Sermon Notes
What Difference Does Faith Make?
Hebrews 11:4
Taylor Mendoza, Pastor of Adults & Students
Overview: In a world where church often feels optional and faith is privatized, Hebrews 11:4 invites us to reconsider the essential connection between faith and worship. Through the example of Abel, we see that faith prepares the heart for true worship, demonstrates our right standing with God, and leaves a lasting witness long after we are gone. Abel’s offering wasn’t accepted because it was elaborate, but because it flowed from a heart of faith. Faith—not our worship—makes us righteous before God, and that righteousness frees us to worship with joy and authenticity. In a culture of convenience and spiritual individualism, biblical faith still calls us to gather, to offer ourselves wholly to God, and to trust that our worship matters. The legacy of a faithful worshiper, like Abel, endures because it points not to self but to the worth of Christ. What difference does faith make? Everything.
Outline:
1. Faith prepares our hearts to worship God well.
2. Faith, not our worship, makes us right with God.
3. Our faith speaks through a life of worship long after we are gone.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION & DISCOVERY
1. What are the cultural pressures or personal reasons that make church attendance feel “optional” today?
2. Reflecting on Hebrews 11:4, why do you think God accepted Abel’s offering but rejected Cain’s?
3. In what ways can you better prepare your heart for Sunday worship each week?
4. How can we distinguish between worship that flows from faith and worship that is merely routine or performative?
5. Have you ever tried to “work on your faith” without including worship or church community? Why do you think that happens?
6. What are some practical steps you can take to make weekly worship a spiritual priority rather than a convenience?
7. Who in your life has left a legacy of faith and worship? How has their example shaped your view of Christian faith?
For Further Reading (Available in the Bookstall):
• Wheeler, Erin. How Can I Make the Most of Sunday Services? Church Questions (Wheaton: Crossway, 2025).
• Ash, Christopher. Listen Up! A Practical Guide to Listening to Sermons (London, UK: The Good Book Company, 2009).