Faith - the Ability to See

Rev Benjamin Yeoh

I like how your pastor asked you all to move around and shake one another's hands. I like the phrase he used, cross boundaries. We do that on our church where members will not just greet one another but also to just talk about anything. Sometimes even after 10 minutes, they are still talking and not interested in the sermon anymore. 

I wrote some declarations 2 years ago and I would like you to read it with me. 

I am marvellously made in the image of God. I am unique, one of a kind and precious to God.

God loves me and has a wonderful plan for my life. No weapon formed against me will prosper because greater is God in me than the devil in the world.

I am a spiritual being with a physical body and my spirit being will respond to God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

My tongue has the power of death and life and I will choose to use it to build not destroy, to heal not kill, and to bless not curse.

Greater is God in me than the devil in this world. We are more than conquerors in and through Christ Jesus our Lord.

God has brought me to this church for a purpose and I will with God's grace put my talents to work, to win soul and build His church.

The Gospel of Christ is the power of God that brings salvation and I will stand on God's promise and believe that my family members will be saved.

Now that we have just seen the declaration, now let's say it with gusto and believe it. 

Hebrews 11:23-27

By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

There was a patient in a psychiatric ward and they put some tests for him and he passed with flying colours. He did so well in such a short time that they were wanting to release him into the real world. But he must answer 2 question before they release him. 

You must remember this is the guy who is in a psychiatric ward. 

The first question was "if I am take a sharp knife and cut off your right ear what would happen to you?" He said he will not hear from that ear. Then the second question. "And what would happen if I cut off your left ear?" To which he replied, oh, then I can't see. Because my spectacles would fall off (laughs). 

Faith is the ability to see. The songs you all sang this morning has 3 songs that talks about the ability to see. 

1. Faith let's you see beyond the natural. 

When Moses was born they saw. What did they see? My son Derrick was born 21 days early. He was always in a hurry. When he was born my wife asked me this question. Boy or girl? Tall or short? Hair no hair? But instead she asked whose eyes. I said sorry but mine. Then she said she was very tired and she went to sleep. That's all she asked, whose eyes. 

They saw that he was no ordinary child. They saw beyond the ordinary. They saw ahead. More than the physical. 

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

It was beyond what we see. It's what we know. That is so so needed. Moses' faith started with his parent's faith. 

Impact your children's life for God. My children is sold out for God and the church. They grow up seeing us and it rubs off. We never tell our children about problems in the church but they know. Children can hear things. They grow up believing God. When I first came to church I told my members to not put pressure on my children. Don't say how can you do that? You are a pastor's son! Don't do that. If they do wrong they are given permission to discipline them. 

Jesus looked or gazed at Peter. It was a look that goes beyond the superficial. And he said your name is Simon, which is like a reed that flows with the wind, that can bend and break. But he said to Simon you will be called Peter, the rock. 

When Helen Keller was born, many thought she was born blind. She actually lost her sight at a very young age. A reporter asked her what is worst than being born blind and she said to be born with sight but has no vision. No wonder she wrote so many inspirational words. Like poems and greeting cards. 

I was born into the ministry as a 20 year old. In a youth camp. I responded to the altar call but I could not recognise why as I was a Form 5 drop out. Out of 8 papers I only passed 3. In bible school I was put into a special class. I thought I was special only to find out the class was for elementary English. A Form 5 drop out. God worked in me but I had to work hard. Stand in the mirror and taped myself speaking. You only realise how funny you sounded when you hear yourself over the tape. That was how I started. It is by the grace of God that I am what I am today.  

What are your challenges today? Don't be so lopsided. You see only the problems but not God. You see hopelessness. You see no way out. But God will make a way even when there is no way. 

2. Faith sees the bigness of our God. 

Hebrews 11:27

By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

The bible says Moses saw God. He saw a God who was invisible. He came to a realisation. For Moses to lead millions of Israelites, he had to go to the king of Egypt. Moses said he cannot but God said I Am that I Am send you. You cannot say I am that I Am. Only God can say that. God existed all the while. He is self existence. And Moses saw the bigness of God. That's how he started his journey. With God he is able. He put God in the equation. 

You can say to God I am not capable but I am available. Just a simple shepherd's rod but that simple rod parted the Red Sea. 

When David fought Goliath, he was putting King Saul on the spot. To find one man to fight one on one and Saul being head above all was afraid to step out. When David stood out, Saul thought he must be joking. He was just a boy? It's like putting any one of us to fight Mike Tyson. Sure die. 

But David was saying the same God that help him fight a lion and a bear will help him fight this Goliath. He came in the name of the Lord God almighty. They may be saying wah Goliath so big cannot die but David say so big cannot miss (laughs). It's my gut feeling that when David released the stones, the hand of God led that stone to Goliath's only weak spot. He slew Goliath without a sword. He ran over took Goliath's sword and cut off his head. 

When we look at our challenges see them small. We need to see the bigness of God. Greater is he that's in me than he that is in the world. Moses was a visionary leader because he saw the bigness of God. 

3. He saw his future in God. 

Hebrews 11:24-26

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

He was looking ahead to his reward. He renounce his royal heritage. He turned his back to his palace life. He chose suffering over the pleasures of life. He gave it all up to follow the promptings of God. Why? He saw his future in God. 

You know a dacing? A weighing scale. On one side you have a weight. On the other side a produce. And you balance things up. In Moses' case, you put the best the world has on one side and the other side you put all the sufferings he will go through. His value system is that he saw his reward in the future in God. God will never short change you. 

I end with this story. 

Remember how Abraham and Sarah have passed the age of child bearing and they wanted to help God by asking Abraham to sleep with her maid. Abraham slept with Hagar and she conceived. Stomach swell, her head also swell and she despised Sarah and thinks she's the mistress of the household. Sarah ran to Abraham but he did not take any action. Men, we cannot do that. We are the head of the house. Sarah made it hell for Hagar and she ran away. In the dessert, an angel found her. God says to her to return back to Sarah and submit herself to her. 

Not one thing have changed. Sarah was still the angry Sarah. What has changed is Hagar had encountered God and she changed. In our difficulties we often think God has abandoned us in our troubles. She saw the God who sees her.