Focus - Week One Faith Unseen Hebrews 11:1-2; 13-16 You can know Jesus even though you can’t see Jesus.

Focus - When we take a closer look, we learn to trust in what we can’t see because of what we can see.

Seeing Is Believing—Is that really true?Examples of photos that were believed, but weren’t real…

How has this happened to you? What do we do when we can’t trust what we see?

It can challenge our faith—creates false dichotomies

YOU CAN KNOW JESUS EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN’T SEE JESUS

Hebrews 11:1-2; 13-16• The writer of Hebrews (he or she) begins this letter with a paradox. • The substance of things hoped for; evidence of things not seen. • The author is connecting to a new audience who never walked with Jesus.• It would be more convenient to simply have him show up, right? • The author then shifts to the “ancients” - being led to unknown places. • “If they had been thinking of the country they left…” longing for more. • All of this connects back to Jesus—the bringer of the kingdom they sought.

When you can’t believe your own eyes—you need something else to move you forward—and that something else is the desire for the kingdom in all of us.

Jesus taught that the kingdom he was bringing was already present And the signs are everywhere… even in us.

So how do we know Jesus when we can’t see Jesus? • Open the eyes of your heart - it’s not just a late 90s praise song.

• Our lenses are cloudy—we need to use something filter-proof. • You will know it when you see it.

• Like recognizes like—deep calls to deep—you know this….

YOU CAN KNOW JESUS EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN’T SEE JESUS

sermon extras & further reading

FOR FURTHER READING: Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith & Art Madeline L’Engle

Things Seen and Unseen: A Year Lived In Faith Norah Gallagher

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