RADICAL FAITH:Faith takes the test (Hebrews 11:17-19 ) - May 24, 2020
INTRODUCTION
Radical Faith sees testing as a part of the journey. A test does not mean our faith has failed; a test is only administered where faith can be found.
Faith passes the test.
“By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He
who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even
though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be
reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a
manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.”
Hebrews 11:17-19 NIV
I. FAITH TAKES THE TEST
“Faith is a choice to trust God even when the road ahead seems uncertain.”
- Dave Willis
A. Faith acts.
B. Faith accepts the promise and the confusion.
II. FAITH TRUSTS THAT GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING
Mary Hollingsworth tells a story about the noted director of biblical
epics, Cecil B. DeMille. When they began working on the movie Ben Hur, DeMille
talked to Charlton Heston–the star of the movie–about the all-important chariot
race at the end. He decided Heston should actually learn to drive the chariot
himself, rather than just using a stunt double. Heston agreed to take
chariot-driving lessons to make the movie as authentic as possible.
Learning to drive a chariot with horses four abreast, however, was no small
matter. After extensive work and days of practice, Heston returned to the movie
set and reported to DeMille.
“I think I can drive the chariot all right, Cecil,” said Heston, “but I’m
not at all sure I can actually win the race.”
Smiling slightly, DeMille said, “Heston, you just stay in the race, and
I’ll make sure you win.”
A. Abraham believed God would do what God does best, the miraculous.
B. Abraham believed God could raise the dead.
C. Abraham believed God.
III. FAITH IS CONNECTED TO GOD’S ULTIMATE PLAN
William Barclay wrote in his book The Mind of St. Paul, “The great value of
the doctrine of the Second Coming is that it guarantees that history is going
somewhere. We cannot tell how it will happen. We cannot take as literal truth
the Jewish pictures of it which Paul used. We need not think of a physical
coming of Christ in the clouds, or a physical trumpet blast. But what the
doctrine of the Second Coming conserves is the tremendous fact that there is one
divine, far-off event to which the whole creation is moving; there is a
consummation; there is a final triumph of God.”
A. Even death is not final with God.
B. The perception of the permanence of death.
C. The victory of resurrection, the power of Easter.
D. The hope of the resurrection
“I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—
in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet
will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For
the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with
immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the
mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death
has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O
death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the
law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:50-57 NIV
CHALLENGE
Where is God testing you today in your faith? Write down 7 areas in your
life that God is challenging your faith. Circle the 3 that are the biggest test.
Put a rectangle around the one that is currently your greatest struggle.
Acknowledge your struggle to God in prayer. Ask God to give you faith for the
test. Share with another person your test in the faith. Ask that person to pray
for you in that area and question you about it once per week for the next month.
Withstand the test.
No comments:
Post a Comment