Hebrews 11:30-40 Overcoming Faith

Intro:

If you were inside the cockpit of an airplane just before liftoff, you would hear the copilot or captain call out, “V1,” which means the “point of no return.”

As the airplane accelerates toward the end of the runway, the pilot must decide if the plane is moving fast enough for a safe takeoff. This speed must be determined preflight based on several factors, including the air pressure, temperature, speed of the wind, and weight of the aircraft.

The pilot holds the throttle as the plane approaches the V1 speed so that the takeoff can be aborted if something goes wrong. However, after V1 the plane must take off.

As Christians, we also have a V1 commitment. Once we have placed our faith in Christ alone, we have reached the point of no return. We need to adjust our sights, apply full throttle, and take off.

Read Hebrews 11:30-33

Transition:

Someone has said there are four types of faith.

There is faith that receives, as when we come empty-handed to Christ for salvation.

There is faith that reckons, that counts on God to undertake for us.

There is faith that risks, that moves out in God’s power, daring to do the impossible.

And there is faith that rests—the kind that, in the middle of pain and suffering and rejection, sits back in confidence that God will deliver.

Romans 8:37 ESV

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

If we put our faith in Jesus we will overcome the world

That word conquerors means one who overcomes

Today we are going to see a group pf people who God used to do miraculous works and others who went thru unthinkable persecution

To make it through this world you need overcoming faith

Faith to overcome the struggles

Faith made strong in your weaknesses

Faith that stands firm in the face of persecution

and Faith that holds on to the promise

Overcomes the Struggles vs. 30-31

It can’t be overcoming faith unless it overcomes something

Life is always a struggle for the believer.

God’s way is not the world’s way, and as long as the believer is in the world he will have to struggle in that conflict.

The only effective weapon he has in this struggle is faith.

It is because of faith that many of our struggles come, and it is only by faith that our struggles can be faced and conquered.

vs. 30 Walls Torn Down

The walls of Jericho were massive structures.

Some city walls of this period were wide enough at the top to drive two chariots on side-by-side.

Jericho was a frontier fortress city, located strategically near the mouth of the Jordan River, and its walls were designed to protect it from the strongest enemy attack.

By the standards of that day, it was virtually impregnable.

Militarily, the seven days of marching demanded nothing.

But psychologically they demanded a great amount of courage.

The scheme must have been embarrassing to Israel.

This is not the way cities are conquered.

The entire effort appeared utterly preposterous to the inhabitants of Jericho, and probably even to many of the Israelites.

It is often easier to fight than to have faith.

If we fight, we will at least have a certain respect from the world, even if we lose.

But faith always looks foolish in the eyes of the world.

God delights in slaying men’s pride.

He slew the pride of the city of Jericho by making its city walls collapse in the most foolish possible way.

He also demolished any pride the Israelites might have had.

It was obvious that their part was purely symbolic.

They could take absolutely no credit for themselves.

All God wanted from them was faith, and this they gave, for by faith the walls of Jericho fell down.

vs. 31 Rescues the Faithful

Overcoming faith rescues the faithful

Rahab might seem an unusual example of faith.

Yet her willingness to become a traitor to the gods of Canaan and to identify with Yahweh with His people despite the cost is worthy of praise.

When the Hebrew spies came to Rahab, she declared He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath (Joshua 2:11).

This was proof of her faith.

It was not strong faith and it was not perfect faith, but her faith was commendable nonetheless.

Remarkably similar to a thief who hung on a cross next to Jesus

Made Strong Out of Weakness vs. 32-34

Overcoming faith is made strong in spite of our weaknesses and short comings

These men all accomplished incredible feats for the Lord

What’s even more amazing was that all of them were deeply flawed

Gideon couldn’t show more doubt or fear

Barak would only go to war if Deborah went with him

Samson caved to his selfish indulgences

Jephthah made a foolish vow about sacrificing the first thing that came out of his door and it ended up being his daughter

Then he stubbornly kept it

David was both a murderer and adulterer

Yet none of those instances were mentioned.

Hebrews 11 commends their faith and lists them in the “Hall of Faith.”

This shows that weak faith is better than unbelief, and you don’t have to be perfect to make it into God’s “Hall of Faith.”

God filled them with faith and they were made strong out of their weaknesses

This bodes well for all of us

If you’re sitting here focusing more on your failures instead of the faith God has for you then you’re missing the point

God isn’t looking for perfect people, he is looking for those who are willing

I like how the NKJV puts it: “Out of weakness were made strong.”

God starts where you are at

You aren’t an overcomer by your abilities

You are an overcomer by the power of the Holy Spirit

If you talk to people who have overcoming faith, they will tell you that felt like giving up the whole time during their ordeal

Yet they continued on

God can take your shortcomings and failures and

Stands Firm in the Persecution vs. 35-38

Overcoming faith endures persecution even when we don’t know the outcome

vs. 35-37 Persecuted & Martyred

Tortured: This is a brutal word in the ancient Greek language. It carries the idea “to beat with a stick or a baton.”

A better resurrection: As Jesus said in John 5:29, there is a resurrection unto life and a resurrection unto condemnation. These worthies received the better resurrection.

Trial of mockings: Isaac endured the cruel mocking of Ishmael, and Samson was mocked at the feast of the Philistines.

Chains and imprisonments: Joseph was cast into prison for his faith, and the evil King Ahab imprisoned the prophet Micaiah.

They were stoned: Zechariah was stoned to death between the altar and the temple and Naboth was stoned to death by Jezebel’s henchmen.

Sawn in two: According to reliable tradition Isaiah was sawn in two and killed.

Were tempted: Among these terrible physical tortures, the writer brings up being tempted in the same context.

Yet none of them wanted to be delivered

They refused to accept release

For those who had a way out they stood firm in their faith

vs. 38 World not Worthy

“of whom the wold was not worthy”

One of the best phrases in the whole epistle of Hebrews

The author just slips it in between the persecution and destitution

The world is not necessarily friendly to people of faith, and the world isn’t necessarily worthy of them either.

So many Christians grope for the approval of the world while being mistreated

The world is not worthy of the faithful saints they are in the presence of

Part of the mistreatment is that you exude the aroma of life and it is repugnant to them in their dying state

Story of Billy Graham golfing with President Ford & Jack Nicklaus

Holds on to the Promise vs. 39-40

Overcoming faith holds on to the promise of Christ because we have been made complete

Though they obtained this good testimony, they did not receive the promise, the testimony of the completed work of the Messiah on their behalf.

If these followers of God were steadfast without receiving the promise, those who have received the promise have even more reason to continue on through trials and difficulty.

vs. 40 Made Complete