The Essence of Faith

Hebrews 11.1-6

As you carefully read this 11th chapter of Hebrews you will discover that it is about people who overcame difficulties through their trust in the LORD.

The pathway of faith is one of suffering. I remember when this "awakening" began in my own walk with the LORD. Somewhere over 20 years after I asked the LORD to come into my heart, as I listened to God's men and women share, something struck me. All of those who had an "anointing" on them were people who experienced great pain, sorrow or loss. It wasn't that they talked about it. I discovered it quietly more times than not.

We see this morning that this Hall of Faith contains people who endured and overcame.

Faith-

1. What It Is. -v.1

Faith is being sure of what we hope for.

Prior to this section on faith, the LORD had been speaking about Hope. Faith is firming up hope. For example the LORD told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a baby. Abraham hoped for that day. He was enable by God to become a father because he believed that God would do what He said. (v.11)

It is faith that keeps our hope firm in that Jesus is preparing a place in heaven for us. People who not believe throw doubts our way, sometimes we struggle inwardly with doubts but through faith we overcome them.

Faith is being certain of what we do not see.
Faith is not sight. We walk by faith not by sight. We believe God's Word. We believe God is with us. Like Abraham, the father of the faithful, we believe God will do what He says. Belief in God and His Word is faith. The LORD is faithful to all His Promises.
which is explained in verse three...

2. What Is Is In- v.3

Faith cannot truly exist apart from God.
This verse takes us all the way back to the beginning. Genesis 1.1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

God spoke the worlds into existence. I cannot intellectually wrap my puny mind around that fact- it is beyond my limited understanding. David in Psalm 139 spoke of God's mind in creating him and said in verse six such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Faith overcomes the challenge of truth to my intellect. My faith in God and in His Word enables me to understand that God spoke in creation and things existed at His command. Read Genesis 1 Let there be light... and it was so and there was evening and morning the first day... and on.

In Matthew 8.5-13 we see the faith of the Roman Centurion. He understood Hebrews 11.3 before it was written. "Just say the word..."

God speaks. It happens. Creation, Abraham and Sarah (Hannah, Mary)

The essence of faith...

3. What It Is For - v.6

believe He exists- Faith is first in God- believing- He exists. Faith in God's existence from everlasting to everlasting, from Genesis to Revelation, faith in Who He is.

And He rewards those who diligently seek Him.
Here is the struggle- the belief and the journey. Faith is not freedom from obstacles but God giving us the ability to overcome them.

Let's take Joseph v.21 Joseph's sons- Genesis 41.46, 50-52 Joseph had experienced great suffering after those dreams God gave him. Unbelievable almost what Joseph went through- yet he had faith. He was sure of what He hoped for and certain He did not see- which is why when Mrs. Potiphar tried to seduce him- he said this in Genesis 39.6-10. He overcame by faith in what God had said. The patience of hope. Faith tested personal experience to help others.

The essence of faith

Have faith in God

Drawing Near To God

Hebrews 10.19-25
James 4.8 Come near to God and He will come near to you.

Because of what Jesus did by dying on the cross, by offering Himself in Jerusalem we are called to draw near to Him.

In Jerusalem just down the hill from Golgotha stood the Temple. In the Temple was the Holy Place separated by the veil where the Holy of Holies stood. Only once a year and then only the High Priest could enter that Most Holy Place. It was a place of fear and dread (Exodus 28.35)

Christ Jesus opened up the way for us- the new and living way. At the moment He died the curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. (Matthew 27.50-51)

This portion of Hebrews that we have read this morning is full of exhortations. Based upon the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we are called to draw near to the LORD God. In these verses we are told how to do it.

1. Hold unswervingly to the Hope we profess. -v.23

Our Hope is Christ coming for us soon.
We will be with the LORD forever.
Our Only Hope is Jesus! Because of what Jesus did it is built on nothing less than Jesus' Blood and Righteousness.
Keep this Hope secure, make it firm, make it your possession. He will come.
Life can pull us in a different direction: its worries, riches and pleasures.
We are told that the LORD is faithful to what He has promised, indeed faithful to all His Promises. Therefore read God's Word to get those promises in your heart and mind. Meditate upon them This will tighten your grip on Hope.
Keep yourself from becoming polluted by the world. James 1.27

2. Consider how we may spur one another on to Love and Good Deeds. -v.24
Give each other a "jab".

This is not (to use a term of the 70's and 80's) to put someone on a guilt trip or shame them or embarrass them into serving. It is rather a loving incite to do good and love deeply.

These good deeds expressed through love bring glory to God. Its not about getting credit or applause but to be like Jesus. It is doing it out of a heart of love.

Paul writes to the church at Philippi "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2.3-4) He writes to the Ephesians about this also in 4.29 of that letter.

3. Keep on meeting together and encourage each other as the Day of Christ's Appearing approaches. -v.24
Some have fallen away from the fellowship. Don't let that happen to you!
They are in the habit of doing something else when the church gathers. As we meet this morning they are doing something else. Even if you are reading this and you are in the habit of not meeting with the church, go find a good church (no church is perfect on earth) and get back to fellowship- you need it! The church needs you! Decide now that enough of this habit! Get back to it!

* Let's keep on meeting together- go after those who are on the edge
Jude 23- snatch others from the fire and save them.
*Let's keep on encouraging one another
parakleo- Paraklete- the Holy Spirit's work. Let the Spirit work through you to call, comfort, exhort, beg, strengthen.
*Let's look to the skies for He's Coming Again!

Draw Near to God

*Hold firmly to the Hope we profess.
*Think about ways to lovingly irritate others to love and good works.
*Keep on meeting together, encourage each other as our redemption draws near!

Facing The Judgment

Hebrews 9.23-28

There is a judgement at the time of death. When the spirit leaves the body it either goes to be with the LORD or into outer darkness. Paul wrote that to be absent from the body is to be present with the LORD. He wrote to the Philippians 1.21-24 For to me to live is Christ and die to is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I chose? I do not know. I am torn between the two; I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body,

Luke 16.19-31 The rich man and Lazarus tells us of the judgment at the time of death. It speaks clearly of 2 places.

There is a Judgment Day coming. When my daughter Theresa called me from work 10 years ago this morning right around this time and said, "Dad, did you hear what happened? The World Trade Centers have been hit with planes and both the towers have come down." I responded, "This could be it. The LORD could be coming for us any minute." Later that morning when my friends Joe InFranco and Rudy Migliore came to my house for our weekly prayer meeting, Joe asked for my Bible and read Revelation 18 and being a student and teacher of that book replied, "Not yet."

There is a time for judgment coming when time is swallowed up into eternity. Revelation 20 describes that day and event.

What we believe determines what we do/ how we behave which will all be brought out into the light at the judgment.

1. Everyone will appear before Christ on that Day. II Corinthians 5.10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

I Corinthians 3.11-13 Fire will test the quality of each man's work.
Water in Noah's time- Fire in our time. I called and prayed with Pastor Dan Eddings this morning. He is my parents' pastor. Their church is a total loss as well as the first floor of the parsonage from the floods this week. I spoke about the rainbow after Noah came out of the ark. There will be rainbows for him and that church- God's Promises! Pray for them.

Back to the fire- (water and fire have incredible good and we need them but also can be very destructive). Our life's work for the LORD will be tested. Only what is done for Christ will last Rewards will be given to those whose work lasts. Others who believe will be saved but their work burned.

The are mentions of rewards or references to them in the Word of God.
Matthew 6.20 Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.
I Peter 5.4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
II Timothy 4.8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the Righteous Judge will award me on that day- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His Appearing.
Your giving and praying and service to Christ will have a bearing on eternity and your experience of heaven. Give yourselves fully to the work of the LORD!

2. Jesus describes the scene of the Day of Judgment.

Matthew 25.14-30 Investing the things God has entrusted to us with in His Kingdom.
31-46 The two groups at the judgment

Psalm 96.11-13 He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His Truth.

3. Perfect Love Casts Our the Fear of Hell. I John 4.15-18

Love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgement... There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out dear, because fear has to do with punishment.
Aim at loving God with everything, total, complete, full surrender to Him. The hope of the Second Coming has a purifying effect. Perfect Love gives us blessed assurance of our salvation. It gives us peace. It puts confidence in our hearts about the Day of Judgment so we say, "Even so come LORD Jesus!"

With Christ in our hearts we face the judgment with peace. We face the future with confidence. We have assurance that the judgment for us will bring in God's Promises and fulfill the Hope we have. Our faith will become sight!

Maranatha!

The Mystery of Heaven

Hebrews 8.1-6

We have many questions about heaven:
Will we know each other there? What will we do when we get there?
Will we remember things that happened here on earth?

We are told about this wonderful place we call heaven in the Word of God. I believe however we will feel something like Queen Sheba when she heard Solomon's wisdom and exclaimed in I Kings 10.7 "Indeed, not even the half was told to me."

One of the mysteries and wonders will be what we are told of in verse five. There is a tabernacle in heaven. Now we understand why all the detail repeated over and over again in Exodus and Leviticus when it came to the tabernacle that was built under Moses.

God's Word has "appetizers" about heaven. Psalm 34.8 Taste and see that the LORD is good.

I John 3.1-3 What we will be has not yet been made known.

Oh What a Foretaste of Glory Divine!

1. The Tabernacle Moses Built was a copy of the One in Heaven. -v.5
A copy- a sketch plan. a reflection, a silhouette (Remember when they did that of us in school?)
The heavenly sanctuary is:
of heaven
continuous
the real thing
accessible to everyone
4.10 Anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work as God did from His.
10.19 we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus
was made without human hands.
9.24 For Christ did not enter a man made sanctuary that only was a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's Presence.
This heavenly sanctuary has no sacrifices because Christ Jesus provided Himself, the Lamb of God, fulfilling the need for the blood of animals to be shed. He appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
Revelation 5.6 ... a Lamb as though it had been slain...

The Lamb of God willingly laid down His life for us, providing salvation, sanctification and glorification.

2. At the Present Time We See Through a Glass Dimly.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully even as I am fully known. - I Corinthians 13.12
We walk by faith not by sight- II Corinthians 5.7
There is a great deal we do not know about heaven and even life here on earth for that matter. There is mystery in all of our lives, some greater than others but we all have unanswered prayers and the question of why.
Daniel and Paul, the apostle used this word mystery. It is used a number of times by John in Revelation.
A few examples:
Ephesians 5.32 This is profound mystery- but I am talking about Christ and the Church.
I Timothy 3.16 Beyond all question the mystery of godliness is great.

3. We are Exhorted in the Things We Do Understand.
Hebrews 4.16 Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace so we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 12.2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.
Hebrews 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.
I Corinthians 15.58 Therefore my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the LORD, because you know that your labor in the LORD is not in vain.

We will be rewarded one day. One day in heaven for eternity. It is more than we can imagine. The place Christ is preparing for us is beyond our ability here to take in. Be faithful, serve Him out of a heart of love - pour out your love for Him. Keep your eyes fixed on Him!