Is God Pleased With Me?

Sermon Discussion Questions: June 14, 2026 Is God Pleased With Me? Call to Worship: 1 Timothy 6:11-12 1. Verse 11 is about fleeing vices and pursuing virtues. (In other words, it is about behaving well.) Verse 12 is about the “fight of the faith” and taking “hold of the eternal life.” How are these verses related and which usually happens first? Sermon: Hebrews 11:1-6 I. I Please God When I Properly Define My Faith 1. Pastor Bill opened with a story about a relay race. a. How do relay races differ from other foot races? How might this apply to the “race” of Christian life? (See 1 Corinthians 9:24-27) b. How does the baton in a relay race work as a metaphor in the Christian faith? 2. Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please God, …” Why? 3. In what sense do even atheists and agnostics exercise faith? 4. How would you reply to someone who said that evolution occurred, however God directed it? II. I Please God When I Positively Declare My Faith 5. Pastor Bill said that one aspect of faith is seeing the future as guaranteed. State two promises about the future that Christians have been given, and why these promises bring you comfort. 6. God has given us five senses with which to perceive reality. Then He demands that we exercise faith, which includes believing in things which do not directly impact any of those five senses. Is this a reasonable demand on God's part? 7. Pastor Bill quoted a writer who saw natural phenomenon and was reminded of scriptural promises. For example, when this person saw clouds, he thought of Jesus coming in the clouds. If you have ever seen natural events as metaphors for spiritual truths, or as reminders of biblical promises, share that experience with the group. III. I Please God When I Personally Demonstrate My Faith 8. Genesis 1 records eight times that God spoke and either things came into being, or things went from a state of chaos to a stare of order. What do these events imply about: a. The nature of God? b. The role of faith in the life of a believer? 9. Share a Bible verse about the importance of demonstrating your faith. 10. State an example of someone demonstrating faith. a. Old Testament. b. New Testament. c. You or someone you observed. 11. AI question 🤖: In what area of your life is God asking you to trust Him without visible evidence, and what concrete step can you take to act on that trust? Prayer Points: • Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you a solid, foundational faith on which to stand, that you will be able to display your faith to others in a way that always glorifies God. • Pray that you will positively declare your faith in God by: Engaging others in positive dialogue, by being respectful of their beliefs, while “boldly sharing” your biblical beliefs with others. • Pray that you will personally demonstrate your faith in God by: Living a “Christian life” before others, displaying God’s love, His kindness, and His forgiveness, through your thoughts, words, and actions.