The Progression Of Faith Series

Topic: Sermon Series – Living by Faith

Text: Hebrews 11:29 By faith the people (Israelites) passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. - NIV

Title: The Progression of Faith (Part 1)

Intro: We have referred to the 11th chapter of Hebrews as the “Hall of Fame of Faith.” The writer list’s the names of several hero and heroines of the faith throughout the chapter.

The “foyer” into this “hall” has this banner placed over the entrance stating the necessity to live by and progress in the faith:

Hebrews 10:36a You need to persevere….Persevere, -?p?µ???? (hypomones) - Endure, remain steadfast, constant, progress. (Is the idea).

Hebrews 10:36b so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. ( Doing the will of God is the necessary condition for receiving the promised blessing and reward!)

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.- NIV

Revelation 22:12 Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.-NIV

Important to remember? Yes it is! Why?

Hebrews 10:37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38a And, (so our response to that reality?) “But my righteous one will live by faith. (Important? Extremely!) And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”

NLT- who turns away

NKJV - draws back

Shrinks back -?p?ste???ta? (hyposteiletai) cowers (What if I do?)

Hebrews 10:38b But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed,

KJV - who draw back unto perdition

Strongs Lexicon - ?p??e?a – perdition – apoleia

a) Utter destruction

b) The destruction which consists of eternal misery in hell

Hebrews 10:39b but to those who have faith and are saved. – NIV

Hebrews 10:39b but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. - KJV

So the idea that is presented in our scripture text is that a true, living, saving, faith is one of progression, one that progresses, one that perseveres through the set-backs, persecutions, problems, test, trails and difficulties of life!

IN fact we are to go from - FAITH TO FAITH…

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” ( Rom 1:17 NKJV)

And from GLORY TO GLORY…

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Cor 3:18 NKJV)

Romans 4 puts it this way in the NLT…

Romans 4:20 Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. - NLT

Any way that is why I’ve entitled todays message around the idea that is really presented here regarding faith, and living by it… I’ve entitled today’s message…

The Progression of Faith!

WE saw in prior weeks that God’s intention in for delivering Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, was not solely for them to get out of slavery (step 1) and take a three day journey into the wilderness in order to offer sacrifices to Him and worship Him (step 2) but the end game, the goal was to take them to a land that He had promised to their forefather Abraham centuries before (step 3)!

Exodus 3:8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

And Canaan often time is referred to allegorically speaking as a type of heaven for the believer!

Proposition: Our scripture text places before us a picture of how we progress on to our heavenly home!

As Isaac Watts wrote in his beautiful hymn…

Isaac Watts - We’re marching to Zion, Beautiful, beautiful Zion; We’re marching upward to Zion, The beautiful city of God.

So let’s begin by looking at first of all…

I. The Dilemma that was before the Israelites:

Exodus 13:17a When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.

A) Point?

1. There is no short-cuts with God when it comes to Christian growth and Christ-like character development!

Matthew 7: 13 Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. 14 But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. – AMPC