The Strongest Faith In The World
It was a big day at the convention center. The parking lot was jammed, as the cars drove back and forth trying to find the last remaining parking places. People were standing in line to get into the auditorium. Every seat was taken, and people were spilling out into the lobby and hallways.
Why was it such a big day at the convention center? A very interesting person would be speaking that day. A very unique person. What made this person so special and so unique was his very high level of faith. This person had the strongest faith of all believers in all the world. He was going to speak that day and reveal his secret to having such a strong faith.
The limousine pulled up to the convention center. People crowded against the window to see if they could catch a glimpse of the strongest believer in all the world. But you couldn’t see him. His entourage quickly escorted him into the building, amid all the flashing cameras and microphones. It almost looked like they were carrying him, but you couldn’t see.
What would he be like? Apparently, he trusted in God more than any one else on the face of the earth. Normal people experience doubts from time to time, but this person has never doubted once in his life. As you stand there, waiting for him to walk onto the stage, you read the poster that describes him. He does believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. OK. Science and intellectual arguments don’t bother him. That’s good. He has witnessed tragedies in the world. And he has experienced personal tragedies in his life. But those things never once caused him one doubt. That’s pretty impressive. This strong believer has listened to atheists, evolutionists, strong proponents of other religions like Islam and Buddhism. He has heard every anti-Christian argument ever made since Adam and Eve. But he has never doubted once.
And today, he’s going to reveal the secret of having such a strong faith. The lights are starting to dim. People are quieting down. The introduction is made. The audience gasps as he walks onto the stage.
What do you see? You can’t believe it. It’s a two-year old toddling across the stage. This is the person who believes in God more than anyone else? It looks like he’s still wearing a diaper. This is the person who has never once doubted even when faced personal tragedy? This is it? A two-year old? How can he be my role model for a strong Christian faith?
But then you remember the words of Jesus,
“Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
“Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:14-15).The faith of a child is the faith that Jesus wants you and me to have. To simply believe in Jesus, to simply take him at his Word, even when everything in the world tells me the opposite – that’s childlike faith. No doubting. No second-guessing. No trying to figure everything out with my logic. Just believing. Trusting that what God says is true, no matter what. That’s child-like faith. And what is the secret? The child on the stage begins to sing, “Jesus loves me this I know – Why? How? - For the Bible tells me so.” Has God really made it that simple? Are you carrying around the secret to having a strong faith? That Bible you have. Read it. Take God at his word, no matter what. Believe the simple truth that Jesus loves you and died for you and rose again. Keep that Bible open in your life, and God will give you a faith that can move mountains.
We pray, dear Lord, give me a child-like faith. Take away all of my doubts, and help me to trust in you as the Savior who died for me, and rose again, and who loves me and takes care of me every day. Amen.
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The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. Sermon contributed by Don Schultz.
The limousine pulled up to the convention center. People crowded against the window to see if they could catch a glimpse of the ...
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