Saturday 15 March 2014

Of Faith

Of Faith

“While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.”  Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. 
Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.  
She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” 
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment. 
When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd,  
he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him.  
After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.  
News of this spread through all that region.”
                                                Matthew 9:18-26.
Throughout the gospels we have stories of faith in Jesus. Here are two good examples.
A ruler comes to Jesus and has faith enough to believe that Jesus can raise his dead daughter.
Proof that Jesus had people who believed in him not just in the lower and middle class but in the ruling more educated classes.
This man asked Jesus to come to his home where there were people hired to play instruments as part of the mourning process for the dead.
They laughed at Jesus when he said she was only asleep. They obviously knew she was dead. Her death had probably been pronounced by someone.
Yet here Jesus touches here and she comes to life.
Prior to this while he was on his way a woman who had an issue of blood an incident noted in Mark five and Luke eight had the faith to believe that if she simply touched the hem of his cloak she would be healed.
She touched it and Jesus turned to her and said, “your faith has healed you.”
It must be noted that it was the faith of the people involved here that healed them.
Faith is the key to being a Christian. The writer of Hebrews noting,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
          Hebrews 11:1.
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 
                   Hebrews 11:6
Question, Where is your faith?
Think about it.

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