Faith Believes Series

FAITH BELIEVES

Hebrews 11:5-6

Introduction

One morning this week, I had an unusual experience. I woke up laughing. I literally

woke myself up laughing. Later in the week I was visiting with a lawyer friend of

mine and told him about it. He asked me a great question: “How do you do that?”

“How do you wake up laughing?”

This series of sermons on Faith is my answer. It is a series of lessons I’ve learned

and am learning about faith. Faith is not a noun. Faith is an action verb. In this

series on the ABC’s of faith we are taking each letter of the alphabet and finding an

action verb to describe faith. Last week we began with the definition of faith in

Hebrews 11:1. Using the letter “s” we discovered that faith sees. Faith sees beyond

the surface, beyond the circumstances and beyond the grave. Then last Sunday

night, using the letter “a” and John 15, we learned that faith abides. Faith abides in

Christ. Faith abides in the Word. Faith abides in obedience and love. Faith abides

in joy.

This morning I want you to turn to Hebrews 11 again. We are going use the letter

“b” as we look at verses 5 and 6. Faith Believes.

Hebrews 11:5-6 (5) By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not

experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For

before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. (6) And without

faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must

believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (NIV)

(6) Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must

believe that he is [exists] and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek

Him.(NASB)

What does it take to please God? What does it take to be acceptable to God? How

do we approach God? How do you live in a way that pleases and is acceptable to

God?

He who comes to God, must believe two things.

To approach God you must believe two things.

1. Faith Believes God Exists.

Explanation

That’s basic. What does it mean when it says you must believe God exists?

Greek = God is.

Greek philosophers sought to explain the ultimate reality. God is. The Great “I AM.”

God is the ultimate reality in your life.

Poll - Most people claim to believe in God, but they really don’t.

Why? Because they believe the newspaper. Open any newspaper and you won’t

read about how a person was healed of cancer. You won’t read about how a church

was healed after a split. You won’t read about how God changed a man who was

an alcoholic and an abuser. No, you’ll learn how people died in terrible ways. You’ll

learn about the corruption of politicians. You’ll learn of death from earthquakes,

floods, and every other kind of disaster.

Why? Because ultimately the people who are responsible for reporting the news do

not believe God exists. For them the ultimate reality is not that God is, but that bad

things happen in this world. It’s a view of the world that presupposes God is not

alive and active in this world.

Don’t let the harsh realities of life cause you to treat God like the Enquirer.

As a result we have been put on the defensive. Instead of trying to prove God

exists, we should demand that the world prove He doesn’t exist.

We believe in atoms and genes. Everyone who has seen an atom or a gene raise

your hand.

“He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me

along life’s narrow way. He Lives! He Lives! Salvation to impart. You ask me how

I know he lives. He lives within my heart.”

When you believe God exists, you can believe in the impossible. And I want you to

know that it will make you laugh.

Illustration

It’s the kind of faith Abraham had. Abraham is known as the father of faith for good

reason. At the age of 75, God promised Abraham that his descendants would be

as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on earth. Abraham

believed the impossible. For that reason, in Genesis 15:6 it says that Abraham

believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Abraham’s belief trusted

that God could do the impossible - take a man as old as he and give him a son.

What is amazing about Abraham is the strength of his belief. Do you know how long

Abraham believed God before his son was born? 25 years. He had the kind of faith