Bible Reading
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
[05:39]Genesis 22:1-14 “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
[08:15]Matthew 14:22-33 “Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
[15:54]Observation questions
- In Hebrews 11:1, what two words describe the believer’s relationship to what is hoped for and not yet seen? [05:39]
- In Genesis 22, what does Abraham tell his servants about himself and Isaac before they go up the mountain, and what does this reveal about his expectation? [11:17]
- When Isaac asks where the lamb for the offering is, how does Abraham respond? [12:44]
- In Matthew 14, what changes for Peter after he gets out of the boat and begins walking toward Jesus? What does Jesus do as Peter begins to sink? [17:49]
Interpretation questions
- Abraham had received God’s promise concerning Isaac, yet he faced a command that appeared to contradict that promise. How does Hebrews 11 explain the way Abraham made sense of this test? [14:45]
- What is the difference between ignoring a difficult situation and trusting that God’s promise has the final word over that situation?
- Peter did not sink before he stepped out of the boat; he sank after noticing the wind. What does this show about how fear can shift a believer’s trust away from Jesus? [23:04]
- Jesus corrects Peter while immediately reaching out to catch him. What does this reveal about the way grace and correction work together in a disciple’s growth? [20:02]
Application questions
- What situation in your life currently feels louder than God’s promises—perhaps a relationship, health concern, financial pressure, future decision, or disappointment? What promise or truth about God do you need to hold onto in that situation? [12:07]
- Abraham did not have every detail worked out, but he trusted that God was in control. Where are you tempted to wait for complete clarity before obeying God’s next step?
- What are the “wind and waves” that most often pull your attention away from Jesus—fear of failure, other people’s opinions, uncertainty, bad news, your own limitations, or something else? [19:00]
- When doubt creeps in, do you tend to become stuck between trusting God and trusting what you can see or control? What would it look like to return to a single-minded trust in Christ this week? [25:06]
- Think of a time when you felt as though you had failed or were “sinking.” How might Jesus’ immediate response to Peter reshape the way you see that moment now? [20:13]
- Hebrews 12 calls believers to throw off what hinders and fix their eyes on Jesus. Is there a habit, distraction, sin, or burden that is making perseverance harder right now? What is one practical step you could take to lay it aside? [29:22]
- Jesus is not only the pioneer of faith but also its perfecter. Where do you need to receive His grace rather than treating your unfinished faith as the end of your story? [29:42]
