Faith. Hebrews 11:1-16. WBC Sun 22nd August 2004 am
INTRODUCTION
You have faith. You do!
- when you got up this morning and put on the light: you exercised faith
- when you got in your car you exercised faith in that car to deliver you here
- when you buy some pills from the chemist, you exercise faith that they will work
- when you board a train- you have faith that it will get you to your destination
- when you post a letter: that it will arrive at the right destination (that takes faith!)
There is nothing unique about faith. It is a universal currency
As is spiritual faith. We all have it. Seriously
- as they say: everyone is someone’s fool. Who’s fool are you?
- The humanist has faith in himself
- The New Ager in the general benevolence of the universe and the power of inane objects such as crystals
- The Muslim in the Koran and Mohammed as a prophet
- The religious person in their own works to save them
Everyone exercises faith. There’s nothing unique about it
- you have bucket loads of it!
But what you realise is that some things are more worth putting your faith in than others
-so it’s not your faith that counts- but the object of your faith
Illustr: 3 people were on an aeroplane in awful weather. One terrified, hysterical and sobbing. One biting their nails and clutching the seat handle. One calmly asleep. All 3 made it because the object of their faith (plane and pilot) were trustworthy.
Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith. The object of our faith
- utterly dependable
- able to save to the utmost those who come to Him. In fact- as subjects of religious faith go, He is the only trustworthy one as
AC 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
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So- let’s get a few things clear about faith this morning
WHAT FAITH ISN’T
Faith isn’t about FAITH. Believing. Faith is not the object and goal (as if by it I can please God and make things happen, get myself a good life)
- that’s an extreme that we all feel uneasy with
- Faith is about the object of my faith
Faith isn’t about adherence to a set down rulebook or set of doctrines
- can be said of some: “oh, they are a person of faith” (because they bash a certain drum or doctrine all the time, and seem so sure)
- in fact they are desperately unsure, insecure and bigoted
o religion has become their crutch
- > rather a than JESUS.
- It’s not the matter of right doctrine (though that matters)
o Paul says “I know WHOM I have believed” 2 Tim 1:12
Faith isn’t about a blind leap into the dark
- “just have faith” (in other words: unscrew your brain)
- doesn’t mean switching off common sense
- doesn’t mean can’t be a scientist. Faith is not the anti-thesis of science!
- Cf here: by faith we believe that God created the world
o It’s not telling us how it happened
o I am a creationist. I believe God created the world. Out of nothing.
It’s science’s job to try and find out how
o Strangely enough they currently think there might have been a time when there was nothing. And then, pow, matter came into being!
Hey boys, give me a Professorship! By faith I’ve believed that for ages!
I look forward to hearing more theories as to how my God might have done it. My what mechanisms
All faith is not the same
- people think, nowadays, that ‘It really doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. You’ve got your faith I’ve got mine”
o that’s just not true. I know some lovely, sincere people, but what they believe is absolute tosh. I just don’t know how they can do it
o Illustr: Margo. 16 credit cards and debt. Why did you expand the house? “The house spoke to me and told me it wanted to be”
o Friends- us Christians have got NOTHING to worry or be ashamed about!
WHAT FAITH IS
Faith is in an object
- our faith is in the nature of a loving God, and that object is Jesus Christ
o completely trustworthy
It is “the assurance of things hoped for and the certainty of things not yet seen”
- that word ‘assurance’ (NIV ‘being sure of’) literally is ‘hypostasis’
o you know that: hypo= under stasis= stand
- faith is the what stands under the things we believe as Christians and gives them support. It is their foundation
- that word means ‘confidence’
- > faith is why we are confident about the things we hope for”
I’m confident about the future, because of my faith in Jesus
- it lifts me up. Undergirds all I do. Because Jesus has said ‘never will I leave you’
o it gives me hope
Faith is the certainty of things not yet seen
- anyone here seen heaven?
- We are certain of it!
And here’s a main point that I want to make this morning.
- do you, like me, sometimes feel a ‘caution’ when you hear someone going on about their mountain-moving faith, and all it’s achieved for them…what they’ve ‘seen’?
o Why is that?
- 1) It’s because we’re British (or you are. I’m a mongrel!) and we
o are cautious about everything
o automatically pooh-pooh and put down anything of ‘success’
it’s cultural
actually- it’s wrong. Should be repented of
• should be more open than that!
• We can learn from such people
- 2) (rightly) it’s because faith is
o NOT to do with what we see
o Real faith is when we DON’T see things
o We suspect that what they say is not the full story
It isn’t!
The other half is: ‘sawn in two.. stoned..”
Real faith was not the rebuking word that threw the lions across the auditorium… or made them become like pussy-cats
- real faith was standing for Jesus as Nero’s soldiers spread butter on your neck as an appetiser to them
Real faith is being demonstrated NOT when you see things- but when you don’t
- that’s the kind of faith that pleases God
- that’s the kind, here. None of them saw it!
o Most of them didn’t really understand!
Real faith is Gillian Coleby (Illustr)
Real faith is when YOU don’t understand, can’t see why something has happened or are uncertain about your future
- but by Jove (?!) I’m going to trust Jesus anyway!
Illustr: talking with someone this week. Not high as once were. Big questions about why some things happened… were allowed
- this is real faith
- = real faith when there are no answers
- real faith allows for the mysteries of life (of which there are many, as you grow… and disappointments)
- real faith is accepting He knows all, and we don’t
o and submitting to Him. Letting Him be Lord
All of us have questions
- but you might find they are not as important to God as you think
- maybe they’re not as important to you
o (maybe you couldn’t understand and never will)
o cf- like Thomas. Jesus was enough (Illustr me + TBJ)
That is real faith
- that perseveres
- that trusts. In spite
- that, having done all, STANDS
With such God is well pleased
WHAT FAITH DOES
Real faith does these things because of the object of its faith
Real faith caused Abel to worship God
- Don’t know a lot about Abel. But he offered a right sacrifice to God in spite of the opposition of his brother
o And this passage (oral tradition) explains that it was better because of the state of his heart and faith
- Got killed for it- but still his blood cries out to us ‘those with real faith bring sacrifice of praise to God’
- Real faith looks for an opportunity to worship.
- (none of this churchless faith for me)
Real faith caused Enoch to walk with God
- again, we don’t know much about Enoch.
- Gen 5 tells us that for the first 65 years of his life he didn’t walk with God
o Presumably he walked with the ‘sprit of the age’
- But from the birth of his son he walked with God
o (birth of a child helped anyone here?)
o Word implies ‘closely and continually’
- Note: it’s not ‘sprinted, run or staggered’
o Those who sprint and get into all BIG things aren’t necessarily those of greatest faith or pleasure to God
o Have to walk and be sure and steady first
o Make sure you are discipled in the basics of following Jesus before you get into peripherals
- Those of real faith will WALK it
Real faith caused Noah to work for God
- you know the story
- build a big boat: 450 x 75x 45 ft
- > in the desert
- and every tree he felled shouted faith. Every board he sawed, nail he hammered and brush of tar shouted faith.
o Only his steadfast faith kept him going
So many people want revival. But where are the ‘pray-ers’?
So many want to be helpers on Alpha… want to see people come to the Lord
- but where are the people who will invite their neighbours, friends?... put a leaflet through a door
o … or at least pray about it
Many want the KOG to come and grow
- but where are the workers? The labourers for the harvest?
o Go yourself, or at least offer YOURSELF
- Maybe you should be considering service
o Of a set-apart kind?
o Or with the edge… Older folks work
o (there’s going to be a harvest!)
Real faith causes people to work for God
… and to walk with Him.
…. And to worship Him
… and to stand with Him and for Him when there are no answers to those questions. That is real, God-pleasing faith
…and to keep our eyes on Jesus- the author, perfector and object of our faith
- the trustworthy one
CD: I’ve had questions (plus words on projector)
Hymn: When we walk with the Lord (trust and obey)
(with thanks and credit to John Hamby for some of the ideas in this sermon, from his sermon on "The Pathway of Faith" Hebrews 11:1-11:7 on www.sermoncentral.com)
