A Great Cloud of Witnesses: "Faith"

We are starting a new series today called, “A Great Cloud of Witnesses”. Almost all of our series is going to start in Hebrews 11. I believe Hebrews 11 is one of the most awesome chapters in the New Testament. It is often called the Hall of Faith because it lists 17 individuals found in the Old Testament that demonstrate what it looks like to have saving faith in the one true God. Today we will be defining faith and talking about what it is and what it isn’t. Then each week we are going to take a look at the faith of one of the Hall of Faithers in their Old Testament contexts. We will eventually wrap up the series in the first few verses of Hebrews 12, fixing our eyes on Jesus, sometime in 2023.

Our theme verse this series is verse 6:

Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

[Main text for today]:

Hebrews 11:1–3 (NASB)

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

Faith is missing when we lack assurance.

Hebrews 11:1–3 (NASB)

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Mark 11:22–23 (ESV)

22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes ...

Zechariah 4:7 (NASB)

7 ‘What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ”

Isaiah 40:4 (ESV)

4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

Peter’s “mountain” was water, wind and waves; but he doubted...

Matthew 14:31 (NASB)

31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

James 1:6 (NASB)

6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

Faith is missing when we look around.

2 For by it the men of old gained approval.

Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him...

James 2:23 (NASB)

23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.

Genesis 12:10–13 (NASB) (Abraham lies about his wife Sarah)

10 Now there was a famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 It came about when he came near to Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman; 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 “Please say that you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may live on account of you.”

[He does it a second time in Genesis chapter 20]

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (Chapter 16)

Chapter 16: Sarai and Hagar

1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar...

Matthew 14:30 (NASB)

30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NASB)

7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—

Faith is manifested when we listen attentively to the Word of God.

3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

Manifested:

1. to be made clear or evident to the eye, shown plainly.

2. established by proof or evidence; put beyond doubt or question.

Webster’s 1828:

Made clear; made apparent. Obvious or evident.

Romans 10:17 (NASB)

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Matthew 14:28–29 (NASB)

28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

The “Shema”

Deuteronomy 6:4–6 (NASB)

4 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.

Shema is the Hebrew word in v. 4 that is translated “hear”.

It is used a little over 1,000 times in the OT

About 500 times it is translated “hear’

About 150 times it is translated “obey”

That’s because the Hebrew word for obey is also “shema”.

The word literally means “hear and obey” or “listen attentively and apply what you hear.”

This is how James applies The Shema:

James 2:17-18 (ESV)

17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Memory Verse of the Week:

Hebrews 11:1 (NASB)

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Bible Study Questions:

What does this passage teach us about God?

What does this passage teach us about ourselves?

What does this passage teach us about the world?

Do you see any commands to obey or principles to apply?

Do you see any promises to claim or blessings to enjoy?

Do you see any truths to meditate on or Gospel messages to share?

Did anything else in the passage stick out to you?