Wait! You Want Me to Do What?

October 6, 2020

Wait! You Want Me to Do What?

Hebrews 11:1–16

Lynn Pointer

Central Truth

Sometimes we struggle with trusting and obeying what we CAN see. Trusting and obeying someone you CANNOT see seems crazy and almost unattainable to people who do not believe. That is where faith comes in.

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.

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.

The first Bible story I ever studied was Genesis 22, the story of Abraham getting ready to sacrifice his only son on the altar out of obedience and faith. My first thought was, "What in the world have I gotten myself into? What is this Christianity, that a loving God would ask a father to sacrifice his only son?" As a new believer and a single mom, I had zero understanding of this.

Faith was like a riddle to me: you can have the smallest amount, yet do big things. You can have an overabundance of it, yet cannot give it away. And it does not always make sense when you see it in action.

As I've grown in my knowledge of the Scriptures and matured in my personal walk with Christ, I've come to realize that faith plays out differently for all people.

Faith can heal (Mark 5:34), test (James 1:3), encourage (Romans 1:12), and remove mountains (1 Corinthians 13:2). We can walk by it (2 Corinthians 5:7), stand firm in it (2 Corinthians 1:24), and be saved through it (Ephesians 2:8). Simple, yet so complex!

In this passage of the heroes of faith, we learn that faith shows itself being worked out in various ways: by offering acceptable sacrifices, constructing an ark, and complete obedience. The faithful acts of these heroes pleased God as demonstrations of their obedience to and trust in Him. They believed God existed and that He would reward them for seeking, trusting, and obeying Him. God had some pretty big tasks for them. They followed through and completed the tasks.

They endured by their faith BEFORE they had received what God had promised. Talk about things not seen!

The God who spoke to these heroes is the same God who speaks to us. In 2020 we have His written Word, with all the same promises to us as His children.

And now, 20 years later, I know and understand the God who sacrificed His one and only Son on the cross so that I, who believe His Word is true, will have eternal life with Him both now and in heaven (John 3:16).

1. What does your current faith look like? Are you trusting and obeying or needing more proof?

2. How do other believers help move your faith forward?

3. What is something that God is asking of you that seems a little crazy or unattainable? Do you have the faith to trust Him and obey completely? If not, reach out to your community group to help you pray and process what may be holding you back.