Faith that Laughs: Sarah’s Story of Doubt and Determination

Sermon 8 in Series on Hebrews 11

Sermon on Hebrews 11:11-12

Alternative Titles.

· Imperfect Yet Unstoppable: How Sarah’s Faith Inspires Us All

· When Belief Breaks Through: Sarah’s Journey from Skepticism to Faith

· Real Faith for Real Life: Learning from Sarah’s Messy Journey

· Beyond the Highlight Reel: The Gritty Faith of Sarah

· Still Believing: How Sarah Held On When Hope Seemed Lost

Opening Prayer

Gracious and loving Father,

We gather this morning in awe of Your faithfulness and Your steadfast love. As we open Your Word, let Your Spirit move among us, igniting a deeper trust in Your promises and a tenacious faith that persists despite our doubts and flaws. May we learn from the story of Sarah, and may her journey encourage us to hold fast to You, even when life feels impossible. Guide my words, open our hearts, and draw us nearer to Your heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture Reading

Hebrews 11:11-12 (ESV)

“By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”

Introduction

The “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11 is filled with extraordinary stories of ordinary people—flawed, questioning, at times doubtful, but clinging tenaciously to the promises of God. Today, we turn our hearts to Sarah, whose journey reveals that faith is not about perfection, but about persistence. Her story is a beacon for all who have wrestled with doubt, confusion, or the messiness of life.

Let us walk through four key truths from Sarah’s story, and discover how her imperfect journey can inspire enduring faith in our own lives.

Point 1: Faith Begins in the Midst of Doubt

Sarah’s inclusion in Hebrews 11 is remarkable, because her first response to God’s promise was not heroic belief—it was laughter. In Genesis 18, as she overheard the promise that she would bear a son in her old age, Sarah laughed, incredulous at the impossibility.

But the testimony of Hebrews does not erase her doubt; it transforms it. The writer reminds us that faith is not a posture reserved for the superhuman. Instead, faith begins precisely in the places where doubt and struggle reside.

Faith is not the absence of questions; it is the refusal to let doubt have the final word.

Like Sarah, we may laugh, we may question, but God does not disqualify us for our humanity. Instead, He invites us to believe Him, even amid our confusion.

· Consider your own places of doubt. Where do the promises of God seem impossible?

· Remember: Faith is not the denial of reality, but the conviction that God can bring possibility out of impossibility.

Point 2: Enduring Faith is Tenacious, Not Perfect

Sarah did not become a model of faith by always getting it right. The “Hall of Faith” is not for those who have never stumbled, but for those who have refused to “shrink back” from confidence in God.

The essence of biblical faith is endurance. It is holding on, pressing forward, and clinging to the promises even when life is hard, chaotic, or confusing.

Enduring faith persists despite our struggles, doubts, character flaws, and failures.

The gospel does not call us to moral perfection, but to believing loyalty—a tenacity that says, “God, I trust You, even when I don’t understand.”

· Reflect: Where have you felt inadequate or unworthy in your walk with God?

· Take heart—God’s approval is not based on flawless performance, but on persistent trust.

Point 3: The Power of Faith Lies in the Faithfulness of God

Hebrews 11:11 highlights the foundation of Sarah’s faith: “She considered him faithful who had promised.”

Sarah’s ultimate trust was not in her ability, her understanding, or her circumstances. Her faith was anchored in the faithfulness of God.

The power of faith does not come from us; it comes from the One in whom we place our trust.

Sarah’s story is a reminder: Even when we are “past the age,” even when the situation seems irreversible, God is able—and God is faithful.

· Ask yourself: Is your faith anchored in God’s character or your circumstances?

· When you face the impossible, rest in the truth that God will make good on His promise.

Point 4: Faith is Not the Absence of Failure, but the Presence of Loyalty

Sarah’s journey included mistakes and moral failures—just as Abraham’s did. The incident with Hagar, the moments of deception—these are not hidden from Scripture.

But what matters is that she did not “forsake her faith” or “go somewhere else.”

True unbelief is not struggling with questions—it is abandoning loyalty to God and His promises.

Sarah’s faith endured because, despite everything, she kept returning to God. She chose believing loyalty over abandoning hope.

· Where have you been tempted to “bag it” or give up?

· God honors perseverance, not perfection. He welcomes us back, again and again.

Conclusion: Faith That Holds On

Sarah’s life teaches us that God’s approval is not earned by the absence of weakness, but by a heart that clings to Him.

Faith is an enduring, tenacious loyalty to God—a confidence that persists in the messiness of real life.

If God can use Sarah—a woman who doubted, laughed, struggled—He can use us.

Let us hold fast to the promises of God, not because we are perfect, but because He is faithful.

Closing Prayer

Faithful God,

Thank You for the testimony of Sarah and the assurance that faith is tenacious, not flawless. Strengthen our hearts to trust You in the face of doubt, to persist when life feels impossible, and to return to You again and again with believing loyalty. May our faith be anchored not in ourselves, but in Your unfailing promises. Help us to hold on, knowing that You will make it good.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.