Faith In All Of Its Fullness

“Faith in all of its Fullness”

Hebrews 11:1-12

December 28, 2008

Warden Assembly of God

Pastor John L. Harper

Introduction: What is faith? Is faith the absence of fear? Do you have more faith than your neighbor? Faith is believing in God when there is no logical reason to believe in God. Faith does not mean you’re not afraid, it means even though you are afraid you still trust God for the outcome. Living by faith does not mean we are blindfolded to the problems around us, rather we see the problems around us and we choose to see our situation from the Lord’s perspective

"Do not be troubled because you must live by faith, nor grow weary because hope is deferred. Your reward is certain; it is preserved for you in him who created all things."

Peter Chrysologus

Today I want you to see how valuable your faith is, and that its value is worth working for. The work of faith will always lead to the way of faith, and that way is trusting God no matter what comes our way.

I. THE WEIGHT OF FAITH (vs. 1-3)

A. The substance of faith

1. The things that are unseen

"Faith believes what it sees not; for if thou seest there is no faith; the Lord has gone away so as not to be seen: He is hidden that He may be believed; the yearning desire by faith after Him who is unseen is the preparation of a heavenly mansion for us; when He shall be seen it shall be given to us as the reward of faith." [Augustine]

2. The things that are to be enjoyed

3. The things that are in the future

Hugo De St. Victor distinguished faith from hope. By faith alone we are sure of eternal things that they ARE: but by hope we are confident that WE SHALL HAVE them. All hope presupposes faith. (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary)

B. The support of faith

(Rom 8:25) But if we hope for that which we do not see, then we wait for it with patience.

Scratched on the walls of one of the Nazi prison camps were the words, “I believe in the sun even when it does not shine. I believe in love even when it is not expressed. And I believe in God even when He is silent.”...

Contributed by: Douglas Vincent

C. The sustaining force of faith

1. Faith commended our ancestors

2. Faith suspended the world on nothing

(John 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

(John 1:2) The same was in the beginning with God.

(John 1:3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

3. Faith set the world in order

"We were not spectators of creation; it is by faith we perceive it." (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary)

Application: Are you living by faith, or are you just hoping things will work out?

II. THE WORK OF FAITH (vs. 4-7)

A. The worship of the faithful

1. Excellent sacrifice

a. Abel gave God what he wanted

b. He did it God’s way (animal sacrifice)

2. Exemplary witness

a. He obtained the confirmation that he did what was right

b. He obeyed God without fear of what others thought

3. Eternal testimony

a. He was a witness in his offering

b. He was a witness to others, and referred to as righteous Abel

B. The walk of the faithful

1. Close to the Lord

a. Enoch had a close relationship with the Lord

b. Enoch’s heart was to please God

2. Compelling desire (please God)

a. He walked with God for 365 years

b. He did this without a Bible or the fullness of the Holy Spirit!

Faith honors God and God honors faith! A story from the life of missionaries Robert and Mary Moffat illustrates this truth. For 10 years this couple labored faithfully in Bechuanaland (now called Botswana) without one ray of encouragement to brighten their way. They could not report a single convert. Finally the directors of their mission board began to question the wisdom of continuing the work. The thought of leaving their post, however, brought great grief to this devoted couple, for they felt sure that God was in their labors, and that they would see people turn to Christ in due season. They stayed; and for a year or two longer, darkness reigned. Then one day a friend in England sent word to the Moffat’s that she wanted to mail them a gift and asked what they would like. Trusting that in time the Lord would bless their work, Mrs. Moffat replied, "Send us a communion set; I am sure it will soon be needed." God honored that dear woman’s faith. The Holy Spirit moved upon the hearts of the villagers, and soon a little group of six converts was united to form the first Christian church in that land. The communion set from England was delayed in the mail; but on the very day before the first commemoration of the Lord’s super in Bechuanaland, the set arrived. Unknown.