Living by Faith… (4 points)

• 1^st – What is FAITH… vs. 1-3
  • Just shall live by FAITH…
    • As we continue looking at HOW we should live our lives in light of Jesus being BETTER…
      • The Author told us – the JUST shall live by FAITH – Hebrews 10:38 / Habakkuk 2:4 
      • Jesus is ALL that we need – He is BETTER than EVERYONE and EVERYTHING…
      • But that does us no good – unless we are willing to WALK by FAITH in Him!
    • What is FAITH…
      • FAITH – πίστις – 244x in NT – to BELIEVE – put our TRUST in something / someone!
      • As we have mentioned – FAITH is a word that is often misunderstood…
      • We use it in church – talk about it as the KEY for salvation – Ephesians 2:8-9
      • But few genuinely grasp the application of what it means to WALK by FAITH!
    • We ALL have FAITH…
      • Romans 12:3 – “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
      • Just because I have FAITH could win a gold medal in the Olympics – does NOT mean I will!
      • If we put our faith in something that does NOT have power – it will NOT work!
      • Which is why people who put their faith in ANYTHING other than Jesus…
      • Put their FAITH / TRUST – in the WRONG place!
    • We have enough FAITH…
      • Matthew 8:10 Jesus talked about great FAITH – Matthew 8:26 little FAITH…
      • That would lead us to believe FAITH is measurable – strong / great or little / weak…
      • Jesus would clarify when the disciples asked to INCREASE their FAITH – Luke 17:6
      • FAITH is not about quantity or quality – it is about WHO we put our trust in…
      • We have great FAITH when Jesus is the ONLY one – we are putting our trust in!
      • Not just for SALVATION – but EVERY DAY – WALKING by FAITH in Him!
    • To help EXPLAIN – the Author gives us the description of FAITH!
  • 1^st – FAITH has SUBSTANCE … vs. 1
    • SUBSTANCE – 5x in NT – more often translated as CONFIDENCE…
      • The word is used in the sense of the FOUNDATION of a house / building!
      • Just like a HOUSE is only as strong as the FOUNDATION…
      • Our FAITH is only as strong as the FOUNDATION / HOPE – it is built upon!
    • HOPE – ἐλπίς – 54x in NT – what we EXPECT to happen [future]
      • Do NOT miss this – the FOUNDATION of our FAITH is not about today…
      • FAITH is about trusting in God for what will happen tomorrow!
      • Often it feels like we are walking through life BLIND – no idea where we are going…
      • The reason is because we are TRUSTING in what we can SEE – but we cannot see far…
      • If only we could see TOMORROW – we might make very different decisions…
      • Making decisions by what we can see – is walking around blind…
      • But Jesus sees it all – therefore we should put our HOPE in Him!
      • Trusting in the Lord who sees all – that is walking by true sight – waking by FAITH!
      • II Corinthians 5:7 – “For we walk by FAITH, not by sight.”
  • 2^nd – FAITH has EVIDENCE… vs. 1
    • EVIDENCE – 2x in NT – we would say the PROOF…
      • II Timothy 3:16 – “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof [same word], for correction, for instruction in righteousness…”
      • Our EVIDENCE – PROOF – of our FAITH comes from the Word of God!
      • Through the PROOF of the Bible – we BELIEVE the Gospel has the POWER to save us…
      • We believe that life is not only about living here on earth…
      • We believe one day God will take us to be with Him forever in heaven!
    • It is one thing to BELIEVE – but how do we PROVE it…
      • There are MANY holy books – LOTS of ideas about the meaning of life…
      • How do we KNOW the Bible is the ONLY TRUTH – the ONLY Word of God…
      • We cannot see God – have never been to heaven – have not seen Jesus…
      • Therefore one might argue our FAITH lacks PROOF – because it cannot be SEEN!
    • Not all EVIDENCE is visible…
      • The EVIDENCE of THINGS not seen…
      • THINGS – [pragma] – literally the FACTS of things that cannot be seen!
      • If I told you the world was full of AIR – which we NEED in order to survive…
      • You would believe me – hold your breath long enough and you will pass out…
      • Walk outside on a windy day and you will FEEL it against your skin…
      • We cannot SEE the AIR – but the unseen EVIDENCE is there to PROVE it exists!
      • In the same way – there is EVIDENCE for unseen FACTS that validate our FAITH…
      • The author gives us TWO main PROOFS that verify our FAITH!
  • 3^rd – TESTIMONY… vs. 2
    • The FIRST proof of our FAITH – the ELDERS who obtained a good TESTIMONY…
      • ELDERS – [πρεσβύτερος] just means someone who is OLDER – more mature…
      • This is a reference to the GODLY men and women of the Old Testament!
      • There has only every been ONE way to be saved – FAITH in Jesus…
      • Old Testament had in FAITH – looking forward to the coming of the Messiah…
      • Today we have FAITH – looking back at the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!
    • TESTIMONY – [μαρτυρέω] – literally a witness – we might say PROOF…
      • The author will take the rest of Hebrews 11 – to show EXAMPLES of FAITH as PROOF…
      • We often call this chapter the HALL of FAITH – a list of NINETEEN OT believers…
      • EXAMPLES that PROVE to us what it means to WALK by FAITH!
    • We are also PROOF – II Corinthians 3:3
      • I was on a missions trip to Kazakhstan – I had a Muslim roommate…
      • His FIRST words to me were – I do NOT want to hear about your God…
      • God told me to let him SEE Jesus in me – be the PROOF / EVIDENCE…
      • FOUR weeks later he is the one who asked – wanted to accept Jesus as his savior!
      • Many people will not take the time to read their Bible – but they do read us…
      • We are the PROOF – the EVIDENCE to show them the Gospel of Jesus!
  • 4^th – CREATION… vs. 3
    • The SECOND proof of our FAITH – CREATION…
      • By FAITH we UNDERSTAND the worlds were framed by the Word of God…
      • The things which are seen were not made of things which are visible!
      • UNDERSTAND – means to comprehend (not necessarily to see)!
      • A recent conservative estimate – 200 billion – trillion – stars observable universe!
      • Where did they all come from – the UNIVERSE / billons of GALAXIES / PLANETS…
      • Science really has NO idea – they talk about a BIG BANG…
      • But where did the BANG come from – what existed BEFORE the BANG!
    • Something UNSEEN – started it all…
      • Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
      • Someone UNSEEN [Jesus] – made EVERYTHING that we do SEE [universe] …
      • Today the smartest – most educated men in the world – believe in Evolution…
      • But there are only two possibilities for the origin of life – design or accident…
      • Because they choose to deny the creator – they instead believe all life is an accident!
      • Psalms 14:1 – “The fool has said in his heart – There is no God.”
      • I wear a watch on my wrist so I can tell the time – it is relatively simple device…
      • But suppose I tried to convince you it was the result of an accident…
      • I threw up some gears up in the air – and they fell down as a working watch – foolish!
      • How much more foolish to think we are an accident – deny the God who created us…
      • The CREATION is constant PROOF our FAITH is founded on TRUTH!
      • Romans 1:20 – “Ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” [NLT]
    • Having given us two PROOFS to validate our FAITH – CREATION / TESTIMONY
      • The Author will now spend the remainder of the chapter on specific examples…
      • He will highlight the lives of men and women who PROVE we must WALK by FAITH!

• 2^nd – Faith of Abel… vs. 4
  • 1^st – FAITH is a better way…
    • By FAITH Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain…
      • Shortly after the FALL – Adam and Eve had two SONS – CAIN and ABEL – Genesis 4:1-2
      • Both SONS brough an OFFERING to the Lord…
      • Cain brought fruits of the ground – Abel brought the firstborn of the flock…
      • The Lord accepted the offering of Abel – but he did NOT accept the offering of Cain!
    • There are those who say this is because of WHAT the two brothers offered…
      • God ONLY accepted an offering of an animal (blood) – not of the fruit of the soil (cursed)…
      • But both kinds of offering are included in the Law of Moses – Leviticus 1:3-9 / 2:1-3
    • The problem was WHO gave the offering…
      • This was likely NOT the first time that they bought an offering to God…
      • The offering of Cain had been ACCEPTED in the past – but not this time…
      • It was not a matter of what he brought to the Lord – it was about the HEART!
      • Abel gave his sacrifice in FAITH – believing in the PROMISE of God…
      • Which is why he obtained the witness – he was RIGHTEOUS!
      • Habakkuk 2:4 – “The just [righteous] shall live by his faith.”
        
        
  • 2^nd – FAITH speaks today…
    • God TESTIFYING [present] of his gifts – and through it he being dead still speaks…
      • Abel is LONG gone – he lived almost 6000 years ago!
      • But the account of his SACRIFICE [gifts] given by FAITH is in the Bible…
      • Through the Word of God – his TESTIMONY still speaks to us TODAY!
    • WALKING by FAITH – STILL means having the right motive…
      • When I was a child – I used to like to help people – not because I wanted to do good…
      • But because I liked to receive their praise – what a good boy you are…
      • I knew my motivation was wrong – I was doing the right thing for the wrong reasons!
      • We can go to church – read our Bible – have all the right ACTIONS…
      • But if we are not walking by daily by FAITH in Jesus – putting our HOPE in Him…
      • Then our actions will NOT be accepted by God…
      • We can LOOK right on the OUTSIDE – convince others – but God is NOT fooled…
      • He is not impressed by the OUTSIDE – God looks at the HEART – I Samuel 16:7

• 3^rd – Faith of Enoch… vs. 5-6
  • 1^st – FAITH means no DEATH… vs. 5
    • By FAITH Enoch was TAKEN AWAY so that he did not see death…
      • TAKEN AWAY – 5x in NT – a word that here describes being RAPTURED!
      • Enoch is one of only two men in the Bible (Elijah) that NEVER died…
      • Enoch KNEW that the judgment of God was coming…
      • The world around him was full of sin and immorality – but he WALKED by FAITH…
      • Rather than going through the Great FLOOD – God took him to heaven BEFOREHAND!
      • God RAPTURED him BEFORE the tribulation – before the judgment of the FLOOD!
    • In this way Enoch is a great EXAMPLE to us the Church…
      • We also live in immoral and evil days – the hearts of men are far from God…
      • There is a JUDGEMENT coming again – the Great TRIBULATION – Revelation 6-18
      • As we WALK by FAITH – live our lives for the Lord…
      • We have the PROMISE God will RAPTURE us before the coming JUDGEMENT!
      • I Thessalonians 4:17 – “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up [rapture] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…”
  • 2^nd – FAITH is PLEASING God… vs. 5-6
    • Before [Enoch] was taken he had this TESTIMONY – that he pleased God…
      • How was Enoch PLEASING to God – he was the first PROPHET in the Bible…
      • God warned Enoch that the Judgement was coming…
      • He had FAITH in what God said – even named his son Methuselah – his death shall bring…
      • The year his son Methuselah died – just as God prophesied – the FLOOD came!
      • Jude 1:14-15 – “Now Enoch… prophesied… Look – the Lord is coming with thousands of his holy ones.  He will bring the people of the world to judgment. He will convict the ungodly of all the evil things they have done in rebellion and of all the insults that godless sinners have spoken against him.”
      • It is NOT enough to SAY we believe God will judge the world…
      • If we REALLY believe judgement is coming – we would WARN others!
    • Without FAITH it is impossible [ἀδύνατος] to please [God] …
      • We PLEASE God when we BELIEVE [πίστις] He exists – NOT just empty religion…
      • And that He will REWARD [pay the salary] to those who DILIGENTLY seek Him…
      • DILIGENTLY [present] – to crave something – desire it above ALL else!
      • To walk by FAITH – means putting Jesus first above all else in life…
      • Only then will we find – like Enoch – we are living a life that is PLEASING to the Lord!

We are NOT responsible for their choices – but we are RESPONSIBLE to WARN them!

4^th – Faith of Noah… vs. 7

1^st – FAITH is taking action…

By FAITH Noah – being divinely warned of things not yet seen… prepared an ark…

In the DAYS of Noah – men ONLY came up with EVIL thoughts!

A sad state – the world had completely walked away from God…

The earth was CORRUPT and filled with violence – Genesis 6:11

The solution of God was to wipe out the world with a FLOOD…

But Noah found Grace in the eyes of the Lord – Genesis 6:8

God told Noah built an ARK to spare him – his family – and all the animals…

The process of building the Ark took close to 120 years…

It has never rained at that point – Genesis 2:5 – and Noah was building a boat!

Imagine what the neighbors must have thought – for 120 years!

People must have mocked and ridiculed Noah – though that he was crazy…

They went about their lives – marrying / eating / and drinking – till the day the flood came!

Noah did WARN them – but none of them listened!

II Peter 2:5 – “[God] did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a PREACHER of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world…”

2^nd – FAITH is not about results…

Matthew 24:37-39 – “As in the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

The world around us has REJECTED Jesus Christ…

They do NOT believe – not because they CANNOT see – but because they are NOT looking…

The EVIDENCE is there – in CREATION – and in the TESTIMONY of our transformed lives…

And like ABEL – when we walk by FAITH – our FAITH speaks…

Like ENOCH – walking by FAITH – means PLEASING God in how we live…

Like NOAH – walking by FAITH – means taking action – doing what God tell us…

So that we can tell the world about the coming JUDGEMENT – even if they do NOT listen…