The Faith of Our Fathers

God stands first as Father on Father’s Day, the one who cares supremely, even where earthly fathers were absent or broken. The faith of the fathers is not first about creeds, confessions, or two thousand years of theology, though those things have their place. Faith is the living relationship God Himself starts in the heart, the kind of relationship ancient men and women had before there was a Bible on the table, a pulpit, or a regular service.

God came looking first. God made Himself known through little hints, crumbs along the path, moments where the heart simply knew, “there is a God.” The Lord opened Lydia’s heart, and that same strange, unexplainable work is what makes God more than words on a page. Faith becomes real because God sets His eyes and His love on people who know the nastiness hidden in their own hearts, and still He says, “I’m setting my favor on you.”

God offers a relationship of abundant life, not a lemon-face religion. Joy flows where the guard comes down and Jesus is welcomed in. Yet God is still holy, still a consuming fire, and that relationship calls for humility, not arrogance. God receives honest cries like the Psalms, but He resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.

Faith learns correction without collapsing into condemnation. God corrects as a Father, patiently, over and over, so His children become partakers of His holiness. God does not adapt to human garbage. His house is “my way or the low way,” and His way leads into joy, praise, and a contented heart.

Hebrews 11 shows that faith is taking God at His word and acting on it. Abel brought what God required, while Cain tried to bring God what Cain wanted. Enoch pleased God because he walked with the invisible God by faith. Abraham went out not knowing where he was going. Peter had to get out of the boat, and even after sinking, he walked back with Jesus.

Moses’ parents show that faith becomes courage. They were not afraid of the king’s edict, and Moses later refused Egypt’s treasures because he saw Him who is invisible. Courageous faith knows God is with His people, so fear does not get the final word. The faith of fathers and mothers is meant to be seen by children, not merely taught in a class, until that faith becomes their own.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God came looking first Faith does not begin with human cleverness or spiritual hunger. God gives the first hint, opens the heart, drops the crumbs, and makes Himself real before any person can explain what is happening. That truth humbles pride and heals despair, because the relationship rests on God’s initiative, not human worthiness. [43:17]
• 2. Faith takes God at His word Faith is not just saying “amen” to something true. Faith puts feet under the word of God and takes the step, even when “what if” and “how” start talking loud. God commends the life that acts on His word, because trust that never obeys is just religious air. [70:34]
• 3. Correction trains holy joy God’s correction is not the voice of a Father who is tired of His children. God corrects patiently so His people can share His holiness and learn the joy that belongs to His own nature. Condemnation keeps the heart hiding, but fatherly correction brings the heart into the light where change can actually happen. [56:17]
• 4. Courage flows from God’s presence Courage is not a personality trait for bold people. Courage comes when faith knows that God has said, “I will be with you,” and the heart takes strength from His presence. Moses’ parents did not fear Pharaoh, and Moses did not fear Egypt, because the invisible God was more real than visible threats. [89:59]
• 5. Living faith marks the children The faith of parents is meant to be displayed, not merely explained. Children need to see that father and mother actually believe God, follow God, and can point to the good He has done. That kind of visible faith creates a holy pull, until the next generation owns the same courageous trust for itself. [94:46]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [04:11] - Worship and Thanks to Jesus
• [37:50] - Father’s Day Opening and Prayer
• [40:04] - The Faith of the Fathers
• [41:19] - Faith Before Bibles and Creeds
• [43:17] - God Starts the Relationship
• [48:28] - Abundant Life, Not Lemon Faces
• [53:02] - Honest Prayer and Humble Hearts
• [56:17] - God’s Correction and Patience
• [60:38] - No Cookie Cutter Christian
• [67:23] - Hebrews 11 and Taking God at His Word
• [74:57] - Abel, Cain, and Acceptable Faith
• [77:36] - Enoch and Pleasing God
• [83:33] - Abraham Steps Into the Unknown
• [87:22] - Moses, Parents, and Courageous Faith

Bible Reading

Hebrews 11:1-40
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 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. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. 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. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. 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. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. 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— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 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. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 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— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” [01:07:33]

Acts 16:14
“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.”

James 4:6
“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” [55:15]

Matthew 14:28-31
“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?’”

Observation questions

1. In Hebrews 11, what actions are connected to faith in the lives of Abel, Enoch, Abraham, and Moses? [01:23:49]
2. According to Acts 16:14, what did the Lord do in Lydia before she paid attention to Paul’s message?
3. In James 4:6, what two different responses does God have toward the proud and the humble? [55:15]
4. In the story of Peter walking on the water, what changed between the moment he stepped out of the boat and the moment he began to sink? [01:11:46]

Interpretation questions

1. Hebrews 11 shows that faith is more than agreeing with something true. What does it mean that faith “takes God at His word,” and why is action such an important part of that? [01:10:59]
2. If the Lord opened Lydia’s heart, what does that suggest about how a real relationship with God begins? How does that humble both the proud person and the discouraged person? [43:17]
3. Cain brought what he wanted, while Abel brought what God required. What does that reveal about the difference between sincere worship and self-directed religion? [01:15:42]
4. Moses’ parents and Moses himself were both not ruled by fear of the king. How does seeing “him who is invisible” change the way a person handles visible threats? [01:29:49]

Application questions

1. God came looking first and gave little hints, crumbs, and mercies along the way. Looking back, where can each person see those traces in his or her own life? [43:17]
2. God welcomes honest prayer from humble hearts. What is something a person may need to say plainly to God right now instead of hiding behind polite religious words? [53:13]
3. God’s correction is meant to train His children, not crush them. When correction comes, does a person tend to move toward God, argue with Him, or hide from Him? What would humble response look like this week? [56:17]
4. Faith often gets stuck on “what if” and “how.” What specific step of obedience may be sitting in front of someone right now that has been delayed by those two questions? [01:13:05]
5. God’s way is not adjusted to fit human garbage; His children are called to adapt to Him. Is there an area of life where someone is still trying to offer God a “Cain” version of obedience instead of the obedience He is actually asking for? [01:17:21]
6. Courage grows when God’s presence becomes more real than visible pressure. What fear has been acting like a king’s edict in someone’s life lately, and how might trust in God begin to answer that fear? [01:30:34]
7. Children are meant to see living faith, not just hear lessons about it. Whether someone is a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, mentor, or friend, what kind of visible trust in God are younger people actually seeing in that life? [01:34:46]