IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Humility and Faith

Date: Sep. 19, 2015

Passage

Matthew 17:14-27  (ESV)

14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 17:20

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

First, failing faith (14-18). A year earlier, the disciples had done many miraculous things, but now their faith was failing. What was wrong? They did not understand, and Jesus was exasperated. After all his patient and careful teaching, they were not getting it - they were losing ground.

Second, trusting God (19-27). Sometimes we get full of ourselves, and we forget our first love. Our hearts are prone to wander. It's no use asking why things are this way - they just are. We must constantly be on guard against this. Faith and humility go hand-in-hand. Through life's trials, we are chastened and learn humility. Then the door to faith opens. Faith is another way to say trust. Once we have been humbled by life's circumstances, we learn to trust God, starting with trusting his discipline in our lives. Nothing - absolutely nothing - comes into our lives that our loving Lord and Father has not designed for our good. Nothing. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him" (Job 13:15). This prayer of Job's is the highest form of trust in God. Jesus said the same thing in his prayer: "...nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done" (Lk 22:42). We must learn to trust God and yield to him in all circumstances.

Prayer: Lord, grant me forgiveness for my arrogant attitude. According to your excellent promise, grant your servant a new heart that does not wander.

One Word: Trust God in all circumstances!

Daily Bread

The Work of the Holy Spirit

Acts 5:1-16

Key Verse: 5:3

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?

Read More

Intro Daily