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Family Research Council is serving in the kingdom of God by championing faith, family, & freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview.
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The Faith Hall of Fame: Definition and Foundation 0:09 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Today, we're gonna look at the faith hall of fame as we look at Hebrews chapter 11 verse 33, who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced0:21 justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. This is a powerful chapter of, really short excerpts of lives of those who'd lived by faith0:33 in God, the evidence of which was seen by their actions. Now 15 individuals are listed by name, then the prophets most likely referring to the 6 Old Testament prophets,0:45 Daniel, Jeremiah, Elijah, and Elisha, Zechariah, and Isaiah. Then in verses 35 through 38, we have what could be the wall of the unknown.0:57 No names listed. These 4 verses are attribute, I believe, to all of those who lived by faith but had not yet received the promise. Right? There there are, you know,1:09 halls of fame for almost everything. But, of course, most prominent among these halls of fame are those for sports. You know, every sport has its hall of fame. I mean, they even have badminton and shuffleboard.1:21 You know? And for those of you who have been on this journey for all, you know that I'm you've heard me say this once or twice. I'm not a big sports fan. I like to play sports, but I don't like to watch it. I am not a1:31 spectator. In fact, we're gonna look in the next chapter about that. The word of God has something to say about that. But that said, as a boy, I, I I did follow the Cincinnati Reds during the time of the Big Red Machine.1:43 Some of you will remember that. It's why I occasionally wear a Reds baseball cap. I was born outside of Cincinnati and lived there until our family moved to Oklahoma when I was about 15.1:55 Pete Rose was known as Charlie Hussle, 1 of the best players of all time, actually, and he still holds several records. And he he may not have been the most talented, but2:06 he worked hard. That's why he was called Charlie Hustle. His his career ran from 19 63 until 19 89. But he's been banned from the2:18 Baseball Hall of Fame because he bet on baseball, including his own team when he was a player manager. So it doesn't matter how good or how great we are when we don't keep2:30 the faith entrusted to us. And in this chapter, we read of those whom god included in his hall of fame because they they they they're not only kept the faith, but they acted2:42 upon the faith. And this morning, I'm gonna use the ESV version because I think the translation communicates the, the meaning of this chapter more more clearly. Verse 1, chapter 11. Now faith is2:54 the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Now let that definition of faith sink in for just a moment. All of the individuals that we are3:05 about to to read of had confidence in the word. That is the promise of god. Even though their eyes could not see it nor their hands touch it, their hope was built3:17 upon the promises of god. And we're not talking about a wish wish wishful hope, like, I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow because I'm going hunting. No. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the3:29 conviction of things not seen. Faith is required. Faith makes real what god says is. Alright? It provides the evidence of that reality in our3:41 souls, seeing what the eye cannot presently see. Alright. Godly faith. Biblical faith moves us beyond the limitations of what we see in the natural to3:53 the realities of the supernatural kingdom of God. And to enter that kingdom of God, faith is required. It is the ticket required to enter. Verse 2, for by it, the4:05 people of old received their commendation. 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. Now notice this journey of4:16 faith begins with recognizing God as the creator. That's where the author starts. Now each of these illustrations here in chapter 11 could be a study in and of themselves, but we're going to take a kind of a4:28 30000 foot view of the common elements of each, and here it is. Don't miss this. Biblical faith leads to obedient action. Faith always leads to action.4:41 Remember what James says, faith without works is dead. It's that action, that obedience. Now Now before I unpack that, I want to underscore the foundation of faith. Look at verse 6. And without faith, it is impossible to4:52 please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exist and that he rewards those who seek him. Faith in God is essential. And if you have faith in God,5:03 biblical faith, not just a head knowledge or an intellectual acknowledgment that there is a God, if you have biblical faith, you will act on that faith. And the the writer provides this we see5:15 this repeatedly throughout this chapter, by faith. By faith. And it's followed by action in each 1 of these examples. So by faith, they acted. By faith, you andHeroes of Faith: Obedient Actions and Endurance 5:27 I will act in obedience to God. Verse 4. By faith, Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous. God commending him5:39 by accepting his gifts, And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith, Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not5:50 found because God had taken him. Now, therefore, he was taken he was taken, he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith, it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must6:02 believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith, Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, it hadn't rained. In fact,6:14 they hadn't seen rain, hadn't seen it before. In reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this, he condemned the world and became an heir of the6:26 righteousness that comes by faith. Notice what Noah's obedient faith did. His example of godliness made the world's ungodliness more evident,6:38 leaving them without excuse. How are we living? Are we living in such a way that our godliness, our obedience, our acting upon faith leaves the world without6:50 an excuse about the reality of God and that Jesus Christ died for our sins and is the way to heaven? By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called7:02 out to go 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 a land of promise as in a foreign land living7:14 in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.7:26 By faith, Sarah herself received power to conceive even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore, verse 12, from7:38 1 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. These all died7:50 in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar and having acknowledged that they were strangers and8:02 exiles on the earth. They saw the promise of a redeemer. Even though they couldn't touch it, they didn't they couldn't see it with their eyes, they saw it by faith. Faith waits8:14 upon the promises of God. Now these individuals in the hall of faith died in faith not seeing that promise fulfilled. Notice also their relationship to this world. I think it's very interesting.8:26 They were described as strangers and exiles. That means they didn't fit in. You know, we just celebrated Thanksgiving. Right? And and, the origins of which in our8:38 country go back to to who? They go back to the pilgrims. William Bradford, who was the leader of the pilgrims, in his book, it was basically his diary or his book of the, the pilgrims. It was entitled of Plymouth8:50 Plantation. He quotes this passage from Hebrews, applying it to those who came to this land. Quote, they knew they were pilgrims and looked not much on those things, but lifted up9:02 their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country. They were pilgrims. They were they they were exiles. They were strangers just passing through. They lived with a greater purpose. They9:13 were on a mission from God, which enabled them to endure and overcome the hardships of this world. Now recall, for those who know your history, the first year that the pilgrims are here, not9:25 quite a tote not totally 12 months, but close to it, almost half of them died in that first winter leading up to the very first Thanksgiving. Nearly half of them had died, but yet they were thankful. Why?9:37 Because they had set their eyes on something greater, and that was the purposes of God. By faith, they knew they were a part of something big. By9:49 faith, we understand. By faith, he offered. Look, this is all listed here in, in in Hebrews chapter 11. By faith, he was translated. By faith, moved with godly fear. By faith, obeyed. By faith, received strength10:01 and conceived. By faith, offered up. By faith, blessed. By faith, we're not afraid. By faith, forsook Egypt, by faith kept the Passover, by faith passed through the sea, by faith encircled the walls, by10:13 faith did not perish. Verse 23. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for 3 months by his parents because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the10:24 king's edict. See, faith overcomes fear. And look at, look at verse 27. This faith can become generational. By faith, he, that is Moses, left Egypt,10:36 not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. You see, before Moses had faith, his parents had faith. And the author goes on to state,10:48 through faith, they subdued kingdoms. They worked righteousness. By through faith, they obtained promises. Through faith, they stopped the mouths of lions. Through faith, they quenched the violence of fire. Through10:59 faith, they escaped the sword. Through faith, we're made strong. Through faith, we're made valiant in battle. It's a great chapter. By faith. Faith leads to action. And the11:11 the writer closes with this, verse 39, and all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised. They didn't give up. They didn't throw in the towel. Since god had providedLiving by Faith Today: Bold Obedience and Promise 11:23 something better for us, they, apart from us, they should not be made perfect. Right? These lived by faith, anticipating the promise of the salvation, the11:34 redemption that is found in Jesus Christ. That promise of god was manifest it was manifest on the cross when Jesus died for our sins and then in the resurrection overcoming death and the grave.11:46 So what does that mean? It means our faith should make us even bolder in our obedience and action as we anticipate11:58 the fulfillment of our salvation at Christ's return. They didn't even see the cross. They they by faith, they knew that god was going to provide a redeemer. We look back on the fact that God did send12:10 his son as our redeemer. And so our faith should be even bolder. By faith, we should be obedient and we should act. Live. Live as12:22 1 that god would write about, even in this chapter, that your name would be written among maybe the the the the the those final verses where there's no names, but it's it's the the12:33 the the the wall of the unknown that we would live in such a way that we would be listed among those that by faith obeyed god and made a difference in this world.12:46 Father, we thank you for your word. What a powerful passage this is today, and I thank you for those who by faith have gone before us. Lord, not only here in the pages of scripture, but, lord,12:58 in the pages of history, even in our own country, the pilgrims. I thank you for them. Lord, that by faith, they obeyed you, and, lord, they laid a a a foundation that, lord, we stand upon today, even here in13:10 our nation's capital. That, lord, they they didn't see it. They couldn't touch it. But by faith, they know you they knew you were doing a great work. So I pray, father, that by faith,13:21 we would live obedient lives with our eyes fixed upon that which is eternal, not that which is temporal, that we would be on that mission from you. And, lord, that we would be13:33 emboldened and strengthened, that we're on mission for you. For we pray and ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning, and, let me again encourage you as13:45 we are coming to the end of the year, final month of our journey through the bible. Lord willing, we're gonna do it again in 20 26. We're gonna start in January. We13:56 we've heard from many people who wanna do the journey again, but I wanna invite others to join us on this journey. And you are the, the best 1 to invite someone because you can testify to14:08 the power of God's word in the systematic reading of that word, how it's encouraged you, how it's helped you understand what's happening in the world around us in a way that, you know, eliminates a lot of anxiety,14:21 because we are walking in fellowship with God, allowing his word to guide and direct our steps. So we have a resource. I'd like to ask you to sign up for the next journey, so that we14:33 can communicate with you because we've got some new resources gonna be available for this journey. Text the word bible to 6 7 7 4 2. That's bible to 6 7 7 4 2. And, you'll get a link. And and when14:45 you follow through that link, there's actually a a a button that will allow you to share with your friends this journey so that they might join us on our next journey through the bible.14:56 So if you would do that for me, text bible to 6 7 7 4 2 and share this journey through the word of God with your friends and family. Alright. Until next15:08 time, keep standing on the word.15:12 Today's study comes from the Stand on the Word Bible Reading Plan available for free at frc dot org slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you15:24 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 The Faith Hall of Fame: Definition and Foundation5:19 Heroes of Faith: Obedient Actions and Endurance11:18 Living by Faith Today: Bold Obedience and Promise
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