September 29, 2019 "Increase Our Faith", Rev. Dr. Marcus D. Cosby

you can't stop praying when you get in those dire circumstances and in those dire situations I know it's rough I know it's tough I know the road gets rough and the going gets tough and the heels are hard to climb it but you started out a long time ago and there I'll be no doubt in your mind since you decided to make Jesus your choices you are always pray and never give up [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] to God be the glory for the great things he has done [Music] our God be all of the glory what a wonder our God is how amazing our God is and when you decided to make Jesus your choice sometimes he he just does something to you makes you want to rejoice for a little mile anybody in this building just like giving God glory [Applause] [Music] thanks be to God for this experience of worship for the privilege that we have to gather together and to share in the worship of our God in this place called Alfred Street Baptist Church to the eminent and esteemed pastor of this church my friend and beloved brother whom we honor and celebrate especially this weekend for the great work that God does through him in this place will you help me celebrate your pastor my brother dr. Howard Jarvis [Music] many many beds all of the Reverend clergy who are in this place got a gun and to all of the preachers of the gospel god bless you to the diaconate who give leadership and service to this place and all those who with them likewise give service in this house it's just good to be here this is a good experience of worship we were growing up they used to sing a song so I'm glad to be in the service one more time you didn't have to let me live but I'm glad to be in the service one more time this is a good service to be in today and I'm glad to be in service one more time to this magnificent majestic music ministry that has blessed us and ushered us into the presence of God on the wings of song god bless you they have worked hard since last night and I thank God for them and all these four services in which they have sung and I look back last night and realized it's just sitting up I'm doing all that work that's something else that's something else when seven people did all that doors 700 of us say success there's something thank you god bless you god bless you Pastor told you I was a musician in a former life and whenever the musicians get happy you just let them go just let them have their way cuz that don't always happen so I just stood over there let the musicians be as happy as they wanted to be in the service of the Lord god bless you when we were growing up the musicians would wait until this moment right here right now and they'd all walk out they ain't kidding about church but these musicians are still there hey man praise the Lord a man like this is Gary now they were planning to leave they can't go nowhere now is this they got stuck right there that said you better stay a man praise the Lord thank God for all that you have shared with us today pastor I do wish you great and happy anniversary I'm excited about this this privilege I heard you say something now every year wheeler Avenue Church who loves your brings a gift to the pastor I told the previous service that I left the gift in my hotel room and I apologize for that but then I heard your pastor say you don't have to bring gifts to the pastor give it give to the needy and since I'm needy and he doesn't he doesn't need anything I'm just gonna keep it that's good it's cool it was providential that I left it in the room cuz you just said you didn't want it and I heard it and all of us heard it together so it's on tape reminisce on tape is all around the world so it's all good thank you I appreciate your kindness thank you so much you're a real friend you're a brother man you're a brother and I thank you thank you so much delighted to have some members of the we don't have a new church here with us other some have relocated to this area and are ok say members it just hurts my heart to say they're members here now but they are an extension of wheeler Avenue here in Alfred Street and so we thank God for them I have one of our deacons here fight vice-chair of our deacons I think it Michael helm two of our preachers are here on the front row I'm glad these friends have come to be with us today all of whom want to wish you a very happy anniversary amen well let's get to the Word of God if you have your Bibles I invite your attention to the New Testament Gospel as recorded by the writer Luke the New Testament gospel is recorded by the writer Luke at chapter 17 the New Testament gospel is recorded by the writer Luke at chapter 17 and we begin our reading today at verse 5 the New Testament gospel is recorded by the writer Luke at chapter 17 beginning with verse 5 if you have that passage of Scripture say Amen those who do not have your Bibles with you the words are on the screen and this is what the word of the Lord says from the New International Version the Apostles said to the Lord increase our faith that's enough amen praise God for His Holy Word you may be seated in the presence of the Lord they may took you long enough to stand and it took me to read it anything man the Apostles said to the Lord increase our faith that's exactly what I want to talk about this this day increase our faith bastard Wesley I am convinced that every one of us who occupies space at the Alpha Street Church on this Sunday need to make the same request of the Lord that the Apostles made that day Lord increase our faith no matter how long you've been save doesn't matter how spiritual you profess to be all of us who are in this place on this Sunday need to ask the Lord to increase our faith no matter your church position or your church tradition all of us need the Lord to increase our faith I know your spiritual I know that you love the Lord with your whole heart but all of us need to make the request of the Lord please increase our faith it is true according to descriptions that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God and so every one of us who has pressed our way into the Lord's house on this Sunday has come to hear a word from God that would increase our faith and help us to have a better week next week than we had last week all of us want to be better Christians in the days to come than we have been in days gone by and to do that we need to ask the Lord to increase our faith let's be clear I know that you know many verses of the Scriptures I know you've been reading the Bible a long time but you still need the Lord to increase your faith I know you've been sitting in the same seat for the last 12 years you are occupying your space in the sanctuary but all of us need the Lord to increase our faith we're like that father who brought his beloved son to the Lord Jesus that day that son who had had bouts of schizophrenia and he was homing and rolling and because a demon had possessed him and the Bible said that that brother brought his son to the disciples who could do nothing for that son and then the father brought him to Jesus and said I need you to fix my child the man at was asked by Jesus do you believe I can do it and the father said lord I believe but help my unbelief because all of us need the Lord in some area of our lives to increase our faith we all have levels of faith in this room we have great faith for one thing or another but there are other areas in our lives where we meet the Lord to build us up so we can trust him for everything and doubt him for nothing we all need the Lord to increase our faith I grew up at Emmanuel Baptist Church 8301 south Damon Avenue Chicago Illinois is 6:06 to zero when I REM doctor okay Kerry was my pastor on the south side and when I grew up on the south side of Chicago at Emanuel Garrett we used to sing for hymns in worship every Sunday for hymns every Sunday we sang to enjoyed him the congregation or him the sermon hymn and the invitation of him all four verses Pastor Gary said yes we're gonna sing all four verses if the writer didn't want you to sing them all the writer wouldn't have written them all we sang all four verses and we would sing them every single week and I enjoyed one particular him with a little something like this it is so sweet to trust in Jesus just to take him at his word just to rest upon his promise just to know thus saith the Lord he is the refrain Jesus Jesus how I trust him how I've proved him or and or Jesus Jesus precious Jesus here it is all for grace to trust him more every one of us in the church this day he needs the Lord to increase our faith all of us need to have greater faith in the Lord so we can trust God for everything and doubt God for absolutely nothing and that's what it seems to be happening in the text today as these disciples are making their way with the Lord Jesus inexorably toward the holy city of Jerusalem it is now nearing the light the end of the life of the Lord Jesus and so they're making their way to the holy city of Jerusalem because it's Passover time it's the last Passover the Lord is going to celebrate with his disciples because at the end of the Passover season on that Friday he's going to give his life as a ransom for many he's going to die in our place so that we might have life everlasting Jesus he is making his way to the holy city of Jerusalem and while they're going Jesus has to impart some knowledge into these fellows who are going to continue the ministry that he has begun they're making their way to Jerusalem don't miss it and while they're walking Jesus decides that they need a lesson probably the most difficult lesson of discipleship he gives them a lesson on forgiveness yes he gives them a lesson on forgiveness when chapter 17 opens Jesus begins to talk to these disciples and he says listen here fellas if someone offends you if they sin against you seven times in one day he's your responsibility when they ask for forgiveness he is to forgive them yeah woo that's what I said he said listen even if they said sin against you seven times in one day and they asked for forgiveness each of those seven times your job is to forgive them now I hear you that somebody said come on Jesus that's a mighty tall order you're asking for right there I could understand if you said seven times in a lifetime I could get it maybe if you said seven times in a year but seven times in one day that's verse four seven times in one day and verse five says the apostle said to the Lord increase our faith yeah if we gon do that huh we're gonna need you to increase our faith if we're gonna be able to do that we're gonna need you to help us out in some of our weak places is there anybody in here who knows exactly what I'm talking about today you're just those disciples have we need the Lord to increase our faith because there are some areas of discipleship that are a bit more difficult than others when he says love your enemies to increase our faith when we say when he says pray for those who despitefully use you to increase our faith when he says bring the whole tithe into the storehouse increase our faith some of us need the Lord and to increase our faith that's what these disciples have asked of the Lord Jesus and in between chapters 17 and 18 the Lord gives to these disciples and three lessons that I choose to share for your your expect it edify yet to be edified today so that you might understand how the Lord seeks to increase our faith watch the text church family while they're walking headed toward Jerusalem when Jesus is going to give his life as a ransom for many before they get there Jesus is encountered by ten men who are lepers he are he finds out is that these brothers are lepers they have a horrific skin disease manifested by white patches all over their bodies their bodies are now emaciated they are bent over their energy has been drained because this disease zaps you of all of your life's energy these brothers are in a bad space right now as a matter of fact they are caused ceremonially unclean they're not supposed to be in the populace of the community they are to be ostracized marginalized these brothers have been considered the pariah of society here they're not supposed to be around but when they heard that that man Jesus was passing by hey your Bible says they lifted up their low voices and they said Jesus son of David have mercy on us that's what they asked if they ask the Lord for mercy and I like this my brothers and sisters and because what we see is a faith in these brothers that should not be diminished and these brothers have faith that despite the severity of their predicament that's point number one that you and I have to have faith despite the severity of our predicament did I mention they are lepers they are brothers who have a billeting skin disease and as a consequence they are not supposed to be around everybody else apparently their circumstance has not gotten to the point where they have to be completely marginalized and ostracized and so when they see Jesus passing by you remember what they said Jesus son of David have mercy on us evidently they've been hearing what the Lord is able to do evidently somebody told them he's a miracle worker evidently somebody told him he's a healer he's a doctor that never lost a patient and now these brothers lift up their collective ten voices and say Jesus have mercy take pity on us and your Bible says that Jesus said to them go show yourselves to the priests hold up wait a minute flag on the play something's not quite right right here because it seems that Jesus would have done one of those spectacular stupendous miracles and that he had been doing for the past three years to hold on Jesus surely you could have done something more phenomenal and then just tell us to go show ourselves to the priesthood where the Lightning where's the Thunder where's all the rumbling come on do something magnificent Jesus do it do it do it Jesus come on go Jesus go Jesus go you're able to do something about our situation I thought for sure you would have at least told us to go wash in the pool of Siloam and I thought for sure you two laid your hands on us and said beads how clean but Jesus does none of that he says go show yourselves to the priests at hand and the Bible says they start walking and now some of you are wondering why didn't Jesus do it why didn't Jesus do something amazing why didn't Jesus do something phenomenal and I came to tell you that every now and then the Lord Jesus will challenge us to see if we can walk on a world every now and then my friends the Lord would check our faith in him to see of all this church and we do it has really taken hold of us and he wants to know can we walk on a word with no sign with no lights with no visible manifestation I want to know can you take me at my word and believe that even if you don't see it now and at some point I'm able to do exactly what needs to be done in your life anybody in here knows that we walk by faith not by sight don't show yourselves to the priests and watch their pastor while they're walking something start shifting while they're walking something begins to matter be modified in their bodies while they're walking their strength is coming back and while they're walking they're clearing up there so let me clear my for a while and they're walking they feel a difference in their bodies and when they experience that one of the brothers who is a Samaritan and he says hold up wait a minute if this is happening in my body I need to go back to that man named Jesus cuz he just did something for me that I couldn't have done for myself and the Bible says he went back fell at the feet of the Lord Jesus and said lord I just want to tell you thank you oh oh you missing your shout cute the Bible says he came back he praised God with a loud voice fell at the feet of Jesus and told the Lord thank you now brothers and sisters I know I'm sitting in a room for I'm in a room filled with people who understand the significance of knowing that all your blessings didn't come just as you smart all your blessings didn't come just as you well-connected in the community I need two or three people in here who have no shame you have no problem saying if it had not been for the Lord who was on my side I don't know where I would be and would you believe it they're about three four five hundred of us in here who have no problem opening up our mouths right now and telling the Lord thank you for being so good to me can I find some grateful people in this room who don't have to wait till November to tell the Lord thank you Phil let the feet of the Lord Jesus pray to the Lord with a loud voice told Jesus thank you for blessing me and a severe predicament my circumstance was dire I was an outcast but despite my situation you still gave me a miracle that nobody else could have provided Oh child of God I wish you'd look back over your life and begin to testify it was not the education it was not just the connection it was the Creator who worked things out for my good gotta tell him thank you watch what happens Jesus said did not cleanse 10 where are the other nine why are you a Samaritan a double outcast the only one who came to tell me thank you and I can hear that brother said mister Jesus I can't answer that matter of fact that ain't none of my business all I know is if it hadn't been for you working a miracle in my life I wouldn't be able to have what I have and do what I do right now and I need two or three people in here who can testify every now and then I have to disassociate myself from other folks who don't want to say thank you but other ungrateful people I can't be bothered with why they didn't shout hallelujah I got a hallelujah in my mouth and I can't be bothered with why they ain't praising God it's all about me giving God glory for what he's been doing in my life somebody in here ought to forget about everybody else on your Road and God's been good to you take about 13 seconds and let the redeemed of the Lord say so they got six seconds left you got six seconds left I submit this afternoon beloved church family that you and I in several seasons of our lives have to have faith despite the severity of our predicament but let's keep walking with the Lord Jesus he's headed towards Jerusalem path and I want to walk with him because while they're going Jesus now begins to give his disciples another experience to help them understand how to be the disciples he wants them to be when chapter 17 opens - we are inserted with chapter 18 opens we are introduced to a story Jesus gives to his disciples and this is what he says men and women are always pray and not faint don't give up don't lose heart he says listen here if you're gonna be my disciple you have to have a strong and abiding prayer life he said I want to make sure you always pray and never give up never throw in the towel never say what's the use I want you to be people of Prayer because if your faith is going to be increased I want you to have faith despite the severity of your predicament but I also want you to have faith that is displayed in the strength of your persistence faith that is displayed in the strength of your persistence our persistence he said listen here many women are always pray and not faint and as is his custom he gives a story he says there was a widow woman and this woman had had an enemy who would not leave her alone she went to an unjust judge and she asked the unjust judge to give her some relief from her enemy he'd wanted her to want him to avenge her of her enemy and the Bible says she kept coming to him but he's an unjust judge and your Bible says he doesn't care about God or anybody else let me rewind press play I want you to catch the pictures of Jesus's painting here's a woman a widow woman and she keeps coming to an unjust judge because she has an adversary from whom she can get no relief she comes to the unjust judge but the Bible says that the unjust judge doesn't care about God or anybody else so he as if she's not asking for anything he continues ahead to disregard her he continues to ignore her but this woman refuses to give up and she keeps asking him for the relief that she knows and he can provide here's the problem he's an unjust judge he's got unfair policies unfair practices and unfair procedures he's an unjust judge with unfair policies unfair practices unfair precedes an unjust president with unfair practices policies and procedures and he doesn't care about God or anybody else and Jesus says don't you give up don't you act like you can't get some reprieve you got some power that your enemy didn't know you had this woman kept coming back because she knew that she could get some relief and she would not stop she had persistence and and Jesus says just like this woman would not stop him you can't stop praying when you get in those dire circumstances and in those dire situations I know it's rough I know it's tough I know the road gets rough and the going gets tough and the hills are hard to climb here but you started out a long time ago and there are be no doubt in your mind since you decided to make Jesus your choices you all always pray and never give up he said I want to know can you keep on pressing even when you get frustrated and tired and agitate and aggravate again you keep on praying even when you doesn't seem to be any relief in sight can you keep on believing even when your heart is broken again you keep on pressing even when the tears are rolling down your face can you keep on praying even when you don't know what the outcome is gonna be you are always pray and never give up last time I checked your Bible God says if my people well call by my name will humble themselves and pray seek my face turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven forgive their sin and heal their land I don't know if you checked it out lately but I'll and is sick right now and we need some prayer warriors up in Alfred Street who still believe that God can turn this thing around is there anybody in here who says even if is unfair and unjust I believe that God is able to turn things around your Bible says in the Book of Jeremiah call on me and I will answer you and I will show you great and mighty things that you know not if I didn't tell you we'd always go answer but I will answer and somebody in here all to testify Brants still works ok that was 15 people I said I need somebody in here to testify prayer still works all right now about 300 I say I need some testimonies in here that plasteel works I I need some believers in this room to testify if it hadn't been for somebody praying for me ain't no telling where I'd be right now if I hadn't had a chance to get a prayer through ain't no telling what my life would be right now somebody ought to testify the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availing like he said keep on bringing that's my word to somebody today I know I know it's rough right now but keep on brain I know you're in a storm right now but keep on praying I know there's difficulty on the job right now but keep on brain I know the sickness has gotten to be too much for you but keep on praying I know the financial strain is wearing you out right now but they keep on brain I need somebody in here who the warrior come on I need the warriors from the last service to testify wrap changes thing [Applause] you and I my brothers and sisters need faith that is displayed through the strengths of our persistence and the Bible says even though he was unjust judged because she just would not stop he finally gave her relief over her adversary and watch this Jesus if an unjust judge would do that how much more will your heavenly Father give relief to those of us who trust if anybody hits us your God anybody in here believe he's still a prayer and hearing and a prayer answering God I closed a little message when I tell you not only must you have faith despite the severity of your predicament not only must you have faith that is displayed through the strength of your perseverance but may I close the message when I tell you that you and I have to have faith that is determined to see God's power I said you and I have to have faith that is determined to see God's power you notice that word see is a little different than the rest of the words I did we need to have faith that is determined to see God's power what are you talking about preacher if you jump down to the end of chapter 18 right around verse 35 you'll get introduced to a blind brother he's a blind beggar he's sitting by the highway side begging hey did I mention to you that the Lord Jesus is making his way to Jerusalem he's going to give his life as a ransom for many but while he's going there's a little brother who's sitting there and he cannot see your Bible says he's blind and because he's blind he has now big been left to beg for that which he needs in his life he's a beggar and he's sitting by the highway side begging by this time they've gotten so close to Jerusalem heading through Jericho that your Bible says there's a great crowd of brothers and sisters who have now gathered around Jesus and these many individuals are making their way to Jerusalem all the devout Jews I headed to celebrate the Passover here's a great crowd as bigger the crowd is at Alpha Street right now making their way toward the holy city of Jerusalem and before he goes there's a man sitting there heard that Jesus was passing by and when he heard that Jesus was passing by this is what he does he says Jesus son of David have mercy on me don't miss it he can't see and because he can't see he's now sitting and now he shouts out toward Jesus Jesus son of David have mercy on me all he is as a blind beggar and your Bible says that those who were leading the crowd told him be quiet shut your mouth say it don't take all that I know you've never heard any such thing from the Saints hear these who are leaving the crowd saying sit down close your mouth it don't take all that much what your Bible says your Bible says he got louder I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him he's determined to see God's power watch what he does Jesus son of David have mercy on me Oh brothers and sisters when you need something from the Lord and that nobody else can provide when you need something from the Lord that's your pew partner can't give you you can't be shamed by those who are sitting around you thinking you making too much noise jump it up and sit down shut up and sit down I can't see around you look up boo that's why we got the spring his brother yells at the top of his lungs as he's determined to see the power though he heard that Jesus could do what nobody else can do and when you've heard about it every now and then you just want to see what he's able to do I need 10 or 12 people that he'll wanna see him fight battle I need somebody who want to see him pay your bill see them heal your body see him heal your mind anybody want to see the Lord work some miracles in your life and determine the seed and the Bible says Jesus told the people bring them to me [Applause] the same folk who are trying to shut him up now gotta bring him up to the front of the line you better be real careful when you bothering with Jesus children you better really be real careful when you're bothering a favorite child of God because you never know the same one you trying to keep down will be the very one God makes you lift up the Bible says he makes my enemies my footstool bring him to me bring him to me I brought the man of Jesus and Jesus ask him what you want making all that noise but you want wellfare that's not in the King James Version he's King James Version says what wilt thou that I should do unto thee but ain't none of us talking like that in his room what you want what do you want tell me why you're making all this noise because there are times when the Lord wants us to verbalize our requests and their time when the Lord wants us to make it known to him the Bible says let your requests be made known under God well you are oh you want all this housing you doing it obviously what you are he said Lord I want to see I'm determined to see I know you got power I want to see you display your power in my life I want to see now if you have the New Revised Standard Version if you and know anything like to bring New Testament you know that in this passage he literally says Lord I want to see again which means he has seen before and somewhere along his journey something happened that robbed him of what he once had and now he's asking the Lord to restore to him what was taken away fro believe two or three people in here who knows something about going through some pitfalls and some valleys and some dark dismal days and you lost what you once had and today you came to church and said I believe here let me see it again I believe he'll restore it to me I believe you'll give it back to me he'll revive he'll renew he'll rejuvenate man I need the Lord to let me see he's been dealing but all these folk on his way to Jerusalem and to deal with the out cash and to did was he overlooked how he's dealing with the old press this brother is oppressed and marginalized sitting at the bed at the highway side begging but Jesus says I want everybody to know that there is nobody beyond my reach nobody that I don't include in the family and nobody who should be set apart and set aside in a way that will seem as if they don't matter to me bring him to me you don't care about him but I do we're gonna be you over look at him but I won't bring him to me there in Puerto Rico suffering pray over to me I'll do something about it the Bible says that the Lord restored his sight I came to tell somebody at Alpha Street your God is still a God of restoration I don't know what you're dealing with I don't know what you're going through but you can't get this many people together in one room and some might not need something to be restored in their life and so I'm praying even now that the god of restoration will show you his ability will show you his power will show you his authority is there anybody in here who still believes he's able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think I need 10 or 12 people who still believe that even though eyes have not seen it ears have not heard that Liberty into our hearts that God still has some great things prepared for those who love him yes sir so I want to see again he says receive your sight receive your saying and not the one who once was able to see can you see again and you know what he does read it when you get home he starts praising God because it just makes sense when the Lord does something for you that you couldn't do for yourself it just makes sense to praise God when God opens some doors for you you couldn't open by yourself it makes sense to praise God when God closes some doors you didn't need to go through anyway it just makes sense to praise God when God puts people in your life to help you along your journey it makes sense to praise God when God takes some boat out your life we weren't helping you in the first place it makes sense to praise God and I wonder if I've got anybody in this room today who can look back over the last 7 days of your life and find you a nobody but God moment that nobody but God could have worked that out nobody but God could have pulled you through and nobody but God could have made a way is there anybody insured you don't have to go back to 1985 you don't have to go back to 1992 you'll have to go back to 2007 you can just look back over the last few days and begin to testify for the Lord who was on my side I don't know where I would be gotta excuse me out for a street I don't miss the round and got happy up here but happen now and then the Lord will show me that he can do what nobody else is able to do and I gotta celebrate his goodness I gotta celebrate his greatness cause he keeps on doing things for me oh say said every time I turn around he make it away from me can I find somebody in the business who can testify and God's been so good to you that you can't help but praise Him you can't help but adore him you may have a thorn in the flesh but His grace is still sufficient so go ahead and blessing me [Music] [Music] everybody in the crowd started praising up the women the children [Music] he deserves a praise they're not praising God for what God did for them they're praising God but what God did for him and you know you're growing up in God with all your praise ain't about you but you can praise God for what are you doing in your neighbor's life praise God but what are you doing in your pew partners right praise God for what he's doing in your pastor's life by the next 10 seconds find you somebody look them square in the face and say this place is not about [Music] [Music] Lord increase our thing [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]

Channel: Alfred Street Baptist Church

Views: 41,720

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Id: QsaqHEgD7zU

Length: 42min 59sec (2579 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 08 2019