Better by Far - 11
The Excellency of Christ in the Book of Hebrews
Do you want to please God? I'm sure you do. We live for the Lord with one main purpose that we might please Him in all we do. Paul prayed for the church at Colosse. He said in Colossians Ch. 1 v 10, "and we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way". What type of living pleases God? Hebrews Ch. 11 v 6 gives the answer. We read, "and without faith it is impossible to please God". Nothing pleases God more than living a life of faith. The Jewish converts to Christianity were thinking of going back to the outward ritual of Judaism. They didn't realise that this move would not be pleasing to God. We've noticed in the earlier chapters of Hebrews that Jesus Christ is the better priest of a better sanctuary and is Himself the better sacrifice. Faith that pleases God believes that and in the light of it. The old covenant has given way to the new. We read in Ch. 8 v 13, "by calling this covenant 'new' He has made the first one obsolete, and what is obsolete and ageing will soon disappear".
Hebrews chapter eleven shows us what faith really is. Master that and we will be sure to please the Lord. First of all we see faith defined. We read in verse 1, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see". Faith has been described as the believer's 'sixth sense'. By using my five senses of sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste I am certain of the material world around me and I can enjoy its benefits. Faith is the means by which I am sure of spiritual things and the unseen. Some things are unseen because they have not arrived yet. They are promised but not yet mine to hold. Faith is the certainty that it will be mine when it arrives. Some things are unseen because they are invisible. Faith confirms to our heart that God exists and that there's a spiritual dimension. We believe that because God tells us so in His word. Faith is believing what God has said. Faith brings assurance to the heart. It gives conviction to our hearts of what God has said and promised. (The well known Bible teacher A.W.Tozer one said, "The invisible world is more real than the one I can see".) Faith is the evidence. The man and woman of faith looks to the heavenly sanctuary, our heavenly great high priest Jesus Christ, and to God who in verse 6 says, "rewards those who earnestly seek Him". Faith doesn't go back. Faith moves forward in absolute confidence in the Lord. We read in chapter 10 v 39, "We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved".
Second we see faith displayed. The remaining verses of Hebrews chapter 11 from verse 7 - 4- list many of the great heroes of faith from Old Testament times. These verses have been called the 'gallery of faith'. We walk through this gallery and admire the faith of all who are found in it. We must not simply admire them, we must follow their example. The Hebrew believers who were tempted to go back to Judaism must see that their forefathers weren't men of ritual and ceremony but men of faith. They were men who believed God and obeyed Him. Faith and obedience are the two main things which bring God great pleasure. The people listed here illustrate faith. We see how faith really behaves. Faith is active. It's never static. We read in Ephesians Ch. 2 v 8 that, "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God". Since faith is given by God it cannot be inactive and lifeless. God is living and active so anything that comes from Him has to be the same. Real faith speaks the language of the great missionary William Carey. He said, "expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God". Faith attempts. Faith expects. Faith is on the move. All the great believers in Hebrews 11 confirm their faith by their actions. Verse 4 says, "by faith Abel offered a better sacrifice"; verse 5 tells us, "Enoch - was commended as one who pleased God"; Noah believed God that the flood would come. Verse 7 says "By faith Noah, when warned about things now seen, in holy fear, built an ark to save his family". Abraham obeyed when God asked him to leave his home town. Verse 8 says, "by faith Abraham obeyed and went, even though he did not know were he was going"; Moses left Egypt. We read in verse 27, "he persevered because he saw Him who was invisible". The writer could go on. He says in verse 32, "and what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised, who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword, whose weakness was turned to strength". The one common factor in all of this is the bold activity flowing from real faith. Charles Wesley wrote in his hymn "O Thou who camest from above", "Ready for all Thy perfect will, my acts of faith and love repeat". Any claim to be a Christian without living the life of faith as detailed in this chapter is a spurious claim. I'm not saying you will build an ark or cross the Red Sea but your faith will show itself in deeds of some kind. Is there evidence in your life of genuine faith? Someone once said, "We live by faith or we do not live at all. Either we venture or we vegetate!". We read in James Ch. 2 v 26, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead".
We also learn some practical lessons about in this chapter. Faith is tested. We read concerning Abraham in verse 17, "by faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice". The life of faith brings with it trials and testings. This was a severe test. Abraham was asked to offer up his son. Testing touches us where it hurts. It isn't pleasant. God tests faith to see whether we really do trust Him, and His wisdom. Faith is tested to show our shortcomings and to purify our lives. Tests of faith challenge us, wake us up and jolt us. Faith is confident. Abraham could not understand why he had been asked to offer his son. Especially when we read what God said in verse 18, "even though God had said to him, 'it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned'" How could Abraham have offspring from a dead son? Abraham was confident God would keep His promise by raising Isaac from the dead! Verse 20 tells us that God would accomplish His purpose in their lives. Verse 22 says about Joseph, "by faith Joseph-spoke about the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt". He was confident in God's promise and His integrity to keep His word. The life of faith is one of quiet assurance in the promises of God. Are you anxious? Are you uncertain about the future? We read in Proverbs Ch. 3 v 6, "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight". We do not know what the future holds but we do know hold the future. Faith looks to the uncertain future with a calmness of soul resting in the promises of God.
Faith is undisturbed in the storm. When faith faces the Red Sea knows God will make a way through. Faith perseveres. Hebrews Ch. 11 v 35 tells of men and women of faith who, "were tortured-faced floggings-chained and put into prison-stoned-put to death by the sword". But faith kept them going. They believed God was in control. They knew the final victory belonged to God and His people,. Faith sees the ultimate end. Faith is steadfast and unmoveable. We have built our lives on the firm foundation of the rock of Christ Jesus. The severest storm will not move us.
Doubt see the obstacles, faith see the way!
Doubt sees the darkest night, faith see the day!
Doubt dreads to take a step, faith soars on high!"
Doubt asks "who believes?", faith answers "I"!