Grace Community Church

Faith is the Victory

Hebrews 11:30-40 (ESV)

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.

Sometimes if we’re not careful when going through a text like Hebrews 11 we can miss the forest for the trees.  In other words, we can get so caught up in minute details we miss the big picture.  As we wrap up Hebrews 11 today I think the Lord would have look to the big picture.  It seems the apostle who wrote Hebrews wrote this section with that intention as well.  Here the minute details are spared for an overarching big scope.  If we’re to understand the text in light of the author’s intent we should do the same. Read the rest of this entry »

Case Studies in Faith:

By Faith Moses was Not Afraid

Hebrews 11:23-29 (ESV)

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 if on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

Most people whether they like to admit it or not worry too much about other people.  We find ourselves thinking, not so much, about what is right but how we will be perceived by others.  The fear of man and of circumstances is a fear that plagues most us a lot. 

God has given us the emotion of fear and it is useful for His glory.  However, especially after the Fall, man has been fearing the wrong things. We’re called to fear God and the Bible teaches that this fear is healthy and will honor God.  Rather than our fear being directed there, we fear lesser things.  When we should be fearing God we waist our time worrying not about what God thinks but about what man thinks. Read the rest of this entry »

Case Studies in Faith:

The Faith that Overcomes Death

Hebrews 11:20-22 (ESV)

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.

These verses may seem a bit redundant or perhaps anticlimactic after the verses from last week concerning Abraham and Isaac.  The drama of last week’s event, as amazing as it was, is a rarity.  These verses today have one thing in common that I want us to see.  We travel from last week’s drama to this week’s inevitability.  These three men mentioned in our verses today each had drama in their lives but what is mentioned is the common denominator they shared.  They all died of old age believing in the promises of God so strongly that their feebleness of body did not detract from their rock solid faith.  Like Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham they all died not having received the promises but looking for them in the future.  In their case, the covenant promises were passed on from one generation to the next, from father to son to grandson.

What made the difference in the lives of these mentioned today?  What was it that caused them to not fear death but to look it straight in the eyes and rejoice?  The difference was saving faith.  God had given each of these men the gift of faith and in the end that was what carried them from this world to the next. Read the rest of this entry »

Case Studies in Faith:

The Depth of Abraham’s Faith

Hebrews 11:17-19 (ESV)

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.

So far through chapter 11 of Hebrews we’ve witnessed events of one time acts of faith namely, that of Abel.  We’ve witnessed long durations of faith in that of Enoch who walked with God and Noah who built a ship.  We saw the beginning of Abraham’s faith as God called him and gave him the gift of faith.  Now, we’re going to look at the depth of Abraham’s faith.  The phrase, O’ you of little faith doesn’t apply to Abraham here in this text.  Perhaps the phrase O’ you of amazing faith does apply.

Human need that these verses address is our need to exercise faith when the cost is high and our understanding is low.

Truth Taught- We learn obedience by the things which we suffer at the loving and providential hand of God.

Hebrews 5:7-8 (ESV)

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.  [8] Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

This verse is also true of Abraham.

Genesis 22:1-14 (ESV)

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” [2] He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” [3] So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. [4] On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. [5] Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” [6] And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. [7] And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” [8] Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

[9] When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. [10] Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. [11] But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” [12] He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” [13] And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. [14] So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

In Genesis we are blessed to have the narrative account preserved for us.  In Hebrews we get a more in depth picture as to what was going on in Abraham’s mind during all this.

I want to zero in on verse two of the Genesis account and pick out a couple of things that will help us understand Hebrews. Read the rest of this entry »

Case Studies in Faith:

By Faith Abraham Saw a City

Hebrews 11:8-16 (ESV)

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.

As we begin this morning we should reread the opening verse showing us the characteristics of faith from Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11:1-2 (ESV)

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.

One big piece of this text today when we take into account the apostle’s description of faith is that assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, is that all the ones mentioned never received the promises while on this earth.  None of the people mentioned in Hebrews 11 actually received what they had been convinced of while alive.  By this fact, and by other verses in Scripture, we shouldn’t think that God’s promises will be fulfilled while we’re alive either. Read the rest of this entry »

Case Studies in Faith:

Enoch Walked With God

Hebrews 11:5-6 (ESV)

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.

Saving faith, the faith that justifies the ungodly not only saves the sinner but it pleases God.  Last week we learned about the faith of Abel.  We learned that it was his faith in God and what God had said that Abel was counted among the righteous.  He believed God and by faith acted on that belief.  That type of faith pleases God because it looks toward God’s Son.  Saving faith glorifies Jesus Christ and this pleases God the Father.

Genesis 5:21-24 (ESV)

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. [22] Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. [23] Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. [24] Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

We don’t know much about Enoch.  Mostly when he’s mentioned it is in the context of a genealogy list which has his name.  That’s about half the time.  The two other places that really tell us anything are here before us today.

What is before us is extremely important.  Simply put, Enoch walked with God by faith and this greatly please God.  What Scripture means when it uses the phrase Walked with God is that Enoch lived a consistent life of obedience.  He lived in fellowship with God. Read the rest of this entry »