Sermon Tone Analysis

We are continuing our series, “A Great Cloud of Witnesses”.

Hebrews 11 has 17 individuals, mentioned by name, that serve as witnesses or testimonies of faith.

Several more are referred to by the things they experienced or endured because of their faith.

They are an example for us to follow.

20 times we are told the lived “by faith”.

They show us how to have faith that is pleasing to God.

Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him...

So far we’ve looked at Abel, Enoch and Noah today we will examine the faith of Abraham.

Hebrews 11:8–10 (NASB)

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Faith that pleases God...

Listens when God calls.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

A reminder about the “Shema”.

Deuteronomy 6:4 (NASB)

4 “Hear, O Israel!

The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!

It is the same word for “obey”.

To God, listening is “hear and obey”

Abraham listened when God called.

Genesis 12:1–4 (NASB)

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; 2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse.

And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.

4 So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him.

Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Are we listening and paying attention, waiting in anticipation of God calling to us?

Isaiah 41:4 (NASB)

4 “Who has performed and accomplished it, Calling forth the generations from the beginning?

‘I, the Lord, am the first, and with the last.

I am He.’ ”

God calls us to be saved.

God calls us to serve.

Are you listening?

(How?)

Or are you ignoring His calls?

Faith that please God...

Lives out God’s calling.

9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;

Genesis 12:7–9 (NASB)

7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.”

So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him.

8 Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.

9 Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the Negev.

Genesis 13:3–4 (NASB)

3 He went on his journeys from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

Genesis 13:18 (NASB)

18 Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Colossians 3:23–24 (NASB)

23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.

It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

Genesis 15:6 (NASB)

6 Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Romans 4:3 (NASB)

3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Faith that please God...

Longs for God’s call home.

10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Genesis 25:7–8 (NASB)

7 These are all the years of Abraham’s life that he lived, one hundred and seventy-five years.

8 Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.

2 Corinthians 5:1–8 (NASB)

1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.

4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Revelation 22:20 (NASB)

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.”

Amen.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Philippians 1:21–24 (NASB)

21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.

23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

Memory Verse of the Week:

Romans 4:3 (NASB)

3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Bible Study Questions:

What does this passage teach us about God?

What does this passage teach us about ourselves?

What does this passage teach us about the world?

Do you see any commands to obey or principles to apply?

Do you see any promises to claim or blessings to enjoy?

Do you see any truths to meditate on or Gospel messages to share?

Did anything else in the passage stick out to you?