GRACE is God’s side of the equation FAITH is the human part of the equation

REVIEW GRACE is God’s side of the equation FAITH is the human part of the equation

Gripping REVIEW • Five Things… • God is… • God loves…gave Jesus • Jesus died for our sin • God raised Jesus up • Faith in Jesus changes everything

INTRODUCTION Four Faith Frustrators “Things That Stopped Jesus in His Tracks”

Gripping SCRIPTURE 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:17

Gripping SCRIPTURE 7 We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor 5:7

Gripping SCRIPTURE 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal 2:20

Gripping SCRIPTURE 38 But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." Hebrews 10:38

Gripping SCRIPTURE 1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! 3 Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Mark 6:1-6

Gripping SCRIPTURE 4 Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Mark 6:1-6

Gripping POINT ONE 1 FEAR

Gripping POINT ONE Luke 8:37 (NIV) 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left. 1

Gripping POINT ONE John 12:42 (NIV) 42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 1

Gripping POINT ONE Fear flood our emotions and interrupts our decisions and our thinking ability – it knocks our soul out of the alignment that faith brings 1

Gripping POINT TWO 2 DOUBT

Gripping POINT TWO Matthew 14:29-31 (NIV) 29 "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" 2

Gripping POINT TWO James 1:6 (NIV) 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 2

Gripping POINT TWO Doubt mixes into our thinking process and thins out the impact of faith – it minimizes and dilutes the God factor and maximizes the man factor 2

Gripping POINT THREE 3 UNBELIEF

Gripping POINT THREE Hebrews 3:16-19 (NIV) 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? 3

Gripping POINT THREE 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. 3

Gripping POINT THREE Mark 9:17-24 (NIV) 17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.“ 3

Gripping POINT THREE 19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 3

Gripping POINT THREE 21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. 22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.“ 3

Gripping POINT THREE 23 "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." 24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" 3

Gripping POINT THREE UNBELIEF weighs the facts, considers the evidence, and finds some other reason to reject what it is seeing and hearing – in spite of evidence it simply chooses this option out of stubbornness or self-preservation 3

Gripping POINT FOUR 4 IGNORANCE

Gripping POINT FOUR Hosea 4:6 (NIV) 6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. 4

Gripping POINT FOUR Romans 10:13-14 (NIV) 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 4

Gripping POINT FOUR IGNORANCE blocks faith not because of emotional overload, stubborness, or mixture – it simply neglects or does not know – the end result is the same. 4

Gripping CONCLUSION What tends to block you? Fear Doubt Unbelief Ignorance ?

Gripping CONCLUSION There is an answer! Comfort Focus Humility Study/Asking/Listening ?

GRACE is God’s side of the equation FAITH is the human part of the equation