O glorious victory That overcomes the world." 1 John 5:4. Back then, there were only eight true believers in the whole world. 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. But Hebrews applies the story of Enoch directly to us. Saving faith comes as Gods gift, not as a human effort (Eph. You may think, Thats a great story, but what if God hadnt delivered them? And if you add up all the numbers, you find that Enoch was taken up to heaven after 987 years. Certainly Cain represents all those people in the world who believe they can make up their own religion. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. The first verse of the Bible hits us squarely with a vital fact: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. You cannot begin to understand yourself, other people, world history, or God if you reject the early chapters of Genesis. By Faith - Sermon on Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-12 Leave a reply Last week we discovered that God's vision in creation is to be with us. It is the first murder in human history. At one point before we knew how things would turn out, I said to Marla, I am at peace that even if I get fired, God will take care of us, because I did the right thing. Live to please God and you will know His peace, even if people angrily oppose you. There have been many triumphs/victories faith has obtained against incredible odds and we've seen that. No one ever comes back from the other world to tell us of how things are there. Verse 1 says that faith has substance. Faith is tangible, even though it is invisible. 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. Yet a lot of people feel that way? All men and all boys, heed this word. Justification by faith is one of the central doctrines of the Christian faith. What is the reward? Noah was a righteous man who had great faith in God. This is for us today. I think we take faith for granted. If you look at the end of Luke 3, you will see that this is the line of descent into which Jesus Christ was born. According to Hebrew 11:6 he firmly believed that God is a rewarder. Hebrews 11:17-19 I. I think that's often how we hear today's second reading ( Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 ). Have Faith, Hebrews 11:1-3 - September 5th, 2021. 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? Their response shows that by faith, they were making real in their present crisis the future promises of God regarding eternal life. Faith, you see, is confident in the power of God's words. Your Bible study. This story points us to the hope we have in Jesus who broke through the power of death and ascended into heaven. Thirdly, God chose the Son who is His express image to purge our sins. And in such a world, Enoch walked with God! These first generations lived for many years, but they had one thing in common: All the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died (Gen 5:5). By love, I mean, seeking the highest good of the other person. The highest good for every person is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. It has the idea of a "foundation or basis. The word also is used as a technical term for the unity of the Trinity, although this is not what is implied here. We read here about Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. One day Enoch and God had walked so far that God said, "Why don't you come home with me?" 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. The hoped for things we are sure of, are things God has promised. All the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died (Gen 5:11). Hebrews uses the word three times. Fathers, listen up. I need patience. Ha! For the believer in Jesus, death is a transition from this life to the next. that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. This faith lays hold of Gods promises and the reality of the unseen world, obediently applying those realities to present trials. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah (Gen 5:22). And that's why we've got to take it seriously. You can be godly in a very ungodly world. That is exactly what happened. Ten generations are recorded. But this first one goes back to Genesis 1, to the biblical account of creation. But the rest of us struggle to believe at least part of the time. As they burned him at the stake, he died singing! 2. So how can you draw near to God? Our calling is to seek Him. But what does that have to do with us? It has to make a difference. Would you? We don't trust our government officials, we don't trust our bosses, we don't trust our neighbors, we don't trust our doctors, we don't trust our pastors. Bible > Hebrews > Chapter 11 > Verse 8 Library Free Downloads eBibles Hebrews 11:8 Search. It has to change the way we live. 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. From Abel to Enoch to Noah - what joins these men together? Hebrews 11:1-16 NASB. The French philosopher Pascal said that there is a "God-shaped vacuum" inside every human heart. If you feed your flesh and your doubts, they will grow. 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. 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.). Matter is not eternal. Adam lived 930 years (Gen 5:5). For by it the elders: The great examples of godliness all had different circumstances and personalities, but they all had one thing in common - faith. Most scholars take the second instance (Heb. So, faith believes what God has revealed and trusts what God has promised. Instead we find complexity, and diversity not only between religious communities but within it as well." Perhaps he was like many men who don't get serious until they look into the face of their firstborn son or daughter. 3 By faith we understand. He feels it in a way that he did not before. Although I am not an example of great faith, I can share a personal example. This sermon is yet another feeble attempt to do so. Hebrews 11:13 By Faith. You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. God is merciful and just, so when we do justly and love mercy, then we walk humbly with our God (Mic 6:8). 48:51. Because faith allows us to overcome, we need to understand faith. His faith made real in the present the future promises of God. You can only understand that by faith, because no one was there to observe it. This motive of love must undergird all verbal expressions of truth (Eph. Habakkuk lived in difficult times before the Babylonians came to take away Judah into captivity. So faith is the means of realizing spiritual reality and of gaining Gods approval. Death for a believer is Christ taking us home. 2335 Presidential Drive, Suite 114 . But note this. 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. If you sense that the person is a hypocrite, conveying that he is something that he really is not, you will keep your distance. Rick Ezell is the pastor of First Baptist Greer, South Carolina. One place where it comes close to doing so, however, is in today's reading from the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews. Something is definitely wrong. Enoch was surrounded by people who had no place for God. What a loony tune!. If you do not come to Him in faith as your Savior, you will stand before Him in terror as your Judge! The lifespans of these generations are about ten times as long as our lives today. It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment (Heb 9:27). How could he do that? He literally gave away all of his money and possessions and, by faith, founded an orphanage in Bristol, England. Perhaps that's what happened to Enoch. Enoch was given a prophetic glimpse of the day when our Lord Jesus Christ will come with His holy angels. 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. Your family. It refers to the repeated phrase, then God said (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26). Enoch walked with God. As it is difficult to directly translate into English because it has many meanings, we must look at the context here. All of us are on a journey going somewhere. It also makes all of creation His. It's just not in us to believe those things. There is a third principle for close relationships: Truth must be expressed in love. Hebrews 11:32-35a Elijah: Widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8-23) Elisha: Shunammite Woman's Son (2 Kings 4:18-37). Let me apply verse 2 in two ways. Single men, take notice. He went out, not knowing where he was going. Impossible Without Faith: Hebrews 11:17-40. Please open your Bible at Hebrews 11 as we continue our series, Living by Faith. I suggest this expanded paraphrase of 11:1, Faith makes real in our experience the promises that God has given about the future. It seems that the responsibility of being a father caused Enoch to feel that he needed God in a way that he had not felt before. You are the church, and Lifeway is here to serve you with biblical resources for everything life brings your way. By Faith the Invisible is Made Visible (Hebrews 11:1-2) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11 begins by telling us what faith is: Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb 11:1). But over time Adam became weaker. Now, what does it mean to live by faith? Subscribe to get weekly sermon content delivered to your feed.Follow us:Instagram: instagr. Abel found the righteousness that comes by faith. Prepare meaningful sermons and worship events with our sermons, illustrations, quotes, humor, commentary, powerpoint, children's sermons and bulletins. Your community. Dont hope in your faith, because faith in your faith cant save you. No wonder we jump from one job to another and from one relationship to another. i. And for 300 more years he walked with God until "he was no more, because God took him away" (v. 24). God tests us so that we may know what is in our heart - 1 Peter 1:7 II. But when Methuselah was born, Enoch knew that he needed help and he began to walk with God. It is a willingness to trust in, to rely on, and to cling to. Light shines into the darkness, and we have reason to hope that the reign of death may not be forever. 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). The greater the difficulties, the easier for faith. The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Hebrews 11:23-29. By faith they saw the unseen God as more real than the enraged king standing in front of them, threatening to roast them alive. You will not share personal information because you are afraid that the person will use it in a way that damages you. One sees nothing, but the other man sees a distant steamer. To walk with God is to live in a constant, conscious enjoyment of the presence of God. How did they know to bring an offering to God? Jesus is both the author and perfecter of faith (Heb. He is one of only two people in the Bible who did not die - the other being Elijah. Sermon Archive "Faith That Works" - Hebrews 11. That is why we need the preaching of the Word. Intro: Our text mentions a man named Abraham. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2004, All Rights Reserved. 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. Reminder: You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. But I often see people violate this principle in their personal relationships, causing much damage. God has made Himself known in the Scriptures, and If you want to walk with Him, you must believe what He says about Himself. Maybe you did too. [2] For by it the people of old received their commendation. 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). Such faith, as we will see in the numerous examples of Hebrews 11, is down to earth and practical. 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. God teaches us by pointing to real-life examples of faith in action. 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. Our faith substantiates what we hope for, thus giving us assurance that they are true. 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. Either way, it is Christ who will take us up, and we will be at home with Him. What is the age difference between Cain and Abel? 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. So, Adam was still living when Enoch was born. Faith or trust in God is at the foundation of a relationship with Him. And without God's help, we would never believe all of that. Since Gods promises are given in specific contexts, how can we know which of them apply to us now? It has to make a difference. You may say, Thats just the way I feel, and thats true. Death becomes the doorway into the unfiltered presence of God. Delivered on Sabbath Morning, December 14, 1856, by the REV. He trusted in God. You will always be on guard. Now the writer lays down an axiomatic truth. Since nature abhors a vacuum, if we don't fill it with God, we will fill it with something else. Before we leave verse 1, lets apply it by illustrating how faith worked in the lives of three Hebrew young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (Daniel 3). 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. Later in the day that Russert died Howard Fineman of Newsweek magazine made this observation during a television interview: "Tim Russert Did Not Pursue False Gods, He Pursued the Real One.". By faith he believed God regarding things he had not yet seen. What they did, they did by faith. These verses are not so much a definition of faith but they show us the attributes of faith. 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. For by it,'' that is, by faith, ''the elders obtained a good report. We live in a world that is far from God and all of us are going to die. Hebrews 11 paints a picture of what a life of faith looks like. According to Hebrews 11, faith is believing that God exists, that he rewards those who seek him and that we can hope in him because his promises will always be true. How does all of this relate to Hebrews 11? 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). The worlds first baby became the worlds first murderer. Colin S. Smith. Here is a second principle for close relationships: Truth is the basis for trust. To save items to a SermonFolder, please sign in to your account. How do I know that? Faith is the telescope that brings the future promises of God into present focus. And we must exercise the faith we have or it will begin to wither and die on the vine. Their answer (Dan. Faith was about my belief in God. He cites Habakkuk 2:4, But My righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. Then he expresses his confidence in his readers (10:39), But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. His subject is enduring faith. Some of his readers were in danger of shrinking back to destruction. In 1954 the phrase "under God" was added to our pledge of allegiance. Here is something that everyone who loves the Lord will aspire. People Listen In Different Wayscan You Reach All Of Them? And I want to make two observations from them: i. Adam was still living when Enoch was born. Tim Russert was 100-percent right. 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 2/19/2023 Pastor Tom Harper presents a message entitled "Faith That Works" - Hebrews 11. Each of them highlights a distinct aspect of faith. Follow Us Online. For 120 years he preached the truth and called the society around him to repentance. 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