Red Letters: Freeing Faith - Pastor Josiah Elias

“It is only by the blood,” we sang as people were being baptized. Then we shared communion to remind us of the sacrifice Jesus made as He took the cup of God’s wrath for us even though He did not deserve it. What a powerful time of worship, surrender, and praise to the Lord, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

FC’s mission is to culture like Christ, and our vision is Jesus. Last week Pastor Josiah

preached on Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain. Peter, James, and John accompanied

Jesus Christ. “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.”

Matthew 17:2 (NIV) On the mountaintop Moses and Elijah appeared. “We are all welcome to the mountaintop. We are all welcome to soar,” said Pastor Josiah. We can soar like butterflies or think we are to be stuck in the caterpillar mode. We are not caterpillars, and we need to live in that fact.

When Jesus, Peter, James, and John came down from the mountain, they saw some religious

leaders arguing with the other disciples. “When the crowd saw Jesus, they were

overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.” Mark 9:15 (NLT) “Overwhelmed with

awe-in Grk. Ekthambeo-to be struck with amazement-Astounded.” Jesus had been transfigured, and His transfiguration attracted the crowd who were amazed and in awe.

Jesus asked, “What is all this arguing about?” Mark 9:16 (NLT) A distressed father explained

that he had brought his son to be healed, but the disciples could not heal him. The religious

leaders took the opportunity to argue. What was their purpose in arguing? The father’s purpose was to have his son healed, but the religious leaders taunted the disciples. The religious love to argue; the transformed ones get the job done.

“You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you?”

Jesus questioned. Mark 9:19 (NLT) To whom was Jesus talking? Was it the disciples? Was it the whole crowd? We know there was a lack somewhere. Pastor Josiah stated that the disciples needed to get the Good News in them because the success of the mission after Jesus’ ascension rested on their shoulders. They needed to have a breakthrough in their faith. He posed a pertinent question,”How much is riding on our maturing in the things of God?” If we want to be salt and light in this downtrodden world, we need to lean into Him more; sit at His feet; “Be still and know” that He is God Psalm 46:10; converse with the Creator of the Universe; and surrender daily to Him!

We need to be aware of the mission-to share Jesus with a dying world. Who around you needs to hear about Jesus? Pastor Josiah shared about a time recently when he went to have a procedure done, and the nurse asked about his name, Josiah David Elias, all biblically based names. That gave him the perfect opportunity to share who Jesus was/is in his life. He even asked if he could pray for her. Because he will return in a few weeks, he will get to hear how Jesus has worked in the nurse’s life. How much is riding on your testimony? You can walk in confidence if you ask the Lord to help you share His impact on your life.

Returning to the distressed father and demon possessed son, Jesus asked them to bring the

boy to Him.“So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child

into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.”

Mark 9:20 (NLT) The boy, writhing and foaming at the mouth, was the demon’s

acknowledgement of Jesus’ presence. Pastor Josiah asked another powerful question,”How

many people come to church and are still in chains?” Are they chains of condemnation?

Are the chains the result of incorporating Jesus into your life instead of surrendering your entire life to Jesus? We cannot limit our walk with Him to singing and attending church. We need to authentically surrender our lives, desires, finances, jobs, families to Him. So that

“at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in

heaven, and of those on earth and of those under the earth,

and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is

Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”Philippians 2:10-11 (NKJV)

Jesus asked the father how long the boy had been tortured like that, and the father

answered,“Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into the

water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” Mark 9:21b-22 (NLT)

The father was desperate at his son’s condition, and he did everything he could to free his son of the torture.

The next interchange was powerful.

”’What do you mean, ’If I can?’ Jesus asked. ‘Anything

is possible if a person believes.’

The father instantly cried out,’I do believe, but help me

overcome my unbelief!’” Mark 9:23-24 (NLT)

The father was standing in the gap on behalf of his son. For whom are you standing in the

gap right now? Ask the Lord for whom He wants for you to intercede. Keep standing in the

gap for them. The next generation needs us to support and pray for them. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season, we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

Galatians 6:9 (NKJV)

Finding sons is not the problem but finding fathers is. Perhaps, the mountain of

transfiguration was an announcement that the potential curse upon the earth

pronounced by Malachi was officially reversed when three fathers stood with three sons.

The three fathers were Moses, Jesus and Elijah; the three sons were Peter, James and John

who were to carry on the faith.

Now is the time is of commitment and decisiveness. Jesus warned,”Anyone who puts a hand

to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 (NLT) In the

OT, Lot’s wife, as they were fleeing from Sodom and Gomorrah, looked back, and she turned

into a pillar of salt. She had too much of Sodom in her. We need to decide whether we have

incorporated Jesus into our lives or decided to make Him Lord and Savior of our lives. In Mark 9 the father was totally committed to having his son healed.

And Jesus was committed to healing rather than propriety.

“He rebuked the evil spirit. ‘Listen, you spirit that makes

this boy unable to hear and speak,’ he said. ‘I command

you to come out of this child and never enter him again!’

Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another

violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be

dead.” Mark 9:25b-26 (NLT)

We’ve got to trust Jesus at His word, despite what we see before us. The boy appeared

dead, and the crowd described him as dead. But Jesus took him by the hand and “helped him to his feet, and he stood up.” Mark 9:27 (NLT)

To solidify that decision to stand in the gap, Pastor Josiah asked all the under forty people to

raise their hands. The over forty people were to lay hands on the under forties and to pray for them. May we commit to intercede for those under forty.

The Paramount Point is “The devil freezes-the Son of God frees.”Whom God frees is free

indeed. So may we be free in the Savior, and be salt and light in this troubled world.

Calendar:

3/21 LB potluck, worship and Pastor Michel’s grandmother, Irene Villa, will share

4/11 LB potluck, worship and Meet to Swap with funds going to the FC Youth

Submitted by

Larry and Annette Linthicum