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October 19, 2011

The Object of Our Faith

By Tony V. Hammack

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video. To listen to the audio (podcast), click here. To watch the video, click here.


It’s been said jokingly, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”

In the Christian Life the main thing is our relationship with God.

Sometimes people erroneously have faith in their faith.

People who are optimistic can believe in the power of positive thinking.

I actually believe there is power in positive thinking. However if a lost person can activate this then it doesn’t come personally from the Lord, it’s an innate Earthly principle.

Sometimes People can erroneously place Faith in their Prayers.
Is your faith in your prayers or is your faith in the God who answers the prayers? If you faith is in your prayers you are really praying to yourself and could be practicing a form of witchcraft.

Matthew 6:7
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

Sometimes we can put our faith erroneously into things Jesus/God did.
We don’t deny he did these things however our faith is in Him, not necessarily what he did.

Who Will Take the Son?
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.' The young man held out his package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.' The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift.'

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected. The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. 'We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?' There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.' But the auctioneer persisted. 'Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?'

Another voice angrily. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!' But still the auctioneer continued. 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?' Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting.' Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. We have $10, who will bid $20?' 'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters.' The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. 'Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!' A man sitting on the second row shouted, 'Now let's get on with the collection!' The auctioneer laid down his gavel. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.' What about the paintings?' 'I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!'

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: 'The son, the son, who'll take the son?' Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

The Scriptural exception
Colossians 2:12
having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Through faith in God’s resurrection power we have eternal life.

Romans 10:9,10
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Sometimes we can put our faith into things Jesus has. In a few instances this may be acceptable but the object of our faith according to the twenty-nine “faith in” scriptures in the Bible, is in the person of God the Son or the person of God the Father.

Thesis: Our faith is mis-directed if it’s in anything other than the person of Jesus Christ.

Outline
  1. Faith in God causes supernatural signs to manifest
  2. Faith in Jesus name causes healing to manifest
  3. Jews and Greeks must put their faith in Jesus to be saved
  4. Faith in the Lord Jesus causes righteousness to be imputed to the person in faith
  5. Faith in the Lord Jesus causes justification to be imputed to the person in faith
  6. We die to ourselves and put our faith in the Son of God
  7. When our Faith is in Christ we can approach God with freedom and confidence


1. Faith in God causes a supernatural sign to manifest

Mark 11:21-23
21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” 22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.


2. Faith in Jesus Name Causes Healing to Manifest

Acts 3:16

By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

3. Jews and Greeks must put their faith in Jesus

Acts 20:21
I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

John 14:6
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Acts 4:12
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

4. Faith in the Lord Jesus causes Righteousness to be Imputed to the person in faith

Romans 3:22
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,

Philippians 3:9
and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

5. Faith in the Lord Jesus causes Justification to be Imputed to the person in Faith

Romans 3:26

he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Galatians 2:16
know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

6. We die to ourselves and put our faith in the Son of God

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

Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

2 Corinthians 5:15
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

1 Peter 2:24a
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;

7. When our Faith is in Christ we can approach God with Freedom and Confidence
Ephesians 3:12
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Mark 15:38
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
  • Mercy - Not getting the justice from God we do deserve
  • Grace - Getting the power from God we don’t deserve


If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here and watch all four videos on the page.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

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Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501

(870) 793-9124


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