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July 2008

All Nations Lutheran Church, Newport OR

www.peak.org/~lutheran   

Email: Lutheran@casco.net

makes this point: seeing a miracle or evidence of an unusual event does not automatically result in faith. This Bible teaching is also demonstrated in Jesus' public ministry. "Jesus began to reproach the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent" Matthew 11:20. Even Jesus' most spectacular miracles were often met by stubborn unbelief.
 So then, what is faith? God says faith does not come by seeing miracles, as Abraham pointed out, or spiritual events. So, where can you go or what can you do to find faith and to avoid ending up in hell, as the rich man in this story did?
In His parable of the sower found in Luke 8:4-15, Jesus explains that faith is produced by the seed which God sows, and that the seed is the "WORD OF GOD."
Therefore, when God comes to you in His living Word and His miracle of Baptism, He is planting His seed. The fruit of God's seed in your heart is His gift of Faith. All other ways of growing in the faith are rejected by

God. As God says, "so faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ," Romans 10:17.
Think about the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers so that they would not end up with him in hell. God's response is swift and to the point. Through Abraham, God says; "If people do not seek God and salvation through His living Word, even witnessing a resurrection will not save them."
Stop seeking signs and sensations as the rich man suggested. Instead, follow God's way. Be baptized and God's living and saving Word will flow into your soul to water the seed of faith He has planted in you. God will grow your faith through Christ-centered sermons, Bible studies, and His absolution. Receive Jesus regularly in the Lord's Supper. Then, rejoice everyday that God has established your faith and salvation, not on the chance that you might see a miracle; rather, He has established your faith and salvation on His unchanging Word.

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