Adrift
Perseverance • Sermon • Submitted
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I want to spend a few minutes this morning clearing up some things about faith that I believe we need a little more clarity in understanding. I believe what we understand about faith has most of us walking around adrift. I believe we think faith is passive. We cant be sitting on the couch, waiting for our faith to move mountains. We spend too much time waiting on God, when God is waiting on us!
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Substance - something that has physical matter, something you can touch.
9 Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith.
10 But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
11 Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.
12 And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.
14 If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.
15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
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.
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!”
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.
Blessing is the gift Abraham received before circumcision. (hold on to that) v9-10 We think we need to get right to come to church, but we need to come to church to get right. Thats what the law has us confused on.
Dont give up if you have been following the law. v11-12
God doesnt want someone thats just going thru the motions. v13-15 time to make the donuts!
You dont work to receive the gift, you work to show your faith. v16-17
Hope is what you use to produce your faith. v18
Even when all seems gone. v19-20
Hope blockers, time, overthinking, life
Fathers have hope for your family and things around you.
Centurion Luke - say the word and my servant will be healed
Woman with the issue of blood - If would just touch the hem
Great commission - Go and make disciples
Without hope, we are adrift.
kayaking
boat - faith oar - hope