Chapel 9/3/26

Open in Song - All Creatures Of Our God And King

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Recitation: Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Sing - His Mercy Is More

Teach - Hebrews 11:1-3

Intro - during these times we are going to begin looking at Hebrews 11. So if you have a Bible please open with me there. We are looking at what has come to be known as the hall of faith. Can anyone guess why?

Because there are so many people of faith mentioned here. From able to Abraham to David and on. This chapter tells us of people who shut mouths of lions, defeated giants, and had epic journeys and more. But before we even get to the first person mentioned we are told of a description of faith. So if someone who can read would read Hebrews 11:1 for us?

Now, have you ever heard faith described like this, faith is like sitting in a chair. It is the trust you put in what you are sitting in. It is not known if a chair is going to hold you or not, so it is trust in something unseen… have you heard it described like that? I have, I have ever described it like that. But I am no longer describing it like that. You know why? Becuase faith is something so amazing, something so supernatural…

Faith in a chair is not supernatural. It is ordinary. And you know what, it’s not very amazing, it is scientific… you know the basic laws of science. Most of you over the age of 6 or 7 can make a decision, if that chair will hold you or not, based on what you know about physics, and can spot chairs that probably won’t hold you too. That’s not faith, that is reasoning… it is trust in some for, or fashion, but the faith described in Hebrews 11 is something different and more beautiful.

What we will hear about is people who had faith in God. Faith in his promises, in his word, in what he said he would do. They acted, they lived based on what he told them. Many of them never saw him, and by that I mean the version of him he used in th Old Testament to talk to people. Some saw a burning bush, some saw the angel of the lord. Some had a vision. But what they did have was his promise, they had his word.

Many people use headrests 11:1 as a definition of faith. In some sense it is close. But it’s not a full definition of the Christian’s faith. The faith that we know on this side of the cross. The faith that saves…. It is true that faith is an assurance. What does it mean to be assured of something?

It is something you have thought about, you have considered it. Faith is also described here as a conviction of things not seen. So we haven’t touched it. It is a promise. It’s a word.

For us to have a full definition of the Christian faith we need to add a few details. Faith in what? Faith in our church? Faith in our mom or dad? Faith in our growing knowledge of the Bible? No.

The Heidelberg catechism describes faith as an assured knowledge in all that good has revealed in his word. Well, what’s the first thing that he tells about in his word? CREATION. Someone read verse 3… we weren’t there, we didn’t see it, but we have reasoned… someone made it, someone eternal, someone all powerful, someone sovereign.

Secondly the Heidelberg catechism says faith is a hearty trust in the gospel that is worked in me through the holy spirit….

This includes a hearty trust that god freely gives 1) forgiveness of sins 2) everlasting righteousness and salvation, by grace alone, Because of the merits of Christ.

But have you seen any of those things? No. They have been told to you. You can have these things, you can be fully forgiven, you can have a son or daughter relationship with the holy, awesome, creator of the universe.

1 Peter 1:8–9 “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”

Now, why does faith matter?

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”

The Heidelberg catechism asks, are all men saved in Christ? How would you answer that? No, all men are not safe unless they have had faith given to them from God and receive it with all its benefits.

But listen, they had a faith in something that would come to be after they were Lon gone, they suffered hard lives and were treated poorly Becuase of their faith. But we have the best news, the fullness of our faith is possible through Jesus Christ. He died for the sins of the world. He lived a perfect life, and offers you his perfection. Without it no one will ever see God. But faith in Christ, an assurance and hearty trust in his death and resurrection as your means of salvation guarantees you life with God forever in heaven.

That is way better than a chair, yes? Jesus is better than anything we put our faith in on earth, so I urge you, place your faith in Christ again today. Trust him. An important aspect of faith is that it acts. It doesn’t stay in your head. Many of the verse in this chapter begin with, by faith… they lived and acted BECUASE of what they believed. Their belief caused them to live a certain way. To do certain things or not do certain other things.

Listen, the people we are going to hear about are more than moral example of good actions, many of them messed up so bad. What is your biggest mess up? (Any broken windows?) many of them messed up worse than that! Remember that jesus has appeased God, you can’t without him, he sees your weakness, your mess ups, and doubts and fears. You without him will never be enough, but faith, just a little faith, faith like mustard seed is enough to save you and give you eternal life.

Romans 10:8–10 “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, leading to righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, leading to salvation.”

Sing the Doxology

Close in Prayer