Notes
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see … And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
Hebrews 11:1, 6
Big gifts come in small packages. And often, big miracles come through small steps of faith. Our faith is a muscle that needs exercise. Many times, we pray for God to do big-time things in our lives, but God wants us to have faith in the small things, too. Those small packages might just have the keys to the bigger things you are searching for.
Here are three ways we can see God do big-time things:
1) Face the Challenge
“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!
Luke 1:30
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:20
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
Luke 2:8-10
If you want to complete a physical goal like doing 100 push-ups, you start out by learning how to do one. Over time, you build up the strength to meet your goal. We build our faith the same way we do our physical muscles.
God is our coach; he sees more in us than we do, but we have to accept the challenge. It might make us uncomfortable, and it might be difficult, but that is how we build our faith muscle. It’s a process!
2) Learn to Listen
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1-2
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
Luke 1:31-35
Too often, our minds are preoccupied, and we neglect listening to God because we think we’re too busy. We might talk to Him, but we don’t take the time to listen to what He is saying. Sometimes, it takes being silent for us to hear God’s answers to our prayers. Make it a habit to spend time alone with Him - reading His Word, talking to Him, and listening. Write down what the Holy Spirit is saying to you, and talk about it with those you trust.
3) Make a Move
After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:9-11
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Luke 1:38
When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.
Matthew 1:24
Receiving a gift is one thing, but to experience it you have to unwrap the paper. It might take time to see the end result - the wise men traveled two years to see Jesus after He was born! But it will always be worth it to make the move God wants you to make. Be willing to say you are available to Him.
Sometimes we miss out on the big gifts because we don’t unwrap the smaller, daily gifts. Don’t expect God to only do big things; see Him in all the little things along the way, too.
Group Questions
- In what ways is faith like a muscle?
- What is a challenge God has given you (in the past or right now)?
- How can we listen to the voice of God?
- What can we do to notice God in the small things?
Prayer
Thank you for everything you do, both the big and the small. Help us to be quiet and listen to what you are saying to us. This Christmas, we want to build our faith muscles.