2-16-20 Sermon Notes
“Faith and Trust ” Proverbs
Last week, we examined what Proverbs says about honesty and integrity. This is week six of our series “Heavenly Wisdom” and we will be looking at some verses in Proverbs and other places that deal with faith and trust.
Introduction
What is your definition of faith?
And what is your definition of trust?
Which comes first? Faith in God and then trust or trust in God and then faith?
Or do they arrive at the same time?
Does our trust grow over time?
Does our faith grow over time?
What are the major factors in faith in God and trusting Him?
Do we sometimes have more faith and trust in ourselves than God?
The word trust appears over 150 times in the Old Testament.
The Hebrew word ‘trust” signifies:
To take refuge.
To lean on.
To rely on.
To wait for.
Message
To understand what faith and trust mean in the Bible we need to go back to the original language of the New Testament – Greek. There are three primary translations of the word ‘faith’ in Greek. The noun form is ‘pistis’, the adjective form is ‘pistos’, and the verb form is ‘pisteuo’. Each form’s meaning is a variation of the word ‘trust’. Hence ‘pistis’(noun) is a trust in someone or something; ‘pistos’ (adjective) is trusting as in a trusting person and ‘pisteuo’(verb) literally means ‘I trust’. So, when we encounter ‘faith’ in Scripture we read it as ‘trust’. Therefore, biblically, trust and faith have the same meaning.
Now Let’s take a look at eight verses about faith and trust in Proverbs and the New Testament.
Rather than expound on each one, let the words speak to us individually to remind each of us how trust and faith in God impact our relationship with Him.
Proverbs 2:1-9 New International Version (NIV)
“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—
indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”
Proverbs 3:5-7 New International Version (NIV)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”
Proverbs 16:6 New International Version (NIV)
“Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.”
Proverbs 16:20 New International Version (NIV)
“Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.”
Proverbs 28:25-26 New International Version (NIV)
“The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.
Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.”
Proverbs 29:25 New International Version (NIV)
“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”
1 Peter 2:6 New International Version (NIV)
“For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
Romans 10:8-10 New International Version (NIV)
“But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Notice the word if which means that there is a choice.
Concluding Remarks and Application
Are your answers to the introduction questions the same now?
Which comes first? Faith in God and then trust or trust in God and then faith?
Or do they arrive at the same time?
Does our trust grow over time?
Does our faith grow over time?
What are the major factors in faith in God and trusting Him?
Story of the Great Blondin
Bible teachers often quote the story of the Great Blondin to illustrate what it means to have faith. Blondin was a tightrope walker whose greatest stunt was walking on a tightrope across the raging Niagara Falls pushing a wheelbarrow. Before he began his wheelbarrow stunt, when he asked the watching crowd if they believed he could do it, they all roared ‘Yes’. After the stunt when he asked them if anyone would sit in the wheelbarrow as he pushed it along the tightrope, nobody said a word.
Faith is more than believing with our head. It also means believing with our heart and with our will. Faith in God means that we believe that God can do what He has said and that we believe it so thoroughly that we are willing to fully act upon it.