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This sermon – What is Faith? – was originally preached 2013.09.15 by Sam Troyer.
Scriptures used: Hebrews 11:1-6, Hebrews 10:36-39, 1 John 5:4, Romans 1:18, Hebrews 6:13, Hebrews 10:12, Isaiah.
What is Faith?
Will there be faith on the earth when Jesus returns?
What is faith? Faith is playing the notes that we may never hear. We may not instantly see the results of what we do in faith, but we do those things anyway.
The ability to take someone at his word and act on that word. It is a confidence that the one we have faith and confidence in is reliable.
Some Questions we want to ask about faith.
- Are you a person of faith?
- How big a part does faith play in your life?
- Is your faith growing?
- Is your faith strong?
- What are some evidences of faith?
The goal of this message: Encourage you to make wise choices in life. Choose to play the high notes even if you cannot hear them. Live a life of faith.
Faith is – Being Sure
Faith is being sure of what we hope for. Faith is what gives sustenance to our hope. It gives us something to hold on to.
Faith brings the word close to our hearts. Once we start to realize that we don’t have what we need for a situation we can reach out and grasp the promises of God’s word and bring them close to us.
Faith provides us with a firm standing ground. Faith cannot be built on what others tell us. Faith must be accepted personally. If you have a false faith for your foundation, you may need it knocked out from under you before you can realize where your faith should be.
Faith is – Conviction
Faith has enough evidence to convict us. Police look at a crime scene to find evidence to be able to convict someone of a crime. Faith is a conviction that we can have because we can see God’s working in our lives and the lives of those around us. God’s working can also be seen in creation. His working can be seen throughout history.
Faith is not blind. There is much evidence if we will just open our eyes and look at it. Faith allows us to do that.
Here is a quote from the R.C. Sproul book, What Is Faith?
Many years ago, I engaged in correspondence with Dr. Carl Sagan, the late astronomer and astrophysicist, when we both responded to a publication on questions of theology and philosophical cosmogony. We talked about the “Big Bang” theory that he was espousing. Sagan said that through the scientific apparatus, we can now go back to within a nanosecond of the moment of the big bang. I replied, “Well, let’s go back before that. What was there, in your judgment, before this explosion? You have said there was a complete concentration of all matter and energy into an infinitesimal point of singularity, a point that had been in a state of organization and inertia for eternity, but which suddenly decided to blow up. I want to know who moved it. I want to know what outside force perturbed its inertia.” He said: “Well, we can’t go there. We don’t need to go there.” I said, “Yes, you do need to go there, because if you assume that the Big Bang happened gratuitously, you’re talking about magic, not science.”
Faith is – Believing God
Faith in God is confidence in the testimony of God and what He says, about Himself and about me.
When I have faith in God the objective foundation of God’s world becomes mine.
Faith is more than believing things about God. It is believing God.
Faith is very child-like. Not childish. It is like a child placing his hand in the hand of his father. That is what God calls us to – to place our hands into his hands.
How does faith come?
The word is sown in our hearts. We can reject it. We need the power of the spirit to be born again, but we do have a responsibility to hear and respond.
Faith comes to us when we hear the word.
Faith is a choice. The choice is ours. Are you responding? Am I responding?
Why is faith so important?
Faith is important because it pleases God. Read Hebrews 11 and it is quite clear. God wants us to step out in faith. He will lead us, but we are called to step out in faith in Him.
What does faith do in our lives?
It produces a life of obedience and godly deeds.
What influence does your profession of faith have on the way you live? Is it impacting your decisions? How do you live in light of Christ’s return? Do you believe that God will supply your need? How much time to you spend in prayer?
Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.
A quote by Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s
“Roll-up-your-shirtsleeves Christians see Christianity as faith and action. They still make the time to talk with God through prayer, study Scripture with devotion, be super-active in their church and take their ministry to others to spread the Good Word.” He went onto say they are “anonymous people who are doing good for Christ may be doing even more good than all the well-known Christians in the world.”
Conclusion
What is faith?
- Faith is being sure.
- Faith is the substance of what we are hoping for.
- Faith is conviction. The evidence of things not seen.
- Faith is believing God.
How does Faith Come and what does it look like?
- Faith comes through the Word being sown in people’s hearts.
- Faith Pleases God.
- God will reward those who have faith in Him.
- Faith results in a life of obedience.
- Living faith results in changed lives.
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