Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Faith


Be Confident Series
Hebrews 11

I.                   The description of Faith
a.     Not blind optimism- Hope so attitude, feeling
b.     It is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances
c.      Substance
d.     Evidence- “conviction”
e.      Witness- “obtained a good report”
II.                The demonstration of Faith
a.     Abel- worshipping
                                                             i.      Abel’s offering was accepted and Cain’s was not
b.     Enoch-Faith walking
                                                             i.      Picture of rapture for God took him.
                                                           ii.      He did not die
1.     Direct contrast to Abel
c.      Noah- faith working
                                                             i.      Built the Ark
1.     Exactly as God said – obedience
2.     Despite what the world said
3.     Probably no ocean around
4.     Did not rain
5.     Took 100 years
a.     Methuselah – oldest man died right before flood, perhaps God waited?
d.     The patriarchs- faith waiting
                                                             i.      Abraham waited in God’s time
1.     Obeyed when he did not know how God’s will would be accomplished
2.     Obeyed when he did not know when God would fulfill His promise
3.     Obeyed when he did not know why God was so working
e.      Moses- faith warring
                                                             i.      The refusal of Faith- Moses chose not to stay in a cushy position in the Pharoh’s court
                                                           ii.      The reproach of faith- when he left the palace he NEVER went back to that lifestyle.
                                                        iii.      The reward of faith- “Moses chose the imperishable, saw the invisible, and did the impossible.”
f.       Joshua and Rahab- faith winning
                                                             i.      Joshua belived God in every instance- Defeating Jericho
1.     Walls were 40 foot
2.     They came down just by the sound of the trumpets and shouts
                                                           ii.      Rahab- was a harlot
1.     Saved by grace- other in the city was marked for death
2.     Saved by Faith- she knew about God and what he was about to do
a.     She didn’t know much
3.     Saved unto good works- she protected the spies
g.     Various heroes of faith
                                                             i.      Gideon- a farmer, faith did not grow strong right away
1.     Barak was the same
                                                           ii.      Samson- did not cut his hair or drink wine
1.     He believed God to help and deliver him
                                                        iii.      David
                                                        iv.      Daniel- stopped the Lion’s mouth
1.     Shadrack, Meshack, Abednigo- fiery furnace
                                                           v.      Others had faith- Hebrews 11:36.