will produce the fruit of good works.

But wait how do we know if the fruit we are producing is good?

lets backup for a minute and start with a different question.
Why did god create us?

Scripture teaches us that God created the world and all that is in it for
His own glory.
If you weren't paying attention that includes you and I!

You and I, were created in God’s image and we were created to have
fellowship with God.
You and I were created to glorify God through the exercise of our
personality—mind, heart, and will.
Our mind was created to know God,
Our heart was created to love God,
And with our free will, in response to our understanding and love of
God, we were created to choose and obey God.

(iRobot Movie example of choice and glory)

But God did not create robots.

Robots would not have brought much glory to God.
Since we are not a bunch of robots, we run the risk of making bad
choices (sin).
But God, by His sovereign will, purpose, and foreknowledge,
determined to allow this. He ordained it by His own eternal wisdom
without Himself being the cause.

I would leave you with one final question, Does your fruit glorify God?
If it does then your faith can be seen by others

Bring Worship Team forward, Prayer