Leap of Faith

Caloy Diño
Jubilee Christian Academy Foundation Day, February 4, 2015

Introduction

A blessed Foundation Day to all. I am honored to be invited to speak before you on this
happy occasion. And on a topic that is of such great importance to us all—Faith.

Faith is one of the main things that distinguish us from those who do not have Jesus in their
lives.

There was a time however when I did not have faith. When I was in college I was just a bit
short of being an atheist. I was an agnostic. I thought there might be a God, although I was
not sure. But I did not care either. I believed so much in the power of reason that I often
debated with friends who would try to share the gospel to me. I always thought I won those
debates.

But there came a time, when my lack of faith became like a scary black hole to me, and God
started hunting me down, until I reached a point when I knew I had no choice, but to make
the leap—the leap of faith.

I made a decision to follow Jesus Christ.

Differentiated from Blind Faith

But let us not be mistaken: the Christian Faith is not blind faith.

Blind faith is like when someone is blind folded and placed on a ledge, and someone
commands that person to jump, and he does jump and hurts himself. Blind faith is like a
mischievous boy telling a small child that there is a Santa Claus, and the child believes just
because the boy says so.

When there is no evidence to support a claim, and yet people are convinced to believe it
without any basis, that is blind faith. When a man in our day and age claims to be the Son of

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God, and just by his assertion people believe in him, that is blind faith. When a religious
leader commands his followers to kill or hurt others, because he claims that is the will of
God, without offering any proof, and the followers did commit murder, that is blind faith.

True faith is something else altogether.

The Bible dictionary tells us that faith is firm persuasion about something, the conviction
which is based upon hearing, not upon sight, or knowledge; a firmly relying confidence in
what we hear from God in His Word.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not
seen.

In true faith, there is something that is hoped for. A problem to be solved. A pain that is to
be taken away. A need that will be addressed. Good news that is expected.

Then there is the element of assurance, of conviction. There is certainty. Even if you do not
see it.

Why? Because the One on whom faith is based on is trustworthy. Faith may not be based on
what is seen. Faith is based on what is heard. On one hand, by what the whole of God’s
creation sings forth as we become sensitive to its beauty and magnificence. On another hand,
by the human ears when we hear God’s written Word. And also on the other hand, by the
inner testimony of the Spirit, when we hear the still small voice of God.

And here is the most assuring thing about faith. Faith is not something that comes out of the
effort of man, as if faith can be produced by much striving. Faith does not come from man.
Faith is a gift of God

Ephesians 2:8-9 (HCSB) For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from
yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.

Case Study: Moses

We can however learn about faith by studying people of faith. Let us look at a case study of a
man of great faith from the Bible’s Hall of Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11.

We will learn from this passage that a man of faith has a number of qualities.

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  A man of faith has a strong sense of identity
 A man of faith has a strong sense of mission
 A man of faith has the courage to obey the call of God

Sense of Identity
Hebrews 11:24

“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter”

Moses knew who he was. While he grew up as an Egyptian prince, he did not identify
himself with his adoptive mother's identity.

This strong sense of identity has enabled him to resist the lure of very tempting things that
could have drawn him away from his calling as .

It must feel good to have power and privileges and pleasures. It must feel great to have so
much wealth. But very often these are the things that keep us from truly finding out who we
are in Christ. An identity that is desired in the world of men is one that give us a sense of
importance, of stature. They are meant to impress people.

Mistaken identity? Putting on a mask?

When given a choice between a powerful position in your job with a big salary, versus
pursuing a calling that is true to who you are in Christ, but with not much power and with
just enough money, which will you choose?

Moses knew he was from the people of Israel by the name given to him:

Exodus 2:10 - "She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

His very name told a story. And the story linked him strongly to the bigger story of God’s
people. He was the special baby who was spared from among the babies that were murdered
by the Pharoah’s command. He was special. He was set apart.

And he knew which identity to choose. By faith he chose to be identified with the suffering
of God’s people.

Life Application:

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Let me ask you a question: Do you know who you are? When you are introduced to other
people, by what identity are you made known to others?

Do people know you by the reputation of your family? By your association with the school,
or a company, or an organization? Or are you rather known by your identity as a follower of
Jesus Christ? On the contrary, are you ashamed by it?

Friends, God has given us the faith so that we will desire to be identified, first and foremost
as God’s children through our faith in Jesus Christ.

Sense of Mission

Being is always expressed in Doing. Identity has a corresponding Mission.

And God gave Moses a very important mission: to be the liberator of the Israelites from
slavery in Egypt.

Hebrews 11:25 “… choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the
fleeting pleasures of sin.”

Where do we get this?

Exodus 2:11 - " Years later, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his own people and
observed their forced labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people."

Moses identified with the suffering of his people. And with that identity, he knew he had to
do something. Being leads to doing.

In our time, we get it the wrong way around. We easily identify ourselves with the work
that we do. We say, “I'm a student” or I’m an accountant,” or “I’m a lawyer” or “I’m an
artist,” I’m a singer.” Our identity gets closely associated with what we do, as if our identity
is hinged on what we are capable of doing.

But who are we really? “Being” should determine “Doing”

Our “being” is joined up in Christ. Therefore, we must be identified as people who follow
Jesus Christ. People who follow His commands. People who ‘love God with all our heart,

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soul and mind.” People who love others as we love ourselves. People who “go and make
disciples of all nations.”

Why should we identify ourselves this way? Because our “being” also determines what we do
not do. And the thing we ought not to do is to indulge in sin.

Sin is defined as “the defiling influence and bitter principle of disturbance which has flowed
down upon the creation of God.” Sin is what we do when we do not make space for God in
our lives, and we decide to do as we please.

Our identity in Jesus Christ should be demonstrated by our daily choices to shun 'fleeting
pleasures of sin' and when necessary, embrace the suffering because of our unity in Christ.

Courage to Obey

There is one other thing that faith gives us: the courage to obey

Hebrews 11:26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of
Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing
him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the
Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

It is easy to obey a command of Christ when it does not cost us something. But when faith is
not there, the moment obedience starts costing us, how easy it is to conveniently ignore God.

When you fear people in power, you capitulate to evil commands. When the price is right,
you give in to the bribe. When the urge for pleasure is too strong, you give in to indulgence.

Faith is truly demonstrated when there is a cost to obedience. There are things that make life
a little less convenient because we claim allegiance to Christ. Therefore we obey laws that
others flagrantly violate. We do not cheat in class, even if we do not get a higher test score.
We tell the truth even if we get punished for errors committed. We pay the correct taxes,
even when others don’t. We love our enemies, even if it hurts us inside.

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We can only do this when we know God, when we know Him who is invisible. When we
do, we gain confidence in His commands, we develop the conviction of obey even if it puts
you at risk with evil, powerful people.

The key I think is to look at the reward, just as Moses did.

What is it that allowed Moses to stand firm in the face of danger? It is the clear view of the
rewards. as motivation for life

When you have a clear view of the reward, what you give up is no longer sacrifice, but the
small price to pay for the generous eternal rewards that awaits you. You are exchanging
earthly desires for greater desires. Once you understand this, you will be willing to pay the
price.

Selfish, you might say? Well it is an exercise of faith as well. Because you will only be
motivated by it if you truly believe. If you know for certain that God will do as He says.

Let us check on some verses on these promises of reward….

Colossians 3:23-24 - Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are
serving the Lord Christ.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 - As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be
haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly
provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works,
to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good
foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

1 Corinthians 3:12-14 - Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the
Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort
of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation
survives, he will receive a reward.

Matthew 10:42 - And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water
because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

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 Ephesians 2:6-7 - And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable
riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 19:29 - And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or
mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will
inherit eternal life.

These are some of the verses that tell of the reward. There is so much more in the Bible.
These are promises purchased for us by the blood of the Lamb. By the redemption that is in
Christ.

Ultimately, the greatest reward we can ever receive is finally see HIM face to face, the Lord
that we love, the greatest love of our lives, Him who we do not see right now, but we are
sure loves us so much that He gave His life for us.

Do not be mistaken, obedience will not earn us salvation. Only Jesus was able to do that. We
are all saved by grace. But our rewards in the heaven depend on what we do, in what we give
up, in what we have courage to take hold of. And this requires faith.

Do you believe all these? Do you truly believe that you are redeemed in Jesus Christ? That
you now belong to God’s children? And that inheritance is waiting for you…

Final Word

Friends, do you truly believe in what God has done for us in Christ Jesus? Do you believe in
what he has called you to do? Do you truly believe in what he has in store for those who
remain obedient to the end? Do you believe in his unfailing promises?

If you do, then just like Moses, take a leap of faith.

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