What is faith? the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. definition description

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1 THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER, FRANKLIN MA Hebrews 11:8-16 What is faith? the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. July 3, 2011 What is faith? The first verse of the eleventh chapter of The Letter to the Hebrews defines it like this: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is not so much a definition of faith as it is a description of faith and how it works in our lives. Faith is the persistent hope in the promises of God. Biblical faith is not blind optimism or a hope-so kind of feeling. It s not simply intellectual assent to a collection of Christian doctrines and beliefs. It doesn t believe in spite of the evidence that s superstition. True biblical faith is confident obedience to God s Word in spite of our circumstances and their consequences. Listen to that again. True biblical faith is confident obedience to God s Word in spite of our circumstances and their consequences. J. Oswald Sanders wrote, Faith enables the believing soul to treat the future as present and the invisible as seen. In many ways The Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4 th, 1776, is a statement of faith by our founding fathers as what they envisioned would be possible in their new country. By faith they were willing to put their lives and their fortunes on the line. Declaration begins: When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. The

2 2 We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Declaration concludes with these words: And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor. John Adams, one of the signers from Massachusetts, reflected on what the separation from England would mean for him personally. If it be the pleasure of heaven that my country shall require the poor offering of my life, the victim shall be ready, at the appointed hour of sacrifice, come when that hour may. But while I do live, let me have a country, and that a free country! After the Declaration was approved by Congress, Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail: It is the will of heaven that the two countries should be sundered forever. It may be the will of heaven that America shall suffer calamities still more wasting and distresses yet more dreadful. If this is the case, it will have this good effect, at least: it will inspire us with many virtues which we have not, and correct many errors, follies and vices, which threaten to disturb, dishonor and destroy us. The furnace of affliction produces refinements in states, as well as individuals. The writer of Hebrews is clear that faith is a very practical thing. It says in the third verse of chapter 11: By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Faith enables believers to see what others cannot see and it enables believers to do what others cannot do. The readings this morning are the ones appointed for Independence Day. They invite us to reflect on an image of a holy city and to compare the reality we experience with the dream to which we are called. No earthly city, no earthly nation, will ever be the place of

3 3 perfect love and unending bliss that God has prepared for all who believe. We re called to proclaim the Kingdom of God not only by speaking to the world about the promise of the heavenly city, but by working with all our strength and passion to make this world this city as perfect as we re able. In Deuteronomy it says: For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen. Just a few verses earlier it says: what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good? Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. [10:12-14 ESV] The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is a biblical Hall of Fame of people who had faith and were obedient to God. The reading this morning focuses on Abraham and Sarah God s promises to them and His plan for the nation of Israel had its origin in the call of Abraham. God promised them a son, but they had to wait twenty-five years. Waiting is one of the most difficult disciplines of life, but true faith is being able to wait on God s timing. As he waited, Abraham was obedient even when he didn t know where he and Sarah were headed. 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. 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. For he was

4 4 looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. He also obeyed when he did not know how God s will would be accomplished. Abraham and Sarah were too old to have children. Despite her age, Sarah had faith that she would bear a child. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 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. Abraham believed and obeyed God even when he didn t know when or how God would fulfill His promises. Dr. George Morrison, a great Scottish preacher, once said, The important thing is not what we live in, but what we look for. Although Abraham and Sarah lived in tents, they knew a heavenly city awaited them. God always fulfills His promises to His believing people, either immediately or ultimately. Abraham had his eyes on the heavenly city and lived in the future tense. As Christians we also are strangers and pilgrims in this world, but we have become citizens of the Kingdom of God through the work of Christ on the cross. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. [2:19-22 ESV] Abraham and Sarah obeyed when God called them to leave their homeland in order to receive an inheritance. They and many of their descendants died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having

5 5 seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 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. We should be encouraged as we read about the heroes in the biblical Hall of Fame and on this 4 th of July weekend we can also we encouraged by the faith of our nation s founders. They provide a marvelous example. In their day they proclaimed a vision far greater than they could bring to pass. Freedoms and equalities declared in the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution have, over time, come closer to reality as Americans, inspired by their words, have learned to use the powers granted by those documents to claim the rights they set forth. The Christian message, the Good News, is also about emancipation it s about freedom. The churchy words are salvation and redemption. In Galatians Paul wrote about the impact that Jesus can have on our lives. For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. [5:1 ESV] What kind of freedom does Jesus offer? He majors in the freedom of our soul and our spirit. He frees us from slavery to sin, evil and death and as that happens our lives are transformed. Jesus said, You must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect? How are we to hear that? Is it something over the top, as an impossibility, and thus easily dismissed? A formula for failure? A call for a select few, not for most of us? An impossible job description? Perhaps it s not a call at all, but a promise to be fulfilled.

6 6 Most commentators say we need to understand the word perfect not as morally flawless but rather as mature, complete, fully realized. The context of Jesus call to perfection is a teaching about our relationship with Him and with others a well. For His followers, Jesus rejects a love/hate standard determined by the behavior of others relationships for which we claim little or no responsibility. This impossible job description begins to be written on the heart of everyone, who in baptism, promises to believe in God the Father... in Jesus Christ, the Son of God... in God the Holy Spirit [and] promises to continue in the apostles teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers... to persevere in resisting evil, and whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord... to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ...to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself... As Christians we must never take for granted our freedom as Americans; it was purchased at a great cost and the cost continues to be paid today. We need to exercise our freedoms, enjoy our freedoms and pray for those who don t have the same freedom, but we must also never take our freedom in Christ for granted. It is a free gift to us, but it was achieved at a great cost to God. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. [John 3:16-17 ESV] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [John 1:14, ESV] For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not

7 7 submit again to a yoke of slavery. [Galatians 5:1 ESV] Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; there is no end to his greatness. [Psalm 145:3 BCP] So how do you and I walk by faith this weekend and in the days to come? Warren Wiersbe offers this guidance: By claiming the promises of God and obeying the Word of God, in spite of what you see, how you feel, or what may happen. It means committing yourself to the Lord and relying wholly on Him to meet the need. When we live by faith, it glorifies God, witnesses to a lost world, and builds Christian character into our lives. God has ordained that the righteous will live by his faith (Hab. 2:4 ); and when we refuse to trust Him, we are calling God a liar and dishonoring Him. [Be Committed, SP Publications, Inc., 1993, pages 15-16] ******** Let us pray: Lord God, Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Father Jack Potter+