Clue

By faith, Noah built a ship ...

By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God's call ...

By faith, barren Sarah was able to become pregnant ...

By an act of faith, Moses' parents hid him ...

By an act of faith, Israel walked through the Red Sea ...
(Hebrews 11:7,8,11,23,29, The Message)

Don't you love hearing these stories? What is it about the faith of our fathers and mothers that grips us, even after all these years? Is it the adventure that appeals? The risks and thrills involved in not being able to see around the next corner?

For we live by believing and not by seeing. (2 Corinthians 5:7, NLT)

Do we wonder if we could do that?

The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, "Move!" and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn't be able to tackle. (Matthew 17:20, The Message)

Is it that we long for an extraordinary life, one fueled by trust that would astonish even Jesus?

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was followinghim, he said, "I tell you, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel!" (Luke 7:9, NLT)

Whatever the broad appeal of these stories, faith is, by nature, individual. Each of us chooses to put our faith in something, whether it's financial security, people around us, or our own abilities. But there's only one place where our faith is safely "deposited": in our Heavenly Father. Jesus showed us this again and again. He did it when He taught us to look for everyday evidence of God's faithfulness in the world around us. He did it when He revealed His identity and power through His miracles. He did it when He encouraged His followers to be His witnesses, to tell what they'd seen and heard Him do. He did it when He gave Himself for our salvation.

So, in June, we'll be taking a look at what Jesus taught about faith: trusting in what you can't see because of what you can see. Everything around us is evidence, not just that God exists, but that He's at work in our lives and we don't have to live a life of worry and fear. We just have to know where to look, how to spot the clues, and how to collect the evidence.

Week 1: You can believe in a God you can't see because you can see what God has made.
(The birds of the air - Matthew 6)

Week 2: When you see what Jesus can do, it helps you face your fears.
(Peter walks on the water - Matthew 14)

Week 3: When you hear what Jesus has done, it helps you believe who Jesus is.
(Jesus and John the Baptist - Luke 7)

Week 4: When you believe in who Jesus is, you'll live with God forever.
(Jesus teaches Nicodemus - John 3)

Copied from 252 Basics, Leaders Notes, June 2009