Gotta Have Faith

Review Chapter 10

Hall of Faith(Part 1) Hebrews 11:1-7

Hebrews 11:1–7 ESV

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. 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. 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.

Discussion Questions

How does chapter 11 relate to chapter 10?

What, exactly is faith? How would you define it?

What does assurance mean? What are the things which we hope for?

What does verse 2 show pleased God a long time ago? Do you think we please God the same way today?

What is the essential aspect of our faith in God?

What do we learn from verse 6? How can our faith grow stronger? What do you think you need to do to follow the principles in this passage on faith?

The Definition of Faith

This chapter begins with a section which speaks of “faith in the unseen”

But what exactly is faith?

At it’s essence faith is a strong conviction

Assurance and conviction speak about what we are certain about

Faith is not a feeling, experience, or a positive attitude toward life

Faith is not just intellectual assent

It is a deep personal trust that God’s word is true

The object of faith focuses on what you can’t see

What we can’t see in the past is creation

By faith we understand that the universe was created

We were not there to witness the creation; thus we receive it by faith

Does this mean that our faith is blinded or grounded? It is grounded in the truth of God’s Word

What we can’t see in the future is the New Creation

Our faith is in “things hoped for” - the writer was most likely referring to heaven or the return of Christ

“Hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Rom 8:24-25)

The importance of faith is that it is the only way we can please God

Faith is how the people of old received their commendation

Without faith it is impossible to please God

God’s favor is always by faith not by works

The writer does not list examples of works but of those who had faith

The writer provides lessons about faith

Abel: tells us that faith is Christ centered - relying upon His sacrifice not our works

God rejected Cain’s offering but accepted Abel’s, why - Abel offered a blood sacrifice as a symbol that his sin must be paid for, while Cain only offered grain

The point the writer is making here is that true faith approaches God on His terms, not ours

Self-righteous good works are not how we approach God

We approach God by confession of our sins and need of grace

Enoch: Shows us that faith is relational, he was focused on walking with God

Enoch pleased God by walking with Him

He would draw near to God believing that He rewards those who seek him

Faith is always directed toward a personal relationship with God

Noah: Faith is obedience and following God even when things don’t make sense

God asked Noah to do the impossible - build an enormous ark in the middle of the dry land

This took years and enormous expense

Noah embodies the idea that faith is focused on what is unseen

True faith always leads to obedience

These types of faith reflect the order of the Christian life: We must first trust in the sacrifice of Christ, we then walk with him intimately, and that leads to great acts of obedience

Which Home are you looking forward to? Hebrews 11:8-22

Hebrews 11:8–22 ESV

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.

Discussion Questions

What did God tell Abraham to do?

How did Abraham respond?

Wore there times that he demonstrated a lack of faith in God? When?

Why is Sarah mentioned in this list?

What were some of Sarah’s best character qualities?

What promises are referred to in v. 13 which these Old Testament characters did not receive?

What promises did they see fulfilled in their own lives? Are there some promises which we will see fulfilled in our lives now and some which we won’t?

A Better Home Hebrews 11:8-10

Hebrews 11:8–10 ESV

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.

Abraham’s story is probably as well-known as Noah’s, among Bible students

Abraham was originally a pagan named Abram

He was called by God into a life of faith, living in Canaan

The promise that God gave Abram was, that if he would leave behind the life he knew in Ur, including his family and livelihood, God would bless him with a great inheritance

That inheritance would be the promised land of Canaan and beyond

But as Abram first heard this promise, God didn’t reveal the location of that inheritance

As the writer reminds us in v. 9, God required that Abram follow in faith without even an understanding of where God would take him

Abram had to make a choice to follow God’s Word, based upon a confidence and hope of what God would do in the future

Imagine you are an unbeliever, with no prior experience in trusting and following the Living God

And then you hear God telling you to leave behind your home

and leave behind your family roots

and get in the card and drive to the airport

and fly to another part of the earth, where you will live forever

He promises that if you do these things, you will receive a great inheritance from God

This is the test placed in front of Abram

And Abram responded in faith

Vv. 8-12 focus on two foundational events in Abraham’s life that show his faith

first, his obedient response to God’ call for him to go to an unknown land

second, by faith Abraham, along with Sarah who was barren, was enabled to become a father, with the result that God would give them countless descendants

Abraham kept his eyes fixed on the established city of God that would be revealed at the time of fulfillment

A Better People Hebrews 11:11-12

Hebrews 11:11–12 ESV

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.

Abraham faced a difficult challenge, in looking forward to the people that would be his descendants

God had promised him that his descendants would be “as many as … grains of sand”

But there was one small problem, Sarah was past child bearing age and he was “as good as dead”

So how would he and Sarah respond to this challenge present to them by God?

They believed! Sarah received the promise by faith

And God kept His promise: Abraham had descendants like the stars of heaven and the sand of the seashore

A Better Hope Hebrews 11:13-16

Hebrews 11:13–16 ESV

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.

The essence of faith is looking forward

We have a tendency to think of faith as looking backwards: can we believe that the events of the Bible actually took place?

But those patriarchs had a faith that looked forward

They believed without seeing

They died “not having received the things promised, but having seen them greeted them from afar”

This is the definition of faith discussed earlier: “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”

They had hope!

The evidence that the patriarchs had a forward looking faith is

They longed for a heavenly homeland! The writer is concerned about where his audience considered home to be

If they had only been longing for an earthly home, “they would have had opportunity to return” there

Instead they were looking for “a better country, that is a heavenly one”

The Ultimate Test Hebrews 11:17-22

Hebrews 11:17–22 ESV

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.

God tested where Abraham’s hope really was

In verse 17, the writer mentioned the story of Genesis 22, where God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac

Abraham had every reason to doubt: how would God be able to keep His promises if Isaac was dead

But Abraham’s faith was so strong that he even believed God could raise him from the dead

Additionally, Isaac’s “death” and “resurrection” anticipate what Christ would do later

Abraham’s offspring share his same faith

Isaac believed, Jacob believed, and Joseph believed

Faith can sometimes run in the family line

The Hall of Faith (Part 2) Hebrews 11:23-40

Hebrews 11:23–40 ESV

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.

Discussion Questions

What hard choices did Moses make because of his faith?

What “secret” enabled Moses to persevere through rough times?

What were some of the victories enjoyed by faithful Old Testament believers?

How does this passage disprove the notion that faith always leads earthly blessing?

What happened to a great many Old Testament saints who exercised faith in God?

How do we evaluate our faith? Hebrews 11:23-28

Hebrews 11:23–28 ESV

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.

The writer is telling his readers that faith is should refuse to follow the allurements and values of the world

The worldly path may seem attractive and comfortable

Moses had access to prestige, status and wealth

He could have been called “son of the Pharaoh’s daughter”

He could have enjoyed the “treasures of Egypt”

The writer is not saying that wealth is bad, but it would have required Moses to deny his identity as an Israelite

Only faith can keep us from believing the world’s false promises

Moses believed that the pleasures of this world are “fleeting”

The world promises a lot but delivers little

Moses believed that real pleasure comes from following Christ