The Life of Faith

I want to invite you to open your copy of God’s Word and join me in Hebrews chapter 11.

“Keep the faith” — what does this mean? “hope-so” // for Christians, “know-so”

In fact, for Christians, faith is not a blind leap…it’s a confident step. It’s not based on an unsettled/hesitant wish…it’s boldness based on assurance from God.

It’s a lengthy passage and we’re going to read the whole thing so buckle up. Most preaching professors advise AGAINST reading such large portions of scripture in a sermon…but…I’ve got my diploma and I’m not trying to earn a grade anymore.

This text is a treatise on faith. It is probably the most well-known passage in all of God’s Word on the subject of faith. Most people know Hebrews chapter 11 as “The Hall of Faith” chapter. Why does the author break off into this, basically, an overview of the OT and the major characters of the OT and discuss their faith? Actually, he breaks into a sermon! So, why does he do this?

Remember last week! Verses 32-39 are all about enduring through persecution. Remember—Jesus is worth it!

Look at what he’s just said…

Hebrews 10:39 “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

MPT: The author is continuing to urge these believers on toward perseverance. To press on.

So, he breaks out in a sermon to say, “remember these great heroes of faith…OF FAITH. These were very imperfect and flawed people. They struggled. They trusted God’s promises. They obeyed God’s Word…and…none of them ever saw the complete picture of what God was doing…YET THEY PERSEVERED TO THE END. The author is reminding the readers—and us—that we aren’t the first to walk this journey of faith. We’re in good company (as he will say in chapter 12, we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses).

And, I’m willing to bet that many of us here today need to hear this word.

So, here we go. Let’s dig in.

Hebrews 11:1–40 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

The author begins this sermon with an introductory thesis statement. This is not a “definition” of faith…but rather what “faith” looks like. The rest of the chapter is verse one lived out in the lives of OT and present-day people of faith.

Assurance of things hoped for

Conviction of things not seen

Commendation—God was pleased with them (vs. 6).

What he’s saying is that faith is trusting in God’s promises because of God’s faithfulness even though we may not see the immediate fulfillment right in front of us—or may not even see the fulfillment in our lifetime here on earth and living in obedience to Him because of that trust…and those who trust and obey God receive the approval of God.

Main Idea: From start to finish, the Christian life is lived by faith—saving faith, sanctifying faith, and sustaining faith.

1. Saving Faith (5 Minutes)

Faith that justifies once-and-for-all.

Definition: Taking God at His word in the gospel and resting in Christ alone for salvation.

Examples in Hebrews 11:

Abel (v. 4) — by faith, his offering was accepted, and he was counted righteous.

Enoch (vv. 5–6) — pleased God because he believed God exists and rewards seekers.

Noah (v. 7) — trusted God’s warning of judgment and was delivered.

Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.

Faith—repent and believe

By grace you have been saved THROUGH FAITH…not of works.

Application: Saving faith isn’t works. It’s not merit. It’s trusting the promise of God fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:28).

2. Sanctifying Faith (5 Minutes)

Do you realize that you’re called to live by faith every single day? Not just faith that God is going to provide…but that God has provided and that you are trusting and obeying?

Sanctifying faith obeys daily.

Sanctifying faith is ongoing trust in God’s promises that produces obedience, holiness, and Christlikeness.

Examples in Hebrews 11:

Abraham (vv. 8–10) — obeyed by leaving his homeland, living as a pilgrim looking for a heavenly city.

Sarah (v. 11) — received strength to conceive because she considered God faithful.

Moses (vv. 24–28) — chose affliction over sin’s pleasures, endured by seeing the invisible God.

Israel at Jericho (v. 30) — trusted God to bring down walls that no army could.

Let me (simplify?) this for us. Every single day we face temptations to sin. Those temptations boil down to this—am I going to trust God and His provision in my life and obey His word, or am I going seek my own way?

Adam & Eve

Every decision made in light of eternity

Application: The same faith that saves us also sanctifies us. We walk by faith, not sight (2 Cor. 5:7). If your faith never leads you to obey Christ, you need to question whether it is real.

3. Sustaining Faith (5 Minutes)

Faith that perseveres to the end.

Sustaining faith is forward-looking trust in God’s promises that sustains us through suffering until glory.

Let me remind you of what I said a moment ago—faith is trusting in God’s promises because of God’s faithfulness…even though we may no see the fulfillment on this side of eternity.

Examples in Hebrews 11:

The judges, prophets, David, Samuel (vv. 32–34) — conquered, triumphed, endured.

Others (vv. 35–38) — tortured, mocked, imprisoned, even killed — yet they clung to the promise of “a better resurrection.” The world was not worthy of them.

All of them (vv. 39–40) — commended through faith, though not yet receiving the fullness of the promise until Christ.

Instant gratification—we want the assurance and we want the fulfillment right now.

2 Corinthians 4:7–11 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Sustaining faith is what lead Job to say…

Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.”

Sustaining faith is what led Shadrach Meshach, and Abednego to say,

Daniel 3:17–18 “…our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Sustaining faith is what leads believers today to say:

I may not be healed of this cancer here on earth but I will be healed fully and completely in heaven.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Voddie Baucham — "You are going to hear a rumor one day that Voddie Baucham is no more. Don't you believe it! Don't you believe it. Don't you believe it. Because though I die I will rise with Christ."

This is the same faith found in verse 35:

Hebrews 11:35 “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.”

Missionaries in South Asia (stats)

This is the faith that says…

Hebrews 11:13–16 “I am a stranger and exile on the earth. I am seeking a homeland. I 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.”

Next Steps:

1. Have I trusted in Christ, by faith, for salvation?

2. This week, how can I walk with Christ by faith in obedience to become more like Him?

3. In what areas of my life do I need to hold fast to Christ for perseverance to the end?