Gotta Have Faith

Text we'll be looking at this Sunday morning at The River: Hebrews 11-12.

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.  - 1 Corinthians 13:13

So, what is faith, anyway? It must be a pretty big thing if Paul lists it as one of the three things that will last forever...

Is faith the same thing as "belief"? Or is there more to it?

Is it trust? Is it vision? How is it different than "hope"?

And what exactly does it mean to have faith? Does it come from us, or from God? I mean, is faith a gift... or does it originate in humanity?

And while we're at it, what exactly is it that we are to have faith in? Faith in God? Yes. But how much more than believing God exists requires that thing called "faith"?

What about the faith we put in each other as human beings? Or ourselves?

Is that the same kind of faith necessary to become a Christian disciple?

Do you have "faith" in how much God loves you? Enough "faith" to reciprocate that love? How would that look in your life?

Do people of other religions have what we would call faith? How about atheists? Do they have faith in anything? I mean... many of them believe in Darwin's theory of evolution. And yet, it is a theory - something by which it's very definition requires a level of faith to believe in... right?

Let's face it, all humans live by faith in all sorts of things. Have you ever seen a germ for yourself? No? Assuming you believe that germs are real, then your "belief" is strictly by faith in what others have told you. Have you actually seen germs through a microscope? Great... then you have "faith" that the microscope is actually magnifying what you believe it to be magnifying... and you are looking at something purely by faith.

Practically everything we assume about life as educated, modern people is a result of faith. 

Do you have "faith" in the President to run this country well? Or perhaps his challenger (and his party platform) is more worthy of your faith?

Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon to see it for yourself? Or do you just have faith that it exists - faith strengthened by photos, and the testimony of others who have been there? What about the Great Wall of China? Or the Egyptian pyramids? Really...? How about the resurrection of Jesus?

As my buddy George would say (actually, he did say back in the 80s), "You gotta have faith"! Amen... sing it, Brother!

George Michael - Faith (US Version)

See you Sunday... I know this, 'cause I've got faith!  :-)