The Journey of Faith

Jesus is Better

Moving is one of the most disruptive events that can occur in life. Growing up with a father in the Army meant that I moved often. By the time I was in ninth grade, I had attended eight different schools. Each time you moved you were entering a new and unknown world. You would have a new home, a new school, a new culture, and a new set of friends. The biggest move that I made growing up was when I was eleven years old. My father was assigned a post with NATO, and I was to move from Washington State to Belgium. This move was the most difficult because I was going to a foreign country halfway around the world. Yet even more than the distance were the family members I had to leave. Most of my extended family lived in Washington. I was moving away from both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, numerous cousins, and my mother. You see, my parents were recently divorced and that meant that my mother would not be moving with us. 

I was leaving behind everything that I knew to go into the unknown. Yet it was here that my heart was opened to the gospel. It was through this move that the Lord prepared me to receive Jesus Christ as my Savior. Within a few months of arriving in Belgium, I placed my faith in Jesus Christ, was baptized, and joined the church. It was a difficult time in my life. However, it was in the midst of this difficulty that I saw my need for a Savior and was born anew. 

As we continue through the Hall of Faith in Hebrews Chapter 11, we come to the section focused on the faith of Abraham. Abraham is a central figure in the biblical narrative. He is the first of the patriarchs; he was the first to receive the covenant of grace; and he was called to leave everything that he knew to follow the promise of God. He was called on a journey of faith that took him from the known to the unknown, from familiar to foreign, and from present to promise. And it is the same journey that we are all called to make, the journey of faith. While this journey can be difficult ultimately it is through this journey that we come to know the Lord’s blessing. To come prepared for worship, take time this week to read and meditate upon Hebrews 11:8-11, Genesis 12:1-3, Joshua 24:2-3, Acts 7:2-5, Romans 4:1-5, James 2:22, and this article on the faith of Abraham. 

As we gather this third Sunday of Advent, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Joy to the World”, the Acclamation of Praise “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates!”, and the Hymn of Response “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”  Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him! 

Sermon Information: 

Text: Hebrews 11:8-10 

Title: The Journey of Faith

1. Every Christian Must Go from Known to Unknown (v 8)
2. Every Christian Must Go from Familiar to Foreign (v 9)
3. Every Christian Must Go from Present to Promise (v 10)

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