August 14, 2016
Morning Service

Heb. 11:1-6

 

            The Hebrew writer has built our faith that Jesus is our Great High Priest, sitting at the right hand of authority in heaven.  He has told us that we should come boldly before the throne with our requests, and praise.  Now I want to revisit some Scripture in chapter 10, before moving into chapter 11.

Heb 10:32-33  But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;  (33)  Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.

·        To become a Christian, in these early days, meant whole families turning their backs on you, disowning you.  That would be really hard to take.

·        It’s not this bad today, but still many won’t come around, if all your gonna talk about is Jesus.

Listen to Peter:

1Pe 4:3-4  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:  (4)  Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

·        The will of the Gentiles = walking in the things of the flesh.  These are things we are to turn our backs too, and put them out of our lives.   And this is why you lose some old friends when you choose to follow Christ. 

·        They think it strange that you don’t want to run with them anymore, and that you want to go to church, and you want to read your Bible.   IICor.5:17. “If any man be in Christ”

Heb 10:35-38  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.  (36)  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  (37)  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.  (38)  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

 

Now chapter 11.

 

Heb 11:1-16  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

·        The writer has just told us that the just shall live by faith; Hab 2:4  Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

·        Paul said it, Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

·         And again in Gal. 3:11; Gal 3:11  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

·        and here is the definition of faith. Vs 1.   We have a lot to hope for, but as of yet we have not seen them, and the more we read, the stronger our faith.

·        And Paul tells us in the Roman letter how to get faith, Rom. 10:17.

(2)  For by it the elders obtained a good report. 

·        Having hope in all that God was going to do for them, but hadn’t yet seen them.

(3)  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 

·        The writer uses the first thing we read about in our Bibles, creation.  So, we build our faith in the creation by hearing, or reading the Bible account of creation.  It’s not only at the beginning of Genesis, but John in his gospel, tells us more about it.

·        Joh 1:1-3  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (2)  The same was in the beginning with God.  (3)  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

·        Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

·        This also builds our faith in the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth, for it is He that dwelt among them.

(4)  By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 

·        This is a great story, a real lesson for us all.  Neither man knew what God wanted, so they both offered what they had, Cain, vegetables, and Abel, from his flock.  Then God showed what He wanted by accepting Abel’s offering, and rejecting Cain’s.  Rather than just trade some of his vegetables to Abel for a lamb, he got mad, and killed his brother.

·        by it he being dead yet speaketh.  Meaning it is still being told, or talked about.

(5)  By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 

·        Gen 5:21-24  And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:  (22)  And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:  (23)  And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:  (24)  And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

(6)  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

·        This is a very important, and much quoted Scripture around here.

·        When we think about believing that He is, or exists, we must understand that the devil believes, but he is not saved.  So there is more than just believing, there is obedience, and faithfulness in our walk with God, then we can believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

·        And diligently means seeking after God fervently, and seriously, with all your heart, mind, and soul.

We shall see many great people of faith in this chapter.  The things that they did to be remembered by, and which caused the writer to use them for examples of faith.

 

ALMIGHTY GOD, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, HELP US TO STUDY YOUR WORD WHICH WILL BUILD OUR FAITH IN YOU.  LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MANY WONDERFUL THINGS YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR US.  AMEN.