INTRODUCTION
- Familiar to us as the chapter on faith. As
I Corinthians 13 is the chapter on love.
- We often us it as the definition of faith.
v. 1.
- The way we usually approach the subject of
faith in this chapter.
- The necessity of faith.
- Without faith impossible to please
God. v. 6
- Is essential to our beginning the
Christian life.
- BUT WHAT IS THE EMPHASIS PLACED ON IT BY
THE AUTHOR ?
- The emphasis in the 11th chapter
of Hebrews is not on the beginning of Christian
life!
- But upon the successful ending of
the Christian life.
- Without faith it is impossible to be
pleasing unto God, because we cannot complete, live
successfully the Christian life without faith. Let us
notice:
FAITH
- Faith deals essentially with two types of
things.
- Things future ( or hoped for).
- Things "not seen". V. 1
- It is equally sure of the coming
fulfillment of the one and the present reality of the
other.
- Without such an active awareness
toward God "it is impossible to please
him." v. 6
- God is the supreme unseen reality
with which faith has to do; and His faithful
fulfillment of His promises." cf v. 11.
- IN THE EXAMPLES GIVEN:
- There are things future (hoped
for)
- There are things "not
seen".
- The trust in the faithful
fulfillment of God to keep his promises.
HEAVENLY FULFILLMENT
- Contrast to the visable appearance and
immediate natural outlook which seemed often completely
to contradict their confidence.
1. Abraham is a sojourner, with no relief in
sight. v. 9.
- Sarah - was well past child
bearing age...Faith seemed to be in the
impossible. v. 11.
- Abraham - offered up Isaac. Seemed
to contradict all of the promises God had made.
v. 17.
- The others....
- They never withdrew or turned back to the
world because the believed in a fulfillment that
was heavenly rather than earthly. vv 14-16.
- True, many reached faith's goal
here in this life....Sarah and birth of Isaac
2. The complete fulfillment of God's
promises yet future.
BY FAITH
- Every example begins in the same way
"By faith..."
- "By Faith"....the
accomplishment.
- Quickly look at the Beginning, - Life, -
and End, of some of the examples.
- Enoch - "he had been well
pleasing unto God"
- "Without faith it is
impossible to please Him"
- Enoch lived by faith.
- Noah - Began in faith - Continued
in faith - Saved by faith.
- Moses - Rejected by his brethren.
- in the land of Midian 40 years. -
Became deliverer.
CONCLUSION
- Quick review of the examples of faith
given in this chapter.
- NOTE: not one of these is given as
an example for beginning to obey or follow...but ALL are
given as an example of the necessity of faith to complete
the life of service to God.
- READ AND COMPARE: James 2:14ff.
Written to Christians - not about faith to become a
Christian...but faith to live the Christian life.
- THIS IS OUR LESSON TODAY:
- Do we have faith? Enough faith??
- Do we have enough or strong enough
faith to continue and successfully complete a
life of service to God?
- Without faith we simply cannot
deal with all of the problems in life.
- We cannot be pleasing unto God.
- HOW DO WE DEVELOP SUCH A FAITH?
- The Holy Spirit give us the
answer.
2. Romans 10:17; "Belief comes of
hearing" The more we hear God's Word
