A Response Of Saving Faith-6 Series

A RESPONSE Of SAVING FAITH-VI—Hebrews 11:3-40

Attention:

Faith’s response to life’s challenges.

When we lived in Whigham, GA, we would take a day-trip to the beach in FL every few weeks/About a 1½ hr trip.

We would take US 319 S. out of Tallahassee. FL & go thru Eastpoint, FL(near Apalachicola). At Eastpoint there was a sizeable bridge that led out to St. George Island. The bridge was getting some age on it. They eventually replaced the bridge with a completely new one.

Faith in the potential for tourism caused the state to acquire funding & contractors to get the bridge replaced. Building the bridge to continue tourism was a Response of Saving Faith. Tourism on St. George Island was saved by faith.

We indeed bring something of value to the table when we have such ‘saving’ faith in Jesus!

Need:

The Hebrews writer sought to encourage & exhort his readers(hearers) by recounting the very practical responses which faith had wrought in their forebears/ancestors.

Saving faith yields practical responses to life, which encourage others.

What are some practical responses to life by saving faith?

How does saving faith respond to life?

Previously in Hebrews, we have found 9 responses to life’s challenge afforded by saving faith.

Saving faith meets life’s challenge with...

1. A Particular WORLDVIEW(:3)—Concept presented 05/20/2012 with 10:39—11:3 as FELLOWSHIP

2. OFFERINGs Of PECULIAR QUALITY(:4)

3. DESIRE For GOD’s PLEASURE(:5-6)

4. CONDEMNING TRUST(:7)

5. A Particular PLACE(:8-10)

6. A Particular OUTLOOK(:11-12)

7. A Particular VISION(:13-16)

8. A Particular CONCLUSION(:17-19)

9. A Particular BLESSING(:20-21)

10—Saving faith meets life’s challenge with...

A Particular PREPARATION(:22)

Explanation: (:22)

:22—“By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, & gave instructions concerning his bones.”

Joseph acted “by faith” when he(while living) made specific arrangements for the transport of his bones(Gen. 50:22-26). He did this knowing(by faith) that his people would grow in number & return to the promised land of Israel(Gen. 50:24). This was in answer to the promise made to Abraham 4 generations prior(Gen. 15:13-16) regarding the enslavement & eventual release of the nation of Israel(Ex. 12:29-38).

Joseph’s Arrangements:

Gen. 50:22-26—“So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he & his father’s household. And Joseph lived one hundred & ten years. Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees. And Joseph said to his brethren, “I am dying; but God will surely visit you, & bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, & to Jacob.” Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, & you shall carry up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being one hundred & ten years old; & they embalmed him, & he was put in a coffin in Egypt.”

God’s Promise to Abraham:

Gen. 15:13-16—“Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, & will serve them, & they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.””

Israel’s Release from Slavery:

Ex. 12:29-38—“And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, & all the firstborn of livestock. So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, & all the Egyptians; & there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. Then he called for Moses & Aaron by night, & said, “Rise, go out from among my people, both you & the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said. Also take your flocks & your herds, as you have said, & be gone; & bless me also.” And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, & they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, & clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. A mixed multitude went up with them also, & flocks & herds--a great deal of livestock.”