RADICAL FAITH: Faith changes our reality - Hebrews 11:31 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on June 21, 2020)

RADICAL FAITH: Faith changes our reality (Hebrews 11:31) - June 21, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Faith changes our reality. Faith changes our destiny. Faith changes us.

“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. FAITH CHANGES US

“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?”

‭‭James‬ ‭2:23-25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A. Rahab, the prostitute, was considered “righteous.”

1. Righteousness is displayed by what we do - acts of faith

2. Righteous in spite of what we do - acts of unrighteousness

B. Her reality changed.

II. FAITH CHANGES WHAT WE DO

“I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the deeps of divine revelation; a faith that paddles about the edge of the water is poor faith at best. It is little better than a dry-land faith, and is not good for much.” - C. H. Spurgeon

Faith not only changes who we are but also what we do.

A. Rahab did what was necessary.

1. Life choices

2. A better way

B. Rahab did what was faithful.

1. She did that which was against her nature.

2. She saved her family.

III. FAITH SAVES US

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:8-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A. We are saved by faith.

B. We are saved by faith through grace.

C. We are God’s handiwork.

1. Created in Christ Jesus to do good works.

2. God prepared in advance for us to do.

CHALLENGE

Write down in a column 4 ways you have changed because of your faith. Write down 4 things that still need to change because of your faith in another column. Write down the difference between the 2 columns in the space between the columns. Determine actions that will move the second column into the first. Pray for the active faith that demonstrates that we are changed.