Week One ~ “The Genesis of our Faith”
Link to Video Blog

The accounts of Abraham and Sarah in the book of Genesis are critical for you and me today. Why? Well… it’s simply because the genesis of our faith got its start with these two. In fact, the Church has always stated that Abraham is nothing less than the father of our faith. He believed the Lord and because of his faith he was considered righteous. Isn’t that the core foundation of what it means to be a Christian? The Apostle Paul once said, “you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26, NLT). This faith is the “confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1).

If you were Abram or Sarai (their names before God got a hold of them) faith was not a comfortable venture. To be faithful meant significant and deep change was given the elbow room to have its way.

Take a moment to ponder Genesis chapters 11:27 – 12:8.

Prior to God’s work in their lives, Abram and Sarai were a part of a particular country, people group, and family. They lived in Haran which was a prosperous commercial city and they more than likely participated in the worship of the moon. They knew the land. They had good friends and good jobs. Their day to day life was fulfilling and good. Lemonade on the front porch of their neighbor’s house each Sunday afternoon. Camel races and cookouts at the local track on Friday nights. Abram was well entrenched in Haran and so too was Sarai.

Nevertheless, the story takes a dramatic turn. A 180 degree turn to be exact. The Lord speaks to Abram and essentially says that in relationship to all he’s ever known and grown fond of… he’s to leave it all and step out into the complete unknown. “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1, NLT).

Faith always requires a certain deep leaving doesn’t it? Being faithful people has as much to do with who we cease to be as it does who God is making us to be.

We see this same dynamic at work in the New Testament. Jesus came to rather ordinary people and called them to leave the lives they had always known and to follow him. Their willingness to step out in faith mirrored their father Abraham’s obedience. What followed is the very substance of what we look back on and are encouraged by in the scriptures. We read of their lives and we are prodded awake. We are challenged to become faithful and to reassess how we’re living.

Now a word of deep caution. One of the temptations we can easily fall victim to is the notion that faith is solely an intellectual exercise. A kind of silent decision of the heart to trust Jesus with our eternal future. While this is true we also need to accept the very real possibility that faith is also deeply a part of the contour and twist and turn of our daily lives, actions, and physical direction. You see, as we open ourselves to Jesus there’s no telling how this will impact who we are in our families, working environments, and friendships. It could very well be that faith leads us into paths we would have never trodden given our own agendas and plans. Isn’t that a terribly good possibility? Terrible in the sense that we’ll need to rely fully on God’s provision and help. Good in the sense that as we live by faith we will truly become more fully who God has made us to be!

Personal and/or small group questions:

• Would you agree with the statement that faith is not a comfortable venture? Why or why not?
• If faith has as much to do with who we cease to be as it does who we are becoming… what does that mean for you in particular?
  • What are the areas of your life God is calling you to leave?
  • What are the aspects of your life God is calling you to take up and act on?
• Think of a person in your life who authentically opened their life to Jesus. How did that new life of faith change him/her? What did you notice?

• Read Luke 5:1-11.
  • The life of faith is terribly good as opposed to comfortable and predictable. Close your eyes for a moment and picture the scene in Luke chapter 5. What would your reaction have been to Jesus if you were in that narrative? What does this say about you? What does this say about your relationship with God?

Scripture Memory Verse:
“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1, NLT).