Noah: When The Whole World's Against You Series

This morning we begin a new series called "Heroes” This series is based on the 11th chapter of Hebrews and over the next few weeks we will examine the lives and the FAITH of people just like you and me, who followed God in faith and through their obedience, God changed the world.

Let’s jump right in this morning. Hebrews 11 begins by giving a good working description of Faith.

Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Three Things Faith is Not:

• Faith is Not Religion. (simply accepting a doctrine

• Faith is Not Blind Optimism (a license to stop thinking…taking stupid risks thinking you’re invincible

• Because you can believe in something that’s completely false.

• Faith is Not Superstition (believing in spite of evidence)

• If I wear a certain shirt on the day my favorite team plays They’ll win. There is no evidence for that!

• If I carry a rabbit’s foot in my pocket, I’ll be lucky. (That luck didn’t work out for the rabbit did it?)

• Faith is Not based on what WE want, but on What God Wants.

• There is a whole movement today that says IF you have enough faith, that you’ll be able to ask for whatever you want.

• I’ve actually heard preachers on television say that if you BELIEVE that God would give you a better house, and nicer car, and more fashionable clothing.

• Faith is based on what God wants and wanting that for ourselves.

What Hebrews says is that FAITH is confident obedience to God’s Word. in spite of our circumstances and consequences.

- It may not look possible, but God is able.

- 2 Timothy 1:12 - That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

ALMOST every time God calls you to step out in faith, it’s going to go against YOUR plans. It’s Going to go against YOUR Logic. It’s going to go against YOUR timing.

But Faith is saying, "God, even though I don’t fully understand it, I’m going to trust that you know what you’re doing."

Hebrews 11:3 - By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

One of the reasons Faith is so difficult is because it’s a lot easier to trust in something that is in front of our eyes, rather than trust God who we can’t see. It’s easy to trust in our job, because we can see the paychecks every Friday. It’s easy to trust in a person, because they are flesh and blood right in front of us. It’s easier to trust in ourselves than to trust in God, because even though we might screw everything up, we’ve got a sense of Control.

What verse 3 says is that God made the things that we see, but to trust in those things is to misdirect our trust. IT’s putting stock in Created things, rather than trusting the Creator.

Imagine getting on an airplane and getting ready to take off and the pilot comes over the PA and says…"Thanks for flying Southwest. This is Pilot Hank and I want to welcome you to my first flight in a real airplane!" For me, my problem is not with the Aircraft, but I’m having trouble trusting the operator. The airplane is no Good if I’ve got a bad pilot.

2 Corinthians 4:18 - So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Verse six says that:

Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

We’re going to get more into this over the next few weeks, but True Biblical faith is not a "wish on a star" kind of thing. IT’s confidence!

That’s the kind of faith that we see in the life of Noah

What do we know about Noah…Noah’s Ark. It’s one of the favorite children’s stories but the REAL story goes so much deeper.

A summary of Noah’s story is in Verse 7

Hebrews 11:7 - By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

We’re going to study this verse in multiple Parts