Embracing Faith and Community: The Light of Christ

 

Summary

The sermon begins with the pastor reading from the book of Hebrews, emphasizing the importance of faith and highlighting the faith of Abraham. The pastor connects this to the congregation's mission team heading to Mexico, living out their faith in action. The pastor then emphasizes the worthiness of every individual in the congregation, acknowledging the contributions of those who may not see their skills as significant. The pastor encourages the congregation to pass on the Light of Christ by recognizing the value in others and emphasizes the impact of collective efforts.

The pastor then emphasizes the importance of making ourselves available to God, confessing our sins, and seeking forgiveness. The congregation is reminded of the good news that Christ died for them while they were still sinners, demonstrating God's love. The pastor then reflects on the concept of faith and the importance of trusting God even when we don't have all the answers, using the faith of Abraham as an example. The pastor also acknowledges the celebration of All Saints Day, emphasizing that saints are ordinary individuals who strive towards perfection and embody the Light of Christ within them.

The pastor discusses the importance of seeing others with the hope and positivity of a child, emphasizing the power of calling others superheroes, even if they may not believe it themselves. The pastor reminds the congregation that their story is fundamentally always about God and that they are not called to be perfect heroes, but rather to be a community that supports and blesses one another. The pastor then prays for the work team that is going to Mexico and expresses gratitude for the saints who have passed away. The pastor acknowledges that All Saints Sunday can bring both joy and grief, as it is a time to remember those whose lives were a testament to God's work.

The pastor leads the congregation in a time of prayer and praise, encouraging them to lift up the names of saints who have been a blessing to them. The pastor emphasizes that anyone can become a saint, as it does not require any special abilities or qualifications. The key is to come before God with humility, recognizing our own inadequacies and the need for community. The pastor encourages the congregation to reflect on the past and be grateful for those who have contributed to their spiritual growth, but also to have a forward-facing faith, looking ahead to the impact they can make in the future. The pastor concludes the sermon by acknowledging the various ways in which the congregation can give their offerings and expressing gratitude for the faithfulness of the congregation in their giving.

Key Takeaways:

- Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. The faith of Abraham serves as a reminder that sometimes the story is bigger than we could have imagined, and we are still called to step out in obedience even when things are unclear. [12:45]

- Saints are not superheroes with extra power or connection with God, but rather ordinary individuals who strive towards perfection and embody the Light of Christ within them. We are not called to be perfect heroes, but rather to be a community that supports and blesses one another. [28:30]

- All Saints Sunday is a time to remember those whose lives were a testament to God's work. It can bring both joy and grief, as it is a time to remember those who have gone before us in faith. However, God is with us, regardless of where we are in our memories. [35:20]

- Anyone can become a saint, as it does not require any special abilities or qualifications. The key is to come before God with humility, recognizing our own inadequacies and the need for community. Being a blessing to others is not limited to a specific time or event, but is a daily commitment to living out God's dreams for us. [42:10]

- The congregation is encouraged to reflect on the past and be grateful for those who have contributed to their spiritual growth, but also to have a forward-facing faith, looking ahead to the impact they can make in the future. It is about embracing our imperfections and striving to make a positive impact in the lives of others. [50:15]

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-10 (NRSV)
> "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Hebrews 11:1 define faith as?
2. How did Abraham demonstrate his faith according to Hebrews 11:8-10?
3. In the sermon, how does the pastor describe the role of saints in the community? [32:34]
4. What is the significance of All Saints Sunday as explained in the sermon? [29:40]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the faith of Abraham, as described in Hebrews 11, serve as an example for us today? [31:10]
2. The pastor mentioned that saints are ordinary individuals who strive towards perfection. How does this perspective change the way we view our own spiritual journey? [33:16]
3. What does it mean to have a "forward-facing faith" and how can this impact our daily lives? [34:46]
4. How can seeing others with the hope and positivity of a child, as mentioned in the sermon, transform our interactions within the community? [37:59]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you had to step out in faith without knowing the outcome. How did that experience shape your trust in God? [31:10]
2. The pastor emphasized the importance of recognizing the value in others. Can you think of someone in your life who might not see their own worth? How can you encourage them this week? [40:53]
3. All Saints Sunday is a time to remember those who have impacted our spiritual journey. Who is a "saint" in your life that you are grateful for, and how can you honor their legacy? [29:40]
4. The sermon mentioned that anyone can become a saint by coming before God with humility. What steps can you take to cultivate humility in your own life? [34:00]
5. The pastor talked about the importance of community and collective efforts. How can you contribute to your church community in a meaningful way this month? [40:12]
6. Think about a specific area in your life where you feel inadequate. How can you invite God's grace into that space and rely on your community for support? [34:00]
7. The pastor encouraged the congregation to have a forward-facing faith. What is one specific goal or dream you have for your spiritual growth, and what steps will you take to pursue it? [34:46]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Faith Amidst Uncertainty
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things unseen. Like Abraham, we are called to step out in obedience, even when the path ahead is unclear. Our story, like Abraham's, is part of a larger narrative that we may not fully understand, but we are still called to trust and obey. [12:45]

Hebrews 11:8 - "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel God is calling you to step out in faith, even though the outcome is uncertain? How can you trust God in this situation?

Day 2: Embodying the Light of Christ
Saints are ordinary individuals who strive towards perfection and embody the Light of Christ within them. We are not called to be perfect heroes, but rather to be a community that supports and blesses one another. [28:30]

1 Peter 2:9 - "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Reflection: Who in your life embodies the Light of Christ? How can you follow their example and strive to be a blessing to others in your community?

Day 3: Remembering the Saints
All Saints Sunday is a time to remember those whose lives were a testament to God's work. It can bring both joy and grief, as it is a time to remember those who have gone before us in faith. However, God is with us, regardless of where we are in our memories. [35:20]

Hebrews 12:1 - "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Reflection: Who are the saints in your life that have gone before you in faith? How have their lives influenced your faith journey?

Day 4: Humility and Community in Sainthood
Anyone can become a saint, as it does not require any special abilities or qualifications. The key is to come before God with humility, recognizing our own inadequacies and the need for community. Being a blessing to others is not limited to a specific time or event, but is a daily commitment to living out God's dreams for us. [42:10]

Micah 6:8 - "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Reflection: How can you practice humility in your daily life and recognize your need for community? What is one way you can be a blessing to someone in your community today?

Day 5: Embracing Imperfections and Impacting Others
We are encouraged to reflect on the past and be grateful for those who have contributed to our spiritual growth, but also to have a forward-facing faith, looking ahead to the impact we can make in the future. It is about embracing our imperfections and striving to make a positive impact in the lives of others. [50:15]

Philippians 3:13-14 - "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: Who has contributed to your spiritual growth in the past? How can you honor their impact by making a positive difference in someone else's life today?

Quotes

"We can take that pressure off of our shoulders that we truly aren't called to be heroes that have no errors no mistakes and no questions that we can be sure of what we're not sure of and we can hope in what we can't imagine." [39:31]

"It's our jobs to continue to pass that Light of Christ and to say I see something in you that you might not be able to see for yourself to know that you make a difference your calls your cards your service your devotion make an impact because together we can be a blessing and together we have the ability to do what Abraham didn't know he was doing is we can make an impact tens of hundreds of thousands of years later so that others in the future can gather in a sanctuary and circle around and celebrate being a blessing and give thanks for the lives and the shoulders they stand on." [41:30]

"Faith is having confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see, and that really does pair well when it comes to All Saints." [28:59]

"This is a reminder that even if we don't know the story it might be bigger than we could have imagined and that we're still called to step out in obedience even when things are unclear." [31:10]

"Abraham's Faith enabled him to dwell in the promise of God even before things were fulfilled and this hero of the Bible is one of our Inspirations today." [31:55]

"It doesn't take anything special to become a saint all we have to have is availability not a special ability... we know we can't do it alone we know that all of us coming together are what creates the communion of saints together on this day." [34:00]

"Being a blessing isn't over just because the series is over... that call is our call to be Saints in other people's lives to be a blessing in the day today everyday way not in a front page movie poster superhero kind of way." [35:37]

"Now Faith is the Assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things seen not seen indeed by faith our ancestors received approval by faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God so that what is seen was made from things that were not visible" [20:16]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?