March 2, 2008 "Faith"

Scripture: John 9:1-11 NRSV
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.

The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?"

Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him."

He kept saying, "I am the man."

But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"

He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight."


Jesus found a way to connect with this blind man. The blind man could not see, but he could feel and he could smell. He would know that Jesus worked a work in his life. This speaks of Jesus’ compassion – and of his power as God.

God is able: that is the first step to faith, and it is the greatest step. God can do anything God wants to do; there is nothing impossible for God!

A young boy traveling by airplane to visit his grandparents sat beside a man who happened to be a seminary professor. The boy was reading a Sunday school take-home paper when the professor thought he would have some fun with the lad. "Young man," said the professor, "If you can tell me something God can do, I"ll give you a big, shiny apple." The boy thought for a moment and then replied, "Mister, if you can tell me something God can't do, I"ll give you a whole barrel of apples!" (Today in the Word, April, 1989, p. 43.)

Let’s take a walk through the book of Hebrews. It is a very Jewish book, and consequently, it is often difficult to understand in places. One thing that is not difficult to understand is Hebrews use of the word “faith.” “Faith” is used 72 times in the book of Hebrews. It is not a blind faith but a faith that is informed. It has looked at the evidence and has made an informed choice.

(Heb 11:6 KJV) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Some say seeing is believing. I say that believing is seeing. So, let’s define faith:

(Heb 11:1 KJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The start of great faith is the belief that God is:
(Heb 11:3 KJV) Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

God is so powerful, that even sin is under God’s domination. Here, in this passage, we find the common belief about sin: sin caused deformity and sickness. The disciples asked their teacher, “Whose fault was it that this man could not see – his own sins or the sins of his parents?” Can you see the implication: “Oh, look at him, poor thing. He must have really messed up. My goodness, what a shame; his parents must have been terribly bad.” But Jesus turned that belief on its ear: “His blind so that the work of God would be made known!”

Faith’s final destiny finds itself believing in the Son of God:
(Heb 10:12 KJV) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

(Heb 9:22 KJV) And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

(Heb 4:14 KJV) Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

“But again, I can’t see God. I haven’t seen Jesus. How can I believe?” some might ask. Romans makes it clear that God is seen: (Rom 1:20 KJV) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

A twelve year old boy became a Christian at a revival. The next week at school his friends questioned him about the experience. “Did you see a vision?” asked one friend. “Did you hear God speak?” asked another. The youngster answered no to all these questions. “Well, how did you know you were saved?” they asked. The boy searched for an answer and finally he said: “It’s like when you catch a fish, you can’t see the fish or hear the fish; you just feel him tugging on your line. I just felt God tugging on my heart.”

The Ladies Home Journal asked, "In whom do you trust?" Responses were:
Walter Cronkite 40% of the vote
Pope John Paul 26%
Billy Graham 6%
God 3% (Ladies Home Journal (Sept, 1981).)

Some surveys have determined that as much as 95% of our society believes in God; while that may be true, it would seem that far less trust God.

Sometimes it is hard to trust when we do not fully see God’s deliverance. But faith speaks to that, like in this story from Robert Schuller. Sweeping across Germany at the end of World War II, Allied forces searched farms and houses looking for snipers. At one abandoned, almost a heap of rubble, searchers with flashlights found their way to the basement. There, on the crumbling wall, a victim of the Holocaust had scratched a star of David. And beneath it, in rough lettering, the message:
I believe in the sun – even when it does not shine.
I believe in love – even when it is not shown.
I believe in God – even when he does not speak. (Robert Schuller).

God is able. And because God is able, God knows exactly what is best. God loves us, and God will do for us and to us that which is necessary to fit in with God’s plan.

Whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is able.