Preschool
He staggered not at the promise of God. Romans 4:20
Who Will Believe?
Memory Verses
Primary
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith. Romans 4:20
Junior
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. Romans 4:20
Background Scripture: Mark 6:1–29
Lesson Scripture: Mark 6:1–13
Introduction
Believers have a sure connection with God. This connection is made possible by Jesus Christ for those who will truly believe in God. When we are troubled in spirit, we can “tug on that line.” We find that it is firmly anchored high up in heaven. “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil” (Heb. 6:19). Today we will consider the surety of this line, but we must also consider the possibility of our faith lying at our feet, anchored to things of this world. Let us anchor our soul with the heavenly hope.
Key Verse
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul (Heb. 10:39).
Lesson Scripture
Mark 6:1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
Studying the Lesson
We read of Jesus’s homecoming. We have no reason to doubt that as He entered His old community, he received a warm welcome. There likely were many cheery greetings. Being in Nazareth on the Sabbath, Jesus began to teach. Then the countenance of His old friends changed. “Who do you think you are? You are only one of us!” They were not interested in granting Jesus any authority. Refusing to submit to God is unbelief.
We see that even the Son of God was hindered in His work when His acquaintances did not believe Him. Unbelief limits the power of God. His human messengers are also hindered when they encounter unbelief.
Later Jesus commissioned His disciples to go and preach the gospel and heal the sick. It is striking how much belief Jesus asked of them. They were not to rely on physical preparations but were to completely depend on whatever God provided. Jesus gave clear instructions to His disciples that they should not tarry long if they encountered unbelief, because those unbelievers had already pronounced their own judgment. No doubt the disciples’ experience of being Jesus’s emissaries established their faith.
It is significant that unbelief was often found within Israel. Unbelief is not ignorance; it is rejected light. Both belief and unbelief can be influenced by teaching; however, the choice of the listener makes him a believer or an unbeliever.
Practical Truths for Today
To believe is the part of our salvation that belongs to us. It is within our power and determined by our own free will to believe. Because of His goodness and love, God sends opportunities for us to choose whether we will believe in Him. The unredeemed naturally shy away from believing in God because it brings them condemnation for sin. As God lays His convicting hand upon the hearts of sinners, many turn away.
Those who repent and believe the gospel start their Christian lives with dreams and ambitions. This is good; there is no place for cynicism in a believer’s life. However, God’s plan for me might be quite different than my hopes and dreams. Will I accept His plan for my life, or will I choose my own path? Though His plan is right and good, the world will not appreciate it. Some people have fulfilled their own dreams of prestige and pleasure, while God had a better plan for them. Those who cling to their successes accomplished through their own ambition will be hindered by unbelief if they consider their accomplishments important.
People who believe with all their heart will let God fulfill His purpose in their lives. They will not be disappointed with what God does for them in life. But in the plan of God, the flesh must be denied (Rom. 8:35–39). God’s blessings often are not tangible; but they are very real in the heart. Peace with God and man, the inner joy of salvation, and true security all testify that God’s plan is good.
The writer of Hebrews gives hope to those who struggle with besetting sins. “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (Heb. 12:1) We may try our hardest, but we find it is not enough. We may see others walking on the high ground while we flounder again. When our instincts cry to try harder, it seems wrong to just surrender and cry to God. God wants our best efforts, but, most importantly, we must yield our will to Him. “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Ps. 51:16–17).
Once we have given up our will, we admit we are helpless, opening the way for God to save us. We rejoice as the Lord lifts us out of the mire; our hearts exult in believing the loving Shepherd of our souls. To fully believe in God we cannot retain confidence in the flesh, and should we start to feel strong in ourselves again, we are setting up for a fall. Victory is found in helplessness and complete reliance upon the care and direction of God. Jesus paid the price for our salvation. Let us stop struggling and trust Him to care for us completely. This is true belief.
The last days will be an age of unbelief; many will reject the Word (2 Tim. 3:1, 4–5; Luke 12:45–48). When Jesus came as a baby, a few true believers were awaiting His arrival, and there will also be those awaiting His triumphant return. In this age of unbelief when few follow the Lord, the believers must not be afraid to witness even when it seems difficult. Remember, the work of Jesus was sometimes hindered by unbelief, so our work may be too. But let us do what we can, even as He did. We can rejoice to read in Revelation 20 that the camp of the saints will remain to the end. They will not be those whom the world applauds but an inglorious, often despised brotherhood.
By nature, we have unquestioning belief in our own insight, but only flickering belief in our fellow believers’ understanding (Prov. 3:5–7). We must learn to trust the understanding of our brethren above our own judgment. Submission is not difficult when my brother’s light agrees with my own, but submitting when I cannot understand is to truly believe. This part of believing seems to be diminishing in our day, but it is nevertheless very precious. When I object in my mind to something my brethren are asking of me, God’s way is to choose to disbelieve myself and choose to believe God and His church. The ability to disbelieve myself is a God-given power that comes by faith and enables me to strike at the very root of my pride. Believing unto submission brings rest for the soul.
Faith is the line that connects us to heaven. I hold my end, and God holds His through Christ. One day Jesus will suddenly lift us upward through this bond to meet Him in the air. Blessed are the believers, for the culmination of their belief will be fulfilled! Woe to the unbelievers, for they will be left behind, overwhelmed with the realization that their unbelief has anchored them below. Who will believe?
Questions
- A believing congregation finds an open door to revival. How does a congregation find revival when numerous members are filled with doubts?
- Unbelief leads to deception, and deception feels good to the flesh. How can we draw someone to Christ who is deceived?
- Jesus’s childhood acquaintances rejected Him not only for His message but for who He was as well. Are we inclined to accept or reject Jesus’s messengers based on their social standing?
- Is it acceptable that young people dream of achieving the “good life”? What is the good life as God sees it?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).