Hall of Faith - Hebrews 11:8-19, Abraham: Sojourn, Struggle, & Sacrifice

Attention Getter: FORECAST.

Real expectation leads to real action: really expecting “snowmageddon” made you go to the grocery store. We don’t know the “forecast” of what awaits us in this life. But God doesn’t leave us unprepared. Instead He tells us where to focus, that it doesn’t matter the forecast, the answer is the same. We love the forecast, we love knowing what comes next! But faith is evidence of trust in God especially when we can’t see.

Hebrews 11:6, “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.”

You can know all the right doctrine, you can know all the right answers, you can “stock up” and fill your head with good Bible knowledge... But that doesn’t mean your faith filled. And you can turn your back on all that when something challenges your stance and loyalty. Usually when things change and there is loss of people or loss of things, loyalty is really tested. When great change happens in your life it threatens you to change from Jesus.

But if you truly know your God you won’t be moved by false teachings, you won’t become unfaithful due to struggles, and you won’t let fear or doubt dictate your actions. When you know your God then remaining faithful to his direction won’t be near as much of a struggle. There is a need to not just know the right things, but know deeper about the one who gave us and teaches us the right things. You and I have to grow in our understanding and appreciation of God.

God didn’t come to make life easier. He came to make you stronger and holier. And there’s your explanation for why things have happened in your life. What kind of people would we be if everything that ever happened to us was only good? Spoiled and weak. That’s not what any of us want to be! So then I like that God allows me to struggle. I like that God examines me in circumstances to see my faith and allow me to prove my faith. That’s what He did with Abraham as we’ll see. That’s what He’s always done with His people.

And Abraham didn’t really know the forecast, he didn’t really know what to expect, except what awaited him if he acted in faith.

SOJOURN

V.8-9

Faith requires action. To be faithful requires you to do something. But to do what God says is not a work where you earn salvation or work your way into righteousness.

(PPT) Remember how last week we talked about seeking God and His will even when you can’t “see” - that really hits home for Abraham. “Abraham, I want you to take everything and everyone and start traveling. I’ll show you on the way where I’m taking you.” That requires trust on a level we all struggle to attain, because when we can’t see or understand we have a harder time trusting.

But is it really faith if we can see it all? Is it really faith if we know it all and are in control of it all? No. Faith is evidence of expectation, it’s action on my behalf that shows I’m trusting and am confident God will do what He says He will if I simply Go as He tells me to go.

“This land is yours” but when he went there he lived like a foreigner, as did his son and grandson. It was there, but the things established around them weren’t theirs: houses, cities, etc. They lived as outsiders is what he is saying, because they were not citizens of the people’s land and country! They’re God’s people and God’s citizens! That’s you and I as well. I’m not American 1st. I’m not of this world first. I’m God’s first and foremost. And because of that, we’re sojourners. We’re literally out of this world and traveling through. But we have a mission to our travel. And part of our mission is to keep our eyes on our home and the builder of our home.

V.10

They sought a lasting possession. And the writer is saying “if you have loyalty and faith in God you need to do the same.” He wasn’t solely focused on the situation of being in tents, and he certainly wasn’t looking backwards to the things that he left in order to obey God. It says he was looking “FORWARD”, as you and I should, having a more eternal focus. If you want to get to the destination God is guiding you to, you have to be focused on it and His guidance!

(PPT) Abraham understood what we also need to know: we are on a temporary journey but we have an eternal reward at the end of it.

God is a builder. He built a way for us to be saved. He built the Church. And He’s building now - a bridge with you. That’s why you’re still here, not taken to heaven out of the baptistery. You’re being rebuilt into His image and to be used as a bridge for others to get to Jesus.

Content to live as a sojourner, as an outsider, living in tents - these are not your cities, not your world, these things are not even your possessions.

(PPT) Abraham exhibited faith by “giving up and going”. Do you have faith to give up what is temporary and GO?

“Well, I work hard and I deserve better. I deserve things that make life here more enjoyable!” Friend, you’re selling yourself WAY too short. Heb.11:38 says about men and women of faith “of whom the world was not worthy…” As people of faith, if you’re living by faith, you’ve got to understand that there is so much better for you than what is here, so don’t sell yourself short and focus on the temporary. But look “FORWARD” to eternity.

V.11-12

Promises trusted: she knew God could work contrary to the way the world works. God isn’t limited by what is seen, God isn’t limited by creation! How can the creator be limited by what He designed and built? He has and will continue to work things according to his will in supernatural ways and divine control.

Promises kept: nation of people, land for the nation, and eventually THE offspring to bless all people. God is faithful. He does as he promises. I love the fact that my God is faithful and unchanging. If there’s only one thing that’s constant in my life, its God

STRUGGLE

He Lied - Gen.12

When we’re faced with the “what if” possibilities that we don’t like, we have a tendency to resort back to our own schemes and plans to make sure something works out safely.

Yet, the lie had consequences. Even so, God fixed Abraham’s mess and got them both out of Egypt safely.

He “Fixed” The Promise - Gen.16.

An momentary unbelieving spouse persuaded him to momentary unbelief. It takes resilience to go against a spouse to remain faithful.

Abraham was trying to run ahead of God instead of following behind in a trusting way.

Faith isn’t “I’m going to do this and tag God along as a means to make my wants and desires happen”. Faith isn’t “leading God in the direction that I say my life is going to go”.

(PPT) Faith IS NOT a means to an end!

Faith is willingly rearranging my life as needed and changing direction because I know the truth is that Jesus is on the throne, and because of that I want to put my whole life under his direction and trust in His authority. Faith is God leading me.

He Lacked Trust. He sinned!

The fact that he struggled wasn’t a sin. He and us all struggle. We all wrestle. But there were those times in Abraham’s life that he failed to struggle and overcome, so giving in to fear for one reason or another it resulted in sin.

Yet, it’s because of Abraham’s faith and overcoming of failures that you and I are blessed today. Without him, we wouldn’t have the blessing of Jesus. But God determined through Abraham that Jesus would come down the line and all nations of the earth would be blessed. So despite his short comings God still used him. Despite his failures he was able to get on and stay on the path of faithfulness. He failed FORWARD!

Your life won’t be without shortcomings and mistakes. But which direction are you going to be leaning with it? He kept going towards God. That’s why he was a man of Faith, that’s how you and I can be too.

Galatians 3:7–9 “Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”

He wasn’t taught the death burial and resurrection. He was taught the blessings of it. That’s part of the Gospel message then, according to God!

(PPT) He took his mess and MADE HIM a message, that a flawed person can still be used by God to accomplish the mission of God where others come to know the Gospel.

SACRIFICE

Hebrews 11:17-19

Examine/prove VS tempted (James 1:13 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” )

Proved before God, and proved to self.

Don’t be arrogant and think there aren’t times that God is watching you and examining you in a situation. And if you’re not to the standard you should be, if you let Him speak to you through His word and take the rebuke He’ll also grow you. And when you get to the point of living by faith then you are useful to God, as 2 Tim.2:21 would say an “honorable and useful vessel”. And as someone that is of good use to God, in living by faith you are useful to God for the sake of the saved and the lost alike.

Imagine being Abraham, feeling what he felt. But he went through it because he understood things about God.

Abraham knew that Isaac belonged more to God than to himself. God loans us what we have. And He’ll prove it at the end of this world.

To sacrifice, to do the end of what God wanted, there were other steps to get there:

Traveled/Went where God said for 3 days

Build an altar

(Gen.22:9) Laid the wood in the best way for an offering. “I’ve got to make this the best possible way to sacrifice my son”…

(PPT) I agonize over and love that at the same time. The decision since God wants it done, I’m going to do it the best way that I know how - even if it hurts.

Bind Isaac (could’ve quit there with the fear and tears in his eyes)

Lay him on the altar

Finally, the point of sacrifice. And to Abraham, it was already done, he was fully committed to doing it, so committed to it that it was as we say “GOOD AS DONE”.

In the moment of tears and grief and anger and anything else going on even he still knew “GOD WILL KEEP HIS PROMISES!” - That’s faith and trust!

And, he was stopped, knowing He would’ve done exactly as God said. Genesis 22:12 “He (The angel of the LORD) said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

He kept going on in faith to God even when what was most precious to him was threatened!

Even though all along the way there were things tempting him to stop and opportunities to quit. He was still willing to sacrifice and trust God to work it out.

There might be times that we have to sacrifice in order to live by faith. But we talk about sacrifice though as if we really lose out. Giving up things, people, maybe even career choices or ways of living may have to happen...

(PPT) Yet what we actually end up doing is trading up! We get something much more valuable, people much more better, and more as a forever lasting possession with God! Yea we have to do without sometimes but that doesn’t mean we lose out!

Mark 10:29–30, “Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time...”

WHY was Abraham able to do this faithful thing? (PPT)

HE KNEW HIS GOD!

He knew God is a keeper of His word

He knew God is immeasurably powerful

Therefore, He knew God could do something He hadn’t seen before, that He could make the impossible a reality!

That’s WHY and HOW Abraham could live “by faith”. That’s how you can too.

Look at Romans 4:20–25, “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

He had dips but didn’t waver.

He GREW stronger in faith because He KNEW His God. He didn’t just know the words God said, He grew in His understanding of He who said them.

He was GIFTED righteousness. And so are you and I if we too live “by Faith”.

Faith is often a long journey. We will struggle with faith. And living by faith will require sacrifice. But when we choose to live by faith we don’t lose out.

REMEMBER: You don’t earn a thing, God extends grace meaning He gifts you what you don’t deserve and makes you to be righteous if you will make the decision and have the continual commitment to live by faith.

Living by faith means that whether the path is clear or unclear if God says “Go”, I get moving, and I do it the best way I know how --- because I trust in my guide to bring me to where I need to be.

Are you living by faith?