Ultimate Faith
Griffith Baptist Church – 2/15/09
A.M. Service
Text: Hebrews 11:32-40
Key verse: Hebrews 11:38a - Of whom the world was not worthy: . . .
Premise: Excellent faith has as its example these who gave everything for their faith in God and their willingness to go the distance.
The Introduction
The name Stradivarius is synonymous with fine violins. This is true because Antonius Stradivarius insisted that no instrument constructed in his shop be sold until it was as near perfection as human care and skill could make it.
Stradivarius observed, “God needs violins to send His music into the world, and if any violins are defective God’s music will be spoiled.” His work philosophy was summed up in one sentence: “Other men will make other violins, but no man shall make a better one.” Our Daily Bread, January 25, 1993
God is in constant search, I believe, of those He can add to this list of faithful people, not to Scripture, but in His heart.
Most people think the Christian life and faith is about success, but that is not at the top of God’s priority list:
He is looking for people of excellence
What is that? (Read ill. below)
Difference between success and excellence - Brian Harbour picks up on this theme in “Rising above the Crowd”:
“Success means being the best. Excellence means being your best.
Success, to many, means being better than everyone else. Excellence means being better tomorrow than you were yesterday.
Success means exceeding the achievements of other people. Excellence means matching your practice with your potential.” Leading the Way by Paul Borthwick, Navpress, 1989, Page 64.
Some people think that the Christian life and faith is about perfection.
Perfection in the Bible is speaking about maturing, growing up.
It does not mean being flawless and ideal but that we are working toward becoming like Jesus Christ
Read Ill. below
Edwin Bliss once said, “The pursuit of excellence is gratifying and healthy. The pursuit of perfection is frustrating, neurotic, and a terrible waste of time.” Eating Problems for Breakfast by Tim Hansel, Word Publishing, 1988, Page 39
(Text)
Four conditions of ultimate faith
Body
1. Ultimate Faith has Courage
A. Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared. Eddie Rickenbacker, Bits & Pieces, April 29, 1993, p. 12
i. Courage is not the absence of fear but facing your fear
ii. Anxiety will come and we must give it to the Lord
iii. This was evidenced (text) by:
a. Gideon (32) – 300 men against an enormous army
b. Samson (32) – strength not possible with God
c. See verse 33-37
B. Fear of anything, but God, will defeat you:
i. Fear causes us to hold back
ii. Fear keeps us from opportunities that God sends our away
iii. Fear convinces us that we are not capable or that the result will not be success
iv. Fear convinces us that all our efforts will be wasted
v. God did not create us that way - 2 Timothy 1:7 - For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
vi. Courage is not some magical, mysterious emotion that happens to us, it is a choice
C. We should have courageous faith because three great truths:
i. God’s companionship - Joshua 1:9 - Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
ii. Our strength come from God - Psalms 27:14 – Wait (look for, hope, expect) on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
iii. It is commanded, therefore we are capable - 1 Corinthians 16:13 – Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
2. Ultimate Faith has Commitment
A. What is the difference between involvement and commitment? Perhaps it can best be explained this way by the analogy of bacon and eggs. With the egg the hen is involved but with the bacon the pig is committed.
i. To commit is to stay true to a course of action, to see it through; dedication.
ii. We should want to be involved to the conclusion.
iii. Those in this text saw the bigger picture and trusted God, no matter what
a. 33 – Daniel – stopped the mouths of lions
b. 34 – three Hebrew men – quenched the violence of fire
B. What are deterrents to commitment?
i. We are fearful of what it might cost us (time, emotions, money, etc.)
ii. We may not like the repercussions (opposition, naysayers, negative thinkers)
iii. We don’t like the speed bumps along the way.
iv. We just get lazy
v. We lose our passion because of distraction.
C. Four marks of faith-oriented undeterred commitment:
i. Mark of God’s guidance - Psalms 37:5 – Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
ii. Mark of a disciplined mind - Proverbs 16:3 – Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
iii. Mark of seeing the end result - Philippians 3:14 – I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
iv. Mark of a satisfied life - 2 Timothy 4:7 - I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
3. Ultimate Faith has Conviction
A. David Hume, 18th century British philosopher who rejected historic Christianity, once met a friend hurrying along a London street and asked where he was going. The friend said he was off to hear George Whitfield preach. “But surely you don’t believe what Whitfield preaches do you?” “No, I don’t, but he does.” J.R.W. Stott, Between Two Worlds, p. 270
i. Conviction is a belief you are willing to die for
ii. Certainly, the people in Hebrews 11 qualify for conviction
iii. We need to examine our convictions.
iv. I am tired of hearing about men with the “courage of their convictions.” Nero and Caligula and Attila and Hitler had the courage of their convictions—but not one had the courage to examine his convictions, or to change them, which is the true test of character. Sydney Harris in Bits and Pieces, Oct. 1991
v. The people listed here stood strong, not matter what, and believed God.
B. People are not convicted anymore because:
i. Their belief system is weak
ii. They compromise
iii. They feel peer and societal pressure to be “open-minded”.
C. There are three benefits of conviction for the believer:
i. Well-grounded - Jeremiah 17:7-8 – 7Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
ii. Fearlessness - Psalms 27:1 – The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
iii. Spiritual strength - Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
4. Ultimate Faith has Character
A. A man took his daughter to the carnival, and she immediately ran over to a booth and asked for cotton candy. As the attendant handed her a huge ball of it, the father asked, “Sweetheart, are you sure you can eat all of that?” “Don’t worry, Dad,” she answered, “I’m a lot bigger on the inside than on the outside.” That’s what real character is – being bigger on the inside.
i. That is how character ought to be
ii. Matthew 12:35 - A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
iii. The definition of character - The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out – Thomas Babington Macaulay
B. Character is developed in many ways:
i. Our upbringing
ii. Our influences
iii. The Holy Spirit
iv. Above all, our conscience decision for top quality integrity and good character
v. NOTE TO REMEMBER - God is more concerned about our character than our comfort. His goal is not to pamper us physically but to perfect us spiritually. - Paul W. Powell
C. Four strong traits of character:
i. Truth - Psalms 51:6 – Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
ii. Godliness - Micah 6:8 – He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
iii. Integrity - Proverbs 20:7 – 7The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. (integrity = steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code)
iv. Openness - Romans 12:17 - Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Conclusion:
Where is your faith?
Is your faith progressing toward trust in God everyday?
Would you fit in with these in this chapter that had great and ultimate faith?
What price would you pay to have that kind of faith?
There is no limit to what God can do with those who have strong faith in Him!
