Impossible Without Faith, Part 2

Today on Summit life with Judy Greer. If you require validation of your faith.

For the life of faith requires a competence of a dog actually promises you can always view the question. Did you lean back on you risk it all on what is, as always, I'm your host Molly minutes you in many parts of the world and Jesus means losing your job, your family and maybe even your life in the United States.

Most of us never have to face that choice because it's so easy to call yourself a Christian. Here is also easy to have superficial faith mean it's not hard to say that you trust God until trusting him becomes a matter of life and death as we learn today.

Faith is always a matter of life and whether we realize it or not, here's Pastor JD with today's message from Hebrews 11, titled possible without one. But I am miffed that many of us squeak out a Christian life without ever really be confronted with the hard questions of faith. I'm sorry if that sounds rude but this is the truth. But the writer of Hebrews makes it clear listen very carefully verse six without faith it is the word church impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that even those who give up everything to follow him.

You can only go so far without faith. Many of the people that the writer is addressing or starting the light behind the face of the writer tells them that there is no way no way they're going to make it if I don't, honestly and truly believe that God exists in the following him is worth it to. Here's what I'm going to do, walking to the last half of Hebrews 11, you see several specific examples of what it looks like I have faith and use those to discuss what exactly faith is and where faith comes from verse 17 is where we will begin. Verse 17 by faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said to Isaac shall your offspring be named.

He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead. That's what it took God had told Abraham to sacrifice his son that took place. Verse 29 by faith. The people crossed the Red Sea in the dryland of the Egyptians were made to do the same ground. The children of Israel trust of the gods to provide for them in an impossible situation.

Verse 30.

By faith the walls of Jericho fall down after they been encircled for seven days digestible together huddles months is arriving around the old circle and shout on, and on the last day you do it seven times and shout at him to bring the walls down. What I what she what no fighting, no battering ram snowflake he maneuvers Gus's note just walk around the wall and they do it and God is in the city. They are not what you learn.

Three very important things about faith. Number one faith is a response to God's revelation is a response to God's revelation.

Notice verse six that the definition of faith is relatively simple faith believes that God exists and believes that obeying him is worth that that is a rewarder of those you diligently seek him. Faith is simple, one level believe in God really exists and you believe that following him is worth it. Now people look at that phrase that he exists and they say well that's the problem. How do you know that he exists. We can see and we can't touch them again. Talk to you soon. The world around you exist because you can prove it by logical inference. Your senses saves me and you believe that your senses were telling you the truth. Philosophers call that a basic belief or or think about how you know certain things are wrong, like murder or genocide of child abuse. You know the wrong not because of reasoning, you know, the role on the basis of in-state many of our moral conclusions can be backed up by logic, but their basis is usually in-state that is not to say that there are not good philosophical reasons to believe in God.

There are, I know some of you say I just have such a hard time believing all these hard questions like if there really is a God who loves me. Why did this happen to me I don't understand some of the moral codes of the Bible was well.

I feel he was and I really do one of these days I have more courage to write a book called the pastor with more questions than his parishioners.

That's why were these people. Hebrews are by the way, to the right of your system. I don't have all the answers when I can put in front of you is Jesus I can put up there, Jesus, and I can say that while we don't have all the answers. What we have is him and we can trust we can understand the basis of who we know him to be.

When I went on a discussion of items one last week with somebody that uses as a good always questions a little on answer was to say that right now in this moment. Jesus suddenly appeared beside there and he commences you that him it's not a trick and it looks right in the eyes and says you got some good questions and their answers to the questions, but I'm not going to give them to you now you have to wait until we see each other in eternity and then you will understand these things, but between now and then I just need you to trust me, I need you to follow me and where you can understand the answer know that I know it and that it exists in a look at this person said could you follow Jesus.

Under those conditions. Missile yes I think I could and then my response to them is that's essentially what the writer of Hebrews is telling you to do. Do you believe in Jesus easily says he is. If so, then you can trust what he says about things you can't understand yet see the end of the day. The source of our faith is not explanation its revelation and that's very important. The source of my faith is not explanation its revelation. One of the church fathers got in on some said that the Christian experience is faith seeking understanding and faith seeking understanding.

I want understand. I'm always reading. I'm always asking questions, and every once a while get a flash of insight and a post on the blog but in the meantime when I can understand a hold on to what God has revealed about himself God is all loving, all good all kind all-powerful, even if I don't understand all of it right now because the source of my faith is not explanation the source of his revelation, faith is a response to revelation, you went over faith comes from the come from the word of God. Faith is not a magic feeling just worked its way up in you.

It's not which does not wishing upon a star is not a positive feeling.

It's not name the claimant right because it got and maybe you can claimant faith is taking what God has named and claiming that for your self. Faith is a response to the word of God. There is number two. Faith is action. We see in this chapter. Faith is action. The people in this chapter are famous for their faith right what you notice when the writer describes them all presented in terms of some action. Noah built Abraham left Jacob blessed Joseph instructed Moses chose Joshua thought, because faith is synonymous with action apart from action.

There is no faith in piece of trivia. There is no noun for faith in Hebrew and Hebrew language. There is no noun for faith. Faith is only a verb.

So in other words, all these people. Hebrews 11 became famous for something they didn't even have a name for because here's what faith does not exist apart from action. Faith is a conviction expressed in a choice.

Obedience is not something you do later down the road after you have faith, your belief does not become faith until you act upon it.

What your mouth says you believe is not faith is what your life says you believe that is faith, there is no faith apart from obedience because faith is belief in action. Faith is the verb form a belief number three faith takes a bold bear on the unseen faith takes a bold Jeremy unseen by the verse 32. Let's finish this chapter was almost finished his job and a wonderful thing to be 32 or more so I safer time would fail me to tell of tubers right there buddy buddy IS one thing, there is disagreement born. Goodbye everybody. I mean if you have a pulse which finger upright like wood on the look. This light is mindful I put a finger up one Gideon Barack ever done this but not Barack somebody different Gideon Barack Sampson, Jeff the David same on the prophets repeat they conquered kingdoms abort just something promises southern otherwise the power fire and sword made strong out of weakness became ideal for performance of white women received back there dead by resurrection. One even right now. But secondly is a good number two.

Some were tortured, refusing to accept release so they might rise again to a better life.

Other suffered mocking and flogging, and even change in imprisonment. They were stone them sewn into killed sort went about in skins of sheep and goats test data collected mistreated of the world was not worthy wondering about deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. They all died in faith, not having received the promise right you want to be. I want just your finger up one want to be a good number one a man right right you got sewing pajamas that we have some who received a great deliverance with their faith. Others die with nothing on earth that we validated their faith, but what they had in common was that they all believe the word of God and they all risked everything on the outcome until I got into it is very, very clearly was rudely if you require earthly validation for your faith you will not make it. If you require earthly validation of your faith in any form. You're not going to make it because the life of faith requires a confidence in a God, you can't see, and promises you can always feel sometimes you stand alone.

See my whole world against you.

That's the question.

Can you lean back on continuing risk it all on what is is there's more teaching in just a moment before he returned. Let me tell you about our latest resource created exclusively for our summit like listeners just like God was always there for the giants of the faith in the Bible, helping them thrive despite hardships and persecution. Our new study, but aims to help you do the same. These difficulties can make us uncomfortable. But instead of fearing man can remember, Jesus is time. This study includes 10 short sessions to help you flesh out apply and pray through your learning. You can complete the study quickly or take your time with friends to work each section weekly prices better follows very closely with honey or teaching so you don't want to miss this resource. Reserve your copy today by calling 866-335-1520 or visit us online.

Jeannie Greer.com. Now let's rejoin our teaching with pastor Jane Uribe when God says, for example, about morality, even when it makes no sense all the time especially here in Raleigh-Durham love God and I believe the Bible is that the Bible says, that doesn't agree with that but what if you're a person that needs to agree with God before you will obey him. I don't think you get the concept would be for him to be God or maybe you sense that God is calling you specifically something that is requiring you to walk away from your career or your security and people are telling you you are crazy and maybe the names of those people are mom and dad you got asked, do I really believe that he exists and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek you. I really believe that God is worth following. Can you like Jacob and Joseph have unwavering hope in the midst of darkness, when the day is dark and the outlook is bleak. Can you rejoice that God has appointed all things for his purposes. God will bring his promises to pass that he can mend what has been broken, and turn your tragedy into triumph in the darkest hour of the night.

Can you get up hope because you know that Dawn is coming when the cancer is not in remission when the families not holding together when your prime marriage age is passing you by, or that age for having children is passing you by, when the spouse is not coming back. How you respond to disappointment how you respond to tragedy reveals whether or how much you actually believe in invisible God reasonably have set you over the last year so your ability to be joyful in all things is the measure of your faith, your ability to be joyful in all things is the measure of faith. Anybody can be joyful when things are going well. It doesn't take much faith as I praise God for what's happening in my life. What takes faith is when everything is falling apart.

There is joy in you, because the invisible God you know is at work working all things were good, but he never leaves her for her sake and that you know ultimately he takes all tragedy and turns them into his greatest triumph so much of our Christian experience is spent waiting read the Psalms ever spent like a monk on the Psalms.

What you read that day will determine without your depressed or excited. You nodding you recently Psalms that this is the word weight over and over and over and over again. Somebody 77. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Psalms 62, one for God alone, my soul waits in silence.

Psalms 63. My flesh faints is in a dry and weary land where there is no water waiting for my God, waiting patiently with hope is faith, your ability to be joyful in all things is the measure of your faith. Do you believe what God says about how he stays even when everybody else around you thinks your crazy like the Israelites had to do in front of the Egyptians at 412. It is there salvation in any one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Do you believe that enough to make that your creed and to make that work mission because I will tell you this in our culture. Nobody objects the fact were all in here with her hands mere singing praises to Jesus but it's when you look somebody in the eye. You say Jesus Christ is the only way you will get the havoc that is when the ire of our community comes against you, but that is the driving force behind my life. It is the driving force behind the mission of this church.

You know why liberal churches never grow God says about salvation enough to actually get out there and give up the things that God has given to them because the only thing will motivate you to do that is faith in the mission without people going all around the world because they like to travel will have people like that that divest themselves of money because it makes them feel good about themselves. We have people who do those things because we believe what the Bible says about the mission is one chance, people had to be saved and it's in Christ and if you believe that that propels you into a life of mission that nothing else can do. Do you actually believe that do you trust that God will provide for you and impossible situations when you're pursuing his will, like Israel had x-rays of the Red Sea.

I have come to this all the time were wondering how the church your God blesses will grow and we have taken steps will reach more people in our community.

Right what now God. Now we know you know what we do when we get the resources and what we need to do God says me sending you said to the Israelites at two 3414 wanted to be still let me fight for you. What you do what I tell you doing more to not to March and will make will come down when I want to. I feel it is apparent.how the world on a raise my kids were lettuce with you raise a child. Love Jesus in this counterculture got is your lunch is the baby I told you, you obey me and I'll give you the resources to raise your child when you need CS Lewis said in a grief observed that the depth of our faith is revealed only when it's a matter of life and death. Maybe how scared and panicky you get that God will provide for you reveals how little you actually believe God like Moses you believe in eternity so much that you taken your earthly power position and leverage that for the invisible kingdom that I am convinced that God is telling some people in our church to walk away from a lucrative career to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth in a crisis for you right now is do you believe in him and his mission enough to do its order figure out how to repurpose reengineer your careers that you for the purposes of God's mission. Maybe God is telling you to give away insane amounts of money was in church on a negative, but I'm convinced that a lot of us our lives, just do not take faith to put a little money to God in the offering plate is not faith, giving, giving until it hurts, until you say the only way that I can feel good about giving this amount is knowing that eternity is real and I'm investing in it. Living your Christian life for many of us is just not predicated upon our absolute confidence in the invisible, but it is faith that lists you out of depression is faith that has you get up after you have failed because you know the blood of Jesus is powerful and it re-creates the mistakes and re-creates the failures of your life is faith that gives you the empowerment to forsake sin because you see the invisible God, to whom you will have to give an account in whose possession of whom is worth more than the pleasures of sin is faith that enables you to give away your life until it hurts because you know that eternity is worth it. Do you really believe in the invisible and are you willing to put it on the line for eternity. Last thing the last verse is all died in faith out of them to the promise or 40 since God provided something better for us apart from us.

They should not be made perfect or complete seaweed. Listen we have reason to believe that all these Old Testament people to believe.

Notice Jesus.

Jesus what they saw as a shadow we see in completion. We see the extent of God's love for us and what he did for us on the cross we see the amount of power he has to say. But what he did in the resurrection we see what Jesus never turned away somebody who needed healing never appealable. We see that he loved us enough that he took upon himself the pain of our sin and died in our place and that we could be reconciled as what that means is when I'm praying and God does not give me the healing that I'm asking for is not because you have the power and it's not because he doesn't care because I saw both of those answered in Jesus. He has the power and the cares, it must be because he's got a greater plan that he is working in and through me he sought you when you were a stranger you reconciled you himself when you were his enemy. He who did not freely give up his own son for us, will he not also with him freely give us all things. Of course you can trust Jesus with your finances. Of course you can trust your future or your kids. Of course you can give up what you have because you get help to base your whole life on how about him.

How about the trustworthiness of Jesus. Are you living a life of faith in Cairo Egypt there is a small dusty grave in a very out-of-the-way location. I've never personally seen it, but I've heard that you would never in a million years know that it was there yet to go back to some back alley and I turned cutlets my jog over to a tree in there and this tree is this great it's all overgrown with grass and in it lies the body of William Borden, the air of the board. No company he graduated from Yale in 1909 and had a life of luxury and power laid out in front of Borden is still a big company, but then it was one of the world's largest William Borden to become a Christian as a teenager. He told his parents that he was giving his life to bring the gospel to Muslims. He refused even buy himself a car he gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars. The missions went to Egypt after four months of zealous ministry in Egypt. He contracted spinal meningitis and died at the age of 25 on a ship and roots to westernized nation to seek medical help on that ship. Somebody asked him right before you die what he thought about his decisions but he walked away from a life of prestige and how to God ward God ward and was spinal meningitis, and he died at the four months. How do you feel about your decisions now in a court of the story. He only gave two word answer that was this no regrets and then he asked that they take his body and bury it in Cairo would not back in the United States because that was the place of his inheritance on this tombstone in Cairo. There's a very brief description of his sacrifices for the kingdom of God and for most people, followed by a simple phrase the very bottom. Apart from faith in Christ there is no explanation for such a life is there another explanation for your life apart from faith in Christ somebody look at your life and say apart from faith in Christ… Encourage that kind of sacrifice that kind like you were lying faith that's changing.

You we pray this teaching here on Senate life has encouraged you today Jenny. We had about a week left in our study of Hebrews as well as a week to grab our new companion Bible study. How are we helping listeners will use this exclusive workbook walking them through the book of Hebrews you Molly, thanks for asking that because one of our desires here at Summit life is to help people study the Bible better on their own. The book of Hebrews is an excellent laboratory to do that he and does not only learn the message of Hebrews, but how to study the Bible and so will do in this study is is take your little journey that will compare and contrast Jesus to key historical people and events from the Hebrew Bible that the author of Hebrews references and through those comparisons. What you see is that while there are many heroes of the faith is only one real hero. That's Jesus. Your goal here at Summit life is for everybody within our listening audience put Jesus first in our lives and to ask God what it looks like for you to faithfully as worship on a follower of Jesus, and I think this study will help donate today Christ go online TGG clear.com or call 866-335-2283 35 20 I'm leaving events tomorrow will continue hashing on yesterday is describing for reason not sure to join us Thursday for Senate life. Katie dear ministry