Introduction: Living a life of faith. What do I mean when I say living a life of faith? Living by faith is daily taking serious the reality that we are God’s children and He is in control. It is daily taking seriously the reality that without Jesus I would be hopelessly lost. It is daily taking seriously the reality that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, I can know God. It is daily taking seriously that my life is not my own. I have been bought with a price. The precious blood of Jesus has purchased my life and I am no longer my own master! I have been redeemed by the grace and mercy of God therefore I will live by what He says. He is boss! He runs my life. In every situation of my life – He is in charge. The decisions I make; the things I involve myself in; the things I allow into my life through movies, TV, reading, music, etc., all pass through His filter. If anything is not in line with Him and His desire for my life – I get rid of it or avoid it altogether! That is living a life of Faith!
Will living a life of faith make a difference? Will it really or is this just a bunch of religious stuff that we can throw away as irrelevant? I believe living a life of faith will make a difference! I believe that because it has already made a difference in my life. But I believe it also makes a difference in the lives of those around you and those who come after you!
Let’s read together Hebrews 11:1-12.
There are 3 key things about each of these and the rest of the heroes of the faith in this chapter that bears mentioning. If you go back and read about each of these real people who lived a real life of faith you will find that when God spoke they listened! Not only did they listen but they believed what He said. Finally they acted on that belief in obedience.
Write this down.
1. When God speaks I need to listen.
How does God speak? Through His word, by His Spirit; through circumstances; through other people; through the quietness of your spirit. Larry Dilay your former Pastor WRAP’s up each funeral he does with this idea. Watch – watch to see what God is trying to teach you in this moment. Jesus said that the Father is always at work. We just need to pay attention. Yesterday, one of the speakers asked the men if any of them had seen a real true miracle of God in their lives. Sadly not everyone in the crowd raised their hands. I leaned over to John and said if you haven’t seen a miracle you aren’t paying attention. God has not stopped performing them! We just stopped watching for them. And maybe more sadly, we’ve stopped asking for them! God is doing things all around us if we will just slow down long enough to pay attention. God is speaking – constantly – are you listening?
2. I need to believe what He says!
Now this may sound almost silly but how many times do we question something we sense God is
saying to our spirit? My grandpa had a saying that always made me laugh. When he felt like we were not listening to him he would say, “I’m not talking to hear my head rattle!” Can I tell you God doesn’t speak to hear His head rattle! When He says something He means it and everything He says is backed up by who He is! He is the ultimate authority. We can feel very confident in the trustworthiness of what God says! So, do you believe what God says? If you are going to live a life of faith you better! But we can’t stop there.
3. I need to act in obedience to what I believe He is saying.
Every one of these heroes of the faith didn’t just listen and believe – they acted on what God said. That is where the rubber meets the road! Listening and believing does absolutely no good if we do not act on what God has said.
Hear is an example. The Bible says that the demons believe and tremble. They have heard God speak – they know He is real. They believe it beyond any doubt. What is the difference between their belief and ours as Christians? The difference is as God’s children we have acted on that belief. Our action was we called on the name of the Lord. We have placed our faith and trust in Jesus alone for salvation. Salvation comes as we act in obedience to the revealed truth of who Jesus is and who we are - The revealed truth that He is the only way; our only hope for forgiveness and heaven. This acting on belief is essential to our salvation and yet somehow we think we can live the Christian life without being obedient. God’s ways certainly haven’t changed! We must learn to act in obedience to everything He says. That is living a life of faith.
So back to our focus – does living a life of faith really matter? Yes it does! 3 areas.
I. A Life of Faith matters to our family.
Example #1 – Hebrews 11:5-6 – Enoch and his experience with faith. Look at Gen. 5:21-24.
After the birth of Methuselah he walked with God. One commentator said this: “It may not be too much
to assume that the responsibilities of parenthood forced Enoch to recognize his serious moral and spiritual limitations and in this experience of inadequacy he may have felt himself cast upon God for help.” He very well could have felt like many of us feel when faced with raising children.
“Facts about raising kid’s” A young single preacher took his first part-time church while he was going to seminary. He preached a message one Sunday called, “10 Facts On How To Raise Perfect Children.” A few years later, he got married and they had their first child. He pulled out the old sermon to preach it again, but decided to retitle it, “10 Suggestions on How to Raise Healthy Children.” After the second child was born a couple of years later, it was time to preach it again. This time he titled it, “10 Possibilities for Parenting Children.” Well, the third child came. This time he revised the whole thing and called it “10 Prayers for Parents.” Several years later when they became teen-agers, he burned the message and wrote a new one simply titled, “Help Me Jesus.” Contributed by: Jim Drake
Parenting is very difficult. We need all the help we can possibly get don’t we. That help is found in a relationship with God. Not in parenting classes; not in books; not in listening to all the child psychologist. All those things can be helpful but if you do not have a vibrant, growing, exciting relationship with Jesus, none of that other stuff will do much good. In the end we need Jesus to make through the parenting mine field.
REMAINING FAITHFUL A study once disclosed that if both Mom and Dad attend church regularly, 72% of their children remain faithful. If only Dad, 55% remain faithful. If only Mom, 15%. If neither attended regularly, only 6% remain faithful. The statistics speak for themselves--the example of parents and adults is more important than all the efforts of the church and Sunday School. SOURCE: Warren Mueller in Homemade, May, 1990. Contributed by: Paul Fritz
Mom and dad, you need to recognize the enormous job you have to raise your children in a way that they see your faith lived out. If they don’t see it in you – there is a very good chance they won’t live by faith either!
Enoch lived by faith. The Genesis text says that he walked with God. The term walked means lifestyle. His life was characterized by an intimate relationship with God! He knew what it meant to draw close to God like the writer of Hebrews talked about in 10:22. We need to follow his example. He spent time with God and he pleased God. Now verse 6 is incredible: 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him. Heb 11:6 (HCSB)
Without faith it is impossible to please God. If you and I have no faith it is impossible to please God. You need faith not only to please God but you need it desperately to do your job as parents. Your family needs you!
Example #2 – Hebrews 11:17-20 – Abraham and his experience with faith
Over in Genesis 22 we find the account of one of the defining events in Abrahams life. Abraham didn’t argue with God he simply heard God speak, believed and obeyed! Even though what God said made no sense – he trusted Him. How could he do that? Because he had seen God come through over and over again. He walked by faith in little things and big things. So when God told him to do something that seemed crazy, he knew God could be trusted because He had proven Himself. Yesterday, the guys heard and entire sermon on this alone and I could camp here for a long time but I want to get to an often overlooked part of this story.
What was Isaac doing during this time? He was following his dad. His dad told him they were going up the mountain to offer a sacrifice. When Isaac realized they didn’t have an animal to sacrifice he asked a logical question: hey dad where’s the lamb? Abraham’s response was, “God himself will provide the lamb!” Notice that Isaac doesn’t say anything else. They get to the place where the sacrifice was to be made and they set up the altar and arrange the wood then Abraham begins tying up his only son! Isaac says nothing! Why? How in the world could an only son who was deeply loved by his father not have something to say in this situation? I believe the reason lies in what we are talking about today – Isaac had seen his dad live by faith in front of him. Day after day, Isaac watched his dad with admiration. When they were in the daily routine of life Abraham showed by example what it means to hear the voice of God, believe what He says and act in obedience. Isaac had learned that lesson well. He knew that if dad said God would provide a lamb, he could trust his dad and by extension trust God.
Dad’s does your life of faith matter? Do your children know that you listen to God and believe him? Do they see you obey what God says? When I crisis comes in their lives will they be able to rely on your faith and what you have taught them to make it through? Abraham’s life of faith was a comfort to Isaac his son.
Do you want to raise faithful children? If so, you must model it for them and with them!
