Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.2
For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. 4
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Why do you suppose that we have this tendency to have to learn, the hard way? There are so many things that I look back on and think, “It didn’t have to go that way…it
didn’t have to be so difficult.” If I would have only listened…taken seriously what I was told, or what I saw…but I didn’t and things got complicated and difficult but again, they didn’t have to be.
Our pride seems to no, no end. Someone shows us how to do something, or warns us from their own lives and mistakes made and victories enjoyed and we in essence, smile
and say no thanks and think to do it ‘my way’. Why don’t we learn from the example and lives of others better than we do?
I have often wondered why I did that well in sports when I was a kid but not better in life as an adult. I watched people who played the position I played and I watched
them carefully and I would say, “Well, Kev…note to self; don’t do what they just did!” Or, “A-ha, I see that, that was smart, I wouldn’t have thought to do that, but now I will.”
Again, in athletics I was pretty good at that, but sadly, in life, not as much. How about you? Are you able to learn from others, both their mistakes and their successes?
Do you listen to those who have lived a bit longer, have experiences that you don’t, or do you just think that ‘you know’? Does the faithfulness of other brothers and sisters inspire you to the same so that you move deeper into the wonders of holiness due
to their example?
The preacher of the book of Hebrews has given us an exhortation to stay strong, not to shrink back, to continue on in faithfulness. He has made it clear that a strong
persevering faith, is the need of the day and now, he is going to set before his listeners examples of those who so trusted the Lord, those who would not be moved even in the face of death because their faith was that strong.
Hebrews 11 is one of the most well-known chapters in all of Scripture. It has been referred to as “The Hall of Faith”. The Bible is full of flesh and blood examples
of the life that we are called to.
The Lord did not simply tell us how to live, but has given us full color pictures of what that life looks like. We don’t read, “and Joseph trusted the Lord
even though he was in jail.” No. We get a full blown, in color tapestry of a man who refused to live in fear and dejection and trusted the Lord completely. The Bible shows us how it has been done by people just like us.
It is of great help to us, if we will listen; unending comfort that we are reminded that the temptations that we face are neither unique nor even as severe as those
that others have courageously endured. We have the stirring examples of steadfast faith so that we will take heart and aspire to the same.
I hope to spend some time in this chapter, so I want to look at how faith is defined. We use the word all the time, and we call ourselves and others to live by faith,
but what does it mean? What does the Bible SAY that it means?
And then, we will dive deeply into what the Bible says it looks like in the lives of flesh and bone people. If we are smart, if we are wise, we will see what these
men and women knew and therefore, we will also be prepared for what we too must face…what our faith will have to navigate.
If we pay attention, we can discover for ourselves what is up ahead , what we will need to cope with so that when we are in the midst of such, we are not surprised
but calmly prepared.
One of the things that this chapter does that is often overlooked is to give us a brief history of God’s people from creation right into the author’s own day. Let
me explain, this is quite fascinating.
When we roll into chapter 12 we find the climax of all of this in verse 1-2:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us, 2
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Then in 12:4-17, he urges those listening to his sermon to live within the story themselves. After that, he declares the goal of the journey in 12:18-24
and what will happen at the end of the journey in 12:25-29. So, taking chapters 11-12 together, the story is told from creation, 11:3 to the new creation 12:24. This is the story of faith…from beginning to end! Everything in time being set before us,
an invitation to us, to jump into the middle of it all as well as a promise as to how the life of faith concludes. These two chapters give us all of that.
The author defines faith in verse 1. The first illustration or example given is not of a person, there will be plenty of those to follow, but rather, to the creation
of the world by the power of Divine speech. Apparently the preacher of Hebrews is convinced that since the biblical narrative began with the Creation of the world, he should begin there too.
Of course, no one was there when God began His creative work; no one saw the creation come into existence at the command of the Lord. The origins of the world can
only be known because Someone who WAS there, the only One who was there, who just happens to be the One doing the creating, has told us what happened…He has told us what He did when no one was there to see it.
We should not miss the importance of this point. In all of the debates that have and continue to surround the question of origins, that is, how everything that is,
came to be, much more is at stake in this evolution/creation debate than simply getting the science right or trying to figure out how old the earth is.
I for one cannot help but think most of the discussions that are had, distract us from what the creation account is designed to teach us. Not how old the earth is,
but to be amazed at the Artist Himself and how gracious He is to invite us into His world.
If we do not believe the Bible on creation…then at a foundational point, we have failed to have true faith…that is what Hebrews is saying and this is no small issue.
In the beginning there was nothing, only God existing in perfected fellowship, holiness and contentment; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And then He created time, the world, and all that is in it. And He told us about it. He had Moses write it down. And this
is where faith begins.
I am not sure we put enough emphasis on creation. We definitely do not do as much with it as the Bible itself does. Psalm 19 tells us that creation’s voice goes out
into all the world…it always has, but do we hear it?
You remember Job has all of these questions about God’s justice, why He allows certain things…Job wants God to explain Himself.
When God decides to answer Job what does He do? What does He speak about? Three chapters of poetry regarding creation. What God has done…what God has made…how mysterious
is the universe and the world God created…how magical it is.
And Job was humbled and silenced.
We take it all for granted. Perhaps Chesterton was seeing something that most of us miss when he wrote: “I
had always believed that the world involved some magic: now I thought that perhaps it involved a magician. And this pointed to a profound emotion always present and subconscious; that this world of ours has some purpose; and if there is a purpose, there is
a person. I had always felt life first as a story: and if there is a story there is a story-teller.”
To be continued…
Prayer: Father, I confess that I do not have the kind of faith that is unwavering. I too easily make peace with walking by sigh and therefore failing to see as
you have called me to see. Give me eyes to see where faith desires to take me, and in the power of the Spirit of God, may I walk in the truth and blessedness of Jesus, my Redeemer, my Friend and my God! In His name I pray, Amen.
Hymn: A Mighty Fortress
