January 11, 2026

EXTRAORDINARY FAITH:

FAITH WHEN IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE

January 11, 2026

 Pastor Jonathan Falwell

Today, we continue our series, “Extraordinary Faith,” as we look at four people from the great cloud of witnesses who went before us, all of whom believed God to be completely trustworthy to do everything He has promised. As we read of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah, we see they were willing to obey whatever God told them. It does not matter what we are going through, God has promised never to leave us; He promises to draw near to us when we draw near to Him; and He promises to never put more on us than we can bear. Those are only three of the numerous times God tells us how much He loves us—but if we wholly believe those, we’ll make great strides toward having an extraordinary faith.

Focal Passage: Hebrews 11:1-12, Genesis 5:24, Genesis 17:15-19, Genesis 18:9-15.

Trusting no matter the circumstances:

  • Read Hebrews 11:5. Can anyone share what is known about Enoch, not only here, but elsewhere in the Bible? Is there enough for us to draw a conclusion about his life?
  • Who was Enoch’s father? How do we know he was not born of Cain in Gen. 4:17?
  • Read Jude, vs. 14. What does Jude—Jesus’ half-brother—tell us about Enoch? What does that mean to you?
  • What do you think Enoch did when he ‘walked with God’? Did he have any written words?

Enoch, the seventh generation of man, had Adam, Seth, and the early fathers to talk to. Would it seem a reasonable assumption that they saw each other?

  • Read Gen. 5:18-24. What is the most amazing fact about Enoch? How would you, as his family, have reacted?
  • How long did Enoch walk with God? Do you think God had a deeper motive than just sparing Enoch from death?

Trusting when it makes no sense:

  • Read Heb. 11:7. What do we know about Noah, prior to the flood? What did God tell him to do? Do you think these instructions made sense to Noah?
  • Specifically, what was Noah told that moved him to obey so wholeheartedly? Why had God run out of patience with mankind?
  • When we feel that God has told us to do something, do we need questions answered first? What might Noah have wanted to ask?
  • Noah had to deal with his boys as they built the ark. Do you think they were grounded in belief?
  • Is it possible to have such a staunch faith as to ignore any curious questions and just feel secure that God is going to take care of all circumstances?

Trusting when you’re stepping into the unknown:

  • Read Heb. 11:8. Where did Abraham (Abram) live when God told him to go to a far land and claim it for his own? What do you know about his life in Haran?
  • Who did God tell him to leave? Who went with him? Was his response of faith and obedience already showing he had extraordinary faith?
  • Did Abraham know where he was going? How was this like Moses, coming out of Egypt, much later, and how did God lead Israel? Did Abraham ask God to tell him where they were headed? He was not the huge number of people that Israel eventually became. What do you assume they did as they settled in the fertile land?
  • How did Abraham get his instructions from God? Think of his interaction prior to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Trusting when you feel there’s no hope:

  • Read Heb. 11:11-12. How old was Sarah when God appeared to Abraham and said he would have a child? Was there any hope for her to bear a child?
  • Read Gen. 18:10-15. How did Sarah react when God said she would bear a child? God did not condemn her for laughing, although He did call her out. Why did she lie?
  • There is no doubt that only God could have resurrected Sarah’s womb for childbirth, but it is hard to imagine how she felt. Was she grateful for the second chance to redeem her barrenness?
  • There were many times Sarah and Abraham made mistakes, but their hearts’ desire was to please God. How did they continually show this?

TAKEAWAYS:

  • Always trust God on the mountaintops and in the valleys.
  • Always trust God even when everyone around you tells you not to.
  • Always trust God’s calling and obey Him immediately.
  • Always trust God’s ability to do the impossible.

Close: 

A good Bible motto is, “When the Bible is silent on something, we should be as well.” Human curiosity has remained the same throughout civilizations. In thinking of the various questions that could have been asked, any parent would roll their eyes to believe Noah’s sons remained quietly subservient as they worked with their father building the ark. Or Sarah conceiving at 89! Or Abraham, leaving family to take over land that would be his forever. Or Enoch, thinking of not dying! Can you imagine the probable questions? We think of Isaac, who may have been 10-14 years old when Abraham obeyed God and took Isaac to be offered as a sacrifice. Did Abraham think that through? If so, he would have known human sacrifice was not our God. God would never have demanded that from Abraham. Not that Abraham thought God was not being truthful—God forbid!—but he believed He would do something completely miraculous.  And He did. Let that be our mindset as well. God is all God needs. He can do anything.

By Sandy Day

January 11, 2026

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