Faith and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Pastor Dan has been taking us on a journey of understanding faith. Faith is a cornerstone of the Christian faith and by it our salvation through our confession of faith. The Israelites were told that they had works and not mixing in the key ingredient of faith. It's like making chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips! We need the ingredient of faith. Sure, we can make a cookie but without the key ingredient of chocolate chips it isn't the same. There are a lot of people walking around saying they are Christians but when we "take a bite" of that cookie it isn't quite right. It is missing something. The lifestyle doesn't match up with the words that they are saying. Now sticking with this cookie analogy, anyone can look not too closely at a chocolate chip cookie and tell it is a chocolate chip cookie. It doesn't take close examination. It is quite apparent. The same should be true of Christians. It shouldn't be so difficult for people to see you are a Christian. Everything should line up. The way you talk, the way you act and respond to situations, how quickly you forgive others, and being humble like Christ. That is what the writer of Hebrews was getting at when he was talking about faith. He said that faith was the evidence of things unseen. If it is evidence of things unseen, then it must be apparent. It must be visible and tangible. Court cases are won and lost by hard evidence. What is your evidence of an unseen God working in your life? The writer of Hebrews goes on in this point to show all throughout the rest of the chapter to talk about visible tangible actions of people like Abraham, Noah, etc. who did something to reveal the unseen reality of God's kingdom here on Earth. Is your faith visible or invisible? As James puts it in his epistle, "faith without works is dead." Are you missing your chocolate chips? It's time for a recipe check!

-Joel

Song List:

This is Amazing Grace- Phil Wickham- https://youtu.be/XFRjr_x-yxU?si=XdmjS1CzwbRdPqt9

He is Yahweh- Thousand Generations- https://youtu.be/pyaE0Fd45gI?si=CQ5FpJyX8_Y1XFqR

Better is One Day/Just Like Heaven (bridge/chorus)- Passion- https://youtu.be/eZHpTARIL-8?si=Ss_nX3X_ksMUIELx

Yes and Amen/Jireh- Housefires- https://youtu.be/kkHo70DeiMM?si=MvTEwiOOQtI2HF_D