December 9, 2013
TRUST AND OBEY
Hebrews 11:1-22
Adam Rollins
Central Truth
All people who are great examples of faith throughout Scripture have one thing in common: they believed that God was who He said He was and that He would do what He said He would do. And their faith produced obedience.
Key Verse | Hebrews 11:6
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 11:6)
Hebrews 11:1-22
By Faith
1 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. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
Dive Deeper | Hebrews 11:1-22
Forty-three years ago today, my parents bore and lost their first child. They were newly married and were absolutely devastated to have the Lord take Stephen home after only fourteen hours in this world. My parents could have chosen to adopt or to never try again, but instead placed their faith and hope in God and His promises, and He was faithful to bless them with four more children and seven grandchildren.
Although I knew about Jesus growing up, I was far from being in a relationship with Him. For the first 28 years, I led my life in my own way. I chose "me" over and over again. I chose drunkenness that led to alcoholism. I chose casual sexual relationships that led to a daughter out of wedlock. I chose fear and selfishness that led to being absent for the first nine years of my daughter's life. When I selfishly believed that all of my dreams would come true if I found the right person, the ultimate result was pain and divorce. I knew who Jesus was, I knew that I was a sinner, and I knew that I didn't want to go to hell, but was my faith in Him?
God sent Jesus to fulfill the law that I could not keep, and Jesus bore the wrath meant for me (Matthew 5:17). I knew this truth, but my life was absolute evidence that I never fully put my faith and trust in anyone but myself.
My faith did not begin by looking like the faith of Noah, Sarah, or Abraham. Faith is something that exists, or it doesn't -- big or small (Matthew 17:20), and mine began by simply trusting that God's way was better than my own and responding in obedience.
Our faith is based on the unseen (Hebrews 11:1), and it is given to us as a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). It is tested, refined, and exercised by trust and obedience in God, His truth, His promises, and His Son. Together, faith produces obedience, and obedience produces faith.
Discussion Questions
1. How have you professed to know Christ in your life, but denied knowing Him by your actions?
2. Is obedience to Christ a chore or a delight to your soul?
3. How have you grown in your faith since you first placed it in Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
4. What was the last decision you made based on faith in the Lord and not on your own abilities?