Hebrews 11:1-12:3 - Salvation Is Through Faith in Jesus

Introduction

Inspirational examples that keep us going in life. (e.g., biographies, church history, contemporary life)

Faith is associated in Hebrews with perseverance. Keep believing the promises (Heb 10:23, 35).

We don’t get to an exhortation until chapter 12. Keep looking to Jesus and run the race (Heb 12:2).

This chapter is meant to give examples that explain the nature and character of saving faith.

Not only that, God’s faithfulness is the counterpart and support of our faith in this chapter. The author emphasizes God’s promises and rewards for us.

1. The Nature of Faith (Heb 11:1–2)

Hebrews 11:1–2 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.

Listen to how the author begins. Faith is confident and sure that what is hoped for will be given.

Hebrews 3:6“And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.”

Hebrews 3:14 “For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” It means we keep a tight grip on the Christian faith. We cling to Jesus

Hebrews 4:14 “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 10:19–23 “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

Hebrews 10:35 “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.”

Because of the finished work of Jesus, we can have confidence to draw near to God the Father and be in his presence.

2. Faith is in the Unseen (Heb 11:3-7)

Hebrews 11:3–7 ESV

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 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. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 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 righteousness that comes by faith.

From Creation to Noah

He begins by walking through the book of Genesis with examples of faith starting with creation. No one was there to see it. (Gen 1; Psalm 33:6)

Creation out of nothing (ex nihilo) must be embraced by faith.

He then moves on to contrast Cain and Abel. Abel’s sacrifice was fueled by faith, and Cain’s sacrifice was done in unbelief. Because of his faith, Abel was commended as righteous.

Next is Enoch. Enoch pleased God by his faith, and by his faith he walked with God.

v.6 - God is pleased with faith, because when you trust God you show you love him. And when you trust him you believe that he is good.

Faith is in an object. “Believe God exists”

Faith looks to the reward. “He rewards those who seek him”

Example of trust

Even when you don’t understand what God is doing in your life, trust his character. He is good and does good.

The last example in this first part of the list is Noah. He built an ark without seeing a flood before.

3. Faith Trusts God for the Future (Heb 11:8–22)

Hebrews 11:8–22 ESV

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

Abraham and his descendents

Abraham trusted that God would give him a land, descendents and a blessing (Gen 12:1–3). Abraham never possessed the land in his lifetime even though he lived in it. He walked by faith. “He believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” (Gen 15:6).

Land - “he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” (v.10)

Descendants - “[Sarah] considered him faithful who had promised” (v.11)

Blessing - “not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar” (v.13)

v. 16 - Jesus is coming back and he’s going to make all things new

Hebrews 12:22–24 ESV

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Abraham and Isaac - God’s word always comes true even if it takes a resurrection to bring it to pass. Isaac functions as a type of Christ. God kept his promises to us in the resurrection of Christ!

Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph continued to believe the promises even on their deathbed.

When we trust God for the future by faith, we believe that he keeps his promises. And all of his promises are yes and Amen in Jesus!

4. Faith Trusts God in Suffering (Heb 11:23-31)

Hebrews 11:23–31 ESV

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

Greatness of Moses:

Faced the Pharoah (leader of the most powerful kingdom on earth)

Brought down the 10 plagues onto Egypt

Led the people through the Red Sea

Became the leader (king) of Israel; also a prophet and a priest

Led them in the wilderness wanderings

Gave them the Law

“Focused in this one person are the figures of prophet, priest, lawgiver, judge, intercessor, shepherd, miracle worker, and founder of a nation”

One of the greatest men who ever lived!

Moses’s life was a life of faith in the midst of suffering:

v.24 - refused to be called the daughter of Pharoah

v.25 - chose to be mistreated with the people of God

v.26 - the reproach of Christ is a greater reward than the treasures of the greatest nation on earth at the time!

v. 27 - he left Egypt, chased by Pharoah.

v.28 - kept the Passover

v.29 - crossed the Red Sea

v.30 - the walls of Jericho fell

v.31 - Rahab welcomed the spies

God is trustworthy in suffering and danger.

It is the nature of faith to trust first and then see the deliverance later.

Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe. —Saint Augustine, Sermons

Saint Augustine of Hippo

5. Faith Empowers Ordinary People to Do Extraordinary Things (Heb 11:32-40)

Hebrews 11:32–40 ESV

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

All in this list were ordinary people. Some had notorious sin (e.g., Samson, David)

It was their faith that enabled them to persevere not their perfection.

“of whom the world is not worthy.” - the world is unworthy when it mistreats those who put their trust in the Lord.

v.40 - something better would come only through the New Covenant. And the New Covenant arrived with Jesus’s death and resurrection and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.

We will be perfect when the heavenly Jerusalem comes down to earth and Jesus makes all things new! When all of his enemies are placed beneath his feet (Psa 110)

6. Faith Keeps its Eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:1-3)

Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

The cloud of witnesses is chapter 11, the hall of faith. Picture of a race in the Colosseum.

John Owen, Hebrews

The apostle gives the best encouragement possible. Until now he had suggested that they look to people who had professed the Christian faith in the past, but now the focus is on him who is the author and perfecter of our faith. Thus the apostle urges them to persevere in the faith and obedience of the Gospel.

Jesus is our supreme example of faith. “he endured the cross!”

He is seated at God’s right hand. Ruling and reigning with the greatest authority and interceding as our high priest.

As we consider him, we can hold fast our faith firm to the end and run the race. True faith is always and ever connected to hope.

If we have to lay aside every weight of care every sin in our lives, who is sufficient? How are we even able to run a race like this? If the starting is beyond us, how much more the perseverance in our own strength! This should drive us to free grace, drive us to the Holy Spirit! The race reveals our helplessness and hopelessness apart from divine grace. Who will help us? To whom will we look? Fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith!

Conclusion

The pain cannot compare to the reward.

Don’t lose heart. Don’t give up now.

Keep running! Keep believing! Keep waiting! Draw near with confidence! Keep hoping!