“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Ephesians 2:8–9

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In this Sunday’s message, Pastor Josh Kelsey reminds us that faith is not something we muster up on our own but a divine gift from a loving God who calls us to trust Him.

The Restless Question of Faith

• Every heart asks: What can I trust?
• The question is not whether we have faith, but where we place it.
• Life constantly asks us what (or who) we’re leaning on our success, our relationships, our resources, or God Himself.

The Fragility of Human Faith

• Every human object of faith eventually collapses.
• Scripture warns us not to build our trust on shifting ground.
• Psalm 20:7 – “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”
• Jeremiah 17:5 – “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh.”
• When what we trusted fails, it exposes whether our faith was in the gift or the Giver.

The Nature of Faith

• Faith isn’t vague optimism it has structure and substance.
• Hebrews 11:1 – “Faith is the assurance (hypostasis: foundation) of things hoped for, the conviction (elenchos: evidence) of things not seen.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:7 – “We walk by faith, not by sight.”
• Faith is standing under God’s promises as if they were already real.
• It is living by the evidence of what we cannot yet see.

The Story of Faith

• From Abraham to Sarah to the prophets, the heroes of the faith trusted promises before they could touch them.
• Hebrews 11:2 – “For by it the people of old received their commendation.”
• Romans 4:20–21 – Abraham “was fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.”
• Faith doesn’t wait for full clarity it obeys while still in the dark, trusting the One who spoke.

The Ground of Faith

• Reality itself rests on the Word of God.
• Hebrews 11:3 – “What is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”
• John 1:1–3 – “In the beginning was the Word… all things were made through him.”
• Faith isn’t ignoring reality; it’s aligning with the deepest reality that everything seen came from the unseen God.

The Gift of Faith

• Faith is not our achievement but God’s gift.
• Ephesians 2:8–9 – “By grace you have been saved through faith… it is the gift of God, not a result of works.”
• Philippians 1:29 – “It has been granted to you… to believe in him.”
• Grace not only saves us, it awakens the very faith we need to receive it.

The Object of Faith: Christ

• Faith’s power is not in its intensity but in its object.
• A little faith in a great Savior saves completely.
• Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”
• John 20:29 – “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
• Faith is not believing in belief it is fastening our hope on Christ.

Discussion Questions

• Where are you tempted to place your faith in human strength or self-effort?
• How does knowing faith is a gift change the way you see your relationship with God?
• What is one area where God is calling you to live as though His promise is already true?
• How might focusing on Christ as the object of your faith bring rest to your heart this week?