INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1 PC VIDEO DEFEAT
• SLIDE #2
• We all need something to hope in, the hope that we have can inspire great faith and confidence.
• Hope and faith are linked very closely together.
• The key I wanted you to take from the clip is this; your actions will follow your beliefs.
• What you believe, what you hope for will direct the outcome of your life.
• SLIDE #3 PC VIDEO
• SLIDE #4
• When it comes to our hope, we have to decide if we are going to BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
• When you think of the whole concept of God it can be overwhelming. Last week we spoke a bit about the eye test.
• For the young man in the clip the eye test told him he would fail, his past experience told him he would fail, yet he reached a moment in which he chose to believe.
• There will come a time when you will face a crossroad in your life where you will have to decide if you are aging to BELIEVE IT OR NOT concerning God.
• In Hebrews 11 we have what has been called the Hebrews Hall of Faith. The chapter lists some of the saints of old and how their faithfulness to God led them to do amazing things.
• What you believe or where you place your hope will determine your actions.
• Let’s turn to Hebrews 11. We will start with verse 1.
• SLIDE #5
• Hebrews 11:1 (ESV) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
• SLIDE #6
SERMON
I. Two attributes of faith. (1)
• One of subtleties of this chapter is that verse 1 gives us more of a definition of what faith DOES verses being a definition of what faith IS.
• Faith can be defined as WHOLE-SOULED TRUST IN GOD’S WORD BECAUSE OF THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE.
• Real hope and real faith have a relationship with the heart, mind and soul of the one possessing them.
• In verse 1 we have a couple of ways faith is expressed.
• First we see that faith is the assurance of things hoped for.
• Eyesight produces a conviction about objects in the physical word whereas faith produces the same convictions for the spiritual realm.
• Faith displays itself by producing an assurance that what we hope for will come to pass.
• The word translated ASSURANCE is used 5 times and it gives the thought of possessing a title deed to a property.
• Faithfulness is the substructure of all the Christian life involves. When we miss this we miss the heart of the Christian life-style.
• Faithfulness is what we are to build our life on.
• Our faith is the title-deed we hold for the things (promises of God, heaven, eternal life) hoped for.
• Faith is living in a hope that is so real that it gives us absolute assurance in God.
• Faith is not about just wishful thinking. Real hope cannot be based on simply wishful thinking.
• Wishful thinking does not possess ASSURANCE.
• We know God and we act accordingly.
• When you look through chapter 11 all the saints mentioned acted because their faith was more than mental ascent. It was based on assurance of hope.
• SLIDE #7
• Revelation 2:10 (ESV) Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
• When times of difficulty come true faith based in the things hoped for will allow you stay true to God.
• A second attribute of faith is that faith is also conviction of things not seen.
• What is a conviction?
• Conviction is defined in the dictionary as follows: a belief or opinion that is held firmly
• In the context it is an inward persuasion that has an effect on the soul.
• For a conviction to happen there needs to be strong evidence. For the heart and soul of a person to change there needs to be a conviction concerning the reality of Jesus.
• When we have that conviction it will lead us to follow Jesus.
• What kept the saints of old following God? It was their conviction of things not seen!
• The things not seen are the promises of God in which our HOPE is built.
• Let’s examine verse 2.
• SLIDE #8
• Hebrews 11:2 (ESV) For by it the people of old received their commendation.
• SLIDE #9
II. An affirmation of faith. (2)
• The people of old spoken of here are the ones mentioned in chapter 11 as an example of what pleases God.
• The commendation spoken of was that they were immortalized in the scriptures.
• Their faithfulness is the key to receiving God’s approval. Faithfulness will result in God’s approval.
• When you read through Hebrews 11, each of the people commended by God in the passage finished the course, they completed the race.
• They DISPLAYED their faithfulness by what they did, nit by empty words, but by actions based on their convictions and the assurance of their hope!
• Each person mentioned from Moses to Abraham did what they did because they were faithful to God.
• Their faith is on display for us to be an encouragement and as a reminder that being faithful is what pleases God.
• SLIDE #10
• Hebrews 11:6 (ESV) And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
• Even though these people were full of conviction they were not without struggles. You will also struggle at times; it does not mean all is lost.
• We can rely on God’s grace and we can rely on God’s help when we are willing to repent and confess.
• SLIDE #11
• 1 John 1:9 (ESV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
• Let’s look at verse 3.
• SLIDE #12
• Hebrews 11:3 (ESV) By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
• SLIDE #13
III. An illustration of faith. (3)
• When we talk about two of the elements of faith being the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
• One of the areas in which our faith is exhibited is our trust in God’s word telling us that God created the universe by His word!
• SLIDE #14
• Genesis 1:1 (ESV) In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
• We have touched on this a few occasions. I love it when folks try to tell us things happen by accident with no intervention.
• Let me ask you this? Were you there?
• Creation shouts out that there is intelligence not accident behind creation.
• When verse 4 speaks of us understanding that the universe was created by the word of God, it tells us that because we are determined to be faithful, we chose to exercise the mind by discernment. We chose to believe what God says.
• If God did not create, then there would be no god.
• SLIDE #15
• Psalm 33:6 (ESV) By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
• Genesis gets attacked because it is the foundation on which everything else is built upon.
• Christians need to stop trying to meld man’s theories with God’s word.
• WE need not be ashamed of the fact that God created. To me God created passes even the eye test!
• The Hebrew writer reminds us that God did not borrow materials to create. “So that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”
• Look at verse 4 with me.
• SLIDE #16
• Hebrews 11:4 (ESV) By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
• SLIDE #17
IV. An act of faith. (4)
• Once again we see the statement BY FAITH. It means that Abel was DETERMINED to be faithful.
• Because he was determined to be faithful and pleasing to God, he offered up a sacrifice that was pleasing to God.
• His offering was more acceptable to God because it was offered in faith.
• SLIDE #18
• 1 John 3:12 (ESV) 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.
• Our verse tells us that because of his offering to God, he was pronounced by God to be righteous!
• God testified to the fact that Abel was righteous before Him because of his faithfulness to God.
• Abel’s faith was demonstrated by his offering.
• How are you demonstrating your faith in God?
• God looked at Abel’s heart, nit the gift itself.
• Abel still speaks to us through the pages of the Bible!
CONCLUSION
• Once again when we consider the subject of HOPE, we see that our hope in God is the basis of what we do or do not do for Him.
• Our faith is built on our hope. Our actions, the way we live life will reflect where our hope is placed and where our faith is located.
• Is your FAITH in word only or do you have a faith that leads you to be obedient to God.
