Do You Believe That I am Able to do This?: That's a Good Question: Sunday Service 5/10/26

Devotional

Day 1: Hannah’s Lent Gift

Two blind men cried out, but Hannah first prayed. She held baby Samuel, her miracle, then handed him back to God. “For this child I prayed,” she declared, releasing her deepest longing to the One who gave him. Her hands emptied so her heart could fill with trust. [05:06]

Hannah’s story isn’t about perfect parenting. It’s about stewardship—recognizing every child, every blessing, belongs to God first. She traded anxiety for surrender, proving faith isn’t clinging but releasing.

What have you clenched too tightly? Name one relationship, dream, or fear you’ve treated as yours alone. Open your hands as you pray today. How might holding it loosely change your trust in God’s care?

“For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.”
(1 Samuel 1:27-28, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one thing you’ve struggled to entrust to God. Ask Him to help you release it.
Challenge: Write the name of a loved one on paper. Pray over it, then place it in your Bible as a reminder of God’s ownership.

Day 2: Authority Over Waves

Wind tore the disciples’ sails. Waves swamped their boat. Jesus slept—until their panic woke Him. “Why are you afraid?” He rebuked the storm first, then their hearts. The sea stilled, but their awe rippled wider. [52:14]

Nature obeyed because Jesus authored it. His power isn’t limited by chaos; He rules what He made. The disciples’ terror faded when they saw the storm bow to its Maker.

You face storms—relational, financial, physical. Jesus asks the same question: “Why fear when I’m here?” What tempest have you let drown your peace? When did you last speak to your storm instead of your Savior?

“Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!’”
(Matthew 8:26-27, NIV)

Prayer: Name a current “storm.” Thank Jesus aloud for His authority over it.
Challenge: Fill a bowl with water. Whisper your fear into it, then pour it out as an act of surrender.

Day 3: “Rise and Walk”

Dust hung in the room where the paralyzed man lay. Jesus saw past twisted limbs to the deeper wound: “Your sins are forgiven.” Religious leaders bristled, so He proved His authority. “Get up, take your mat, and go home.” Muscle and bone snapped into alignment. [53:34]

Jesus linked healing to forgiveness because He cares more for eternal chains than temporal ones. The man left walking—body whole, soul free—a living sign of God’s dual power.

What cripples you spiritually? Guilt? Shame? Jesus’ words still pierce through layers of failure. Where do you need to hear “rise and walk” today? Will you let Him redefine your story?

“But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. So he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home.’”
(Matthew 9:6, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal a sin you’ve let paralyze you. Claim His forgiveness aloud.
Challenge: Text a trusted friend: “Jesus told me to rise. Pray I walk in freedom today.”

Day 4: Pigs and Permission

Demons screamed as Jesus approached. “Send us into the pigs!” they bargained. With one word—“Go”—He upended their destruction. Farmers gasped as the herd plunged, but two men sat clothed and sane. [52:49]

Even evil recognizes Christ’s authority. The demons’ terror revealed Jesus’ absolute reign. The villagers saw loss; Jesus saw liberation. True power protects, even when it costs.

What “herd” have you valued over freedom? Comfort? Reputation? Jesus still permits hard losses to secure eternal gains. What brokenness is He asking you to release for someone’s deliverance?

“He said to them, ‘Go!’ So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water.”
(Matthew 8:32, NIV)

Prayer: Identify one compromise you tolerate. Ask Jesus to dismantle it, whatever the cost.
Challenge: Fast from one media source today. Use the time to pray against a specific spiritual stronghold.

Day 5: Eyes Opened, Mouths Opened

Blind men trailed Jesus, shouting “Son of David!” Inside a house, He turned: “Do you believe I can do this?” Their “Yes, Lord” activated His touch. Light flooded in. He warned silence, but joy burst through—they told everyone. [56:26]

Faith isn’t passive agreement. It’s gutsy trust that Jesus’ ability outshines every impossibility. These men gambled everything on His identity, not just His power. Their healing propelled witness.

What miracle have you stopped asking for? Jesus isn’t offended by repeated requests—He’s offended by silent resignation. When did you last beg boldly, then broadcast His answer?

“Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith let it be done to you’; and their sight was restored.”
(Matthew 9:29-30, NIV)

Prayer: Whisper your “impossible” request. Thank Jesus for His ability, regardless of the outcome.
Challenge: Share a past answer to prayer with someone today—by call, text, or conversation.

Sermon Summary

We gather to worship and to center our lives on who Jesus is and what his authority means for us. We name the church mission to make and mature disciples and we remind ourselves that growth starts with honest steps toward Jesus. We recognize child and family dedication as a public act of stewardship that points children back to God, not as a guarantee of salvation but as a vow to raise them toward Christ. We note Hannah as a model who prayed, acknowledged a gift received, and entrusted that child to the Lord for life. We accept the church as a communal network that commits to walk beside families and to form younger believers through teaching and care. We pause in prayer to ask God to bless parents and children and to give wisdom in parenting.

We turn to Matthew and we watch authority emerge as a running theme. We trace authority through teaching, healing, command over distance, nature, demons, sin, and even death. We observe that authority carries jurisdiction and right, not merely raw power, and we see Matthew shaping a portrait of Jesus as the long awaited Messiah. We focus on the brief but sharp scene where two blind men follow Jesus, call him son of David, plead for mercy, and receive the question, do you believe that I am able to do this? We press that the question cuts to personal faith. We refuse proximity without commitment and we insist that belief means settling our hearts, not just storing facts. We confess that intellectual assent remains insufficient when life asks for trust in hardship.

We call ourselves to test the limits of trust and to name places where we quietly stopped expecting God to move. We admit that Jesus’s ability does not hinge on our strength and we practice handing over burdens we keep carrying. We prepare to examine hearts before communion and to enter the table as a people who rely on Jesus’s work for salvation and daily life.

Key Takeaways

1. Children are God given gifts We affirm that children arrive as divine gifts and not as possessions to control. We commit to steward what we have been given by pointing children to Christ, initiating lifelong discipleship rather than assuming instant salvation. We invite the church to bear communal responsibility for spiritual formation and to support parents in practical ways. [05:06]
2. Jesus holds ultimate authority We see authority threaded through teaching, healing, and dominion over nature, demons, sin, and death. We trust that jurisdiction means Jesus has the right and power to act on our behalf and to redefine what is possible. We let this truth reshape how we pray and how we judge what is hopeless. [50:07]
3. Faith must become personal trust We refuse to settle for proximity or religious routine and we make faith a personal confidence that reorients life. We acknowledge that belief requires more than knowledge; it demands surrender that produces obedience and risk. We allow this inward faith to change our everyday choices and priorities. [61:05]
4. Entrust the impossible to Jesus We test the places we deemed beyond repair and we name them before God honestly. We commit to handing over outcomes to Jesus, trusting his wisdom even when answers differ from our plans. We let dependence on his ability lighten our burdens and expand our hope. [68:11]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[03:20] - Church mission explained
[03:54] - Growth starts here theme
[05:06] - Child dedication explained
[06:22] - Hannah as stewardship model
[10:16] - Prayer for families
[13:25] - Series introduction and translation
[45:00] - What are you looking for
[46:09] - Sermon on the Mount context
[50:07] - Matthew and authority theme
[50:58] - Authority shown in healing
[55:45] - Blind men follow and plead
[61:05] - Do you believe question unpacked
[76:48] - Communion and closing prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Matthew 9:27–31 (ESV): "And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, 'Have mercy on us, Son of David.' When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' They said to him, 'Yes, Lord.' Then he touched their eyes, saying, 'According to your faith be it done to you.' And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, 'See that no one knows about it.' But they went away and spread his fame through all that district."
- 1 Samuel 1:27–28 (ESV): "For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord."
- Matthew 28:18 (ESV): "And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.'"

Observation questions

In Matthew 9:27–31, what specific actions and words did the blind men use to approach Jesus, and how did Jesus respond?
How does Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 1:27–28 reflect her understanding of children as gifts from God?
What examples of Jesus’ authority are highlighted in the sermon, and how do they connect to Matthew 28:18? [50:07]

Interpretation questions

Why do you think Jesus asked the blind men, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” instead of immediately healing them? What does this reveal about the relationship between faith and action?
The blind men called Jesus “Son of David” (Matthew 9:27). Why is this title significant, and how does it tie into Matthew’s broader purpose in his Gospel?
Hannah’s act of entrusting Samuel to the Lord was lifelong. How does this challenge modern assumptions about parenting or stewardship?
Jesus’ authority includes power over sin, nature, and death. How does this redefine what we consider “impossible” in our lives? [53:56]

Application questions

Jesus’ question, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” cuts to personal trust. What is one situation in your life where you’ve settled for proximity to Jesus (e.g., routines, knowledge) but avoided surrendering outcomes to Him? How could you take a step of active trust this week? [01:01:05]
Hannah acknowledged her child as a gift from God, not a possession. In what ways do you struggle to release control over the people or circumstances you care about? What would it look like to “entrust them to the Lord” practically?
The sermon mentions “quietly stopping expecting God to move” in certain areas. Name one area you’ve labeled “beyond repair” and write a prayer honestly asking Jesus to reshape your expectations of His authority there. [01:13:48]
The church is called to support families in raising children toward Christ. How could you tangibly encourage a parent or child in your community this month—whether through practical help, prayer, or mentorship?
Reflect on a time when you saw Jesus’ authority redefine a “hopeless” situation. How does that memory strengthen your confidence in His ability to act in your current challenges?
The blind men spread Jesus’ fame despite His warning to keep quiet (Matthew 9:30–31). Where do you feel hesitant to share how Jesus has worked in your life? What’s one step you could take to courageously testify to His faithfulness?

Sermon Clips

60s

#TrustNotJustKnowledge

“``See you can say Jesus is powerful. You can say Jesus is Lord. You can say Jesus rose from the dead and still live your life functionally as if you depend upon yourself. You can do that. You can say a lot of things. Like I said, you can learn the language of faith. But until I believe, until it comes to me, because it's another thing excuse me. It's one thing to know things. It's another thing to believe them. Intellectual understanding of something is not faith. Intellectual understanding of something is just knowledge. Knowledge and faith are different things. Biblical faith is not acquiring facts. It's placing confidence in a person and the work that he accomplished for you. It's leaning the weight of your life onto Jesus and saying, I trust you.”

50s

#ProximityNotTrust

“I think the reason Jesus asked this question is because it's it's possible for us to be in proximity to Jesus without actually trusting him. And maybe that's true for you this morning. It's it's possible for you to be in proximity to Jesus. In other words, to be near him and not actually trust him. And so very briefly, I wanna look at this question in four sections. The question is, do you believe that I'm able to do this? The first part of the question that I wanna look at is do you? Do you? Do you believe? Let's let's let's take Jesus's question and let's just apply it to our context. Let's apply it to who we are. Do you?”

42s

#WriteDownWhatYouCantTrust

“Maybe you need to get out a piece of paper like I did this week and write down some of the things that you have trouble trusting Jesus to do. I wanna believe that you're able to do it, but I'm I'm wrestling because I've been praying for a long time, and I haven't seen an answer. I wanna believe that you're able to do it, but I'm wrestling because it feels too big, Because it feels outside of my control, therefore, it must be outside your control is the false conclusion that we come to. You say this part of who I am, it's just not ever gonna change. Do you have categories of your life where you've quietly stopped believing that God can actually work?”

49s

#FaithIsPersonal

“That's a question for you this morning. Do you believe that he's able to do this? Do you believe he's able to do this? Will you accept him, or will you reject him? Because faith is personal at its core. It's not communal. Faith is personal. Faith is something that you need to wrestle with. Faith is something that you need to come to terms with. And this can be a problem I think in the church. Sometimes you can spend years in close proximity to Jesus and never actually deal with him personally. You could just be in the room. You can be around it. You can learn the language. Learn the vocabulary.”

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