We have been working through the book of Hebrews as a church family. We have reached Chapter 11 and what a challenge! To join the Heroes of the faith.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
I remember the excitement of Chapter 6 of Ephesians. The shield, the sword, the helmet, the belt… action galore.
But it was only as I grew up that I discovered this action is only possible because of the previous chapters (1-5).
I fight the battle before me ONLY because I know who I am IN Christ and who I am BECAUSE of Christ.
It is the same with the previous chapters of Hebrews 1-10.
These are ESSENTIAL to us becoming the heroes in the faith that Hebrews 11 speaks of.
Let me do a super quick run through of the previous chapters:
Hebrews
1 – Jesus is the best (comparing to angels)
2 – Pay attention, stay alert
3 – Jesus is the best (comparing to Moses)
4 – Rest, Jesus is the best (comparing to other high priests)
5 – Jesus is the best (order of Melchizedek)
6 – Stay alert, Jesus is the best (anchor for our soul)
7 – Long term plan, Jesus is the best (like Melchizedek)
8 – Jesus is the best (new covenant)
9 – Jesus is the best (blood)
10 – Jesus is the best, keep going and don’t give up
Note a common theme? 😊
And today’s Scripture:
11 – Faith = encouragement
This chapter speaks of Heroes of faith. Some things to note:
– They are not superhuman
– They did not receive the things promised (vv13-16)
– We are encouraged to keep going
– These heroes are not perfect (understatement) but…
– They did their best
We all too often look to be inspired by the rich, powerful, dynamic…
Hebrews 11 doesn’t seem to include these people.
Only the obedient make the hero list.
Let’s look at some of the names on the list of Heroes!
verses 4-12
Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah.
Now if we read verses 13-16.
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.
POWERFUL!!
This eternal perspective is sooo important.
Here come some more heroes names in verses 17-38.
Jacob, Esau, Joseph, Moses’ parents, ‘the people of Israel’, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, ‘the prophets’.
In verses 39-40 we read:
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.
In light of this reading, I have some questions for you and I:
– Who did you encourage in their faith this week?
– Did those around you see the way you lived and were inspired to be more like you (because you are more like Jesus)?
– Or did you have a bad week?
– Or did you totally stuff up, again, and made sure you dragged others down with you?
If the ‘Or’ was you this week don’t stop reading!
This reminds me of King David
He totally stuffed up!
He slept with another man’s wife, got her pregnant, and then killed the woman’s husband to cover up his own wrongdoing!
That man, Uriah, was one of his best mates!
And the Bible calls David:
A man after God’s own heart! (look at 1 Samuel 13:14 and 1 Kings 14:8)
How can God say this?!?
The answer is:
Because King David lived to please God.
God clearly doesn’t focus on the things we usually focus on.
After being heavily challenged by Nathan the prophet, David repented and cried out to God.
Let’s read David’s prayer to God in Psalm 51.
What really stands out to me is verse 4, ‘Against You and You only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight…’
Other people might judge your actions.
You… you might judge your actions.
But I hope you were encouraged by that Psalm.
I hope you can join David and see that you live before an audience of one.
And that One is Jesus.
As a Christian, your every action, your every thought, is laid bare before Him. It is He we live for. It is He that we desire to please.
Today, you choose to be a Hero of Faith.
So choose to be a hero in the faith.
Tomorrow, choose to be a hero in the faith.
You. Choose faith.
Please!!
I’m not saying be Noah or Sarah or Jacob or Rahab or Abraham or Gideon.
Be you.
You are enough.
You are created in the image of God (Gen 1:27).
So no more excuses!
No more, ‘when I am… (rich, happy, older…)’
No more ‘when I get… (my dream job, married, educated…)’
Or even ‘when I’ve done… (my bucket list, this one last thing…)’
Be a hero of the faith now.
In His wisdom, God chose to grow trees from the bottom up (Bonnke, R).
Choose today to start growing in your faith.
He a hero today.
You might not even get noticed because your faith is so small compared to what it could be.
“I should have started years ago”.
“I should be a huge tree by now”.
“I should have lemons and oranges and mangoes and apples and all sorts of good fruits hanging off me”.
Maybe.
But why not start now?
Why not choose to be a hero of faith now?
The heroes of faith were all called to a task that they either didn’t want, or they didn’t believe they were capable of doing.
But they did it anyway.
Why?
Because they lived to honour their God.
We are called to be heroes of faith.
We are called to be those who transform our world.
We are the light of Jesus Christ to this world.
Jesus is the best.
So let’s change our world through Jesus Christ who lives in us.
Romans 8:24-25 NIV
24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Let’s live by faith.
Ben
