The stage of faith

 Hebrews 11:1-40; 6/12/2022; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

  Introduction

When faced with faith, Paul seemed a little stretched and overwhelmed.  Because faith expresses the relationship between God and man, human language is not enough to define, but only to describe its characteristics.  Let’s look at the first point:

 The Source of faith

What is the source of faith?  It’s just asking where faith comes from, right?  Paul tried to use Greek logic to express the concept of faith, but also wanted to use Hebrew theology to describe the origin of faith.  First, the characteristics of faith.  What is the substance of what is hoped for?  What is the evidence of the unseen?  In a nutshell, faith means having certainty of what is hoped for and assurance of what is not seen. There is still a sense of self-justification to say this, and it may not be clear what faith is.  But at least it shows that faith is not knowing something, but not knowing something!  To put it bluntly, it is because human beings are limited and cannot control God with knowledge, but can only please God with faith!  Therefore, the characteristic of faith is to show man’s ignorance and weakness before God, but to set aside a gracious way because of God’s mercy.  That is, when we remain hopeful in Christ, we are assured. Not by sight, but by faith. Maybe it’s still a little unclear, that’s okay, that’s faith!

Second, the origin of faith. Paul goes on to say “This is what the ancients were commended for. (Hebrews 11:2)”   It may sound a little dizzy, what’s the matter, here is the evidence again?   Don’t forget that Paul enters the “evidence” statement of Hebrew theology starting in verse 2.   The whole point of the Israelites’ life is their electoral status.  Beginning in the context of Abraham’s calling, let faith play out its origins on the stage of patriarchal life.  This origin is that God began with Abraham, selected a humble person from the vast sea of people, and thus gave birth to a group of people to bear a good testimony for God.  Abraham, though dead, still speaks because of this faith.  The Bible also categorizes two basic “faith blocks”, which are Genesis chapters 1 to 11 and everything after chapter 12, respectively, God speaking to all mankind, and speaking only to the elect and the church.

Finally, the inheritance of faith.  This is a mystery, the transmission of faith from generation to generation.  The basis of inheritance is also passed down by faith and has nothing to do with others.  Esau was the elder brother, but it was Jacob who passed it on.  Esau loved the world, Jacob moved by faith.  God did not give up Jacob because of the life he “grabbed”,  but guided him step by step, tempered him, and treated him favorably.  Until the Ford of Jabbok wrestled with God, and all night long, Jacob’s life was revived, and his relationship with God took a higher level.  At this moment, Jacob finally inherited the faith that his grandfather Abraham had. The son of Jacob, “By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones. (Hebrews 11:22)”   After 430 years, from Moses to Rahab the prostitute, to later Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, etc.  The footsteps of faith made a beautiful inheritance.  Let’s look at the second point:

 The testimony of faith

The most basic element of evangelism or the main axis of the relationship between God and man is to witness for the Lord, right?  The content of the testimony is our faith in the Lord,   how the Lord’s love is truly and vividly manifested.  First, witness God’s creation by faith.  We know that God made all the nations from one man, and let the sun shine on both good people and bad people.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)  After the book of Romans is written, people may ask:   How do you know?  So, when it came time to write Hebrews,  it answered the question posed by Romans: “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (Hebrews 11:3)”  That is to say, about God’s creation, we know it by faith.  God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  Before there was science, there was creation.  God created science, but science has no ability to prove creation.

Second, testify to God’s salvation by faith.  Paul listed many characters in the Bible, and each person’s life is directed in one direction to prepare, live out, and end, and that is God’s salvation.  “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. (Hebrews 11:7)”  Noah’s family of eight, in order to complete the mission of God’s salvation, worked hard to build the ark for 120 years.  The result was a failure, and there was no success to speak of.  Neither the splendor of Saddleback Church nor the courage of Pastor Yongji Cho.  Eight people preached the gospel for one hundred and twenty years without affecting even a single person.  However, God valued the faithfulness of their family and gave salvation to them.

Finally, witness God’s eternity by faith.  The patriarchs have a common feature at the time of death, that is, they all leave blessings for their children.  Moreover, each blessing also affects the life of their children.  Why is it so important to leave a blessing?  Paul reveals the answer to us:  “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.  (Hebrews 11:13)”  Have you discovered that in the blessings of their faith is toward the eternal distance.  If you are an atheist, you may not even believe in what you have blessed, and this is the difference.  Likewise, because of the hope for God’s eternal kingdom, we are able to despise everything in the world and despise the gains and losses in the world!   Let’s look at the third point:

 The hope of faith

To hide hope in faith itself is both a mystery and an assurance to God.  First, faith with hope overcomes death.  Abel may be a short-lived person in the Bible who was killed by his own brother before he could live much in life. In the eyes of today’s people, they may feel unworthy for him.  What if Abel was a little more flexible?  How good it would be to offer the same sacrifice as Cain, to save him from death!  What does it have to do with being invited by Guoan to have tea and reporting (actually betraying)  the situation of some overseas churches? At least I can still come out alive, and I can do more work for the Lord!  The Chairman of Three Self came to the United States,  and a great pastor in Texas greeted him like a long drought meets rain.  Just to beg the Antichrist’s alms for an opportunity to “serve Christ”.  Abel was killed in the end, but the Bible says he was justified by his testimony, and though he died, he still spoke by faith.

Second, faith with hope produces direction.  Abraham was called a man of faith, but in fact he was a man of the same temperament as we are.  Paul said: “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.  (Hebrews 11:8)”  We are confused, he was also confused!  What may be different is that Abraham built an altar every time he went to ask God for the next direction. why?  Why can he do it?  Paul said:  “By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. (Hebrews 11:9)”  This direction can be passed on, not only to Isaac and Jacob, but also to us.

Finally, faith with hope is resurrected.  Paul said: “Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. (Hebrews 11:35)”  As Elijah raised the son of the widow (1 Kings 17:17-24), and Elisha raised the son of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:32-37).  Heavenly Father also let Mary Magdalene witness the resurrection of the Lord!  Stephen endured the torture of being stoned to death because he insisted on preaching the resurrection of the Lord.  Isaiah was tortured by sawed in two for telling the truth to the king.  A few days ago,  the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Russia declared independence from the Russian Orthodox Church.  Will they be killed or tortured by Putin?  Please pray for them!

 

 Conclusion

Well, dear brothers and sisters, the stage of faith does not need to be large, it is good to have it!  Faith waits for us to inherit at the source, waits for our testimony in eternity, and gives us hope in resurrection.

Let us pray……

 

Hebrews 11:1-40

1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 

2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”  For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 

6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 

9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 

10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 

11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 

12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 

14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 

15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 

16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 

18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”

19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 

25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 

26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 

27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 

28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

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.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 

33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 

34 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. 

35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 

36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 

37 They were put to death by stoning;[e] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 

38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 

40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.