THE ANGLICAN PARISH OF MOUNT DANDENONG
  • Home
  • About Our Parish
    • Mission Action Plan
    • Our Churches
    • Photo Galleries
    • Hall Hire
    • Annual Report
    • GIVING
  • Worship, Prayer & Study
    • Services
    • Daily Prayer
    • Prayer and meditation
    • Bible study
    • Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals
    • Other Worship Resources
  • Children
  • NEWS, ACTIVITES & EVENTS
  • Contact

Surprising Faith

28/5/2016

 
Picture
 
    The thing that I love about our reading from Luke 7:1-10 this week is that we get to see something that we don’t usually see in the Gospel’s.  Jesus is surprised!  Jesus is amazed and surprised, because having worked hard to teach the importance of faith to the people of God, he discovers the greatest example of faith he has ever come across through an encounter with a Roman Centurion.
    The writer of the letter to the Hebrews describes faith this way; “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
    So confident is our centurion that Jesus can heal his servant that he knows that Jesus doesn’t even need to come to his house for the servant to be made well.  ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’ Luke 7:9

 ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’ Luke 7:9
​
    Of course the enemy of faith and the opposite of faith is fear.  “What if God doesn’t answer my prayer?”  And so fear stops us praying and faith is never even given a chance.   The reason Jesus marvels at the Centurion’s faith is because it is exactly the kind fear denying faith he calls each of us to. Corrie Ten Boom puts it this way, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God!” 

    Of course the best way to grow in faith is to put it into practice as we entrust ourselves to God in prayer.  Martin Luther King JR. said that “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”  It’s not dependent upon our knowledge or understanding but by having confidence in Jesus promise that he always hears us whenever we turn to him in prayer.  Phillip Yancey writes, “I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse.”

    So let’s give faith  a chance  and dare to believe, just like the Centurion did, that when we turn to Jesus and pray according to his will he really does hear and answer our prayers.                                                           

​ Till next time. Andrew

​DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S PEW SHEET PDF

Comments are closed.
    Picture

    Rev. Andrew Smith

    Vicar of Light in the Hills
    Anglican Parish of Mt.
     Dandenong

    Archives

    April 2018
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015

Contact us   Privacy policy    © Copyright 2021 Anglican Parish of Mt. Dandenong. All rights reserved
  • Home
  • About Our Parish
    • Mission Action Plan
    • Our Churches
    • Photo Galleries
    • Hall Hire
    • Annual Report
    • GIVING
  • Worship, Prayer & Study
    • Services
    • Daily Prayer
    • Prayer and meditation
    • Bible study
    • Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals
    • Other Worship Resources
  • Children
  • NEWS, ACTIVITES & EVENTS
  • Contact