Hebrews 11:4-12 – A Faith Centered Life

Sometimes we get it right. Journals are great tools to remember the struggle as well as the victories.

Journal from almost 10 years ago.

Adding staff to our church

Don’t have the money – will draw $30,00 a year off reserves

If God does not grow us over the next 3 years – we will ultimately be unable to continue with staff and lose all our financial reserves

Jonathan may quit his job / leave his home / move to Kansas knowing he may only have a job for 2-3 years.

So what should we do – nothing? – wait until we are sure we can do it? – Worry?

– or move forward by faith?

This is one of the biggest decisions we have ever made.

If we move forward – we will need to pray intently / reach out to people intentionally / seek to make this place uncomfortable because of all the new people we add / make changes that we would rather not personally make / Accept that the future will look totally different than the past

What do we do? – nothing? – wait until we are sure we can do it? – Worry?

– or move forward by faith?

This is something that we need to pray about and take very seriously.

However, we must also grapple with the fact that life in Christ is not safe / it is full of risks / the path is intentionally vague / we cannot do it on our own

It is a life that is intended to be lived by faith – trusting in Him alone

Not our finances

Not our comfortableness

Not our own security

But Him / and Him alone

We must seek to move to a new center

The demand is for an ongoing life centered in faith / He beckons us to it

Faith is not easy – but it is necessary – and it is of great reward.

That we may center our lives by faith in God.

I. A faith centered life: Lived out in everyday life

All believed / had faith in God

Acted on this faith

God commended and rewarded them

A. Worshiped by faith Heb 11:4

(ESV) Hebrews 11 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commendinghim by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

(ESV) Genesis 4 1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flockand of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

1. An acceptable sacrifice – One that God commanded? – definitely one offered by faith – His faith considered as righteousness

2. Abel brought the first fruits of flock

3. Rewarded? Died --- faith does not guarantee healing and physical life – only being commended by God – His glory

4. Yet even in death he still speaks --- by his faith - a legacy

B. Stood out in a wicked world by faith Heb 11:5

(ESV) Hebrews 11 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.

(ESV) Genesis 5 18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he fathered Enoch. 19 Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died. 21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

1. In a wicked world and culture

2. Death reigned – over and over in the genealogy

3. He did not die

4. Taken --- Translated – transformed – instead of death - Not found – transformed and removed by God

5. Pleased God – commended by God --- by his faith

6.

C. Obeyedas a witness of faith Heb 11:7

(ESV) Hebrews 11 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousnessthat comes by faith.

1. Warned by God of coming destruction (something never before seen) – He acted and obeyed

2. Built a giant box to save his family – 120 years?

3. Through his action witnessed to the world ---- was preacher of righteousness (2 Pet 2.5) – here an heir of righteousness by faith

4. By his faith he saved the human race / condemned those in unbelief who did not chose the way of salvation

(ESV) Genesis 6 9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. … 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. … 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.

(ESV) Genesis 6 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

II. A faith centered life: Responds to God regardless of the circumstances

A. Understood the Will of God Heb 11:8a

nkjv Heb 11: 8 By faith i Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out …

1. Not a vague feeling

2. Grapple first with what God wants – submission

3. The revealed Word of God – foundation

a. 90 percent of what we need for life God has already revealed.

b. life is the internalizing of what we know about Him

4. The rest comes from yielding to the Spirit’s prompting as you seek His will (Word applied/wise living / godly counsel / prayer)

B. Obeyed immediately Heb 11:8b

nkjv Heb 11: 8 By faith i Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out …

1. At the same time God spoke – Abraham responded (Present partic)

2. Know it / Do it

C. Obeyed in spite of the cost Gen 12:1

Nkjv Gen 12:1 ... Now the a Lord had said to Abram: “ Get b out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

Nkjv Gen 12:1 4 So Abram departed as the Lordhad spoken to him,

1. 75 years old / Well off / roots / family / security / Predictability

2. Well off / roots / family / security / all given up

3. Rejected predictability to obey

D. Obeyed in spite of the uncertainty Heb 11:8c

nkjv Heb 11:8 ... And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

1. Not a "positive" or “certain” move

2. Scary to go from known security to unknown

a. Emphasis will be on following the path

b. Rather than final objectives

E. Trusted that God would reward – Heb 11:8d; Gen 12:2

nkjv Heb 11:8 ... to the place which he would receive as an inheritance.

nkjv Gen 12:2 I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. ”

1. left behind "the seen" trusting in God

2. Personal reward / Family reward / Impact lives of others

III. A faith centered life: Walks with Him whilewaiting the reward

nkjv Heb 11 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob,

A. A continuous process Heb 11:9a

nkjv Heb 11 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise

1. Not just a moment decision

2. Not just a moment decision

3. A life decision

4. Impact all aspects of life all the time

B. In spite of the difficulty Heb 11:9b

1. Never at home

nkjv Heb 11 9 … as in a foreign country dwelling in tents

a. Not his possession – though promised

b. dwell as a stranger

c. Foreign land

2. Continuous wandering without receiving the full promises in his lifetime

a. No permanent dwelling – tents

3. Never at home

a. Dwell as a stranger– though promised / Foreign land

4. Continuous wandering without receiving the promises

a. No permanent dwelling - tents

5. Delayed fulfillment – his faith steps impacted those who were yet to come

C. Passing on the faith Heb 11:9c, 11:11

1. To His children

(NKJV) Hebrews 11 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;

a. Impacted his family

b. Pass on everything else - what a legacy / better than money

2. To His wife

(NKJV) Hebrews 11 11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

1. Received strength beyond themselves

2. Empowered for the impossible task --- couldn’t do it on their own

3. Required a long term committed belief in His faithfulness

a. Took 25 years to get there from the original promise

D. Waiting on the promise Heb 11:10

nkjv, Heb 11 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

1. “looked for” Expectant waiting – without discouragement

2. in spite of circumstance

3. Lived in tents looking for a permanent foundation city

4. Architect – designer - planner – integrator - God

5. Craftsman and builder – God

6. Looked beyond this world to the next

E. Experienced long term blessings Heb 11:12

(NKJV) Hebrews 11 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the starsof the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

1. Contrast one – many

2. Dead – multitude

3. Out of certain defeat – magnificent triumph – by faith in God's character

4. Saw God work – the most amazing thing you will ever experience

5. The true blessings unfolded beyond his own life / understanding