Common People of Uncommon Faith
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Intro to the 3rd section of Hebrews
So far throughout the book of Hebrews we have covered the evidence and theological argument that Christ is superior in his person and work.
First we discussed him being superior in his person in chapters 1-4
Then we discussed how he demonstrated being a superior high priest in chapters 5-10
Now in this section we are going to discuss how he is superior for pressing on in chapters 11-13.
This is the final building block that rests on the first 2 topics. We have discussed how he deserves our wholehearted faithfulness. This isn’t a hollow faith but a full one that’s motivated by Christ’s preeminent person and work.
In these last few chapters we are going to hear about the truly great men and women of faith and how they can encourage us to follow in their footsteps.
These chapters should challenge us to put feet to our faith and actions to match our attitudes. These are practical in strengthening us and those who waver when we are tempted to fall to the temptations, trial and tribulations.
Some words we will hear throughout this section are faith and discipline.
Faith-”pistis” is the word used that means how one related to God. Hebrews defines what this word means and then illustrates how it is the foundation of a life of faithfulness express through obedience to God.
Discipline-”paideia” is the act of providing guidance for responsible living, upbringing, training and instruction as it is attained by discipline or correction.
This word isn’t always used when connected to a negative action. Athletes discipline themselves to become better and we practice spiritual disciplines as we experience sanctification. Both of these can involve negative correction and punishment but either way it works towards a person’s normal tendency.
Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. For by this our ancestors were approved.
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.
By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God. Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Our modern world is dependent on the senses, dominated by the sensual and dissected by the sciences. Because of this, a Christian life of faith is an enigma.
We feel a supreme love for one whom we’ve never seen, we talk familiarly every day to someone we’ve never seen, we see the invisible, hear the inaudible and know things that pass all understanding.
The more skeptical and materialistic the world becomes, the more outlandish people of faith will become.
Sometimes when thinking about persevering with a life of faith, we only think of the legends of elite saints. When we look at church history it’s marked by memorials of the remarkable saints whose names don churches, hospitals, universities and even cities! Names like Peter, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Moody and Scofield.
With names like these, its easy to overlook the unsung believers who modeled their lives outside of the limelight.
Chapter 11 is a condensed version of the OT that recounts the biblical history of both the wellknown and the lesser known heroes. Common men and women who exhibited uncommon faith-the type of faith that confused those around them but pleased the God above them.
VIDEO
Before we start talking about the heroes of the faith, the author gives a definition of faith. Faith isn’t a blind shot in the dark, positive thinking, arrogant presumption, or gullible naïveté. Faith is confidence in God, a firm conviction that what He says is true and that what He promises He will do.
The word “assurance or “reality” comes from the Greek hypostasis. It’s the essence or substance of something that stands under something as its foundation or support.
This word is partnered with the Greek word elenchos. “Conviction” or “evidence”. This is done through a test or trial to show what it really is.
These words constitute the grounds for holding as true the invisible reality of things that are not seen and things hoped for.
This definition points to the state of faith-believing-but also to the activity of faith-being faithful.
This type of faith isn’t limited to the present but invisible or to the future, unknowable things. It is also necessary to take God at his word regarding things past and unobservable.
Look at creation that was done with nothing. By faith in God’s own record of creation can we understand that he was responsible for creating our limitless universe.
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
There are philosophical arguments for the existence of a first cause or point to evidence for an intelligent designer, but ultimately, without faith in the almighty creator, we’ll never grasp this foundational truth.
Let’s go to verse 6 to complete the definition of faith.
Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
In the middle of three examples of faith, the author plugs in how this faith works. A life of faith presupposes an attitude of humble dependence that works itself out in 3 ways:
First, by faith we come to God.
This acknowledges that he is the source of everything there is and of everything we need. We come to him with open hands and open heart. He doesn’t duck us or avoid us. He’s always there and we simply go to him through faith.
Second, by faith we believe that He is.
We put aside our need to see with our human eyes or touch with our hands. We replace the show me, prove it attitude with the attitude of openness and trust.
Third, by faith we trust Him to keep His word.
He promised to reward those who seek him by believing in him and coming to him in faith. We know that because of his nature (all-powerful and all-knowing) and because of his character (faithful and true) he is trustworthy. We can depend on him completely.
A person of faith, then, trusts in what he says without question and then does so without grumbling.
This type of faith gains approval from God.
For by this our ancestors were approved.
From the natural perspective, this life of faith seems risky and sometimes reckless. But in reality, the risk is nil because of the trustworthy character of God.
Next Section About The Heroes
Now the author starts to elaborate on the definition of faith, not by starting with the heavy hitters like David, Abraham, Moses or Elijah. No, he starts with those with practical lives of faithfulness-a shepherd, a preacher and a builder. 3 common men with uncommon faith.
He first introduces us to a shepherd named Abel. With this name we are taken back to the beginning of creation to the very first family on earth.
Genesis 4 tells that Abel was a shepherd and his brother, Cain, was a ?? Farmer.
She also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground.
Now, it’s not mentioned in the text, but there is an implication that God made known His requirement of the type of offering he expected in authentic worship-an offering of blood.
In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
Abel did well and obeyed by offering animal sacrifice. Cain chose to do things his own way resulting in the disapproval of his sacrifice.
In a fit of jealousy, Cain killed Abel for doing what was right in the eyes of God. This first example demonstrates that faith by taking God at his word. It’s not just trusting God but also responding to him.
Something else we see here is that sometimes being faithful to God can lead to persecution and death, even from those you love.
This is a reflection of our fallen human nature. To offer things to God on our own terms and giving him things like good works, man-made rituals, and sincere intentions.
All he wants is simple trust and obedience. Doing what he says even when we don’t understand why.
Next is Enoch.
By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God.
Because of his faith, he exhibited a life that was pleasing to God. This person from the pre flood era was taken up by God without experiencing death. He is someone who isn’t talked about a whole lot. He is mentioned in 4 verses in Genesis, we’re told twice that he walked with God and that he had children.
Besides this, Jude tells us that Enoch was a prophet who foresaw the future judgment of God.
It was about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied: “Look! The Lord comes with tens of thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly concerning all the ungodly acts that they have done in an ungodly way, and concerning all the harsh things ungodly sinners have said against him.”
Something else we know is that he lived in the generations before the flood. He lived a life of faithfulness and raised his children in an increasingly perverse and wicked world that would have viewed his life of faith with scorn.
His faith kept him in step with God and out of step with the world. This pleased God so much that he was taken up and spared from the flood.
Now for a better known hero, Noah.
By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Genesis told his story in 6 chapters but here, the author trims the fat to just one verse that focuses on his faithfulness in the midst of a condemned world.
When God warned Noah of the coming flood (things not yet seen), he obeyed and built the ark.
He is described as a righteous man-blameless in his generation-and like Enoch, walked with God and found favor in his eyes.
Noah, however, found favor with the Lord.
These are the family records of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God.
This is a big deal when you look at the state of the world at that time. Everyone was wicked, with every intent of the thoughts of their hearts continuously evil.
When the Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time,
I’m sure that Noah and his family were ridiculed constantly until the waters of the flood swept them away. But, he trusted and obeyed and put his faith to work, believing God’s word over popular opinion.
Each of these men exemplified with his life the very definition of faith. They lived in light of the invisible reality, in love with the invisible God, and in anticipation of an invisible future. And each of them, like all people of faith, received the reward of those who please God—not by works, but by faith alone.
Application
Abel, Enoch, and Noah—all common men with uncommon faith.
By faith, Abel approached God the way God desired and paid for it with his life.
By faith, Enoch proclaimed God’s word, and God rescued him from this world.
By faith, Noah fulfilled God’s will and became the deliverer not only of his own family but of all human and animal life on earth.
These three very different outcomes of faithfulness illustrate that a life of faith will look different for each of us, just as it was different for each of them.