11/26/2023 P. Ron Ward (UBF Worldwide New Year’s Message / Mark 11:20-25, “Have Faith in God”)

(QUESTIONS)

2024 New Year’s Message^[1]

Mark 11:20-25 (Read 11:1-25) (Go to the ESV Bible verses)

Key Verse 11:22, And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.”

1. Review 11:12-19. What did Peter remember and why was he so surprised (20-21)? How was the cursed fig tree related to the temple? What did this symbolize?

2. What did Jesus say (22)? What did “Have faith in God” mean to the disciples in their context? How would Jesus’ words help them at this time? What does “Have faith in God” mean to us now?

3. What does God do for those who have faith in him (23)? What obstacles should we overcome, and how can we do so? How does Jesus want us to express our faith (24)? What assurance does this give us in our prayer (1 Jn 5:14-15)?

4. What hinders prayer, and what is the solution (25)? How serious is it to hold anything against anyone (Mt 18:21-35)? How can we forgive others (Lk 23:34a)? Why is forgiving others vital in pleasing God and forming a healthy Christian community?

5. What faith does God want us to have as a worldwide community, a local chapter, and as individuals?

^[1] The 2023 New Year’s message was “Together With One Voice, Glorify God” (Ro 15:6). It is our prayer to learn the mindset of Christ and work together across cultures and generations to carry out His Great Commission. In this way, we can glorify God. To realize this vision, we want to mature in faith, hope, and love.

(MESSAGE)

Key Verse: 11:22, And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.”

Greetings everyone! A most blessed new year to you! Our great God has done mighty work in 2023, and we thank and praise him for it. Thanks to all of you for your great prayer support over the past year–especially for the “His Glory” conference in Urbana. God blessed this conference to bring spiritual revival in North America and around the world. Praise God! As you know, during this time of year, the General Director’s mission is to travel to continental conferences to deliver the New Year’s message. Having visited Korea and Africa, I will leave with Dervilla for Malaysia on January 1. Then we travel to Colombia, Egypt and Norway before coming back to Los Angeles for the NA staff conference. Some North American chapter leaders have requested a video of this message for their worship services December 31. So I offer this recording. My title is, “Have faith in God.” Let’s pray.

In the Bible, two of the great commands given by our Lord Jesus Christ are to love one another (Jn 13:34-35), and to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:18-20). These two commands are closely connected and are to be obeyed, both on an individual basis, and as a community. In truth, without loving one another, we cannot make disciples of all nations; it is too colossal to carry out. So we need to work together with one mind and heart. For this reason, last year’s New Year message was, “With one mind, glorify God,” (Ro 15:5-6). To truly be one, we all need Christ’s mindset. We need to grow to maturity. We need to grow in faith, in love and in hope (1Co 13:13; Col 1:4-5). May we grow in faith in 2024.

 The words “Have faith in God” are very familiar to us. We have faith in God. But as we face challenging situations, we often feel powerless. We know that God can do all things, but we may be tempted to shrink back before the hard realities. Let’s remember that faith in God gives us power – power to overcome hardships and carry out our mission. Most people like to talk, and talking is important. But more importantly we need power. It is because the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power (1Co 4:21). This power is not physical, but spiritual. In this passage Jesus teaches us the power of faith–the power to move mountains, and the power of prayer and forgiveness. Let’s learn how to experience real power by having faith in God.

First, the power of mountain-moving faith (20-23). This event takes place during Jesus’ passion week. After a dramatic encounter in the temple, the scene shifts to Jesus and his disciples. As they went along, they saw the fig tree Jesus had cursed withered from the roots (20). Peter remembered what Jesus had said and exclaimed, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” (21) Peter was really amazed by Jesus’ power. Peter had a big mouth, but was often powerless.

How did Jesus respond? Jesus did not claim exclusive rights to spiritual power. Rather, he taught Peter how to experience it. Let’s read verses 22-23. “‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered. ‘Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” Jesus did not mention a method, skill or technique. Rather, Jesus directed Peter to the source of power. It is God Almighty. The expression “God Almighty” appears repeatedly in the Bible. Among the many attributes of God, almighty power is part of his identity–it is included in his name: “God Almighty.” The Bible tells us how God has revealed his power in many ways.

God revealed his power in the creation. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1). God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Gen 1:3). Light is more than the rays of the sun by which we perceive the world. Light includes spectrums invisible to us, such as radio waves, microwaves, and gamma rays. Light contains tremendous energy. For example, ultraviolet light can eliminate certain dangerous bacteria, and viruses, including Covid. God’s creation of light is truly awesome. Moreover, God created the land and the seas, all kinds of vegetables, flowers and trees, and animals of so many kinds. For example, there are 11,000 species of birds with a variety of colors, characteristics, and songs. In the morning, we can hear them singing praises to God in a chorus. Then, there is the vast universe. The earth we inhabit seems huge–especially when we fly around it. But it is quite small compared to the sun. And the sun is just one of 100 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy. What is more, there are over 200 billion galaxies, perhaps two trillion. These are all the expressions of God’s creation power. As we consider this, we cannot but say, “How Great Thou Art!”

 God’s almighty power is also revealed through his redemption. At Mt. Sinai, God said to Israel, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Ex 20:2). We find these words repeated throughout the Old Testament. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, oppressed by a cruel Pharaoh. They were powerless to get out and cried in anguish. Then God delivered them through the sacrifice of lambs. His mighty power set them free to become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. God revealed his power in many ways: by healing the sick, ruling over the nations, and judging and destroying evil. It is by this power that he will create new heavens and a new earth. Considering God’s power, it is infinite and endless. With this power, anything and everything is possible. The question is, how can we access this power?

 Jesus said, “Have faith in God.” We access God’s power by faith. Faith comes through hearing the word of God (Ro 10:17). When even one word of God comes into our hearts, we begin to see the Almighty God, his Son Jesus Christ and his kingdom. We come to know his great love and enjoy his presence and blessing. Faith gives us access. Having faith is like having a wifi password. The Internet is available all around us. However, to access it we need the wifi password. In the same way, the power of God is always available. Anyone who has faith in God can access this power with this faith. As we face hardships, let’s have faith in God.

 Jesus shows us what it means to have faith in God. The mountain before Jesus seemed to be the corrupted religious leaders and establishment power in Israel. But in truth, it was the power of sin, death and Satan that enslaved people (Heb 2:14-15). Jesus had come to Jerusalem to destroy the devil’s work. Jesus had foretold that he would suffer, die and rise again. As he hung on the cross, bleeding and dying, he said with a loud voice, “It is finished” (Jn 19:30). Jesus declared that the full price for the sins of the world had been paid through his perfect sacrifice (Heb 10:12,14). Jesus’ resurrection proclaimed God’s victory over death (1Co 15:54-55). Jesus sets us free from sin and death (Ro 8:2). Jesus makes us children of God who inherit eternal life in his glorious kingdom (Ro 8:14-17). Jesus gives us the power of the Holy Spirit who enables us to bear good fruit and carry out God’s mission. When Jesus’ disciples received the Holy Spirit, they became dynamic leaders. They preached the gospel in the temple courts, challenging those who had crucified Jesus. Their bold witness led many to repent, accept Christ, and receive the Holy Spirit (Ac 2:41; 5:20-42). Then they went out to Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth (Acts 8,10, Et. al.) Since then Jesus’ power has set people free all over the world. Indeed, the power of sin, death and the devil are thrown into the sea by Jesus Christ.

We are here because the good news of Jesus Christ came to us by God’s grace, and he enabled us to believe and be saved (Eph 2:8-9). We have received a gift of faith that is eternally valuable and precious. So we should thank God from our hearts each day for this amazing grace. At the same time, we need to exercise our faith and grow. Apostle Peter urged us to make every effort to add to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love (2Pe 1:5-8). Indeed, exercising our faith gives us immense power to become like Christ. As we exercise our faith, we can truly love one another and become one. By faith we can also overcome challenges to be fruitful in our mission. Apostle Peter taught us that all kinds of hardships come to refine and strengthen our faith (1Pe 1:7). This is why we confront mountains. To each of us these may appear to be immovable: sickness, bereavement, poverty, estrangement, stagnation, failures and more. Globally, we face conflicts, political instability, economic trouble, a degenerating moral atmosphere, climate change and natural disasters, and more. These have come so that our faith may grow. They are opportunities to experience the power of God. We can grow in holiness and experience victory by faith! In 2024, let’s have faith in God!

Last year we experienced God’s power by faith. To carry out the International Summer Bible Conference was like moving mountains. In many coworkers’ hearts were mountains of spiritual malaise after enduring the Covid pandemic and lockdowns. It was hard to turn off our computers, come out of our homes, and meet each other face to face. Practically, we confronted travel restrictions, visa problems, and financial need. How could we dare to have a large international conference in that situation? Some conference planners forecasted that less than 1,000 North Americans would attend with no international delegates.

But God gave us this situation to reveal his power. As we were beginning preparation, 1 John 1:5b came to my heart: “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” I was convinced that the Lord wanted to drive out all darkness and bring spiritual revival. At the same time, God raised many coworkers who shared the same faith and spirit. By faith in God, we began to pray for 2,000 attendants – 1,500 from North America and 500 international delegates. We prepared with all our hearts, as NA HQ and Korea UBF worked together. We focused on raising messengers and testimony speakers. We visited many UBF chapters to encourage them. It was our five loaves and two fish. God worked! People’s hearts opened; travel restrictions were removed; visas were granted; financial resources were provided. And so many people came: 2,258 total attendants – including  567 international delegates with nearly 300 from Korea. During the conference, the word of God worked powerfully. Many young people repented, accepted Christ and saw a new vision for their lives. Many chapters revived, and we saw many fruits during our fall semester. God has given us great victory by his power and for his glory! Praise God! Now let’s pray for God’s abundant blessing on the 2024 European Summer Bible Conference!

Yet, strangely, as we seek to have faith in God, doubt can arise in our hearts. The more we struggle not to doubt, the more doubts arise. Where does it come from? It is the devil’s work. From the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, the devil tempted humankind to doubt God’s love and goodness. When doubt was planted in the woman’s heart, she was deceived and came under Satan’s control. Indeed, doubt is Satan’s deadly weapon. This doubt is based on lies about God, which the world is full of.

On the other hand, the Bible tells us the truth: God is love (Dt 7:9; Ps 36:7; 1 Jn 4:8). God is good (Ps 100:5; Ps 118:1; 1Pe 2:3). God is holy (Lev 11:44-45; Isa 6:3; 1Pe 1:16). God is faithful (Ex 34:6-7; Joel 2:23; 1Co 10:13). God is compassionate (2Ch 30:9; Jonah 4:2; Ro 9:15). God always works for the good of those who love him (Ro 8:28). God so loves the world that he sent his one and only Son as a sacrifice to save us (Jn 3:16). We should never doubt the goodness, or love, or power of God. When we hold the truth about God in our hearts, we can be more than conquerors by his grace (Ro 8:37). This is why we need to study the Bible continually, and let his truth fill our minds and hearts.

As we overcome doubt by faith, we can speak to the mountain before us. We can say, “Go throw yourself into the sea” and experience the mighty power of God. UBF missionaries and leaders have been doing this through one-to-one Bible study. Recently, I visited several Asian nations: Mongolia, India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. Culturally, these nations are Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim. These religions are like huge mountains. However, as the word of God is spoken by faith in these nations, the power of God is at work to change lives and make a new history. For example, a little more than 30 years ago, some missionaries went to Mongolia, led by Aquila Shin, Matthew Lim and Paul Kwon. Mongolia was imbued with Buddhism. They could not find a Bible in the Mongolian language. By faith they began to translate the Bible into Mongolian. Then they began to teach the words of God to young people. God’s power started moving through them. Students accepted the gospel of Christ and grew as Jesus’ disciples. House churches were established, and some became pioneers of new chapters. Now, Mongolian house churches have raised many second generation believers. Some were baptized recently and experienced overflowing joy. Christmas Worship Service showed a remarkable increase! They began to see the vision to be a blessing to the world by sending missionaries.

When we think of the situation in North America, it is a time of great challenge and opportunity. During the past few decades, there has been a shift from Christian values to moral relativism in our public life. Now we face political, economic and social chaos. In this atmosphere, young people have begun to realize there is no hope in the world. They are seeking truth and righteousness like never before. The only answer for them is Jesus Christ. God has shown his willingness to encounter them by sending his Holy Spirit to us. So many young people met Jesus during the ISBC 2023! It is time for young North Americans to rise up and take spiritual leadership. Through them, our continent can be changed. To them I say:  “Have faith in God,” and lead this continent back to God. Those who are older: “Have faith in God,” pray for the spiritual revival of North America, and nurture young leaders to grow as shepherds for our continent. Let’s trust the word of God, which has the power to change people. And let’s engage in a vibrant one-to-one Bible study ministry. As we do, may God make North America a shepherd continent which sends many missionaries. Let’s have faith in God!

Second, the power of prayer and forgiveness (24-25). After telling his disciples to have faith in God, Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (24). With faith in God, we can ask for anything in prayer. Jesus really wants us to come to God in prayer with all of our problems and needs. As we pray in this way, the Lord reveals himself to us. We find that God himself is the best blessing. We discover that God’s will is always good, pleasing and perfect (Ro 12:2; Ja 4:3). We can surrender to God. Then God’s power can work through us without hindrance. Through this kind of prayer, Jesus could give his life as a sacrifice. With this kind of prayer, many missionaries sacrificed much to make disciples. Let’s pray with faith that God’s will of world salvation may be accomplished through us.

 Jesus continued in verse 25: “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” As God leads us to a right relationship with him in prayer, he also wants us to have a right relationship with each other. Otherwise, our prayers are hindered. In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus said, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” God requires us to forgive others.

How much should we forgive? Who should we forgive? Jesus said, “…if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them….” The words “anything” and “anyone” tell us that there is no justifiable reason to hold grudges in our hearts. In the parable of the unmerciful servant, we sinners are compared to debtors of ten thousand bags of gold – billions of euros – that could never be repaid. But God had mercy on us; he forgave all our sins unconditionally. In contrast, sins against us are compared to about one day’s wages. Should we withhold forgiveness of a small debt when we have been forgiven so much? In the parable, the master called such a person a wicked servant (Mt 18:32). Do you want to be a wicked servant? No! Then let’s forgive others’ sins against us.

Practically, it is not easy to forgive others. It may be impossible by our own effort. But it is possible when we remember Jesus on the cross. As Jesus hung there, bleeding profusely and dying, he prayed for sinners, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34a). As Jesus forgives us, so we also must forgive others. Recently, I saw the power of forgiveness at work in the Sri Lanka ministry. Two great missionaries, Barnabas Baek and Luke Jeon, have worked in the same mission field for many years. But in the course of helping one shepherd family, there was a misunderstanding which soured their relationship. They could not work together. But during our recent visit, God intervened. As we fasted and prayed to overcome hardships, the Holy Spirit moved Luke’s heart to see that he had given Barnabas a hard time. He sincerely apologized and asked for forgiveness. Then Barnabas forgave Luke from his heart. Their love for one another was restored and they began to plan future conferences together. God will surely bless them. Forgiving others helps us to grow in grace and love and enables our community to glorify God.

As we begin this new year, we may try to do great things. But the most important thing God wants from us is to have faith in him. Jesus said, “Have faith in God.” Let’s ask God to fill our hearts with faith. Jesus also said, “if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them.” Let’s forgive anyone who has wronged us. May 2024 be the year of mountain-moving faith and forgiving love. I close with St. Paul’s benediction: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Eph 3:20-21)