Adam lived to see his great, great, great, great, great, great, grandchildren. Theres more here than believing there is a God. His faith made real in the present the future promises of God. God rewards those who seek Him (Heb 11:6). Adam and Eve disobeyed a single command in the Garden. Noah was a righteous man who had great faith in God. Faith is the telescope that brings the future promises of God into present focus. It is important to define or give substance to such an abstract noun as faith. The text says it is the substance of things hoped for. Enoch's journey led him to God, and when he found God, he walked with him. The greater the difficulties, the easier for faith. 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. Death is like a river that separates us from the presence of God in heaven. Ha! But you have not said it to build the other person in Christ, and so it is not loving. Enoch was given a prophetic glimpse of the day when our Lord Jesus Christ will come with His holy angels. A Matter of Faith: My Sermon on Hebrews 11 Faith is a living, busy, active, mighty thing. Please include this statement on every copy distributed: By Colin S. Smith. This is not good work. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart (Jer 29:13). If you would draw near to God, you must believe that he exists (vs. 6). No wonder we are so unhappy. 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. If we are going to follow Jesus, we must do the same. God always looks to the heart first and foremost. 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. That's a good statement any way you look at it, and it gains new poignancy after the sudden death of Tim Russert. Today their grief is wrenching and unremitting, yet they continue on by faith. 1. Dont go looking for a God of your own imagination. We assume it is by Abraham's faith, his belief in God, that "he obeyed and set out for a place , not knowing where he was going.". Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah (Gen 5:22). This is a constant theme of Scripture. 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.". Its no good saying, If God wants me He can make himself known to me. Perhaps he was like many men who don't get serious until they look into the face of their firstborn son or daughter. Instead we find complexity, and diversity not only between religious communities but within it as well." *Indicated Required Field See ourPrivacy Policy. Other Scriptures Referenced: Acts 17, John 20. . a. The "unseen things" we are convinced of, are things God has revealed. Abel had been killed, but that was before Seth or any of his descendants were born. 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. In Hebrews 10:39 he says to the congregation, "You are those who are of faith. Greear. 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. So, faith believes what God has revealed and trusts what God has promised. But they must have had some faith. What does it mean to walk with God? If you seek Him, you will find Him. Website:UnlockingtheBible.org. Faith has its reasons. Because faith allows us to overcome, we need to understand faith. By faith, Moses saw through the world with its fleeting pleasures and treasures. Matt Papa. Some of you who are younger are trying to figure out if you will follow Jesus. There is, of course, overlap between the objective and subjective senses of these words. We must walk with God by faith so that we are ready to meet him by sight. As long as there remain certain natural prospects, faith does not get on even as easily (if I may say so), as when all natural prospects fail. It has to change the way we live. By faith they saw the unseen God as more real than the enraged king standing in front of them, threatening to roast them alive. Since God created all things from nothing, then everything owes its existence to God who spoke creation into existence. And Noah had enough faith to inspire all of them to follow his example. Verse 1 says that faith has substance. Faith is tangible, even though it is invisible. Pastor Colin Smith preached this sermon on the faith of Abraham from Hebrews 11:8-16 as part of the series "Living By Faith." Rick has earned a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Master of Theology in preaching from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. 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. 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). We are told in vs. 5 that Adam lived for 930 years. He wanted Meacham, an Episcopalian, to defend the Christian faith against the sulfuric criticism of Christopher Hitchens. Any known sin in your life has been confessed and forgiven. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2004, All Rights Reserved. We are not a very trusting people. All scholars agree that the word is used objectively in 1:3, which states that Christ is the exact representation of Gods nature (essence, or reality). Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. I suggest this expanded paraphrase of 11:1, Faith makes real in our experience the promises that God has given about the future. 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. How do rewards fit in with faith? Last week we looked at Abel and saw from his story that faith listens to God. Most Popular. Amos asks, Can two walk together unless they are agreed? Any duration. Faith taken seriously makes a difference in our world and changes the way we live. You cant walk with someone when you are hiding from them. It's the faith. 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. You hear, touch and smell things that you miss in the car. When the flood finally came, only eight people were saved: Noah and his wife, his three sons and their wives. Husbands, observe this carefully. All Videos Images Commentaries Devotionals Other Translations Sermons Related Scriptures Podcasts Blogs. 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. b. The minivan ran over a large chunk of metal that had broken off the back of a truck. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. Some of you may think that 65 sounds quite old, but at this point, Enoch was about a fifth of the way through his life. Isaac was old and blind. Hebrews 11:1 has always been a difficult verse for me to get a handle on. But over time Adam became weaker. If what we believe makes any difference, then it has to change the way we live. "You gotta come down and defend the faith, Brother." Faith comes down to us as a gift from God. Augustine said, "O Lord, you have made us for yourself. Log In Create an Account. Death becomes the doorway into the unfiltered presence of God. In. We learn from them that: The story of Cain and Abel, recorded in Genesis 4, is a tale that is so well known that many people who never read the Bible know that Cain killed Abel. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. But note this. (Hebrews 11:1-3) God spoke the universe into existence. He uses the aorist tense in the infinitive "to please". As bad as things are, they were worse in Noah's day. 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. (Amos 3:3). Whoever is as inclusive as you can get. The author refers to them, although not by name, in 11:34 (quenched the power of fire). Let me apply verse 2 in two ways. It refers to the repeated phrase, then God said (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26). Ultimately, this will undermine the relationship, because it erodes trust. It is possible to walk with God, in a world that defies Him. All of us know about the great flood, the massive ark, and the gathering of the animals. 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 From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. Impossible Without Faith: Hebrews 11:17-40. The Power of Faith will help you strengthen your confidence in God's promises. Today we come to the story of Enoch, where we learn that faith walks with God. If wickedness had filled the earth by the time of Noah, you can be sure that it was running rampant in the time of Enoch. I know you believe. Hebrews uses the word three times. 4:4). One brother kills another in an outburst of rage and envy. 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). Faith is trust in what God said simply because it's God who said it. God said to Abraham, Do not be afraid I am your shield, your very great reward (Gen 15:1 NIV). The French philosopher Pascal said that there is a "God-shaped vacuum" inside every human heart. He's Where the Joy Is by Tara-Leigh Cobble, Black Church Leadership & Family Conference. How does a person who struggles with doubts get faith and grow strong in faith? Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years (Gen 5:22). If you feed your flesh and your doubts, they will grow. I dare say many people in our churches have made up their own religion. And just one generation later, their son Cain killed his brother. Why is it important to affirm that faith is not a work that gains Gods merit? That's what the phrase "by faith" (repeated over and over again in this chapter) is all about. Their faith needed to be strengthened to meet this challenge. 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. Thats what Enoch did. God has made Himself known in the Scriptures, and If you want to walk with Him, you must believe what He says about Himself. Faith, Creation, Jesus, Abraham, Noah, City Of God, Enoch, Abel, Example, Perseverence, Justification By Faith, 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most. Enoch walked with God and went straight to heaven. Just after I became pastor here, I had to take a stand on a matter that resulted in a lot of conflict. When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Death for a believer is Christ taking us home. There have been many triumphs/victories faith has obtained against incredible odds and we've seen that. The worlds first baby became the worlds first murderer. ( Hebrews 11:1) A definition of faith. Along with the divinity of the Holy Spirit, we have the doctrine of the Trinity. This was Gods provision for multiplying the human population in its earliest generations. 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. What is faith? Until recently, the nearly universal voice of the Church was the traditional view that God created all from nothing. If the story of Cain and Abel seems short, the story of Enoch is minuscule by comparison. We need to recognize that faith is not a meritorious work that we do to gain rewards from God. And for all of us, men and women alike, take heart from Noah's example. To walk with God means that you are at peace with Him. He will establish the truth, right every wrong, and bring the whole world to justice. Such faith takes the future promises of God and makes them real in the present. 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). Campuses in Arlington Heights, Barrington, Itasca, Marengo, Northfield, and Vernon Hills. 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. By Faith (Sermons on Hebrews 11) Hardcover - May 1, 2000 by Thomas Manton (Author) 10 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $2.99 Read with Our Free App Hardcover from $28.50 2 Used from $28.99 1 New from $28.50 Paperback $19.99 1 New from $19.99 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. 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. God never intended for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac - Genesis 22:1-2 B. Hebrews 11 begins with a short general definition of what faith is. Cain farmed the soil while Abel raised livestock. The Greek word, hypostasis, occurs twice in Paul in the sense of confidence (2 Cor. Tim Russert was 100-percent right. Saving faith comes as Gods gift, not as a human effort (Eph. Pink)! Independent/Bible. Why? To walk with God does not mean that you are perfect, but if you are walking you are making progress. Put your faith in Jesus Christ! He was taken up into heaven (Acts 1:11). I think that's often how we hear today's second reading ( Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 ). Maybe you did too. Here is something that everyone who loves the Lord will aspire. Yet, God passionately pursues us at great cost. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. With the threat of persecution looming over them, the Hebrew believers needed to be steeled to endure the coming trials by faith. They believed because he believed. Nine generations were all living at the same time! If you would draw near to God, you must believe that He is who He says He is. Good works flow from saving faith as their source and give proof of genuine faith (Eph. But, I have since pondered his question many times and I have sought to answer it. As it is difficult to directly translate into English because it has many meanings, we must look at the context here. God is the reward of those who seek Him. How can you live in a constant, conscious enjoyment of the presence of God? If you would like to download two encouraging, FREE full-length MP3s of Tony's popular sermons: "The Sovereignty of God" and "How to Handle a Crisis," you ca. Whoever would draw near to God must believe that He is! Adam lived 930 years (Gen 5:5). We dont know for sure the ethnic makeup of the church, but those who were Jews would have been taught these stories from their youth. It has to change the way we live. Light shines into the darkness, and we have reason to hope that the reign of death may not be forever. If someone lies to you or deceives you, you will not trust what he says or does. Enoch knew that the judgment of God was coming soon. In 1954 the phrase "under God" was added to our pledge of allegiance. Without faith it is impossible to please God (11:6). THE TELL TALE MARKS OF GENUINE FAITH. What is the faith that pleases God. You will not share personal information because you are afraid that the person will use it in a way that damages you. Dont hope in your good works, because all the good works in the world can never erase the debt of sin that you owe. The hoped for things we are sure of, are things God has promised. Enoch was taken soon after Adam had died. We live in a world that is far from God and all of us are going to die. We read here about Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. Only the seed on the good ground bore fruit with perseverance (Luke 8:11-15). When Noah entered the ark, his wife went with him. Faith is the means of realizing spiritual reality, of gaining Gods approval, and of understanding the origin of all that is. I need a pure heart. How did Cain know Abel's sacrifice had been accepted and his had not? Although I am not an example of great faith, I can share a personal example. You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. His faith proved the reality of the unseen God as greater than the reality of the flames that burned him to death. 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. Pink says that the name Methuselah can mean, When he is dead, it shall be sent. He suggests that perhaps Enoch gave his son this unusual name, because God had revealed to him that when Methuselah died, the flood would come. We know that for sure from his prophecy recorded in Jude, but there may also be a hint of this in the name Enoch chose for his son. That is, God has placed in us a hunger to know who we are and where we fit in the universe. Muller had no savings accounts and he refused to make the needs of the ministry known, even to potential donors. 2/19/2023 Pastor Tom Harper presents a message entitled "Faith That Works" - Hebrews 11. By any standards this is a remarkable story. So, to walk with God means that we go where He is going. By faith he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen (11:27). 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). God has made Himself known 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). 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? What if they had been burned to death? The answer is, they would have died in faith and God would reward them abundantly throughout eternity in heaven. And that's why we've got to take it seriously. As John Stott remarked, death is a "trivial episode" to the believer. As we saw last week, there is a type of faith that does not endure trials and temptations. So what do we have when we stand back and look at these three men who lived before the flood? by Gerhard Friedrich [Eerdmans], VIII:586), the proof of things unseen. 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