Defining A Hero

Defining A Hero

Hebrews 11:1-10

Intro: In Cooperstown New York there is a place called the baseball hall of fame. AS you walk through the hall you will find 35,000 bats, balls and gloves that have been used by the greats of the game. Ruth and DiMaggio and Robinson, just to name a few. 130,000 baseball cards including the most valuable baseball card in the world. The T206 Honus Wagner card that is worth 2.8 million dollars. You walk around the hall and see all of these things. The centerpiece of the hall though is the Plaque Gallery. In here you will find a plaque with all 300 members as of this sermon. As you walk through the room you see plaques with the pictures of Lou Gehrig and Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle and some plaques that have recently been added like Barry Larkin and Ron Santo and Goose Gossage the pitcher.

. While we look up to these men and some even call them Heroes, the only thing that they are really noted for is being able to hit run and catch a little ball.

. Are these really the people we should be looking at as Heroes. The people that we want to emulate.

. The Pro Football hall of fame has just taken down a photo of New England Patriot player Aaron Hernandez.

. He is the player accused of murder.

. Is this man someone you want your children to look up to.

. Just exactly what should be looking for in a hero or hall of fame person that we should be looking up to.

. Perhaps we should be looking at their Character and Faith instead of how they play a sport or perform in movies or sing a song.

. The 11th chapter is a fascinating chapter in Hebrews and the Bible.

. In this chapter we see what many have described as the Biblical Hall of Fame or the Hebrew Heroes of our faith.

. Each one is introduced by the phrase “By Faith”

. We’re going to look at the first 10 verses and define what a hero should really should be known for. Their Faith in God.

. Hebrews 11:1-10

. 1Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

2Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

3By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

4It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

5It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.

6And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

7It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

8It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

9And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.

10Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

. These four men that are mentioned here were defined by who they were and the characteristics they showed while practicing their faith.

. First we will see that Abel was defined as a man of Worship.

. Look at verse 4 with me again.

. 4It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

. Abel was a man of worship. One who recognized who God was and brought God the best and the first that he had and came before God with the right attitude and reverence.