The True Test of Discipleship | Elder Peng Hoe

You're listening to a message to go from axt church.

We hope this message will light up your day.

Let's go into the word. Okay, you're already for the Word. Okay,

I'm gonna brief. I'm gonna brief. Okay, I finish a

big section on the Sermon of the on the Mound, which,

of course I'm gonna continue on the teaching series that

I've had in mind this year to mainly preach from

the Gospel of Matthew. And so five, chapter five, Chapter six,

chapter seven is the Sermon on the Mound. It's long.

We went through it quite fast if you ask me.

You know, sometimes Sermon on the Mound, even the Beatitudes,

we can actually take the whole year to preach it.

But I think I don't want sermon to share it all.

And I hope you'll still remember some things. If not,

all these messages are recorded. If not, I hope you

have notes. But we're gonna move on as we continue

on on this journey again. Disciple first is still the

team and the overarching team. And why I've chosen the

Gospel of Matthew is because I really believe this is

one of the basic manuals of discipleship in scripture, the

whole Gospel of Matthew, there's so much on discipleship inside.

Because Jesus himself was teaching, Jesus himself was guiding, there's

a lot of truths that are shared on how we

are to follow Christ, which is essentially the monk of

a disciple following God, following Christ. Okay, so we finished

Medew chapter seven, and we are now at Matthew chapter eight. Okay,

I'm gonna go, as you know, scripture by scripture, and

because of that, sometimes if I'm drawing out truths, it's

like almost every different parents that I'm reading is a

truth that I'm drawing out. So it may not be one,

just one overall team that you'll get. I hope you

can catch the truths as we go, because I really

believe that's the best way to read the scriptures, to

read it as it is, to read it consecutively, read

one after the other, and see what is it that

the Lord is actually revealing to us. Okay, So Matthew

chapter eight, and of course we know that Jesus just

finished the sermon on the mountain, and so he is

now rolling down the mountain.

He's coming down.

Okay, And this is how Matthew Chapter eight starts verse one.

It says Jesus large crowds followed Jesus as he came

down the mountain side.

That's why I'm meant by Jesus rolling down the mountain.

Suddenly a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him.

Lord.

The man said, if you are willing, you can heal

me and make me clean. Jesus reached out and touched him.

I am willing, he said, be healed, and instantly the

leprosy disappeared. Then Jesus said to him, don't tell anyone

about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him

examine you. Take along the offering required in the law

of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy.

This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed. Okay,

So Jesus came down from just preaching sermon. I don't

know how long it took. Actually, maybe we can do

a little bit of research. How long did the entire

sermon on the mound? It was basically three whole chapters.

I think if you read trio chapters probably wouldn't take

more than an hour, okay. But he came down and

then on the way down he met a leper okay.

And it's the normal place for a leper to be

hanging out, because lepers normally are not allowed in cities

or in town, so we know that this is really

an outskirt kind of setting, okay. And as Jesus came down,

this leper was, of course so trill to bum into Jesus.

In the middle of nowhere. Hallelujah.

Praised the Lord because he's like I would have expected

to meet him in the town or in the city, which,

of course that's where he would be, that's where most

people are. But low and behold he is here. Uh

he bumped into Jesus a leaper. For those of you

who don't know, well, leprosy is a I don't think

it's a skin disease. I'm better, it's okay. But it's

basically some sort of bacteria, uh, some sort of a

flesh eating bacteria. Uh that if you contract it, uh,

there is a likelihood that you lose sensations in some

parts of your body, and then eventually some parts can

actually fall off, or you can actually sever fingers and

toes without you even noticing uh that you actually because

you're not in pain, you can't feel anything.

And I think in Malaysia we.

Don't really have uh this sickness already. Once upon a time,

Sua Bulo used to be the main leprosy uh containment area.

They used to isolate people with leprosy because they can't

mix together with the general public. Of course it's very

very contagious. Uh. You know, when we go to Indonesia,

we actually visit a leprosy camp in Toba.

I'll tell you some stories. And if you go out to.

Toba, uh, there is this camp that we will have

to drive outside of the town area and then there

is a there's like a village where they build for

the lepers to stay and their families because all of

them once contracted. Usually they are ostracized and they have

to remain isolated. And they are still it's still active.

That means they are wounds. You can see their wounds.

So we usually go there. We bring provisions, bring food, uh,

encourage them. You know, I've seen part Frances used to

tell me stories, uh you know when he first went there.

They will they will a bunch of copy for you.

They will make coffee for you, and then they will

use their finger to stir because again they can't feel,

so it can be pink hot. And then there were

a stir like that because you don't know. So that's

why he says no. When I found out, I know,

all I can do is pray, God, please help me

sanctify this coffee. Let it not affect me. So some hoers,

when we're going, we'll be like, hey, for sure enough,

when they offer you coffee straight, we'll be thinking should

we drink the coffee that we are thinking, Oh, let

it be one hundred degrees kill every single bacteria. But

that is that is the severity of this condition, and

it's uncurable, okay. And so this leopard who is not

allowed in the city or the town, saw Jesus coming

down in the outskirts from the mountain. He was so

trill that he actually ran up to Jesus and the

leper we know, it's basically like a zombilla. We call

them the living date because everything is falling apart, you know,

and they start looking. They can actually look quite bad.

Some of our missionaries who have gone and they see

it can really shock them a little bit.

But we usually prepare them, and so it's.

A disease that is really severe. And then of course

he approaches Jesus with astounding faith and he says, Lord,

if you're willing, you can make me clean. And that

was great faith actually being shown by someone who has

an incurable disease. That's essentially what he had, and of

course Jesus, full of compassion on him, touched him. And

I know science par friends who remind us of Jesus

will touch them. So okay, we just pray for them.

I know, I know those of you who have been

to Toba your scared.

Yes, but we really really pray. And no, we don't.

Force our people to go out if they don't want

to go, we understand. But yes, Jesus had compassion touched

him and said, I am willing be cleansed. And you

know what, low and behold he was. So the needs

of this person was very obvious. No, he had an

incurable disease, so it was very obvious. His faith was

also very obvious. Not because he saw Jesus. He ran

towards him and then he reached out.

He was healed.

And then of course the next very most obvious thing

was his disobedience. If you read the scriptures, you realize

because Jesus told the healed leperd hey don't want to

tell anyone. But I don't know, maybe out of excitement.

I think it's a normal thing. If you had an

incurable condition and you just got here, you probably would

have gone out and told everyone by Jesus told him.

All you need to do is go to Jerusalem and

get inspected. After inspection, get a medical certificate so that

you can be reintegrated back into society.

That's all you needed to do.

But this man men rushing down the road and to

everybody he met, he said he was healed by Jesus.

I'm not sure why Jesus gave him that rem in

the to not go and tell everyone that he's healed,

but it probably meant that it will make it difficult

if everyone keeps crowding around Jesus wanting him to heal him,

and it will probably hinder and impeaed Jesus from doing

what he knows he is called to do. And he's

not just called to heal us from our diseeses. Ultimately,

Jesus is called to forgive us of our sins, because

that is the only thing in which God can do.

That's what the scripture tells us. So his ultimate.

The goal actually is to preach, because when he goes

out preaching, he's preaching the Kingdom of Heaven. And when

he's preaching the Kingdom of Heaven, he's essentially telling people

that I am.

Here to forgive sins.

And so he is seeking and wanting to save sinners,

not wanting to go all out just to heal people.

And when the leopard did that, it would have caused

him I'm sure a little bit more challenge getting to

places now because everyone probably just wants him as the

miracle healer, but not necessarily as the savior. And so

I think that it was why Jesus told him, whatever

it is, let's keep it to yourself as for now.

Let me be the one that tells people about my purpose.

I don't need someone else to do that. But what

to do? He already did it, and Jesus continued on

his journey, and we know where he went to because

he proceeded to go into the cities and the towns

because that's essentially where people are, that's where the concentration

of people. And again, what is the purpose of Jesus

coming to this world is to seek and save those

who are lost. That's why you don't see Jesus going

to isolated places.

Only you actually.

See him focus in places where the population is bigger,

cities and towns. And I'm going to continue reading now,

because he headed into the town. And which town did go?

He returned to Caperanum. Okay, Caperanom, and this is where

we read from verse five. He says, when Jesus returned

to Cappanum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, Lord,

my young servant lies in bead, paralyzed and in terrible pain.

Jesus said, I will come and heal him.

But the officer said, Lord, I'm not worthy to have

you come into my home. Just say the word from

where you are and my servant will be healed. I

know this because I'm under the authority of my superior officers,

and i have authority over my soldiers. I only need

to say go and they go, or come and they come.

And if I say to my slaves, do this, they

do it. Then Jesus heard this. Sorry, when Jesus heard this,

he was amazed. Another translation is he marveled. Turning to

those who will follow him, he said, I tell you

the truth, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel.

And I tell you this that many Gentiles will come

from all over the world, from east and west, and

sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the feast

in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites, those for

whom the kingdom was prepared, will be thrown into outer darkness,

where there will be whipping and gnashing of teeth. Then

Jesus said to the Roman officer, go back home, because

you believe it has happened. And the young servant was

healed that same hour.

Hallelujah. It's a wonderful passage of scripture.

And so now Jesus is in kapern Norm and he

meets this very unique soldier, okay, with an amazing background.

Of course, a centurion. I think it's well literally, it's

a leader of one hundred soldiers. Okay, a centurion, I

think if you want to find the equivalent today, it's

probably like a captain or sergeant major.

Okay.

You will not generally think of men like this as

very religious. Soldiers don't follow religion and soldiers follow orders.

This centurion aside from being a very strong character, he's

a leader, he's a well trained military man, but he's

also tremendously sensitive. There's a certain level of sensitivity with

him because firstly, you can see that he was very

sensitive to his slave. Actually, the word in the NLT

says serven, but the exact word, using other translations is

actually slave. And do you know what they used to

do to slaves back then, especially if you are of

no use, really, they actually leave you for the day

and just let you die of because slaves are not

recognized as humans. They are deemed as property. Shuttle is

the ancient word that sometimes you see. So these are things.

But somehow this soldier treated his servants so differently, and

he came up to Jesus and he says, my young

servant is sick. So his concern was not only for

the soldiers that he is leading. He was also concerned

for his slave, and that is something that is quite

unheard of, especially in those times, for a superior officer

to actually be so caring and concerned about his slave. Furthermore,

he was also a man who out of his own pocket.

You know what this centurion did he actually took money

out and built a synagogue for the Jewish people. You

don't see that account here in Matthew chapter eight, but

actually in another portion of scripture, in Luke chapter seven,

you actually see the same account on the centurion, and

there it is stated that he actually built them a temple.

Is quite amazing for someone to actually do that. He

was also very humble because he approached Jesus, who is

a Jew. Okay, Roman soldiers and Jews they don't hang out.

They're not bosom bodies, okay, But so happened. He went

up to Jesus, who is a Jew, and he says this,

I am not worthy either to come and speak face

to face with you, Wow, nor to have you come

into my gentile home. Wow.

Quite an amazing character.

In fact, the most incredible thing this centurin believed was

that Jesus could do anything by word of mouth alone,

whether he was present or not. Now that is astonishing faith.

It is quite mind blowing. No someone like him would

be able to identify Jesus as such. And you see,

Jesus had already been healing people by laying his hands

on them and touching them. But this man is essentially

this centurion is affirming that he didn't even need to come,

didn't even need to be present, didn't even need to physically.

Touch the slave. It is quite mind boggling. And so

he says, no, wherever you are, you just say the

words Lord.

Most people neither the touch of Jesus or needed to

at least feel the hem of his garment to have

some tangible sign that Jesus is there. His presence is

there so that they might believe in his power. But

not this soldier. Something was different about this soldier. And

what seems obvious here is this centurion was in the

same position as us believers today. Actually, you think about it,

you think about it. We cannot see Jesus. I know

someone of yours there. I've seen Jesus in the picture.

They were not really Jesus. Okay, in the pictures. It's

not Jesus. I know some way I've seen Jesus, okay.

But if you really have seen Jesus, then praise the Lord.

He's revealed himself to you. But most of us here

today can't claim to have seen Jesus with our own eyes.

So we can't see Jesus in that sense. We can't

touch the hem of his garment. If you go and

touch the picture and think that you're going to get blessed,

it doesn't work that way. Or so I just want

to let y'all know. So, really, where is Jesus. He

is at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

And the faith that is required of earth is the

faith this centurion hand. It's the same thing because we

also have not seen Jesus, but we believe that Jesus

is seated at the right hand of God the Father

right now. And what he's essentially doing is I've shared

this before. He's showing Father God his nail pierced hands. Father,

I have gone through everything that I was called to

do for your people. Forgive them, Lord, forgive them, forgive them,

overlook their past, let them be set free. For those

who put their faith and their hope in me. He's

actually praying, he's interceeding on our behalf.

That is what Jesus is doing.

So we believe that Jesus is actually there and he's

just using words and.

He's already done. It's already done.

So we are not much of a difference compared to

this centuriin of course, we actually have more reason to

believe if you think about it, because the centurion is

meeting Jesus for the first time.

No, previously he only heard about Jesus.

Jesus hasn't died yet, hasn't reason again, as we know

he has today. We have the truth from the scriptures,

so we know Jesus died and rose again. This centurion

just looked at him as someone who was really, really

quite outstanding. But the question you have to ask is

why did he have so much confidence in Jesus. Why

and the reason he did was this The key word

that we have to focus on is under He recognized

Jesus as a man under authority, and that is opposite

of how we will normally perceive authority. We will usually

think of a person as in authority or sometimes above authority.

But to actually focus.

On what this centuriance say, and he said this, I

am also under authority. And because I am under authority,

I can tell people what to do.

Now.

If that centuriance had not had the rank he had,

didn't have the ranking ex captain, if he had not

been part of Caesar's army, which he was, if he

had just been an individual, then he could not have

told another man goal and had that man goal. But

he had taken a commission. There was a commission that

he took on. And that man, this soldier, actually there's

no power in himself, no power or personality within himself.

In that sense, he was under authority. Means that he

derived power and he derived his identity from the person

who commissioned him, which is of course Caesar. In this

case until today, we still have that concept. Actually you

think about it, that's how UH governments are usually. Well,

if we if you have a monarchy in your government

or in your country, then usually all government servants are

appointed by the king.

That's why in the UK.

You will see in all his majesty, this his majesty

that in Malaysia you will see Urusan Sri Padukainda. How

many of you have seen letters like that. Okay, so

you know the read bassa, But in that in the

envelope Urusan street basically is matters of the king, under

the matters of the Agung Uh and the Agung is

the one that appoints all the civil servants. And so

this soldier when he heard about Jesus, he saw this,

he said that man is under the authority of the king. Definitely,

there is something different under the authority of God. And

therefore he can actually order any disease to leave, even

the disease that's existing in my house right now, he

can all day to live and the disease will be

gone right out of the house. And this is how

he came to his faith. Actually he recognized authority, that

Jesus was under authority. And I believe in a society

where you recognize the chain of command and accept it,

then you recognize the power of the Lord in people.

What do I mean by that?

Know, a lot of times in society today, we don't

really recognize the chain of command. We don't really recognize authority.

We don't really submit to authority. It's not the easiest

thing to do because we always think that they're not

doing it right. That's why when I do counseling for parents,

I will always remind them that as parents, we are

first and foremost authority in our children's life. If our

children do not view us as authority or as being

in authority and therefore under authority of someone, then it's

going to be really hard for us to expect our

children to come under the authority of God because parents

they can see, but the ones that they can see

they don't want. Who listen the one who is bigger

than them, stronger than them, the one who actually brought

them into this world and therefore can also take them

out of this world. They cannot see and understand as

being in a position of authority in my life is

going to be very hard for a child to understand

the authority of an unseen God.

That's the reality of it.

So in society where you recognize the chain of command,

though sometimes we you know, if you live in the country,

and really, I thank God, I thank God a Malaysia

has got governance, even though some others may not be

happy with the way things are. But the truth is

we are not living in anarchy. There is leadership and

there is authority place above us, and all this is divine.

It's not something that just happened. Because it happened. God

allowed it to happen, whoever who is in authority, And

so let us never always try to go against authority,

because it is the first step of exercising faith, even

our faith in God.

That is the reality of it.

The truth is a lot of us don't like, don't

like authority in our lives. But yet Scripture is all

about authority and submission. If you're talking about a kingdom,

which is what the whole scripture talks about, Kingdom of Heaven,

Kingdom of God, you are talking about a king because

a kingdom, we know king is not a kingdom.

It's just themb okay, And that's not how it works.

So if you're talking about a kingdom means there is

a king, if you are If there is a king,

means there must be subjects. If there are subjects, means

the subjects are supposed to be submitted to the king.

Okay, that is how it works.

So this centurion was essentially declaring, I am also a

man under authority, and I tell the slaves what to do,

and tell the soldiers what to do, and they do it.

And so he had faith that Jesus was under the

authority of God. He actually that was his first step

in having faith in Jesus. Actually because he understood authority

and he knew that all Jesus needed to do was say, disease,

get out, and he was done. That is amazing faith. Now,

amazing faith again. Now, all this while he does not

have the full knowledge that not only was Jesus just

someone who is under authority, but Jesus was himself the authority.

All this we know today because of scripture. But this

man built his faith from understanding someone being under authority.

And how do you think Jesus viewed his soldier. I

tell you what. He was actually both surprised and delighted.

He said, I haven't found such great faith, not even

in Israel. And then the word that was used to

describe was some translation says he's amazed, Jesus was amazed,

some other translations, and she says, Jesus marvel. And if

you do a word study in scripture, you realize that

only twice in the ministry of Jesus was the word

marvel use. The other occasion was when Jesus was preaching

in Nazareth. You'll know what happened in Nazareth. You know

where Nazareth is. Where is Nazareth. Come, let's do a

bit of Q and a come, come say out, can

talk to me? Huh comepong dear correct? So Nazareth is

Jesus' compong, his village where he grew up there and

there in Mark chapter six verse six, It says that

he marveled because of their unbelief. Do you remember that?

So basically Jesus could do nothing in Nazareth. He was

helpless to help people, and you can imagine the amazement

in his heart. He never expected this Roman cent children

to have that kind of faith, the kind of faith

that he expected his own people to have. And that

is why Jesus and that is actually what Jesus thought

of these soldiers. He was so amazed by this soldier.

So here is something to provoke your thoughts. The trouble

with Nazareth was actually familiarity, and the great blessing that

came to the centurion was due to faith. They are

both opposites familiarity and faith. Jesus marvel and Nazareth because

true their very familiarity with him, they could not believe

in him. They were all sniggering and aside, like, isn't

this the carpenter's son?

Huh? He can build chancellor, but you want to build

my life. Forget it. I don't think I can believe him.

But a told outsider with no such background, Jesus actually

says and told Jesus, you just need to say the word,

and it is done.

It's amazing.

And so sometimes for those of us who have been

brought up in church, in Sunday school for a long time,

born into Christian families homes see, one of the dangers

is familiarity, and that makes it hard to believe things

can happen because we are too familiar. Ever heard of

the term familiarity breeds contempt. It's real, and this was

the reality that Jesus was actually drawing our attention to.

Jesus didn't marvel easily. He reserved his reaction actually for

two things only from scripture. He either marveled an extraordinary

faith or he marveled at shocking unbelief. It's one or

the other, extraordinary faith or shocking unbelief. And these two

moments are complete opposites, showing how much Jesus values genuine,

humble trust and how deeply he is grieved by hardened hearts.

The hearts are hardened, He's grief by it. Yet we

know that faith as small as the mustard seed can

move mountains. Right, you're believing that I want to take

you all deeper in a little bit, Okay, let's delve

deeper into the word.

I want to talk a little bit about faith.

You see, do you know actually there are degrees in faith,

there are levels in faith, you know.

Paul in Romans.

Chapter twelve says this chapter twelve, verse three, don't think

you are better than you really are. Be honest in

your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God

has given you, and Jesus himself saying on different occasions, no,

you of little faith, and then on another occasion is

that I have not met such men with great faith,

not in the whole of Israel. It actually tells you that, yes,

there are actually degrees of faith, there are stage levels

of faith. And we sometimes find ourselves asking the Lord

to make me a big believer. Ever find yourself doing that, Lord,

give me more faith, increase our faith, And actually Jesus

usually rebukes that kind of requests. I'll draw your attention

right now to Luke chapter seventeen. Okay, Luke chapter seventeen,

verses five to six is where the apostles actually say

to the Lord. They say, to Jesus, show us how

to increase our faith. That's where you get the verse

that I was talking about just now. And then the

Lord answered, if you had faith even as small as

a mustard seed. You could say to the maulberry tree,

may you be uprooted and be planted in the sea,

and it would obey you.

Sometimes we think very nice.

Jesus used an illustration to explain, you know, when the

disciples ask for more faith, good illustration knows faith small

as a master's seed.

So how do we process that? You see?

What Jesus is trying to show here is this that

sometimes when we pray, our prayer tends to shift the

responsibility from Earth to God. Okay, context of Luke chapter

seventeen is this the disciples. Jesus was teaching about forgiveness

if you read before that forgiveness, and then he left

this thought with the disciples because they asked him know

how many times must we forgive? And then he goes, well,

I can imagine knowing this group of disciples like me,

probably not very good in math, can't really count very well.

But essentially his answer came back like Infinityla, how many

times should we forgive infinity? And then boom, their minds

exploded because it's like, huh, seven times seven times seven

is like just keep keep forgiving, which was something that

of course I believe they all felt, oh ah, Jesus.

That is when he actually they actually said, Lord, increase

our faith. And then to that, Jesus responded by saying,

faith even as small as a master said, can move.

And you can sorry, faith even as small as a master.

See you could say to the maulbur tree, be uprooted

even small faith like that. And then how do you

process this whole thing? Is it a nice illustration? Jesus

he was actually correcting them. He was essentially rebuking them.

And if we are not careful with our prayers, we

get into this habit of passing the responsibility to God

and saying, God, you do it. You increase my faith

because I am not enough, So you do it. But

Jesus corrected them by saying, and it's a simple lesson.

He's saying, essentially, you don't need your faith to and large.

What you need is.

To exercise whatever little that you have. That is the difference.

Sometimes we are always asking the Lord, Lord and Large,

this make this bigger. A lot of our prayers really

need examinations. Sometimes I find myself also like, okay, so

what if the Lord and Largest gives you a bigger faith.

But the Lord is just reminding them he make the

best out of what you have, or are we just

trying to make him work when he's also saying that, no,

you have a responsibility as well. You have something to

do as well. And so Jesus would say you the

little faith you have, it is not bigger faith that

you need. It is to exercise the little faith that

is already given to you. And that is the way

to a stronger Christian life. And why Jesus said, your

faith may be no bigger than a mastered seed. And really,

you look at the musterd seed is the tiniest thing ever.

It's so tiny.

If somebody gave you a mustard seed and you say it,

but I ask for a tree, you are essentially going

to get this answer from that person.

I have given you one. I give you a tree.

Take that tiny little thing that I've given you, and

do the proper thing with it. Put it in the soil,

and then the tiny little thing will have life. And

then use it. Put it in the soil and you

will get your tree. But a lot of times when

you talk about soil, think about it. What is the

other illustration that links soil to it's actually the contient

of our hearts. And sometimes it could be stony conditions.

Sometimes it could be barren land. Sometimes it could be

hardened hearts.

But what is needed is a heart that is soft, pliable.

That is good conditions for a tiny little seed to

Germany and grow. So really, this is one of the

most profound spiritual principles that you get stuck spiritually if

you don't use what you have. Sometimes we are always

just asking for more. More, Lord, give me more, give

me more. If your faith was only tiny and you

were prepared to use it, you could actually say to

the mountain, be removed. That's what the scripture is saying.

It's quite literal actually, which by the way, the mild

bree tree, the example that's used here, actually has one

of the strongest roots in all of Israel, of all

the trees, and the scripture is saying, you can ask

it to be removed, get up and go, and it

would go, and the plan itself will end up in

the sea. And all you need, all you would need

to do, would be to speak. That's why James chapter

two says faith without actions is dead. And I believe

that the real reason why Christian sometimes get stuck and

we do not see We do not see more. Somehow,

sometimes we do not see more. Really, it's not necessarily

the lack of earnest prayers as we think, or maybe

I didn't pray enough, maybe I didn't ask.

For bigger things.

It may be that we are not exercising the little

that God has already given us.

Ever thought about it? From that?

Sometimes you say, Lord, give me more patience, And then

the Lord's respond is, are you using what I've already

given you? Lord, give me more love? Are you using

what I've already given you? And it is not my

personal favorite? Lord, give me more money? And then the

response comes, are you using the money I've ready given

you as I want it to be used?

Lord?

Give us revival? But are you even using your revived

heart to do something? We have to ask ourselves this question.

So this is the big lesson in faith, not just

to pray big, but to act big, act big, Not

to throw it back onto the Lord. No, Lord, you

do more with us, but to respond to the Lord's challenge.

You do more with what I've given you, And then

you see what happens. And that's the glorious thing. Is

that your faith increases as you use it. Your gifts

increases as you use them. The grace of God increases

in you as you use it. It is not something that

remains stagnant. Your spiritual muscles actually get bigger as you

exercise them. And faith is a kind of spiritual muscle.

It is. You know.

Sometimes I've seen and watched past Cannet's life and we

acknowledge that he is a man of faith. Really, it

is one of the gift things in his life. It

is also a gift of the Holy Spirit.

Faith.

But it was not just an overnight mod this a

man with big faith, nor everything as well. Just go,

just go, let's go, let's go. It started off somewhere,

and he started off even in his own life, his

own personal work. You know, I am born into a

broken family, but here I have faith to believe that

I will make the right choices in life. One decision,

one small decision after another, has led him to where

he is today.

He had to.

Exercise whatever little that was within him for him to

now be deemed as a man of faith.

Same goes or Abraham.

No, he is not called just a friend of God

and the father of faith, for no rhyme and reason.

It started off when he was living in a bungalow

and God says, look, you want to go hang out

somewhere else.

And then he.

Says, okay, I got to leave my bungalow. And then

the Lord says, yeah, let's go and live in a

tent because he's more rocking in the tent.

And that's what he did.

Actually, he went out and started living in tents. But

because of that, he fulfilled everything that God has purpose

upon him. Is started off by exercising little faith, and

that's what we need. You can see how Jesus goes

on doing all the amazing things just by exercising his authority.

This is something that we also need to learn. What

you have in your hands, exercise it, use it.

Your faith.

You know something you think, but my faith very is

if you believe that Jesus saved you are dear. That's

big faith.

You know. You think about it.

If you think that if your faith is really that small,

that means you don't you don't believe what Jesus did

on the cross. Not enough, God, I think you need

to Jesus. I think you need to go back to

the cross and hang again. Because I keep on doing

wrong things. That's how we are essentially looking at it.

But if you believe that Jesus died on the cross

to save me from my sinful life, that is faith

in itself. Now exercise that faith, one step at the time,

one day at the time.

Amen.

And so I'm going to move on because Jesus was

moving on. And in verse fourteen, it goes on to

say Jesus arrived at Peter's house. Peter's mother in law

was sick in bed with a high fever, but when

Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she

got up and prepared a meal for him. Okay, the

first pope was married to let y'all know. Okay, but

never mind, okay, come back, come back back. That evening,

many demons possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast

out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he

healed all the sick. That's what the scripture records are.

He healed all the sick. And this fulfill the word

of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said he

took our sicknesses and removed our diseases. So the ministry

in Kaepernolm continues, and Jesus is now a guest in

Simon Peter's house.

The fisher man.

Okay, Simon's mother in law was sick, and then Jesus

came into the house. Sickness had to leave. Hallelujah. It

happened frequently like that. Praise the Lord. He healed her immediately.

What did she do? She began to wait on him

and serve a meal.

Wow.

It's interesting to note write that healing led straight to

service straight and I think it was her absolute privilege. No,

sometimes when we talk about serving God, serve you, diet, Lord,

serve you heart. Lord, uncomfortable to serve you. Uh, you're

cramping my style. Lord, I got other things to do.

But yet, really, if you think about what service until

the Lord is is actually privilege, it's a privilege. And

that's why Simon's mother in law, Peter's mother in law

felt straight away, I needed to serve the person who

gave me healing.

Amen.

Let's leave the home now, and then you go out

into the streets and there are many sick people and

all of them needing healing. And then of course you'll

be wondering why, why is Kapernon full of sick people. Well,

if you do a geographical study, you realize that a

few miles away, a couple of miles away, about two miles.

Away, is a place called Tiberius.

Uh. And in Tiberias it's like what bath is. Okay,

you'll ever been the UK bath. It has a lot

of hot springs, hot water springs purportedly with healing properties

in it.

Okay. So Tiberius is like the spa or sick people. Uh.

And he was always filled with sick people.

And so you can imagine all the sick people soaking

in the hot water spring and then suddenly they heard

there was someone healing in Kapanoam. And every time he

came and touched people, people were healed.

Of course.

Straight wait, they pick up and hid down two miles

to Kapunum. They all rushed over in the hope of

being healed. And that's why the street on almost any

given morning was packed with sick people. And what was

amazing is is Jesus touched each one of them, each

one of them. That's what the scripture recorded. I don't

know how he did it. He didn't just like stand

on the station, let all be healed. He actually went

down and he laid hands on each one of them.

At least recorded in that period of time. Wasn't man feeling?

But who is it?

Again?

Is Jesus who is under authority? Healed everyone with such

amazing authority. That is the Lord in whom we serve,

that is the Lord in whom we worship. And then

it says people's faith began to be activated. They wanted

to come under his authority. But then here comes the

biggest reminder of it all, because Jesus then goes on

to tell them that.

There is a cost to all this though, And if you.

Want to talk about discipleship, you can never not talk

about the cost of discipleship. This is where Jesus is

again being real. He's being real. I'm going to invite

the band, and I'm almost done.

Verse eighteen says this.

When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his

disciples to cross to the other side of the lake.

Then one of the teachers of religious laws say to him, teacher,

I will follow you wherever you go. But Jesus replied,

foxes have danced to live in and birds have nests.

But the son of man has no place even to

lay his head.

Another of his disciples said, Lord, first, let me return

home and bury my father. But Jesus told him follow me.

Now let the spiritually date bury their own day. So

this is was the disciples saying, teacher, I will follow

you wherever you go, or a very bold statement actually,

and Jesus didn't respond with oh, praise God, hallelujah, thank

you so much for following me. You know, you guys

are awesome. He didn't do that. No, what he did

was he gave them all a reality check. And true

discipleship isn't about passion alone. It's actually about persevering commitment.

That is what he was essentially saying. He's saying that

true discipleship is not just know your favor, it's not

just about activation. Sometimes we always talk about all activated faith,

active faith.

Great. Great.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong. In fact, I know

many churches are called activation church.

Good.

You know, it's a church that's full of faith. But

what is also needed is continuation. And every church is

a continuation church. We're not supposed to stop. Don't just

stop at activation, because if you're activated and you don't

follow true then we got lost somewhere along the way.

But from activation, let's move on to continuation. And that

is why Jesus is saying, ah, we willing to follow

even when it's not exciting. Are we willing to follow

even if it's not comfortable? He was really giving them

a reality check. He was going quite deep now, and

he's painful because he says this, No, the son of

Man have got no place to lay my head. And

then he goes to talk about how even the animals

actually you think about it. I remember when I was

learning English. Every animal has a home one something like that. Right,

fox go to a dan, some go into a cave,

some is a burrow?

Remember learning that? Am I the only one learning that? Right?

Every animal has got a designated place of aboard. But

he's saying, the son of Man no place to stay,

no home. And that's why Jesus is actually reminding us

that you need to prioritize the eternal over the temporal.

He knew where his home is and he's not here

on earth. That was the reminder because he knew one

day there will be eternity. And if we say we

believe in Jesus and want to follow him.

Then we have.

To start exercising whatever little faith that we have when

we first met him. Really, I believe, I believe all

of us have faith. No, somew you're makinking my faith

not as big as butter cannet. It's okay, my fear

is not as big as but the caneon if I

want to put it in comparison and contrast.

But do I believe that every one of us here

have faith? I do.

And if you are confident that you don't have faith,

come and talk to me, because really it is about faith.

We are safe by grace true faith.

It is faith that activates, and we need that activation

in our lives to receive God's.

Forgiveness upon us. It's so needed.

And so if you believe in Jesus and you want

to follow him, start exercising whatever little.

Faith that we have, And all of you have a journey.

All of you had a starting point where the Lord

impressed upon you the truth, and the truth is he

has come to save us. Sometimes there are comfortable things,

there are things that we are attached to that makes

it hard for.

Us to fully follow Jesus.

We have to ask ourselves what these comforts are what

these attachments are, and.

Do I need to give up some of these attachments?

Is there anything I'm delaying that Jesus is calling me

to do?

Now?

Sometimes Jesus is telling us, do it, do the right things.

So he's saying, forgive this person. Are we delaying there?

Because that is the baby steps that we can take,

the same faith acts that we can take. But we

keep hanging on, we keep procrastinating, don't Sometimes he's saying,

maybe it's someone you need to obey. Or sometimes he's saying,

please go and love that person, not gossip about that person,

not talk bad about that person. All of us have

got something within. Some things we need to let go,

some things we need to give up, some other things

we need to do.

So Jesus is saying, go, hey, no counter cost.

You can calculate it as much as you want, but

ultimately take the first step of saying yes Lord. If

he's telling you to do something, say yes, Lord, I

will do it. I will walk where you want me

to walk. I will go where you want me to go.

I will forgive a person in whom you are convince

me to forgive.

Amen.

Jesus is not looking for fans, No He is calling

for followers who will trust him enough to let go

and step forward no matter.

What the cost is. And then he wants us to

keep going at all costs. Amen, let's stand.

I'm going to ask Joel to lead us in Mighty

to save because I believe everything in that song. It's

an amazing reminder. He's an amazing reminder of who Jesus

is to us. He's a God who has saved us.

Because He has saved us, we are forever grateful, forever

grateful to his Great Live hallylujah.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

information our church, please visit aschurch dot org. We are

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week is going to be a good week, a hit

for you. God bless