Faith: The Foundation and Basis for Hope and Endurance

Our text this morning from Hebrews chapter 11 is probably the best known and most preached-on text from the Epistle to the Hebrews. But, perhaps, this morning you will hear it in a different way than you have heard it addressed in the past. Often, I think, we approach this text as what has commonly been called “The Hall of Faith.” The focus has tended to be on the individuals mentioned and how they were such great saints and individuals, as if their faith was something they produced, and we are encouraged to look at them as examples to follow and emulate.

Our text this morning from Hebrews chapter 11 is probably the best known and most preached-on text from the Epistle to the Hebrews.

But, perhaps, this morning you will hear it in a different way than you have heard it addressed in the past.

Often, I think, we approach this text as what has commonly been called “The Hall of Faith.” The focus has tended to be on the individuals mentioned and how they were such great saints and individuals, as if their faith was something they produced, and we are encouraged to look at them as examples to follow and emulate.

In essence, if you aspire to be a good Christian, you need to be like the people mentioned in .

There is some truth to that in that those saints we read about in the Scriptures and throughout the history of the Church do give us salutary examples that should inspire us to continue to trust in Christ and run the race set before us faithfully. But if that’s all we hear about and that becomes our primary focus, this whole passage becomes a burdensome law that we try and fail continually to keep.

But if that’s all we hear about and that becomes our primary focus, this whole passage becomes a burdensome law that we try and fail continually to keep.

This is how I understood this passage and the Scriptures for much of my early life. When I was growing up in the church through just after high school, the impression of the Scriptures that I had was that it gave us rules to follow and the people featured in the Scriptures were there as examples of good Christians who did what they were supposed to do and if I wanted to be a good Christian, I needed to do the things that they did.

Of course, the only one in all the Scriptures who did exactly what he was supposed to do is Jesus himself. I had no delusions of perfection, and so I understood that I couldn’t do the things that Jesus did, though I was under the impression that I should striving for that.

So, I figured the next best thing would be to look at the disciples and other faithful saints and try to be like them. Of course, I failed in that as well. And so I thought that I was a lousy Christian because I couldn’t even do what the disciples did (in my understanding at the time).

What I missed in all of this, included, was Jesus and his faithfulness to me in living for me, suffering, bleeding, and dying for me, and rising again from the dead so that I may also rise from the dead on the Last Day. What I missed was that Jesus not only begins the Christian life but he also sustains it and brings it to its completion on the Last Day, the Day of Resurrection from the dead.

And so we need to be careful how we approach the accounts of various people in the Scriptures. They can never be our ultimate focus, for they did not author their own or our faith, nor do they keep us in the faith. Rather it is Christ, and Christ alone, who gives us faith and keeps us in that faith unto everlasting life.

There is another misunderstanding that I think hinders our understanding of the Scriptures and of this passage here in Hebrews.

So often, I think, in the church today and for quite a while, we tend to regard ourselves as “New Testament” Christians and those stories and accounts and writings in the Old Testament record for us things that happened a long time ago and to a people far removed from us: the Old Covenant nation of Israel.

Or we make a mistake in a different direction: we think that the Old Testament only applies to the physical nation of Israel, so that we equate the nation of Israel under the Old Covenant with the nation of Israel from the beginning of the New Covenant to our own day, thereby divorcing the Old Testament from the New Testament and from ourselves, the Church.

The author of Hebrews, who is preaching to his congregation in this epistle, helps us to correct both of these errors.

Just think about this for a moment. When you hear of the “Church,” or the “Early Church,” what comes to mind? I’m guessing that what most often comes to mind is the New Testament, particularly those writings that come after Pentecost and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh. And we may think of those Christians who lived shortly after the time of the Apostles–people like Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Polycarp, St. Athanasius, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and more like them.

But in reality, the Church has always existed. Even before the fall of Adam and Eve into sin, the Church was created by God.

If you remember, when God created Adam and Eve, he placed into the Garden of Eden the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He instructed Adam and Eve that they may eat of any tree in the Garden except this one. And every time that Adam and Eve walked by that Tree without eating from it, they were worshipping God and trusting in his Word. Indeed, Martin Luther is quite perceptive when he spoke of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil as the altar at which Adam and Eve worshipped. And so Adam and Eve lived by faith in the Garden of Eden before the Fall into sin.

And every time that Adam and Eve walked by that Tree without eating from it, they were worshipping God and trusting in his Word. Indeed, Martin Luther is quite perceptive when he spoke of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil as the altar at which Adam and Eve worshipped.

And so Adam and Eve lived by faith in the Garden of Eden before the Fall into sin.

And we know that, tragically, eventually they would rebel against God in unbelief, trusting the word of the Serpent over the Word of God, and they would eat from that Tree, plunging themselves and all who came from them–all humanity save Jesus Himself–into sin and death. But into the midst of this tragedy and their rebellion against him, God comes to Adam and Eve with words of judgment, but also with a word of promise to be believed. That promise was that one day the Seed of the woman would crush the head of the Serpent. This was the first promise of the coming Messiah who would accomplish the redemption of sinners.

But into the midst of this tragedy and their rebellion against him, God comes to Adam and Eve with words of judgment, but also with a word of promise to be believed.

That promise was that one day the Seed of the woman would crush the head of the Serpent. This was the first promise of the coming Messiah who would accomplish the redemption of sinners.

And God removed their self-made garments of fig leaves and clothed them in animal skins, foreshadowing and picturing God clothing us in the righteousness of his promised Messiah, Jesus Christ. And so from the very beginning, salvation has been by faith in the promise of God, which has its fulfillment in Christ, for the forgiveness of sins.

And so from the very beginning, salvation has been by faith in the promise of God, which has its fulfillment in Christ, for the forgiveness of sins.

Adam and Eve trusted the promise of God. Their son, Abel, lived by faith. Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, John the Baptist, and so many others also lived by faith in the promise of God. And this has continued ever since. The Church has always existed. The point that author of Hebrews is making at the beginning of chapter 11 is that the history of God’s people in the Old Testament and the history of God’s saving actions in the Old Testament is the history of him and his congregation and, by extension, it is our history too.

And this has continued ever since. The Church has always existed. The point that author of Hebrews is making at the beginning of chapter 11 is that the history of God’s people in the Old Testament and the history of God’s saving actions in the Old Testament is the history of him and his congregation and, by extension, it is our history too.

By the way, this is why in the Communion service I include, along with the Words of Institution that our Lord spoke over the bread and wine at the Last Supper, a recounting of the history of God’s salvation of his people–those who trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. That history is our history too. St. Paul makes this same assertion when he teaches in the Epistle to the Romans that the true descendants of Abraham are those who share the faith of Abraham, regardless of their physical ethnic lineage.

St. Paul makes this same assertion when he teaches in the Epistle to the Romans that the true descendants of Abraham are those who share the faith of Abraham, regardless of their physical ethnic lineage.

The author of Hebrews also makes this point again when he says that, after listing off a number of Old Testament saints, they died in faith, not having received what was promised–the eternal city of God, the new heavens and new earth–so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. Did you hear that? Those who came before us and died in faith are still waiting to receive the eternal city of God, the reward of their faith in his promises, because God will not give it to them apart from us.

Did you hear that? Those who came before us and died in faith are still waiting to receive the eternal city of God, the reward of their faith in his promises, because God will not give it to them apart from us.

And so we stand in a long line of the faithful. From Adam and Eve to Noah to Abraham to Moses to David to John the Baptist, to the Apostles, and many more. We are of one people and body with them, together we are those who have been rescued from sin, death, and the power of the devil by the cleansing, powerful, saving blood of Jesus Christ. And together, with them and with all who have believed in between them and us, and with all those who will come after us, if our Lord tarries in his return, we will all as one people of God, one body of believers in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, will be raised from the dead on that Last Day, that great Day of Resurrection, and we will together as one enter into the eternal city of our God, the new heavens and new earth, forever to dwell together with our God and Savior as His one people.

And together, with them and with all who have believed in between them and us, and with all those who will come after us, if our Lord tarries in his return, we will all as one people of God, one body of believers in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, will be raised from the dead on that Last Day, that great Day of Resurrection, and we will together as one enter into the eternal city of our God, the new heavens and new earth, forever to dwell together with our God and Savior as His one people.

This is what the author of Hebrews is getting at with this passage. This is what he wants to communicate to his congregation, and to us. Let’s keep that in mind as we take a look at this section of the Epistle to the Hebrews.

The author begins his sermon with a proverb: “Now faith is the basis of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen, for, because of this kind of faith, the people of old were attested by God.”

The author begins his sermon with a proverb: “Now faith is the basis of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen, for, because of this kind of faith, the people of old were attested by God.” Verse 1 has often been treated as a definition of faith, and verse 2 is seen as a separate statement from verse 1 and has often been translated,

Verse 1 has often been treated as a definition of faith, and verse 2 is seen as a separate statement from verse 1 and has often been translated,

“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.”

However, this doesn’t really work very well as a definition of what faith is and separating verses 1 and 2 into two distinct statements doesn’t fit very well with the rest of the passage. Faith is simply trust, and that trust that is spoken of here and elsewhere in the Scriptures is that trust that finds its object in the trustworthy Word and promise of God, which is ultimately trust in the very Son of God himself, Jesus Christ.

Faith is simply trust, and that trust that is spoken of here and elsewhere in the Scriptures is that trust that finds its object in the trustworthy Word and promise of God, which is ultimately trust in the very Son of God himself, Jesus Christ.

This statement is better understood as a proverb and it serves as the topic heading for all of chapter 11 and into chapter 12:2. What follows in is an exposition and demonstration that this is true.

The author of Hebrews is going to show that the basis for the hope that those he will mention had was the faith they had in the Word of God and his promise. He also seeks to show the reward of this kind of faith: attestation or vindication by God that their faith was right and true, and this is done by God giving to them what he promised, what they trusted him for.

And so this proverb in verses 1 and 2 govern this whole section from 11:3-12:2.

We see in verse 3, again, the language of “we”–the author who is preaching and the congregation to whom he preaches. And we are included in this as well. And not only that, but the preacher and his congregation, and us, are included together with all people of faith in Christ.

He states, “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.”

No amount of human reasoning can come to the conclusion that God created the universe by speaking it into existence. But on the basis of this faith given to us, we can perceive and discern that which is hidden from our physical eyes: “God’s hidden craftsmanship in his creation and maintenance of the world and its sequence of ages.”

John Kleinig sums it up well in his commentary on Hebrews:

“The invisible source of creation is God’s utterance, which produces visible results by its powerful speech. The things that are invisible are God’s Son and the creative words that he speaks (1:2-3). This affirmation that the visible world is the product of God’s invisible speaking is the foundation for the kind of faith that is exemplified in this chapter. Since God’s Word is both the means of creation and the means redemption, faith depends on it and gains its vision from it. So to live by faith is to live by the Word of God.”

The author then goes on to discuss numerous examples of this. He first lists 3 examples of types or figures of Christ from before the time of Abraham: Abel, Enoch, and Noah. He then looks at Abraham, the chief example of the man of faith. From there he moves on to 3 other patriarchs as examples of the heirs of God’s blessings that come through faith: Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Then comes Moses, the chief example of a deliverer and then 3 examples from the experience of the people of Israel from the Exodus from Egypt to the entrance into the promised land: The crossing of the Red Sea, the collapse of Jericho’s walls, and the salvation of Rahab.

He then looks at Abraham, the chief example of the man of faith. From there he moves on to 3 other patriarchs as examples of the heirs of God’s blessings that come through faith: Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.

Then comes Moses, the chief example of a deliverer and then 3 examples from the experience of the people of Israel from the Exodus from Egypt to the entrance into the promised land: The crossing of the Red Sea, the collapse of Jericho’s walls, and the salvation of Rahab.

Abel is the first one mentioned by the author in this chapter. He speaks of the sacrifice that Abel offered to God in contrast to the sacrifice that Cain offered. It is important to note that the problem was not that Cain offered a less-than-best sacrifice, whereas Abel offered his best. The problem is that Cain offered his sacrifice without faith, and Abel offered his in faith. This is why it was pleasing to God and Cain’s was not. So we see faith showing up again very early on in the Biblical record.

The problem is that Cain offered his sacrifice without faith, and Abel offered his in faith. This is why it was pleasing to God and Cain’s was not. So we see faith showing up again very early on in the Biblical record.

The author next mentions Enoch, who walked with God some 300 years and then was not found, for God took him into heaven. The author notes that before this happened, Enoch was commended by God as having been pleasing to him. And how are we to understand that Enoch was pleasing to God? The author tells us in verse 6: “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.” It is only by faith that one can be pleasing to God. The language of “draw near to God,” has liturgical overtones and speaks of coming before God in worship in the Divine Service, as we do each Sunday.

And how are we to understand that Enoch was pleasing to God? The author tells us in verse 6: “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.”

It is only by faith that one can be pleasing to God. The language of “draw near to God,” has liturgical overtones and speaks of coming before God in worship in the Divine Service, as we do each Sunday.

This verse helps us to understand what the Scriptures mean when they described someone as “righteous” or “blameless,” such as Noah and Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. They were righteous and blameless, not because they had done nothing wrong–they were sinners too–but because they trusted the Word and promise of God concerning his salvation in Christ, and were thus counted righteous before God, just as it is for us.

Noah comes next. He is shown to have this kind of faith by which he was attested by God. God instructed Noah to build an ark and warned him of the flood to come. Noah couldn’t see this or reason his way to seeing the flood coming. Rather he trusted the Word of God over what he could see and he bore the scorn and mockery of those around him and built the ark. He thereby condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes through faith and he and his family were saved through the waters of the flood through the ark. Next on the preacher’s list is Abraham. In verses 8-12 and 17-19 he speaks concerning three events in the life of Abraham that demonstrate the faith he confessed.

Rather he trusted the Word of God over what he could see and he bore the scorn and mockery of those around him and built the ark. He thereby condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes through faith and he and his family were saved through the waters of the flood through the ark.

Next on the preacher’s list is Abraham. In verses 8-12 and 17-19 he speaks concerning three events in the life of Abraham that demonstrate the faith he confessed.

The first event is the call of Abraham by God when Abraham still lived in the land of Ur of the Chaldeans, which is either in the north or in the south of what we today call Iraq. God called Abraham to leave his homeland and go to the place that God would show him and which place he would receive as an inheritance. And Abraham went even though he didn’t know where he was going. And so Abraham heard the Word of God and he believed the promise and from that faith he obeyed God’s call and went to the unknown place that God would show him, which was the land of Canaan, what we know today as Israel and Palestine.

God called Abraham to leave his homeland and go to the place that God would show him and which place he would receive as an inheritance. And Abraham went even though he didn’t know where he was going.

And so Abraham heard the Word of God and he believed the promise and from that faith he obeyed God’s call and went to the unknown place that God would show him, which was the land of Canaan, what we know today as Israel and Palestine.

The author of Hebrews then makes an interesting statement. He says that Abraham went by faith “to live in the land of promise, but as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.” How strange it is that Abraham was in the very land promised to him, and yet he lived as a foreigner, a temporary resident, in that land. The point that the author is making is that

How strange it is that Abraham was in the very land promised to him, and yet he lived as a foreigner, a temporary resident, in that land. The point that the author is making is that

“by ‘residing in tents’ [Abraham] confessed his faith in an unseen, hoped-for place that God would eventually provide for him as his inheritance from God.”

Very interesting indeed for those who think that the promise of the physical geographical land is an eternal promise only given to the Jewish people. Abraham, their father according to the flesh, was in that very place that was promised, and yet he lived as a foreigner, a temporary resident. This tells us that Abraham understood, by faith, that the promise was of so much more than a geographical location. It was indeed the promise of an eternal kingdom, the eternal city of God, not a physical location on the map. He understood that the land of Canaan was a type and picture of the eternal city of God, and not the inheritance itself. To tie the promise of land to a specific geographical location and confine it there is to misunderstand the promise of God.

This tells us that Abraham understood, by faith, that the promise was of so much more than a geographical location. It was indeed the promise of an eternal kingdom, the eternal city of God, not a physical location on the map.

He understood that the land of Canaan was a type and picture of the eternal city of God, and not the inheritance itself. To tie the promise of land to a specific geographical location and confine it there is to misunderstand the promise of God.

By faith Abraham saw what was unseen: the city whose architect and builder is God himself. And so he wandered in the land of Canaan, living in tents, because he trusted the promise of God concerning his eternal inheritance. This is also demonstrated by the author that all of these that he mentioned, including the descendants of Abraham through Isaac, all died in faith, not having received what was promised. By faith they saw what was promised from afar and so lived as strangers and exiles on the earth. That they did this confessed their faith in God’s promise and were seeking a homeland–not the one they came from, they could have returned there. The homeland they sought was a better country, a heavenly one.

This is also demonstrated by the author that all of these that he mentioned, including the descendants of Abraham through Isaac, all died in faith, not having received what was promised. By faith they saw what was promised from afar and so lived as strangers and exiles on the earth.

That they did this confessed their faith in God’s promise and were seeking a homeland–not the one they came from, they could have returned there. The homeland they sought was a better country, a heavenly one.

The second event is the birth of Isaac. Abraham and Sarah were past their natural ability to have children and Sarah was barren. And yet, by faith, Abraham believed the promise of God. By faith Abraham, while he was with infertile Sarah, received the power of procreation. This power did not come from Abraham’s body but from the power of God. And so from Abraham, and him as good as dead in regards to procreation, came descendants as innumerable as the grains of sand on the seashore.

By faith Abraham, while he was with infertile Sarah, received the power of procreation. This power did not come from Abraham’s body but from the power of God. And so from Abraham, and him as good as dead in regards to procreation, came descendants as innumerable as the grains of sand on the seashore.

The third event is God’s call on Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. On the basis of faith Abraham obeyed, for he trusted that God could raise the dead and so would be faithful to the promise he made Abraham concerning his descendants. Next come Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Each of them blessed their children and passed on the promise of God. Joseph in particular confesses his faith when he spoke concerning the exodus from Egypt and gave instructions that his bones be taken with the children of Israel out of Egypt and back to Canaan.

Next come Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Each of them blessed their children and passed on the promise of God. Joseph in particular confesses his faith when he spoke concerning the exodus from Egypt and gave instructions that his bones be taken with the children of Israel out of Egypt and back to Canaan.

By faith the parents of Moses did not put him to death, which the king of Egypt commanded, but rather feared God instead of man and hid Moses instead. By faith Moses both rejected his royal Egyptian heritage, considering the reproach of Christ more valuable than all the treasure of Egypt, and he instituted the Passover, trusting the promise of God that the blood of the lamb would spare them the wrath of God poured out on Egypt through the Angel of Death. By faith the people of Israel passed through the Red Sea on dry land, as opposed to the Egyptians who were drowned. By faith in the promise of God, the Israelites circled Jericho and the walls came down. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with her people in Jericho. She believed the report she heard of God and so welcomed the spies in peace and became an heir of the promise of God.

By faith Moses both rejected his royal Egyptian heritage, considering the reproach of Christ more valuable than all the treasure of Egypt, and he instituted the Passover, trusting the promise of God that the blood of the lamb would spare them the wrath of God poured out on Egypt through the Angel of Death.

By faith the people of Israel passed through the Red Sea on dry land, as opposed to the Egyptians who were drowned. By faith in the promise of God, the Israelites circled Jericho and the walls came down. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with her people in Jericho. She believed the report she heard of God and so welcomed the spies in peace and became an heir of the promise of God.

At this point the pace quickens and the author of Hebrews breezes through numerous examples. He speaks of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and Samuel and the prophets. He speaks of the great things that were done through faith: the conquering of kingdoms, stopping the mouths of lions, quenching the power of fire, escaping the sword, strength out of weakness, putting armies to flight. He speaks about how women received back their dead by resurrection.

He speaks of the great things that were done through faith: the conquering of kingdoms, stopping the mouths of lions, quenching the power of fire, escaping the sword, strength out of weakness, putting armies to flight.

He speaks about how women received back their dead by resurrection.

And then, very curiously, he speaks of all that was suffered for confessing their faith in Christ: they were tortured, put to death, mocked and flogged, imprisoned. They suffered even such gruesome deaths as being stoned or sawn in two, and were killed with the sword. They went about in sheep and goatskins, destitute and mistreated. People without a homeland and no place in society. All this they suffered for the confession of their faith in God, for they could see with the eyes of faith that which God had promised for them: resurrection unto eternal life in the city of God. There is so much more that we could examine, but we have to be content with this for this morning.

They went about in sheep and goatskins, destitute and mistreated. People without a homeland and no place in society.

All this they suffered for the confession of their faith in God, for they could see with the eyes of faith that which God had promised for them: resurrection unto eternal life in the city of God.

There is so much more that we could examine, but we have to be content with this for this morning.

So what does all of this mean for us, or have to do with us?

First, as was said at the beginning, we belong to this people of faith. The history of God’s saving acts on behalf of his people is our history, too. We belong to the same heritage of faith and are heirs of the promise of God along with all who are mentioned here in , and all the faithful who have come before us, as well as all those who come after us, if our Lord should tarry in his return.

Second, the account of these faithful men and women should encourage us to hold fast to our confession of faith, even if it means the loss of everything, even our lives, this side of heaven. Throughout the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ suffer persecution and death for the sake of their confession of faith in Christ. We live in a culture and society that is increasingly hostile to the Christian faith. The examples of faithfulness to Christ that we have heard about should encourage us in our confession of faith before the world. We may suffer varying degrees of persecution for our confession.

Throughout the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ suffer persecution and death for the sake of their confession of faith in Christ. We live in a culture and society that is increasingly hostile to the Christian faith.

The examples of faithfulness to Christ that we have heard about should encourage us in our confession of faith before the world. We may suffer varying degrees of persecution for our confession.

We already suffer much in the way of mockery and scorn and ridicule and slander. It may indeed get worse. In fact, we shouldn’t be surprised if it does. But we are called to confess our faith in Christ before the world, no matter the cost. And so we are encouraged along with Noah and Moses and others to condemn the world for the sake of Christ. We are called to consider all that we might gain from the world as nothing compared to what we will gain from Christ: eternal life in the city of God. We are warned by the example of Esau not to shrink back from the promise of God given to us and so suffer his eternal wrath. We, too, like Abraham and his descendants–those who share his faith–confess that which we cannot see.

But we are called to confess our faith in Christ before the world, no matter the cost. And so we are encouraged along with Noah and Moses and others to condemn the world for the sake of Christ. We are called to consider all that we might gain from the world as nothing compared to what we will gain from Christ: eternal life in the city of God.

We are warned by the example of Esau not to shrink back from the promise of God given to us and so suffer his eternal wrath.

We, too, like Abraham and his descendants–those who share his faith–confess that which we cannot see.

In the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds we confess our faith in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. We cannot see those with physical eyes or apprehend them by human reason, but we can see them by the eyes of faith and we look forward to that which is unseen, to that which we will receive along with Abel, Noah, Abraham, and all the faithful of all times and places on that blessed Day of Resurrection and enter together as one people, one Church, the eternal city of our God, the city whose architect and builder is God.

We cannot see those with physical eyes or apprehend them by human reason, but we can see them by the eyes of faith and we look forward to that which is unseen, to that which we will receive along with Abel, Noah, Abraham, and all the faithful of all times and places on that blessed Day of Resurrection and enter together as one people, one Church, the eternal city of our God, the city whose architect and builder is God.

Third, we are encouraged to

“regard [ourselves] imaginatively as part of a heroic community with divine backing, rather than a despised minority of contemporary society, and to identify [ourselves] emotionally with all the host of the named and nameless people of faith who bear witness to God both by what they achieved and by what they suffered.”

It is interesting to note that

“[t]he detailed description of their suffering comes last because the faithful endurance of it most clearly demonstrates the power of faith.”

And, finally, we are encouraged to endure in faith until the end by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Jesus is set before us as the ultimate Witness and man of faith. He endured mockery and flogging and the rejection of society. He suffered the shameful humiliation of the cross, regarding its shame as nothing compared to what would come as the result of his death and resurrection for sinners. He held fast, even to the point of death, because he saw a better resurrection.

Jesus is set before us as the ultimate Witness and man of faith. He endured mockery and flogging and the rejection of society. He suffered the shameful humiliation of the cross, regarding its shame as nothing compared to what would come as the result of his death and resurrection for sinners. He held fast, even to the point of death, because he saw a better resurrection.

And so we endure in faith by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the one who gave us our faith and the one who sustains it through continually giving to us the forgiveness of our sins. And we receive the strength to endure by regularly attending Divine Service and receiving the gifts of Christ in Word and Sacrament. God help us not to shrink back from the promise, but to endure hardship and suffering for his sake and to boldly confess our faith in Christ before the world, no matter the cost.

God help us not to shrink back from the promise, but to endure hardship and suffering for his sake and to boldly confess our faith in Christ before the world, no matter the cost.

To this end, God strengthen and keep you until the Day of Resurrection and entrance into his eternal city.

Amen.