Faith: Seeing the Invisible and Trusting God's Promises
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound concept of "seeing the invisible," drawing inspiration from the biblical accounts of faith, particularly from Hebrews and the story of Noah. This idea challenges us to perceive and act upon the unseen realities of God's promises and presence in our lives. We began by reflecting on the heavenly worship described in Revelation, reminding ourselves that our earthly worship joins with the heavenly hosts in declaring the holiness of God. This sets the stage for living by faith, as described in 2 Corinthians 5:7, where we are called to live not by sight but by faith, trusting in God's promises even when they are not visible to us.
The story of Noah serves as a powerful example of faith in action. Despite the seemingly impossible task of building an ark, Noah trusted God's word and acted upon it, demonstrating that faith often requires us to step out into the unknown, relying on God's faithfulness. Similarly, Abraham's story reminds us of the importance of trusting in God's promises, even when fulfillment seems delayed. These heroes of faith looked beyond their immediate circumstances, focusing on the eternal rewards promised by God.
We are encouraged to emulate these heroes by trusting in God's promises, looking ahead to our eternal reward, and living as strangers in this world, recognizing that our true home is with God. Hebrews 12 urges us to run the race marked out for us, shedding the weight of sin and fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. This call to transformation invites us to become heroes of faith in our own right, living lives that reflect the unseen realities of God's kingdom.
Key Takeaways:
1. Seeing the Invisible: Faith invites us to perceive the unseen realities of God's promises and presence. Just as Noah acted on God's word without visible evidence, we are called to trust and act on God's promises, believing in what we cannot see. This requires a deep conviction that God will fulfill His promises in His time. [04:31]
2. Trusting God's Promises: The heroes of faith, like Abraham, trusted in God's promises despite delays and challenges. We are encouraged to lean on God's promises, believing that He is faithful to fulfill them. This trust transforms our perspective, allowing us to live with hope and expectation. [10:37]
3. Looking Ahead to Eternal Rewards: Moses chose to endure hardship for the sake of God's people, valuing eternal rewards over temporary pleasures. We are reminded to focus on our eternal inheritance, living with an eternal perspective that shapes our choices and priorities. [14:00]
4. Living as Strangers on Earth: The heroes of faith recognized that this world was not their home. We are called to hold earthly things lightly, living as citizens of heaven. This perspective helps us navigate life's challenges, knowing that our true home is with God. [14:50]
5. Running the Race with Perseverance: Hebrews 12 encourages us to run the race marked out for us, shedding sin and fixing our eyes on Jesus. This requires perseverance and a commitment to holiness, as we rely on Jesus to guide and strengthen us in our journey of faith. [19:45]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:32] - Seeing the Invisible
- [01:52] - Joining Heavenly Worship
- [02:55] - Declaring God's Holiness
- [04:31] - Living by Faith
- [05:12] - Heroes of Faith
- [06:08] - Noah's Faithful Obedience
- [08:05] - Building the Ark
- [09:20] - Trusting God's Promises
- [10:37] - Abraham's Example
- [11:49] - God's Unfailing Love
- [12:36] - Eternal Promises
- [14:00] - Moses' Eternal Perspective
- [14:50] - Strangers on Earth
- [17:34] - Running the Race
- [19:45] - Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus
- [21:32] - Meditating on Scripture
- [23:24] - Closing Reflections
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Seeing the Invisible
Bible Reading:
1. Hebrews 11:1-7
2. 2 Corinthians 5:7
3. Revelation 4:8
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Hebrews 11:1-7 tell us about the nature of faith, and how is Noah's story an example of this faith in action? [06:08]
2. According to 2 Corinthians 5:7, how are we called to live our lives, and what does this imply about our daily decisions and actions? [04:31]
3. In Revelation 4:8, what is the significance of the heavenly worship described, and how does it relate to our worship on earth? [01:52]
4. How does the sermon describe the connection between earthly worship and heavenly worship, and what personal experience did the pastor share to illustrate this? [00:32]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of Noah challenge our understanding of faith, especially when faced with tasks that seem impossible or without immediate evidence? [08:05]
2. What does it mean to "see the invisible" in the context of the sermon, and how can this perspective transform our approach to God's promises? [04:31]
3. How does the example of Moses choosing eternal rewards over temporary pleasures encourage us to evaluate our own priorities and decisions? [14:00]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that living as "strangers on earth" can impact our daily lives and interactions with the world around us? [14:50]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a promise from God that you are currently waiting to see fulfilled. How can you strengthen your faith and trust in God's timing this week? [10:37]
2. Consider a situation in your life where you need to "see the invisible." What steps can you take to act in faith, even when the outcome is not visible? [04:31]
3. How can you incorporate the practice of joining heavenly worship into your daily routine, and what impact might this have on your spiritual life? [01:52]
4. Identify an area in your life where you are holding onto earthly things too tightly. What practical steps can you take to live more as a "citizen of heaven"? [14:50]
5. Think about the "race" you are running in your life. What are some specific "weights" or sins you need to shed to run with perseverance? [19:07]
6. How can you fix your eyes on Jesus in your daily life, especially during challenging times? What specific actions can you take to keep Him at the forefront of your mind? [19:45]
7. Reflect on the heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11. Which one inspires you the most, and how can you emulate their faith in your own life? [05:12]
Devotional
Day 1: Seeing the Unseen Realities of Faith
Faith is the lens through which we perceive the unseen realities of God's promises and presence. It calls us to trust and act on God's word, even when there is no visible evidence. Noah's story exemplifies this kind of faith. Despite the daunting task of building an ark in a world that had never seen rain, Noah trusted God's word and acted upon it. This teaches us that faith often requires stepping into the unknown, relying on God's faithfulness. We are invited to cultivate a deep conviction that God will fulfill His promises in His time, even when we cannot see the outcome. [04:31]
Hebrews 11:1-3 (ESV): "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."
Reflection: Consider a promise from God that you find difficult to trust. What step of faith can you take today to act on that promise, even if you cannot see the outcome?
Day 2: Trusting in God's Faithfulness
The heroes of faith, like Abraham, demonstrate the importance of trusting in God's promises despite delays and challenges. Abraham's journey was marked by waiting and uncertainty, yet he leaned on God's faithfulness. This trust transforms our perspective, allowing us to live with hope and expectation. When we trust in God's promises, we are reminded that He is faithful to fulfill them, even when the path is unclear. This trust invites us to live with a sense of anticipation, knowing that God's timing is perfect. [10:37]
Romans 4:20-21 (ESV): "No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised."
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you are experiencing delays or challenges. How can you lean on God's promises and trust in His faithfulness today?
Day 3: Valuing Eternal Rewards Over Temporary Pleasures
Moses' choice to endure hardship for the sake of God's people highlights the importance of valuing eternal rewards over temporary pleasures. He looked beyond the immediate and focused on the eternal inheritance promised by God. This perspective challenges us to live with an eternal mindset, shaping our choices and priorities. By focusing on our eternal rewards, we are encouraged to endure hardships and make sacrifices, knowing that our true treasure is in heaven. [14:00]
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 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: Reflect on a recent decision or choice. How can you prioritize eternal rewards over temporary pleasures in your daily life?
Day 4: Living as Citizens of Heaven
The heroes of faith recognized that this world was not their home, and they lived as strangers on earth. We are called to hold earthly things lightly, living as citizens of heaven. This perspective helps us navigate life's challenges, knowing that our true home is with God. By living as citizens of heaven, we are reminded to focus on what truly matters and to align our lives with God's kingdom values. [14:50]
Philippians 3:20-21 (ESV): "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself."
Reflection: In what ways are you holding onto earthly things too tightly? How can you begin to live more as a citizen of heaven today?
Day 5: Persevering in the Race of Faith
Hebrews 12 encourages us to run the race marked out for us, shedding sin and fixing our eyes on Jesus. This requires perseverance and a commitment to holiness, as we rely on Jesus to guide and strengthen us in our journey of faith. By fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, we are empowered to persevere through challenges and remain steadfast in our pursuit of holiness. [19:45]
James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to persevere in faith? How can you fix your eyes on Jesus and rely on His strength to guide you through this challenge?
Quotes
"We live by faith, not by sight. That's what the Bible says. We live by faith. That's what makes us exist because we live by faith. We live believing what the Bible says and acting on it. We're acting on things. Things that we can't see." [00:04:02] (22 seconds)
"Faith is a firm persuasion and expectation that God will perform all that he has promised to us. And that's what living by faith is all about. It's a belief in. It's a belief in what we don't see. And this is where God has been saying to me, start to make a change in your life." [00:04:32] (22 seconds)
"God said to Noah, make a boat because I'm going to destroy the earth. The Bible doesn't tell us how long Noah was building the ark for. Some scholars think it was 50 years, some 100. But what I do know is it would have been an awfully long time. Imagine if God told us to go and build an ark now." [00:08:34] (23 seconds)
"But the thing is, Noah believed what God had said to him and he acted upon it. It really fascinates me, actually, that Noah is in this list of heroes. He's in this list of heroes of faith and he built a boat. Because sometimes we think, don't we, that faithful acts are going to be things like running a crusade where hundreds of thousands of people might be saved." [00:09:09] (33 seconds)
"You remember Abraham was told that his seed would be the seed of promise. He was 75 years old when God made the promise to him. He was 100 when the promise was fulfilled. But Abraham believed the promise. He had faith that God would do it. He believed that the unseen thing would happen." [00:10:12] (24 seconds)
"He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward. Are you this morning looking ahead to your eternal reward?" [00:13:13] (26 seconds)
"The heroes of faith did this. They didn't live as if they were at home on the earth. In verse 13 in Hebrews, we read this, that they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on the earth. One translation says this, for this world is not our permanent home. We're looking forward to a home yet to come." [00:14:43] (28 seconds)
"We're surrounded by Abraham, Moses, all the people written down in the Bible, all the saints that have gone before us. And they're urging us on in our race. And you know, don't you, that you have a different race to run compared to the one that I've got. I've got a race to run tomorrow morning at 9 o 'clock, which is going to be very different to yours, but it's the race marked out for me." [00:17:34] (27 seconds)
"Let me read you a quote that I really like. This is William Barclay Day, one of our favourite authors. No man would seek to climb Mount Everest with a pantechnicon of lumber weighing him down. If we would travel far, we must travel light. There is in life an essential duty of discarding things." [00:18:56] (24 seconds)
"So what does that mean? To fix our eyes on Jesus? Well, it means to put him at the forefront of our thinking. Not just now, but tomorrow morning at nine o 'clock when we're running the race, that Jesus is at the forefront of our minds. So, God's been saying to me that there needs to be a transformation, a change." [00:19:53] (28 seconds)
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