Hebrews 11:1-6. . See More Details. 12:2). The greater the difficulties, the easier for faith. Death for a believer is Christ taking us home. Concerning faith, he wrote (George Muller of Bristol, A. T. Pierson [Revell], p. 437, italics his): It is the very time for faith to work, when sight ceases. God gave this marvelous sign that one day even death itself will be conquered. They just aren't brave enough to say it. I think that's often how we hear today's second reading ( Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 ). It refers to the repeated phrase, then God said (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26). Not one word is ever said about the faith of his wife or the faith of Shem, Ham or Japheth or their wives. The reason that faith in God as creator comes first is not by accident. Please see below for details. Thirdly, God chose the Son who is His express image to purge our sins. We read here about Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. The constant, conscious enjoyment of the presence of God that, by faith, is possible for you now is a taste, an anticipation of the joys that will be yours forever in heaven. Ten generations are recorded. He created the things that are from things which are not. Humans might fabricate things out of the dirt or use material from creation for their buildings, but not God. "You gotta come down and defend the faith, Brother." By faith, he factored in eternity and looked to the reward. So, faith believes what God has revealed and trusts what God has promised. This is the kinda (expletive) you'd expect from an office temp with a bad attitude.". Faith is the telescope that brings the future promises of God into present focus. That means more than that heaven is a place of great happiness. Good works flow from saving faith as their source and give proof of genuine faith (Eph. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. To walk with God does not mean that you are perfect, but if you are walking you are making progress. Genesis 4:4 says that God looked with favor on Abel and his offering. Their faith needed to be strengthened to meet this challenge. Pink)! It did for three men: Abel, Enoch, and Noah. It is the doorway through which we enter the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. It will sustain you in the trials that you face right now! The order is crucial: first the man, then the offering. Why? If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. He believed so deeply and obeyed so completely and walked so intimately with God that it was natural for his entire family to do what he did. He began walking with God after the birth of his son Methuselah. We have to believe it all on the strength of God's promise. In. They were not to cast away their confidence which brought such great reward. Being unconditionally certain that it's true requires faith. Truth is the basis for trust. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah (Gen 5:22). Before we look at these three aspects of faith, it may be helpful to explain something about the nature of faith with reference to relationships. There is abundant evidence that an incredibly intelligent Designer created everything, especially human life. Maybe you know what this is like. But Hebrews applies the story of Enoch directly to us. God spoke into the nothing and creation happened. If what we believe makes any difference, then it has to change the way we live. He managed to save his own family - and no one else. No wonder we jump from one job to another and from one relationship to another. A Matter of Faith: My Sermon on Hebrews 11 Faith is a living, busy, active, mighty thing. The seed sown on the rocky ground sprang up quickly, but it also quickly withered and died when trials hit. Hebrews 11:1-3 | Search Results | Sermon and Worship Resources 2:10; James 2:14-26). 3By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not seen." (Hebrews 11:1-3) I'm focusing today's sermon on our . (2) Faith enabled people in the past to overcome. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. Faith or trust in God is at the foundation of a relationship with Him. It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment (Heb 9:27). For example, God confronts our unbelief and sin. As we saw last week, there is a type of faith that does not endure trials and temptations. Two seemingly paradoxical things are true of faith: On the one hand, it is our responsibility to believe the gospel, because God commands us to believe (Mark 1:15). 1:18-22), sinful men suppress the truth in unrighteousness. We think it's easy to believe and easy to keep believing, but it's not - not for most of us. Each of them highlights a distinct aspect of faith. Faith A Sermon . But if you will starve the flesh and feed your faith, it will grow. Donald Hagner puts it this way (Encountering the Book of Hebrews [Baker], p. 142): From the examples of faith lifted up in this chapter it seems clear that what is not primarily in view is what we feel or possessassurance, confidencebut rather, how faith substantiates, or gives substance to, what is promised, how it provides evidence of what is believed about unseen and hoped-for realities. Search. Enoch was given a prophetic glimpse of the day when our Lord Jesus Christ will come with His holy angels. If you doubt the truth of Gods Word, including His promises for the future, you cannot trust Him and thus will be distant from Him. By faith they saw the unseen God as more real than the enraged king standing in front of them, threatening to roast them alive. Walking involves movement in a particular direction. Listen as Old Testament giants of faith still speak to us through their lives. You can only understand that by faith, because no one was there to observe it. 3:16-18) oozes with faith in the unseen God: O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. Moses asked the Lord, What is your name? And God said, I am that I am (Ex 3:14). His faith saved his entire family. C. H. Spurgeon at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens. Pew Forum director Luis Lugo says, "You no longer have an alignment of affiliation, belief and behavior. But Enoch did not go through it. Since the day that Enoch began to know God, he must have been thoroughly enthralled at God's goodness to reward him. And that's why we've got to take it seriously. And were all in it for the same reasonto fuel the churchs mission of making disciples. We are looking for something - meaning, purpose, identity, fulfillment, satisfaction - and many people spend a lifetime engaged in a literal journey from one place to another, and sometimes from one relationship to another, seeking something that seems just out of our reach. God rewards those who seek Him (Heb 11:6). Creation is dependent upon the Son for its maintenance. The evidence of our eyes is against all of this. To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found because God had taken him (Heb 11:5). Let's stop complaining about the evil of the present day. God had revealed the acceptable sacrifice and faith listens to what God has revealed. But this first one goes back to Genesis 1, to the biblical account of creation. In our day, Abraham is held in high esteem by Jews, Muslims and Christians. He had always believed in God, always come to worship, always offered the sacrifices. Take that faith away and we have nothing left. Isaac was old and blind. To walk with God means that you are at peace with Him. What is the characteristic that binds all these triumphs/victories together? The difficulty of the verse lies in the meaning of the words translated (NASB) as assurance (being certain of, NIV) and (NASB) conviction (certain, NIV). So many of us have filled our hearts with the junk food of the world. Dont hope in your faith, because faith in your faith cant save you. were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. This is the first of 19 uses of by faith in this chapter. Your family. Check reviews on By Faith Sermons on Hebrews 11 from Reformers Bookshop: Endorsement'As an expositor of Scripture I regard Manton with unmingled admiration. This is also the case here as it says the evidence of things not seen. So faith has the idea of what would normally be considered impossible, possible. Understanding these principlestrust is essential for close personal relationships; truth is the basis for trust; and, truth must be expressed in love, which means, seeking the highest good of the other personshows why faith (trust) is at the heart of a relationship with God. That is what faith is: Faith is believing there is another dimension to life other than those which can be touched, tasted, seen or felt. Faith has its reasons. He uses the aorist tense in the infinitive "to please". Instead we find complexity, and diversity not only between religious communities but within it as well." Our weekly email connects you to the latest content and resources. Why is the doctrine of creation by Gods word crucial for knowing Him and for the Christian life. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. The most important thing about you what will matter about you forever is not how many people know your name, or not how many people follow you on social media. A lack of truth erodes trust and causes distance in relationships. So, faith believes what God has revealed and trusts what God has promised. He is one of only two people in the Bible who did not die - the other being Elijah. Permissions: You have permission and are encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format you choose, as long as you do not alter or change the wording in any way and do not charge a fee (beyond the cost of reproducing these materials). We live in a world that is far from God and all of us are going to die. To walk with God is to live in a constant, conscious enjoyment of the presence of God. Living with that "end" in mind, the Christian daily exercises faith in an unseen, almighty, and awesome God. i. Will you live it? If you want to get some place fast, get in a car. God had brought them through these hard times which included the loss of their property and being made homeless. Enoch lived with a profound awareness that judgment was coming. THE TELL TALE MARKS OF GENUINE FAITH. Here is a second principle for close relationships: Truth is the basis for trust. They refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzars idol, which caused the offended king to threaten to throw them into the blazing furnace. He feels it in a way that he did not before. And we must exercise the faith we have or it will begin to wither and die on the vine. It is reflected in their giving, their truth-telling, their church attendance, their integrity. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has put eternity inside every human heart. What a loony tune!. God will do whatever it takes to get us back. And God honored them because of their faith. Single men, take notice. This is for us today. Let me remind you that you may believe what you want, think what you want, act like you want, but there is only one way to God and that is through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ. Ha! The author says that faith gives us understanding of how the material universe (and time) came into being, namely, by Gods spoken word. So, here is a young man who suddenly finds himself in a place where he knows that he needs the help of God. If two people come to a crossroads and they want to take different paths, they cannot walk together. the Father chose that all things be summed up in the Son, It is this Son who became incarnate in Jesus Christ. As Jonathan Edwards said as his final words, Trust in God and you need not fear (Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography, Iain Murray [Banner of Truth], p. 441). I think we take faith for granted. But, I have since pondered his question many times and I have sought to answer it. God has made Himself known in Jesus Christ. It is important to define or give substance to such an abstract noun as faith. And Hebrews here makes this abundantly clear. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Heb 11:6). By exercising this kind of faith the ancients gained the warm commendation of God. Here is a message especially for all the men. Faith proves or gives evidence for the things that we cannot see, thus giving us a conviction that these unseen things are true. God gave his one and only Son as the sacrifice for our sins. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. This story points us to the hope we have in Jesus who broke through the power of death and ascended into heaven. (Hebrews 11:1-3) God spoke the universe into existence. And just one generation later, their son Cain killed his brother. We have to believe it. It's just not in us to believe those things. And if you live out your faith every day, it's natural and normal to expect your family to follow in your steps. 3:14) as subjective, hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. But the respected Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (ibid., VII:587) argues that it does not refer there to subjective assurance, which rests within us, but to the objective reality of the faith. When the flood finally came, only eight people were saved: Noah and his wife, his three sons and their wives. So faith is the means of realizing spiritual reality and of gaining Gods approval. Their response shows that by faith, they were making real in their present crisis the future promises of God regarding eternal life. But note this. But even if your progress is slow, you will still be moving forward. All of us know about the great flood, the massive ark, and the gathering of the animals. Since Gods promises are given in specific contexts, how can we know which of them apply to us now? In 1954 the phrase "under God" was added to our pledge of allegiance. I know you believe. I trust him." It is precisely this facet of faith that is needed when we face trials, adversity, and suffering, for, in those moments, it is difficult to believe God is who He says He is. The truth is that God is not responsible for many of those things, fallen man is. All men and all boys, heed this word. That is why we need the preaching of the Word. But He always relates to us in love. What does it mean to walk with God? He will save all that come to Him in faith. From Abel to Enoch to Noah - what joins these men together? The story of Enoch is told back in Genesis 5, where God records the generations from Adam to Noah, whose story we will look at next week. There is clearly a reference here to God revealing His name to Moses. God gives you a new assignment, and you know that you are out of your depth. On the other hand, to deceive someone under the guise of love is to deny truth. Rick Ezell is the pastor of First Baptist Greer, South Carolina. Faith says, "I believe God. There is more to life than that. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him (Gen 5:24). The writer of Hebrews is expanding what he previously taught in verse 6: Genesis 5 is a chapter of numbers and as every accountant knows, the numbers tell a story. It is the first murder in human history. Hebrews uses the word three times. He offered a first-born lamb from the flock. Sermon: Living By Faith in God - Hebrews 11 by Rick Ezell on Wednesday, January 01, 2014 at 7:00 AM Sermon series: Inner Workings Developing a Heart for God - 1 Samuel 16 Assuring Your Knowledge of God - Hebrews 6 Living By Faith in God - Hebrews 11 Hungering for the Righteousness of God - Matthew 5 Scriptures: Hebrews 11:1-7 Introduction Every time the boy became sick you would think This is it. The seed on the thorny ground may have lasted a bit longer, but eventually it was strangled by the temptations of worries, riches, and the pleasures of this life. After the time of Noah and the flood, human lifespans come down rapidly to what we are used to today. His faith proved the reality of the unseen God as greater than the reality of the flames that burned him to death. But what does that have to do with us? There have been many triumphs/victories faith has obtained against incredible odds and we've seen that. I suggest this expanded paraphrase of 11:1, Faith makes real in our experience the promises that God has given about the future. Taken seriously, makes a difference, changes the way we live. I suspect that Adam had explained that God required a sacrifice. Augustine said, "O Lord, you have made us for yourself. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2004, All Rights Reserved. Featuring Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Kristi McLelland, and more! When Noah and Mrs. Noah entered the ark, their boys went with them. Here, at any rate, he is facile princeps (easily foremost) among the divines of the Puritan schoolManton's Worksoffer real literary gold to the reading public.'- J.C. RYLEThe outstanding preaching ministry of Thomas Manton . We're sorry, an error occurred. In November of 1994, Scott and Janet Willis, along with their six children, were traveling in their minivan from their home on the south side of Chicago to Milwaukee on Interstate 94. You become a father, or a mother, and you find yourself saying, God has given me this wonderful gift and if I am to raise this child in this ungodly world, I need strength. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years (Gen 5:22). Ultimately, this will undermine the relationship, because it erodes trust. Now the writer lays down an axiomatic truth. Robert Rayburn expresses this very directly: Think of what must be believed in order to become a Christian. Enter your email address and we will send you a link to reset your password. And He says to us, I go to prepare a place for you andI will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also (Jn 14:2-3). Here we see another side of the life of faith. The flood came in the 600th year of Noahs life and if you compare that with the long years of Methuselahs life, you will see that God sent the flood in the year that Methuselah died. 9:4; 11:17), and three times in Hebrews (1:3; 3:14; and here). 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