A Response Of Saving Faith-9

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

Attention:

Faith’s response to life’s challenges.

We indeed bring something of value to the table when we are saved!

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?

In previous weeks we have observed 11 Responses to Life’s Challenge afforded by Saving Faith. These responses have focused upon the “elders”(:2)(patriarchs) but their application is for us.

We have found that 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. A Particular PREPARATION(:22)

11. A Particular BOLDNESS(:23)

12. A Particular FEARLESSNESS(:24-27)

13. A Particular DISPLAY(:28)

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

A Particular PASSAGE(:29)

Explanation:(:29)Escape/Flight

:29—“By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land &, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.”

Ex. 14:1-31—:9-10—“So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses & chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen & his army, & overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon. And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, & behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, & the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.”.....:13-16—“And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, & see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, & you shall hold your peace ” & the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, & stretch out your hand over the sea & divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.”.....:21-23—““Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; & the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, & made the sea into dry land, & the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, & the waters were a wall to them on their right hand & on their left. And the Egyptians pursued & went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, & his horsemen.”....:26-29—““Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, & on their horsemen.” And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; & when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Then the waters returned & covered the chariots, the horsemen, & all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, & the waters were a wall to them on their right hand & on their left.”

Here Moses’ faithfulness is extended to the entire nation because by it “they passed thru” the Red Sea as one. Moses’ faith influenced that of Israel to the point that they did not flee but instead “passed through.” However this “passing through” “faith” is contrasted with that of the Egyptians, whose pursuit of Israel thru the Sea became an “attempt” only as they all “drowned.” The Egyptian’s faith was in their own abilities, equipment, & in lesser gods. Thereby they failed miserably.

The Israelites “passed thru” the Red Sea on “dry land” by faith. Simultaneously, the Egyptians—not passing thru on faith—“drowned” in that self same sea.

Argumentation:

These verses from Revelation highlight the Passage which all true Christians experience.

Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26-29; 3:5, 10, 12, 21—““He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’”.....““He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’”.....““He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, & on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’”.....““And he who overcomes, & keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations-- ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’--as I also have received from My Father; & I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”.....““He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, & I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father & before His angels.”.....““Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”.....““He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, & he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God & the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.”.....““To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame & sat down with My Father on His throne.”