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
BY FAITH NOAH…
Let’s see what kind of faith Noah had. Look at Genesis 6.
1. Genesis 6:8 - He found Favor in the Eyes of the Lord
i. Basically, God had decided to destroy the earth and everything in it because of the wickedness of the people. God grieved over the heart condition of the people he had created.
ii. But there was one who was different. Noah made God smile.
iii. I’ve titled this message “When the whole World’s against you” because literally Noah was the ONLY ONE living for God during his Generation!
iv. If you decide to live your life for Christ, there will be times when you feel like you are the only one who cares anything about God and his purpose in the world.
v. There will be times when you will need to stand up against a crowd that would like nothing more than for you to shut up.
vi. But that’s the nature of God’s faithful people. The entire book of Acts is about people who fearlessly obeyed God and stood up to severe persecution because of it.
vii. Someone once asked me this question: If it became illegal to be a Christian in this country…and you were accused of that crime…would there be enough evidence to convict you?
viii. Galatians 1:10 - Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
ix. Noah found favor in the Eyes of the Lord because it was Him he lived to please.
2. Genesis 6:9 - He was Righteous
i. Righteousness means that Noah had a pure heart before God. It means that his heart was in tune with the heart of God
ii. There is nothing you can do to make yourself righteous. You can’t do it by going to church or reading the Bible, or helpin the poor. You and I have no righteousness of our own. Righteousness is not something you can earn.
iii. Psalm 36:5-10 - 5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. 7 How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find [b] refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. 9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. 10 Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.
iv. Righteousness is GOD’s and the only way to receive righteousness is to give ourselves to him completely
v. And Noah belonged to God…and God knew he could be trusted with a tremendous task.
vi. I want that in my life. For God to say, This is my purpose, this is my will, this is my task..Now WHO can I trust with it? And God knows my heart and whether I’m where I need to be.
3. Genesis 6:9 - He was Blameless among the people of his time.
i. Genesis 6:11-12 - Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.
ii. While his Righteousness described his Character before God. His Blamelessness described his Reputation in the Community.
iii. I think as churches we tend to separate ourselves from the world to the degree that we isololate ourselves from ever making a difference.
iv. 1 Peter 2:12 - Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
v. Here is what I believe is God’s vision for the Church.
1. He wants us to be “in the world not of the world” (John 17)
2. Our priority is to cross circles. To create opportunities for the church circles and the community circles to meet and work together.
3. And Hear this! The lives of God’s people can show others what God is really like.
1. People think that God is arrogant, condemning, and judgemental, because that is the picture the church often portrays.
2. We need to be IN THE WORLD because the world needs to know that God is a God of love, and grace, and compassion.
4. Genesis 6:9 - He Walked with God.
i. This Phrase is only used to refer to two people in scripture. Noah and Enoch.
ii. Hebrews 11:5 - By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
iii. There were three people in Scripture that ascended into Heaven. Jesus, Elijah, and Enoch.
iv. Noah’s father was named Lamech…His father was Methuselah, His father was…ENOCH.
v. I think this says a lot about Noah, but it says even more about Enoch. Do you want the kind of faith that will be passed to your great grandchildren?
WHEN WARNED ABOUT THINGS NOT YET SEEN…
• God talked to Noah, and Noah listened.
• People of Faith can discern what God is telling them.
• The disciples (james and John) and Samaria.
• 1 Corinthians 2:14 - The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
IN HOLY FEAR BUILT AN ARK…
• The people had never seen a flood. They had never seen an Ark. Imagine the ridicule that Noah experienced from his neighbors.
• But Noah obeyed
• In the book of 1 Samuel, the people were confused about what really would Please God. They were taking offerings to the temple, but their lives never changed.
• 1 Samuel 15:22 - But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
And Noah was right with God and it was out of that Righteousness that God called him to an incredible task…and Noah listened and obeyed.
Hebrews 10:35-39 - 35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. 38But my righteous one[a] will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."[b] 39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
This morning, I don’t know what God has called you to. I don’t know what kind of task he has put before you…but know this. You can’t do it alone.
God’s got an Ark he wants you to build…and he’s committed to guiding you through the entire process. He’s got a purpose he wants to accomplish through you, but it takes
1 Submitting yourself 100% to Him
2 Listening when he speaks
3 Obedience to his will.
God is calling you this morning to make that first step.
