"What Just Exactly Is Faith"

What a powerful lesson on faith is in this 11th chapter of Hebrews! The letter to the Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who were being tempted to abandon their faith in Christ and revert back to Judaism because of persecution. So the writer to the Hebrews gives his readers a crash course on just exactly what real faith is.

Faith is kind of a funny word – it’s a word that people can bend and twist around and make it mean just about anything they want it to mean. But now what just exactly is faith? Is it "an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable?" Is it a blind leap in the dark? Is it the disregard for all fact? Is it a warm fuzzy feeling that everything will somehow work out?

For some, faith means the acceptance of something with no proof or evidence to the contrary. For some, faith can mean acceptance that something is true. "I believe in evolution." "I believe in creation." What if I said that I believe the moon is made out of green cheese? Never mind the facts, that’s what I believe and I believe it quite sincerely.

Of course the sincerity of how much you believe in something doesn’t mean that it’s true. Believing the moon is made out of green cheese doesn’t make it true. Sometimes, you can believe the wrong things very sincerely.

Fortunately, verse one of our text gives us a definition of faith, and faith is defined like this: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." That seems like a more than adequate definition, but just for grins I looked it up to see how Webster’s defines it; Faith (n); trust, confidence, complete acceptance of a truth which cannot be accepted or proved by the process of logical thought.

Faith is a solid trust in things we can’t prove. This doesn’t mean that faith is blind. Faith sees God’s promises. Faith accepts those promises, even though modern science can’t (or won’t) prove His existence. For example, faith believes that the universe was created by God’s command. While we do not have a videotape proving that God created the world in this manner, we believe it to be true because God’s Word said that’s the way it happened.

But now doesn’t that just go to prove that faith is blind? No. It doesn’t. The writer to the Hebrews explains that faith is a living and active trust relationship with God. Faith is the condition of our hearts when they are turned to God and open to receive His gifts. Faith is being certain of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Faith clings to the promises of God, knowing from the words of Scripture that God is true to His word.

And even though we may not see the outcome right now – right at this very moment, faith is the certainty that God will do what He has promised to do. Faith is trust in God’s promises, so that faith receives the promise just like we have received the promised thing already.

Abraham can teach us a lot about faith. He can also give us an idea, where we as people who are seeking a homeland are headed. When God told Abraham to leave his home and go to a place that he would show him Abraham went. Although he didn’t have any idea where God was taking him, he knew that God had something better planned. Verse 10 our text says, "Abraham was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose designer and builder is God." In the same way we may not know where God is going to take us here on earth but we do know where we will eventually end up.

The world around us would have us believe that it’s just wishful thinking to believe that there is such a place called heaven where all our sorrows and pains will be taken away. They want you to think that a place called heaven is just a form of escape man has made up to flee the harsh realities of life.

So let me ask you this. Does it take any more faith to believe that heaven exists than to believe that there is such place called the Amazon? Have you ever been to the Amazon before? Then how do you know that it really exists? Maybe you’ve seen pictures of it or maybe you know someone who claims they have been there.

How do you know those pictures you saw were really taken at a place called the Amazon? How do you know your friend really took a trip there and wasn’t just pulling your leg when they told you about it? You don’t know do you? You have to take it on faith that there is a place called the Amazon where there are rain forests, tribes of indigenous people, and all sorts of creepy crawly things.

How is that any different than believing that there is a heaven? Sure, we’ve never been there but we know someone who has. Jesus said, "In my Father’s

While we might not have a photographic picture of heaven we do have a few descriptions of it, or at least attempts to describe it. The Apostle John tries to describe what he sees in his book of Revelation. He describes, or at least in human terms tries to describe the throne of God, the multitude of saints in heaven, and the city of heaven itself.

Knowing and believing that there is a place called heaven affects the way that we live here on earth. Faith is more than just something we have, something we are sure of. Faith is a homing beacon. Faith makes us restless while we are here, because we know we have heaven to look forward to. Abraham demonstrated that restlessness in his life. God had promised to give him the land of Canaan but neither Abraham nor his son, or grandson saw the fulfillment of that promise. They ended up living in tents as nomads without land to call their own. This minor inconvenience didn’t bother the patriarchs because they were looking forward to something better, not for themselves, but for their descendants.

Abraham took God at His word, and the Scripture says, "Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. It’s not our works that are counted as righteousness before God. It’s our faith. It’s our trust that Jesus Christ died on the cross for each and every one of us, saving us from the power of sin and the devil, and then rose again, giving each of us – through faith – the hope of everlasting life.

We know God would have us stay focused on heaven. But we are so easily distracted. Eyes that should be raised heavenward remain riveted on earthly pleasures. Feet that should be marching towards the shores of heaven are mired in earth’s swamps. Hands that should be reaching for eternal treasures are busy with the things of this world. Backs that should be straining in an effort to share the Gospel with as many people as possible are bent in valueless pursuits.

Faith isn’t a work. It isn’t something we do. It isn’t a decision we’ve made or a good quality in our character. Faith is trusting in the promises of God, receiving those promises just like the thing itself. When God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, it was as if God gave Abraham thousands of sons and daughters right on the spot. Noah had not seen a drop of rain when he began to build the ark. The atmosphere was different back then, and it didn’t rain.

None of the promises God made to you in your Baptisms can be seen. You can see the bread and wine of Holy Communion, but you can’t see the forgiveness God has promised through it. But listen to what Jesus said about that wonderful Sacrament, that bread and wine: "This is my body. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Even though you can’t see the forgiveness of sins or lay your hands on that forgiveness, hopefully, you feel the peace that comes from knowing that God forgives your sins when you repent of them.

You can’t see your body in the resurrection. You can’t see eternal life. All we can see is the affect of sin on this world. All we know is that because of sin, death is a part of this earthly life. But we have the promise that forgiveness, life, and salvation are ours for Jesus’ sake.

Jesus is speaking to faith this morning when in our Gospel lesson he says; "Do not be afraid little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom." He is speaking to faith when he says; "Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys."

The story is told about two men walking through the city on a cold winter’s night. Snow was falling and the wind howling. (Since it’s been so hot lately, I thought this would be a good story to tell). The one man wandered aimlessly here and there; poking around to find whatever shelter there might be from the weather. He was homeless and had no place to go. The other man was walking in the same storm but he hummed a tune and strode with a purpose, for in the distance he saw the lights of his home. There would be warmth, a hot meal, and a loving family to welcome him.

The second man represents the person who walks through this life in faith. He sees the fulfillment of the promises of God ahead. They may be far away, or they may be close. Either way, he knows that he can rely on the promises of God through his Savior Jesus Christ. Empowered through our Holy Spirit strengthened faith, may we do the same. Amen.