Heb 11:1-40 It can be DONE !!

Intro: We have noted in our study of Hebrews that the believers were considering Going Back ……..

A)The writer has spent 10 Chapters giving them Doctrinal reasons why they shouldn’t do that – Focused on the Superiority of Christ

B) We noted in our study on Wed. that these believers sometimes get a bad rap – but they are not wimps

1) They have already faced great adversity for their faith / faced persecutions / loss of property & even imprisonment for their faith

C) So what would you say to a group of people like this to encourage them to CONTINUE in the FAITH?

D)Well After exhausting his Doctrinal arguments concerning the Superiority of Christ over all the major people & aspects of Judaism

1) He proceeds to give them a history lesson

He takes them back into their history & the theme of this lesson is that it has always required faith in order to run the race of faith & Holiness

A)If you have ever been to a War memorial- Read the names on the plagues of men who have given their lives in protecting this country

B) Something happens in you – a tingling in the spine / a warming in the heart –Realize what they did

1) Or you watch some movie that depicts the efforts of those who gave their lives in order to establish this country

C) As you watch their heroic efforts it causes something to RISE W/ IN you !!

1) That is what Hebrews Ch. 11 is intended to do w/ in our hearts

D) Heb 11 is all about faith V.1 He defines faith & in the rest of the Ch. He illustrates faith – those who walked w/ God / had faith in God

1) Even thru the most difficult of circumstances & living in difficult days

In Heb Ch.12 – He identifies this group as a great cloud of witnesses to draw from as we are running this race of faith & Holiness

A)They are witnesses not in the sense that they are watching us from heaven

B) The bible gives us no indication that those in heaven are paying attention to anything happening here on earth

1) Except that when a person places their faith in Jesus Christ that all of heaven Erupts into Praise & Celebration

C) So they are not Witnesses in the sense of being Spectators – watching us / but they are Witnesses in the sense that they give – TESTIMONY

1) Their lives Testify to us that this Life of faith & Holiness can be lived / that it can be Done !!! / That this Race can be Won /

How do they know that it can be done ? Because they have already done it / they have already run the race

A)And the writer of Hebrews is here challenging us to come under their encouraging influence / that it can be done / can be finished / can be won

B) The Crowd at a Race – Energy / Home court advantage at a B. Ball game

1) It has a way of energizing you

C) That is what the Spirit of God wants to happen in our Hearts every time that read Heb.Ch.11

1) That these voices & stories would rise up in our hearts as a Chorus of ENCOURAGEMENT

D) Now often in studying Heb 11 – when tend to break down these stories / one by one –

1) Especially if teaching younger believers who might not be familiar w/ some of these People & their stories laid out for us in the word

E) But to these Hebrew believer not the case they were well aware of their history & so the stories are not told / just the names & the events

1) I want to look at it in the way it was written – ( Full impact of their lives)

Lets begin w/ the definition of faith that He gives in v.1 then look at the illustrations that He gives Rd v.1

A)Remember the first time you read that as a New Christian – that really cleared up what faith was for me –

B) Saying is that faith is living in the absolute confidence that what God has said He will do even when the fullness of the promises aren’t seen Yet.

C) Otherwise it is walking by sight & not by faith at all

1) I Love to walk by sight & call it faith !!!

D) Building program in OR – step of faith – (We could afford it – not much faith there – Until really couldn’t) That is when faith kicks in

Warren W. This is not a definition of faith but a description of what faith does and how it works. True Bible faith is not blind optimism or a manufactured “hope-so” feeling. Neither is it an intellectual assent to a doctrine. It is certainly not believing in spite of evidence! That would be superstition.

True Bible faith is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances and consequences.

The Living Bible is Helpful here : ¹What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.

A)It is waiting for the circumstances to catch up to his promises which is usually always the way that God works

1) We find ourselves waiting for The circumstances of our lives need to catch up w/ the promises that He has given us

B) Faith is seen in how we wait!!!!

C) In v.2 He is tells us that the life of faith is the only way to obtaining a good testimony it is the only way any of us will ever hear

1) Well done my good & faithful Servant enter into the Joy ……

So that is His description of Faith – Then in v4 He begins to Illustrate faith – starts w/ Abel

A)The encouragement that Able gives us is that He is an example of the person who is persecuted for obeying the word of God

B) Throughout History –Cain’s have always persecuted Able’s

1) We see it today when those like Able make a stand for Righteousness not wanting to compromise in any way / Not afraid to be Different

C) There are always Cain’s to come down on them

1) Our school here – Kids who make a stand about only playing Video games that are labled E for everyone or not Movies PG –13 or R

D) They are TEASED & PUT DOWN by kids who’s parents allow them to play & watch those things

Cain was self righteous he tried to offer a sacrifice that was of his own efforts / the works of his hands /

A)Able offered a Sacrifice of faith – according to the instruction God had given – Cain killed Able because /Ables sacrifice rejected…accepted

B) In other countries like Sudan the Persecution takes on a greater form even to the point of loss of life – over 2 Million believers in Sudan killed

1) Calvary Mag. – Many of the Pastors you train today will be w/ the Lord by this time next yr.

C) Today all over the world Able’s will be persecuted by Cains/ But Able rises up from the pages of Scripture & testifies by the HS

1) That it can be done that this life of faith & Holiness can be lived even in the mist of severe persecution

Then in v.5,6 writer moves to ENOCH : We are told in Gen 5 concerning Enoch a Phrase that is repeated twice

A)ENOCH WALKED W/ GOD !!!!

B) The message of the Life of Enoch is a little deeper than that because we learn that He lived for over 300yrs in the mist of a wicked society

1) Finally after over 300 yrs of a steady walk w/ God – in the mist of the wickedness that He was facing – God simply took Him / He was not

C) Sometimes in our walks we can feel like we can’t go another day in this wicked world – we long so desperately for the Lord to return / take us

1) If I have to read or listen to one more New report – depicting another Child being molested / another mass murder / Political scandal

D) Enoch rises off the pages of scripture & Testifies that it can be done / it can be lived even one day at a time for over 300 yrs

Then He moves to NOAH – v. 7 – Gen 6

A)Noah teaches us that we can walk w/ God & live Righteously even if no one else in the entire world does ( Only His immediate family spared)

B) So Noah teaches us that we can walk w/ God & Serve God even when no one else does !!! NOT EASY – but Noah teaches it is possible

C) Noah’s life also teaches us that we can walk w/ God even when the rest of the World thinks we are fools – Building an Ark on Dry land

1) Talking flood / it had never rained – Jokes – ridicule / So Noah teaches us that we can continue on even in the midst of incredible scorn

D) Noah also teaches us that we can continue in service to the Lord even though there is very little fruit – even after 120 yrs

1) Noah was a preacher of righteousness – preached for 120yrs while building that boat – but only those in His immediate family were saved

So Noah rises up off the pages of Scripture in the face of these circumstances / circumstances that are similar to what we face today

A)And Noah TESTIFIES to us that it CAN BE DONE the life of faith & Holiness can be LIVED – THE RACE CAN BE WON!!!!

v.8-14 Abe & Sarah are an encouragement to those whom God is moving / Change direction in Life / Calling to step out into the Unknown

A)Abe & Sarah testify – of the blessings that we can experience in living that life of faith – lead where God chooses to lead you ( Adventure)

B) Abe’s life also encourages to wait for the Promise

1) He waited 25 yrs for the Promise to be fulfilled > I hate waiting / I don’t like 25 yr lags – but God often works in that way

C) Abe & Sarah teach us that God will Keep His promises even when it is physically impossible / He was 100 / She was 90

1) And yet God was faithful to give them a Son in their Old Age

Then He moves to Issac v.20

A)Not a lot is said about Issac even though one of the Patriarchs –Abe / Issac/ Jacob – Volumes Abe / Volumes Jacob / not Isaac

B) But we do read of the time in Gen 26 where the herdsman of Gerar were contending w/ his herdsman / but rather than fight /

1) Isaac went and dug a New Well – this happened twice

C) We learn there from Isaac that he was able to count something loss for the sake of peace / because he trusted in God’s continued blessing on his life

1) Believed that God would provide so He moved on – dug again rather than fight & Quarrel – Took the High Road – trusting in the Lord

In V.21 Speaks of Jacob: Jacob’s life teaches us of the patience & faithfulness of God to wait for a man to get out of the way & let God lead

A)And even to the point of breaking in that man if Necessary to knock his hip out of Joint.–

B) Jacob would limp the rest of His life after that But be more blessed & more used than He ever was in all his yrs of self Reliance & Self effort

1) Perhaps you Have had you a Breaking experience w/ God – Where He Has thoroughly broken you

C) Now You might have interrupted that as Punishment – that has left you bitter at God

1) But you need to see it as his love for you / as the very thing that you needed to slow you down

D) And Deliver you from the tendency toward self effort / self reliance / self seeking / and self Dependency

1) And thru that Breaking / thru your Weakness God desires to show that His Grace is sufficient / His power is made perfect in your Weakness

E) That when you feel broken & weak – opens the door for Him to be strong

Jacob’s life Testifies that it can be done that Brokeness can become a Blessing

A)Jacob went from being HEEL CATCHER / SUPPLANTER / DECIEVER TO ISRAEL – GOVRNED BY GOD !!!!!

B) Sometimes in this walk of faith everything in our lives that we consider to be a strength needs to be pulled out of joint

1) So that we will rely upon God completely

C) Jacob’s life is a testimony – that the Breaking isn’t the end – that there is life after that !!!! God is FAITHFUL

1) It can be done this life of Faith & Holiness can be lived / this race can be finished – It can be WON!!!

Next He mentions Joseph v.22 Joseph’s life teaches us that it is possible to remain faith to God & His call upon our lives despite jealous Brothers

A)Despite being sold into Slavery / being falsely accused / falsely imprisoned / despite being virtually forgotten

B) SO Joseph’s life teaches us that it is possible to remain faithful to the Lord & His call upon our lives even when God’s ways seem Cruel

1) And in Joseph’s life they seemed cruel for yrs / Sold into slavery / Lower still – found himself forgotten in a Dungeon for yrs

C) But all of that changed in one day – the day begins w/ Joseph in prison

1) but before the day ends he is the 2^nd most powerful man in the World

D) We don’t know what God is going to do in our lives on any given day

Joseph teaches us that every bit of Character that he is building into our lives thru those present difficulties is going to be needed for the fullness of His PLAN IN OUR LIVES

A)It can look terrible & Horrible now but it is really His grace & we will be glad for every bit of it when we end up in that place He is preparing for us

B) You will be thankful when you see it played out – Joseph said to his brothers – You meant it for evil but God ….. Good – many saved

1) Joseph teaches us that it is possible to live by faith even in long periods of PREPERATION

v.23 Moses parents are an encouragement to parents raising their kids under the most hostile of conditions imaginable

A)They made sacrifices & took risk in order to protect their Child from the evil influences of the world

B) They believed that God had a special calling upon their son & went to great lengths to see that God’s plan was carried out

C) So Moses parents teach us that it is possible to entrust the future of our kids lives over to the Lord –

1) even when the outside opposition is greater than we could ever imagine

V.24-29 Moses himself that teaches us that we can turn our backs on all that this world has to offer us & follow God’s plan & purpose for our lives

A)His life TEACHES us that even Pharoah himself cannot stop the plan that God has for our lives – Or stand in our way – When God is behind us

B) Who is up against God’s plan for your lives ? Where are you getting opposition from ?

1) Know this – where God is leading that opposition will come to nothing

C) Moses life also teaches us that God will give us the grace to continue to serve him no matter how many complainers & doubters are against us

1) His grace covers even the doubts that we have about ourselves / Moses doubted himself from the burning bush on

D) But despite all the opposition & all his insecurities – Moses trusted God to work in him & thru him

1) Moses rises off the pages of Scripture & testifies that – IT CAN BE DONE –Life Of faith & holiness is possible / the race can be won /

In v.30 He mentions Joshua – Joshua’s life teaches us the importance of following God’s plan even when it makes sense to no one but God

A)JERICHO – what a plan – silly – God’s plan

B) Joshua’s life illustrates the Victory of Faith –Believing and obeying the plan of God – Watching Him do the MIRACULOUS

After Joshua he mentions Rahab in v.31 – Rahab teaches us that God uses people w/ sinful back grounds

A)Prostitute in the Hall of Faith – ( No Jeremiah, Ezekiel , Isaiah, Elisha are not mentioned but Rahab is – also line of Christ

B) She heard the testimony of Jehovah’s greatness – believed it & acted upon it –

C) Rahab teaches us that God is able to weed thru our Motives – Honors that which is Motivated by faith

D) 1 Cor.3 Rewards Gold silver precious stones – wood hay or stubble

1) Either or situation – really a little of both – He burns away the wood

V.32-40 Many other examples : Idea is how many more examples do I need to give in order to make my point

A)I am not running out of examples but I am running out of time

B) But all of these leap off the pages of Scripture & declare to us that it can be done that this life of Faith & Holiness can be run

1) We can Finish the race – Be Victorious

C) God has called us into this race – it is important to Him that we not only begin the race but that we finish & are Victorious in it

1) One of the keys to finishing Victoriously is an Occasional History lesson

D) Where we come under the Encouragement of those who have run before us who testify to us that it can be done

1) Those who have gone thru the same type of circumstances that we have & have experienced God ‘s grace in the midst of it

E) They have experienced the Grace of God being sufficient to take them thru the situation & on into glory

1) Their lives testify to us that IT CAN BE DONE