August 13, 2014
FAITH CHANGES EVERYTHING
Hebrews 11:32–40
Eraina Larson
Central Truth
Faith produces confident action that is based on God's promises given to us through His Word.
Key Verse | Hebrews 11:39–40
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us . . . ." (Hebrews 11:39-40a)
Hebrews 11:32–40
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, 1 11:37 Some manuscripts add they were tempted they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Dive Deeper | Hebrews 11:32–40
After reading these verses, my initial reaction is to act like a cheerleader on the sidelines and high five and hug others because the believers in this passage did just that. They were faithful followers who underwent hardships. They acted confidently based on their belief in the promises of God and who He is.
For if we say we're believers, then we have skin in the game as this verse affirms: "For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives." (Romans 6:4, NLT) This means we're operating on a whole new eternal timeline. Just like the heroes of the faith, we trust God day by day in our circumstances. But that doesn't mean it's going to be easy or that we know what the earthly outcome will be.
Two groups are discussed in this passage. The first group overcame hardships through their faith. Such hardships included: living under unjust and oppressive governments, being thrown into the lions' den, fighting battles, and having loved ones die.
The second group suffered hardships because of their faith. They were tortured, mocked, whipped, chained, stoned, sawed in half, killed by the sword, forced into hiding, hungry, oppressed, and mistreated.
While I haven't suffered hardships or been tortured because of my faith, I do know what it's like to lose a loved one. My husband and I had to make some painfully tough medical decisions. We held our son and, ultimately, watched him die. The only way to endure this was through our faith in God's promises given to us in His Word, alongside of other faithful believers. If we didn't believe the promises in Scripture were true, but believed this world was all there is, we would have made completely different decisions.
Faith changes everything. It changes how we endure daily troubles, live with and love others, and grieve for our loved ones. When we face hardships, we have the opportunity to exercise our faith because we are forced into action. We will either act in a way that reflects our belief, hope, and trust in God's promises, or we will divorce ourselves from God.
Discussion Questions
1. I once heard that the definition of life was that one was either going through a trial right now, one just went through a trial, or one is about to go through a trial. Are you being filled with Him and His Word so that you know Him and His promises and are ready should a trial occur?
2. What kinds of decisions will you make today that reflect or exercise your faith?
3. Are your actions and decisions concerning how to live with and love others based on an earthly timeline or God's eternal timeline given through His Word?
4. As you experience trouble in this world, will you be a faithful follower and trust Him no matter the earthly outcome?