Title: Living by Faith – Part 3.
Scripture text: Hebrews 11: 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. – NKJV
Intro: The bible teaches that living by faith is NOT OPTIONAL!
Hebrews 10: 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For,“In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38 And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
A) Faith is not a one time act or decision, it is a life-style!
B) But what does it mean? What are the “rudimentary principles” of how it is done?
The great faith chapter of the bible Hebrews 11 tells us how:
I. The Basis/The Foundation ?
A) The Beginning point?
Hebrews 11:3a By faith we understand…
1. Understand - ????- noeo - perceive with the mind; comprehend; understand
a) Understand (noeo) has the basic meaning and idea of directing one's mind to something with more than just a mere glance, but to consider well, to reflect on a matter with insight
b) It means to “to perceive with reflective intelligence.”
Q: What?
Hebrews 11:3b that the worlds….
2. Worlds - a??? -aion = All that exists in the realm of time and space.)
Hebrews 11:3c were (framed….?ata?t???- kä-tär-te'-zo) NASB -KJV PREPARED
3. Framed = It means to fit or jointly together like a builder frames a house.
a) To order arrange something properly.
Q: How, Means?
Hebrews 11:3d by the word of God,
4. THE WORD OF GOD - God’s divine utterance!
a) Word- (rhema) to speak - to say, to speak or utter definite words,
b) NASB says it - by God’s command-ie, God's commanding voice! ??µat? (rhemati) : an utterance
Q: Point?
c) This is the starting point where a life of faith begins!
d) Believing the biblical record of creation!
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.(And 10 times in Genesis 1 it says) 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Matthew Henry –God said, Let there be light, and there was light. Oh the power of the Word of God!
Q: Why is that important? Today’s popular view!
Dr Donald Chittick (Creation Ministries International)- Because Literal Biblical creationism identifies God. Our culture today is confused over the meaning of the word GOD. In today’s culture, God could mean a set of moral standards, or an idea, or and energy, or the universe itself, or an individual such as Shirley MacLaine, or even each individual himself.
Dr Donald Chittick - When I lecture on university and high school campuses, I seldom use the word GOD, because it has lost its meaning. Instead I use the word CREATOR. Why? Because the first verse of the Bible identifies who God is. He is the Creator, not an idea, not a moral standard, etc.; He is the Creator. All of Scripture agrees and supports this point!
4.: “Theories” refuting creation?
a). What is the most popular ?
i. The Big Bang theory!
a. The Big Bang theory is today's dominant scientific theory about the origin of the universe. It states that the universe was created from an infinitely hot and dense subatomic ball, which once exploded not only created energy and matter, but space and time itself.
ii. Evolution – Evolutionary process
a. Simple definition: The theory that all living organisms have developed in complexity, from a simple life form.
National Geographic – All Species Evolved From Single Cell, Study Finds (May 2010)
All life on Earth evolved from a single-celled organism that lived roughly 3.5 billion years ago, a new scientific study seems to confirm. The study supports the widely held "universal common ancestor" theory first proposed by Charles Darwin more than 150 years ago.
5. The bible is not anti-science.
a) Science can define WHAT something is:
b. But there are two things that science can’t tell you.
i. WHERE it came from?
II. WHY it is here?
iii. Only the bible can tell you that!
a. God challenges Job:
Job 38: 4 4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? 6 On what were its footings set, Or who laid its cornerstone—
b) Can you explain it to me? NO because you were not around!
c) THE ONLY ONE WHO REALLY KNOWS IS GOD- HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO EXISTED!
d) THIS IS WHERE THE LIFE OF FAITH BEGINS!! FAITH understands...…….
Psalm 33:6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
Psalm 33:9 For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
6. EVERYTHING BEGAN BY THE COMMANDING ,CREATING VOICE OF GOD!
Psalm 29: 3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars
Psalm 29: 7 The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. 8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
CLOSING:
7. SINCE By Faith we know that -Creation is the RESULT- THE FRUIT of a spoken word, a spoken word from God!
Hebrews 11:3b so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
CREATION EX NIHILO - Ex nihilo is a Latin phrase meaning "out of nothing".
a) Application?
i. If the world was CREATED by the Spoken Word of God.
a. If the world is the fruit of the spoken word of God:
ii. Then my life can only be fruitful if I live by the COMMANDING Word of God! (Scriptures).
Psalm 119: 9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
Psalm 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
Psalm 119:32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding.
Psalm 119:35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
Psalm 119:98 Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies
Deu 32:47 They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
iii. That’s why Jesus said…
Matthew 7: 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Remember:
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
God's Word not only tells me where I came from, but also how to live in the present..
Henry Ward Beecher -- “The Bible is God’s chart for you to steer by, to keep you from the bottom of the sea, and to show you where the harbor is, and how to reach it without running on rocks or bars.
And how to prepare for my future!
Phillips Brooks - “The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his telescope, then he sees worlds beyond: but if he looks at his telescope, then he does not see anything but that. The Bible is a thing to be looked through, to see that which is beyond; but most people only look at it; and so they see only the dead letter.”
God's Word lights our journey thru this spiritually dark world. Indeed there is not a single terrain of life, upon which the Holy Scriptures do not enlighten us by pointing us to the correct principles, according to which we should handle ourselves to live to the honor of God.
Q: Honor God? Why Important? Creation Purpose!!
Col 1:16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
