“ The Hall of

Faith”Hebrews 11:1-7

Chapter 11…•Over the next couple of months we get to look at the chapter known as the “Hall of Faith”•The author lists several O.T. examples of faith for us to learn from their examples•We’ll study them almost as mini-biographies– because that lets us see how faithful these people were despite all the difficulties they faced•Note: Your faith can only be as good as its object

Chapter 11…•A. W. Tozer wrote a book entitled, “The Root of the Righteous”, which describes faith in God•He said, “A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen; talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see; expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another; empties himself in order to be full; admits he is wrong so he can be declared right; goes down in order to get up; is strongest when he is weakest; richest when he is poorest; and happiest when he feels the worst. He dies so he can live; forsakes in order to have; gives away so he can keep; sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passes knowledge.”

“1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval.

3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see

death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Hebrews 11:1-7, NASB

A. FAITH is...•Vs 1-3,

“1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval.

3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”

Hebrews 11:1-3, NASB

A. FAITH is...•Vs 1-3, We have to chop up these three verses to understand exactly

1. Faith involves confidence and conviction(v1)•Without an inner confidence, in God and conviction of His faithfulness to keep His•own promises, our faith is nothing2. Faith always relates to the future (v1)•By its own definition and context, it can’t address the past– we see how God has worked in others and can expect the same for ourselves

A. FAITH is...3. Faith has its object– “things yet seen” (v1)•When we focus on the unseen, we develop an incredible ability to envision what God will do

4. Faith is necessary to please God (v2)•Through Faith, we gain God’s approval; there is no substitute to please Him– no amount of sacrifice, good works, merit, or religious activity make up for lacking faith

A. FAITH is...5. Faith in God means FULLY

believing what He says in Scripture (v3)•We cannot fully comprehend what God does•We are finite, He is infinite; we are limited, He is limitless; we are bound by time, He created time•True faith in God is confident obedience to His Word in spite of circumstances and consequences

B. Abel, Worshipping God…•Vs 4,

“4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.”

Hebrews 11:4, NASB

B. Abel, Worshipping God…•Vs 4, Adam and Eve’s 2nd son was Abel, a shepherd

“2 Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 So it came about [d]in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.”

Genesis 4:2-5, NASB

B. Abel, Worshipping God…•Vs 4, Adam and Eve’s 2nd son was Abel, a shepherd•Why didn’t God like Cain’s sacrifice?•I don’t think it was because the veggies were inferior, or because God’s not a vegan…•I’m sure their father taught them what God required; a blood sacrifice•Cain may have been sincere, but sincerity does not replace obedience…

C. Enoch, Walking with God…•Vs 5-6,

“5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Hebrews 11:5-6, NASB

C. Enoch, Walking with God…•Vs 5-6, There are very few mentions of him in Scripture

“21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. 22 Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”

Genesis 5:21-24, NASB

“14 It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

Jude 14-15, NASB

C. Enoch, Walking with God…•Vs 5-6, There are very few mentions of him in Scripture•“Walking with God” is now a common phrase in Christendom•It means having close fellowship with the Lord, but Enoch apparently had the physical relationship with God that Adam enjoyed before the Fall •A Typology of the Rapture before the Tribulation

C. Enoch, Walking with God…•The author doesn’t say that it is ‘difficult to please God without faith’, he says it is impossible•Unbelief cancels our prayers•Make sense?•Not-believing the Word means, in our hearts, that we think it’s a lie– just a story– that God is lying•So, we must pray in faith for His will, not ours…

D. Noah, Working for God…•Vs 7,

“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

Hebrews 11:7, NASB

D. Noah, Working for God…•Vs 7, According to Genesis 6, during Noah’s day, man’s wickedness on Earth was so great, that every thought and intent of the heart was continually evil•Sounds familiar, right?

“8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.”

Genesis 6:8-9, NASB

D. Noah, Working for God…•Vs 7, According to Genesis 6, during Noah’s day, man’s wickedness on Earth was so great, that every thought and intent of his heart was continually evil•Sounds familiar, right?•Despite the fact that he must’ve looked crazy, he built the ark•Never heard of rain, 120 years’ work; faith over public opinion

Take Home… •By faith, Abel worshiped the Lord in God’s way, instead of his own way like Cain•By faith, Enoch walked with the Lord, instead of following the world•By faith, Noah worked for God, rather than by the world’s standards•Common men with an Uncommon Faith