Understanding the Ways of Faith
Hebrews 11:29-40
1st The Possibilities of Faith
Hebrews 11:29,
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
Exodus 14:13-15 (NLT)
But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
Hebrews 11:30, (NIV)
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
Joshua 6:1, (NIV)
Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."
Hebrews 11:31, (NIV)
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets,
- Rahab was a prostitute
- Gideon was unqualified
Judges 6:12-15, (NIV)
When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian." The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" "But LORD, " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
- Barak was a weak man
- Samson was a he-man with a she-weakness
- Jephthah was a gangster
- David was an adulterous murderer
- Samuel was a poor father
- The prophets were often depressed
Hebrews 11:33-35, (NIV)
who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.
2nd The Paradox of Faith
Hebrews 11:35-38, (NIV)
Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
- Faith will either give you the power to escape a problem or the power to endure a problem
{note}
2 Corinthians 12:7-9, (NIV)
...there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
- Faith believes that God is good even when we don’t understand
Job 42:1, (MSG)
Job answered God: "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?' I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.' I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand — from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry — forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor."
- Faith sets its gaze on what God is doing rather than what He is not doing
Luke 7:23,
And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."
3rd The Promise of Faith
Hebrews 11:39, (NIV)
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of
them received what had been promised.
Hebrews 11:1-2, (NIV)
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.
Hebrews 11:39, (NIV)
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
Hebrews 11:40, (NIV)
God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
1 Corinthians 13:12, (NLT)
Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
