Overview
Overview
This sermon, rooted in Matthew 17:14-20, highlights the transformative journey of faith, showing how believers can move from feeling powerless to becoming spiritually strong by trusting in Jesus Christ.
The disciples’ failure to heal the boy exposed their misplaced dependence—on their past experiences, skills, and self-reliance—rather than on Jesus. Like them, we often face overwhelming “mountains” of fear, doubt, pride, or self-sufficiency when we trust in our own abilities instead of Christ’s strength.
Jesus teaches us that even faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. The key is not the size of our faith but the object of our faith—Jesus Himself. Faith grows as we deepen our relationship with Him through prayer, worship, and trust in His promises.
In our journey of faith, challenges, trials, and temptations are the mountains we face. While Satan uses these mountains to discourage and break us down, God allows them to strengthen and build us up. True victory comes when we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. By relying on His strength and power, we can overcome life’s mountains and experience God’s glory, faithfulness, and transformative power in our faith journey.
Transcript
Transcript
The sermon, titled “From Powerless to Powerful,” emphasizes the journey of faith and overcoming challenges. Pastor Kay Hong shares his personal experience of starting a new Chinese church, highlighting the importance of faith and dependence on God. He references Matthew 17:14-20, where Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy, illustrating the need for faith in Jesus. The sermon identifies three key points: the problems of unbelief, the right object of faith (Jesus), and the power to believe. It encourages stepping out of comfort zones, relying on God’s strength, and focusing on Jesus as the foundation and perfecter of faith.
Outline
Journey from Powerless to Powerful
* Pastor Kay Hong introduces the sermon title “From Powerless to Powerful” and shares his personal journey of starting a new Chinese church.
* He reflects on his experience as a missionary in China and the challenges faced, including the realization that the local church members were more devoted than he was.
* The sermon aims to teach how to move from powerless to powerful in the journey of faith, focusing on the importance of putting faith in the right object.
The Journey of Faith
* Pastor Kay Hong explains that the faith journey begins when we trust in the Lord as our Savior and ends when we meet Jesus.
* He references Hebrews 11:6 to emphasize the importance of faith in pleasing God.
* The sermon shifts to Mark 9:40, describing the moment Jesus heals a boy possessed by a demon, highlighting the disciples’ lack of faith.
* Jesus’ frustration with the disciples’ lack of faith is discussed, and the importance of having faith in Jesus is emphasized.
The Problems of Unbelief
* Pastor Kay Hong identifies the problems of unbelief, including the disciples’ inability to cast out the demon due to their little faith.
* He explains that unbelief leads to self-dependence, which manifests as fear and doubt, causing individuals to stay in their comfort zones.
* The sermon discusses various struggles people face, such as addiction, forgiveness, financial issues, and maintaining a personal devotion to God.
* He shares his personal experience of overcoming self-dependence by relying on God’s strength rather than his own.
The Right Object of Faith
* Pastor Kay Hong emphasizes the importance of putting faith in the right object, which is Jesus.
* He explains that Jesus is the founder and perfecter of faith, and that even a tiny faith in Him can move mountains.
* The sermon highlights the need to bring our problems to Jesus, who is capable of moving mountains and healing.
* Hebrews 12:2 is referenced to illustrate that Jesus is the one who runs our race with endurance and perfects our faith.
Knowing Jesus and Overcoming Unbelief
* Pastor Kay Hong stresses the importance of knowing Jesus deeply to overcome unbelief.
* He shares a story about a man walking across a frozen lake to emphasize the need for a deeper knowledge of Jesus to have stronger faith.
* The sermon encourages spending time with Jesus through personal worship, prayer, and devotion to build a strong relationship with Him.
* John 15 is referenced to illustrate that abiding in Jesus leads to bearing much fruit.
The Power of Faith in God
* Pastor Kay Hong clarifies that the power to move mountains comes from God, not from our faith.
* He warns against the misuse of faith for personal gain, emphasizing that the focus should be on God’s will.
* The sermon discusses the importance of asking according to God’s will to see His work done.
* He shares his personal experience of moving to China and the challenges faced, which helped him grow in faith and dependence on God.
Embarking on a New Faith Journey
* Pastor Kay Hong announces the start of a new Chinese church and the challenges ahead.
* He encourages the congregation to step out of their comfort zones and face their fears with faith in God.
* The sermon highlights the need for prayer and support from the congregation for the new church.
* He prays for the congregation to have the courage to step out of their comfort zones and to put their faith in God.
