RADICAL FAITH: Faith goes into the unknown - Hebrews 11:7-8 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on May3, 2020)

RADICAL FAITH: Faith goes into the unknown (Hebrews 11:7-8) - May 3, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Faith trusts even when our eyes cannot confirm what our faith requires. Our knowledge of the One we trust is more important than our knowledge of the situation in which we must trust.

For the next several weeks as we examine faith, we will look at examples of how faith works in our world.

“The African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall. Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.” - John Edmonds

We must jump trusting that our feet will find solid ground.

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:7-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. FAITH BUILDS A BOAT ON DRY GROUND

“The true, living faith, which the Holy Spirit instills into the heart, simply cannot be idle.” - Martin Luther

A. Trusted even when his eyes could not see the reality

B. Acted in holy fear

C. Judged the world by his actions

D. Became heir of righteousness

II. FAITH GOES INTO PLACES IT DOES NOT KNOW

“Faith is not merely your holding on to God—it is God holding on to you. He will not let you go?” - E. Stanley Jones

A. Faith obeys

B. Faith obeys even when it doesn’t know where it is going

Moving to Michigan

III. FAITH TRANSCENDS KNOWLEDGE

“God does not expect us to submit our faith to him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make faith a necessity.” - Augustine

A. Faith trusts

B. Faith trusts even when there is not enough information

C. Faith trusts independent of knowledge

The opportunity of the church in the Age of the Covid-19

I CANNOT SEE, BUT I CAN TRUST by A. E. Lind

I cannot see, with my small human sight,

Why God should lead this way or that for me;

I only know He saith, “Child, follow me”;

But I can trust, But I can trust!

I know not why my path should be at times

So straitly hedged, so strangely barred before;

I only know God could keep wide the door,

And I can trust, And I can trust!

I often wonder, as with trembling hand

I cast the seed along the furrowed ground,

If ripened fruit for God will there be found;

But I can trust, But I can trust!

I cannot know why suddenly the storm

Should rage so fiercely ‘round me in its wrath;

But this I know, God watches all my path,

And I can trust, And I can trust!

I may not draw aside the mystic veil

That hides the unknown future from my sight;

Nor know if for me waits the dark or light;

But I can trust, But I can trust!

CHALLENGE

Faith calls us into the deep end. List 2 ways God is challenging you to do something that seems beyond your understanding. Write next to them how you have responded to them so far. Write next to those responses how you can respond in faith. Do both of those actions this week. God bless.