DISCOVERY QUESTIONS

Series: I Have Decided
Sermon: Walking by Faith
Passage:Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-16

Main Idea: Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Leader GuidePDF Version (Participant)PDF Version (Leader)

GROUP DISCUSSION

Lean In

Purpose: Introduce topic and get the group talking.

1. Describe a childhood experience where you did something out of your “comfort zone”–jumping off of a high rock into the ocean; picking up a new sport; rock climbing; learning to swim. What motivated you to take that “leap” into the unknown?


Look Down

Purpose: Observe the passage and interact with the text

2. Read Hebrews 11:1-2 and 8-16 together with your group. How is the faith of Abraham and Sarah displayed in this passage? Put yourself in their shoes. What would it have been like to leave everything and follow God into the unknown?

3. According to verse 13, each of the people mentioned in this chapter did not receive the things promised before their death. Why do you think they were still willing to walk in faith and sacrifice so much despite not seeing the promise fulfilled?


Look Out

Purpose: Connect observations in God’s Word with observations in our world today.

4. How have you seen the lack of certainty associated with this time affect people? How have you seen the lack of certainty drive people to fear and control? How have you seen the lack of certainty drive people to faith? Cite specific examples, if possible.


Look In

Purpose: Internalize God’s Word and apply the truth to your personal life.

5. What is an area of your life right now that you feel uncertain in? Describe the challenge of walking in faith in this situation.


Live It Out

Purpose: Spend time listening for God’s for direction and guidance as you seek to live out the truths of this passage in your everyday life.

6. Think about the situation that you mentioned in Question 5. Spend some time in individual prayer about it, asking God to reveal what it would look like to walk in faith in this situation. As you pray, consider re-reading and meditating on Hebrews 11:13-14.

7. Share your experience in prayer with the group. How did God meet you? What clarity, if any, did God offer you about what walking in faith looks like in this situation?

LEADER GUIDE

Lean In

Purpose: Introduce topic and get the group talking.

1. Describe a childhood experience where you did something out of your “comfort zone”–jumping off of a high rock into the ocean; picking up a new sport; rock climbing; learning to swim. What motivated you to take that “leap” into the unknown?


Look Down

Purpose: Observe the passage and interact with the text

2. Read Hebrews 11:1-2 and 8-16 together with your group. How is the faith of Abraham and Sarah displayed in this passage? Put yourself in their shoes. What would it have been like to leave everything and follow God into the unknown?

Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the great “hall of faith” chapter in the book of Hebrews. It begins with a great statement on what faith looks like in God’s eyes (Hebrews 11:1-2): faith is trusting God and His word (His promises), even when it doesn’t make sense or we can’t see the outcome. That’s what it means to “walk by faith”: it is to trust God even when other things in the world (or our own logic) tells us not to. The NLT translates the first part of v. 1, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen.”

Following this “definition” of faith, we are given examples of people in the Old Testament who did exactly that: had confidence that what God said will come true. Abraham and Sarah is one of the most famous examples of “faith” given in their passage: Abraham obeyed God, even when it wasn’t clear what was going to happen or how it was going to happen (vv. 8-16). They did this, the passage said, even though they did not always receive–in their lifetime–what was promised to them (v. 13; see next question). They understood that though they may not receive what they hoped for in this lifetime, God had something better promised for them (vv. 14-16). Notice the last part of this passage: because of their faith “God is not ashamed to be called their God.” Because these people trusted God, God was pleased to have them a part of His family.

What this passage shows us is that faith–along with “hope” and “love”–is one of the key hallmarks of what it means to be a part of our faith. The author of Hebrews puts it this way in Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” If we want to please God, we have to trust Him and do what He says–even if it doesn’t always make (logical) sense. That is the very definition of faith.

3. According to verse 13, each of the people mentioned in this chapter did not receive the things promised before their death. Why do you think they were still willing to walk in faith and sacrifice so much despite not seeing the promise fulfilled?

Part of the answer to this question may be that they had such a strong understanding of who God is that they knew that He was worth following no matter what. Many of the people mentioned in Hebrews 11 clearly had some sort of “encounter” with God, and this drove them to follow Him no matter what. When we truly understand who God is–and when we grow in our knowledge and love of Him through His Son Jesus–we realize that no one else is worthy of following. It’s like what the disciples said when people began to leave Jesus after He said some controversial things during his ministry: “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’” (John 6:66-68 NIV)


Look Out

Purpose: Connect observations in God’s Word with observations in our world today.

4. How have you seen the lack of certainty associated with this time affect people? How have you seen the lack of certainty drive people to fear and control? How have you seen the lack of certainty drive people to faith? Cite specific examples, if possible.

There are really two parts to this question: (1) give examples of how this season has driven people to fear and control–which we see all around us these days–and (2) give examples of how this season has driven people to faith, to trust in God no matter what. For the latter, an example of this season driving people to faith might be seen in those who are frontline workers, risking their lives to treat those who are sick, or those who continually give of food and resources so that others can have in this season. Though “fear” and “control” could drive people to not want to share in this season since we don’t know what is around the corner, thankfully many Christians have not done that and have been extra generous in this time. That is a great example of faith!


Look In

Purpose: Internalize God’s Word and apply the truth to your personal life.

5. What is an area of your life right now that you feel uncertain in? Describe the challenge of walking in faith in this situation.

Areas might include finances, job security, questions about our children and their education in the fall, questions about how long this will go on and how long we can cope in the midst of this time, etc. It’s very difficult in such a season of uncertainty to know and see how God is going to come through. When life was “routine” and “predictable,” it was easy to trust God’s hand for the next day. But when everything is up in the air, it becomes much harder to live by faith.


Live It Out

Purpose: Spend time listening for God’s direction and guidance as you seek to live out the truths of this passage in your everyday life.

6. Think about the situation that you mentioned in Question 5. Spend some time in individual prayer about it, asking God to reveal what it would look like to walk in faith in this situation. As you pray, consider re-reading and meditating on Hebrews 11:13-14.

The goal here is simply to allow God some space to reveal, uncover, guide, direct, and care for us. Do your best not to rush through this part.

7. Share your experience in prayer with the group. How did God meet you? What clarity, if any, did God offer you about what walking in faith looks like in this situation?

Close in prayer for each other.