Sunday Night Bible Study Hebrews 11:17-29 September 18, 1994 Hebrews 11:17-29 Introduction The importance of faith The Jewish believers who were reading the original letter had been going through a great deal of persecution since they started believing in Jesus as their Messiah. Some of them had even been tempted to just give up in trusting in Jesus and go back to Judaism like they were before they were saved. But the writer has over and over again stressed the importance of faith, of trusting and continuing to trust in Jesus. Then the writer defined faith: :1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. It's the "title-deed" or the assurance of things that are promised by God, and it's having a conviction about the unseen world. It's that ability God gives us to trust in something our eyes don't see. We'll see over and over how faith was used in the lives of the old testament saints, how they learned to trust in things they didn't see. 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son], 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 Accounting that God [was] able to raise [him] up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. :17 when he was tried tried - to see what you're made of, a testing. God at times may ask us to give up something important to us. It may be because we are better off without it - things like sins It may be because He wants to see how far we'll go in trusting Him. I'm not so sure we could put some kind of guilt on Abraham here, as if he was considering Isaac as an idol. He doesn't want us putting things ahead of Him. It's a test - to show us how much we're willing to trust God. God wants us to be walking by faith - learning more and more how to trust Him. Sometimes that means taking away the things that make us comfortable, so we'll have to be turning to Him. The disciples in the boat - taking away their comfort Mark 4 35. That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" Why was the disciple's actions not a display of faith? 1. Jesus promised them "let us go over to the other side (not under). 2. Jesus was in the boat with them. Are you facing an uncomfortable situation? Has Jesus been guiding you? Is He in your boat? :17 offered up Isaac Here's an element of faith. Lesson: Faith is not a passive thing. It usually results in action. James 2:14-24 Faith without works is dead. Works justifies us by proving that our faith is real. It's the faith that counts before God, but before everyone else, the works are the proof. You can't claim to be trusting in God if there are no accompanying actions. One example of a faithful action: Submission 1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, [be] in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 1Pe 2:18 Servants, [be] subject to [your] masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. (harsh) God has a way of us doing things. We either trust Him that He knows best and do it, or we don't. :19 Accounting that God was able Abraham laid it all out before him. God had promised that Isaac was the special child of promise. Yet God told him to sacrifice Isaac. Therefore God must be planning to raise Isaac from the dead. :19 he received him in a figure The whole story of Genesis 22 is a picture of Jesus. God the Father taking His only begotten Son to sacrifice. The sacrifice taking place on Mount Moriah (the temple location, also where Jesus was crucified) Going for three days, in a sense Isaac was dead to Abraham for three days, just like Jesus. God providing for himself a ram. Resurrection 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. :20 Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau ... Genesis 27 Rebekah overheard Isaac telling Esau to go get some deer meat like Isaac loved, and he would give him the blessing from God. Rebekah cooked up a scheme with Jacob and had Jacob dressed up like Esau, even smelling like Esau, so blind old Isaac wouldn't know any better, and Jacob would receive the blessing instead. Jacob went in and flat out lied to his dad, claiming to be Esau. Read Genesis 27:26-40 vs.33 he shall be blessed - the blessing would stick. vs.39-40 - more of a prophecy than blessing. Isaac seemed to realized that the blessing came from God through him, he was only a channel. God did the real blessing. If the blessing consisted only in Isaac's words, he could have changed them. But it consisted in God's words. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, [leaning] upon the top of his staff. :21 blessed both the sons of Joseph Genesis 48:8-20 :13 Right, left - the right hand should go on the older son, for the better blessing. :14 wittingly - knowingly; here's Jacob's faith - seeing the unseen. :19 his younger brother shall be greater than he - was it because Jacob spoke it by faith, causing it to happen? No! It was because Jacob saw the unseen, he was declaring what was already determined by God. Lesson: God doesn't always follow neat, predictable little patterns A person of faith is going to realize that God can always make changes. We need to be able to see them when they happen. Isa 43:18-19 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert. If God does a new thing, will we see it? Warning: This doesn't mean that we have to be always changing just for the sake of change, but that we need to be willing and able when God says move, to move. 22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. :22 made mention of the departing of the children of Israel Ge 50:24-25 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. Actually, this wasn't a new idea, prophetically. Ge 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land [that is] not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; Ge 48:21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. Joseph is demonstrating that faith is the "substance of things hoped for" - he knew it was going to happen. :22 gave commandment concerning his bones We saw this in Genesis 50:25 Lesson: Joseph's actions were consistent with his faith. It's one thing to say, "I believe we'll go back to Canaan", but to make them promise concerning his bones shows how much he believed. Israel kept their promise to Joseph. Ex 13:19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He had said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place." Jos 24:32 And Joseph's bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph's descendants. I imagine that Joseph's bones became a kind of symbol to the people that God keeps His promises! Lesson: It doesn't hurt to have a few reminders around to remember how God has kept His promises to us. I wrote in my other Bible dates next to the scriptures that God gave me for certain promises. When I come back around each year to those scriptures, I'm reminded about God's faithfulness. I've been keeping a kind of journal about the starting of Calvary Chapel of Fullerton. Writing down the scriptures and promises that God has been giving us. 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw [he was] a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. :23 they saw he was a proper child they saw 1492 eido {i'-do} or oida {oy'-da} a root word; TDNT - 5:116, 673; v AV - know 282, cannot tell + 3756 8, know how 7, wist 6, misc 19, see 314, behold 16, look 5, perceive 5, vr see 3, vr know 1; 666 1) to see 1a) to perceive with the eyes 1b) to perceive by any of the senses 1c) to perceive, notice, discern, discover It's kind of more than just letting light reflect off an object and letting your eyeballs interpret the image you see. It's a discernment, an understanding, a knowing about something a proper child 791 asteios {as-ti'-os} from astu (a city);; adj AV - fair 1, proper 1; 2 1) of the city 2) of polished manners 3) elegant (of body), comely, fair NRSV - "beautiful" NIV - "no ordinary child" They saw something there, perhaps seeing the unseen. Looking past the crying baby. Lesson: What do you see in people? Do you see all their faults, all their problems, all the things that make them a "jerk"? Or do you see through the eyes of faith, able to see the unseen things, the potential that God desires for them? Are you willing to stick your neck out for people, even though the payoff isn't going to come for quite a while? How can I have more faith? We can identify with the man who brought his son to Jesus for healing: Mr 9:23-24 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things [are] possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. It's great to see all these champions of faith believing in God. But for me it gets kind of tough sometimes. How to gain more faith: 1. Soak in God's Word Ro 10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Get into God's Word, look at His great deeds Psalm 77 - a real depressing Psalm! Ps 77:10-12 And I said, This [is] my infirmity: [but I will remember] the years of the right hand of the most High. 11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. As you continue to spend time in God's Word, you also get a better glimpse at God's heart of love for you. 2. Stick out the trials 1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: The words "trial" and "tried" speak of the testing of precious metals, which is done by fire. The trials we face are the heat under the smelting pot of our faith. God needs to keep the heat on us from time to time to refine our faith. As the heat continues, the impurities come to the surface, where God as the master goldsmith can remove them from our lives. Baby giraffes...birth of a giraffe... In a View from the Zoo, Gary Richmond tells about the birth of a giraffe: "The first thing to emerge are the baby giraffe's front hooves and head. A few minutes later the plucky newborn calf is hurled forth, falls ten feed, and lands on its back. Within seconds, he rolls to an upright position with his legs tucked under his body. From this position he considers the world for the first time and shakes off the last vestiges of the birthing fluid from his eyes and ears. The mother giraffe lowers her head long enough to take a quick look. Then she positions herself directly over her calf. She waits for about a minute, and then she does the most unreasonable thing. She swings her long, pendulous leg outward and kicks her baby, so that it is sent sprawling head over heals. When it doesn't get up, the violent process is repeated over and over again. The struggle to rise is momentous. As the baby calf grows tired, the mother kicks it again to stimulate its efforts...Finally, the calf stands for the first time on its wobbly legs. Then the mother giraffe does the most remarkable thing. She kicks it off its feet again. Why? She wants it to remember how it got up. In the wild, baby giraffes must be able to get up as quickly as possible in order to stay with the herd, where there is safety. Lions, hyenas, leopards, and wild hunting dogs all enjoy young giraffes, and they'd get it too, if the mother didn't teach her calf to get up quickly and get with it... I've thought about the birth of the giraffe many times. I can see its parallel in my own life. There have been many times when it seemed that I had just stood up after a trial, only to be knocked down again by the next. It was God helping me to remember how it was that I got up, urging me always to walk with him, in his shadow, under his care."