Hebrews 11:8- The faith of a pilgrim

Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive Introduction

How would you like to have great faith? I trust that’s what you want. And when you came to Jesus Christ, God enrolled you in the School of Faith. Life is the classroom, the Bible is the textbook, the prophets and the apostles are the professors, and Abraham would have to be the Dean in the School of Faith. We’re going to learn about Abraham.

Abraham is a “giant of the faith”! A man very used of God! God allowed him to see some big things accomplished! His name is loved by billions all over the world.

He’s called the friend of God.

James 2:23 “23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”

Father of them that believe

Romans 4:11 “11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:”

Hebrews 11:8 “8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.”

Hebrews 11:9 “9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:”

Abraham and the word

“When he was called”

He obeyed God’s word.

His faith started with God’s word. God spoke and he responded.

So does ours!

Romans 10:17 “17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

He didn’t know what was next but just trusted.

God spoke and he still does!

Hebrews:1:1-2 “1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”

Follow what he says!

We may not know the rest but we just obey and he’ll do the rest.

Abraham in the world

Hebrews 11:9 “9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:”

He left what he knew for the things of God!

Left behind his idols actually

Joshua 24:2 “2 And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.”

God too call us out of sin

1 Peter 2:9 “9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

He lived as a “stranger” .

Always on the Go to where God wanted him.

- Now, I told you that Abraham was a stranger away from home and he was a pilgrim heading home. Canaan was not his home at that time. He’s looking for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. And he’s living in a tent, and he won’t put the tent pegs down too deep, because his motto was “This world is not my home; I’m just passing through.” He had a different priority.

He lived knowing that he wasn’t home but rather heaven was.

Are you too lacking faith. Maybe you’re too attached to this world?

Philippians 3:20 “20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”

The reason many of us lack faith is were too attached to this world

James 4:4 “4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

1 John 2:15-17 “15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

- There are a lot of good illustrations about this. Abraham had with him a nephew whose name was Lot. Now, Lot is following Abraham, and the Bible tells us that Abraham was living in a tent. But Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom. He moved into the world. It cost him greatly.

- Christian if you’re to follow Jesus we must too realize that we’re pilgrims!

- 1 Peter 2:11 “11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;”

- Jesus says it best in Matthew 6:33 “33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Abrahams focused faith

Hebrews 11:10 “10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

He kept focus and hope on the future hope of heaven!

His focus was there! So should ours!

Col 3:1 “1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

Faith enabled him to see what wasn’t there! Hows our faith? Are we able to see through it?

Hebrews 11:1 “1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Is faith affecting your vision?

We too should live like this man!

2 Cor 4:18 “18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Conc. - How’s your faith? Have you taken the first step of faith? Are you living in faith?