Having Strong Faith | Part 1

Do you have a strong faith?

Listen to Adrian Rogers. We need a mighty faith because we have a mighty God. Now I'm going to share with you from the Word of God a story about a man who came to Jesus and this man had a weak faith. I would call it a superstitious faith. But he went from that superstitious faith to a strong faith to a saving faith.

Welcome to Love Worth Finding, featuring profound truth simply stated by pastor, teacher, and author Adrian Rogers. In the kingdom of heaven, faith is the medium of exchange. Whatever we receive from God is according to our faith. Pastor Rogers said, the greater your faith, the greater glory God gets. By faith, man gives God pleasure and by faith, God gives man treasure. John chapter 4 tells the story of a man whose superficial superstitious faith was transformed into a strong saving faith. If you have your Bible, turn to John 4 now. We'll begin in verse 46 as Adrian Rogers reveals more about having strong faith. Would you take God's Word and turn please to John chapter 4, the Gospel of John. And I want to speak to you today about faith, having strong faith.

Now in our economy, the dollar is the medium of exchange. But in the kingdom of heaven, faith is the medium of exchange. The Bible says, according to your faith, be it unto you. Whatever we receive from God is according to our faith, not according to our friends, not according to our family, not according to our fortune, not according to our feelings, not according to our fate, F-A-T-E.

I hope you're not watching the horoscope. But according to our faith, according to your faith, be it unto you. Not only do we need to possess a faith, what we need is for faith to possess us. We need a mighty faith because we have a mighty God. Doubt sees the obstacles. Faith sees the way. Doubt sees the darkest night. Faith sees the day.

Doubt dreads to take a step. Faith soars on high. Doubt questions who believes. Faith answers, I, I believe. But you know, we need a strong faith, not a weak faith, but a strong faith. Now I'm going to share with you from the Word of God a story about a man who came to Jesus and this man had a weak faith. I would call it a superficial faith.

Even worse, a superstitious faith. But he went from that superstitious faith to a strong faith to a saving faith. And that's what I want us to see today and I hope that you today will grow in faith.

Now this man had a problem that was a son that was sick. And this nobleman wanted Jesus to heal his son. And the dark soil of that problem was the soil in which the seed of faith would grow. Now do you want a strong faith?

Do you really? Would you like to really believe God and please God? You know the Bible says, without faith it's impossible to please God.

No matter what else you do, I don't care how beautifully you sing, how sacrificially you give, how circumspectly you walk, how faithfully you serve. If you're not believing God, you're not pleasing God. Without faith it is impossible to please God. And the greater your faith, the greater glory God gets, the more pleased He is with it. And by faith man gives God pleasure. And by faith God gives man treasure, real treasure.

So let's see here something about a strong faith. Begin reading with me in chapter 4 verse 46. So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee where He made the water wine.

And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. And he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea and to Galilee he went unto him and besought him that he would come down and heal his son. For he, that is the son, was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe. Now Jesus was not giving that just simply as a statement of fact. He was giving that as a rebuke to this man. Jesus is rebuking this man who was looking for signs and wonders.

The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way, thy son liveth. And the man believed the word. Now if you don't mind marking your Bible would you underscore that?

Would you underscore that? And the man believed the word. Now what we have here is in opposition signs and wonders and the word.

That's what we have. First Jesus rebukes him, except you see signs and wonders you'll not believe. And then Jesus speaks to him and there's a transformation and now it says and the man believed the word. What you have on the one side are wonders and what you have on the other side is the word.

Now that's very key so I hope you'll keep your heart and mind on that. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him and he went his way. And when he was now going down his servants met him and told him saying, Thy son liveth. Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday. That's very interesting too.

Mark it right now. Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. That's probably according to their time about 1 p.m. So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth. And himself believed and his whole house. Well I thought he'd already believed. Now it mentions he believes again.

This is again the second miracle that Jesus did when he was come out of Judea into Galilee. Now are you ready to have a strong faith? Would you really like to have a strong faith? Would you like to be able to believe God and lay believing hands on the promises of God?

Well let me lay three things on your heart. First of all what I want to call the problem of a superstitious faith. Or if you'd rather problem of a superficial faith.

It makes no difference how you say it. At first when this man first met Jesus his faith was almost non-existent. Look again in verse 48 go back and look at it. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe. This man had a faith that was based on signs and wonders. Evidently his motto was, Seeing is believing.

God if you just give me a sign, if you just give me a wonder then I can believe. And what had happened to this man therefore is he is dependent upon his five senses. He's not dependent upon the word of God. Now doubtless this man had heard that Jesus had turned water into wine. Look if you will in verse 46.

It's not put there just by happenstance. So Jesus came again unto Cana of Galilee where he made the water wine and there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. Now Jesus had done a miracle. The first miracle that Jesus performed was turning water into wine. This man had heard about this and he was taken with this and so he was kind of as we would say in the vernacular today, he was blown away by this miracle. Here was somebody who could turn water into wine. But Jesus knew that miracles, signs and wonders are really very little good in strong faith.

Now you may not believe that. If you're like I am, when you were a younger Christian you were saying, Oh God I just want to see a miracle. I mean a genuine industrial strength miracle. I mean one that cannot be explained any other way except that you supernaturally do something. I'm ashamed to admit it but when I was in college I got in a room one time and prayed and asked God to move a chair from one side to the other.

I'm so glad the devil didn't nudge that chair. But I wanted to see, and I was just saying, Now Lord I want to see something that you know that I can say I have seen, I've felt, I've experienced a miracle. How many of you have kind of been that way sometime? Let me see. Be honest, come on now.

I've already confessed. I mean we want a sign, we want a wonder, we want a miracle. And this man had heard about Jesus turning water into wine. And so he's coming now to Jesus. He's come all the way from Capernaum about 17 miles away and he's saying, Now come down and heal my son. Anybody who can turn water into wine can heal my son. And Jesus rebukes him. Jesus said, Except you see signs and wonders ye will not believe. That was the same way that they were when Jesus turned water into wine. Now you're in chapter four. Be easy for you. Just turn back two chapters to chapter two and look at it.

Look at it. Chapter two verse 23. And when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast day many believed in his name when they saw the miracles that he did.

Well you say isn't that good? They believed in Jesus when they saw the miracles that he did. But notice verse 24. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them. And the word commit and the word believe in the Greek are the same word. They believed in Jesus but he didn't believe in them.

And notice what it goes on to say. He did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men. And he did not that any should testify of man for he knew what was in man. Jesus knew that these people were following Him, they were, quote, believing on Him because of the miracle. They didn't have strong faith.

They had superficial faith, almost superstitious faith. You would be amazed how many people today want signs and wonders. They want visions. They want emotions. They want dreams. They want liver shivers and icicles going up and down the spine and angels playing tic-tac-toe on the ribs.

They want something so they can say, hey, I know, I know it is real. Now I have seen, now I have touched, now I have smelled, now I have heard, and now I know it is real. Oh God, give me a sign. Oh God, give me a wonder.

And I want to tell you that the world is full of people just like that. And many of them sit in our churches today. Now, Jesus did perform miracles.

I know ifs, ands, and buts about that. And why did He do it? Why did Jesus give signs and wonders?

Well, He did that to authenticate His ministry. Let me give you a couple of verses to put in your margin. One is Acts chapter 2, verse 22. Now you don't turn to it. I've copied it out to save us time because I have a lot to say today.

Just put it in your margin. Acts chapter 2, verse 22. Ye men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know. Jesus did signs and wonders. You cannot take that out of the Word of God, nor should we wish to. Well, why did He do signs and wonders? Well, we're in the Gospel of John. If you were to fast forward to John chapter 20, and look in verses 30 and 31, you'd read, And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.

But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you might have life through his name. Now, God did miracles to authenticate the ministry of Jesus, but the miracle was not for the miracle's sake. The miracle was that you might believe on Jesus and have eternal life.

Not that you might seek a miracle, but a Messiah. Not a sign, but a Savior. Now, it's also clear that the apostles did signs and wonders. Some people think that we ought to do signs and wonders because they were done in the New Testament, but these were the signs and wonders done by the apostles.

Put this verse down. 2 Corinthians 12, verse 12, Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. Now, the apostle Paul had power to do miracles. Signs and wonders and mighty deeds. And God authenticated the ministry of the apostles with signs and wonders.

Hebrews chapter 2, verse 4, put that verse down. God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders and divers, miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will. Now, they did not have the power to do signs and wonders according to their own will, but God took the apostles. And because they were apostles and they were setting the foundation of our faith, God authenticated their ministry with signs and wonders.

But, folks, that is not the program for the whole age. God has given us something better than signs and wonders, and I want to show that to you. Listen, what is wrong with demanding a sign? What is wrong with what this man first did when Jesus rebuked him and said, except you see signs and wonders you will not believe? As a matter of fact, Jesus said, an evil and an adulterous generation seeks a sign. Now, boy, that's pretty strong. An evil and an adulterous generation seeks a sign.

Well, why is it so bad? Well, first of all, it's dishonoring to God. Why is it dishonoring to God for you to say, God, give me a sign, give me a wonder so I can believe?

Well, we have His Word. Suppose I come to my son, I say, now son, I want you to know that I love you and I have deposited a thousand dollars in the bank for you. It's in your account.

I've opened up an account for you and I've done that for you. Son, you've got a thousand dollars in the bank. Suppose he says to me, Dad, how do I know I have a thousand dollars in the bank? I said, well, I just told you. Well, Dad, you know, Dad, it sure would mean a whole lot to me if you would show me the deposit slip. I mean, if somewhere, or you could just take me down there to the bank and let me see it so I would know it.

I say, son, I just told you. No, but I want a sign. I want a wonder. I want something that I can see. I want something I can touch. I want something I can taste.

I want something I can smell. Don't just give me your Word. You know, the Bible says, he that believeth not God hath made him a liar. Now, there was a man named Thomas in the Bible.

We call him Dowdy Thomas. Jesus was raised from the dead. The apostles were preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead according as he had promised in his Word. You know what little Thomas said?

He said, unless I put my finger in the nail prints and in his side where the wound is, he said, I'll not believe. Now I want you to go to John 20 and look at it. Look in John 20.

Just turn over to it. John 20, verse 29. Jesus appeared to him and said, okay, Tom, put your hand there. Go ahead, thrust your hand into my side and notice in verse 29, Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed.

Did Thomas get a lot of credit for that? Notice what Jesus said. Blessed are they which have not seen and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name. You see, was it good for Thomas to believe after he's had a sign, a wonder, after he's felt with his hands?

Well, it was good. But he missed the blessing of simply believing the word of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Why are seeking signs and wonders dangerous?

Number one, it dishonors God. Number two, it can be deceiving to you. It can be very, very deceiving. Signs and wonders can easily deceive. There's coming Satan's Superman, who will be the devil incarnate.

And do you know what he's going to do to authenticate his ministry? Signs and wonders. Put this verse down, II Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 9. It speaks of him, even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, now don't miss this, with all power and signs and lying wonders. The antichrist will be able to make you think black is white, good is bad, and cut your mother's throat with a smile on your face because of the ability that he will have to deceive. With all power and signs and lying wonders. The devil can do signs and lying wonders and will do them through his antichrist. Let me give you this verse, Revelation chapter 13.

Put that down, verses 13 and 14. Speaking of the false prophet who is the sinister minister of propaganda for the antichrist that is coming, listen to this. And he doeth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and watch this now, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast. The beast now is the antichrist. Saying unto them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by sword and did live. Why this propaganda agent for the antichrist has the ability to do signs and wonders so that people would literally worship Satan's superman. So signs and wonders, not only to demand signs and wonders, dishonors God, but secondly it may be very deceptive to you.

It says that it makes fire come down out of heaven. Now what would that be? I don't know. Maybe some dazzling display, maybe an atomic explosion in outer space.

I don't know what it may be. Suppose I say, oh God, I want to know whether or not I am right with you. I want to know whether I am going to heaven. God, would you give me a sign?

Now I don't just say, Lord, would you move a chair across the room? I say, Lord, would you just give me a sign in the heavens? And when I say that, the heavens are ablaze from pole to pole. I see shimmering fire. God and I are tight.

I mean, I've got it made. There's a sign. I have a sign.

Now I know. The judgment comes. I stand before the Lord. I have never repented of my sin.

I have never trusted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I have never been twice born and my soul is dropping into hell. And I say, God, how can you do that? You gave me a sign. And the devil says, you fool.

You fool. God didn't give you that sign. I'm the one that made fire come down out of heaven to deceive you. The Bible says if it were possible, Satan would deceive the very elect. And don't you let some wonder worker, some miracle worker, some sign giver, some soothsayer, some emissary from Satan deceive you and you go following off after something else because of some sign and some wonder. Jesus said an adulterous and sinful generation seeks after a sign.

It is dishonoring to God and it may be very deceptive to man. Now, let's move to the second point. Not only the problem of superficial faith or superstitious faith, but notice the progression of strong faith. I want you to see how this man moved from a weak faith to a very strong, solid, substantive faith. And I want to give you the steps because they're progressive steps here. He moves from signs and wonders to the Word.

And let me give you these steps. Step number one, he heard the Word of God. Look, if you will, in verse 50. And so Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way, thy son liveth, and the man believeth the Word.

Number one, he heard the Word of God. Now let me tell you what faith is. Faith is not naming it and claiming it. Faith is not receiving from God what you want.

Faith is accepting from God what He gives. Hear the Word of God. Notice this man, he's a nobleman. He's trying to tell Jesus what to do. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down. That is, you come with me. Come on, Lord, I'm going to take you to Capernaum. Now notice verse 50, Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way. He says, you come, Jesus said, you go.

You go. You're not here to tell me what to do. You're not here to demand me.

You're not here to command me. You're here to hear me, to listen to me, to get a word from me. Coming up tomorrow, we'll hear part two of this important message. Maybe today you have questions about who Jesus is or what He means to you, how to begin a relationship with God through Christ. Go to our Discover Jesus page at lwf.org slash radio.

You'll find resources and materials that will answer questions you may have about your faith. Again, go to lwf.org slash radio and click Discover Jesus. Now, if you'd like a copy of today's message, you can call us at 1-877-LOVE-GOD to order Having Strong Faith. This message is also part of the insightful series, The Bible, The Book of the Ages.

For the complete collection, all 12 powerful messages, call that number 1-877-LOVE-GOD, or you can order online at lwf.org slash radio, or write us at Love Worth Finding, Box 38600, Memphis, Tennessee 38183. Thank you for studying in God's Word with us today. Remember, faith is not seeing signs and wonders.

Rather, it is a response to the character of God. Take that word with you today and join us tomorrow for part two of Having Strong Faith, right here on Love Worth Finding. One of our friends reached out on Facebook recently. I want to share this message. He said, Pastor Rogers shares the truth of the gospels directly from scripture. He has a heart for God and for bringing people to Christ and growing them in their faith.

I am deeply grateful. His sermons are still being aired. It is such a blessing to us all. We are honored to share the truth of the gospel at a time such as this, and that's why Love Worth Finding is proud to present a new documentary film, Nothing But the Truth, in partnership with the film's producers. When you donate to the ministry right now, we want to send you a DVD copy. Pastor Adrian Rogers is prominently featured in the film as a lifelong defender of truth, warning about the continuing erosion of truth in our culture. Request the DVD, Nothing But the Truth, when you call with a gift right now at 1-877-LOVEGOD, or you can give online at lwf.org slash radio.