TEXT: Heb11-13
TIME & PLACE: 17/02/08 ELBC
SUBJ: FAITH
THEME: BETTER
UNDERSTANDING FAITH
P/S: E.C. CAN HAVE
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF FAITH
T/S: BY OBSERVING
SEVERAL ASPECTS CONCERNING IT
AS SET FORTH IN THE TEXT.
INTRO: A
passage of Scripture that has always gripped my attention in the last couple of
years is in Luke 18 and verse 8 “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
We
are living in the last days. I was reminded of that even more so after the last
few days. I have been watching my Countries election process...it isn’t
looking good at all. What use to be a glorious country is now slowly becoming a
shadow of what she once was. And when I look at Bible Prophecy....A strong
American world power has no place in it. So this could possibly be the end of
the beginning. We could possibly be even closer than we all can imagine to the
final days before the Lords return. So when we look at this verse it tells us
that He will be trying to find Faith when He comes back so I want to look at
that topic this evening and look at the chapters that are famous for it Heb11-12.
Tonight I want to look at this topic Faith and exactly what it is that Christ
will be looking for. It possibly could help each and every one of us to awaken
and search for that which He will be looking for in all of us when He comes. So with that being said I want to Preach
on this subject....FAITH.
I.
THE PRINCIPLES OF FAITH vs1-3
A.
CONFIDENCE “substance of things hoped
for”
B.
CONVICTION “evidence of things not yet
seen”
C.
CONSEQUENCE “For by it the elders obtained a good report.”
D.
COMPREHENSION “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of
God”
Note: Faith has principles that are founded
in the Scriptures. It is not as many have said of Christianity “it is
like diving out into the dark without any hope or help” My hope is built
on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
Note: My Faith is in facts not
feelings. If my faith were in feelings it would come and go, but since it is in
Facts it remains and it is built upon a Solid Rock...The Truth! Thus my Faith
in facts produces a feeling...and oh what a feeling....Peace, Peace Wonderful
Peace
When peace, like a river,
attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though
trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my
faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Appl: How are you concerning the
Principles of Faith? Do you have a confidence that “in the beginning
God!” If not you need to place your feet and faith on the Rock!
II.
THE PEOPLE OF FAITH vs4-40
A.
THE DESCRIPTION OF THEIR
FAITH vs1-3
B.
THE DEMONSTRATION OF THEIR
FAITH vs4-38
1.
By Faith Abel offered a
sacrifice.
2.
By Faith Enoch was translated
because of his walk w/God.
3.
By Faith Noah Moved w/fear,
Made an
4.
By Faith Abraham Obeyed
a.
Concerning his Sojourn vs8-9
b.
Concerning his Stay vs9, 15
c.
Concerning his Seed vs11, 18
d.
Concerning his Sacrifice vs17,
19
e.
Concerning his Son vs12, 17
f.
Concerning his Search vs10, 13,
14
Note: Also I would like to note that he did that not
knowing the Where vs8-10, the How vs11-12, the When vs13-16 and the Why vs17-19.
Quite a rebuke for us in this day...when everything has to be spelled out to
us!
5.
Through Faith Sara received
strength to conceive.
Note: I think it interesting here it states of Sara
that through faith she received strength not by faith. Could it possibly be
that she received strength because through Abraham’s faith she was able
to have faith to believe she could conceive? Just a thought.
6.
By Faith Promises/Predictions
were made
a.
Isaac told his sons of things
to come!
Concerning
Marriage of a Lover
b.
Jacob told the sons of Joseph
Concerning
Messiahs Lineage
c.
Joseph told the sons of
Concerning
Mass Leaving from
7.
By Faith Moses Mom and Dad hid
him
a.
Because of being Parents “hid 3 months of his parents”
b.
Because of being Proper “saw he was a proper child”
c.
Because of being Persuaded
“they
were not afraid of the king's commandment.”
8.
By Faith Moses Declared vs24,
Desired vs25, Decided vs26, Delighted vs27 and Depended upon Him who is
invisible!
9.
By Faith 2.5mill crossed a
Sea (on dry ground)
10.
By Faith a city was Shouted
down
11.
By Faith Rahab was Rescued
Note: And what shall I more say? For the time would
fail me to tell
12.
By Faith of the military men that
Delivered Israel
13.
By Faith Samuel Anointed a
King
14.
By Faith Kingdoms were
Subdued, Righteous acts wrought, promises obtained and Lions mouths stopped!
15.
By Faith the Violence of fire
was quenched, the edge of the sword was escaped, out of weakness (Samson) came
strength, people waxed valiant in fight and turned to flight the armies of the
aliens.
16.
By Faith women received their
dead raised to life (the women from Zeraphath and the Shunamite women w/ the
boy)
17.
By Faith many who were
tortured trusted in the resurrection rather than deliverance!
18.
By faith others had trials of
cruel mockings, scourgings, bonds and imprisonment. Others were stoned, sawn
asunder, tempted, slain with the sword, wandered about in sheepskins &
goatskins destitute, afflicted and tormented
19.
By Faith wandered in deserts,
mountains and in dens and caves of the Earth.
Note: Of whom this World and that one is NOT WORTHY!
C.
THE DEPOSIT OF THEIR FAITH
39-40
Note: After having read all the things that each of
these did by Faith one may wonder what possible goal could have sustained them
in their journey? The Answer is found in these 2 verses as well as verses
13-16. 13 These all died in faith, not having
received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them,
and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims
on the earth. 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they
seek a country. 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country
from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly:
wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for
them a city.
They
didn’t receive the Promise all they did was deposit their faith into that
Appl: If this Chapter were being written today could mine
or your name be included in it?
III.
THE PATTERN OF FAITH 12:1-29
A.
LAYING vs1a,b
Note: Something always has to be laid aside, as we
have seen by the people of faith. To live a life of Faith it cost. And to pay
that price the Pattern of Faith is to “lay aside EVERY weight and THE SIN”
that does so easily beset us!
B.
LAUNCHING vs1c
Note: Now that we have laid things aside the next
thing to do would obviously launch out and begin to run this race of Faith that
is set before us.
C.
LOOKING vs2-4
1.
For Stability “author
and finisher of our faith”
2.
For Sincerity “who for
the joy that was set before him endured.....
3.
For Strength “for
consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest
ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood
striving against sin.”
D.
LEARNING vs5-
1.
By Discipline vs5-10
2.
By Defeat vs11-14
3.
By Diligence vs15-17
4.
By Dependence vs18-29
Appl: So we see that the Pattern of Faith as taught in
these passages we must Lay, Launch, Look and Learn. Are you doing all or just
some of them?
IV.
THE PERFORMANCE OF FAITH 13
Note: As Chp10:38 tells us “Now the just shall
live by faith.” Faith is an action. And as James tells us Faith without
works is dead being alone. So as I stated when I began Christ will be looking
for a Faith when He returns. That faith is not in the mind per se as much as it
is in the motives of every thing and all that we do. How do we Perform it?
Chapter 13 I believe gives us 3 simple ways.
A.
BY OUR DILIGENCE vs1-8
B.
BY OUR DUTIES vs9-19
C.
BY OUR DELIGHT vs20-25
Appl: So I reckon the question to ask is are you and I
Performing based on our Faith that we have? Do others around you know that who
and what you are is far more complex than what they see on the surface? If so
we may just not be ashamed when He returns for us.
Inv: Hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”