Youth Group Topical Study 2024: What is Faith
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What is Faith Pt. 1
What is Faith Pt. 1
We have studied through the Sermon on the Mount which helps us learn things about practical living…In other words, how can I live with a real righteousness. Not fake or hypocritical, but real.
We learned that it is only possible when we get it/attain it through Jesus. Remember that to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we need a righteousness greater than that of the Pharisees… or the religious leaders. It seemed impossible. And by earthly standards, it would have been. But as we learned, their righteousness was actually hollow and false. Superficial. Not genuine.
And then we learned that we actually can have a righteousness greater than theirs. And that was only by trusting in Jesus! The Bible says that when we choose to trust in Jesus, we actually gain His righteousness. When God sees us, now He sees us wearing the righteousness of Christ. We didn’t earn it, and we could never deserve it. It is a gift given to those who place their trust in God. Then, we can start living in a way that we read about through Matthew 5-7. The not cursing others, but rather blessing. Not being anxious, but trusting God’s provision. The not judging others, but evaluating ourselves first instead! These things are now possible for us to do, but only when we have Jesus’ strength. They are not natural to our flesh and our desires are they?
Remember, these were things that people probably heard and would have said: “Whoa, Jesus, thats probably a little too far right?”
So with all this context in mind, it is important that we don’t miss the one things which determines whether or not you can live well, and live a life that is changed. And that is: faith in Jesus!
Okay, so I have a few questions to open up this topic that we will spend the next few weeks looking into.
Don’t feel like your answers may sound stupid. Just do your best to answer what you think is true. Okay?
1. What does it mean to have faith?
2. What does it mean to have faith in Jesus?
3. What about Jesus are we having faith in? Simply that He exists?
4. What is the affect or result of having faith in God or Jesus?
Good, these are just questions that I want to hear from y’all about. I wanted to see what you think about this subject.
Well tonight, I mainly want to introduce a few key verses that we will likely review each week as we unpack more about what it means to have faith in Jesus.
1st Verse: Hebrews 11:1
1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
or another translation puts it this way:
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
So according to this verse, there is a base definition of what the word faith means:
- It is a conviction of things we do not see.
- What is a conviction?
- It is an assurance of things we hope for.
(aka confidence in things that we cannot prove with sight or in a science lab)
Our 2nd Verse:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Here we see that faith is the key which unlocks our forgiveness of sins and assurance of going to Heaven.
We also see that our salvation from sins is not based on us earning anything. Our faith is not a “good work”.
Rather the Bible verse says it is BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH.
It is a gracious gift from God given. But in order to make the gift my own, what do I have to do?
I just need to receive it!
We just celebrated Christmas, you all should understand this concept. When the gift is still under the tree, it still belongs to the one giving it. They could pull it out and change it for something else. They could choose to give it to someone else.
But once you RECEIVE it, it then becomes your own. This is the key here! It is a gift given, but demonstrating faith is the way that we receive the gift! It is like me unwrapping the box on Christmas day.
Me unwrapping was not me earning or working for it, it was the basis of me receiving the gift being given by someone else.
Does this make sense?
Well then let’s answer a few questions to see if these ideas are sticking:
What does the bible say that faith simply is?
Conviction about something unseen
Assurance of something we hope for
Can we earn our forgiveness? Why
NO!
Because it is a gift
How do we receive the gift of salvation in Jesus?
By faith
By believing in Jesus
Good Job! Okay, if you feel like you still don’t understand what exactly we are trusting/having faith in, that is okay! We are going to be diving more into this over the next few weeks!
Trust me, this is probably the single most important topic we could be talking about. That the Bible wants to deliver to you!
Once you understand these simple truths, the rest of the Bible is able to help guide you to walk a life filled with peace, hope, joy, and obedience to God!
Like always, if you don’t understand something… if you want to know more… If you want to make a decision about placing your faith in Jesus, please talk to either me or Penny. This is the whole reason we come to youth group… to invest in you all in this way!
Let’s Pray!
Week 2:
Week 2:
Main Theme Idea: True Faith is One that Actually Believes!
Main Theme Idea: True Faith is One that Actually Believes!
Start the Lesson Using the Story about the Wheelbarrow over Niagara Falls
Acrobat Charles Blondin in 1859
He walked 160 feet above the falls several times back and forth between Canada and the United States as huge crowds on both sides looked on with shock and awe.
Once he crossed in a sack, once on stilts, another time on a bicycle, and once he even carried a stove and cooked an omelet!
On July 15, Blondin Pushed a wheelbarrow backwards across the tight rope.
It is said that he liked to get the crowds involved and cheering for him! He would get the crowds hyped up! Oooooh….Ahhhhhhh…
Everyone loved him… “The great Blondin!!!!”…
One time when interacting with the crowds, he asked them: “Do you think I can push someone across the tightrope in the wheelbarrow?”
“YES, YES!” The crowds were cheering!
So then he tells them: “I need a volunteer!”
The crowds go silent.
One moment they are cheering the man on, you are the greatest, you are the best, you can do it!
But when they are asked to act on that belief that he could do it, nobody spoke up.
They were excited, they saw him do incredible things, but their amazement at him did not lead to any of them displaying faith.
I hope this idea will help us today as we discuss the difference between claiming something and truly having faith.
Pray
Pray
Quick Review of Last Week
Quick Review of Last Week
What does the bible say that faith simply is?
Conviction about something unseen
Assurance of something we hope for
Can we earn our forgiveness? Why
NO!
Because it is a gift
How do we receive the gift of salvation in Jesus?
By faith
By believing in Jesus
There is a difference between an intellectual acknowledgement of something (To believe that something is true) and a faith that causes you to trust in God based on your belief about Him.
Saving faith is not one that says: “Sure, God is real, Jesus died on the cross…I go to church…youth group… I try to do whats good more than wrong…” thats enough right?
Rather, Saving Faith is one that says: “I agree with God that my sin has separated me from Him. And by choosing to trust in him, I will be forgiven. Now that I am saved, I want to do what is right. Even tho I will make mistakes along the way, I continue to have Faith that God will help me.”
Saving faith is one that changes your heart. You want to please God. You want to live differently.
In the book of James it says that even Demons believe that God is One and the only result of their belief is that they will shake is fear.
So just believing in the existence of God is not enough! We are called to trust in Him!
Look at Romans 10:9
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Salvation comes through a genuine belief in your heart and a confession of that faith.
Remember, you cannot earn salvation.
It is a gift.
Salvation is not something complicated or requires a genius to figure out.
Faith is something so simple that even a child can understand. We are actually told to have faith like a child (one that fully trusts without doubting)
But the whole reason I want to describe this to you is to make sure that you all are not deceived into thinking you are going to heaven for some other reason.
If anyone has told you that you are going to heaven based on any other basis than trusting in Jesus alone, then do not listen to them!
Jesus tells us that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life…that no one comes to the Father but through Him…
He is the only way to Heaven. Does that sound narrow?
Well, thats because it is! Remember what we learned that Jesus told us. He said that wide is the path to destruction and many people follow it. But narrow is the path that leads to life, and few follow it!
That is a sad truth.
So I might ask those of you in here tonight:
Do you have a saving faith in Jesus? Or do you merely just admit that he is real but not really want any part of Him to change your life?
Cause let’s be honest, you may not want to give up doing the sins that you so desperately enjoy! You may not be ready to surrender things to Him in choosing to follow Him. He tells us that we cannot have both one foot in the world with sin and then one foot on His side. You cannot serve both. Choosing to put one foot in the world means that you are not choosing to follow God.
Now, do we all make mistakes…Yes! We do! But the difference will be, was it a mistake that you seek forgiveness and seek to change from? Or do you just enjoy living in it and have no regard for God in choosing them?
So, to go back to our story:
Are you willing to “get in the wheelbarrow?”
Are you willing to not just be someone who shows up to the crowd (who shows up to church)
Are you willing to actually trust Jesus with your life and get in “his wheelbarrow” (to have real faith which trusts Him).
Your faith should be real and it should change you! Change will happen over time. It is not immediate! But there needs to be the desire for it.
Well today, here are a few Passages about faith that I want us to look at:
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Firstly in the Hebrews passage, it shows us that faith is also the only avenue to please God. We must believe in Him and in His gift of salvation for those who trust in Him!
In our second passage, we are reminded that we don’t chose to live and only trust what we can see and what we can control. People like to treat God like He is a geenie in a bottle. Rather we must choose to walk by faith. Trusting in what we are convicted of and convinced to be true even if we cannot see it!
Faith is a choice. Faith changes your life!
DO YOU WANT TO HAVE FAITH IN GOD?
It will require sacrifice of the things of this world, but you will find access to peace and joy which you never knew could exist!
A quote I particularly love by Jim Elliot is:
“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”
It is far better to give up sin (which will only ever bring pain and hurt in our lives in the end) and gain the things which God wants to give you!
Week 3: Are You Willing to Choose Faith and Run for Jesus?
Week 3: Are You Willing to Choose Faith and Run for Jesus?
Do a recap of last week’s message…Are you willing to get in the wheel barrow…Do you have an authentic relationship with Jesus, a real faith? Or do you maybe only believe that God exists. There is a difference, thats for sure!
You must know what your faith is in! It should be in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, which upon trusting in Him, will allow your sins to be forgiven you, and will grant you entrance to Heaven when you die.
This is a love and a gift so scandalous!!! It is completely 1-sided. He offers everything and does all of the work, and we are called to believe!
And once we believe and receive this free gift, then we will start to have the desire to live in the way that Jesus preached about on the sermon on the mount. Wanting to love and sacrifice for others. Wanting to be humble and pure. Wanting to live well for Jesus because you realize that He is your life and your purpose! It becomes your joy to live for Jesus. It shouldn’t be burdensome, it should be a delight to sacrifice things back for the one who sacrificed everything for you!
So this brings us to today:
Skim through Hebrews Chapter 11 - describe the way that some of these “old testament heroes” lived by faith.
Then read out Hebrews 11:32–40
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—
33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—
38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Do you notice something here, following Jesus usually means that there will be sacrifice to certain things in life. For these people, it was very drastic. To us in America, we do not have to fear our life, but there are certainly other things that you must be willing to give up if you truly want to follow Jesus.
Let’s watch this quick video!
https://youtu.be/SbJZRJLN544?si=FUnlo5EpZ-UwJI5f
After listening to this, lets hear what Jesus has to say:
27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”
28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”
29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”
and a little further down He says:
35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.
36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
37 For what can a man give in return for his soul?
What will you all truly gain if you choose follow the things of this world, and therefore neglect God in your life? Jesus tells you the answer, you loose your soul. Essentially, you lose eternal life with God. You will spend the rest of your eternity in a very real place called hell. God is not unfair or unjust in this. God is both equally loving as He is equally just. The bible says that just one sin results in eternal condemnation. That is the consequence of sin. In God’s love, He provides forgiveness for those willing to receive it. However, if they choose to neglect it or deny it, then it is just that they will experience the condemnation which they bought for themselves by choosing to live in sin against a Holy and perfect God.
The world today actually kinda either hypes up hell like its not so bad a place to be or it does the complete opposite and they water it down to a comic or cartoon level where satan is the king or ruler of hell. Lets be clear about this, Satan will be no ruler in hell. That is not his kingdom, that will be his eternal place of punishment.
On the opposite side of the perspective, we can choose to surrender our life to Jesus and in doing so, we will actually save our lives. We will inherit eternal life in God! What a gift! What an obvious choice if you ask me. Praise God that He did not leave us to fend for ourselves. Rather He provided a way of forgiveness and escape. Should only we accept it? Should only we have faith in Him!?!?!
So then, in a way of conclusion, lets look one more time back to Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Since we all now know what faith is…Why we need it…and have heard about the examples of others…What will we decide to do…
Will we lay aside every weight and every sin that is getting in the way of living a more close and real relationship with Jesus?
- Maybe those hours upon hours of video games aren’t actually helping me think well and make good decisions. Maybe they are teaching me to rage and loose control in real life, because that is what I do when I lose a game.
Maybe I should stop being consumed with thoughts of lust or self body image. Maybe my all consuming thoughts about how I look or about how others look is actually teaching me to live selfishly and only ever think about myself?
Maybe those websites that I’m watching of pornography and sexual immorality are only teaching me to think and look at other people in a sexual manner. Maybe they are teaching you to view other people as means to gain or feel pleasure. How about the addiction. Scientifically, each time you watch and give into these things, it reaches the dopamine center of your brain. A rush of this “happy hormone” and you will feel good now. But scientifically, if you want to get that dopamine rush and feel good, then the amount of things you are watching or doing will only continue to increase. It may get to the point where you are desperately filling yourself with different things and images and actions just to feel anything at all now. Its unhealthy and it is unrealistic. Anything you are watching online is not realistic, and will only leave you disappointed when you get married. Because those things are a performance and they are abuse. Many of the women involved in pornography are not there by choice, they have been sex trafficked. And watching it only supports those who are doing that abuse.
Hopefully you can see now that there are lots of things that we like or become obsessed with. They seem good now, and it feels like loss to give them up, but I can guarantee you that by giving them up, you are actually saving your own soul!
I know that both me and Penny can tell you that the sins which used to give us a thrill years ago, we now look back and are embarrassed we did whatever it was. After time we realize that by surrendering them to Jesus, we now have a much more happy and freeing life. What once felt like sacrifice now feels like freedom!
So will you place your trust in Jesus? Will you surrender the things that are hard to give up so that you can follow Him?
It is worth it, I promise! From experience I know this!