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Stetson Hills Community Church
20633 North 35th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027
602-565-7987

© 2012 CHURCH111

Faith

 FAITH

PURPOSE:  This program is intended to explain Faith and its role in the belief structure .  It is essential that the participant understands what Paul said in Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, It is the gift of God”.  The teacher needs to teach the difference between principle and practice of Faith.

      PROLOGUE:

About Faith:

Hebrews chapter 11 is known as the “faith” chapter.  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1) How much more difficult for us today to accept Christianity as compared to the Disciples who had a direct contact with Jesus.  They could see and hear and feel the presence of God in their midst.  The development of a good conscience must necessarily incorporate “faith in things unseen and hoped for”.  The principle of Faith can be taught but the practice of Faith can only be experienced.  Only someone who has suffered a similar loss can understand your loss.  It must be experienced to be felt and understood.

It is easy to overlook the fact that many necessary elements in our lives are invisible.  The air we breathe, emotions we feel, sounds we hear and Faith in things unseen and hoped for.  (Read John 3:8)
            Simply put; Faith is another way to express belief in things unseen and unknown. Even a small amount of faith can grow into complete faith.

Matthew 13:31-32  ³¹Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:  ³²Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

PROCEDURE:

            1.  Ask the group to list (openly and verbally) things that we cannot see but believe  exists.   This can be done with one thing at a time or a list of things.  The open discussion method seems to work best.  A variation of this is to limit the number of things to 5 or 6.  An example would be wind.  We believe it exists because we can see or feel the results of its passing.  This exercise is to establish that many essential things to us are completely invisible.

            2.  We obviously practice faith when we accept that there are things that we believe exist but cannot see.  Try to imprint this point on the Students mind.  Discuss the difference between the principle of Faith and the practice of Faith.  An anology would be knowing how to catch a ball and catching a ball.

            3.  Discuss the meaning of “substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen”.  A description of faith by the effects, because it represents things which are but yet in hope, and sets as it were before our eyes things that are invisible.  By faith alone we are sure of eternal things that they ARE: but by hope we are confident that WE SHALL HAVEthem. All hope presupposes faith.

            Without faith we would be limited to the very narrow world comprehended by the five senses.

            4.  It is helpful to read the entire chapter 11 of Hebrews aloud or (better) to let the participants read different sections.