Dead Men Talking

Dead Men Talking.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

I have preached several funerals these last few years. Some are easy and some are hard. And at the beginning of the service we read the obituary. It is an ABRIDGED version of a person’s life. Basically just a short biography.Where and when they were born and to whom. The relationships in their life. Who they were married to.

We talk about their children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces.

We go into their close friends and anymore we even talk about their pets. We talk about hobbies and the things they enjoyed.

JOKE: My old aunts used to come up to me at weddings, poking me in the ribs and cackling, “You’re next!” After a while, I figured out how to stop them. I started doing the same thing to them at funerals!

No seriously now WHY DO WE DO THIS?

BECAUSE THEY CAN’T DO IT FOR THEMSELVES. THEY ARE DEAD!!!

THEY CAN’T SPEAK ON THEIR OWN BEHALF. THEY ARE DEAD!!!

AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WILL NEVER KNOW ABOUT THE PERSON IF WE DON’T TELL THEM.

ILLUS: I can’t tell you how many funerals I’ve been to that I LEARN something about that person that I never knew before.

WE AS SURVIVORS WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THESE THINGS. WHO THIS PERSON REALLY WAS AND THE THINGS THEY STOOD FOR.

There are some things in this passage that GOD wanted us to know. He wanted the WORLD to hear and so He chose some men to speak to us even though they are long gone. You might say they are DEAD MEN TALKING. TALKING to you and I today. Let’s go ahead and pray.

Brother _______ would you lead us in prayer.

I. The first thing these fellows are gonna teach us is the IMPORTANCE of FAITH.

Verse 1 starts out by giving us a definition of FAITH. —the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

You know what? I am STRONGLY CONVINCED that the things that God has promised to me through Jesus Christ, THE THINGS I HOPE FOR, are going to come to pass. I BELIEVE HIS PROMISES.

It is NOT some particular piece of evidence I can show you.

It is NOT DNA proof.

It is NOT a DUSTED SET of fingerprints.

But I will tell you what it is. IT IS FAITH.

IT IS THE EYE WITNESS TESTIMONY from the Old Testament Prophets that are listed further on down in this chapter.

Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the list goes on.

DEAD MEN testifying of the EXISTENCE of the One True Living God.

THIS WORD OF GOD GIVES US THEIR TESTIMONY!!!!

It’s also eye witness testimony from men and women who walked and talked with Jesus Christ of Nazareth. THE NEW TESTAMENT Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Jude

They saw His Miracles. Lame, Deaf, Blind, Dead brought back to Life.

They saw His miracles, they heard His teaching, they saw Him die and then they saw Him after His resurrection.

WHEN I READ THIS BOOK AND I TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE MEN WHO PUT IT DOWN ON PAPER……I BELIEVE IT ALL. When I feel His Holy Spirit working in my life I BELIEVE IT ALL!!!

Abraham would have never left his family behind if he wouldn’t have had FAITH that God would lead him.

Noah would have never cut ONE SINGLE BOARD if it weren’t for FAITH that God would destroy the earth and save him and his family by building the ARK.

BY FAITH Moses refused to be called the Son of Pharoh’s daughter. Without this FAITH he could NEVER have led the C of I across the Red Sea on dry ground.

Rahab hid the spies there in Jericho and saved their lives. ALL BECAUSE SHE HAD FAITH.

By FAITH Peter stepped out of that boat and began walking to Jesus on the water.