September 15, 2024
Hebrews 11:1-12
Introduction
“By faith Abraham … set out for a place, not knowing where he was going.”
How’s your faith these days? I ask that question because there are events, times, and seasons in each of our lives when everything we thought we knew or believed is called into question. The narrative of our life has been displaced, challenged, maybe even shattered. We no longer know what we believe about God, life, or the world. We’re not sure where to place our trust or in what to hope.
I’ve had moments like this. I grew up in the church, Sunday school, youth group, camp—even got a call to ministry. But when I went to college, everything I thought I knew and believed was called into question. My faith was challenged, even shattered, but it turned into a blessing. Same can be said about my time and seminary.
Same can be said about relationships, or certain “periods in our lives when we…” whatever. Some events, times, and seasons leave us wondering, “If this kind of challenge can happen to people who are supposed to have faith, then how do we live now? How do we move forward?” Well-meaning people might say, “Just have a little more faith,” or “You need a stronger faith.” And as well-meaning as it may be intended, statements like that have never been helpful to me. What are we supposed to do after tragedy strikes, and our heart has been broken, our world shattered? I wish it were as simple as ordering up some faith, but I don’t believe it is. I think we are always working out our faith, growing it. And sometimes that means we have to set out, like Abraham, to places unknown. And we do so by faith… even if it’s not by our faith.
Move 1
When our text for today is read, it’s assumed it is by Abraham’s faith, his belief in God, that “he obeyed and set out for a place …, not knowing where he was going.” It’s assumed it was because of Abraham’s incredibly strong faith that he set out. It’s a nice thought, but it can set others up to think, say, and believe they are not as strong or as faithful as Abraham—a thought that can keep them from ever setting out by faith.
So here’s what I wonder. What if it’s not Abraham’s faith he sets out by? What if it’s just the opposite? What if it was by God’s faith in Abraham that Abraham set out for a new homeland even when he didn’t know where it was, how he would get there, or what he would find? To me, that idea makes more sense. Afterall, haven’t there been times in your life when someone encouraged you, comforted you, stood by you, believed in you, had faith in you, and it made a difference? You did more than you thought you could; you overcame what you thought was impossible; you got through a situation you never thought you would. What did that do for you? It made you strong—stronger than you knew you could be. It made you see a possibility you didn’t think was possible before. You didn’t have faith to believe you could, but then someone came along and told you they had faith you could.
If we come at this text with this perspective, we can begin to see that faith never has to be an either/or— either you have enough or you need more. It lets us ask questions like… What if faith is more about what God believes about us than what we believe about God? What if faith is our experience of God desiring us, calling us, connecting and reconnecting with us? What if God’s faith in us is a call to live as fully as we can in this moment? What if God’s faith invites us to re-image ourselves as more than our history, as more than what has happened to us?
If that’s what faith is like, then what do you think is God’s desire for you today? In what ways is God calling you? What difference does God’s belief in you make?
Move 2
I used to think faith meant living with absolutes and certainties, having no doubts, asking no questions. You towed a line, and as long as you towed the line, abided and obeyed, then you were good to go. (And consequently, that is exactly what was challenged when I went to college.) Today that feels more like fear and fundamentalism than faithfulness.
Absolutes… certainties… having no doubts… asking no questions… Is that what God expects? Or does it make more sense that our all-knowing Creator understands there cannot always be absolutes and certainties; understands there will be doubts and questions, and yet with a bit of encouragement (rooted in God‘s faith in us) we can work our way through the hard struggles even when we don’t see any way to move forward. Let’s not forget, Abraham “set out, not knowing where he was going.” His life and journey were as open-ended as ours are. So could it be that faith can be the willingness to show up and live with uncertainty in an ever-changing world.
What if faith isn’t about having or even needing to have the answers, but rather faith is about asking better questions, deeper questions that help us discover meaning, live more wholeheartedly, and move us forward even when we don’t know where we are going? If that’s what faith is like, then what are the deep questions in your life today? And what would it be like to ask and explore those questions? What if doubts and questions aren’t failures of faith but prayers and invitations for the Holy Spirit to offer a word of wisdom and guidance? What if setting out by faith is about asking better questions? What would you ask?
Move 3
There have been times in my life when I tried to manufacture faith or “get more faith”, as if it were a possession to be amassed. I suspect we’ve all said or thought to ourselves, “I guess I just need to have a little more faith.” The problem is that’s never worked for me. I’ve never figured out how to get a little more faith. And the reason I’ve never figured out how to get a little more faith is because the struggle is never about the quantity or size of our faith. Jesus really meant what he said about faith the size of a mustard seed being enough.
Faith isn’t something we acquire or get for ourselves. Faith is something we’ve all been given already, it’s innate to us, it’s a way of being. And the reason for our struggles of faith is because we convince ourselves we don’t have enough in us. But here’s what changes that false belief… God knows we do have enough faith in us. More than enough actually. And because we do, the reality is that our ability or inability to overcome our struggles and challenges is never about the size or quantity of our faith. Our struggles aren’t struggles and challenges because we’re not living out our faith. Our struggles and challenges are because we are instead living out our fears.
More often than not when I’ve struggled with faith, fear was somewhere at work in the mix. The enemy and thief of faith isn’t doubt. The enemy and thief of faith is fear. That’s why so often Jesus says, “Do not be afraid.” He’s not asking us to ignore or deny our fears, rather Jesus is encouraging us to face them, to look them in the eye, and see that though they have power against us, our faith, and God’s faith in us, gives us the strength and ability to overcome them.
*******
What are you afraid of today? What is robbing you of faith and keeping you from setting out for a new homeland, re-imaging your life, and living as fully as you can manage in this moment? Are you afraid you’re not going to be able to get it all done? Are you afraid you will fail? Are you afraid you won’t have time? Are you afraid you’re running out of time? Whatever you are afraid of, know this… God isn’t. God isn’t.
Conclusion
God’s faith in us is the source of the courage needed to face our fears. No, faith will not eliminate our fears. But God’s faith in us empowers our faith, empowers our belief that there is something within us, something part of us, that is more important, more capable, and stronger than anything we fear.
And do you know what that something is? That something that is more important than what you and I fear? That something is… You and me. We are more important than what we fear. We are more capable than our fear wants us to know. We are stronger than anything we fear. That is what faith is. And when we begin to live with that faith… when we, like Abraham “set out”, not even knowing where God is taking us… well the doors that will be opened to us are incomprehensible.
What doors are being opened to us? What possibilities are we not thinking about? What could we do as people of that kind of faith? What could we do as that kind of faithful church? What would it be like for you and me, for our church to say yes to the faith God has in us, and then set out, by faith?
What could be? What could God make happen through us… What could God make happen through our church… if we set out, by faith—not by our faith—but by the faith God has in us? What could be? Amen.
Pastoral Prayer, September 15, 2024
Gracious God, the same love and faithfulness you showed to Abraham, you bless us with. And like with Abraham, you answer our prayers and meet our needs—often in ways we never imagined possible. And because we know this, and of your willingness to bless us again and again, we come to you with confidence, praying for a path toward a deeper faith in you to be shown to us.
Lord God, we look around and see so much pain and suffering; so much anger, frustration and despair—near and far. We see these struggles and challenges and will let faithless questions invade our minds and hearts, causing us to wonder why you allow such to happen.
Remind us, you letting such happen is untrue. Remind us you are responding to the pain and suffering in the world, calling us all into that work, with confidence and faith that with you, we can help ease the pain and suffering.
But admittedly, we look at your church, Lord—the Church global and the church local, and we can’t help but wonder if it’s even possible to make a difference. So many see the Church as irrelevant, or a source of hate and judgement. Which is why we need your faith Holy One, so we are enabled to again be your faith filled Disciples who share your Good News. Give us the faith to know your church can work together, serving in a manner worthy of the Good News we’ve received, while offering our lives in service to your kingdom, where the last are first, and the first are last, and there is grace enough for any and everyone.
So to make this happen, we pray you give us faith and courage to live as those who will never give up, and who will never give in to fear. Give us faith and courage to live out, and share, actions that bear witness to your faith in us to make a meaningful impact to overcoming all struggles and all challenges.
Please hear now the prayers we need to lift to you, as we do so in this time of Holy Silence.
All this we pray in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior, who taught us to pray saying, “Our…”