A RESPONSE Of SAVING FAITH-VI—Hebrews 11:3-40
Attention:
Faith’s response to life’s challenges.
When we lived in Whigham, GA, we would take a day-trip to the beach in FL every few weeks/About a 1½ hr trip.
We would take US 319 S. out of Tallahassee. FL & go thru Eastpoint, FL(near Apalachicola). At Eastpoint there was a sizeable bridge that led out to St. George Island. The bridge was getting some age on it. They eventually replaced the bridge with a completely new one.
Faith in the potential for tourism caused the state to acquire funding & contractors to get the bridge replaced. Building the bridge to continue tourism was a Response of Saving Faith. Tourism on St. George Island was saved by faith.
We indeed bring something of value to the table when we have such ‘saving’ faith in Jesus!
Need:
The Hebrews writer sought to encourage & exhort his readers(hearers) by recounting the very practical responses which faith had wrought in their forebears/ancestors.
Saving faith yields practical responses to life, which encourage others.
What are some practical responses to life by saving faith?
How does saving faith respond to life?
Previously in Hebrews, we have found 9 responses to life’s challenge afforded by saving faith.
Saving faith meets life’s challenge with...
1. A Particular WORLDVIEW(:3)—Concept presented 05/20/2012 with 10:39—11:3 as FELLOWSHIP
2. OFFERINGs Of PECULIAR QUALITY(:4)
3. DESIRE For GOD’s PLEASURE(:5-6)
4. CONDEMNING TRUST(:7)
5. A Particular PLACE(:8-10)
6. A Particular OUTLOOK(:11-12)
7. A Particular VISION(:13-16)
8. A Particular CONCLUSION(:17-19)
9. A Particular BLESSING(:20-21)
10—Saving faith meets life’s challenge with...
A Particular PREPARATION(:22)
Explanation: (:22)
:22—“By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, & gave instructions concerning his bones.”
Joseph acted “by faith” when he(while living) made specific arrangements for the transport of his bones(Gen. 50:22-26). He did this knowing(by faith) that his people would grow in number & return to the promised land of Israel(Gen. 50:24). This was in answer to the promise made to Abraham 4 generations prior(Gen. 15:13-16) regarding the enslavement & eventual release of the nation of Israel(Ex. 12:29-38).
Joseph’s Arrangements:
Gen. 50:22-26—“So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he & his father’s household. And Joseph lived one hundred & ten years. Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees. And Joseph said to his brethren, “I am dying; but God will surely visit you, & bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, & to Jacob.” Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, & you shall carry up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being one hundred & ten years old; & they embalmed him, & he was put in a coffin in Egypt.”
God’s Promise to Abraham:
Gen. 15:13-16—“Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, & will serve them, & they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.””
Israel’s Release from Slavery:
Ex. 12:29-38—“And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, & all the firstborn of livestock. So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, & all the Egyptians; & there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. Then he called for Moses & Aaron by night, & said, “Rise, go out from among my people, both you & the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said. Also take your flocks & your herds, as you have said, & be gone; & bless me also.” And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, & they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, & clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. A mixed multitude went up with them also, & flocks & herds--a great deal of livestock.”
Joseph made these arrangements while on his death bed. Therefore, up to his last dying breath he did not want to leave anything undone in regard to God’s promises. He knew beyond any doubt that God would perform what He had promised.
Moses thereby acted upon Joseph’s instructions & transported “his bones” with all the children of Israel as they exited Egypt(Ex. 13:17-19), which took place ~400 years following the actual promise to Abraham(Gen. 15:13-16).
“Dying/End was near” (See :21; See :4—“Dead”)—apoynhskw—1) To die—1a) Of the natural death of man, 1b) Of the violent death of man or animals, 1c) To perish by means of something, 1d) Of trees which dry up, of seeds which rot when planted, 1e) Of eternal death, to be subject to eternal misery in hell. Strong—To die off (literally or figuratively).
“Made mention of/Spoke about”(See :15—“Called to mind”)—mnhmoneuw—Aorist Active indicative—1) To be mindful of, to remember, to call to mind, 1a) To think of & feel for a person or thing, 1b) To hold in memory, keep in mind; 2) to make mention of. Strong—To exercise memory, i.e. Recollect; by implication--To punish; also--To rehearse.
“Departure/Exodus”—exodov—1) Exit i.e. departure; 2) The close of one’s career, one’s final fate; 3) Departure from life, decease. Strong—An exit, i.e. figuratively--Death.
“Children/Sons”—uiov—1) A son; 2) Son of man; 3) Son of God. Gives prominence to the inward, ethical, legal aspects of parentage. Uiov emphasizes the idea of relationship, & considers especially the inward, ethical, & legal aspects.
“Israel/Israelites”—Israhl—Israel = “he shall be a prince of God.” 1) The name given to the patriarch Jacob (& borne by him in addition to his former name); 2) The family or descendants of Israel, the nation of Israel; 3) Christians, the Israel of God (Ga 6:16), for not all those who draw their bodily descent from Israel are true Israelites, i.e. are Those whom God pronounces to be Israelites & has chosen to salvation. Strong—Israel (i.e. Jisrael), The adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants (literally or figuratively).
From—larsy Yisra’el’; “he will rule as God”
“Gave instructions/Gave commandment/Gave orders”—entellomai—1) To order, command to be done, enjoin. To enjoin, is used esp. of those whose office or position invests them with claims, & points rather to the contents of the command, cf. “our instruction.”
Argumentation:
*Jn. 14:1-4—““Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go & prepare a place for you, I will come again & receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, & the way you know.””
*2Cor. 5:1-7—“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
*Rev. 3:10-13—““Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, & he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God & the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”
1Pet. 3:13-16—“And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, & always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness & fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.”
Titus 3:1-2—“Remind them[the Church] to be subject to rulers & authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.”
Mt. 25:13—““Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”
Illustration:
POSITIVE:
A doctor needs an office to accomplish his work/He purchases a practice from a retiring Dr. or he purchases everything outright/In a small town, the town government may aid in such an establishment/A Particular PREPARATION
Saving for your children to go to college/A Particular PREPARATION
Term life insurance for your family/A Particular PREPARATION
A last will & testament/Shore up a person’s desire after they are dead/A Particular PREPARATION
Bequeathing a portion of your assets to your local church OR to missionaries OR a particular mission/A Particular PREPARATION
NEGATIVE:
Me to the Regal Corn Maze near Statesville on Saturday/I had announced the trip to the maze from the bulletin/I arrived at the maze promptly @ 11:00am & was prepared to run the maze & then go to lunch with the group/However....plainly printed in the bulletin was the announcement that everyone was to meet at the church @ 11:00!...& would then eat lunch in Statesville before going to the maze!/I messed up the entire schedule & I was the one who had read the announcement to the church so everyone would be on the same page!/I did not have A Particular PREPARATION which was needed to participate
Application:
?Does your life speak of A Particular PREPARATION in God?
?What are your Plans?
?How do you Respond to life’s challenge?
?Is yours a Response of Saving Faith?
11—Saving faith meets life’s challenge with...
A Particular BOLDNESS(:23)
Explanation:(:23)Risk taking
:23—“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; & they were not afraid of the king’s command.”
“By faith” something of significance was accomplished in Moses’ life.
Faith was called into action upon his very birth.
Ex. 1:6-22—READ
Ex. 1:15-16—“Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah & the name of the other Puah; & he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, & see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.””
His “parent’s” willingness to hide him was done in faith.
Moses’ Parents are those who lived by faith in their opposition of a corrupt govt. as they ensured the safety of their son Moses.
They boldly stood & stand unhindered/unencumbered above/against the spiritual strategies/strategizing of their culture/experience. By faith they stood as a testimony to the tyranny of the devil as he puppets the heads of political/social injustices & wrong.
Their faith caused Moses’ parents to:
1)Become enthralled with their child’s “beauty” to the point that their desire for his life overrode the demand to destroy life precious to Almighty God.
2)Their fears of governmental/cultural retaliation were removed by the greater desire to save a child’s life.
“Hidden”—kruptw—2nd Aorist Passive Indicative—1) To hide, conceal, to be hid; 2) Escape notice; 3) metaph. To conceal(that it may not become known). Strong—a primary verb; To conceal(properly--by covering). Used 16X.
“Parents”—pathr—paterwn—Apparently a primary word; A "father"(literally or figuratively, near or more remote).
“Beautiful/Proper”—asteiov—Adj.—1) Of the city; 2) Of polished manners; 3) Elegant (of body), comely, fair. Asteiov soon acquires the meaning urbane, polite, elegant. Then it obtains to a limited extent the meaning beautiful, although never in the highest degree. Strong—from astu(a city); Urbane, i.e. by implication--Handsome. Used 2X. English— ‘Astute?’
“Afraid”—fobew—1) to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away). "To fear", the general term; often used of a protracted state. Strong—To frighten, i.e. passively--To be alarmed; by analogy--To be in awe of, i.e. Revere.
“Command/Commandment/Edict”—diatagma—1) An injunction, mandate. Strong—An arrangement, i.e. authoritative--Edict. Used 1X.
Argumentation:
*Heb. 4:9-16—“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living & powerful, & sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul & spirit, & of joints & marrow, & is a discerner of the thoughts & intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked & open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy & find grace to help in time of need.”
Heb. 10:19-23—“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new & living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, & having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience & our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
Heb. 13:5-8—“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, & forever.”
1Jn. 3:21—“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.”
1Tim. 3:13—“For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing & great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (CONT...)11—Saving faith meets life’s challenge with...
A Particular BOLDNESS(:23)
*1Jn. 4:17—“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”
Eph. 6:18-20—“praying always with all prayer & supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance & supplication for all the saints-- & for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Eph. 3:8-12—“To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, & to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities & powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness & access with confidence through faith in Him.”
“Boldness” in the New Testament is often associated with speaking God’s truth to a lost world. It is deeply personal speech in that we ‘get into another person’s business’ by challenging/confronting him/her with the Gospel of salvation in Christ.
Illustration:
Harriet Tubman was a runaway slave(1849) from Maryland. Her owner sold 3 of her daughters. She helped other slaves travel to the north with the help of some sympathetic people both white & black. Harriet risked her life to become a conductor on the famous Underground Railroad/She couldn’t read or write & was rather frail, but her bold efforts assisted escaped slaves to safety beyond the Mason Dixon line. She made some 13 trips freeing over 60 slaves, including several of her own family members.
Christians are in a similar situation as Mrs. Tubman. We too have escaped the slavery of sin by the unique, valiant, bold, & once-for-all effort(birth, life, sacrifice & resurrection) of Jesus Christ/A Particular BOLDNESS
Application:
?Does your life speak of A Particular BOLDNESS in God?
?How do you Respond to life’s challenge?
?Is yours a Response of Saving Faith?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Funding for the St. George Island bridge—an act of ‘saving’ faith.
Action:
Saving faith meets life’s challenge with...
10. A Particular PREPARATION(:22)
11. A Particular BOLDNESS(:23)Risk taker
1. A Particular WORLDVIEW(:3)—Concept presented 05/20/2012 with 10:39—11:3 as FELLOWSHIP
2. OFFERINGs Of PECULIAR QUALITY(:4)
3. DESIRE For GOD’s PLEASURE(:5-6)
4. CONDEMNING TRUST(:7)
5. A Particular PLACE(:8-10)
6. A Particular OUTLOOK(:11-12)
7. A Particular VISION(:13-16)
8. A Particular CONCLUSION(:17-19)
9. A Particular BLESSING(:20-21)
Presented 10/07/2012pm to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
