Hebrews 11, April 13, 2008

New Heights Christian Fellowship – Mike Barnett

Hebrews 11:1-40 says:

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.

3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he^[a]considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring^[b] will be reckoned."^[c] 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.

23By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea^[d] as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.^[e]

32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned^[f]; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

9) GOD’S CHILDREN MAY NOT RECEIVE ALL OF GOD’S PROMISES IN THIS WORLD, BUT DEFINITELY WILL ON THE ________ ____________(NEW EARTH) TO COME.

Vs. 13-16

· V. 17- BY FAITH, WHEN GOD TESTED HIM, OFFERED ISAAC AS A SACRIFICE.

· Abraham knew that Isaac was a part of the covenant that God made with him – he knew God would not break His covenant agreement.

10) FAITH DOES A LOT OF _________________(TRUSTING) – SINCE ABRAHAM TRUSTED GOD TO KEEP HIS COVENANT, HE REASONED IN HIS MIND THAT GOD COULD _____________(RAISE) ISAAC FROM THE _____________(DEAD) BY FAITH. Vs. 17-19

· The preacher does not say, “raise Isaac.”

· He says “raise the dead”.

· The Greek word behind “the dead” is plural; the preacher spoke of “the dead ones.”

· Both Abraham and the preacher believed that God had power over death for all His faithful people.

· The preacher is establishing a pattern of faith that transcended power over death. V. 4

· Enoch witnessed to it by a faith that overcame death itself. V. 5

· Abraham witnessed to it by a faith that kept believing God though he was as good as dead”. V. 12

· Abraham passed the test of faith by trusting to raise Isaac.

· Even if he had killed Isaac, God could still have fulfilled His promise.

· Isaac’s symbolic “resurrection” is an example of what God will do for all the faithful.

· These verses emphasize the faithfulness of God to Abraham even more than Abraham’s faith.

· We too can trust Him!

· The statement “and worshipped as he leaned on top of his staff” is a quotation from Genesis 47:31.

11) THE CHRISTIAN IS TO BE ON A ______________(PERPETUAL) FAITH________________(JOURNEY) INTO THE _____________(UNSEEN) REALM __________________(PURSUING) GOD’S AGENDA. V.22

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to the future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff”. V. 22

· ___________(Faith) in the ____________(unseen) always leads to ____________(action) in the _____________(seeing) realm.

· A STAFF IS A SIGN OF A PERSON ON A JOURNEY. V. 22

· Jacob was still on a journey of following God when he died.

· Joseph believed so strongly that God was going to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt and bring them into Canaan that he commanded them to take his bones with them into Canaan and bury him there.

· By speaking in faith about the Exodus, Joseph affirmed his faith in God’s future deliverance.

· This faith was strong enough that it led him to take action: he commanded his children to take his remains with them.

· The burial of Joseph’s bones indicated that God had fulfilled the faith of Joseph who saw the future Exodus and conquest.

· Like the faith of Abraham before them, the faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph transcended death by looking forward to God’s fulfillment of His promise.

· It is not difficult to see why the preacher would associate Moses and Abraham as the two leading examples of faith.

· Both men looked forward to the Heavenly Promised Land as their goal.

· God promised Abraham that he would give him numerous descendents and that they would inherit the Promised Land.

· Moses led those descendants out of Egypt toward the Promised Land.

· The burial of Joseph’s bones indicated that God had fulfilled the faith of Joseph who saw the future exodus and conquest.

· God’s promise of land refers ultimately to the Heavenly homeland.

· Thus Moses and Joshua cannot have brought the final fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham.

· In Hebrews 11:8-31 the author gives three examples of Abraham’s faith (vs. 8-12).

· And three examples of Moses’ faith. (Vs. 23-27)

· The author then gives three examples associated with Abraham. (vs. 20-22)

· And three examples associated with Moses (vs. 29-31).

· The central example of Moses’ faith emphasizes both the severity of the suffering God’s people face and the great value of the reward which they anticipate.

· Abraham’s example challenges the readers to keep on obeying God although they cannot yet see or understand how God will fulfill His promise.

· Moses challenges them to obey God in the face of strong and very visible social and physical opposition.

· Abraham’s faith led to ______________(patient) _________________(obedience) in the face of _________________(alienation). Vs. 11-19

· Moses’ faith led to _________________(courageous) __________________(obedience) in the face of __________________(suffering). Vs. 23-29

· Abraham modeled faith that ________________(patiently) ___________(waits) for God’s ________________(answer). Vs. 11-19

· Moses modeled _____________(faith) that courageously _______________(obeys) despite _______________(danger). Vs. 23-29

· Both types of faith are based on a confidence in God’s all-sufficient power and ever- faithful character – His power is real and His promises are true.

· Vs. 20-22 – WE TOO MUST PERSEVERE BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT YET ENTERED INTO THE FINAL ENJOYMENT OF GOD’S PROMISED REWARD.

· Moses does not bring the final fulfillment of God’s promise, but his life demonstrates that God’s people must face persecution and suffering with courage because the reward is amazing and God’s power to deliver is real.

· The preacher is preparing his hearers for the persecution they may face.

· He wants them to practice the courageous obedience of Moses.

· Like the examples of faith already in this chapter, their faith involved acting in obedience to God’s purposes that others could see.

· THE PREACHER SAYS NOTHING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DELIVERING HIS PEOPLE FROM SUFFERING.

12) FAITH INVOLVES ____________________(COURAGEOUS) ____________________(OBEDIENCE) AND SUCH OBEDIENCE MAY REQUIRE _________________(PATIENT) __________________(SUFFERING).

· WHEN WE CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED ON TO SUFFER WELL, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT _____________(JESUS) HAS GONE BEFORE US AND NOW LIVES _____________(INSIDE) US AND THROUGH US – WE DO NOT SUFFER ______________(ALONE).

· Choosing one thing often means the rejection of something else.

· Moses’ choice involved rejecting the pleasures of sin. V. 25

· The pleasures of Egypt, living in the Pharaoh’s palace were real pleasures.

· Moses could have chosen to enjoy them for a short time – the span of his life.

· He chose to look for something eternal – something better!

· Even if some of Egypt’s pleasures were not immoral in themselves, it would have been sinful for Moses to have chosen them.

· He would have been denying his faith in the living God and in God’s promises of eternal reward.

· Even good things are wrong when they keep us from the will of God. V. 25

· THE PREACHER HOPES HIS HEARERS ADOPT AS THEIR OWN MOSES’ UNDERSTANDING OF THE SITUATION.

· How could Moses give up all these earthly treasures and rewards?

13) MOSES AND ABRAHAM CONSIDERED GOD’S _______________(ETERNAL) _______________(REWARDS) OF GREATER ___________(VALUE) THAN WHAT THE _______________(WORLD) COULD OFFER, SO THEY GAVE UP ___________________(TEMPORARY) PLEASURES FOR FAR GREATER AND________________(LASTING) REWARDS. Vs. 11-29

· THE CHRISTIAN MAY FACE PERSECUTION, BUT IT IS WORTH IT ALL!

· NOAH, ABRAHAM AND MOSES FOLLOWED THE PATTERN SET BY ALL GOD’S PEOPLE OF FAITH: THEY ____________(SAW) WHAT ______________________(NONBELIEVERS) CANNOT SEE.

· Noah believed in “things not yet seen”. V. 7

· Abraham and those with him saw and welcomed God’s promised homeland from a distance. V. 13

· Moses’ parents saw he was no ordinary child. V. 23

· By the eyes of faith, God’s people can “see” His power for the present and His promises for the future even when others cannot.

· Moses believed that God rewards the faithful.

· May God give us what Moses saw!

· May we, along with Moses, be ready to embrace disgrace for the sake of Christ and consider it as nothing.

· The description of Moses’ sufferings points toward the sufferings of Christ and serves to encourage Christians in their own sufferings for following Christ. V. 26

14) CHRISTIANS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ________(FIX) THEIR EYES ON ________________(JESUS) AND NOT ON THEIR ___________________(SUFFERINGS) FOR FOLLOWING HIM. Vs. 7-40

“HE (MOSES) LEFT EGYPT, NOT FEARING THE KING’S ANGER” V. 23

15) FAITH OVERCOMES THE_______________(FEAR) OF _________________(LEAVING) BEHIND THE _________________(KNOWN). Vs. 23-28

· Moses felt fear, but was not intimidated by it.

· He overcame his fear by faith in God.

· In spite of his fear, he left Egypt.

· This definite break with Egypt and all for which it stood was the first step toward following God’s plan, just as Abraham’s leaving his home was the first step in his obedience.

· Moses persevered because he saw God who is invisible.

16) TO EXPERIENCE THE PROMISE OF THE NEW COVENANT, THE CHRISTIAN MUST FIRST _____________(LEAVE) _____________(BEHIND) THE __________(OLD) – HE/SHE MUST ____________(GIVE) UP THE __________________(PHYSICAL) IN ORDER TO GO ____________(UP) IN THE ______________(SPIRITUAL)!

· Likewise Abraham’s faith led him to patient perseverance as he separated himself from the unbelieving world until the time when he would receive the promise.

· The faith of Moses led to patient perseverance even in the face of suffering and persecution.

· Moses was able to persevere with no intimidation because the continual habit of his life was to keep his eyes of faith on the God who is invisible.

17) KEEPING OUR _____________(SIGHT) ON THE ________________(INVISIBLE) GOD ALLOWS THE CHRISTIAN TO _____________________(PERSEVERE) UNDER SEVERE TRIALS, TEMPTATIONS PERSECUTIONS AND SUFFERINGS – THE CHRISTIAN THAT ONLY SEES THE ____________(PAIN) WILL NOT HAVE THE _________________(STRENGTH) TO _____________*ENDURE). WE MUST THEREFORE________________(DISCPLINE) OUR ____________(MINDS) TO SEE _______________(JESUS) IN THE MIDST OF OR EVEN________________(DESPITE) OF OUR PAIN AND SUFFERING. Vs. 1-40

· Moses leading the people in keeping the first Passover was an expression of his faith.

· By instructing the people to sprinkle this blood on their doors, Moses led them in affirming their faith that God could do what He said.

· Because Moses believed and obeyed God, both Moses and those who followed him were spared.

· Likewise, by faith, Abraham experienced God’s power to deliver from death when he offered Isaac as a sacrifice.

· By this action he affirmed his faith in God’s faithfulness and in God’s resurrection power.

· Likewise by faith, Moses experienced God’s power to deliver from death when he established the Passover with its sacrifice.

· In Vs. 29-30, the preacher skips from the crossing of the Red Sea under Moses to the conquest of Jericho in the time of Joshua.

· He purposely omitted the wilderness generation because they did not demonstrate faith as described previously in Hebrews 3:7-4:11.

· IT WAS BY FAITH THAT THE WALLS OF JERICHO FELL AFTER THE PEOPLE HAD MARCHED AROUND THEM FOR SEVEN DAYS. V. 30

· After the people had demonstrated their faith by walking around the walls of Jericho for seven days, God demonstrated His power by causing the walls to fall.

18) PEOPLE OF FAITH ARE NOT ALWAYS _____________(ALONE) – THEY MAY BE ___________________(SURROUNDED) BY A HOST OF FAITHFUL GOD FOLLOWERS LIKE JOSHUA WHEN THE WALLS OF JERICHO FELL. V. 30

· The people of this generation form a wholesome and encouraging contrast to the wilderness generation.

· Faith requires courage.

· The preacher continues to encourage his readers to trust God in the face of persecution.

· God has the power to deliver them and will use it, perhaps in the here and now, and certainly at the final judgment.

· In Vs. 32-38, the preacher gives a roll call of great heroes of the faith.

· Many of these heroes of the faith were outcasts.

· Like these heroes of the faith, Abraham too was a wanderer and Moses was an outcast.

· It is likely that the recipients of Hebrews were themselves facing social ostracism with all the resulting emotional and economic consequences.

· 19) GOD DOES NOT ALWAYS DELIVER HIS FAITHFUL PEOPLE IN THIS LIFE, FOR ______________(SOME), GOD’S _______________________(DELIVERANCE) COMES ONLY AFTER _____________(DEATH) – THIS MINDSET IS AUTHENTIC FAITH IN _____________(ACTION). V. 35

· 20) THE ETERNAL REWARD FOR __________________(OBEDIENCE) AND FAITHFULNESS TO GOD FAR OUTWEIGHS ANY ________________(EARTHLY) TREASURES AND COMPENSATION. Vs. 35-40

· A better resurrection refers to the resurrection of those living in the heavenly homeland because of their obedience and faithfulness!

QUESTION: Why has the preacher given this impressive list of triumphs of the faith?

ANSWER: THESE VICTORIES DEMONSTRATE THAT GOD’S POWER IS A REALITY – THEY ENCOURAGE OUR FAITH.

· THESE HEROES OF THE FAITH COULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED IF THEY HAD DENIED THEIR FAITH, BUT THEY REFUSED AND WERE TORTURED FOR THEIR FAITH, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IT TOOK TO KEEP THEIR FAITH AND GAIN A BETTER RESURRECTION.

· THEIR GOAL IS HEAVENLY, NOT EARTHLY THEREFORE THEY DO NOT LIVE IN TUNE WITH THIS WORLD.

· THE ACTIONS OF THESE PEOPLE OF FAITH OFTEN CONVICT THE WORLD, JUST AS NOAH DID BECAUSE THEY REMIND THE WORLD THAT THEY ARE NEGLECTING GOD.

· THUS THE UNBELIEVING WORLD MAY PERSECUTE PEOPLE OF FAITH.

· THAT VERY PERSECUTION IS EVIDENCE THAT THE FAITHFUL BELONG TO GOD AND THAT THE BETTER RESURRECTION IS THEIRS!

· The preacher’s words remind us of David, who pursued by Saul, wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground in 1 Samuel 23:13-29.

· THEIR TOTAL ALIENATION AND EXCLUSION FROM THE SOCIETY OF THIS WORLD IS MARKED BY THE FOLLOWING FACTS: UNBELIEVING SOCIETY HAS ALLOWED THEM ONLY SHEEPSKINS AND GOATSKINS INSTEAD OF PROPER CLOTHES.

· THE WORLD PERMITS THEM ONLY CAVES AND HOLES IN THE GROUND INSTEAD OF PROPER HOUSING. IT HAS LEFT THEM DESTITUTE OF FOOD AND NORMAL NECESSITIES.

· But this very mistreatment by the unbelieving world means something wonderful – the world was not worthy of them. V. 38

· The unbelieving world thought that these people of faith were not worthy to associate with society, BUT GOD KNEW THAT THE UNBELIEVING WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY OF THEM. V. 38

· GOD WAS PREPARING SOMETHING BETTER FOR THEM BEYOND THIS WORLD – HIS ETERNAL REWARD.

21) IF CHRISTIANS ARE TRUE TO THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST, THE WORLD WILL _________________(MISTREAT) AND __________________(PERSECUTE) THEM – THEY WILL NOT BE TREATED LIKE ________________(CITIZENS) OF THIS _______________(WORLD) BECAUSE THEIR REAL __________________(CITZENSHIP) IS IN THE _____________________(NEW) _____________(EARTH) TO COME AND THE ________________(KINGDOM) OF GOD RIGHT __________(NOW) Vs. 32-40

22) WHEN THE WORLD MISTREATS YOU, TAKE IT AS A ___________________(COMPLIMENT) THAT YOU ARE ___________________(FOLLOWING) GOD LIKE THE HEROES OF THE FAITH THAT HAVE GONE _________________(BEFORE) YOU! Vs. 1-40

· The something better that God has planned for us is the cleansing from sin and access into God’s presence now available through the High Priesthood of Christ.

· The only way in which Christ makes us “perfect” in this life is by cleansing us from sin so we can come into God’s presence.

· He gives us daily grace to live in victory over temptation.

23) THE CHRISTIAN IS __________________(VICTORIOUS) IN EACH AND EVERY __________________(CIRCUMSTANCE) THEY EXPERIENCE IN ___________(LIFE) BECAUSE OF THEIR _____________(FAITH) IN ______________(CHRIST) – THEY WILL BE _________________(DELIVERED) FROM THEIR ____________(PAIN) HERE ON EARTH IN THE NEAR FUTURE OR IN THE KINGDOM TO COME AS THEY PATIENTLY ENDURE, _______________(TRUSTING) GOD’S ____________________(PROMISES). Vs. 1-40

TO DEVELOP STRONG FAITH:

1.__________(USE) THE _________________(MEASURE) OF FAITH GOD HAS GIVEN YOU TO USE ____________(TODAY) AND YOU WILL RECEIVE ____________(MORE) IN THE FUTURE AS YOU ____________(NEED) IT.

Romans 12:3 says:

3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Luke 17:3-6 says:

So watch yourselves.
      "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

5The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"

6He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.

2. SPEND _______________(TIME) WITH “CHRIST FOLLOWERS” WHO LIVE FOR GOD AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY HAVE GREAT FAITH IN GOD – FAITH IS AN ___________________(ATTITUDE) THAT IS MORE __________________(CAUGHT) THAN TAUGHT.

Hebrews 10:23-25 says:

23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 13:7-8 says:

7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

3. _________________(READ) THE _______________(BIBLE) ON A DAILY BASIS BECAUSE FAITH COMES FROM _________________(HEARING) AND ____________________(RECEIVING) GOD’S ____________________(PROMISES) THROUGH CHRIST!

Romans 10:17 says:

7Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.