God’s Hall Of Fame
Hebrews 11:32 thru 12:1
Introduction
This week I was listing to sports radio and they were talking with one of the newest inductees to the Baseball Hall Of Fame, Gary Carter. They were talking about his character as a player and his accomplishments as one of the greatest catchers in baseball history. In the midst of all this Gary gave thanks to God for allowing him to become the player that he was.
Today we live in a sports crazed society. People look up to great athletes and sports legends. After their careers are over we like to recognize their greatness.
In addition to the Baseball Hall of Fame we have – the Professional Football Hall of Fame – the Basketball Hall of Fame – the Boxing Hall of Fame – the Golf Hall of Fame - And on and on.
I’ve long been a Buffalo Bills fan and recently, one of my teams greatest players, Jim Kelly, was inducted into the Pro Football hall of fame. He invited several hundred close friends, relatives, and former team mates to his induction ceremony. They had watched him play, many had rooted for him, some had even played along side of him. They were there to root for him one more time.
You know God has a Hall Of Fame too. It’s found in Hebrews chapter 11. I like to call Hebrews chapter 11 – God’s Hall of Heroes. In this chapter God mentions some of the Heroes of the Faith that have lived through the centuries and were faithful to God.
This morning, we’re going to look at the 2nd man mentioned in “God’s Hall of Heroes”
His name is Enoch, and he’s mentioned in Hebrews 11:5.
Not much is written about Enoch.
He’s only mentioned in 5 books of the Bible in a total of about 12 verses.
Two of those books. I Chronicles and Luke, only mention him in genealogies.
That leaves only 3 books and about 10 verses that mention anything about Enoch.
How can you make it into God’s Hall of Fame on only 10 verses?
His life may only be written out in 10 verses, but these 10 verses tell us a lot about Enoch.
We’re going to look at those verses this morning, and we’re going look at just what was it exactly that put Enoch into God’s Hall of Fame.
First let’s look at:
I. Enoch’s Walk – Gen. 5:21-25
Gen 5:21-24
21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:
22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
In Gen. 5:22 and 24 the Bible makes this brief statement – “Enoch walked with God.”
1. What does it mean to “Walk with God.” - To walk with God implies several things:
a. It implies relationship –
1. No one can “walk with God” if they have never been introduced to him.
2. No one can “walk with God” if they do not know Him as Savior.
3. You must believe in Him in order to walk with Him.
b. It implies agreement
1. Amos 3:3 says, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
2. Agreement - about Sin – Agreement about everything
c. It implies fellowship – unbroken fellowship.
d. It implies an awareness of His presence. – Sin destroys that awareness.
2. How does one “Walk with God”.
a. To “Walk with God” means following His leading.
1. Matthew 16:24 "then said Jesus unto His disciples, if any man WILL come after me, let him DENY
himself, and take up his CROSS (speaks of death) and follow me"
2. He must lead us! We must be willing to follow. We must be willing to allow him to do that.
3. We must not run ahead of Him or behind Him. We should be willing to walk side-by-side each and
every day.
b. Enoch walked with God every day for 300 years
Enoch’s name means dedicated one. He definitely lived up to his name. He was a man who walked with
God for over 300 years on a daily basis. This brings us to our next aspect of walking with God.
3. The Christian Walk is a Marathon – Not a hundred yard dash.
II. Enoch’s Testimony – Heb. 11:5
Heb 11:5 - By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
1. He pleased God. – What are the results of pleasing God?
a. It brings peace – Enoch lived in the days of Noah. A time of great wickedness.
Isa. 26:3 – “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.”
b. It brings joy - Ps. 16:11 “…in thy presence is fullness of joy…”
2. He pleased God – What are the fruits of pleasing God
a. We become more like Him. – Have you ever noticed that if you admire someone and spend a lot of time
with them that you start becoming like them. Ever noticed that people who have been married for many
years start thinking alike.
b. We become more fruitful in our lives.
John 15:5 - I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth
forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
c. It is the way to stay on fire for God.
Luke 24:32 - And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by
the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
III. Enoch’s Words – Jude 14 - 16
Jude 14-16
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
The little Book of Jude at the end of the N.T. records the only recorded words of Enoch.
1. In Enoch’s day the world was an evil and wicked place.
Gen 6:5-6 gives us God’s opinion about the state of the world in those days.
5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
2. Not only was Enoch’s life a testimony for God - Enoch wasn’t afraid to speak up for God.
God was grieved about the state the world was in – and so was Enoch. Not many people today are committed to the task of proclaiming message of God.
IV. Enoch’s Reward - Gen. 5:24
24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
1. How would you like to have written on your tombstone:
“He Walked With God”
2. They could have written that on Enoch’s except there was one problem.
Enoch didn’t have one. He didn’t have a tomb. You see God took him out before the flood came as God’s judgment upon the world.
3. Enoch never died. He was taken off the earth before he died.
4. Jesus is coming back – Are you walking with God
( Much of this message was gleaned from other sources including sermon central. My thanks to these men for there work and assistance.)
