Most every dad knows what it’s like to stand in the shallow end of a pool and invite their small child to jump into the pool and be caught in his arms. Some of us feel like that little child at the edge of a pool in our relationship with God. We have a weak faith that needs strengthening. We have small faith that needs to grow. Perhaps we have no faith, and we need to take that first step, trusting the Lord as our Father for the very first time. What exactly is faith? Hebrews 11:1-3 contains a definition of faith and two clarifying points about that definition.

Imagine a child was seen in a 2nd floor window of a house that is on fire and the fire trucks weren’t yet there. Suppose a large man arrived at the scene and shouted to the child, “Drop into my arms. Don’t be afraid. I’ll catch you.” It would be necessary to faith for the child to know the man is there. It is another part of faith to believe that the man is strong and able to catch someone. But the essence of faith lies in the child dropping down into the man’s arms. Hebrews 11:4-7 has three examples of faith like that, the faith of the first people: Abel, Enoch, and Noah.

Who told you about Jesus? Who shared the Gospel with you? The Bible describes those who led us to Christ in spiritual parenting terms of sorts, like a father or a mother. And even if some of us can’t identify a specific person, every Christian has the same father of the faith–Abraham. There were people of faith before him, but he is the exemplar of faith and was the first to have the kind of faith that God wants in us. Hebrews 11:8-16 has 3 lessons from the life of Abraham, and his wife Sarah.

George Muller was a Christian evangelist in the 19th century who also directed the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England. He once said “God delights to increase the faith of his children. Instead of wanting no trials before victory, we ought to be willing to receive them from God’s hand as a means. Trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometimes defeats, are the very food of faith.” Hebrews 11:17-28 describes five men called the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses). Together, they have three principles for us about the kind of faith George Muller described.

A man slipped and fell off a cliff while hiking on a mountaintop but was able to grab a branch. Panicked, he yelled, “Help! Is anybody there? Help!” A voice said, “I am here, and I will save you if you believe in me.” “I believe!” yelled back the man. “If you believe me, let go of the branch and then I will save you.” The young man, looked down again at the rock valley below, paused, and shouted, “Is there anybody else up there?” Do you ever feel that way? "Lord, what you’re asking is way too hard for my faith. Can i get a different message from you?" Well, there’s help for you in Hebrews 11:29-40, which contains three encouragements for your faith from the history of Israel.

In John 4:38, Jesus said, “I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered their labor.” In doing God’s work as part of a church, we are almost always entering into the labor of others. People were here before us. We are carrying on the work that God was doing through them and asking him to make us fruitful and faithful as well. Hebrews 12:1-3 provides three lessons for how we can carry the baton we have been handed and cross the finish line of this season in our church history.

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Sometimes we feel as though hell is storming the gates of the church and destroying it, like we are on defense. But Jesus said it is the opposite. The church is on offense. Hell is the one with the gates trying to keep the world bound and enslaved in sin. Through the Gospel, the church sets people free. We need to believe our Lord’s words that he has a future for us that is greater than the one we are living in now, and we need to be prepared for it. 2 Timothy 2:1-26 describes six ways we can get ready for our next season of ministry.

When the 19th century pastor Charlie McCabe set out to raise $1M for global missions, he came across a letter that infused him with resolve to achieve his goal. It was from a young boy and as he opened it, a badly battered nickel fell out. The letter, in boyish scrawl, and liberally punctuated with ink blots, read: Dear Chaplain McCabe: I’m sure you’re going to get a million dollars for missions. And I’m going to help you get it too. So, here’s a nickel toward it. It’s all I’ve got right now, but if you need any more, you just call on me. That boy committed all he had to the Lord. 2 Corinthians 8:1-9 has four descriptions of excellent givers like him to strengthen our faith to commit ourselves to the Lord with similar excellence.

One time, a poor little boy saw all the big people putting money into the offering plate at church. He didn’t have any cash to give, but he did have his favorite five marbles in his pocket. So, he put them into the plate! After the meeting, one of the deacons asked the child if he wanted them back. “Oh, no!” he said, “I gave them to the Lord Jesus.” A man, inspired by the excellence of that little boy’s gift, gave the church five hundred dollars to buy them back for the boy. Exodus 35:4-29 contains four principles involved in giving to God’s work, and the last one is reflected in that little boy who had the faith to give his favorite marbles.

When his health began to fail in 1859, Rufus Choate planned a trip to England for some rest and advanced healthcare. At that time, a friend reportedly said to him, “I feel sure that your health will be restored, and you will be living ten years from now.” Rufus replied, “Living ten years from now! I shall be living a thousand years from now!” He died a few days later. Faith is not just looking back at the Cross for forgiveness and healing or looking up at the throne for power to change from King Jesus. Faith looks forward to what the Lord said he will do in the future. 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 has five benefits of forward-looking faith that will help us persevere through the challenges of this life.