Messages from Pastor Raddatz

August 7, 2022, Mount Olive Houston TX, Other Texts for today: Genesis 15:1-6 & Luke 12:22-34

FAITH IS A GIFT OF GOD

Hebrews 11:1-2, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.” ESV

          One of the most profound line spoken in a movie occurred in "The Santa Claus." Scott Calvin (played by Tim Allen) is at the North Pole for the first time. He has just been told that he is the new Santa. Scott objects and says, "But what if I don't believe." A wise elf by the name of Judy answers him with this sage observation. "Silly, seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing." I think this is a pretty good understanding of faith.   www.sermoncentral.com

The gift of ASSURANCE = Foundation

            Faith promises that hope will come true.  It is not an action of our doing, but faith rests in God who acts.  We, as Lutheran Christians, distinguish ourselves in this fact that faith is not our work, but God’s work.  Ephesians 2:8-9 reads, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast” NIV.  It is through God’s rich gift of faith that we are called to follow Jesus.   God wants this for all people, but they can reject faith.  God does not change his mind in reference to his call.  God’s purposes will be fulfilled in all who believe (See Romans 11:29, “For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”)

            So faith is what we build our life on.  It gives us the assurance that God forgives us our sins.  He has provided this through Jesus.  We are not the ones who generate faith, God generates faith.   This is through his objective gift.   We make it ours by how we build our life on the foundation God has given us. 

            ASSURANCE means free from doubt, a positive declaration intended to give confidence, a sure promise, in a religious sitting it means salvation by the inner witness of the Holy Spirit that we are justified. No harm will come, with great faith.

FANNY JANE CROSBY was born in 1820 and died in 1915 at the age of 95. At the age of 6 weeks a doctor put a mustard plaster on Fanny’s eyes, and she was blind the rest of her life. Fanny refused to weep and sigh because she was blind, she said I cannot, and I will not. Fanny said her blindness was a great blessing the Creator gave her. Fanny wrote over 8,000 gospel songs. In 1873, at the age of 42, Fanny was visiting a lady named KNAPP. Mrs. Knapp had written some music. Knapp played the music on the piano, and she asked Fanny what is this music saying? Fanny got on her knees and prayed a few minutes then Fanny got up and said: THE SONG’S MUSIC SAYS: BLESSED ASSURANCE JESUS IS MINE. So Mrs. Knapp grabbed a pen as Fanny spoke the words to the song BLESSED ASSURANCE.

BLESSED ASSURANCE, JESUS IS MINE, O WHAT A FORETASTE OF GLORY DIVINE.

HEIR OF SALVATION, PURCHASED OF GOD, BORN OF HIS SPIRIT, WASHED IN HIS BLOOD.

THIS IS MY STORY; THIS IS MY SONG. PRAISING MY SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG.

THIS IS MY STORY, THIS IS MY SONG, PRAISING MY SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG.

PERFECT SUBMISSION, ALL IS AT REST. I AND MY SAVIOR AM HAPPY AND BLESSED.

WATCHING AND WAITING, LOOKING ABOVE. FILLED WITH HIS GOODNESS, LOST IN HIS LOVE. SermonCentral.com

            Faith is not only the foundation of our life, but it also gives us conviction or direction.

The gift of CONVICTION = Direction

            This verse says that faith gives a person the conviction that future, promises things are as real as if they had already happened. Faith causes a person to see things as they really are, though mere human senses cannot perceive them. -Bul’s Notes

            There can be times, where we think God does not know what is going on in our life.   We may think, “My way is hidden from God.  He doesn’t seem to notice.  Why doesn’t he help?”    God may be testing us at such times.  He may be wanting to see if we have really do believe.  

            God tested Abraham.  He asked Abraham to leave his home, a place which was familiar to him and a place he would receive as an inheritance.  He left because God told him to leave.  He did not know where he was going, but since God told him to go he went.

            We can rejoice that we are saved by faith, but are we going to live by faith?   Faith apprehends which already exists. The object of the faith is never a mere potentiality. -Buls

            Faith inspired Abraham and others to patiently endure their unsettled life, since it assured them of a permanent home in the future.  Their true homeland was the heavenly one prepared by God through Christ. - Vincent, Marvin Richardson: Word Studies in the New Testament.

The gift of UNDERSTANDING = “Believing is seeing”

            This gift of faith which is a firm foundation for our life and gives direction to our life can also bring understanding.  

Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand. -Augustine.

CONSIDER A SURGERY

You know you need the lifesaving surgery. You read up on it. And you realize that if you don’t have this surgery, you will not make it much longer.  (You can either go and do it or not have the surgery. -my addition)

You have come to understand that there is nothing you can do to fix your current situation. You simply cannot remedy the situation by your own efforts.

And so to have the surgery you must let go of your efforts. You must put trust in the doctors. You must lay down on the operating table relinquishing full control over yourself. You must let go of your efforts. You must see this as the only way.

Saving faith is letting go of your works and merits and trusting Christ alone.  It is exercising this faith with the decisions I make in life. -Alen Nelson IV, Thingsabove.us

            God’s complete and utter rule is committed to our salvation and our unmixed blessedness.  He is our crowning comfort.  He brings order out of life’s disorder and even if we make a wrong decision it is because of love of God that he will direct us to where he wants us to go.   Romans 8:28, “God works everything out together for our good.  For those who are called according to his purpose (which is to not only believe but also to follow God).”

            May we remember that Faith is the foundation of our life, Faith gives our life direction and Faith brings understanding that God will guide us in our decisions.  Let’s also remember that seeing is not always believing, but through faith we are able to see a gracious God.  Amen.

Pastor John Raddatz