“He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.”
Matthew 13:31
We’re in the second week of a series on faith. We’re discovering what it means to plant our faith in God by reviewing instances where Jesus praised people for their faith. In week one, we saw how faith submits to the authority of God. This week we’ll look at how faith carries others to Jesus.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:13
This verse in John was spoken by Jesus and refers to His sacrifice on the cross. It’s a picture of love in action. When we see our friends hurting and in need, we show our love by laying aside our needs, personal concerns, and to-do lists to act on their behalf. Our faith in God’s love and provision can spur us to carry them before Him to petition for His intercession in their lives.
Faith Carries – Matthew 9:1-8, Luke 5: 17-26
We see an example of this in the story of the paralytic whose four friends dug through a roof to get him before Jesus. “When Jesus saw their faith,” he forgave and healed the paralytic. Notice that it was when Jesus saw the faith of the friends that He was moved to action. Not only did Jesus heal the paralytic but He first forgave him.
We don’t know the circumstances or what sin needed to be forgiven, but we should be encouraged that we can bring others to Jesus for forgiveness and healing. Not all illness is due to sin, and we don’t know that this person’s paralysis was due to sin, but we do know that Jesus needed him to know that he was forgiven. Jesus healed his heart before He healed his body.
I admit that I’m still exploring and praying about this aspect of faith. What part did the paralytic’s faith play in his own healing? Did he believe as strongly as his friends or was he just along for the ride? Was it his faith that caused his friends to believe enough to tear through someone’s roof?
I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I do know that faith working in community with others to bring the sick, hurting, and lost to Jesus moves His heart. The friends had faith that Jesus could and would heal their friend if they could just carry him into His presence. They paused and planted a seed of faith in Jesus. They planted their faith in Jesus, not in their own ability, and they received a miracle.
Next time you are praying for a friend in need, picture yourself carrying him or her into the throne room of Christ and laying them at His feet. This is an act of both submission and worship. We can trust that God is faithful and will work in their lives to bring about change. It may take time, He may need to work on their hearts first. He may need to work on our hearts. God will honor our faith and love as we plant seed of faith in His power to bring about change.
Our faith is all about God’s faithfulness. His faithfulness is what powers our faith. His love is what encourages our faith. His promises are what guarantee the harvest. We can hold on to these truths even when we don’t see the results we want or when change takes longer than we expected. Trust in Jesus, keep planting your faith in Him.
Don’t hold tightly to your seed of faith. Plant it in the heart of Jesus.
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I want to follow Jesus! How do I get started?
“This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.
1 John 4:13-15
If you are ready to join the family of God, simply believe and ask. You can choose your own words or pray the prayer below. God hears your heart, simply confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and let the Spirit lead you.
“Father, I want to be yours. Forgive me of my sins. I believe that you sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place. I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior and thank you for the gift of salvation through Him. I invite the Holy Spirit into my heart and surrender my life to You. In Jesus name, Amen.”
Feel free to spend time just talking to God and sharing your heart with Him. Let Him speak to you and listen as He leads you forward into new life. Welcome to the family.
Need to talk or have questions? Feel free to reach out and contact me.