The Anatomy of Faith: Focus
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Intro: I have always heard that a Christian lives by faith, but What does it really mean to live by faith?
Does it mean to never have doubts or fears?
Does it mean to always ignore your circumstances and blindly trust?
There are certainly times when it is harder to live by faith.
Sometimes we think we know things that we really don’t know.
Napoleon Bonaparte was not short. Or well, tiny. He was 5’7’’, which was more or less standard height in 1821.
Waking sleepwalkers does not harm them. They may get disoriented for a bit, but it can’t hurt them. Letting them walk around a house asleep, on the other hand, could harm them pretty good.
Bulls can’t see the color red as any different from any other bright colors. It does not enrage them. Rather, the aggressive posturing of the matador is what causes them to charge.
Hair and fingernails do not continue growing after people die. Rather, the skin cells surrounding the nails and hair follicles die and shrink away, giving the perception of growth.
George Washington never had wooden teeth. His dentures were made of gold, hippo ivory, lead, and human teeth.
Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute. Mary Magdalene is never identified as a prostitute in the Bible.
We often act on things we think we know until it goes side ways and we are left wondering what happened. [finding the grain in steak so that I can cut cross grain].
Living by faith is one of those things in life that most people I know don’t really understand. We learn by comparison, so Abraham stands as an example of what it means to live by faith. And because of this, Paul says that he is the father of our faith.
In chapter 4, Paul has made one primary point: Abraham (the father of the Jews) is every believer’s father because he was saved not by being Jewish or keeping the Law, but through faith. And he has shown us that that faith is a matter of timing and location.
But Paul has one more thing to say about faith.
Romans 4:16-17
16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
17 (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
Romans 4:16-17
16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.
17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
Notice the last part of verse 17: Romans 4:17
17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
Most of us would have no problem saying that God can do anything He wants. We believe that intellectually but not rationally or emotionally. [zip line]
Abraham’s faith is “hope against hope” Romans 4:18
18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”
Romans 4:18
18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”
Romans 4:19-22
19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.
21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.
Romans 4:20-21
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.
21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
Hebrews 11:1
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:8-12, 17-19
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;
10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.”
19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.
Romans 4:23-25
23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him,
24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
25 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
We exercise faith in all areas of our life:
drive your car
eat at resurrants
buy insurance
take medication
Why do we feel good about these things?
experience
testimony
garuentees
consequences
benefits
All of these are true with God. So what is the difference? Immediate perception.
what we see, feel, hear, etc. is what is real
what we can reason as an outcome from what we see, feel, hear, etc. is what is going to happen
what the world around us tells us about reality is real
So we need to change our focus:
God’s power & Purpose
practice God’s presence
“Practicing the Presence of God”
Barnes & Nobles nook book $.99
Google Play audio book $.94; eBook $1.40
Amazon Kindle $2.99; paperback $5.95
iTunes $ 3.99
Challenge: Throughout every day this next week, deliberately think “God is here in person.”
Talk to Him throughout the day in your thoughts.
Talk about what you are doing, what you are watching, what you are hearing, what you are saying.
Two things will happen: you will see change in your everyday life
and you will become more aware of God in your life.