Hebrews 11
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Often times is seen as an isolated chapter within the book of Hebrews, as if it stands alone.
However, that is not true chapter 11 fits within a unite that starts back in 10:19 and goes through 12.29
This is like the last point to his sermon before moving into the conclusion in chapter 13
The point of the sermon is very similar to the point of the my sermon from two weeks ago.
Why do we need to study the book of judges? because its a really good story, and its our story, and we have a place within that story.
Hebrews chapter 11 should be seen as moving us in a direction
The biographical stories of are not snapshots of what it looks like to live a faithful life, but rather they are testimonies calling us to move forward in our lives by faith.
And they are, as a great cloud of witnesses, calling us to walk toward the same direction, follow the same path, be a part of the same story. And that story is to move from creation to recreation
3 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.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
heb 12
3 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.
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
.28-29
So what is the point of the hall of faith?
To
to encourage us and motivate us to run the race that is before us, to move toward the new creation in everything we do.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
1-2 Introduction
3-7 Creation through the flood
8-22 Abraham (See romans 4-5), Isaac, Jacob, Joseph
23-31 Exodus - conquest (Moses and Joshua)
32-38 Conquest - Prophets
39-40 Conclusion
What is faith?
What is faith?
Hebrews for Everyone What Faith Really Means (Hebrews 11:1–6)
Chapters 11 and 12, taken together, thus tell the story from creation (11:3) to new creation (12:28), from covenant (11:8–29) to new covenant (12:24). It remains, all through, the story of faith.
Hebrews for Everyone What Faith Really Means (Hebrews 11:1–6)
Chapters 11 and 12, taken together, thus tell the story from creation (11:3) to new creation (12:28), from covenant (11:8–29) to new covenant (12:24). It remains, all through, the story of faith.
Chapters 11 and 12, taken together, thus tell the story from creation (11:3) to new creation (12:28), from covenant (11:8–29) to new covenant (12:24). It remains, all through, the story of faith.
How would you define faith?
head - what you believe?
often, faith is defined as mere intellectual assent, a leap in the dark, or wishful thinking.
believing the right things - faith without works is dead - , even demons believe that God is one and the shudder
heart - what you feel?
Do you have faith because you feel a particular way toward Jesus?
If you feel like you love God does that mean you have faith? what happens when you don’t feel like loving anyone?
hands - what you do?
We know that we cannot earn our way into God’s favor
we know that the works of the law cannot produce the righteousness of God, but rather the righteousness of God comes by faith.
Biblical faith is NOT
just believing in the right thing
just loving the right thing
just doing the right thing
“πίστις - faithfulness, reliability, fidelity, commitment, allegiance”
faithfulness, reliability, fidelity, commitment
faithfulness, reliability, fidelity, commitment
Biblical faith is a holistic faith, it is head, hearts, and hands, all committed to its object, that is Christ.
Its to be holistically committed, to pledge our allegiance to Christ alone.
Faith is embodied loyalty.
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.
Heb 11.
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
you can see from verse one there is a movement about our faith - our faith is a forward looking faith based off the foundation of Christ’s work in time and space.
assurance of things hoped for
Promises of God are true.
Conviction of things not seen
The fulfillment of God’s eschatological realities.
2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.
Faith is reaching into the future eschatological promises and pulling them into the present.
Verse 2, Commendation
commendation means - complement, prize, honor
The word in greek is μαρτυρέω (mar too reh O)
This is the verb form of the greek noun where we get the english word “martyr”
a martyr is one who bore witness or testimony for Christ.
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Verse three offers an illustration of what this faith looks likes
3 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.
Faith goes out into God’s creation, God’s creation testifies that our faith is true, which then strengthens our faith
BLANK SLIDE
When we come to verse four we begin to get into the testimonies of those who have come before us.
3-7 Creation through the flood
8-22 Abraham (See romans 4-5), Isaac, Jacob, Joseph
23-31 Exodus - conquest (Moses and Joshua)
32-38 Conquest - Prophets
39-40 Conclusion
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.
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.
7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,
18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.
21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—
33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—
38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2.
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
.
8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,