Walk by Faith

Introduction

Hudson’s career change - from Batman to piano teacher? Batman much more exciting…

Our culture loves stories of heroes - whether it’s Marvel movies or ordinary people performing heroic acts.

- a chapter of heroes - men and women who trusted God even when it didn’t make logical sense to trust God. An inspiring chapter!

William Borden - Imagine - a 16 year-old-boy and an heir to the biggest company in the United States - - Death - “No Regret”

https://outreachmagazine.com/features/discipleship/31313-william-borden-life-without-regret.html

Inspiring stories - how do I have that kind of faith? My faith seems so weak in comparison - yours probably does as well.

- Jewish believers needed encouragement! Because of persecution considered leaving Jesus and going back to Judaism. Writer: Don’t go back! These Jewish Christians needed to be reminded of those who had gone before them - they placed their lives on the line as they awaited the coming of the true hero: Jesus. Hebrews: “Put your eyes on the real hero - because He is better than anything the Jewish faith has to offer you.”

Writer - Don’t go back - Jesus is better than anything Judaism offers! And, consider those who’ve gone before you - men and women of faith who longed for the day the Messiah would come. - We are are not the kind of people that shrink back. We, like the OT Saints, are people of faith.

As we get closer to end of 100 Day Journey - is a great place to stop and remind ourselves of where we’ve been on the journey. A great place to stop and consider our own faith - because your faith has been weak like these early Jewish Christians.

Three simple ways to walk by faith:

Trust what God has shown you.

- The writer gives the most famous definition of faith in the Bible. Faith is confident certainty - Faith is confidence that God is and will do what He promised He will do.

The writer begins his list of people who walked by faith. He begins with Abel and Enoch before vs. 6 - Enoch pleased God by faith therefore - “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” And - God reward those who seek Him - God honors faith!

Noah - Build an ark in the middle of the dessert when it hasn’t even rained?

Abraham - Leave homeland and follow - someday I will give you land and descendants. Through you all the nations of the earth will be blessed () What a promise! Abe 75 years old - Not the time for a career change and planning for a family. (Imagine the conversation with Sarah… “Let’s go… I don’t know where we’re going, but let’s go...”) Left everything looking for a better homeland… (vs. 10)

Sarah - trusted God would keep His promise.

Vs. 13 - 16 Abe and Sarah didn’t see numerous descendants and a land of their own. They didn’t see the blessing but trusted God to give future generations what they hoped for - looking for a better place.

vs. 17 - Abe - sacrificed Isaac believing that God would resurrect him.

Isaac - future blessings on his sons. Jacob - future blessings on Joseph’s sons -

vs. 21 - Jacob - blessed Joseph’s sons as he died in Egypt - Born in Egypt but they are mine. () - believing that they would leave Egypt some day. Joseph - “Take my bones out of here.”

Moses - traded the comforts of wealth and prestige of growing up in Pharaoh’s home for a life - “chose to be mistreated rather than the fleeting pleasures of sin.” (11:25) “Considered the reproach of Christ greater.” (11:26) Moses joined himself with the God’s people just like Jesus would do 1500 years later.

Passover - imagine - Blood on doorposts? What? Egyptians - “What are you doing?”

Faith to cross the Red Sea - Fear of taking that first step - Would sea swallow?

Faith at walls of Jericho - Here’s a battle strategy: March around the city one time for six days and on 7th day do it 7 times.

Faith of Rahab - Hide Jewish spies?

Why did all of these people act in such bold faith? One word: revelation.

While we can’t see God, faith isn’t blind acceptance of God. Faith is not believing without evidence. Instead, faith is trust based on what God has shown you about Himself.

- examples of people who responded to God’s revelation. Noah - didn’t just decide to build a boat. God showed Him. Abe - God told Abe to leave. God visited Sarah. Burning bush for Moses. Word of the power of God spread to Rahab.

God is not asking us to trust on blind faith - He’s asking us to trust based on revelation. God has gone to great lengths to reveal Himself to us:

Revealed Himself in Creation -

Revealed Himself in Creation -

Revealed Himself in your conscious - sense of right and wrong - where did that come from? - set eternity in your heart.

Revealed Himself in your circumstances - You’ve seen God at work at just the right time - No other way to explain it than God - a healing, strength to make it through, etc.

Revealed Himself in His Word - wants us to know Him and plan of salvation

Revealed in His Word - given us the Bible to know Him and how

Revealed Himself at the cross - Not an out there somewhere God, but near - desiring relationship with us - and made it possible through death and resurrection of Jesus.

What has God shown you?

God has gone to great lengths to reveal Himself to you - you can trust Him!

How have you responded to what God has shown you? With trust? Or, are you ignoring His revelation?

Staci revealing that she was interested in me - Green light to pursue.

Do what God tells you.

Faith is not simply believing that God exists. Faith isn’t really faith until you act on your belief. Faith is doing what God tells you.

Noah built. Abraham left. Sarah prepared for a baby. Jacob blessed. Joseph instructed. Moses chose his people. Joshua fought. Each of these people of faith did something in response to the revelation of God.

- Faith without works is dead. So what if you believe there’s a God? How has that changed your life? How are you living in response to what you say you believe? Consider how these OT believers set an example of how to obey:

We obey reverently (vs. 7 - Noah’s reverent fear) - I obey out of awe.

We obey precisely - ( - Noah built the ark exactly as God told Him.) - No shortcuts in faith. No half-way obedience. No delayed obedience - delayed obedience = disobedience. (Well, I sort of shared my faith. I said “God bless you.” Or, I’ll get to it when life slows down.) We do exactly what God tells us.

We obey sacrificially - Abraham leaving family, sacrificing son. Moses leaving a life of luxury for a life of persecution. What has God told you to sacrifice? Some of you are ignoring a call to give more of your time and resources. Some of you are ignoring a call to leave a career to go on mission.

We obey hopefully - Jacob and Joseph - Obeyed knowing it would be years before God fulfilled His promise. We obey knowing God doesn’t work on our time schedule, but He who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it. ()

- Remember the old hymn, “Trust and Obey?” Exactly what you see in . Would that describe you? In what areas of your life are refusing to obey? What has God instructed you in His Word that you refuse to do? Forgive? Let go of a certain sin?

Persevere even when you don’t clearly see God’s plan coming to fruition.

Message to Hebrews - Keep on! Persevere! It’s what the faithful of the OT did.

No time to tell you of faith Gideon, Barak, David, Samuel, prophets, etc.

And countless others that you don’t know there story - Faithful people who were tortured, stoned, killed with sword, imprisoned, etc. To know you are afraid you will lose your lives, but consider the untold number of nameless faithful people who kept on living for God even though it cost them everything and they died as nobodies.

In those moments of suffering undoubtedly questions - “Why God? When will you deliver me? How long must I suffer?”

This morning - you might ask the same questions because you feel like a nobody suffering for nothing - you don’t see clearly God’s plan coming to fruition:

A bad marriage - “God, how long until my spouse finally sees his need for you?”

Incurable cancer - “God, why do I have this disease? I won’t get to see my children grow up.”

Loneliness - “God, when will I find someone to share my life with?”

Barrenness - “Will we ever have children?”

In your suffering, “Why? When? How?” Natural to question - Hebrews questioning - “We gave our lives to Jesus, and now we suffer?” Writer, “Hold on. Many have suffered before you - nameless - but persevered in faith believing the promises of God - He will deliver us from this broken world and bring us into His eternal Kingdom - and in the process He will bless the world through you as you proclaim the Gospel even in your suffering - so press on. Faith = believing the promises of God and acting on those promises.

Vs. 39 - All these commended did not receive what was promised - (Vs. 13-16) - Walked by faith even though they never received the fulfillment of the promises in Christ - If Hebrew Christians received Christ, how much more should they be willing to walk by faith?

Cross is proof that we can trust God, and cross is proof that trusting Christ is worth it.

William Borden - Imagine - a 16 year-old-boy and an heir to the biggest company in the United States - - Death - “No Regret”

https://outreachmagazine.com/features/discipleship/31313-william-borden-life-without-regret.html - https://www.spiritofgrace.org/articles/nl_2011/william_borden.html No Reserve - no holding back, No Retreat - no turning back when life gets tough, No Regret - I’m never going to regret following Jesus no matter where it takes me.

No Reserve - no holding back, No Retreat - no turning back when life gets tough, No Regret - I’m never going to regret following Jesus no matter where it takes me.

Struggling with faith? Look back for encouragement and be reminded of countless people who have fixed their eyes on Jesus. ()

Cross is proof we can trust God with every area of our lives. Struggling with faith? Go to the cross.

Not a believer? Today join the countless number of people who have trusted in Christ. He’s revealed Himself to you - you are without excuse. Will you take your first step of faith? Will you believe that Jesus died for you and rose again? Will you turn from your sin and give Him control of your life?

Believer - Maybe you’re weary - Asking, “Why? When? How long?” - Consider those who have gone before you and run with endurance. Better yet, consider the One who endured with joy. () This morning - renew your faith. Trust His revelation, repent of disobedience, start obeying, and persevere.