Faith Beyond Sight: Trusting God's Unseen Promises
Summary
Living by faith and not by sight is a profound journey that requires us to trust in what we cannot see. This concept is beautifully illustrated by the story of Eric Weinmeier, a blind man who climbed Mount Everest, demonstrating that extraordinary vision does not require perfect eyesight. Faith, as described in 2 Corinthians 5:7, is about believing in God's promises and trusting His plans, even when they are not visible to us. This trust is not blind or naive; it is a confident assurance in God's character and His ultimate plan for our lives.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, speaks of living by faith as a way of life. It is not merely about believing in God but living each day with the conviction that God is at work, even when we cannot see it. This faith is not without doubts; rather, it is strengthened through them. Doubts can lead to a deeper, more resilient faith, as seen in the lives of many believers, including Mother Teresa, whose struggles with doubt were intertwined with her profound faith.
Faith allows us to see beyond the physical world, to perceive God's hand in creation, and to trust in His ultimate victory over evil and suffering. It is by faith that we receive salvation, strength, and the ability to face life's challenges. The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes that many miraculous events and transformations occur by faith, underscoring its central role in the Christian life.
As a community, we are called to envision what God can do through us by faith. Just as a church once saw a new building through the eyes of faith before it was physically constructed, we are invited to trust God for the unseen and the yet-to-be-realized. Our faith should not be limited by our current circumstances or resources but should be anchored in the limitless possibilities of what God can accomplish.
Ultimately, the question is not about our limitations but about God's infinite power. We are encouraged to place our faith in Jesus, not in worldly securities, and to watch as God works wonders in our lives. By living by faith, we align ourselves with God's purposes and open ourselves to His transformative work.
Key Takeaways:
1. Faith Beyond Sight: Faith is the ability to trust in God's promises and plans, even when they are not visible to us. It is not about pretending something is true but about having confidence in God's character and His ultimate plan. This trust allows us to live beyond what we can see with our eyes. [04:35]
2. Doubt and Faith: Doubts are not the opposite of faith but can lead to a deeper, more resilient faith. Wrestling with doubts can strengthen our belief, as seen in the lives of many believers who have faced and overcome their uncertainties. [12:52]
3. Seeing with Faith: Faith allows us to perceive God's hand in creation and trust in His ultimate victory over evil and suffering. It is by faith that we receive salvation, strength, and the ability to face life's challenges. [15:05]
4. Community Vision: As a community, we are called to envision what God can do through us by faith. Our faith should not be limited by our current circumstances but should be anchored in the limitless possibilities of what God can accomplish. [20:11]
5. Trust in God's Power: The question is not about our limitations but about God's infinite power. We are encouraged to place our faith in Jesus, not in worldly securities, and to watch as God works wonders in our lives. [22:23]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:06] - Believing is Seeing
[02:49] - Faith in 2 Corinthians 5
[04:35] - Living by Faith, Not by Sight
[05:21] - Seeing Through a Glass Darkly
[06:07] - Beyond What We Perceive
[07:48] - Eyes of Faith
[09:00] - Faith and Doubt
[10:15] - The Gift of Faith
[11:51] - Wrestling with Doubts
[12:52] - Doubt Breeds Strong Faith
[14:09] - Blessed are Those Who Believe
[15:05] - Faith's Conviction
[16:45] - By Faith in the New Testament
[20:11] - Community Vision by Faith
[21:03] - Trusting God for More
[22:23] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- 2 Corinthians 5:6-9
- Hebrews 11:1
- John 3:3
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#### Observation Questions
1. What does 2 Corinthians 5:7 mean when it says, "We live by faith, not by sight"? How does this relate to the story of Eric Weinmeier? [04:35]
2. How does the sermon describe the relationship between faith and doubt, particularly in the context of Mother Teresa's life? [12:52]
3. What examples from the New Testament were mentioned in the sermon to illustrate living by faith? [16:45]
4. How did the church community demonstrate faith in the story about the new building? [20:11]
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#### Interpretation Questions
1. In what ways does the sermon suggest that faith allows believers to see beyond the physical world? How does this align with John 3:3? [09:00]
2. How does the sermon explain the role of doubt in strengthening faith, and what can be learned from Mother Teresa's experience? [12:52]
3. What does it mean to have a "community vision" by faith, and how can this be applied to a church's future plans? [20:11]
4. How does the sermon challenge the listener to evaluate where their faith is placed, and what implications does this have for their daily life? [22:23]
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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you had to trust in something you couldn't see. How did that experience shape your understanding of faith? [04:35]
2. How do you personally wrestle with doubts in your faith journey? What steps can you take to allow those doubts to strengthen your faith? [12:52]
3. Consider the concept of "seeing with faith." How can you practice this in your daily life, especially when facing challenges or uncertainties? [15:05]
4. What are some ways your small group can envision what God can do through your community by faith? How can you support each other in this vision? [20:11]
5. Identify an area in your life where you might be placing your faith in worldly securities rather than in God. What changes can you make to shift your trust to God? [22:23]
6. How can you take a step of faith this week to see God working in your life? What specific action will you take to demonstrate this faith? [16:45]
7. Reflect on the story of the church building. What is a "faith project" you can undertake in your personal life or community, and how will you commit to it? [20:11]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting the Unseen
Faith is the ability to trust in God's promises and plans, even when they are not visible to us. It is not about pretending something is true but about having confidence in God's character and His ultimate plan. This trust allows us to live beyond what we can see with our eyes. [04:35]
"For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you struggle to trust God because you cannot see the outcome? How can you begin to trust Him more in this area today?
Day 2: Strength in Doubt
Doubts are not the opposite of faith but can lead to a deeper, more resilient faith. Wrestling with doubts can strengthen our belief, as seen in the lives of many believers who have faced and overcome their uncertainties. [12:52]
"Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!'" (Mark 9:24, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a doubt you have about your faith. How can you use this doubt as a starting point for a deeper exploration of your beliefs?
Day 3: Perceiving God's Hand
Faith allows us to perceive God's hand in creation and trust in His ultimate victory over evil and suffering. It is by faith that we receive salvation, strength, and the ability to face life's challenges. [15:05]
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent challenge you faced. How did you see God's hand at work in that situation, even if the outcome was not what you expected?
Day 4: Envisioning Community Impact
As a community, we are called to envision what God can do through us by faith. Our faith should not be limited by our current circumstances but should be anchored in the limitless possibilities of what God can accomplish. [20:11]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works." (Hebrews 10:24, ESV)
Reflection: What is one way you can contribute to your community's vision by faith? How can you encourage others to join you in this effort?
Day 5: Anchoring in God's Power
The question is not about our limitations but about God's infinite power. We are encouraged to place our faith in Jesus, not in worldly securities, and to watch as God works wonders in our lives. [22:23]
"Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you." (Jeremiah 32:17, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a worldly security you rely on. How can you shift your trust from this security to God's infinite power today?
Quotes
"Faith is the ability to believe in something you cannot see. It's not pretending that something is true that isn't, as so many think of faith, or that something is real that isn't, but rather faith is the ability to believe in something you cannot see. Last Sunday I preached about the necessity of faith, the indispensability of faith from Hebrews 11:6 where it tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God." [00:01:13]
"We walk by faith, not by sight. We live by faith, not by sight. Now, I want to start with the second part of that passage. We don't live by sight. Now, that means a couple of things right off the bat. One thing it means is that we don't yet have a complete and full understanding of everything God is up to." [00:05:06]
"We see through the glass darkly or see but a poor reflection, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13. It's a picture that's somewhat out of focus because we don't yet see clearly. We don't yet see face to face. We don't live by sight. But on the other hand, we are also not restricted to living by sight." [00:05:32]
"To a seven-year-old, seeing is believing. But we are not seven any longer. We don't have to live by sight alone. We have the privilege if we choose to live by faith. But even many adults seem to be incapable of living by anything other than what they can see, what they themselves can perceive." [00:06:49]
"Unless you have those eyes of faith, you cannot see the kingdom of God. The eyes of faith see what natural eyes cannot see. And if I were forced to cope with this world based only on what my eyes could see, or what my senses perceive, or what my mind could understand, I'd be in big, big trouble." [00:09:14]
"My limited understanding cannot explain why children get cancer, or why multitudes perish in natural disasters, or why the wicked prosper, or why evil is allowed to persist in this world. But by faith, I trust, that God's wisdom and power are ultimately going to triumph over all of those things and everything else." [00:09:39]
"What does it mean to live by faith? Now, literally, it says we walk by faith. You know, you've probably heard the quotation, the just shall live by faith. Now, that's a statement of the faith that justifies us, that sets us right before God. This is talking about a lifestyle of faith." [00:10:30]
"Certainly, I hope not, because I'm one of those who occasionally doubts and has to wrestle with that and struggle. With that. Now, there are some people who have the gift of faith, and they are never plagued by any sense of doubt. They are very trusting. They take it as it's written. They never struggle with it, never have a doubt." [00:11:06]
"Consistent doubt breeds a robust faith. Where doubt is present, faith has to be strong. After all, what faith does it take to live life without doubts, to live with the certainty that comes with living by sight, to use the language of our text? Faith is not required to do that." [00:12:52]
"Faith is believing without seeing. It is not believing without doubts, but believing in the face of doubts. Last week we talked about the Bible's definition of faith in Hebrews 11 verse 1, where it says, Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." [00:15:05]
"Without faith, it is impossible to please God. God desires that we live our lives by faith in Him and in His Son, Jesus Christ. By faith, we receive. By faith, we receive eternal life. By faith, we find strength to face our challenges and our trials. By faith, we tap into the power of an almighty God." [00:16:10]
"By faith in Jesus Christ, we live not by sight but by faith. So I ask you, are you living by faith? Are you trusting in God? What kinds of things can your faith see God doing in your life that no one else might ever recognize? To see God work, you have to be willing to take a step of faith and to see with the eyes of faith." [00:18:00]
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