Hebrews 11:1-16
If you have seen the Vietnam Memorial, there is a W & an E on it. The W points to the west to the Lincoln
Memorial and the E points east to the Washington Memorial. The history is quite interesting. The original drive to get the memorial was a man named Jan Scruggs. One of the significant facts about the wall was that
it is not a war memorial but a memorial to those who died or are still missing in the war. God’s Wall of Faith is designed to remember those who died in faith or for their faith. They accomplished many things in their lifetime and some of those accomplishments are recognized in Chapter 11.
They trusted God in all the circumstances and the conditions of life. Their Wall points up!
I have several questions that I would like to address in this mornings message:
Question One: What did faith accomplish in the lives of these people? Heb. 11:1-13
A. The ‘elders’ (ancients NIV) O.T. Believers 11:2-3
‘Obtained’ a good testimony obtained: gave evidence, report
‘we’ 11:3 The worlds were framed by the ‘Word of God’ Gen. 1; 2
B. Abel 11:4 ‘Obtained witness that he was righteous’
Two facts:
1. God had taught them what to offer!
2. The offering pleased God! Gen. 4:1-16
C. Enoch 11:5-6
‘He had this testimony,’
1. that he pleased God 11:5
pleased: to gratify, satisfy (to glorify) His testimony of faith
had to be such that God took him before he died!
2. that he was rewarded by God 11:6
rewarder: remunerator (gives the appropriate wages for the job
that was done)
D. Noah 11:7 (Gen. 6:8-9:29)
‘things not seen’: an ark, rain, flood, animals, the wrath of God on
mankind!
He became heir of righteousness See Rom. 4:6
E. Abraham 11:8-10 (Gen. 12:1-3; **15:1-6) ‘receive an inheritance’
God made several promises to him:
1. A promise of land
2. A promise of lineage
3. A promise of blessings
What was Abraham’s response? *Gen. 12:4; *15:6
He believed God and demonstrated this faith by his obedience!
F. Sarah 11:11-12 Poor Sarah is sometimes viewed as the ‘antithesis’ of faith. What do I mean by that? Go to Gen. 18:1-15.
The Lord appears to Abraham (18:1) and repeats His promise that Sarah would have a child.
1. She laughs (18:13)
2. She lies (18:15)
But Hebrews 11:11b sheds some different light on her actions”
“because she judged Him faithful who had promised.” NKJV
What is the lesson of Sarah? Even when our faith is small, Don’t forget that it was God who made the promise!
II Tim 2:13
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” NKJV
Question Two: What can faith accomplish in your life?
For Unsaved: Salvation comes from believing that Jesus died for your sins! Rom. 3:24-26
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness,
that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. NKJV
David Celebrates the Same Truth
Rom. 4:5-8
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man
to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin." NKJV
For the Saved:
1. There is no other way to please God than to live a life of faith!
Heb. 10:38
“Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.” NKJV
II Cor. 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” NKJV
Gal. 2:20-21
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. NKJV
2. There two conditions listed in 11:6
A. If we believe that Jesus died for us, we are to worship Him
Heb 11:6 “for he who comes to God must believe that He is,”
‘comes to God’: Draws near, worships, visits Him
B. If we believe that Jesus died for us, we are to diligently
seek Him ‘diligently’: search out, enquire, seek after