Gauging our Faith – Discussion Questions
MAIN POINT:
How can a Christian measure his/her faith?
ICEBREAKER:
Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket and disagreed with the officer? Did you ever dispute a grade a teacher gave you?
INTRODUCTION:
We measure what matters to us. We have growth charts for our kids, performance reviews at our jobs, and fuel gauges on our cars. So how do we measure our faith? According to Pastor Paul David Tripp, “If your faith doesn’t reshape your life, it’s not true faith.” True faith is measured by the effect of its presence. Though faith itself is invisible, it produces visible effects or outcomes. Faith is more than what you believe. Faith is about the way that you respond and live because of what you believe. One gauge of our faith is our worship. God didn’t accept Cain’s sacrifice because he brought it without the faith and trust in God’s design. Faithful worship is about doing things God’s way over our own way. Another gauge is the length of our obedience. Faith produces in us a heart of obedience and a reward of righteousness. A third gauge is the depth of our trust in His calling. Noah found favor in God’s eyes because he did not pick and choose what to believe or when to obey—he trusted and obeyed everything from God. The work of faith in our lives is gauged by our willingness to obey.
ENCOUNTERING GOD THROUGH BIBLE STUDY:
Read Hebrews 11:1-7.
1. The act of faith produces visible effects or outcomes. Do you agree? Does your life demonstrate this statement?
2. Read verse 4. Faithful worship is about doing things God’s way over our own way. Does the way you do what you do represent faithful worship? Consider your thoughts and attitude.
3. Read verse 5-6. Enoch was taken up to heaven directly. In Genesis 5:22-24 it says that Enoch walked with God. How are you walking with God? What helps you keep following Jesus? What distracts you?
4. Your obedience to God is direct gauge of your faith. How does this make you feel?
5. Has God ever told you to do something and you didn’t quite do it the way He laid it out?
6. Read verse 7. Noah’s faith changed things for his entire family. Have you seen this happen?
7. How does answering God’s call require deep trust?
8. What is God asking you to do that you are resisting?
