LESSON 4 Hall f Faith Christian Educatin Hur: Hebrews Lessn 4- Hall f Faith Hebrews 11 Cntext 1. 2:1 4 Pay careful attentin. s that we d nt drift away 2. 3:1 4:16 D nt harden.n unbelieving heart amng yu enter the Sabbath rest. 3. 5:11 6:6 Leave elementary teaching G n t maturity 4. 10:19 39 Let us draw near hld cnsider remember dn t thrw away cnfidence HEBREWS 11 FITS right in between these tw exhrtatins. 5. 12:1 29 Let us run dn t grw weary r lse heart when disciplined make level paths etc. CHAPTER 10 VS 1 Fr the Law, since it has nly a shadw f the gd things t cme VS 1-18 prving Jesus as ne sacrifice fr all time VS 10:19 39 3 parts Psitive Negative Psitive A New and Living way exhrtatin let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance f faith Let us hld fast the cnfessin f ur hpe withut wavering Let us cnsider hw t stimulate ne anther t lve and gd deeds Nt frsaking ur wn assembling tgether Encuraging ne anther all the mre 12/3/17 1 By Phillip Muehring
Warning that falling away yields judgment Fury f fire severer punishment vengeance terrifying t fall int the hands f the living Gd. Encuraging them t remember their past faithfulness and lk t press n in faith t the future Remember frmer days when they endured d nt thrw away cnfidence d nt shrink back t destructin VS 39 But we are nt f thse wh shrink back t destructin, but f thse wh have faith t the preserving f the sul. CHAPTER 11 Fcus n the OT saints and hw they persevered by faith in Gd. READ CHAPTER 11 CHAPTER 12 Therefre since we have s great a clud f witnesses surrunding us, Let us lay aside run fix eyes cnsider Him dn t grw weary r lse heart when disciplined make level paths etc. Primer n Biblical Faith Where des faith cme frm? Frm Gd by grace Eph 2:8-9; Rm 8:29-30; 12:3; I Tim 1:13-14; Philip 1:29 Thrugh hearing the wrd f Christ Rm 10:17 By the wrk f the Hly Spirit Jhn 3:5-6, 14:26, 16:13; Rm 8:10 Whse is it after received? Ours individually nt ur parents nr pastrs Luke 7:50, Matt 9 Is Faith the same as Biblical Hpe Nt the same as I Crinthians 13:13 but friends. Like Oxygen is a friend f Fire. Biblical Hpe is a cnfident expectatin Gd will in the future fulfill his prmises that naturally stems frm ur faith r trust in Gd Himself. Feelings Nt the same as Analgy / Train & Cabse Driving at night But nt ppsite f as faith changes ur feelings they are cnnected smehw. Belief in Gd Depends n definitin f belief. If belief = t cnsider t be true then it is nt the same. Demns believe in Gd and shudder (James 2:19). Hwever, we smetimes use the term believe as equivalent because we are attaching an unspken definitin t it which includes trust and lve. Again, cntext fr the wrds used matter. Mst Biblical dictinaries call them equivalent fr that reasn. What is the ppsite f Faith? Wrks: Yes and N 12/3/17 2 By Phillip Muehring
Justificatin by wrks is ppsite f Justificatin by faith (Sla Fida) s yes it is ppsite in that sense. James 2:18 says faith always creates wrks s n it is nt ppsite f wrks in that sense. Reasn: N and Yes Faith desn t exist withut knwledge s it can t be blind nr the ppsite f Reasn. Rmans 10; 12:2; Isaiah 1:18 salvatin requires knwledge faith is brn ut f knwledge f the Gspel. Faith ppses Human Reasn when reasn ppses the wrd f Gd.parting f red sea resurrectin f Lazarus Scientific Certainty: Yes and N Faith is nt like 1+1=2 and yet it desn t ignre the certainty f science when it is indeed certain! Faith is like certainty in the trust f anther persn and their prmises t d smething. Dubt: Yes and N Rmans 14:23 But he wh dubts is cndemned if he eats, because his eating is nt frm faith; and whatever is nt frm faith is sin. Jhn Calvin struggled with dubt: "Since salvatin is by faith alne, then nt sin but dubt f which anxiety is the immediate cnsequence are the mst terrible adversaries f every Christian, even the mst faithful. Yet Dubt wuld nt be present unless there was Faith trying t grw. Apathy and indifference wuld lack any evidence f faith. Physical sight: Yes and N 2 Cr 5:7 says we live by faith nt by sight s yes it is ppsite 1 Jhn 1:1-4 What was frm the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with ur eyes, what we have lked at and tuched with ur hands, cncerning the Wrd f Life s n it is nt ppsite Fear: Yes and N Fear and Faith need bjects in rder t define them what r whm d yu fear r have faith in? Faith in Gd requires fear f Gd s n it is nt ppsite in ne sense. We are even cmmanded t fear Gd. See Dt 10:12-13; Rm 3:18; 1Pe 1:17, 2:17; Mt 10:28; Rev 14:7; Eph 5:21; 2 Cr 5:11, 7:1 Faith in Gd ppses the fear f man/satan/wrld s yes it is ppsite in this sense. See Mt 10:28; Lu 12:5; He 13:5-6; Jhn 12:41-43 Fear and Faith are srt f friends Fear that Gd will punish ur sins (just Gd law and judgment) can encurage faith in Jesus thrugh the Gspel (savir frm sins Gd s lve tward us) which can prduce the Lve f Gd (because he first lved us - I Jhn 4:19) which drives ut the fear f being punished by Gd in the first place (I Jhn 4:17-18, Rmans 8)! Yet this wisdm started with the fear f Gd Prv 9:10 We stand by a faith surced in Gd s we ught t fear. Rmans 10:17 That is true. They were brken ff because f their unbelief, but yu stand fast thrugh faith. S d nt becme prud, but fear. Keep in mind faith and fear can happen in degrees. There is a minimum amunt f faith which grants justificatin yet ur faith can still be increased. Luke 7:9 fund s great a faith! Mark 9:24, Lrd, I believe; help my unbelief! Luke 17:5 Increase ur faith SEE PASTOR JEFF S SERMONS ON THE FEAR OF THE LORD PART 1 & 2-1 PETER 1:17 & 18-21 12/3/17 3 By Phillip Muehring
Hebrews please help us understand faith! Christian Educatin Hur: Hebrews Lessn 4- Hall f Faith Faith Definitin 11 Nw faith is the assurance f things hped fr, the cnvictin f things nt seen. 6 And withut faith it is impssible t please Him, fr he wh cmes t Gd must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder f thse wh seek Him. 16 But as it is, they desire a better cuntry, that is, a heavenly ne. Therefre Gd is nt ashamed t be called their Gd; fr He has prepared a city fr them. 39 And all these, having gained apprval thrugh their faith, did nt receive what was prmised, 40 because Gd had prvided smething better fr us, s that apart frm us they wuld nt be made perfect. Christian Faith defined by Hebrews is Believing that Gd is. Believing that Gd will d what he says he will d. Believing that Gd is gd and a rewarder f thse wh seek Him. Trusting and Taking Jy in Jesus Christ alne Faith creates r enables Wrks, Desires, Understanding f things nt seen, Feelings, Hpe, Lve many things. Let s take a clser lk at a Faith Example Heb 11:23 By faith Mses, when he was brn, was hidden fr three mnths by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were nt afraid f the king s edict. Exd 1:22 Then Pharah cmmanded all his peple, saying, Every sn wh is brn yu are t cast int the Nile, and every daughter yu are t keep alive. Exd 2:1 Nw a man frm the huse f Levi went and married a daughter f Levi. 2 The wman cnceived and bre a sn; and when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him fr three mnths. 3 But when she culd hide him n lnger, she gt him a wicker basket and cvered it ver with tar and pitch. Then she put the child int it and set it amng the reeds by the bank f the Nile. NASB Study Principle: Slw dwn and lk clser Climbing a muntain lks easy frm a distance. It is when yu actually get int the details that things get a bit difficult. 12/3/17 4 By Phillip Muehring
Observatins Taking a clser lk Were the parents f Mses afraid r nt? Clearly they were afraid f smething as peple dn t hide their children if they are nt afraid. Desn t faith in Gd require a lack f fear f man? True and False Yu can fear man but fear Gd mre yu fight ne fear with the ther. What were they afraid f? 3 Optins t cnsider. 1. That Pharah wuld kill their child. 2. That Pharah wuld kill them fr having the child. 3. That Gd wuld hld them accuntable fr killing their baby. Answer = #1 and #3 fr sure. I think all f them culd be a right answer but it must recncile which is feared mst. It wuld seem they were willing t die t bey Gd and save their baby. The scheme they came up with was their wn and culd have gne prly. They had n prphecy r visiting by an Angel. They pursued the best path they culd find while maintaining their faith in Gd. This is WISDOM this is what we are t ask fr in ur daily lives. JAMES 1:5 2 Cr 5 We walk by faith and nt by sight We make decisins based n ur belief, trust and lve f Jesus Christ and nt by nly ur physical understanding as the pririty. Let us test ur understanding f this text Hw wuld this definitin f faith apply t the fllwing circumstances: Yu are pregnant with a daughter in China and they want t abrt in favr f a sn. What des faith say t d? Yu are pregnant with yur third child in China when there is a 2 child limit. What des faith say t d? Yu are pregnant with yur first child and the dctr says there are cmplicatins and yu r yur child will die if yu try t give birth. What des faith say t d? Yu are a dctr and the hspital is pr chice demanding that all dctrs encurage referrals t the nearby abrtin clinic. What des faith say t d? Yu are a pastr ging t Africa. D yu take the shts fr Hepatitis and Malaria? If yu trust Gd why take the shts? Because Gd given wisdm desn t ignre the reality we are put in. Biblical faith believes Gd has rdained all things even shts fr Hepatitis and Malaria. Amazing hw relevant Gd s wrd frm s lng ag is t us tday! 12/3/17 5 By Phillip Muehring
Chapter 11 Frest vs Trees Each individual example has smething t teach us. Tday, We need t get the frest yu can d the trees yurself. Nte the Authr s change in directin Ntice the abrupt change in Hebrews 11:35b and thers were trtured, nt accepting their release, s that they might btain a better resurrectin; 36 and thers experienced mckings and scurgings, yes, als chains and imprisnment. 37 They were stned, they were sawn in tw, they were tempted, they were put t death with the swrd; they went abut in sheepskins, in gatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (men f whm the wrld was nt wrthy), wandering in deserts and muntains and caves and hles in the grund. What can we cnclude abut a persn s faith when they are nt delivered frm the trial and it ends in death? Why d yu think he added these examples? What if this isn t a change in the truth he was trying t fcus n? What des this tell us abut his main pint? Big Picture in Hebrews 11 Isn t Chapter 11 a cntinuus implied exhrtatin t heed testimny f OT faithful? Wh is the real her in Chapter 11? Faith in Gd always glrifies Gd even if we suffer and die. Gd either shws miraculus victry frm ur trials and suffering Or Gd shws miraculus victry by helping us endure thrugh ur trials and suffering Gd always has a greater purpse in ur suffering This text says ne f the purpses has t d with being jined with the faithful wh have gne n ahead f us. Heb 11:39-40 This authr is preparing us t remain faithful and endure suffering and tribulatin withut lsing ur Jy in Gd. He is preparing us t endure the reprach f Christ (11:26 & 13:13) and the discipline frm Gd ur Father as utlined in Chapter 12. 12/3/17 6 By Phillip Muehring
HEBREWS VIEW OF SALVATION / SANCTIFICATION / DISCIPLESHIP Cure fr the desert death! What causes ne t hear the wrd and be saved and anther die in the desert never seeing the prmised land? Faith. They didn t unite the wrd with faith. Hebrews 3:15-4:7 What did Jesus say the remedy was fr the desert curse? Jesus lifted up n crss like Mses lifted up the serpent Jhn 3:14-15 It was faith nt magic. Brnze serpent became an idl and had t be destryed 2 Kings 18:1-4 What must we d in respnse t this lessn? S lng as we are walking in the desert twards the prmised rest Then we must lk t the brnze serpent and cmbine it with faith in Gd. S lng as it is tday Then we must lk t the wrk f Jesus n the crss and cmbine it with Biblical Faith! Jude 24-25 Nw t Him wh is able t keep yu frm stumbling, and t make yu stand in the presence f His glry blameless with great jy, 25 t the nly Gd ur Savir, thrugh Jesus Christ ur Lrd, be glry, majesty, dminin and authrity, befre all time and nw and frever. Amen. 12/3/17 7 By Phillip Muehring
Lay Aside Sin / Fix Eyes n Jesus Hebrews 12:1-3 1Therefre, since we have s great a clud f witnesses surrunding us, let us als lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which s easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set befre us, 2 fixing ur eyes n Jesus, the authr and perfecter f faith, wh fr the jy set befre Him endured the crss, despising the shame, and has sat dwn at the right hand f the thrne f Gd. 3 Fr cnsider Him wh has endured such hstility by sinners against Himself, s that yu will nt grw weary and lse heart. Time T G T The Spiritual Gym Assignment = Cnsider ways yu need t practice discerning gd and evil. Write dwn 1 Encumbrance t lay aside and 1 crrespnding way t fix yur eyes n Jesus. Add them t yur 1 Sin and 1 fix yur eye item frm last week. Find a trustwrthy believing friend small grup, family, persnal friend r cme see me! Share yur 4 items and invite them t hld yu accuntable t pray and t encurage yu. Clse n this as a Christmas present t yurself. NOTE: Chse wisely dn t let this becme legalism r just a mmentary fad. Remember we are crrupted as fllws Intellectually (thinking right) Vlitinally (wanting and chsing right) Affectinately (feeling r lving right) Mrally (discerning right) Behavirally (ding right) Relatinally (relate t Gd and thers right) Sins f missin (didn t d when yu shuld have) Sins f cmmissin (did d when yu shuld nt have) 3 Types f Temptatins Lust f the flesh Physical bdy gluttny, sexual, etc. Lust f eyes Mind prngraphy, gssip, vanity, cveting, etc. Pride f life Desires pwer, greatness, fame, etc. 12/3/17 8 By Phillip Muehring