Enduring Faith • 05.21.23
Nick Lees   -   May 23, 2023

Enduring Faith
Hebrews 11:1-12:2

  1. Faith defined – What is faith?
  2. Faith modeled/applied – How is faith lived out?
  3. Faith pursued – What is our necessary response?

Have you ever stopped to consider the power of example? The example of a father or mother leaves an indelible impact on their children. For many of us, especially in our younger years, we had role models we looked to for inspiration! In my generation, especially if you paid attention to sports, it would likely have been Michael Jordan or Deion Sanders or Tiger Woods. All three excelled at their game and were known for their incredible work ethic from a young age. Their example challenged those who aspired to sports greatness. (Unfortunately for me I was better at keeping the bench warm!)

Thankfully there were others who were present in my daily life and much more influential. I am thinking of godly friends, pastors of my local church, and college roommates who were intent on discipling me. These people have left a lasting influence on my life to this day. Their examples taught me how to live and follow Christ. Who are the people who left a beneficial and lasting influence on you?

The reason I draw our attention to the power of examples/influence today is because we are about to enter what is commonly known as the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11. It is full of examples of faith lived out to the Lord.

Dismiss 4th + 5th graders

Ushers + Bibles (Hebrews 11; page 1194)

This section of Hebrews fits into the author’s message of calling them to enduring faith in the face of trials/temptations. Some among them had grown weary and it sounds like were in danger of walking away from the faith. Throughout the letter the author has been calling them to hold fast and look to Jesus. He has given them many reasons why Jesus is better than everything else. At the end of Chapter 10, he had just warned them again about the dangers of continuing in sin despite knowing the truth. He then encouraged them by reminding them of their willingness to suffer for Christ in the early days of their faith and called them to continue in that willingness until the return of Jesus.

Jesus is coming back and those who are righteous will live by faith and endure to the end. He has confidence that they will be those who have faith and persevere; nevertheless, he continues to encourage them to actively pursue faith in the following chapters. He does this by defining faith and demonstrating it throughout the history of God’s people. He also makes sure they understand that faith doesn’t necessarily mean that you will see the end results of that faith in your lifetime. God has a larger plan he is fulfilling, and you may die in the faith and wait until the rest of God’s people have been redeemed. This is all part of God’s plan to make a people for himself and to create the new heaven and new earth.

Because all of this is true, they are called to run the race of faith by laying aside every weight/sin and running with endurance, looking to Jesus who has shown them the way by his own journey and D/B/R. With that summary in mind, let’s read the text now.

Hebrews 11:1–12:2 (ESV)

11 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.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

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, 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.

 1Therefore, 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.

AMEN! Are you thankful for God’s Word this morning? Our discussion today revolves around…

Cultivating a faith that perseveres to the end

This is a discussion that has incredible relevance to all of us! Who here does not want to persevere to the end? Who wants to fall short and walk away from the faith? I hope the answer is NO ONE. So this is a discussion that ought to engage every single one of us. How do I cultivate a faith that perseveres to the end?!

This may seem overly simplistic, but first, you must understand faith. If you don’t understand faith, then how can you possibly cultivate it in such a manner that endures through the trials and tribulations of this life? So, what is faith? That is where we will start… faith defined.

  1. Faith defined – What is faith?

The author of Hebrews gives us so much more than a simple definition as we seek to answer this question. He gives us tangible evidence of what faith is, what it believes, where it finds its source, how it acts, and its ultimate outcome. I’ll do my best to try to unpack this in a manner that is easy to follow yet challenging for each one of us. As I studied this text, I was personally convicted about how I need to continue to mature and grow in my faith.

Let’s start with verses 1-3. In these verses, we see that faith is “the assurance” of things hoped for. This is the same word as used back in Hebrews 3:14 where it was translated as “firm confidence.”

This explanation of faith has already begun to challenge some modern views on the matter. Contrary to what some would say, faith is not blind optimism or a leap in the dark. Faith is not contrary to the facts and that you just have to trust things will work out. Those are false definitions of faith. Faith is a confidence or settled certainty! Faith is an active trust in God.

Ultimately, as the chapter develops, we see that this confidence or assurance is founded in the God of the Scriptures. It is actively trusting his character, not just offering intellectual assent to sound doctrine. Although faith certainly includes right knowledge, it goes beyond knowledge; it also includes right responses. As we see in this chapter, faith in God leads people to incredible responses to him. They are confident in him!

Notice also that biblical faith is active trust in a particular God, Yahweh, the One, True God. When we visit homes on WoW, we often meet people who claim to be “spiritual” or who say they have “faith” – it is important to clarify what they mean by that! Faith is active trust in the Christian God, not spirituality in any other so-called “god” of our choosing. Words matter! Especially faith since it has eternal consequences.

The second half of verse 1 says faith is “the conviction” (aka “the proof”) of things not seen. Faith has a settled certainty on what is to come based on what God has said in the past. Faith operates out of the belief that all that God says is true and will come to pass. There is much about our life and relationship with God that is categorized as unseen, yet we do not doubt that it is real and trustworthy. God has told us that forgiveness and grace is extended to us through Christ and that by believing in him we will inherit eternal life. Faith takes God at his word. Even though these are concepts we cannot visibly see or reach out and touch, we know them to be true and as real as the walls around us because they are declared by the God who cannot lie.

I love that there is tremendous evidence throughout history of the nature and character of our God. Biblical faith is a settled certainty based on God’s revelation of himself. I know our secular society often tries to portray themselves as in the right, based on facts, and Christians as in the wrong, based on unscientific beliefs in the supernatural, but this is a dog and pony show meant to distract you from the reality that they are also operating from a system of beliefs. Their beliefs are not in God but themselves and their ability to reason out truth without a higher power. A rather helpful book to understand the tremendous evidence for God and debunk the lies of the world is I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Norm Geisler and Frank Turek. I would highly recommend everyone read this as early in life as possible, especially our teens, as our world, especially academia, is incredibly hostile to the biblical worldview, even though their own position requires the type of blind leap in the dark for which they often mock biblical faith.

Looking back at Hebrews 11, we see that faith results in eternal commendation (aka praise) for those who believe. The word commended or commendation is repeated in verses 2, 4, 5, and 39. This chapter reinforces that there are only two outcomes to life – eternal commendation or eternal condemnation (disapproval/judgment). The difference between the two is faith in Jesus Christ. Verse 6 stated:

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)

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.

Faith is necessary to please God and be commended by him. Anyone operating outside of faith in him is unable to please God. This is a hard but necessary truth, as it reminds us of the necessity of faith for salvation and commendation by God. Striving to be a moral person without faith in Jesus is an endeavor destined to end in condemnation.

One commentator I read made this insightful observation: Without faith it is impossible to be commended! With faith it is impossible to be condemned!

My hope this morning is that everyone who hears this message would have faith in Jesus that brings commendation and frees you from condemnation! As we heard throughout this chapter, these Old Testament saints had their faith in God to fulfill his promises. Though they did not know Jesus during their lifetime, they had faith that God would deliver them. They had faith in the future Messiah who was to come. Abraham is a fantastic example of this, as we see in both Genesis 15 and Romans 4 that God counted him righteous because of his faith. He trusted God to fulfill his word. Faith undergirds all that takes place in this chapter. That’s made clear through the repetition of “by faith” at the start of almost every verse!

I found this definition of faith from Hebrews 11 by George Guthrie in NIVAC helpful:

Faith is confidence that results in action carried out in a variety of situations by ordinary people in response to the unseen God and his promises, with various earthly outcomes but always the ultimate outcome of God’s commendation and reward.

Faith leads us to orient our lives around God and trust him rather than to orient our lives around the world and its empty promises. This is something I believe we can all wrestle with today. Are you living a life of faith? Is there evidence from this past week that you were confidently trusting in the unseen God and his promises such that it resulted in God-glorifying action? If we believe that God exists and loves us and has eternal good in store for us, shouldn’t that change our daily lives?

*Pause*

Since we’ve defined faith, let’s continue our discussion of cultivating a faith that perseveres to the end by turning our attention to “How is faith lived out?” If faith orients us around God and leads to action, what does that look like?! Now we’re speaking of…

  1. Faith modeled/applied – How is faith lived out?

The author of Hebrews really drives home this lesson through chapter 11. Think about his aim/goal. He is seeking to encourage weary saints to persevere in the faith. He is after their eternal good. So, he holds out example after example of Old Testament believers who walked by faith. Hence the repetition of “by faith” over and over again. This is a helpful reminder for us that a primary lesson to be learned from the Old Testament is to walk by faith. Be careful about trivializing the characters and events in the Bible into mere moral lessons – “He was kind, so you should be kind.” “She was humble, so you should be humble.” Ultimately faith is what is required of us!

Now, consider all the beautiful ways that faith is modeled or applied for us in this chapter.

  • Faith leaves a legacy
    • Abel’s life/faith testified to the greatness of God beyond his lifetime.
    • What will be testified at your funeral?
  • Faith leads you to reverently fear God and do what he commands
    • Noah & Abraham – both men were called to do things that probably seemed radical to their family/friends. Noah built a boat in the desert for years! Abraham left his family and went to a foreign land. Both men were counted righteous by their faith!
    • When we are given a command in Scripture, we must obey
      1. There are many things that are hard in our walk, but obedience is essential
    • Abraham was a nomad until the day of his death, but he trusted God and passed on his faith to his descendants
  • Faith recognizes that God can do far more than we know or understand
    • Sarah and Abraham were VERY old and yet they believed God’s promise for a child
    • Many of us love Paul’s prayer in Ephesians.

Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

  • Do we pray like we believe this?! That our God is mighty and able!? And that he is at work within his people! We are here today as the church to represent and reflect him to the watching world around us. To show how glorious he is. Are we living in a way that demonstrates our trust/faith is in him?
  • Faith leads us to live boldly
    • Obeying God over sinful leaders – Moses’ parents defied Pharaoh to save Moses
    • Living for the Lord even if it costs you your life
  • Faith causes us to value God above our most prized blessings/possessions/family
    • Abraham with Isaac. He trusted God’s plan/commands and obeyed.
    • Moses with identifying with the Israelites rather than the Egyptians.
    • Every one of these who gave their life for the kingdom of God

Verses 13-16 are a bit of an excursus between the testimonies of faith. It acknowledges that these people were not focused on the here and now but on what is ahead. They were looking forward to heaven!

  • Faith leads us to have an eternal mindset
    • We don’t have to pack-it-all-in now
    • We long for heaven
    • We live in a way that blesses future generations
    • We realize that we might not see the full fulfillment in our lifetime
      • Verse 39-40 – All these died before seeing the fulfillment of God’s promises, but they died in faith, and were commended for it, believing that he would bring it to fruition. They knew God would keep his word.

This list of examples in chapter 11 is not meant to ignore the very real character flaws and faults of the individuals mentioned. It is simply meant to highlight the power and necessity of faith in our lives. They were ordinary people, just like us, which is what makes this chapter so incredible for both the original audience and every Christian that follows. Like them, we are weak and needy people who have been rescued by Jesus and our appropriate response is daily faith. Faith that perseveres is a faith that repeatedly acts in response to God. Day by day, moment by moment, faith acts.

After holding up these examples of faith to his audience, the author transitions into a wonderful call of response in 12:1-2. Let me read it again.

Hebrews 12:1–2 (ESV)

1 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.

The plethora of examples of faith that have gone before us ought to motivate us to run the race of faith ourselves! Our final consideration for today in cultivating a faith that perseveres to the end is…

  1. Faith pursued – What is our necessary response?

Our necessary response to all that God has revealed about himself and his plan is faith. I know that seems incredibly obvious, but we must not miss this. How often is our response to life anything but faith!?

  • Life is hard, let me escape to something other than God for help/comfort
  • Sin seems good, let me just go so far and no further, surely it won’t hurt anyone
  • People are intimidating, how could I ever share the gospel with someone?!

Responding in faith is where the rubber meets the road. By faith, we intentionally remember who God is and what he says and then we take a bold stance for him in our circumstances. Commentator George Guthrie insightfully said, “Faith is not just about us getting answers to our prayers or getting our way. It is about us being faithful in everyday life, wherever he has put us.” (NIVAC) This is our necessary response!

The author frames this up as a race that we are called to compete in. Others have gone before us and shown us the way. We can look upon and benefit from their examples, but we still have to run our race and endure to the end.

And the thing about this race is that it is not a sprint but a long-distance run! We are talking about a lifetime of faithfulness, through the thick and thin of life in a broken world. One where we will be beset by weights/hindrances and temptations/sin along the way.

Which is why we are called to lay aside or take off these weights/hindrances and the sin that clings so closely! Just as ancient athletes would have shed anything that hindered their movement, including their clothing, so they could run their best race, we too must get rid of both sinful and non-sinful things that hinder our faith.

This passage has always been a challenging one to me. We’re not just dealing with things that are sinful, but things that are hindrances too. Have you stopped to evaluate what things in life hinder your faith?

In our day and age, many of us likely need to evaluate our screen time. TV/Games/Movies/Social Media/Smart Phone usage all can hinder our faith. How often do we start our day by rolling out of bed and getting on a screen rather than in our Bibles? The answer for me is pretty much every day. Over the past month, I have been convicted that I spend more time rehearsing lies I believe than memorizing and meditating on God’s Word. Time wasted on a screen could be spent committing truth to memory, so it’s available in times of need.

Perhaps screen time isn’t an issue for you… Maybe you need to evaluate your hobbies… perhaps you give any free moment to researching or participating in it but rarely take time to study God’s Word, or talk to others about faith in Jesus, or joyfully pursue good works. These are things that aren’t necessarily bad or wrong in and of themselves, but they become hindrances to our faith. That’s what we need to spend time evaluating and removing. Where does your time go each week? What is hindering you in living out your faith? Are you helping anyone else to know God and follow him, and, if not, why not?

It is very easy to drift from the mission that God has given us to share the Gospel and make disciples of the nations. Which is why, as we run, we must keep our eyes on Jesus, who is the founder or champion of our faith and our perfect example. Not only did he make it possible for us to be in the race, he is the one who ran a perfect race. He is the one you want to watch and learn from. He is the one who will challenge and help you to run a faithful race.

As you look to Jesus, consider his joy to obey God and accomplish our redemption. As he ran his race, he was focused on the joy that would be his at the end of it all. This led him to endure incredible trials and receive the blessed exaltation. The joy before him was greater than the shame of the cross. In fact, his crucifixion was the pathway to his exaltation. He looked down upon the shame of crucifixion; it was insignificant to him in comparison to the joy that would be his in his exaltation and in the salvation of many.

Isaiah 53:11 (ESV)

11    Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;

       by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,

make many to be accounted righteous,

and he shall bear their iniquities.

That was the joy set before him. He conquered sin and death and made many righteous.

May we be a people who look to Jesus and then pursue faith with joyful vigor. May we fix our eyes on Jesus and allow him to transform our lives through faith. Day by day, moment by moment, may our concern be to respond appropriately to God by pleasing and worshiping him. And, as we do so, I am confident that we will glorify God and be a powerful testimony to those who will join us in this race of faith. May we all persevere until the end.