Choosing Faith: Embracing God's Call Over the World

 

Summary

In this message, I explored the profound theme of choice and faith, drawing from the lives of biblical figures like Noah, Moses, and Abraham. Each of these men faced a pivotal decision: to continue living as they were or to heed the call of God, which often meant stepping into the unknown. This choice is not unique to them; it is a fundamental aspect of the Christian life. We are all confronted with the decision to follow the world or to follow God, and this decision is the first step in living a life of faith.

The world, with its traditions and customs, often lulls us into a false sense of security. We are born into it, and we naturally conform to its ways. However, the call of God disrupts this conformity, urging us to consider the deeper questions of life: What is the purpose of my life? Am I living by a principle, or am I merely being swept along by circumstances? These questions lead us to the realization that the world is transient and ultimately doomed, and that true life is found in aligning ourselves with God's eternal promises.

Faith, as demonstrated by these biblical figures, is not merely intellectual assent but a deep-seated belief in God's Word and promises. Abraham, for instance, left his homeland not knowing where he was going, but he trusted in the God who called him. This faith is characterized by a recognition of God's sovereignty and a rejection of the world's fleeting pleasures. It is a faith that looks beyond the present to the eternal, seeking a heavenly country and a city with foundations built by God.

The Christian life, therefore, is one of separation from the world. It is a life lived in the light of God's promises, with our eyes set on the heavenly country. This separation is not just physical but also spiritual, as we are called to live as strangers and pilgrims in this world, with our affections set on things above. The heroes of faith embraced this truth, and their lives were governed by their belief in God's promises. They acted on their faith, demonstrating that true faith always results in action.

Key Takeaways:

- The Christian life begins with a choice: to follow the world or to follow God. This decision is fundamental and requires a deliberate turning away from the world's ways to embrace God's call. It is a choice that every believer must face, as it sets the course for a life of faith. [12:23]

- Faith is not just belief in God's existence but trust in His promises. Abraham's journey exemplifies this, as he left everything familiar to follow God's call, trusting in the promise of a better future. This trust in God's Word is the essence of faith. [20:17]

- The world is transient and doomed, and the Christian is called to live with an eternal perspective. This means recognizing the temporary nature of worldly pleasures and setting our hopes on the heavenly country that God has prepared for us. [25:04]

- True faith results in action. The heroes of faith acted on their belief in God's promises, separating themselves from the world and living as strangers and pilgrims. This active faith is a testimony to their trust in God's Word. [43:32]

- The Christian's hope is set on the heavenly country, not on the fleeting pleasures of this world. Our affections should be directed towards the eternal city, whose builder and maker is God, as we live as temporary residents in this world. [47:52]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [11:12] - The Call to Choice
- [12:23] - Awareness of Possibilities
- [14:23] - The Disturbing Call
- [15:34] - The Role of Preaching
- [17:20] - The Life of Faith
- [19:39] - The Essence of Faith
- [21:09] - Believing God's Word
- [23:03] - The Reality of God
- [25:04] - The Transitory World
- [27:21] - The Evil World
- [29:10] - The Doomed World
- [31:44] - Separation from the World
- [34:03] - The Promise of Salvation
- [37:23] - The Gift of God
- [41:29] - Living by Faith
- [44:26] - Strangers and Pilgrims
- [47:52] - The Heavenly Country

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Hebrews 11:8-10 (Abraham's faith and journey)
2. Genesis 12:1-4 (The call of Abram)
3. Hebrews 11:13-16 (The faith of the patriarchs)

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Observation Questions:

1. What pivotal decision did Noah, Moses, and Abraham face according to the sermon? How did their choices reflect their faith? [11:12]

2. How does the sermon describe the world's influence on individuals, and what is the first step in becoming a Christian according to the pastor? [14:23]

3. What does the sermon say about the nature of faith, particularly in the context of Abraham's journey? [20:17]

4. According to the sermon, what is the ultimate perspective a Christian should have about the world and their life? [25:04]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon illustrate the difference between living by the world's standards and living by faith? What are the implications of this choice for a believer? [17:20]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that faith is more than just belief in God's existence? How does this understanding of faith challenge or affirm your current perspective? [20:17]

3. The sermon mentions that the world is transient and doomed. How does this perspective influence a Christian's daily decisions and long-term goals? [25:04]

4. What does it mean to live as a "stranger and pilgrim" in this world according to the sermon, and how does this concept affect a believer's lifestyle and priorities? [44:26]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a recent decision you made. Did it align more with the world's standards or with God's call? How might you approach similar decisions differently in the future? [11:12]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of being aware of the choice between the world and God. How can you cultivate a greater awareness of this choice in your daily life? [12:23]

3. Abraham trusted in God's promises despite not knowing the outcome. Is there an area in your life where you need to trust God more fully? What steps can you take to strengthen your faith in this area? [20:17]

4. The sermon suggests that true faith results in action. Identify one action you can take this week to demonstrate your faith in God's promises. [43:32]

5. How can you set your affections on the "heavenly country" rather than the fleeting pleasures of this world? What practical changes can you make to focus more on eternal values? [47:52]

6. Consider the idea of living as a "stranger and pilgrim." How does this perspective challenge your current lifestyle, and what changes might you need to make to align more closely with this calling? [44:26]

7. The sermon calls for a deliberate turning away from the world's ways. What specific habits or influences do you need to distance yourself from to live a life more aligned with God's call? [31:44]

Devotional

Day 1: Choosing Between the World and God
The Christian journey begins with a pivotal choice: to follow the world or to follow God. This decision is not merely a one-time event but a continual turning away from worldly ways to embrace God's call. The world, with its traditions and customs, often provides a false sense of security, lulling individuals into conformity. However, God's call disrupts this comfort, urging believers to consider deeper questions about life's purpose and direction. This choice sets the course for a life of faith, requiring a deliberate decision to align with God's eternal promises rather than the transient nature of the world. [12:23]

Hebrews 11:24-26 (ESV): "By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward."

Reflection: What specific worldly influence or habit do you need to turn away from today to fully embrace God's call in your life?


Day 2: Trusting in God's Promises
Faith is more than just belief in God's existence; it is a deep trust in His promises. Abraham's journey exemplifies this trust, as he left everything familiar to follow God's call, believing in the promise of a better future. This trust is the essence of faith, characterized by a recognition of God's sovereignty and a rejection of the world's fleeting pleasures. True faith looks beyond the present, seeking a heavenly country and a city with foundations built by God. It is a faith that acts on God's Word, demonstrating a commitment to His eternal promises. [20:17]

Genesis 12:1-2 (ESV): "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.'"

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to trust God's promises more deeply, and how can you take a step of faith in that area today?


Day 3: Living with an Eternal Perspective
The world is transient and ultimately doomed, and Christians are called to live with an eternal perspective. This means recognizing the temporary nature of worldly pleasures and setting hopes on the heavenly country that God has prepared. The heroes of faith understood this truth, living as strangers and pilgrims in the world, with their affections set on things above. This eternal perspective shapes the Christian life, guiding decisions and actions in alignment with God's eternal promises rather than the fleeting allure of the world. [25:04]

2 Corinthians 4:18 (ESV): "As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: What is one practical way you can shift your focus from temporary worldly concerns to eternal values today?


Day 4: Faith in Action
True faith results in action. The heroes of faith acted on their belief in God's promises, separating themselves from the world and living as strangers and pilgrims. This active faith is a testimony to their trust in God's Word, demonstrating that faith is not passive but requires a response. By living out their faith, they showed a commitment to God's promises, setting an example for believers to follow. This active faith is essential for the Christian life, as it reflects a genuine trust in God's eternal plan. [43:32]

James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

Reflection: What is one specific action you can take today to demonstrate your faith in God's promises?


Day 5: Setting Hope on the Heavenly Country
The Christian's hope is set on the heavenly country, not on the fleeting pleasures of this world. Believers are called to live as temporary residents in this world, with their affections directed towards the eternal city, whose builder and maker is God. This hope shapes the Christian life, guiding decisions and actions in alignment with God's eternal promises. By setting their hope on the heavenly country, Christians can live with purpose and direction, knowing that their true home is with God. [47:52]

Hebrews 11:13-16 (ESV): "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city."

Reflection: How can you remind yourself daily of your true home in the heavenly country, and what changes might this perspective bring to your daily life?

Quotes

as contemporaries and no himself had been living a certain type of life but suddenly a message comes to Noah asking him to do something and it was to him alone it came here again you see he's asked to do something exceptional he's confronted by a choice something is said to him that makes him see well now I've got to decide about this am I going on as I am or do I listen to this call this other vice that has come to me [00:10:59]

Moses clearly was confronted by the same possibilities there was some very good prospects you know facing versus he'd been brought up as the son of Pharaoh's daughter great possibilities great honor possibly a great career as a military leader well there was one possibility just to go on as he was and to allow events to take their own cause and to become a great men and to cut a great figure in history of that type ah but there was another call that came to Moses something disturbed him something began to trouble him and here he is confronted by a decision Charlie gone as he is or shall I align himself with these people to whom he belong and there he is facing it now no man can be a Christian no men can live this life of faith without being aware of the choice [00:11:30]

you won't therefore take it amiss if I put a personal question to you this first Sunday night of any we are before we go any further have you faced the two possibilities yet have you seriously thought about your life have you been arrested have you allowed life to govern you or are you were standing out for and objectively looking at life and making assessments every one of these men I say was confronted by a choice here it was it was one of the other of two alternatives and every one of these men realized that he'd got to choose one or the other that he couldn't go on doing birth together it was either or the world or God [00:16:24]

this life is a life which is entirely different from the life of the world it is the difference between entering at a straight gate or going through a wide and a broad gate another way Broadway it's a house on a rock or a house on the sand there absolutely different and every one of these men saw that he was face to face with a fundamental decision one or the other this or that and he's got to decide he's got to determine you cannot be a Christian without coming face to face with that choice and taking a solemn and a serious decision [00:17:40]

the essence of faith is to believe God and you've noticed that the point is made very clearly that these men believed the bare Word of God look at this man Abram he is living in other the counties and the call comes for him to go out he doesn't know where he's going but out he went why well because he was convinced and satisfied that it was God who was falling so all his prospects are dismissed his family he bids farewell to them he leaves he goes out not knowing whether he went but as an old Puritan put it so magnificently three hundred years ago he went out not knowing whether he went no said the old men but he knew with whom he was going he knew it was the call of God he obeyed and he went out [00:20:17]

God is you see this is the fundamental thing about a man's a Christian a man who lives this life of faith he starts with this proposition oh no no not himself not the world but God God is yes God is because he always was and always will be Jehovah the great are ya God is the everlasting God in all his glorious power his majesty his might and his authority and Dominion in his holiness in his righteousness and that's what God keeps on telling us you know in this book [00:22:57]

this world is a passing world it's a transitory world we are told about these men that they were seeking for a city which hath foundations why well because they believed God when it said that the world in which they were living hadn't got foundations and that is what the Bible teaches us everywhere about this world it's not an everlasting world this it's only a temporary transient passing world it isn't established in eternity it hasn't this eternal everlasting foundation to it it's moving [00:25:14]

the world is moving the world is evanescent it's a world in a state of flux it had a beginning is love an end that's the teaching of the Bible everywhere about this world and this teaching came to these men you don't settle down you can't the whole world is moving and you are moving with it but it doesn't stop at saying that the world is on the transitory in passing it says that the world is evil Abram was living amongst pagans and that is evil [00:26:57]

God said that to every one of these men he said don't fix your hopes in this world because it's under judgment that he says we're reminded here the message he gave to Noah save yourself and your family built an ark I'm going to destroy the world I'm going to judge it and it makes it very plain that it's going to be judged and destroyed again not by a flood the next time but by fire these are the elements of the Christian message my dear friends you see God is speaking to us as he spoke to these men [00:28:40]

the Christian is a man who believes this that not only was he born in sin and shapen in iniquity not only that his nature is vile and rotten and foul not only that he's going to hell and richly deserves it not only that he can't save himself but this that if in his rags and degradation if he's in his sin and in his vileness he believes this word of God that tells him that Jesus of Nazareth is the son of God and that when he died on that cross he was dying for his sins if he believes his sins are blotted out he is justified by God he is regarded as if he'd never sinned at all he has given a new nature he has made a child of God and given an everlasting hope [00:37:51]

these men are seeking for a city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country and this is the Christian now they desire a better country that is unheavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared for them a city it's all right my friend it comes to that you know it really is as simple as that where are your hopes set where are your affections engaged [00:46:38]

the Christian is a man whose hope is set upon that country which is to come that city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God the Christian is a stranger in this world and he doesn't want to belong to it he lives in it he's a great benefactor to it but his affections are not engaged his heart is not set upon it his heart is there God Christ the spirits of just men made perfect a glory which is indescribable which is awaiting him with God such as these people described in this chapter [00:48:47]

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Transcript
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