The Great Hall of Faith

This morning we are continuing our study in the book of Hebrews. We come to Hebrews chapter 11.

As your turning to , let me ask you a question. How do you define “faith?”

Keep that thought in mind as we look at verse 1.

Hebrews 11:1-

Hebrews 11:1–2 NIV84

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

Hebrews 11:1–2 NIV84

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

Faith is

This passage begins by saying, “Now faith is. . .” The first thing is being sure of what we hope for.

Here it is translated, “sure” but we could also use “confident” of what we hope for. One problem we have when we read this verse is the idea of hope. Today, the word is often misused.

For example we talk about hope when we don’t really believe something is really going to happen. Like saying, “I hope it doesn’t rain.” And the reason we “hope” is because we really don’t have any control.

Here the other says that faith is being sure, or convinced of all that God has promised.

Now that brings us to the second part of faith—it is also being certain of what we do not see. We live in a culture that doesn’t believe anything we can’t perceive with our five senses. So if we cannot touch, taste, hear, see, or smell we have a tendency not to believe it. We call this being “scientific.” But in reality we simply don’t do well with things that we cannot understand.

That’s were faith comes in. When we act on beliefs that we cannot explain we are exercising faith. We need to understand that faith is active and CANNOT be passive.

Look at verse 2, this active faith is “what the ancients were commended for.”

The author believes it is important that we understand how this active faith works. So he gives us some highlights from Jewish ancestry.

Hebrews 11:3–5 NIV84

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

Hebrews 11:3-

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command.

By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain.

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death.

KEY: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must:

1. Believe that God exists.

2. And that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Hebrews 11:8–12 NIV84

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Hebrews 11:8-

By faith Noah built an ark to save his family, and his faith condemned the world.

By faith Abraham:

By faith when called to go he obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger. . .living in tents.

By faith Isaac and Jacob did the same.

By faith Abraham looked forward to the city built by God.

By faith he was enabled to become a father. So his descendants are as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Hebrews 11:13–16 NIV84

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:13-

All these people were still living by faith when they died. Yet, they did not receive the things promised. Notice that they were still living by faith. Yet they did not receive the things that were promised—they only saw them from a distance.

By faith these people lived as aliens and strangers on earth.

Hebrews 11:13-

Hebrews 11:13–16 NIV84

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

After all, if they were longing for their their country, they could have returned.

Instead they were looking for better country—a heavenly one.

Hebrews 11:17-

Hebrews 11:17–19 NIV84

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

By faith Abraham—were back to him—offered Isaac as a sacrifice.

Hebrews 11:20–22 NIV84

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.

Hebrews 11:20-

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, looking to the future.

By faith Jacob blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped in his old age.

By faith Joseph spoke of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. and gave instructions to take his bones with them.

Hebrews 11:23–28 NIV84

By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

Hebrews 11:23-

By faith Moses’ parents hid him for there months after he was born.

By faith Moses refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter—verse 26, “He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”

By faith he left Egypt.

By faith he persevered because he saw the invisible God.

By faith he kept the Passover by sprinkling the blood.

Hebrews 11:29–31 NIV84

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

By faith the people passed through the Red Seed (Sea of Reeds) on dry land. The Egyptians weren’t so lucky.

Hebrews 11:29-31

By faith the people passed through the Red Seed (Sea of Reeds) on dry land. The Egyptians weren’t so lucky.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell.

By faith the prostitute Rahab was not killed.

Hebrews 11:32-

Hebrews 11:32–38 NIV84

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

Here the author could go on and on talking about all the others. Then he names several: Gideon, Barak, Sampson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, and all the others; many of whom went through some amazing suffering.

Gideon

Barak

Sampson

Japhthah

David

Samuel and the prophets

Hebrews 11:39–40 NIV84

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

The author says that they were all commended for their faith. The key is that their faith was active. They believed God, and then acted upon that belief.

They did this even though none of them received what had been promised. Instead, God had something planned that was better, and involved us as well. So we are all made perfect by our faith in Jesus.

The question each of us needs to ask ourselves: Do we actively live out our faith?

There a lot of people who believe in God. There are a lot of people who believe in Jesus. Just like there are a lot of people who believe in Big Foot, the Lock Ness Monster, and Aliens from another planet.

James says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (, NIV). In the rest of this passage, James it talking about faith with deeds—with action.

So how active is your faith?

The Great Hall of Faith

Faith

Creation

Abel

Enoch

Commended For Faith

So What