Sermon Tone Analysis

In our study through Hebrews, we’re in the Hall of Heroes Who Endured by Faith.

We just passed Moses, though we aren’t finished completely with him yet as we turn to the faith of “the people” of Israel at the Red Sea and at Jericho (upon entering the promised land).

And within the walls of Jericho we find faith in a most conspicuous place—in the heart of Rahab, the Canaanite prostitute.

Let’s Read Hebrews 11:27-31

PRAY

The Bible is nothing if not authoritative and relevant.

(Let me explain why I’m beginning with that today.)

We of all people ought to believe that God’s word is fully authoritative for faith and practice.

And because God’s word emanates from the Living God, we understand why it is “living and active” as the author of Hebrews proclaims with vivid imagery (Heb.

4:12).

That means the Bible’s truth is both eternal and current; it’s relevant to you today.

Adhered to by faith, God’s word has power to cut to our wicked inner secrets and give us new desires that align with the heart of God.

(an example - The fruit of the Spirit - Gal. 5:22-23) Again, the Bible is authoritative and relevant.

With that said, let’s head back to our current place in Hebrews, where we’re swimming in the theme of faith, marching through this historical list of God’s people who endured by faith.

The point of the list is that these heroes are ultimately “commended” for faith... and nothing else.

And yet, without the work of Christ, even their faith would have been for naught.

11:39-40 - Even so, as we proceed through the list we find that with each example given their are in fact evident ways that we find the Bible’s relevance to daily exercising faith.

So when we consider the faith of these individuals or groups in their context, we find faith’s relevance to our own situations—our Red Sea’s, Jericho’s, and sinful pasts, if you will...)

In the context of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea and later walking circles around a fortified city, and through the eyes of Rahab (a Canaanite prostitute rescued by faith), we learn that by faith we trust God to do what we cannot possibly do for ourselves.

We are utterly dependent on His sufficiency.

We embrace this motto by faith: “God, do for me what I cannot do on my own.”

Our faith lies in an all-sufficient God.

[Let’s return to our first example of God’s sufficiency in impossible circumstances.]

Follow you through where, God?

So Isreal has come out of Egypt after the 10th and final plague, when the destroyer passed over the homes of the Israelites but put to death the firstborn in every Egyptian household.

God plundered the Egyptians—much had been destroyed by the plagues, and much of their riches given to Israel in sending them away.

Thus a mass of 2-3 million Israelites left Egypt on foot with all their possessions.

Not long after, Pharaoh, not surprisingly, has once again had a change of heart and is in hot pursuit with soldiers and horses and chariots.

Meanwhile, Isreal finds themselves at the edge of the Red Sea, certain that their is no escape from Pharaoh’s wrath.

And man they’re perfectly calm about it and full of faith.

Um, no.

They’re freaking out and giving Moses the what-for.

So why does our text talk about their faith?

In fact, with all their grumbling, we might be surprised the text doesn’t simply continue speaking of Moses’ faith.

He was the one most obviously demonstrating faith: Exodus 14:13-14

But then in v. 15 God also told Moses to command the people to go forward and that when Moses stretched out his staff, God divide the waters.

When Moses did as God said, God produced a strong east wind all night (now that’s some serious wind) and made a path of dry land right through the waters.

And here is where the Israelites exercised faith: Ex. 14:22

What did God do with the pursuing Egyptians?

- Ex. 14:28

Here’s a reminder of faith’s relevance from the example given by our author of Hebrews :

Faith knows that God’s way is sure.

It may not seem like it from our perspective when God tells us to do something, but God’s way is more secure.

Even when we’re crossing over (or passing through) overwhelming problems too big for us to handle.

- God hasn’t called us to the path of least resistance, but the path of faith in Him.

Wholly dependent on him is right where he wants us.

When we’re weak, He’s strong—and that’s the point and the plan.

Also note that the very path of faith that led to Israel’s deliverance was the means to defeat God’s enemies.

- We certainly don’t want to be known for grumbling our way into grace, and whining our way into obeying God.

But eventually the Israelites trusted God and obeyed when he told them to go forward.

The Egyptians, we understand, (in spite of all God’s power they had seen) STILL lacked faith that the God of Israel was the true living God.

Their obstinate, willful ignorance led to their destruction.

The work of Jesus the Messiah is the path of righteousness (of restoration to God) for those who believe, but his sacrificial death and victorious resurrection is also the seal of judgment for those who refuse to put their faith in Him.

Now as our author’s list progresses, it’s not surprising that this same generation’s faithLESSness in the wilderness gets skipped over.

He pointed out earlier their LACK of faith (Heb.

3:16-19)… their disobedience that led to wandering 40 years in the wilderness and not getting to see the promised land.

And since the purpose here is to elevate examples of faith, the author moves on to the subsequent generation that had renewed instruction to obey God by faith.

So the next two examples of faith come in the era of Israel’s invasion into the land Canaan.

V is for Victorious God.

So we jump forward (over the Jordan River this time) to Joshua and Jericho, to a second illustration of the people of Isreal having faith.

(Peter O’Brien) “Faith consisted in their readiness to act in accordance with God’s instructions; the people faithfully carried these out until the city fell.”

- Remember what happened?

Israel had been instructed to come in and conquer all the inhabitants of the land.

Now bc they had already heard about God’s mighty deeds for the people of Isreal, the Canaanites shut themselves up inside the fortified city of Jericho.

So Joshua and the people needed to take this city, but they had a wall problem.

God had unique was of bringing down this wall (in Joshua 6).

No doubt it sounded peculiar, but under Joshua’s leadership, Isreal obeyed God’s instructions by marching around the wall, blowing trumpets constantly, while the people themselves remained silent (no shouting).

They did this each day one time for six days.

On day seven they marched 7 times, and after the final time, when the trumpets blew, Joshua gave the people permission to shout.

When they did, the walls crumbled.

Irony?: Joshua 6:27 ha ha.

Here’s another reminder of faith’s relevance from the example given:

Faith knows that God will win.

God tests our faith to see if we really believe that it is ultimately HE who gives victory.

God’s aim is his glory, and his glory is our highest good.

Isaiah 48:9-11

Beholding his glory is our highest good.

By faith we accept the testing of our faith as a means of his glorification, of proving it is He who is victorious.

And let’s not forget that God raises up men to lead us in the faith.

Pray that you will be such a man, and be obedient in the little things.

Ps.

Follow such men.

- Don’t look to their stature or even gifting; look to their faith.

(Find someone with a demonstrated consistency in their faith.

- If you follow every new exciting guy, you’re gonna get burned.)

Don’t look to what they can do for you or that they’re precisely your “style;” look to their faith.

Do your kids need to see you have great business success, or is it better that they remember your faith?

Do I benefit more by seeing the generations above me living comfortably in retirement, or by seeing you continue to humbly and sacrificially serve by faith?

One more application here: Our following God by faith looks to the world like nonsense/foolishness. (The tragedy is that they are those who are perishing.

1 Cor.

1:18)

There is literally a CBS TV sitcom coming out called Living Biblically, about a guy who decides to start living his life according to the Bible and keep record of it in his column in the newspaper.

I’m confident that it will insult and offend us, as well as stoke the flames of those who view bible-believing Christianity as a laughingstock.

This stuff shouldn’t surprise us, but by faith we understand biblically that God will be proven right.

Though his victory be delayed, you can rest assured that it will be complete.

- So we must not be ashamed of the gospel (Rom.

1:16)… and we must literally live to bear the message of the cross, through which one day God will be proven right.

- Though now for a while the world mocks us, God will vindicate the righteous—those who live obediently by faith.

With that said, we must be careful in all this not to look down our nose at how the world responds, bc apart from God’s grace through faith, we are exactly the same.

We really must view ourselves like the final faith figure for today—the Canaanite prostitute—a sinner far from God.

Rahab-ilitated

I know the pun is a painfully bad joke, but we’ll see that the result of Rahab’s faith was transformational.