There are decisions we make every day based on
things that we cannot guess. The day before a
hurricane, it can feel almost foolish to prepare.
The sun is out, the air is still, you're hammering
plywood over windows while the neighbors are
grilling in their backyard, which sounds kind
of like yelps. Nothing looks dangerous yet. But
we've seen the models on TV. You've watched the
track. You trust what is coming even if you cannot
yet see it. So you act now according to what
has been promised. A couple finds out that they're
expecting. It's too early to see anything on
the ultrasound. There's no visible proof yet,
but they begin to rearrange the furniture. They
tell a close family, and they start figuring
out... which names for the boy, which names for
the girl. A couple signs a 30 -year mortgage
trusting their income will continue. A student
enrolls in classes trusting or hoping their degree
will matter when they graduate. A farmer plants
seed when the soil looks dry and cracked. There's
no sign of rain, but planting does not wait for
visible harvest. It trusts the seasons. No one
sees the future. But they live today as if a
promise about tomorrow is reliable. Faith is
not fantasy. It is living today according to
a promised future. And in Romans 4, Paul tells
us that that is exactly how Abraham lived. In
verse 18 of our passage today, against all hope,
Abraham in hope believed, and so became the father
of many nations. just as it had been said to
him, so shall your offspring be. Abraham's situation
was not mildly difficult. It was biologically
impossible. His body was as good as dead. Sarah's
womb was barren. There was no visible pathway
from here to there. And Paul says he still believed.
Now we must be clear about this Abraham did not
live this faith out perfect Genesis 16 reminds
us of Hagar and how she bore Ishmael to Abraham
Abraham tried to produce the promise by human
effort which we are still dealing with when we
realize how many people look to Ishmael as her
spiritual father instead of Isaac Abraham attempted
to accomplish in his flesh what God had promised
by grace. See, that was not faith. It was his
own self -solution. Yet Paul says he did not
waver in unbelief. How can that be? Because righteousness
was never based on Abraham's fall as obedience.
It was counted to him, credited, given because
Abraham ultimately had faith. Genesis 15 -6 says,
Abraham believed the Lord and he counted it to
him as righteousness, before Isaiah, before circumcision,
before Sinai, before the law. Grace through faith
has always been the way. The Old Testament was
never a different covenant of earning God's favor.
The promise always came first. Abraham stumbled,
but he returned to the promise. Faith is not
perfection. Faith often looks more like returning
to God after we have won. If faith is living
according to a promised future, then it must
shape how we live now, not just what we say.
What does that look like? When we forgive someone,
even when we still feel the sting. because Christ
has forgiven us and promises justice in His name.
When we respond gently and with humility, when
force and strength might get us what we want,
because we trust that God exalts the humble.
When we remain faithful in marriage, when emotions
fluctuate, because covenant rests on promise,
not mood. When we speak truth kindly, even when
silence would protect our reputation, because
we trust that our identity is secure, Christ.
When we give generously even when the budget
feels tight because we trust that daily bread
ultimately comes from the Father. When we ignore
the self -help books and the new philosophies
that promise to get us the future we want because
we know that ultimately God's Word is where we
find truth and hope. You see, none of those actions,
they're not guaranteed to work in the way we
might look for. You see, forgiveness may not
immediately restore a relationship. Gentleness
may not win the argument. Generosity may not
increase our bank account. But faith behaves
as if God's promises are more stable than visible
outcomes. See faith does not wait for proof it
trusts the character of the one who promises
See verses 24 and 25 Bring this home when it
says it will be counted to us who believe in
him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord Who
is delivered up for our trespasses and raised
for our justification? See our faith is not generic
optimism the kind that we just plug in after
an Instagram video It is faith in the God who
raises the dead. Abraham trusted God to bring
life from a barren womb. We trust God who brought
life from a sealed tomb. Because Christ was raised,
we do not retaliate to secure our future. We
do not panic as if death has the final word.
We do not define ourselves by present weaknesses.
And let me add this. because Christ was raised,
we do not have to cling desperately to status,
success, or image. We do not have to crush others
to preserve our own sense of worth. Resurrection
means loss is not ultimate, and not just loss
in general. Loss of reputation is not ultimate.
Loss of position is not final. Loss of comfort
is not the end result. Even the loss of what
we thought mattered most is not what has the
last word. Resurrection means our vulnerability
is not the end. Resurrection means our struggles
do not get the final word. Resurrection means
even when something dies in our life, God is
not finished. And that changes how boldly we
live. But you see, this is where we have to be
careful. Because this is not be bold because
you are strong and you have nothing to be ashamed
of. It is be bold because Christ is risen. Live
more boldly, but not boldly to prove yourself.
Live boldly without fear that you must somehow
secure what you think is important. Live boldly
without grasp. Live boldly without scrambling
when things feel anxious. Live boldly without
trying to manufacture your own fish meal instead
of ice cream. In a city like Houston, where growth
and success and expansion are constant themes,
where careers rise and fall with markets and
energy prices and development booms, it's easy
to live as if everything depends on us, what
we measure and predict. But you see, faith loosens
that grip. You can pursue excellence. You can
work hard. You can plan wisely. But you don't
have to panic. Because your justification is
not on the line. Your ultimate place is not hanging
in the balance. Your standing before God is not
fluctuating with your performance review. It
was secured when Christ was delivered for your
trespasses and raised. for your justification.
And Paul does not end with Abraham's example.
He brings us back to Jesus. It is not just be
like someone else. It is trust in the one who
gave his all. He was delivered up for our trespasses
and raised for our justification. Your righteousness
is not the reward for strong faith. It is the
gift that was secured by the Savior we have faith
in. Abraham trusted a promise that was not yet
fulfilled. We trust the promise that has already
been accomplished. Even when our faith limps
over, even when we attempt our own ishmels, even
when impatience overtakes us, righteousness is
still counted. Not because we performed perfectly.
but because Christ was raised. So yes, today,
live boldly. Forgive boldly. Give generously.
Speak gently. Remain faithful. Not to earn your
standing, but because your standing is already
secure, against hope, we believe in hope. Because,
my friends, The tomb is it, in the name of Jesus.