Chapter 11

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews%2011&version=ESV

STUDY

• What is faith? 

• What does verse 6 say?

• ​What is your favorite example of faith mentioned in this chapter?

• What were the acts of faith for the following people?

1. Abel
2. Enoch
3. Noah
4. Abraham
5. Sarah
6. Isaac
7. Jacob
8. Joseph
9. Moses' parents
10. Moses
11. Rahab

APPLICATION

• Finish the following statement:        By faith I...

• In verse 26, it says that Moses "considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt...".  Can you say the same about yourself concerning the treasures of the world?

• Without faith, it is impossible to please God.  Write out a prayer to God asking for more faith, repenting of your lack of faith and seeking opportunities to practice having faith.  

PRUNING ME

    Chapter 11 talks about faith and gives examples of people in the Bible that displayed faith.  I want to highlight the story of Noah.  Have you seen the movie Evan Almighty?  I know the theology might not be spot on- but the display of how crazy Noah looked back in the day was awesome.  At the time of Noah it HAD NEVER RAINED.  I didn't say rained sometimes, or even rarely.  I'm saying, it had NEVER rained before.  One day, God told Noah that it was going to rain so bad that the entire earth would be flooded.   His intentions were to destroy all human life and animal life except Noah, his family and some animals to continue reproduction after the flood water dried up.  If it had never rained, could you imagine how crazy it would look for a guy to build a massive boat to save himself and his family from the flood?  If someone tomorrow started building a huge airplane because he thought the earth was going to blow up and he wanted to save himself, his family and some animals, I would think he's a lunatic- especially if he said, God told me to!!  I believe in God, and that would still sound crazy to me!  I knwo my example is a bit much- but there are scientists talking about the earth being destroyed and the end times and there are a whole lotta hollywood films that dramatize each possibility! Anyway, it took a great deal of faith for Noah to believe what God said, and obey.  Sometimes it's not the believing that takes so much faith, but the obedience.  If Noah just said, "Okay God, I do believe you that there is a flood coming," and left it at that, he wouldn't have obeyed God.  Instead, God asked Noah to build the ark- to specific measurements, and he did it because of his faith in God, no matter how loony he looked to his friends and community.  (To read the whole story on Noah and the Ark go to Genesis 6-9.)  Do you have that much faith?  Would you do something that God asks, even if you would look crazy to your friends and community?  Do you have a cap on faith? Where does it end? At what point would you say, "No God, that's too much"?  Just like Moses in verse 26, Noah considered the reproach of God greater wealth than the treasures (or reputation, friendships etc.) of Egypt- or in this case Noah's city.  Before I continue, I want to highlight something else after reading Genesis chapter 6.  Go with me there, starting in verse 5:

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.  So the Lord said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.  These are the generations of Noah.  Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation.  Noah walked with God. (italicized is mine) 

        What does this say?  Noah was a righteous man who walked with God and because of his faith, he found favor in God's eyes.  THAT is why God used him.  Do you think God would have used someone in this circumstance who didn't have enough faith to build the ark- even when it seemed crazy?  Do you think God would use someone today who doesn't have enough faith to do what he asks?  Do you have that much faith?  Is God able to use you in extrordinary ways because you not only believe what He says, but also do what He says?  Don't you want God to be glorified through your faith in Him?  Don't be like Moses in Exodus 4 where God asks him to speak to the people and Moses doesn't have enough faith that he could do it.  Moses was not good at speaking to people- maybe even had a speech impediment- but God said, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak."  Even after God asks Moses, and then encourages him, Moses still refused.  Moses missed a great blessing, and God was not happy with Moses for his lack of faith.  Instead, God used Aaron.  Don't let opportunities pass you by because of your lack of faith.  Be available to God because of your great faith!  

        I also want to exalt verse 26 of chapter 11.  I think it is so important that we pause and reflect on this verse, but before you do, please read the verse in context:

    Verse 23-27:

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.  By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.  By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 

        Moses chose to be unpopular for the sake of Christ.  Moses chose to be mistreated for the sake of Christ.  He chose to leave a family of earthly power to become family with Divine power.  He considered Christ more important than any thing else he could have on earth.  Through that love of God, he had immense faith and God used him to do amazing things- like parting the Red Sea.  You don't do that by yourself!  Do you see Christ as a greater wealth than any treasure you could have on earth?  Are you willing to give up your reputation for the sake of Him?  Are you seeking earthly reward or heavenly reward?  Can God give account of your faith in Him?  When you meet Him at the gate of heaven, what will He say of you?  Will He say to me, "Because of faith, Leanne...." or will He say, "Because of Leanne's lack of faith I used someone else..."?  Without faith, it is impossible to please God (verse 6).  Is God pleased with you?

• Leanne

Lord Jesus, forgive us for our lack of faith.  Teach us how to trust in You completely and to have faith in you that allows You to use us- even if that means doing it against the popularity of the people around us.   Lord we know that we cannot please you if we don't have faith in you.   I pray that we would receive power from this passage that will transform our hearts- giving us a heavenly attitude rather than an earthly one.  May we see Christ as a greater wealth than anything on earth, and may we obey Him with anything He asks of us.  Thank you Jesus for your Word.  Thank you that you used ordinary people to do extrordinary things.  May you be able to give a great account of our faith when we meet You in heaven.  

Amen.