Central thought: Fruitfulness is the evidence of true faith.
Hymn: My Faith looks up to Thee
Text: Mark 7:24-37, 9:14-32
The importance of faith in the life of a believer cannot be over emphasized. Faith by which we receive something from God is so important that it should be applied in everything that a believer does. It is written that the just shall live by faith. God is faithful and that is why He honors the faith of His children. During the first sacrifices made in the Bible, there was a manifestation of faith on the part of Abel and God honored the faith of His servant. Many great men of God like Abraham who showed a high degree of serving God with faith were greatly honored by God. The Bible says that it is impossible to please God without faith. It is not sufficient for one to confess faith but that this faith produce fruits that will attract others to the faith. If a man’s faith in Christ is not producing fruit, that faith must be re-examined.
Lesson Objectives:
- To know the meaning of faith.
- To identify some examples of faith that produced fruits in the Scriptures.
- To learn that only faith in Christ Jesus can produce fruit.
- To know the importance of the word of God in producing faith.
- To know that we receive blessings according to our faith.
Question 1.) What is faith?
King James version of the Holy Bible explains faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. According to the Good news Bible, to have faith is to be sure of things we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1).
According to Penny catechism, faith is a supernatural gift of God which makes us to believe without doubting what God has revealed to us. All the above definitions are correct and are saying the same thing in different ways. It is faith that makes us believe that God will do what He has promised for those who serve Him without doubts in their heart. It is faith that makes a Christian to begin to express gratitude to God as he feels the existence of what he prayed for and believes that God has given him that thing though he has not seen it physically. Faith is that force that brings what is in the spiritual to the physical.
A measure of faith is given to every individual and for this reason no one can say that God cheated him by not giving him faith. As we are commanded to repent, so also we are commanded to have faith, (Mark 11:22, 16:14, Luke 17:6). Faith comes by hearing, reading and heartily accepting God’s word. (Romans 10:17). When we stand on the promises of God by faith, we move with God and move God into action, God can never fail. The promises of God are “Yea and Amen”, and every prophecy in God’s word will come to pass but only faith in the prophecies will yield fruits.
For us to have the faith that produces fruit, we need to study the Bible daily so as to hear from God. We also need to hear the testimony of others as these can challenge to us to exercise our faith. Praying constantly will give a thirst and hunger of reading the Bible which in effect will arouse faith to live according to the will of God.
Question 2.) Give some instances of fruitful faith in the scriptures.
The account of the prophet’s widow and her oil in 2 Kings 4:1-7 was that of a fruitful faith. It took faith to gather several empty jars for a little quantity of oil. At the end of the exercise, the oil was enough to pay all her debts and sustain her and the two sons.
The widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8-16) was another case of a fruitful faith. The woman knows that the flour she had was only for a last meal for her son and herself to eat and die, yet she harkened to Prophet Elijah by providing for him first. The scriptures said that at the end, the jar of flour was never used up and the jug of oil did not run dry anymore.
It was a fruitful faith when the three Hebrew boys chose to be thrown into the fiery furnace instead of bowing down to the golden image (Daniel 3:1-30). According to today’s text, Syrophoenician woman being a Greek had no “Locus standi” to demand a favor from Jesus Christ. Her persistent faith yielded fruit and the daughter was cleansed of unclean spirits (Mark 7:28-29).
This list is by no means exhaustive for we see the heroes of fruitful faith revealed in Hebrews chapter eleven which is generally referred to as the faith chapter in the Bible.
Question 3.) How can one’s faith be fruitless?
There were instances in the scriptures where people had faith but not in God and the result was failure and frustration. The prophets of baal (1 Kings 18:16-29) had faith but not in the true God. The scriptures said they called on the name of baal from morning till noon. “O Baal, answer us”, they shouted but there was no response. They danced and slashed themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed. Yet this strong faith did not yield any fruit because it was not on God.
Goliath, the Philistine champion had his faith in his strength, expertise, and gods of his land ( 1 Samuel 17:38-54). He cursed David in the name of his gods and looked down on David because the later was a young boy and novice in war. At the end, it was a fruitless faith because it was not in God.
The seven sons of Sceva ( Acts 19:13-16) had their faith on gymics and not on Christ. Their faith was fruitless and ended in shame. Thus when man puts his faith on things that are transient such as family name, money, talent, status, position, religion, church membership, Pastors, who we know etc. Such a faith can never produce good fruit. Faith must be built on Christ to produce fruit. Every believer therefore that is not on Christ the Solid rock is useless and dangerous.
Question 4.) What are the hinderances to fruitful faith?
The Scripture says “a double minded man is unstable in all his ways”, and such a man will not receive anything from God because of doubt (James 1:6-8). Many Christians ask God for one blessing or the other and there is no reason why they should not receive since the word of God which cannot lie says “Ask and it shall be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). These same Christians who have prayed doubt the ability of God to bring it to pass and so there will be no fruit.
The same book of James says ” When you ask you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives”, not praying in the will of God, which is another hindrance. Lack of knowledge of the word is a great hindrance since it is the word of God that He confirms with signs and wonders. Of course, there is the negative effect of willful sin since the fellow is outside the will of God and cannot please God at that time.
Question 5.) What is the role of the word of God in producing fruitful faith?
The Bible says that faith comes by hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). During the studying of the word of God, the promises and will of God for His children are revealed. First there is awareness of who God is, then what He can do for his believers. As these words are digested upon, faith will begin to arise to the extent that the written word (logos) begin to stand out as the spoken word (rhema). This word of God which is the power of God then begins to produce the fruit in that believer. That is what makes the Christian to have a fruitful faith. It means that the Christian that is void of the word of God will also be void of fruitful faith. It is not sufficient for us to hear the Word but that the Word be retained and mixed with faith, then the fruit shall follow. God has exalted His word above His name and His words have become keys to unlocking the mysteries of His kingdom. When the word of God is preached and received, signs and wonders follow which are God’s approval of fruitfulness ( Mark 16: 19-20).
Question 6.) What is the place of absolute trust in God in our faith being fruitful?
Jesus said to the woman with the issue of blood, “Daughter, your faith has healed you, go in peace”. (Luke 8:48). Again He said to the sinful woman who anointed Him with oil while reclining at the table in Simeon’s house. “Your faith has saved you, go in peace”. About the centurion, He said, “I tell you, I have never found such great faith even in Israel” (Luke 7:9). In all these instances, their desires were met which Christ attributed to their faith. In Hebrews 11:6, the Scripture says “without faith it is impossible to please God”. There can be no fruit when God is not pleased. The level of faith in Abel made him offer a better sacrifice than Cain (Genesis 4:1-7). It is the absolute trust in God by the believer that will make him seek healing from God instead of dashing to the hospital first. It is the absolute trust in God that will make the Christian sow a seed-faith with the amount of money he has towards a project he is hoping for instead of using up the little amount he had. These are acts of faith that are capable of challenging God into action resulting in fruitfulness.
Daily Living Application:
It is ordained of God that the faith of His children in Him produce fruits. If we say we have faith, the fruits are the evidence. The Christian should therefore desire to see fruits of his/her faith. There should be a fresh outlook into the place of the word of God in our lives. Aggressive studying of the word and a consistent prayer life will definitely produce fruitful faith. Fellowship should be regularly attended since other peoples testimony can arouse faith in another believer.
Memory verse:
Hebrews 11:6
“…. For he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”