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Introduction:
Can I share with you what has been one of my crowning
moments as a parent? I very much want my children to trust me.
Therefore, when my children demonstrate that they do trust me, I
feel like I am doing something right. When Tessa was two and a
half years old, Brad, my brother, and I were playing with some toy
light sabers (keep in mind that Brad was 14 at the time and I was
still 14 at heart). Brad accidentally let go of his toy light
saber and hit Tessa beneath her right eye, giving her about a one
inch gash. When we took her to the doctor, this strange man
started to come at her eye with a needle. She was hysterical.
Instead of having to strap her down, I calmly explained the
situation to her and reminded her that I was nearby. I would not
allow this man to do anything harmful to her. I explained that he
was going to numb her cut with a shot and the needle might hurt
but it was necessary for him to fix her cut. Then I explained that
he was going to sew her cut shut. However, none of this would work
if she continued to scream and wiggle. She needed to be quiet and
lay still. Then I asked her those words which are most important
to me—“Do you trust me, Tessa?” She was still crying, but
said, “Yes, sir.” Then the doctor gave her the shot, sewed her
up and she laid there perfectly. When done, the doctor looked at
me and said that either I was a good dad or I must beat my kids
enough that they are terrified of me. But I was walking on cloud
nine. My daughter trusted me and I hope she still trusts me that
implicitly. Knowing that feeling, as a father, I can imagine that
God has that same hope. He wants us, as His children, to trust Him
implicitly and absolutely. Do you trust God? Do you trust Him with
your life and your very soul? Discussion: I.
We can trust God. A.
We
can trust God because He cannot lie
(Hebrews 6:18). He
always tells the truth and He always keeps His promises (Deuteronomy
7:9). B.
We
can trust God because He is able
to do whatever we need and whatever He has promised. Ephesians
3:20-21 explains that He can do far more than we can even
imagine. C.
We
can trust God because He loves us and has our best interests at
heart. According to Matthew
7:9-11, Jesus described God’s care for us. He will not give
us bad gifts, but good ones. Further, He demonstrated His
willingness by sending His Son (Romans
5:8-10). D.
We
can trust God because He has demonstrated His trustworthiness time
and again.
The entire Bible is filled with stories in which God gave promises
and fulfilled them. Look at Hebrews
11 to see examples of God’s faithfulness to the faithful. II.
Trusting God: A survey of Hebrews
11. A.
Follow
wherever God leads:
Abraham-Hebrews 11:8. The amazing thing about Abraham is God told him to go
and he did not know where he was going. But he trusted God, so he
went and was happy to go wherever God would take him. That is
trusting God. Are you willing to go wherever God leads? B.
Accept
God’s word:
Noah-Hebrews 11:7. Noah had never seen a flood. It is possible that Noah
had never even seen rain. Yet, when God told him what was coming,
Noah did not question, he did not complain, he did not whine. He
simply accepted what God said and followed His instruction, even
when he probably did not understand how the whole world could be
destroyed by water. That is trusting God. Do you accept God’s
word even when it does not fit your preconceived notions? C.
Ignore
momentary pleasure of sin:
Moses-Hebrews 11:24-26. Moses had it all—as far as the world is
concerned. But to lead that life would have been sinful. He was
one of God’s chosen and
he needed to live that way. He recognized that turning his back on
Jehovah would provide pleasure for a moment. However, trusting God
would provide eternal reward. That is trusting God. Do you ignore
the pleasure of sin, believing God’s reward is better than
sin’s reward? D.
Trust
God’s promises:
Sarah-Hebrews 11:11. I find this verse most comforting, because we all
know Sarah’s first response to hearing about having a baby was
laughing (Genesis 18:12).
Yet we learn that she did trust God. She had to overcome some
doubts, but in the end her trust won out. Trusting God means
trusting His promises. If He said Sarah would have a baby, then
she would have one. If He says all things will work together for
good for those who love Him, then they will. If He says an
inheritance in heaven awaits those who are kept by faith, then it
does. If He says He will provide the needs for those who seek
first His kingdom and righteousness, then He will. That is
trusting God. Do you trust God’s promises? E.
Hold
on to God’s promises, planning for them:
Joseph-Hebrews 11:22.
But trusting God goes further than just claiming we believe His
promises. Trusting God means living and acting based on them.
Joseph believed God when He said the Israelites would return to
Canaan, therefore he instructed the children of Israel to carry
his bones back with them when they finally returned. That is
trusting God. Do you live as though you believe God’s promises? F.
Fear
God, not men:
Jochobed, Amram and Moses-Hebrews
11:23, 27. Jochobed and Amram worked to keep Moses alive
despite the king’s command to kill the male children. When Moses
grew up, he left Egypt along with Israelites, but he did not fear
the king and his army following them. He trusted God. More than
that he feared God. Jochobed, Amram and Moses would rather face
the wrath of the king than the wrath of God. Therefore, they
obeyed God, trusting Him even in the face of wicked men. That is
trusting God. Do you obey God even when it upsets people around
you? G.
Undergo
trial and testing:
Abraham Hebrews 11:17. We learn from Abraham that we cannot actually claim
to trust God until our trust has been tried. Faith is forged in
the crucible of fire. Abraham learned this when God asked him to
kill the only son who fit the promise. But he would do what God
said, trusting His promises and acting on them, no matter how much
it hurt personally and no matter how much he could not understand
it. It is easy to claim we trust God when the sailing is smooth,
but only when we are tried is trust made true. A Jewish Rabbi has
said regarding Job, another example of faith, “Faith like
Job’s cannot be shaken because it is the result of having been
shaken.” Abraham would have killed his own son for God. That is
trusting God. Do you submit to God even when it hurts? H.
Leave
“home country” behind:
Abraham and Sarah-Hebrews
11:13-16. These verses are surprising because Abraham and
Sarah did not receive all their promises while still alive. They
did not own the land of Canaan, they had not become a mighty
nation and the Messiah had not yet been born. But they continued
accepting God’s word, following God’s lead and trusting
God’s promises even when they did not happen on their time
table. Because of their trust, they never looked back to Ur of the
Chaldeans or to Haran. They remained where God sent them. Because
we have trusted God, we have been transferred out of the kingdom
of darkness into God’s kingdom of light. But we must not look
back. Remember Lot’s wife, she looked back and became a pillar
of salt. Abraham and Sarah stuck with God for the long haul. That
is trusting God. Are you looking ahead and keeping your eyes on
God? Conclusion: Why should we trust God? Hebrews 11:16 explains. When we trust God, living out that trust, then He is not ashamed to be our God and then He has prepared a city for us. If we desire God’s inheritance, then we must maintain our trust, being kept by our faith (I Peter 1:5). Do you trust God? He is holding your hand and calmly quieting your fears. He is telling you how to live and face the terrors that come your way. But you have to listen to Him and you have to trust Him. Do you trust God?
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
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