Enduring Faith: Trusting God Through Life's Challenges

Today, we gathered as a family—children, youth, and adults—reminded that God welcomes us home and calls us to worship together in unity. We heard the words of Psalm 80:19 and then journeyed through the powerful testimony of faith in Hebrews 11:29–12:2. The stories of God’s people—crossing the Red Sea, marching around Jericho, Rahab’s courage, and the long list of those who endured suffering—remind us that faith is not about easy victories or instant answers. Sometimes, God’s promises are fulfilled in ways we do not expect, or even in generations after us. Yet, the call remains: do not settle for less than what God has promised, and do not let the pain or disappointments of the past keep you from moving forward in faith.

We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses—those who have gone before us, who endured hardship, ridicule, and even death, yet did not receive the fullness of what was promised in their lifetime. Their faith was not in their circumstances, but in the God who is faithful. We are invited to lay aside every weight and sin that entangles us, to strip off anything that stands between us and God, and to run the race with endurance. This is not accomplished by our own striving or clever plans, but by keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. He endured the cross for the joy set before Him, and now sits at the right hand of God, inviting us to follow Him with trust and surrender.

Walls—whether of fear, disappointment, or distraction—can only fall at the name of Jesus. We are not called to live as slaves to fear, but as children of God. Sometimes, that means setting boundaries with the voices and stories that distract us, and instead, remembering who Jesus is, what He has done, and who He calls us to be. Today, we are invited to bring our walls to God, to confess and surrender them, and to join together in prayer, trusting that God is at work in our midst, doing more than we can ask or imagine.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Faith is not measured by immediate results or visible victories, but by trust in the God who is faithful across generations. The heroes of faith often did not see the fulfillment of God’s promises in their lifetimes, yet they persevered, believing that God’s story is bigger than their own. This challenges us to trust God’s timing and purposes, even when we do not understand or see the outcome. [24:37]
• 2. The call to “strip off everything that slows us down” is an invitation to honest self-examination. Sin is anything that stands between us and God—whether it’s what we’ve done, what we’ve left undone, or the burdens we carry. By God’s grace, we are empowered to lay these things aside, not through our own strength, but by surrendering them to Jesus. [30:27]
• 3. Fixing our eyes on Jesus is the only way to run the race of faith with endurance. Our culture offers countless distractions and self-help solutions, but true transformation comes from looking to Christ, who initiates and perfects our faith. He endured the cross for the joy set before Him, and He alone is able to carry us through. [32:16]
• 4. The walls that stand in our way—fear, disappointment, shame—do not fall by our own efforts or by the influence of others, but at the name of Jesus. We are called to identify these walls, confess them, and surrender them to Christ, trusting that He is able to bring freedom and healing where we cannot. [36:15]
• 5. Community matters deeply in the life of faith. We are not running this race alone, but are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses and by one another. Locking arms, praying together, and supporting each other is not just helpful, but essential, as we seek to live out God’s calling and remember that we are children of the Most High God. [29:19]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:41] - Gathering Children and Youth
• [04:50] - Psalm 80:19 and Worship
• [18:36] - Children’s Church Transition
• [19:37] - Remembering God’s Faithfulness
• [20:52] - God is Greater Than Our Circumstances
• [22:01] - Hebrews 11:29–12:2 Reading
• [23:28] - Stories of Faith and Endurance
• [24:37] - Suffering and Unfulfilled Promises
• [26:39] - The Cost of Faithfulness
• [28:39] - Don’t Settle for Less Than God’s Promise
• [29:19] - United in Faith and Purpose
• [30:27] - Laying Aside Every Weight
• [32:16] - Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus
• [36:15] - Walls Fall at the Name of Jesus
• [38:37] - Guarding Our Focus
• [39:26] - Invitation to Prayer
• [39:58] - Responding to God’s Call
• [40:41] - Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

Hebrews 11:29–12:2 (ESV) —
> 29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
> 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
> 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
> 32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—
> 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
> 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
> 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
> 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
> 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—
> 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
> 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
> 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
> 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,
> 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Observation Questions

1. What are some of the specific acts of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11:29–31, and who are the people involved?
2. According to Hebrews 11:39–40, did all the heroes of faith receive what was promised to them in their lifetimes?
3. In Hebrews 12:1, what are believers encouraged to “lay aside,” and why?
4. According to the sermon, what does it mean to be “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses”? [29:19]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think the author of Hebrews highlights that many faithful people did not see the fulfillment of God’s promises in their own lives? What does this teach us about faith? [24:37]
2. The sermon says, “Sin is anything that stands between us and God—whether it’s what we’ve done, what we’ve left undone, or the burdens we carry.” How does this definition challenge or expand your understanding of sin? [30:27]
3. The passage and sermon both emphasize “fixing our eyes on Jesus.” Why is this focus so important for running the race of faith with endurance? [32:16]
4. The sermon talks about “walls” like fear, disappointment, or shame. What does it mean that these walls “fall at the name of Jesus” and not by our own efforts? [36:15]

Application Questions

1. The heroes of faith often persevered without seeing the results they hoped for. Is there an area in your life where you are waiting for God to fulfill a promise or answer a prayer? How can you keep trusting God’s faithfulness even when you don’t see immediate results? [24:37]
2. The sermon invites us to “strip off everything that slows us down.” What is one specific weight, sin, or burden that is holding you back in your relationship with God? What would it look like to surrender this to Jesus this week? [30:27]
3. Our culture offers many distractions and self-help solutions. What is one practical way you can “fix your eyes on Jesus” in your daily routine, especially when you feel overwhelmed or discouraged? [32:16]
4. The sermon mentions that “walls” like fear, disappointment, or shame can keep us from moving forward. Can you identify a “wall” in your life right now? What would it look like to bring this wall to Jesus in prayer and ask for His help? [36:15]
5. Sometimes, setting boundaries with certain voices or stories is necessary to stay focused on Jesus. Are there specific influences (social media, news, relationships, etc.) that distract you from God? What boundary could you set this week to help you focus more on Christ? [38:37]
6. The passage and sermon both stress the importance of community. Who in your life can you “lock arms” with for encouragement and prayer as you run the race of faith? How can you support someone else in their journey this week? [29:19]
7. The sermon ends with an invitation to confess and surrender our walls to God. Is there something you need to confess or surrender today? How can the group pray for you and support you in this? [39:58]