HEBREWS 11 Notes

WORD OF FAITH - Hebrews finishes with faith!

Because Jesus is the Word of Power:

   ·      Because Jesus is the exact representation of the Father…

   ·      Because Jesus is better than all of God’s messengers and leaders…

Because Jesus is the Word of Righteousness:

   ·      He became a better covenant, priest and sacrifice, so that we could become the “righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5).”

   ·      Because of the covenant of Knowing God intimately with NO sin problem (Jeremiah 31)…

Because of all of this we should have FAITH (Hab. 2:4)

   ·      10:19ff Go into God’s presence with confidence! (faith)

   ·      10:23-25 Build each other up with confidence! (faith)

   ·      10:26-38 Don’t lose your confidence and try and do it yourself! (faith)

   ·      10:39-11:1 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

WORD OF FAITH - He shows us a better reward!

Notes

   ·      The Nature of Faith

o   Paul in Colossians 1:5, sees faith and love as flowing out of the hope awakened by the gospel.

   ·      The Qualities of Faith

o   Abel’s faith waited.

§  Abel’s heart was made righteous by faith.

§  Abel’s faith was one of trust.

§  Able was faith worshipping.

§  11:6 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.

§  11:7b By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

o   Enoch’s faith grew in intimacy.

§  Enoch turned after 65 years because of faith.

§  God’s revelation changed his life.

§  Enoch was faith walking.

o   Noah’s faith persisted.

§  Noah’s faith shown through his obedience.

§  This made Noah an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

§  Noah was faith working.

   ·      The Activities of Faith

o   Abraham

§  Anticipated that God would fulfill His promises.

§  Abraham was ready to do the ridiculous with Isaac.

§  Romans 4:19

§  11:13 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.

o   Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

§  They were faith waiting.

§  God is not ashamed to be their God! (“I will be their God” J31)

o   Moses and the Israelites

§  Moses’ parents received a revelation from God

§  Moses identified himself with God’s people, not his earthly household.

§  They had faith God will provide a way out/through it (1Corinthians 10:13).

§  Moses was faith warring.

§  11:26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

o   Jericho

§  Rahab was a woman in a man’s world, but faith accepts no distinctions.

§  Joshua was faith winning.

§  (NTW) At Jericho we see the march as an act of faith, a dramatized prayer for God to act; and act God did.

o   The Faithful

§  Helped some govern.

§  Helped others triumph.

§  Helped others be mighty in battle.

§  Faith was for both men and women.

§  Faith helps us see victory in the midst of earthly defeat (God’s heroes are often unrecognized while they are still alive).

§  11:39 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.

o   Nowhere in Hebrews 11 will you find a record of any failure because of unbelief. Faith only records the victories.

  ·      The writer of Hebrews is determined that his readers should be thoroughly grounded in the long story to which they have fallen heir.

   ·      They didn’t in fact receive the promise, because it only came true in Jesus.

Parallel Passages:

   ·      The scope of the OT.

   ·      Revelation 21 and 22 “The City of God”

(WW) Without faith it is impossible to please God (11:6). But this kind of faith grows as we listen to His Word (Romans 10:17) and fellowship in worship and prayer. Faith is possible to all kinds of believers in all kinds of situations. It is not a luxury for a few elite saints. It is a necessity for all of God’s people.

(NTW) Look back at the great crowd because they were looking forward to reality we now enjoy!

H-12 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.