"Little-Faiths" (The Disciples & the Epileptic Boy)

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Matthew 17:14-20
March 26, 2023

Matthew 17:14-20: And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 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. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 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.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 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.”

Sermon Outline

1. The awful situation

2. Who Matthew focuses on

• Like other gospels, Matthew records Christ's frustration with an "unbelieving generation."

• Unlike other gospels, Matthew focuses on Jesus' disciples in this regard.

3. Jesus' reply: "You of little faith"

• Common theme in the gospels.

4. Lack of faith is no small matter

• The disciples' unbelief caused Jesus frustration while he walked the earth.

• Unbelief shows that one is affected by one's culture rather than by God's promises.

• Unbelief hinders our usefulness in God's kingdom.

• Thus, unbelief is perverse.

5. How Christ sought to stir their faith

• Jesus taught how much can be accomplished when we believe.

• Jesus taught how little faith it takes to move mountains