Faith - PM Message- Danville

Faith

Intro -

GLAD TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

I’ve appreciated:

the wonderful hospitaity while we have been here

Gods presence this morning.

Enjoyed being in this part of Ohio… beautiful country.

etc

My Text

My scripture for tonight comes from a couple places.

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.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

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.

Outline:

True Faith leads to Action and Obedience

What is true faith? (based on Hebrews 11:1)

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Now faith is the assurance or KJV translates it:

Have you ever had a conviction about something… not something that could change but something that would never change.

I was speaking recently somewhere and I happened to mention that in our world today there are two categories of fact. Absolute Fact and Subjective Fact.

I mentioned how its been strongly disproven that the earth is not flat.

The earth is round. Clearly… in group… there was still someone holding out that the earth was flat.. I fumbled a bit.. and certainly didn’t correct myself but also wanted to speak kindly. In their mind it was aboslutely true…

In reality.. it was false.

Today many claim to have “faith” or a belief in a god, or in something or someone.

I’m not speaking about a mere belief that has the potential to be incorrect.

I’m talking about an absolute certantity of faith in the one true God.

Not faith like are you a person of faith.. but faith as an attribute, a charistic of a person.

LIke… are you gracious, are you kind, do you have faith or are you “dependent on God”.

For believers - our faith is the bedrock upon which the whole of our lives are built.

Intro- My Faith Thoughts

Lately I’ve been getting a fresh look at faith and what it means to trust God.

Some of the reason I’m chosen this topic is for my own benefit, you’ll get to listen in.

Abram or Abraham as we know him now… was a great of the faith.

Sometimes we put great people on pedestials. The only person who should ever be on a “pedestial” is Christ, the God/Man.

But for Abram-

He experienced much and we have a number of accounts of him, his children, and his life in scripture.

But think back on when God first called him. I’ve been challenged by that...

In Genesis 12, we find that God instructs Abram to leave his homeland, Ur of the Chaldeans (Mesopotamia) in the middle east..., for a land God will show him. This land later becomes known as Canaan, and God promises Abram that from him will be born a great nation, future blessings, and a lasting covenant. At one point God later says to Abraham - you’ll be like the stars in the heavens!

Abram, obeying God's call, departs with his family, including his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, and eventually settles in Canaan. 

Genesis 12:1–2 ESV

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

Hebrews 11 summarizes it differently...

Hebrews 11:8–9 LEB

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to a place that he was going to receive for an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived in the land of promise as a stranger, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise.

Anyone ever went on a long tent camping trip at the old age of 75?

Well I’m thirty-one. and the thought of that stresses me out.

I like order, I like to know where I’m pillowing my head at night… do you?

I like to know what I’m doing tomorrow, next month, maybe next year.

Order is good… in fact its essential to have that or you won’t have healthy spiritual disciplies! I suppose too much could be a problem.

But God spoke.

Ur was home for Abraham… it was all he and his family had known… God said it’s time to leave all that.

What was “UR” Like?

From what we can tell from archelogy, and other historical sources -

Ur was a thriving, well-developed city… scholars suggest it was a major center of culture, politics, and trade in the ancient Near East.

Archaeology: Archaeological findings indicate that Ur was a wealthy and technologically advanced city, with large homes, intricate jewelry, and a written language.

The ziggurat of Ur was one of the tallest structures of its time, and the city boasted impressive architectural feats such as well-planned streets and a drainage system.

Economic and Social Life: The economy of Ur was based on agriculture, trade, and craft industries. There were workshops for pottery, textiles, and metalworking. Its markets were bustling, and it likely had contact with other Mesopotamian cities like Babylon and Sumer.

Religion and Culture: The religious life in Ur centered around polytheism, with the worship of various gods.

The ziggurat was the religious heart of the city, where rituals and sacrifices were performed to appease the gods.

Daily Life: In Ur, people lived in multi-room houses made from mud bricks, and the wealthier citizens resided in larger, more decorated homes. The city had a class system, with priests and nobility at the top, and workers, farmers, and slaves at the bottom. The people of Ur were literate, and clay tablets inscribed with cuneiform script have been found that document the city’s administration, trade, and even personal letters.

Here was home.

God says Go.

God says believe what I’m saying… trust my words.

Get up, and get moving. It’s time to go from here.

I’ll show you.

Couple Thoughts:

Abram left at 75 years of age.

God did give him a promise.

His future was completely unknown except what God initally said.

He had no idea where he was headed.

This also meant leaving his job, his income, his planted veggies...

It would mean either great poverty, or great riches.

Abram left his current religion behind to follow God.

Joshua 24:2 tells us that Abram’s father was a worshiper of idols, which likely means that idol worship was familiar to Abram as well.

Leaving behind his father’s house meant leaving behind everything that was familiar, including his religion.

This new God, Yahweh, may not have been as well known as the other false gods in his home. Because Abram left his gods, his home, and obeyed God… it was counted as “righteousness”.

Family Illustration: Tent Pegs

My family and I have been living in Thomasville, NC.

We’ve been blessed by good people, a good church, friends and family… living in a home Em and I built together. We’ve had definitely some difficult moments along the way… some hard lessons.

But also wonderful memories.

In one word: we were confortable.

But God said Go. We both knew it was time, after counsel… we decided to land temporarily in PA where I’m currently doing some projects and preaching on the side.

Point is -

It can be hard to hold the tent pegs in your hand.

For noah it meant his entire home he built, his large garden, his wells, his familys homes, all would be destroyed… along with the world… when he obeyed God and entered the ark. He actively obeyed God.

Why? for the salvation of his house… because he believed God really would send a flood.

Faith… Begins with Belief in What God Says.

Note here i should put a section here about believing God… why should a person beleive God… because hes faithful, he’s good, hes in control… etc....

Apply to church world today… and Danville Holiness Church.

HIS FOUNDATION WAS IN GOD.

God said it.

Words in his word, words through prayer..

Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament By Faith We Understand (11:1–3)

Faith is rooted in the unseen identity and promises of God in Christ, and it is so sure of them that it considers them fully established realities, placing its hope in them completely.

Today God is under attack.

But if your here this morning and your questioning some things… I’d encourage you to

New Home: Now Tent Pegs.

Where they would sleep that night, Abram may not have known every night… but he obeyed.

Faith… is Proven by being “Active”.

Faith is active obedient belief.

ACTIVE BY MOVING.

Dr. Dan Glick - recently posted.. about visiting Bonhoeffers grave… an influencial pastor who was shot by the germans for his faith.

"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil." —D. Bonhoeffer

We cannot remain in a posture of passivity. There is no such thing.

If youve ever been boating or kayaking, you understand.

Water like culture, or our choices move us.

If we don’t paddle, we will float somewhere.

Inaction is itself action.

So it seems… that as I began looking down through this hero chapter…

Hebrews 11 -

We find a lot of active obedient belief.

V1 - Now faith is the belief that one day we will see.

so By faith Abel actively believed God, and obeyed.

by faith Sara believed what God said, and actively obeyed.

She remained in a posture of obedencie even though she didn’t “See” her concieving

by Faith Moses and the Israelites in V29 passed through the red sea… they believed, and actively obeyed.

by Faith even Rahab’s... faith was active, as she risked her life to help the Israelite spies, showing her belief in God's power and promise. 

Faith is activated when we believe, and obey.

Action: According to Webster’s, an action is: 1) to put something into motion; 2) a military encounter to stop hostile forces; 3) to cause change. These are definitions we can use for active faith.

It’s not passive.

If someone says to me… yea I’m starting a daily exercise routine… but they never follow through on that. I don’t belive waht they said… they didn’t activate their believe… and put their feet, and arms in action.

Faith is proven by being active.

ACTIVE WHEN WE SIT.

Sometimes sitting is what God means when he says “Get active”.

"Be still, and know that I am God" comes from Psalm 46:10

For me - I find it easy to be active.

I find it hard to be still.

It actually can take more self control to be still then to be active.

Choosing to sit and wait, or sit and be still is most certainly an active choice. Its especially true when the things playing out before our eyes don’t always make sense.

Wether God calls you to activity, because your tendency is to be passive. Or to stillness, because your tendency is to active.

REVIEW - FAITH IS PROVEN BY BEING ACTIVE.

Notice with Me in all of these they are all followed up by an INTENTIONAL ACT.

Abel: Offered a more acceptable sacrifice to God, demonstrating faith through worship and obedience.

Enoch: Walked with God and was taken up to heaven, showing faith in God’s presence and trust in His plan.

Noah: Built the ark in faith, acting on God’s warning despite the world's skepticism.

Abraham: Left his homeland in obedience to God's call, trusting in His promises even without seeing the fulfillment.

Sarah: Conceived Isaac by faith, believing in God's ability to fulfill His promise despite her old age.

Isaac: Blessed Jacob and Esau by faith, trusting in God's future plan for his descendants.

Jacob: Worshiped and blessed his sons by faith, looking forward to God's promises for Israel.

Joseph: Spoke about the future exodus of Israel, demonstrating faith in God's long-term plan while in Egypt.

Moses' Parents: Hid Moses by faith, trusting in God’s protection for their son in the face of Pharaoh’s decree.

Moses: Chose to suffer with God's people rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin, acting on faith in God's greater reward.

Israelites: Crossed the Red Sea by faith, trusting God to deliver them from Egypt’s army.

Rahab: Hid the Israelite spies by faith, believing in God’s power to deliver her and her family from destruction.

Gideon: Led Israel to victory with a small army, demonstrating faith in God’s power over human weakness.

Barak: Fought against Sisera with Deborah, showing faith by following God’s command even when outnumbered.

Samson: Delivered Israel through acts of strength, demonstrating faith in God's ability to use him despite his flaws.

Jephthah: Led Israel in battle, trusting in God’s will despite his personal sacrifice.

David: Defeated Goliath by faith, trusting in God to overcome the enemy.

Samuel and the Prophets: Led God’s people through faith, speaking His words and acting in obedience, often at great personal cost.

Each of these figures acted in faith, whether through obedience, sacrifice, or waiting for God's fulfillment of promises. Their lives are examples of how faith is active, sometimes requiring bold action, and other times patient trust in God's timing.

Faith… is Maintained by Reminders

From his word.

From God’s people

From history

From his world.

Ever need maintenace on your vehicle.

Illustrate...

Faith... Believes for the Future

None of these greats… saw. They

1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

We can’t make out details.

But they knew.

Illustrate with Email note from monday christian.

and....

Add in dan quote… about him getting shot for his faith...

I need to really hone this in… needs to be encouraging...

Apply to the:

Church

It’s People

Myself.

Summarize

Close in Prayer

Future reward.

Hebrews 11:13 ESV

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.

But this is our promise then… and now.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

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.

He rewards. He rewards with Etnerniity but also present things.

Look with me at:

I’m encouraged by:

English Standard Version Chapter 11

24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward

This is why at the end… the writer says:

Hebrews 11:38 ESV

of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Active Faith must “Recall”

There are seasons of live we all go through:

Wether your a young person who’s recently graduated… and are facing the next major lifes decsions ahead.

Your a middle age parent who is in the think of lifes daily tasks from mothering the children to managing the finances, or working hard on the job…

Wether your an empty nester where life has been a bit more quiet… which means more time to do, and go… but also more time to think.

Or an older saint who is entering those “legacy” years… where you haev time to give and leave a legacy through wisdom, or encouragment to future generations.

All require faith along the journey.

Faith in a God. A good faithful God.

At times I’m positive… all of these “Greats”… had to recall the faithfulness of God.

You and I will have to remind ourselves.

David in:

Psalm 77:11-12 "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds."

Psalm 103:2 "Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases."

1 Thessalonians 5:24 "The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."

Henry discusses the transformative power of true faith, stating:

"True faith is never alone, but produces a strong love to Jesus Christ."

He elaborates that genuine faith leads to:

A sincere love for Christ.

Joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.

A steadfast hope, even amidst trials.

Henry also draws a comparison between faith and gold:

"Gold does not increase by trial in the fire, it becomes less; but faith is made firm, and multiplied, by troubles and afflictions."

This analogy illustrates that, unlike gold, faith grows stronger when tested.

The reward of faith (from Hebrews 11:2)

Faith requires action and obedience (from Hebrews 11:6)