Faith, Hope, and Luck part 2

Andy Stanley – Faith, Hope, and Luck Part 2

Pleasures of life erode circumstantial faith because faith is inconvenient

True faith in the person of Christ means that if God never showed up or answered a prayer, that we would still have confidence in God because of Jesus

CHRISTIAN DEFINITION OF FAITH:
- faith isn’t a force or power, it isn’t throwing a lasso around God so that he’ll do what I want, it isn’t a power I tap into, meditate into
- faith is not a formula
- faith isn’t confidence or hope; it isn’t saying “I believe/hope it works out”
- faith is not complicated
- the size doesn’t matter, only the object

Hebrews 11 – faith is the assurance of things hoped for; certain of what we do not see
- faith and hope are different
- call someone and leave a voicemail asking to get lunch w a person (hope)
-- faith is being certain that will happen
-- what will have to happen to make hope into faith
why do I believe God created the world?
-- by faith
-- did I meditate myself into that faith?

Who initiated noah and god’s interaction?
-- God
Noah built the ark by faith; confidence in things not seen

Abraham was told by God to leave and go
-- God’s idea but Abraham responded by faith

as a Christian, why do I believe God created the heavens and the earth?
- my idea? No
- Genesis told me
- my belief is an act of faith

the bridge between hope and faith is the promise of God
- the reason I would show up for lunch is because the person called me back and said they would show up (they promised so I can act on it)
- noah built the ark because God made a promise
- Abraham went because God made a promise

FAITH IS CONFIDENCE THAT GOD IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS AND THAT HE’LL DO EVERYTHING HE PROMISED TO DO


Means we can come to god and ask whatever we want
- faith is confidence that God can do that, confidence that God loves me, confidence that God is still good/there/God even if he says no


luke 5
- man with leprosy fell at Jesus feet and begged (means he has something the leper needs)
-- doesn’t know Jesus will heal him but there’s no where else to go
-- doesn’t try to talk Jesus into healing him
- just falls on his face in humility before God; Jesus could walk away and the man’s opinion of his dependence on Jesus wouldn’t change

sometimes God is willing in the moment, maybe in the future, maybe not at all
-- but he is still God and I am not
- I am his beloved child not because he answered my prayer but because he sent his son to be my savior
-- this is proof!
-- JESUS IS STILL MY SAVIOR AND GOD IS STILL GOD
- this is why people can have extraordinary faith in tough times
-- say that God is still who he is
-- grateful that I am on the other side of calvary/saved
--- therefore God has been eternally good to me
--- anything else is just icing on the cake
- God doesn’t do my bidding, he is the creator and sovereign God!
-- but he wants us to address him as Father because I am his child
--- go to him because he is the one that can do something for me
---- not that he will, but he is the only one who can
--- if he is willing, he can and will do it

what has God promised?
-- what has he promised to do?
-- next sermon