This is the power of a godly example. There is much we don't know that we wish we knew. Faith is unconditional trust in the promises of God. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him (Jude 14-15). Adam and Eve disobeyed a single command in the Garden. The world often ridicules or despises the person who lives by faith. I know you believe. Have Faith, Hebrews 11:1-3 - September 5th, 2021. 2:10; James 2:14-26). But as Paul explains (Rom. We have far more spiritual advantages than Noah had. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Sermon Archive "Faith That Works" - Hebrews 11. the word for substance is the Greek word hypostasis which is hard for us to directly define. And in such a world, Enoch walked with God! Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has put eternity inside every human heart. That's the power of a godly leader. You will not share personal information because you are afraid that the person will use it in a way that damages you. Since God created all things from nothing, then everything owes its existence to God who spoke creation into existence. And without God's help, we would never believe all of that. Obviously sibling rivalry was present from the beginning. If the enemy can get us to doubt Gods love in a time of trials, we will draw away from God and disobey His Word of truth. Hebrews 11:1-3 | Search Results | Sermon and Worship Resources Single men, take notice. There is clearly a reference here to God revealing His name to Moses. Hebrews 11:1-7 20210425 Hebrews 11a Watch on Sermon taped on Friday, April 23, 2021 at Mayberry Church Introduction to worship As I mentioned last week, the Session of both churches have spent time planning the future as we, God willing, come out of the COVID pandemic. Amos asks, Can two walk together unless they are agreed? Whoever is as inclusive as you can get. Hebrews 11:1-2 (ESV) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. These verses are not so much a definition of faith but they show us the attributes of faith. To save items to a SermonFolder, please sign in to your account. The author mentions Moses (11:24-26), who refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God. He considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; . Imagine what those in the Egyptian court must have said about Moses: He walked away from the wealth and prestige of being the son of Pharaohs daughter to lead a ragtag bunch of common slaves out into the Judean wilderness! 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. Again, this is clear from the numbers in Genesis 5. Christ said he would return, but it has been 2,000 years! Dont hope in your faith, because faith in your faith cant save you. He began walking with God after the birth of his son Methuselah. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.. It is a willingness to trust in, to rely on, and to cling to. As bad as things are, they were worse in Noah's day. But note this. Faith believes God regardless of the circumstances. Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found because God had taken him (Heb 11:5). There is a third principle for close relationships: Truth must be expressed in love. Faith has its reasons. Maybe you did too. Scot and Janet escaped the blaze with burns, but they couldn't save their children: Ben, 13, Joe, 11, Sam, 9, Hank, 6, Elizabeth, 3, and Peter, six weeks old. Nine generations were all living at the same time! You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart (Jer 29:13). The author does not want us to have a temporary, flimsy faith that shrinks back to destruction. How did they know to bring an offering to God? But what does that have to do with us? God accepted Abel's offering because it was brought in faith. Pastor Colin Smith preached this sermon on the faith of Sarah from Hebrews 11:11-12 as part of the series "Living By Faith." About. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened (Matt 7:7-8). And that's why we've got to take it seriously. To go back to Howard Fineman's quote, it's all about pursuing (a great biblical concept) the one true God. If the story of Cain and Abel seems short, the story of Enoch is minuscule by comparison. NOTES FOR SERMON ON HEBREWS 11:23-28 Part 2 (See Part 1) Vance Havner summed up Hebrews 11:24-29 Faith chooses the imperishable (He 11:24, 25, 26) Faith sees the invisible (He 11:27) Faith does the impossible (He 11:28, 29) Warren Wiersbe - True Bible faith is confident obedience to God's Word in spite of circumstances and consequences. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. He believed that in His excellent goodness, God is ever willing to bestow blessings, and ever ready to reward those who come to Him. And Enoch walked beyond space and time into eternity. Let me apply verse 2 in two ways. Death becomes the doorway into the unfiltered presence of God. A. While the term is roughly equivalent to world, it allows for what modern science has established, that time is related to matter. Are we a nation "under God" can we really say, "In God We Trust"? God walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden, but when they sinned, they hid from Him. Notice the word ungodly or ungodliness occurs four times. It is important to define or give substance to such an abstract noun as faith. Our calling is to seek Him. I need wisdom. 4 By faith Abel offered to God. All of the patristic and medieval scholars understood the words in the objective sense, but Melanchthon advised Luther to render it, sure confidence. Luthers interpretation has influenced most scholarship since the Reformation (Koster, ibid.). It has sustained the people of God through thousands of years in every sort of difficulty. Greear. And by the time of Noah we read, The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Gen 6:5). Living with that "end" in mind, the Christian daily exercises faith in an unseen, almighty, and awesome God. And in the light of that Enoch walked with God. That's what the phrase "by faith" (repeated over and over again in this chapter) is all about. In other words, people are believing what they want and doing what they want and thinking what they want. Why is the doctrine of creation by Gods word crucial for knowing Him and for the Christian life. Ha! The prevailing current worldview, that matter always existed and that the current universe, including man, happened by sheer chance over billions of years, is based on blind faith, because there is no evidence to support it. The writer of Hebrews 11 would surely say agree to that. You may say, Thats just the way I feel, and thats true. I know you believe in Christ." 9:4; 11:17), and three times in Hebrews (1:3; 3:14; and here). 2Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. Some of you who are younger are trying to figure out if you will follow Jesus. Hebrews 11 demonstrates that the life of faith is not a rarity. Abels sacrifice of a lamb from the flock points forward to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Hebrews 11:8 Sermons: By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance. Cain farmed the soil while Abel raised livestock. " This man is revered by over one-half the world's population. For 120 years he preached the truth and called the society around him to repentance. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.. But if you want to savor a place and enjoy it, get out of the car and go for a walk. What matters about them is the relationship they have with Jesus. And I want to make two observations from them: i. Adam was still living when Enoch was born. Eventually that orphanage grew to 2,000 children who needed food, clothing, and shelter every day. It's what we believe about the things that matter most. You are calling God a liar if you do not trust Him, and you cannot be close to a liar. So, faith believes what God has revealed and trusts what God has promised. Walking involves slow, steady movement. By faith he preached when no one would listen. I am sure there are some people to whom God has given such grace that believing is never a challenge, even in the midst of extreme circumstances. Muller had no savings accounts and he refused to make the needs of the ministry known, even to potential donors. He trusted in God. Scripture: Hebrews 11:7-12 John Piper Sermon The Hope of Exiles on the Earth Jun 29, 1997 Scripture: Hebrews 11:13-22 John Piper Sermon Liberated for Love by Looking to the Reward Aug 3, 1997 Scripture: Hebrews 11:23-28 John Piper Sermon Faith to Be Strong and Faith to Be Weak Aug 10, 1997 Scripture: Hebrews 11:29-38 John Piper Message 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. A. W. Pink (An Exposition of Hebrews [Ephesians 4 Group], p. 652) uses the analogy of two men standing on the deck of a ship, looking in the same direction. He feels it in a way that he did not before. And I will let you in on the secret of when it will happen: When your son dies, the judgment will come., Pink asks this question: What effect would such a revelation have on you? Walking with God is the greatest pleasure. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 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. Noah had the courage to stand against the unbelieving world. 12:2). Website:UnlockingtheBible.org. God rewards those who seek Him (Heb 11:6). 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. Most of us will be taken through the river. The story comes from Genesis 27. And that is our calling today. And if you live out your faith every day, it's natural and normal to expect your family to follow in your steps. They refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzars idol, which caused the offended king to threaten to throw them into the blazing furnace. Comments >>. For George Carlin, the comedian, religion and God weren't high on his list. Some modern translations of Genesis read Genesis 1:1 by When God began to create the heavens and earth, the earth was without form and void as though God arranged matter that was already there. 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. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. Good works flow from saving faith as their source and give proof of genuine faith (Eph. 4:4). All of the others relate to a parade of characters from the Old Testament who trusted in God. By faith, he factored in eternity and looked to the reward. The first verse of Genesis presents you with a crucial choice: If God created everything that is, then He is the sovereign of the universe. He speaks. Their faith needed to be strengthened to meet this challenge. The "hoped for" things we are sure of, are things God has promised. The eternal God brought physical matter and time into being by His powerful word alone! If you do not trust someone, you will not allow yourself to get close to that person. Death for a believer is Christ taking us home. Today we look at the 11th chapter of Hebrews which is often known as the faith chapter. In it are many examples of people who remained faithful to the LORD under the most difficult and impossible of situations. He trusted in God. You hear, touch and smell things that you miss in the car. As John Stott remarked, death is a "trivial episode" to the believer. Enoch was taken soon after Adam had died. Being unconditionally certain that it's true requires faith. 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). It is their faith that gets them out of bed in the morning and lets them enjoy the memories of their children rather than be haunted by their memories of them. For posting on the web, a link to this document on our website (www.UnlockingtheBible.org) is preferred. After the time of Noah and the flood, human lifespans come down rapidly to what we are used to today. And just one generation later, their son Cain killed his brother. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made out of things which do appear. How did Cain know Abel's sacrifice had been accepted and his had not? Without faith you will not believe it anyway. And were all in it for the same reasonto fuel the churchs mission of making disciples. Yet, God passionately pursues us at great cost. Now the writer lays down an axiomatic truth. If what we believe makes any difference, then it has to change the way we live. I need a pure heart. He wants us to have a faith that endures trials to the preserving of the soul (10:39). I suspect that Adam had explained that God required a sacrifice. They believed because he believed. Any date. Here is a second principle for close relationships: Truth is the basis for trust. Rather, his emphasis is more on the operation and outworking of justifying faith in the face of trials (John Owen, An Exposition of Hebrews [The National Foundation for Christian Education], VII:5, 7). You can't see any of this. Until recently, the nearly universal voice of the Church was the traditional view that God created all from nothing. God never intended for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac - Genesis 22:1-2 B. It has to make a difference. 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. Faith connects you to God; it is your admission that you are dependent upon Him; that your hope is in Him. Faith proves to us the fact that the things we presently cannot seeGod, angels, demons, heaven, hellare very much true and real. In other words, faith applies the reality of Gods promises and the unseen world to life in the present, visible world. 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. By their choice, sin and the sinful nature entered the human race. So faith is the means of realizing spiritual reality and of gaining Gods approval. "You gotta come down and defend the faith, Brother." If this is the best God can do, I am not impressed. 1. Try. In. Hebrews 11 New International Version Faith in Action 11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. By faith he believed God regarding things he had not yet seen. the writer also was confident that the church would be able to stand the test. THE OLD Assembly's Catechism asks, "What is the chief end of man?" and its answer is, "To glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever." How could he do that? Walking with God involves peace, purpose, progress, privilege and pleasure. We can't see the soul in heaven. 1:18-22), sinful men suppress the truth in unrighteousness. It punctured the van's gas tank and set off an explosion that ripped a hole through the backseat floor. God is the reward of those who seek Him. ii. Ultimately, this will undermine the relationship, because it erodes trust. The reason that faith in God as creator comes first is not by accident. Every time the boy became sick you would think This is it. That's as fine a tribute as you are likely to find, and not just about a public figure. Dont go looking for a God of your own imagination. All men and all boys, heed this word. God tests us so that we may know what is in our heart - 1 Peter 1:7 II. It proves the reality of the unseen world. Faith taken seriously makes a difference in our world and changes the way we live. Taken seriously, makes a difference, changes the way we live. Bible Study & Sermon Videos; hebrews-11:2; Hebrews-11:2. Each story fills out the picture. If you would draw near to God, you must believe that he exists (vs. 6). In our day, Abraham is held in high esteem by Jews, Muslims and Christians. Reminder: You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. Hebrews 11 paints a picture of what a life of faith looks like. You would think that a discovery such as human DNA, which shows amazing design, would cause all scientists to fall down in worship before God. 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. Put your faith in Jesus Christ! The Greek word, hypostasis, occurs twice in Paul in the sense of confidence (2 Cor. Evidence of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen and in a. Years he preached the Truth and called the society around Him to repentance from nothing, then it has change. To make two observations from them: i. Adam was still living when was... Of hebrews which is often known as the faith chapter brought physical matter and time into being his! Genuine faith ( Eph 's all about pursuing ( a great biblical concept the... That have to do with us `` under God '' can we really,... Through thousands of years in every sort of difficulty minuscule by comparison us at great.!, you must believe that he exists ( vs. 6 ) it has been years... 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