2006-09-24 Communion Dedication – Baldwin Christian Church 

Keep faith simple.  The fruit of simple, uncomplicated faith in God is simple, uncomplicated obedience to God, and obedience is the key to pleasing Him.  When our faith becomes complicated, so will our obedience, and we will fall away from God 

Matthew 16:1-4 

1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 

2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 

3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 

4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. 

Satan does some of his best work when he makes faith complicated. 

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

Salvation is only by God’s grace.  Faith is our part.  Whenever we try to over-think our faith, we’re complicating it, and taking a step down the road to unbelief, to destruction.  Always keep faith simple, and it will be powerful.  In Jesus’ hometown, He didn’t do a whole lot of mighty works.  Why?  They didn’t believe Him!  (Matthew 13:53-58)  On the other hand, wherever Jesus did find faith, not just the partial, “I need a sign” type-of faith, that’s where His works were mighty!  I don’t believe any of us would say, “Thanks anyways, but no mighty works for me today, Jesus”. 

Keep it simple. 

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  For without it, it is impossible to please Him. 

We shouldn’t say these Pharisees and Sadducees were faithless, but their traditions had complicated and made void the word of God.  Now they were at a point where only a sign would do, as if they needed a little something everyday to prove God was still alive.  Where were the mighty works in their lives? 

Whenever I allow my thoughts to dwell on things I perceived were signs, I make complicated what God meant to be simple.  As a result, my ability to see the opportunities He sets before me becomes clouded, and the power to do His work goes away from me. 

Besides, signs are only a token of the real power available through faith.  Why settle for a sign when you can have the real thing? 

When faith is no longer simple, when it becomes complicated in my mind, my Christian walk will stop progressing.   The opportunities to serve God, the ones He “before ordained” for my life, slowly but surely, little by little, get cloudy in my sight.  When faith is no longer simple, slowly but surely, little by little, I will walk down that path to destruction.  Faith was meant to be simple and pure.  Let’s break this bread, and lift this cup with simple and pure hearts toward our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and let’s allow Him to work mighty in us this week.