Change of Place | Pastor Greg Ford Sermon | One Church Columbus

ICEBREAKER:

What is your favorite fall activity and why?

MESSAGE NOTES:

[Hebrews 11:8-9]

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner…

How does something become familiar?

[Hebrews 11:9]

And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner…

[Genesis 12:7-9]

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord. 9 Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev.

[Genesis 12:10]

At that time a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner.

[Exodus 16:2-3]

There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron. 3 “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”

Faith keeps you steadfast in the unfamiliar place while your Neo cortex creates a new pattern.

[Hebrews 11:33-34]

By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.

[Hebrews 11:35-39]

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. 39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

QUESTION 1:
What is your biggest personal takeaway from Hebrews 11 “the faith chapter”?

QUESTION 2:
Are you naturally wired to “change place” too often, or not often enough? Is there a time God has used change of place in your life to shape your faith development?

QUESTION 3:

How can we practically go about building altars along the journey of faith, as a reminder for previous patterns God has allowed us to move past?

GUIDED PRAYER:

God thank you for life. Thank you for your scripture that guides me. Help me to follow you in every change of place, and be led by you when to take each step of faith. I praise and worship you. Amen.

One ChurchSeptember 13, 2023