{"id":844,"date":"2023-10-30T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/?p=844"},"modified":"2026-04-01T16:20:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T16:20:57","slug":"setting-the-example-faith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/30\/setting-the-example-faith\/","title":{"rendered":"Setting the Example: Faith"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The apostle Paul instructed a young pastor named Timothy \u201cLet no one despise you for your youth, but <strong>set the believers an example<\/strong> in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.\u201d 1 Timothy 4:12 ESV&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the same instruction the apostle Peter gave. Addressing pastors he wrote \u201cAs a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly\u2014not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don\u2019t lord it over the people assigned to your care, <strong>but lead them by your own good example.\u201d <\/strong>1 Peter 5:1-3 NLT<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The word <em>example<\/em> here (\u03c4\u03cd\u03c0\u03bf\u03c2) means \u201cpattern,\u201d or \u201cmodel,\u201d which is what a pastor ought to be to the flock. While none of us will be a perfect example, the people who attend our church (generally speaking) ought to be able to look at our lives and see what a godly life looks like. And according to Paul, we\u2019re to set the example in at least five areas: speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. And in this post we\u2019re focusing in on setting an example in faith (\u03c0\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03cd\u03c9).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament defines faith (as used by Paul in 1 Timothy 4:12) as <strong>believing to the extent of complete trust and reliance on God.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The faith journey begins when we trust and rely on God to save us from the penalty for sin. And while this is a wonderful place to <em>start<\/em>, it\u2019s a terrible place to <em>stop<\/em> (in terms of trusting and relying on God).\u00a0Once faith is born, like an infant, God expects it to grow and in time become strong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you recall, the disciples\u2019 faith started <em>small<\/em>. This is why Jesus repeatedly referred to their faith as <em>little<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When they were worrying about food, drink and clothing Jesus said to them \u201c\u2026if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, <strong>O you of little faith?\u201d <\/strong>Matthew 6:30 ESV\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When they were on the Sea of Galilee and a great storm arose and they were freaking out Jesus said to them \u201cWhy are you afraid, <strong>O you of little faith?\u201d<\/strong> Matthew 8:26 ESV\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When the apostle Peter walked on water he began to doubt, and therefore began to sink, and therefore began to freak out. And when he did Jesus said to him <strong>\u201cO you of little faith<\/strong>, why did you doubt?\u201d Matthew 14:31 ESV\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Even though Jesus had miraculously provided food for tens of thousands of people, the disciples began worrying about having enough food. So Jesus said to them <strong>\u201cO you of little faith<\/strong>, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?\u201d Matthew 16:8 ESV&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When the disciples were unable to cast a demon out of a boy and asked Jesus why, Jesus told them <strong>\u201cBecause of your little faith.\u201d <\/strong>Matthew 17:20 ESV&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Were they saved? Yes, all but Judas. But had they learned to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliance on God? No, not yet. The apostle Peter would eventually (with integrity) be able to charge believers \u201c\u2026be strong in your faith\u2026\u201d (1 Peter 5:9 NLT) but note with me that he wrote this three and a half decades after Jesus\u2019 death and resurrection. So his faith didn\u2019t start this way, it got there in time. And this is the goal for every believer, that the small faith we start with will grow and grow and grow until it becomes <em>strong<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When the Jerusalem church needed to find some men to lead the church\u2019s food program for the poor, among others \u201c\u2026they chose Stephen, <strong>a man full of faith<\/strong> and of the Holy Spirit\u2026\u201d Acts 6:5 ESV&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Likewise, Barnabas \u201c\u2026was a good man, <strong>full <\/strong>of the Holy Spirit<strong> and of faith<\/strong>.\u201d Acts 11:24 ESV&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The apostle James speaks of being <strong>\u201c\u2026rich in faith\u2026\u201d<\/strong> (James 2:5 ESV) which could be defined as living <strong>\u201c\u2026in full assurance of faith\u2026\u201d <\/strong>(Hebrews 10:22 ESV), which means living in a perpetual state of strong confidence and deep trust in God. This is to \u201c\u2026<strong>walk by faith<\/strong>, not by sight\u2026\u201d 2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV And when we live this way we can join the apostle Paul in saying \u201c\u2026the life I now live in the flesh <strong>I live by faith<\/strong> in the Son of God\u2026\u201d Galatians 2:20 ESV<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, the question begs: How do I grow my faith? I want it to move from little (Matthew 6:30) to much (Acts 6:5), from weak (Romans 14:1) to strong (1 Peter 5:9) but how exactly does this happen?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately for us, Scripture is very clear, \u201c\u2026faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.\u201d (Romans 10:17 ESV) Faith develops as we read, study and meditate on the Word of God. It\u2019s how faith is born <em>and<\/em> how faith grows. So if you want to be strong in the faith, you have to be strong in the Word. The psalmist describes the person who will be strong in faith, saying \u201c\u2026his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.\u201d Psalm 1:2 ESV<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While reading, studying and meditating on God\u2019s Word is the number one way that we can grow our faith, it can also grow as we remember God\u2019s past faithfulness.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In Matthew 16 Jesus said to his disciples,\u201c<strong>O you of little faith<\/strong>, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? <sup>9&nbsp;<\/sup>Do you not yet perceive? <strong>Do you not remember <\/strong>the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? <sup>10&nbsp;<\/sup>Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?\u201dMatthew 16:8-10 ESV&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jesus is disappointed in their lack of faith because only months earlier &#8211; right there in the outskirts of Bethsaida &#8211; in the same place they\u2019re at now &#8211; there was another bread shortage. In that instance, there were some 25,000 mouths to feed and only 5 loaves of bread. But Jesus miraculously multiplied what they had to the point that not only was everyone fed &#8211; but there were 12 baskets of leftovers to boot.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And then a short time after this, there was <em>another<\/em> bread shortage while Jesus and his disciples were ministering in the Gentile region of The Decapolis. In that instance, there were some 20,000 mouths to feed and only 7 loaves of bread. But once again, Jesus miraculously multiplied what they had to the point that not only was every fed &#8211; but there were 7 baskets of leftovers.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>So Jesus is rightly asking his disciples: How is it that you are worrying about us only have one loaf of bread to split between the 13 of us? If I could take 5 loaves and meet the needs of 25,000 people &#8211; and if I could take 7 loaves and meet the needs of 20,000 people &#8211; don\u2019t you think I can take 1 loaf and meet the needs of 13 people?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Had the disciples focused on God\u2019s provision in the past, it would\u2019ve inspired faith in the present. But far from focusing on it, they forgot it, which is why Jesus asked them \u201c\u2026Do you not remember\u2026?\u201d Matthew 16:9 ESV&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To contextualize this passage, we (the staff of New Day) shouldn\u2019t be worrying about the Agawam location. We should remember how faithfully God provided for the Enfield location and have faith that He will do the same for the Agawam location. If we forget all the ways that He provided then, it\u2019ll be easy to worry about Agawam. But if we intentionally reflect on God\u2019s faithfulness then, it will inspire faith now.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Now what I\u2019ve described above is how every single disciple of Jesus ought to live.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We ought to trust God for salvation.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then we ought to read God\u2019s Word and meditate on his past faithfulness so our faith can grow and grow and grow.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then one day, even if it takes time, God will look down from heaven and see us living a life rich in faith (trusting Him for daily provision (Matthew 6:11), trusting Him when we\u2019re in trouble (Acts 27:25), trusting Him when we\u2019re facing a seemingly insurmountable obstacle (Matthew 17:19-20), trusting Him when we need wisdom (James 1:5), trusting Him when we\u2019re tempted which is what it means to take up the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16), and trusting Him that He is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28)).&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>And what Paul is telling Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12 is that church leaders must <em>lead the way<\/em> in living the life of faith. We must set the example of being faith-filled, not fear-full.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DISCUSSION QUESTION: What opportunities exist in this present season (where we\u2019re starting a new location) to demonstrate the life of faith to those we lead?&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The apostle Paul instructed a young pastor named Timothy \u201cLet no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.\u201d 1 Timothy 4:12 ESV&nbsp; This is the same instruction the apostle Peter gave. Addressing pastors he wrote \u201cAs a fellow elder, I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,12,13],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-844","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-leadership","7":"category-scripture","8":"category-staff","9":"entry"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Mike","author_link":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/author\/mike\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/844","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=844"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/844\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1211,"href":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/844\/revisions\/1211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/withskillfulhands.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}