How Big is Your Faith?
Rom 4:18-25
What if you didn’t have faith in any bridge ever built? My cousin hates bridges and let me tell you,
there are a LOT of bridges between Indiana and Anchor Point Alaska. When we traveled to Indiana from Alaska, he
would turn into a nervous wreck every time we crossed a bridge. When he wasn’t driving he would shut his
eyes until we crossed. When he was
driving he would grip the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were
white! Well, every one of those bridges
held up just like their builders promised they would. He must have gained faith in bridges because now he is a long
haul truck driver!
Let’s spend some time this morning understanding what it
means to have faith in God’s promises and how it can make our life so much
better to trust in his promises.
PRAYER
I. The
Faith of Abraham
A.
God’s Promise
1.
Back in Gen 15:1-6 God promised to make Abraham’s offspring as
numerous as the stars in the sky.
2.
God made a covenant with Abram.
3.
A promise that he would not break.
B.
Abraham’s faith
1.
Gen 15:6 tells us that Abraham BELIEVED the Promise.
2.
Romans tells us he believed, Hebrews tells us he believed.
3.
Abraham’s faith is famous, but it wasn’t perfect, so why would
God honor him so much?
a)
In the beginning he believed, but had doubts, that’s why he
agreed with Sarah to have a baby through Hagar.
b)
However, that isn’t what God intended and needed Abraham to
realize that there was no way to have this promised fulfilled except through
God alone.
c)
So he waited until there was no physical possibility and then
repeated his promise in Gen 17
d)
This time, Abraham believed in God’s promise with no doubt of
God’s capabilities.
e)
God allowed Abraham’s faith to grow to the point that real
faith in God’s promise became evident.
f)
Abraham’s righteousness was found in GOD’S capabilities, not
Abraham’s!
II. The
Faith of You and Me
A.
God’s promise
1.
The whole point of the Bible is God’s promise to redeem man
from spiritual death.
2.
It was a promise not just to Jews, but to everyone who would
have complete faith in God.
3.
It was a promise to all those who believe that God raised
Jesus from the dead and could overcome our death as well.
4.
God’s promise to Abraham was perpetual life in providing
offspring.
5.
God’s promise to us is eternal life in providing justification
of our sins!
B.
Our faith
1.
Did we have an incredible weekend or what last week? 190 on Saturday, 177 for Bible Class and 219
for worship on Sunday. In fact the
number for Sunday worship broke our record attendance!
a)
Now I need to make a confession. I never expected it to go as well as it did. I worried about all the details that we
might be missing. I worried that no one
would show up. The organizing committee
kept reassuring me it was going to be great.
They promised me it was going to be great but my faith was weak. I even dreamed on vacation that we only had
4 people from outside the congregation show up! It was a great weekend despite my lack of faith.
b)
What if I had complete faith in the committee’s promise of a
great weekend? I wouldn’t have had to
worry needlessly; I wouldn’t have had to struggle with doubt. I could have relaxed in the knowledge that
everything was taken care of and I all would need to do is take care of my
small part.
c)
I missed out on the
excitement of the build up to the weekend.
2.
It’s the same with our faith in God
a)
He has made a promise that he will justify our sins and
deliver us from spiritual death.
b)
Yet, we struggle with doubt.
We think we have to find some way to “help” God with his promise.
c)
We can’t enjoy the true benefits of faith until we realize the
impossibility of earning righteousness on our own capabilities.
3.
Imagine what could happen if we took God at his word.
4.
To live a life believing we are really saved.
5.
To go through life knowing we have a promised life to come
that is so much better.
6.
To know that even in moments of weakness God’s promise still
applies to us.
7.
That frees us to live a life of incredible dimension.
a)
It simplifies life by not having to live in doubt thinking I
haven’t done enough.
b)
It frees us to serve God with all our heart just as Abraham
did because we KNOW the promise given us will be fulfilled.
8.
It’s a total change in our concept of hope.
9.
We usually predicate our thoughts of hope on hopelessness
a)
I hope my car will start is based on the fact that I think it
has a very good chance of NOT starting!
b)
I hope I get the job is based on a feeling that I probably
won’t get the job.
10.
Abraham’s hope was totally different.
a)
Vs 18 against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.
b)
It wasn’t the hope in the face of failure that Abraham
believed in, the was the hope, the life lived as though God had already
fulfilled his promise that Abraham predicated his faith upon.
11.
That’s how we need to live.
12.
To have a big enough faith that we live our lives like God has
already fulfilled his promise to us.
13.
God has credited to us righteousness.
14.
Will your faith be big enough to believe God has already done
everything needed to justify you?
15.
Don’t live a life burdened down by doubt, but a life lifted up
by faith.