Faith Sees What Can't Be Seen - Yet!

Don't Stop Now!

A study of the NT book of Hebrews

by Pastor Frank Rice

Hebrews 11:8-19

How many of us have ever set out on a trip to visit a place that we had never seen?! We had heard stories, seen pictures, and read particular web-sites for information, but were still headed to a place we had never seen. We proceeded by faith, believing pictures and reports of those directing us to an unfamiliar location. Now imagine not just going for a visit, but moving there… to relocate forever! That’s exactly what the “quintessential faith journeyer” did! Why would anyone do such a thing? God told him to, and he did it… by faith!

 

v     Faith isn’t always given a destination but it does have a direction (v. 8; Gen 12:1, 4a). (This may be confusing to the faithless!)

1.      While God was speaking, Abraham was packing. He was leaving behind friends, family, and the comforts of a fairly advanced society with no idea of where he was going!

2.      While Abraham had no idea where he was going, he knew God knew exactly! God was leading; he was following!

 

v     Faith is not easily distracted by the temporal but “waits” for the eternal (vv. 9-10). (There will be lapses in the journey!)

1.      While residing in the land of promise, he didn’t latch on to the temporal; the tent and his “alien” status were evident. An “alien” status was humiliating/ demeaning in the ANE!

2.      While residing in the land he was merely waiting for the permanent residence the Architect and Builder had promised.  

 

v     Faith doesn’t consider God incapable but rests on His ability to fulfill His promises (vv. 11-12).

1.      When Abraham & Sarah were both well beyond the years of procreation, she was able to conceive; they “figured” God would keep His promise! (They both did laugh initially!)

2.      When faith is placed in the God who is faithful, He does what He promised, in His time. The stars and sand were continual reminders of the faithfulness of God to His word.

 

v     Faith finishes well as it focuses on the future (v. 13)!

1.      Faith tenaciously embraces what it “sees” from far off. They still believed God would make good on His promises. Abraham and his decedents died the way they lived, in faith.

2.      Faith unashamedly confesses its status as pilgrims and strangers by the way it speaks and lives in the present.

3.      Faith doesn’t latch on to the things of this world. It doesn’t settle for what looks good; it waits for God’s best! 

 

v     Faith forges ahead in spite of the attractive opportunities to turn back (vv. 14-15)! (Sometimes these are very tempting!)

1.      Faith doesn’t look back & long for the old life with all its stuff! It doesn’t accumulate things to make life comfortable.

2.      Faith, though tempted to turn back, continues to forge ahead! If they’d had a mind to return, they could have! They didn’t!

 

v     Faith, when it comes to fruition, pleases God (vv. 16 & 6)!

1.      We’re not blindly ignoring their failures, imperfections, and blunders. But faith is what characterized their lives. The faith journey is a marathon, not a sprint!

2.      It is this kind of tenacious, lived-out faith that the world cannot comprehend and that God honors and rewards.

 

v     Faith can expect to have times of extreme testing (vv. 17-18).

1.      Extreme testing isn’t designed to harm or destroy, any more than a furnace is intended to destroy valuable metals! They are designed to prove & improve faith’s value & validity.

2.      Extreme testing is designed and controlled by God!

(a)    God never tempts us, He tests us! There is a difference. James advised, “Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted by God. God never tempts anyone to evil.”

(b)   God tests His servants for their sakes, to demonstrate the genuineness of our faith.

(c)    God tests His servants for His glory. When men see the glory of God they turn to Him for hope and salvation. When they see that your God can be trusted, they turn to Him.

(d)   “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up (perfect tense) Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up (imperfect) his only begotten son.” (NASB)

3.      Extreme testing produces extreme faith.

(a)    By faith they obeyed and followed God’s direction.

(b)   By faith they sojourned in the land of promise.

(c)    By faith they conceived and bore a child, a joint effort!

(d)   By faith he relinquished control of what God had given and what he cherished above all else!

 

v     Faith prepares us to trust God for the things we absolutely do not understand (v. 19).

1.      Faith reasons (concludes) that if God tells us to do something He must know what He’s doing and be able to make sense of it!

2.      Obedience was Abraham's responsibility. Fulfilling the promise was God's problem! Abraham did not hesitate or flinch at God’s command!

3.      Obedience is my responsibility and should be my response. Fulfilling the promise…

 

“If we could only see beyond today what God sees!”