By Faith

Good morning my Brothers and Sisters

This week we covered Chapter two in The Story and it covered a guy named Abram that was to be the forefather of a great nation. It explained the beginnings of a nation and the meaning of the word Israel. This portion of the Genesis starts to show how God uses everything for Good and we start see key figures that will be repeated throughout the Bible. However, while reading on this I was caught off guard by a reading in this book.

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and when, even though he did not know where he was going.”

This caught me off-guard because of the first two words is predominately the main action in the religion of Christianity; by faith. Faith is one of the core actions God expects from us and faith outlines our relationship with God. As we gather together today I want you to keep thinking about these two words; by faith. The Greek word for faith is (pee-stees). It will bring me to talk about three topics, because anyone knows great sermons have three topics according to all the great theologians. Also, I wanted to point out some great story points that had leaps of faith that I personally may not have.

First, What is faith? The Story defined faith as “complete trust.” It is much deeper than mere intellectual agreement with certain facts- it affects the desires of one’s hearts.” It is reliance upon God because we cannot do anything without God. Faith is having complete trust that God is in control, God has already planned our life, and God will not let us faulted when we believe in him. It is the continual reliance on God everyday for every need, because we are worthless beings if it wasn’t for him. If our God was like many other gods in other religious, he would be disconnected with us. Many religions portray their gods as too holy or divine to be with humans. Instead, Chapter one describes God as being deeply involved with our creation and He is continually involved with our lives. Chapter one talks about God walking along with Adam, God breathing into Adam, and even though they sinned against God, God did not abandon them and he made them clothes. In fact, God craved our relationship so much that he designed our salvation through this relationship and had Jesus come down from Heaven to live among us. God does not want to let us go and instead he wants us to love Him as much as he loves us.

This is why Jesus told his disciples the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:36-38

The disciples asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”

What if I took out the word love and said believe or trust God with all your heart, soul, and mind? This is the action of faith and love. It is believing that God will fulfill his promises if we obey his covenant. All we have to do is believe in him….by faith.. Faith is the action of many of the promises that God has given us.

You see faith helps prove God’s promises. Lets read this verse. Genesis 22. This is where God has ordered Abraham to sacrifice Issac. Starting at verse 2. 2 “Take your son,” He said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

First, I don’t know about anyone in here, but if God told me to sacrifice my children I would definitely undoubtedly question God. But Abraham’s faith is unbreakable. It says not only your son, but you ONLY son, WHOM YOU LOVE....I mean that’s like an extra jab. But not only is told to kill his kid, but he doesn’t even know where hes going. God just says get kill your kid in an undisclosed location, and ABRAHAM DOES IT!!!!

He complete trusts God. Continuing....Verse 5. He tells his workers that we’ll com back to you. Abraham was walking with faith because not only did he not question God, but he even tells the workers that “we’ll” be back. Abraham fully believe that him and his son would be coming back. A few verse down is the ultimate shocker. 7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.”

And he replied, “Here I am, my son.”

Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide b the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.

9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

He replied, “Here I am.”

12 Then He said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me.” 13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns.

I did you see it. I have read this verse many times and I know the story, but I never made the connection until Davila said it out loud. God is promising that he will deliver the lamb also known as Jesus. Not only did he offer the lamb in the place of us, but the Ram was caught in thickets by its horns and Jesus had a crown of thickets on his head when he was crucified. God is proving his promises in Genesis of what’s going to take place thousands of years later. Also, God is helping us grow faith in the first book of the Bible. I mean I love it when God hides truths so clearly in front of me and then it hits me right between the eyes.

Abraham leads me to my third point. By faith, we can receive God’s rewards and blessings.

Ephesians 2:8 “By grace you are saved through faith, not by works”

Romans 3:28 “ we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

By faith we are saved. Our faith in Jesus taking our sins to the cross is our salvation. By faith, Jesus willingly took our sins to the cross. This is one of the best rewards that I could ever ask for. God has used faith as a conquent for justification of our sins and redemption for salvation. If we just have faith as much as a muster seed then great things will happen. Let me illustrate some great stories that we are about to read about that was lead by faith.

Collins Thesaurus of the Bible F4 Exploits of Faith

By faith Enoch was taken up so he should not see death (Heb. 11:5); by faith Noah built an ark (Heb. 11:7); by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called (Heb. 11:8); by faith Abraham lived as an alien in the land (Heb. 11:9); by faith Sarah received power to conceive (Heb. 11:11); these all died in faith (Heb. 11:13); by faith Abraham offered up Isaac (Heb. 11:17); by faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau (Heb. 11:20); by faith Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons (Heb. 11:21); by faith Joseph made mention of the exodus (Heb. 11:22); by faith Moses was hidden (Heb. 11:23); by faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter (Heb. 11:24); by faith Moses left Egypt (Heb. 11:27); by faith Moses kept the Passover (Heb. 11:28); by faith they passed through the Red Sea (Heb. 11:29); by faith the walls of Jericho fell down (Heb. 11:30); by faith Rahab did not perish with the disobedient (Heb. 11:31); by faith they conquered kingdoms (Heb. 11:33).

Faith is so important to our relationship with God. Faith has created one of the biggest and strongest nations of their time. Faith is very serious to God and it has to be part of your relationship with him. Works are worthless without faith, love is worthless without faith, without faith we are nothing, because there is nothing to hope for.

I love Hebrews 11:1- Faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. When we hope for salvation, redemption, a future God has proved this through Jesus. Even though we cannot see God or the Holy Spirit, he has proved that He is constantly involved in our lives. All we have to do is believe.

God is so perfect. Faith and belief is very closely interchangeable. Faith is the belief that God will keep is promise and I think its beautiful that Christians today are called believers. It is an adjective of our religion because we have faith that God is always near and our powerful all-mighty God will protect us.