Scripture References: Hebrews 11:1, 6; Isaiah 51:1-3; Genesis 11:31-12:1; John 11:40; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 13:7-8; Romans 14:23
Intro: Welcome to this first sermon in a three-week series on faith. Preaching this requires faith, as I don't always feel full of it! We'll explore faith using Advent themes: Expectation, Preparation, Trust, Response, and Celebration. Today focuses on Faith as Expectation and Refusal. A recent conversation challenged me: Is our vision focused only inward (church health, theology) or outward (city transformation)? Are we building the church as an end in itself, or as a means to impact our world for God? Faith demands a bigger vision.
Key Points:
- Beyond Internal Focus: We can get caught in "management reality," focusing on church structures, theology, or just survival, losing sight of God's mission in our city (Visalia) and world. Healthy structures and theology are means, not the end goal. Faith fuels vision beyond ourselves.
- Refusing to Lower Expectations: We often shrink our expectations of God to avoid disappointment (e.g., giving up praying for a loved one). But settling doesn't eliminate pain; it leads to mediocrity. Faith refuses to adjust expectations downward based on past hurts or fear.
- What is Faith? (Heb 11:1): "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." It's real, connecting us to the invisible spiritual realm. We walk by faith, not sight (2 Cor 5:7). Believing enables us to see God's glory (John 11:40).
- Faith is Essential: It's impossible to please God without faith (Heb 11:6). Anything not done in faith is sin (Rom 14:23). God demands faith.
- Faith Possesses a Testimony: Faith isn't passive. The elders possessed their testimonies by faith (Heb 11:2, Living Bible). A living church has a current testimony of God's power. Faith actively seizes what God has done.
- Faith as Refusal (Abraham): God called Abraham out of Haran ("dry place," "place of small fruit") where his family settled after loss (Gen 11-12). Faith refuses to settle in places of disappointment, grief, mediocrity, or smallness. It refuses small worship, small transformation, small vision, small generosity. Faith says "GO!" from the dry place toward God's promise.
- Expectant Faith (Not Fatalism/Presumption): True faith avoids fatalistic resignation ("if it be thy will...") and arrogant presumption (ordering God around). It's an active, hopeful expectation in a faithful God who desires to increase us – in love, trust, generosity, and kingdom impact.
Conclusion: Faith involves expectation – believing God for big things beyond ourselves and our church walls. It also involves refusal – refusing to settle in 'dry places' born of disappointment or fear. We're called, like Abraham, to leave Haran and pursue God's promises. Without faith, we cannot please God or possess a testimony that declares He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8).
Call to Action: What are you expecting from God? Has your vision shrunk? Have you settled in a 'dry place' of small faith or disappointment? Today, let faith be a refusal! Refuse mediocrity. Refuse to let past hurts dictate future expectations. Ask God to increase your faith, stir expectation, and give you vision for His impact through you. Respond today – stand, come forward, pray. Declare you won't settle, but will move forward in expectant faith.
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