Bible Basics: What We Can Learn From The Mountain"

FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD


Between Chapter Matthew 14 and 15, Jesus gives us 5 stories that has
Faith in common.

WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE HANDS OF JESUS IS ENOUGH
(Working Faith)
Starting in Matthew 14:14, 5000 men plus women and children follow
Jesus to a desert place.  This was a Jewish crowd.
Jesus had compassion and heals their sick
When evening came, He want to feed them. The disciple said send them                                away, we can’t do it. We don’t have enough.
Jesus answered, what do you have?  5 loaves and a few fish (a loaf was the size
Of a pie crust but thick as your thumb) . After the feeding, they picked up
12 baskets of leftovers. (5 represents the 5 book of the Jewish law and the
12 baskets represented the12 disciples )

YOU CAN DO THE IMPOSSIBLE TRUSTING JESUS.
(Little  Faith)
In Matthew 14:25, Jesus walks on water just before daylight toward
 A boat containing His disciples. Peter steps out of the boat on Jesus
Command and walks on water until he looked down at the water and
Began to sink.  O you of little faith.

REACHING OUT TO JESUS IN FAITH
(Extraordinary Faith)
In Matthew 14:36, The people of a town of Genesaret and surrounding
 Countries brought all their sick and begged Jesus to let them
 touch the hem of His garment and all who touch his garment were all healed.

DON’T GIVE UP ON JESUS
(Persistence Faith)
In Matthew 15:22, a woman from Cannan comes to Jesus and begs for mercy for
Her daughter to be healed. Because of her persistence and  her faith, Jesus
Heals her daughter from a distance.

IF JESUS DID IT ONCE, YOU CAN BE SURE HE CAN DO IT AGAIN
Matthew  15:29
(Inability to apply faith)
Jesus Goes to the mountain and sits down on the mountain side
4000 men plus women and children follows him for three days.
This was a Gentile crowd. He had compassion and heal their sick.
Jesus decided to feed the crowd. The disciples said they didn’t have
Enough to feed the crowd. What do you have? Seven loaves and few
Small fish. Enough for us, but not them.

Notice; Seeing is not always believing
The disciples saw and witnessed, but still did not believe.
They didn’t know how to see the miracles that they had witnessed
in  applicable to their personal situation.

    They had witnessed Jesus feeding five thousand with five loaves
    And a few fish.

   Now they had the same situation but couldn’t see Jesus involvement.
   If God did it one time, He could do it again.. If God did it for someone
   Else, He can do it for you.

HOW DO YOU SEE JESUS IN YOUR SITUATION
   1. When you look at a problem, do you see Jesus or do you see yourself?
   2. When you look at a problem do you see your limitations or do you see
       all possibilities with Jesus?
   3. When you look at a problem, do you see your abilities or do you see
        unlimited possibilities with Jesus.

  4.The disciples had many examples of blind faith in their background, but couldn't
     apply any faith to their situation.
  5. They witness many miracles in one day at the hand of Jesus, but couldn't find
      it in their hearts to ask Jesus for a miracle.
  6. They had many examples of prayer working in front of them but couldn't
      go in prayer for themselves.

YOUR MOUNTAIN EXPERIENCE   
1. Jesus is the light on your mountain.
    a. We should look to Jesus in all our circumstances
    b. If we develop a habit of looking to Jesus, we will
        never have a problem to big to handle
 2. Use  the mountain as a learning experience.
    a. Jesus didn't move the mountain.
    b. Jesus didn't go around the mountain.
    c. Jesus didn't go through the mountain.
    d. Jesus taught from the mountain.

3. Jesus healed from the mountain
   a. The lame was made  to walk
   b. The blind was given their sight.
   c. The dumb  was giving the ability to talk.
   b. The maimed healed of their hurt.
4. The rest healed  Jesus is everything you need him to be.
5. What Jesus did on the mountain is what He does for us
     Before we met Jesus:
     a. We were lame, walking after the world.
     b. We were spiritually blind
     c. We dumb to the righteousness of the Lord.
    d. We were broken in many ways in need of a doctor.

Lessons from the Mountain
1.Defn of a mountain: A problem to big for you.
   a. Jesus is the master of family.
   b.  Look to the hill from which I get my strength
   c. He sits high and looks low
   d.  He was transfigured on the mountain so His disciples could see
       His glory.
   
2. Purpose of the mountain in your life
    To develop your faith
3. Why God used the mountain.
    The mountain was His platform for teaching
    The mountain was His pulpit.
4. What God has done on the mountain
    He gave us His Word from the mountain
    He set the example of faith in action from the mountain.
5. Why you need to go to the mountain
    a. To get out of the valley
        1)  In the valley there are walls around you
        2) The valley is a dark place
        3)   It is in the valley where people decide to do nothing
    b. To get closer to God.
        1) We need to communicate with God.
        2) We need to dedicate ourselves to God
        3) Dedication is taking the responsibility to be obedient
        4) Dedication is taking the responsibility to serve.
    c. To get away from valley people
    d. If you hang around people who show no faith, your faith will
        Be affected
6. Why God want move the mountain
    a. We need the mountain so we learn that we need God’s help
    b. We need the mountain so we can learn to trust God.
    c. We need the mountains to build a faith profile.
    d. We need the mountain for out testimony to the authority of God
          Over our lives.

Rev. M. Mitchell