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Paul Mahan

O Ye of Little Faith

Matthew 6:30
Paul Mahan September, 17 2025 Audio
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Matthew

The sermon titled "O Ye of Little Faith," preached by Paul Mahan, delves into the theme of faith, particularly the struggles of believers with doubts and fears. Mahan examines several passages from Matthew, where Jesus rebukes His disciples for their lack of faith, emphasizing that the admonition "O ye of little faith" was directed towards those already in a relationship with Him, highlighting that even the chosen followers struggled spiritually. He supports his arguments with numerous Scripture references, noting how God's providence is evident throughout the biblical narrative, including instances where God provides for both His children and for creation itself. The significance of the sermon lies in its encouragement for believers to grow in their faith, acknowledging that little faith, though it is saving faith, often leads to worries and anxieties that undermine peace and joy in a Christian's life. Mahan calls for a deeper trust in God as the provider and sustainer of all things, urging the congregation not to be overwhelmed by fears but to rest in their Father’s care.

Key Quotes

“Little faith is a gift of God. It’s not of yourselves, it’s a gift of God.”

“We need to be rid of our fears, don’t we? We need to have less fear... Unbelief dishonors our Lord, and it makes us miserable.”

“If you wish to be encouraged and never be disappointed, look to your Lord.”

“Fear not, take no anxious thought for what you shall eat and drink. Don’t do it. Don’t be like the world.”

What does the Bible say about faith?

The Bible teaches that faith is a gift from God and is essential for salvation.

Scripture highlights faith as a precious gift from God, not something we can conjure up on our own. Ephesians 2:8-9 states, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.' Despite the struggles and little faith often displayed by the disciples, the message of encouragement remains that even little faith can be saving faith, as noted in Psalm 103:13, which shows God’s compassionate care for those who trust in Him.

Ephesians 2:8-9, Psalm 103:13

What does the Bible say about faith?

The Bible teaches that faith is a gift from God and is essential for salvation.

Faith is described in Scripture as a gift from God, not something that we generate ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is through faith that we are united with Christ and receive His righteousness. Romans 10:17 emphasizes that faith comes by hearing the Word of God, suggesting that a believer's ability to trust in God's promises stems from engagement with His truth. Faith is also portrayed as having varying degrees; even little faith is saving faith, but greater faith yields more assurance and joy.

Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:17

How do we know God provides for us?

God's provision for His people is emphasized throughout Scripture, affirming His role as our Provider.

In Matthew 6, Jesus reassures His disciples of God's provision, detailing how God cares for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, insisting that we are of much more value. He states in Matthew 6:32-33 that our Heavenly Father knows our needs and encourages us to seek first His Kingdom. This underscores the profound truth that God, as our loving Father, provides everything necessary for our lives, thus we can trust Him without anxiety.

Matthew 6:32-33, Psalm 23

How do we know that God provides for us?

Scripture repeatedly assures that God provides for His children, just as He cares for the birds of the air.

In Matthew 6, Jesus reassures His disciples that if God cares for the grass of the field and the birds of the air, He will certainly care for them (Matthew 6:30-32). This passage reminds believers that God's provision is driven by His love and faithfulness. Verses like Psalm 23 affirm that the Lord is our shepherd who supplies all our needs. If God has provided the ultimate gift of salvation through Christ, we can trust Him for our daily provisions and needs as well.

Matthew 6:30-32, Psalm 23

Why is having faith important for Christians?

Faith is crucial because it pleases God and assures us of His promises.

Hebrews 11:6 states that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith not only assures us of the hope we have in Christ but also empowers us to live righteously and to serve others. It emboldens us to face life's trials by trusting in God's goodness and sovereignty. As believers, our faith connects us to Christ, who is the object of our trust, and through His faithfulness, we can overcome our fears and doubts.

Hebrews 11:6, Romans 5:1-5

Why is it important for Christians to have faith?

Faith is crucial for Christians as it honors God and ensures their spiritual wellbeing.

Having faith is essential for Christians not only because it is the means through which they receive salvation, but also because it reflects a proper relationship with God. Unbelief dishonors God and can lead to spiritual stagnation and discontent. Throughout the Bible, faith is depicted as an anchor for the soul, providing assurance amidst life's uncertainties. Romans 5 teaches that through faith, we have peace with God, and this trust in Him fosters hope that does not disappoint, ensuring that believers live with joy and confidence in God's promises.

Romans 5:1-5, Hebrews 11:1

What does the phrase 'little faith' mean in the Bible?

'Little faith' refers to a faith that is genuine but often struggles with doubt and fear.

The term 'little faith' appears multiple times in the Gospels, particularly in Matthew, where Jesus gently rebukes His disciples for their lack of trust during challenging circumstances. While they possessed faith, it was often overshadowed by fear, showing us that even small amounts of faith can connect us to God's grace. Romans 10:17 explains that faith comes from hearing the Word of Christ, suggesting that our faith can grow as we immerse ourselves in His teachings.

Matthew 6:30, Romans 10:17

What should Christians do when they experience doubt?

Christians should turn to God's Word and seek to strengthen their faith in Him.

When doubts arise, Christians are encouraged to engage with Scripture, as faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). It's important to remember that little faith can be saving faith; believers are called to bring their doubts to the Lord in prayer, seeking His strength to overcome them. In moments of doubt, reflecting on God's past faithfulness can encourage believers and serve as a reminder of His caring nature. Hebrews 4:16 invites believers to approach the throne of grace with confidence, appealing to God's mercy and grace to help in their times of need.

Romans 10:17, Hebrews 4:16

How can we build our faith according to the Bible?

Faith can be strengthened by hearing and meditating on Scripture.

Building faith involves a continuous engagement with God's Word. Romans 10:17 indicates that faith comes by hearing, and the more we expose ourselves to the truth of Scripture, the sturdier our faith becomes. Additionally, prayer and fellowship with other believers provide encouragement and support, which are essential for nurturing our spiritual growth. This building process underscores the importance of community in the faith journey.

Romans 10:17, Hebrews 10:24-25

How does God demonstrate His care and provision for us?

God demonstrates care through provision, protection, and assurance of His presence.

God's care and provision are evident throughout Scripture, from the daily provisions granted to the Israelites in the wilderness to Jesus' assurances in the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6 emphasizes not being anxious about tomorrow because God knows our needs. Additionally, Psalm 103 reminds us that the Lord is compassionate, and He understands our frailty. His provisions are not just material but encompass spiritual, emotional, and physical needs, reinforcing that believers can rest in His providential care.

Matthew 6:25-34, Psalm 103:13-14

Sermon Transcript

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Matthew chapter 6. Matthew 6. Four times our Lord gently rebukes
his disciples and us with these words. Four times. That's why
we're looking at Matthew. Four times. Oh, ye of little
faith. Look at verse 30. If God so clothed the grass of
the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven,
shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Chapter 8, look over there. Chapter
8, verse 26. Right during a storm, verse 26,
he says unto them, Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith? Chapter 14. He raised another
storm. He raised another storm. Chapter 14, verse 31. And Peter, he said this directly
to Peter, who, you remember, asked him, Lord, if it's you,
let me come to you. And he did. And he's looking
to Christ. He was fine. He had no fear. But he looked down and looked
around. And he began to sing. And he cried out to the Lord
to save him. Thirty-one immediately. Immediately. Jesus treads forth
his hand, caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith,
why didst thou doubt? Chapter 16. One more. Chapter
16, verse 8. The disciples, the Lord reminded
them again of beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and they said,
we forgot to bring bread. He had just fed 10, 15, 20,000
people, twice. And He said in verse 8, He perceived
that He said unto them, O ye of little faith. Why are you
reasoning in your heads in these things? Go back to chapter 6. This was to His disciples. And
this message is to His disciples. The Sermon on the Mount was to
His disciples. You know that? Everyone heard it, but it was
to His disciples. He kept telling them, Your Father,
Your Father, Your Father. I forgot I meant to write it
down how many times He said it over and over again. Your Father,
Your Father. Easing their fears, making these
wonderful promises, reminding them. It was to His disciples,
His children. He called them little children.
They were grown men, but when it came to faith, they were like
little children. And he called them beloved. They
were chosen of him. All his are. He revealed himself
to them as the Lord revealed himself to you. I'm just certain
he had. He gave them faith. They didn't decide to believe
Simon Peter and Andrew and James and John. They didn't care anything
about Jesus or none of it. They cared about them. They didn't
really know him, but we knew them. He chose them, came to
them, gave them this faith. He said in John 14, he says,
you believe in God. Remember? He said, you now believe
in God, but believe also in me. You remember they kept, but where
are you going? Like little children. Don't leave.
He said, I must. And Philip, show us the Father.
He said, have I been so long time with you, you don't know
me. He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. So this was
to his little children. He kept teaching them and showing
them, providing for them, protecting them, promising them, yet they
had such little faith, didn't they? Four times. He kept saying
that. Four times. Little faith. But
now I remind you, all of these grown men were only three years
old spiritually. You understand? They hadn't known
him more than two or three years. So let's have some compassion
on them. We ought to have more faith than
they did. Some of us have been hearing
the Word and following the Lord for forty and fifty years. If
they had little faith, little faith, later on they had great
faith. They sure did. They sure did. And this is for
our encouragement. O ye of little faith, do you
have any faith? This is for our encouragement,
not only our rebuke and our correction, our reproof, but do you have
any faith? There's not a person in here
that believes they have great faith. Anybody, if I'd ask for
somebody to raise your hand, do you have great faith? Not
one person, starting with me, would say they do. But do you
have a little faith? Okay, where did you get it? Huh? Little faith is saving faith.
Little faith is a gift of God. Little faith is a precious gift. It's not of yourselves, it's
a gift of God. And the gifts and calling of God are what?
Without repentance. Little faith saving faith. But
little faith won't give you much peace. Little faith won't give you much
assurance. Little faith won't give you much
joy. Little faith won't give you much
rest. I want more faith, don't you?
Faith is in our Lord. Faith is not us doing anything. It's trusting Him. It's looking
to Him. That's what faith is. It's not believing in ourselves,
it's believing in our Lord. You see? He's the object of our
faith. Well, where does faith come from?
Where does Scripture say, Romans 10, faith come with how? By hearing. Hearing what? The Word of the
Lord. You need this. I need this. I'm
glad the Lord laid this on my heart, because I need it as much
or more than anybody. He that hath little faith, let
him hear. He that hath ears. We all need this because we all
have doubts and fears and worries all the time. I'd like to be rid of them, wouldn't
you? Someone recently, and this happens
all the time, someone recently expressed their fears to me,
and I was so disappointed. And what they had to say, a believer.
And I thought, haven't they heard a thing I've been preaching all
this time? I was so disappointed. The same with the disciples.
That's what the Lord was saying to the disciples. Someone said
this, and it's a good statement. If you wish to be disappointed,
look at other people. Doesn't matter who it is. Every
man at his best. If you wish to be disappointed,
look at others. If you wish to be really discouraged, look at
yourself. If you want to be encouraged and never be disappointed, look
to your Lord. And I'm so thankful that our
Lord knows our frame. Aren't you? These verses give
me more peace, as much peace as anything. Like, I love that
verse in Luke 12 we read, Be a good. It's your father's good
pleasure to give you. I remember as a young believer
walking along, just worried about my salvation. And that verse
came to my mind. You're not a little flock, little
fella. It's your father's good pleasure.
It just gives him great pleasure to give you the kingdom. Well, listen to this, said the
people's heart was not right with God, they weren't steadfast
in his covenant, but he. But he, being full of compassion,
forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not. Yet many a time turned
he his anger away, did not stir up all his wrath, for he remembered
they were but flesh. That's Psalm 78, 38. Psalm 103,
one of my favorites. I love, love, love this. Like
as a father pitieth his children. So the Lord pitieth them that
fear him. He knoweth our frame. He remembers that we're dust. He remembers. He never forgets
our frame, and I don't want to either. But we need to get rid
of our fears, don't we? We need to have less fear. I
meant to read that article by my pastor, Pat, in our bulletin
many times. You probably remember it. He
said we have entirely too many fears for those whom the Lord
kept saying, fear not. Entirely too many worries, entirely
too much covetousness, and on and on it went for those to whom
the Lord has said so much. We need to be rid of these fears,
don't we? We need to be built up on this holy faith. I want
to grow in the grace of faith, don't you? I want to grow. Because
unbelief dishonors our Lord, and it makes us miserable. And it hurts other people. It
hurts our brethren. We're supposed to build up one
another on this most holy thing. Another time, well, back when
the Lord sent a plague, the plague, someone was very fearful of that
and called me about it. I really wasn't aware of it yet,
and they called me about it. And they were so worried about
it, I said, well, I said, please don't express your fears to other
people. Please don't call other people
and tell them your fears like you just told me, because I'm
going to try to get people not to fear. So it discourages. We're supposed to build one another
up, right, not tear one another down. And unbelief is contagious. So we need to have our fears
relieved, don't we? We need to believe and trust
our Heavenly Father as our great provider. Here in Matthew 6,
he keeps talking about how our Heavenly Father provides for
His own, doesn't He? Just like He provides for the
birds. And Sunday, we talked about our
Lord killing, making alive. One time, He said, there's not
a sparrow that falls to the ground. without your heavenly Father.
He did it. Have you ever seen starlings in the sky? Isn't that
amazing? They never run into each other.
It's kind of like the highways with all these cars in it. Who's
keeping them from running into each other? God is. But if one
falls to the ground, God did that. Can you believe that? The hair on your head. I remember
at about 30 years old, I was really worried about that. Really
worried about that. John, you never worried about
that. The Lord gave you all that hair.
He took mine away. But if something so minor, seemingly
minor, like a hair in your head or a bird in the sky, the Lord
controls and does that and feeds every single animal on the face
of the earth, even the worms and the insects. What have we
got to worry about? He said, Are you not worth more
than many sparrows? Jeanette sings that song, His
Eyes on a Sparrow. Isn't that a beautiful, wonderful
song? I know he watches many. And the rest of it, I love the
rest of it, I sing because I'm happy. That's what we ought to do instead
of complain and worry. Listen to this, Romans 5. Listen to this. We're his children.
We're his beloved. We're his son. Listen to this.
God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us. While we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us. Much more then. being now justified by his blood,
reconciled. What about now that we're sons? If we were enemies, we were reconciled
to God by the death of his son. Much more being reconciled, we're
going to be saved. In every respect, not only our
sins, but everything about us is provided by our Heavenly Father. He's not going to let us do without
those things we need. Look at verse 32 here, Matthew
6, verse 32. After all these things, this
is all the Gentiles think about. Now, this is what he's telling
them. All the world thinks about eating,
drinking, and other things, you know. What are we going to wear?
Where are we going to go? And like 1 Corinthians 10, remember
we read that? He called it idolatry. That's
all you think about. They sat down to eat, they sat
down to drink, and they rose up to play. And that's what most people do.
When we, by the grace of God, are coming to worship our Lord
on Sunday or Wednesday, our neighbors are not. Look all around us,
they're not moving. Now who made us to differ? They're
not interested. All they care about is eating
and drinking and sleeping and playing and recreation, isn't
it? Go ahead and say it. Let God. He's not going to let us do that,
and the way He keeps us from doing that is His Word, which
you're hearing right now. It reminds us. meat and drinks, righteousness,
peace, and joy of the Holy Spirit. He said, Your Father knoweth
how much more, how much more, how much more. Do you worry about
provisions for this life, food, drink, clothing, shelter, having
enough, I can't afford it, I don't want to make my next house payment. Most people in here are over,
we've got a lot of old people, like Margaret in her 70s. I'm going to quit saying that
in about two weeks. But we've got a lot of old people
in here, right? You obviously haven't missed
a meal. You've got a house. You've got
plenty of clothes. Now, those are the least matters.
Those are the very least things. He that spared not his own son,
delivering him up first of all, how shall he not with him freely
give us all the things that we need? But I do remember, you
know, being younger and having payments. I remember I
got laid off from the railroad. I worked there 30 days. and making
more money than I ever dreamed of. I thought, I won't retire
when I'm 30. Well, I got laid off. Oh, no. Who gave you that job? Who gave you the job? Come on
now. Would you turn with me to Exodus 12? Let's see who gave
you this job. Exodus chapter 12. Say you went
and you applied for this job and you had all these credentials
and all this education and, you know, you had the ability and
you sold yourself and you had charisma and so they hired you
for the job. No, that's not the reason. I
remember applying for the job. In fact, Mandy remembers this
well. When the railroad retired from
that, I was looking for another job and my neighbor, There was
a job that I was qualified for. I was very qualified. And my
neighbor was the one that was hiring for this job. I thought,
I'm shoo-in. It's fine. I didn't get the job. Why? I'm supposed to come here. I came here a week later. That's so disappointing. Exodus
12, look at Exodus 12, verse 33. The Egyptians were urging
upon the people that God's bringing them out. And that's what the
church means. Remember? Called out. God's bringing
his people out of Egypt, all right? And the Egyptians wanted
them out. And they said, get out. And down
in verse 35, the children of Israel did according to the word
of Moses, and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver
and jewels of gold and raiment. And the Lord gave the people
favor in the sight of the Egyptians. So they lent them everything
they needed. Hang on a minute. They're leaving. They're not coming back. And
they loaned them all this money. And they're not going to get
one payment for it. Who did that? The Lord gave them
favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Why? Because God's people are
his favorites. I'll show you. Listen to Isaiah
43. Don't you love this? My, my,
my. Listen to this. If you don't
know this, listen carefully. The Lord said to Jacob, Fear
not, Jacob, I formed thee. Fear not, I've redeemed thee. I've called thee by thy name.
Thou art mine. When ye pass through the waters,
I'll be with you. Through the rivers, they shall not overflow
thee. When ye walk through the fire, it shall not burn you,
neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. I am the Lord thy
God, the Holy One of Israel." Who? He says, God the Father,
God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Thy Savior. I gave Egypt for
thy rancher. Ethiopia and Seba for thee. You're
precious in my sight. Isn't that wonderful? Anxious care. When he said back
in our text, take no thought. Now, brethren, the Greek word
means take no anxious care. Don't be full of anxiety and
worry. That's what he's saying. Everybody
takes, you know, got to think about what you're going to do
the next day. That's not what he's saying. You understand that?
That's why I read Luke 12. He said, don't be full of anxious
thought and anxious care and worry. It's worry is what it
is. The same word that he used to Martha. Martha, Martha, you're
careful and troubled without me anything. Careful, full of
care. It's the same word he used in Philippians 4 where Paul said,
be careful, don't be full of care for anything, but in everything
by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let the request
be made known unto God. You've got to think about what
you're going to do tomorrow, what time you're going to get up,
where you're going to go, don't you? That's not what he's saying.
Just be carefree. No, no, no. Don't be full of
anxiety and fear and worry about tomorrow and about these things.
That's what he's saying. We do. We worry, don't we? And
like I said, the Lord gave. What if I lose my job? Well,
I'm just trying to tell you, who gave you that job? Who gave you that job? The Lord
gave, and what can happen? Why will you lose your job if
you lose it? The Lord will take it away. You
remember 1 Samuel 2? You remember that? Hannah's prayer?
It's not a better one in the Bible. It's by a woman. She said, The Lord killeth, the
Lord maketh alive. Where'd she get that? Moses.
He bringeth down to the grave, he bringeth up. The Lord maketh
poor, the Lord maketh rich. He bringeth low, he lifteth up.
He does all these things. He does all these things. She
was full of care and anxiety about having a child. Well, the Lord gave, and if the
Lord's pleased, if He takes it away, who did it? It's the Lord. It's the Lord. Well, what will
happen then? He'll give you another one. During the Depression, my grandfather,
I've told you this, but some haven't heard it, My grandfather,
John Carey Mahan, my dad's dad, he worked at the steel mill. He went to World War I. He served in World War I. Survived that, lived through
that, by the grace of God. Married my grandmother either
before or after. They went on their honeymoon
to Havana, Cuba. I got a picture of them at the
railroad station in Albana, Cuba. But they went there, and they
got married, and they came back from the war, and they got married,
and he got a job at the steel mill, Birmingham Steel. So did
my other grandfather. And she got a job as a nurse.
She was a nurse. Well, the Depression came. They
lost both their jobs. They had a house. They lost their
house. Had to move in a little shack behind a rich man's home.
And my dad and his brother and sister were all two or three
or four years old at the time. They had three mouths to feed
and lost their job and lost their home. Never missed a meal. In fact, my grandmother was such
a kind lady. She fed bums and people that
came to the house. They didn't have anything to
feed, but she fed them anyway. All right, they lost that house.
Well, things got better. The Lord made things better. Gave them another job. Gave them
another house. Nice little house in the country.
Tecumseh, Georgia. Man, do I have fond memories
of that. Little farm. Couple of cows. Just loved that
place. Feather bed. Farm pond. Man, that's living. House burned
down. No insurance. They moved to Ashland, Kentucky.
Good preacher up there. Right down the road. Little old
small house. Nothing like that farm. It's fine. It's just fine. They lived out their days. They
were both heavy smokers. They died an old age. And don't do the Lord. Come another
house. Fear not. Take no action, stop. Don't worry about your job. You
lose that, the Lord takes it, He'll give you nothing. He'll
give you nothing. Many, many illustrations of that. Oh, you have a little faith.
Be done with provisional fear. Don't worry about provisions.
The Lord has given you the greatest gift of all, the unspeakable
gift, which is Christ our Lord. Be like that woman who opened
her cabinet, that poor woman opened her cabinet She had one
piece of bread and had a little bit in the cupboard. She said,
all this and Christ too? Our Heavenly Father is our provider.
Our Heavenly Father is our protector. Is there anything you're afraid
of? What are we not afraid of? Any
worry about sickness, disease, Dangerous, huh? You have any
phobias? Anybody with phobias? Germs? Can't eat this, can't eat that?
Insects? Mice and lions and tigers and
bears? Anybody afraid of anything? Everybody's
afraid of everything. Worry about our bodies. more than our soul. Now look at verse 25. Our Lord
said this, ìDonít take thought and worry about what you eat.î Man, oh man, do we need this
today. ìOh, ye of little faith, we ought
to be more Christ conscious than health conscious.î His words,
take no thought. He sent his disciples out one
time and he said, whatever they put in front of you, don't ask
questions. Remember that? He said, don't take your wallet.
Didn't he? Don't take your wallet. Don't take food in a sack. And
whatever they feed you, wherever you go, eat it. What happened? They all died
from, no, they came back and said, hey, it's just like you
said. Here's our Lord's, you know,
this generation is so worried about everything. I understand
about different, you know, people have different allergies or whatever,
you know, I have an allergy. It just came back. Years ago,
I discovered I was allergic to red meat. I went to the emergency
room several times. And so, oh, can't eat red meat. Well, I thought, why can't I
be allergic to lobster? But anyway, it's the Lord. And
well, it went away. For years, didn't it? Well, it's
back. It happened to be the other night. But we're so worried, and why
did I say that? Because there are legitimate
allergies, I understand that. But here's the thing, we don't
need to be health conscious about what we eat, worry about what
we eat. The Lord gave one word to take care of it all. Moderation. Right? Moderation. I'll save you money on your diet,
okay? One word. Moderate. Not Mediterranean.
Moderate. And I'm not called to sit here
and take questions and debate and answer every question and
every reasoning, human reasoning and all that. I'm called to stand
up here and tell you what the Lord said. Take no anxious thought
for what you shall eat and drink. Don't do it. Don't be like the
world. Don't do it. Didn't He say that? He rebuked
them four times. Oh, ye of little faith. My, my, my. Look at chapter 8. Our Lord is
our provider. Our Lord is our protector. He
protects His body. If we say we trust Him with our
souls, why can't we trust Him with our body? Huh? Chapter 8, verse 1. When He came
down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. Behold,
a leper came. Now listen to me. Look down at
verse 16. The evening came, many possessed with devils. He cast
out spirits with his word and healed all that were sick. People
had everything there was to have, every sickness, and they came
flocking to Christ. And the disciples were right
there in the midst of it. Are you with me? Leprosy. They're supposed to be in a colony
with a covering over their mouth. They were surrounded, the disciples
right in the middle of it. All the time. They were subjected,
the Lord purposely subjected them to all these contagious
diseases. What happened? Take no thought. Oh, ye of little
faith. My, my, my. Is He not Lord of
germs? I wound and I heal. I'll give it. And if
He gives whatever it is, He gives it for you to witness a testimony
and say that He did it. And His grace is sufficient to
endure it. And if you live through it, fine. If you don't, fine. Isn't the Lord merciful? That's
where we need to think about this day. God exposed his disciples to
every sickness they want. Day in and day out. And same
with you. You know that? You're exposed every single day
to every disease you can think of. Yes, you are. Do you go to
Walmart? Do you go to Walmart? Right? Aren't we fools? Oh, ye
of little faith. What about dangers? Look at chapter 8, verse 23.
Verse 23, when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed
him. And verse 23, his disciples followed. Behold, there arose a great tempest
in the sea, and so much the ship was covered with the wave, and
he was asleep. I love this story. Don't you
love this story? Now our Lord is living as a man by faith. You know that? He never did anything
for his own sustenance. Everything he did was for everybody
else. For his own sustenance, he'd depend on the Heavenly Father
to lead someone else to feed him. To do for him. Right? He lived by faith. We're
called to live by faith. And in a minute I'm going to
tell you, you say, where's Christ in all this? Well, He's the one
that's telling us it. You understand? And He lived by, I'll go ahead
and tell you, He lived by faith as our substitute. Because we
trust Him, we live by and we're saved by the faith of Christ. Our faith dishonors God. We are
no better than the children of Israel. Murmuring, complaining,
worrying about it. They kept worrying and worrying
and worrying, and the Lord finally said, okay, forget it. You're
not going in. Isn't it? Okay. You don't believe me? It tempted
me ten times. Every time they tempted him, it wasn't exposing
themselves to this and that and the other. It was not believing
him. He said, how long? He said, okay, nobody over 20
is going in. He said that, didn't he? Are
you with me? Are you hearing this? Why doesn't He do that
to us? Christ. Because Christ lived
by faith as a man for us. Perfectly. And God is well pleased
with His righteousness. We live by the faith of Christ.
He is our righteous. He is the second Adam. The first
one failed miserably. The second one is the Lord from
glory. He didn't. He shall not. He did not fail. We're saved by His faith, aren't
we? He's first our substitute, but He is our example. I want
the faith of Christ. I want that faith. How did He have faith? Well,
He believed God. He believed the Father. But verse
25, disciples came to Him and woke Him. Lord, save us. We perish. In another account it says, Lord,
don't You care? We've all done that, haven't
we? We've been in such dire straits and trouble and all that. The
Lord doesn't care. Nobody cares. We get so full
of self-pity and nobody cares. Why should they? Why should He? But He cares for His own infinitely
more than we do our own. Yes, He does. That dishonors
Him. He rose, verse 26, they woke
him up, and he said, Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith? And he arose and rebuked the
winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Now they had
little faith, and after that they had a great calm, after
he rebuked the wind, after he stopped the danger and all that.
How many dangers Through many dangers, toils and snares I have
already come, haven't we? Think back on it, brother, sister. Think back on all the things
that you've gone through. And the Lord in great grace and
mercy and power delivered you from these things, spared your
life. Why would we ever doubt Him ever,
ever again? Because we have little faith. Isn't that so? How did I get
through this? Why didn't the Lord bring you
through it? Oh, you have little faith. You know, if little faith receives
a great calm afterward, think how calm you could be during
the storm if you had greater faith. You know what they should
have done? If they had a little more faith, you know what they
would have done? Well, he's sleeping. Let's all go back and cuddle
up. He's not worried. Why should
we be? Let's sleep. Why all this worry? Let's go
to sleep. He that keepeth Israel never slumbers asleep. Great faith, great faith. Great
faith doesn't fear death, but welcomes it. And some of you are in your 80s
and 70s. That's all the Lord's promise.
Isn't it? Isn't it? The world, the scripture says,
their secret thought is they're going to live forever. That ain't
going to happen. You say man's living longer and
this society's living longer. How much? 70, 80? Isn't that what the Lord
said? And you, he said, you can't add
one cubit to your stature and you can't add one moment to your
life because your bounds are set and you cannot pass. Who
set them? God did. The instrument of your
death? The time of your death? The mode,
the way that you're dead? He did it. That ought to be comforted. Go to sleep. Paul had great faith. He said,
I have a desire. to depart and be with the Lord,
which is what? Say it. That's great faith. Don't you
want that? It's going to happen. Might be
tonight. Lord might strike us dreadfully
sick tomorrow. You never know, do you? Don't worry about it, because
it's the Lord. And if it happens, If you take
your life, everybody else will be sad, and you won't. And they're
right behind us. Right? Right behind us. In a moment, twinkling of an
eye. How many times does Scripture say that? Nobody changed. And the former things will not
be remembered or come to mind. It's like it never happened. In closing, let me read to you
some scripture, okay? In closing. Psalm 23. This is
why we don't need to take anxious thought. Psalm 23. David said,
What time I'm afraid, I'll trust in the Lord. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want, lack, need
anything ever, ever. You know, our pets eat better
than many third-world country people. The Lord's not going to let His
people do that. He makes me lie down in green pastures. Oh, my. He leads me beside still water.
He restoreth my soul again and again. He leads me in the paths
of righteousness for His name's sake. Notice who does all this,
continues to do it. It's continual. Restoreth, maketh,
leadeth. Giveth, giveth, giveth, and he
giveth more. He keeps giving. He'll never
quit. He'll never quit. Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, death's hanging over everybody.
I'll fear no evil. Why, David? The Lord's with me. He said, I'll never leave you.
Last thing He said when He left His servant, I'll never leave
you or forsake you. Thy rod and thy staff, that's,
we need correcting them, come from me. Prepares a table for
me, where? In the presence of my enemies. Dangers? Are you afraid of snakes and
spiders and all? This building's full of them. Right, Vicki? She found a rattler
in the furnace room. Not recently. Don't be afraid. This is what the Lord was talking
about. You're going to tread on serpents. You're going to
walk all over. You're going to be endangered all around you. And
you don't even know it. Who keeps them from biting you? Come on now, people. Oh, ye of
little faith. He prepares us a table in the
presence of our enemies. Surely, goodness and mercy will
follow us all the days of my life. And I will dwell. What makes you so sure, David?
It ain't in me. It's in my surety. I will dwell in the house of the
Lord forever. Why? Because He called me. He
chose me. He revealed it. He's not going
to kill us. Manoah, He's not going to kill us. He wouldn't
have told us this thing. He wouldn't have shown us this
thing. He wouldn't have accepted the sacrifice. You want to hear that message? Oh, ye of little faith. Anybody
got any more faith than when you came? Well, tomorrow's another
day. So don't forget. Let these sayings
sink down deep in your ears. Okay, stand with me.
Paul Mahan
About Paul Mahan
Paul Mahan has been pastor of Central Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, Virginia since 1989; preaching the Gospel of God's Sovereign Grace.
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