Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2173
“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31.
“O woman, greatisyour faith: be it unto you even asyou will.” Matthew 15:28.
BETWEEN the very lowest degree of faith and a state of unbelief there is a great gulf. An immeasurable abyss yawns between the man who has even the smallest faith in Christ and the man who has none. One is a living man, though feeble, the other is “dead in trespasses and sins”—the one is a justified man, the other is “condemned already—because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” The weakest Believer is on the road to Heaven. The other, having no faith, is going the downward road and he will find his portion at last among the unbelievers—a terrible portion, indeed!
Although we thus speak of Believers as all of one company, yet there is a great distance between weak faith and strong faith. Thank God it is a distance upon the one safe road—the King’s highway. No gulf divides Little Faith from Great Faith—on the contrary, Little Faith has only to travel along the royal road and he shall overtake his stronger Brother and himself become “strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” I want to quicken some of the more tardy travelers along the sacred way. I would have doubts slain and faith revived. I want Mr. Feeble-Mind, and Mistress Much-Afraid, and Miss Despondency and the whole tribe of the little ones to take heart of hope this morning and observe that they have not yet enjoyed all that the Lord has prepared for them!
Although a little faith saves, there is more faith to be had—faith which strengthens, gladdens, honors and makes useful is a most desirable Grace of God. It is written, “He gives more Grace,” and therefore God has more in readiness for us. Little faith may increase exceedingly until it ripens into full assurance with all its mellowness and sweetness. There are three things I am going to attend to. The first is little faith gently censured—“O you of little faith, why did you doubt? “In the second place, little faith tenderly commended, for it is no small blessing to have any faith at all, even though it has to be called little.
Thirdly, I shall conclude by speaking of great faith as much more to be commended. In this last matter I shall dwell upon our Master’s gracious words—“O woman, great is your faith: be it unto you even as you will.” I have read in your hearing two stories in the 14th and 15th chapters of this Gospel according to Matthew. It is memorable that the incidents, illustrating little and great faith, come so closely together. I shall take it for granted that you have the stories of Peter and the Canaanite woman clearly before your minds. Keep your Bibles open while I preach and may the Spirit of God open your hearts to understand them!
I. First, we have LITTLE FAITH GENTLY CENSURED. What shall I say about it, to begin with, but this?—that it is frequently found where we expected greater things. This man who is chided for little faith is Peter. Peter, to whom the Lord had communicated a very clear knowledge of Himself. Peter, the foreman of the twelve. Peter, in later days the great preacher of Pentecost. Peter, who has been exalted by some into the primate or pope of the Apostolic Church, though he claimed no such position. This is Peter, who was a true piece of stone from the foundation rock. Peter, to whom the Master gave the keys and to whom He delivered the commission, “Feed My sheep,” and, “Feed My lambs.”
It is Peter to whom Jesus says, “O you of little faith.” And, my dear Brother or Sister, may it not be true that you have obtained great mercy, enjoyed high privileges, received gracious protection and been eminently favored with
fellowship with Christ most near and dear? By this time you ought to be strong in faith. But yet you are not so. You will soon be Home—your gray hairs are silvered with the light of Immanuel’s land! You can almost hear the singing of the saints across the narrow stream! At your time of life, so long taught of God, so deeply experienced in the things of Christ, you ought to be fathers in faith, whereas you are still children! You ought to be mothers in Israel and yet you are mere babes!
Is it not so? Why is this sad fact so undeniable? Solomon spoke of the cedar in Lebanon and of the hyssop on the wall—but I have too often seen a hyssop on Lebanon and I have sometimes seen a cedar upon a wall—I mean that I have seen great Grace where there seemed to be nothing to assist it. And I have seen little Grace where everything was advantageous to its growth! These things ought not to be! You and I, who are no children now. You and I, who are no longer coasters, but have launched out into the deep and have had experience in many a storm. You and I, who are no strangers to our Lord now, for the King has often brought us into His banqueting house and His banner over us has been love!