Hebrews 11_32

Heroes

Intro: I am reminded of a story Max Lucado told,

His four-year-old daughter Sara use to love to climb up on the arm of their sofa and jump into her daddy’s arms. One day her older sister was watching and Max asked Sara to jump into her sister arms. Sara refused, Max tried to coax her – she insisted, “I only jump into BIG ARMS”

Her only hope was her father. Like Sara… we need to jump into big arms. God’s arms.

In Hebrews 11 we find men and women who are remembered still today because of their faith. Why are they listed in this text?

Their lives illustrated faith in God and are recorded in this chapter for the encouragement of those who come after them.

Their great accomplishment? They leaped into their father’s arms… An unseen father yet One who by faith was made inwardly visible.

When you die, what will you be remembered for?

Abel – remembered for His sacrifice – He gave God the first fruit of his flock - the best portion “fat” his faith pleased God.

Enoch – remembered for his rapture – he was called up to God because he walked with God. His faith pleased God and God called Enoch home to be with Him.

Noah – remembered for being the head of a household who was spared from God’s wrath – they escaped the flood by obedience and built an ARK. Faith in God delivered them in spite of laboring 100 years facing criticism and laughter by those who would perish. In spite of these things, Noah preached repentance yet no one listened. He was spared but they were not.

Abraham – remembered for obeying difficult commands – Abraham believed God when He didn’t know where he was going, how Sarah would bear a child, when he would receive the promised land, and why God wanted him to sacrifice Isaac.

Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead before there was ever any physical evidence that resurrection could happen. (No Examples)

Abraham believed God would raise Isaac before there was ever any promises of resurrection.

Sara – remembered for given birth from a barren womb – by faith

Isaac – remembered for blessing Jacob – stating God will give him the promised land – even after his father (Abraham) was pilgrim in it 100 years. Even though Isaac had been a temporary resident 90 years.

Jacob – remembered for blessing His sons by faith – and predicted the Messiah’s tribal line = Judah.

Amram and Jochebed (Moses’ Parents) – remembered for recognizing their son was beautiful to God and hid him for three months – by faith they obeyed God over pharaoh even under penalty of death.

Moses – remembered for delivering a nation from captivity and instituting the Passover – by faith he was called God’s friend and God gave the nation Israel the Law through him.

Joshua – remembered for shouting down the walls of Jericho

Rahab – remembered for professing the God of Israel as her God and put her faith to action by hiding the spies. Faith that saves

Each of these are remembered because of their faith, they did the impossible, they saw the invisible God and jumped into His arms and God caught them.

CPS: Perhaps we need to jump into the arms of God.

It was by faith that Israel was established. From one man, to a tribe of salves, to conquers, and from oppressors.

The bible says there would not be time in all the world to tell of all the examples of faith through out history. The author of Hebrews had taught that the patriarchs were faithful, and those who moved Israel towards a monarchy were faithful.

But is faith perfect? In other words are we trusting in our faith or are we trusting in God’s faithfulness. It takes faith to jump but it is God’s faithfulness that catches.

By faith Israel was delivered.

This was the time of the Judges… what do we know about this time period?

The people Israel did what was right in their own eyes. Oppressor would come but after a while the people would cry out to the Lord and God would raise up a deliverer. A Judge…. Military leader who would save Israel from oppression. This was a vicious cycle…

Gideon Judges 6-8

When God called Gideon, he was hiding from the Midianites. Threshing wheat in the winepress.

Wine presses were carved into bedrock of the ground, imagine… hunkered down

The Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and he asked a difficult question… Why is all this happening?

Why are we being oppressed, I have to hide or wheat or we don’t eat. The Lord brought us out of Egypt to be handed over to Midian.

He was told, I am sending you!

Excuse – My family is the weakest in Manasseh and I am the weakest in my family.

Answer – I will be with you.

Sign – fixed a meal and the Angel of the Lord consumed it in fire…

Jumped into the arms of God – Tore down the alter of Baal and built one for God and offered a sacrifice.

300 man army defeats 135,000

Why reduce 32,000 – 300 for everyone to know God fought for them.

Was Gideon perfect, no he needed signs…. But God is perfect

By faith, Gideon a weak coward jumped into God’s arms and was caught. Israel was delivered.

Barak

Interesting Barak is mentioned here. He was the Military leader who would not wage war with king Jabin of Canaan unless Deborah went with him.

Jabin had 900 iron chariots a formidable army to say the least

But Barak’s faith is seen not in Deborah but Deborah’s God. Perhaps by having Deborah with him he was certain God would be with him.

Barak led 10,000 men from Mt. Tabor, trusting the promise of God given by His servant Deborah.

Out maned and out gunned, God sent a great storm (5:4–5 and 20–22) that turned the plain into a swamp, and the enemy could not attack. Israel won a great victory that day, led by Barak, planned by Deborah.

His faith wasn’t perfect but God’s faithfulness is perfect.

Jump, He will catch you.

Samson

Strongest man in the world…. Hardly a man of faith.. right.

Nazirite by birth: yet he broke every vow God put on Him

Nazarite. Person who set period of time was to complete a vow to God. The Nazirite devoted himself to self-imposed discipline in order to perform some special service.

According to Num. 6, a Nazarite was never to drink strong drink or touch a dead body; and the mark of his dedication would be his uncut hair.

Samson broke all these; A womanizer, (broke God’s command not to marry foreign women, he did) Drank himself drunk on wine, touched a dead animal (Lion/honey), His hair was cut.

Dr. Helton – called him a bottle sucking cry baby yet he is here in the Heroes of faith.

He Despised His Heritage (13)

He Defied His Parents (14:1–4)

He Defiled His Body (14:5–20)

He Disregarded God’s Warning (15)

He Deliberately Played with Sin (16)

blinding, binding, and grinding results of sin.

How futile it is for the servant of God to try to serve the Lord when out of His will.

God gave him one more chance to act by faith. His hair had begun to grow and Samson asked God for strength to win one more victory over the enemy. God answered his prayer, but in defeating others, Samson took his own life.

Not perfect, but at the end of his life he jumped into God’s arms, and Israel was delivered.

Jephthah

It remained for Samuel and David in later years to finally defeat the Philistines. Samuel by one prayer accomplished more than Samson did in twenty years of fighting (see 1 Sam. 7:9–14)