Please take your copy of God's Word this morning and join me in Hebrews chapter 11.
Amen.
This morning, after an extended break, we will take back up our study of the book of Hebrews.
Recall with me that this letter was written to a church of Greek-speaking Jewish converts
that had suffered much and that would likely suffer much more.
The text gives us evidence that some of them had already abandoned the faith
and that this remnant being written to was being tempted to do the same.
The author of Hebrews takes great pains throughout this letter to show his readers
that Jesus as the Christ is more excellent than any faith system the world can offer
with a particular backdrop of Judaism.
Today, we find ourselves just eight verses into the famous faith chapter of Hebrews
in which its author is making the case that it is those who persevere by faith
who save their souls.
He wrote in Hebrews chapter 10, verses 35 and following,
Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God,
you may receive what is promised.
For yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay.
But my righteous one shall live by faith.
And if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed,
but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Chapter 11, he goes on, contains a biographical description
of this soul-preserving, persevering faith.
He begins in chapter 11, verse 1 and 2.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
the conviction of things not seen.
For by it the people of old receive their commendation or approval.
And he proceeds with many examples,
beginning with Genesis 4, the example of Abel.
Then he speaks of the faith of Enoch,
which can be discovered in Genesis chapter 5,
and the faith of Noah, found in Genesis chapter 6.
You see, he has his original Jewish listeners in mind
as he is walking through the history of their patriarchs
to make his point.
Their history is also our history.
So this point is not lost on us.
This weekend, next, Lord willing,
we will consider the paramount faith of Abraham and his family.
So join me as we read today's text,
Hebrews chapter 11, verses 8 through 16.
Before I read it, let me remind you, beloved,
that this is God's word to us.
It's written for his glory and our good.
We would all do well to listen to it
in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive an inheritance.
And he went out not knowing where he was going.
By faith, he went to live in the land of promise,
as in a foreign land, living 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.
By faith, Sarah herself received power to conceive,
even when she was past the age,
since she considered him faithful who had promised.
Therefore, from one 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 died in faith,
not having received the things promised,
but having seen them and greeted them from afar
and having acknowledged that they were strangers
and exiles on the earth.
For people who speak thus make it clear
that they are seeking a homeland.
If they had been thinking of that land
from which they had gone out,
they would have had opportunity to return.
But as it is, they desire a better country,
that is, a heavenly one.
Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared for them a city.
Remember that the book of Hebrews is written
in the finest Greek in all the New Testament.
So as we labor together to work out its meaning,
we will do so in the following outline,
which I hope is not overly simplistic,
but helpful to us
as we consider the faith of Abraham and his family.
Number one, faith in the promised land.
And we will talk about faith obeying,
faith costing,
and faith tearing under that initial point.
Secondly, faith in the promised son.
We will also discuss faith is certain
and faith is rewarded.
And then finally, faith perseveres to the end.
So first, faith in the promised land.
We can see in verse 8 that faith obeys.
Faith obeys.
By faith, Abraham obeyed
when he was called to go out to a place,
that he was to receive an inheritance,
and he went out.
We can read of this in Genesis chapter 12,
verses 1 through 3,
which says,
Now the Lord said to Abraham,
Go from your country and your kindred
and your father's house
to the land I will show you.
And I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you and make your name great
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and him who dishonors you.
I will curse.
And in you,
all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
And then Genesis 12 and verse 4 says,
So Abram went as the Lord had told him.
He went.
And he went,
the Greek suggests immediately.
In fact,
the particular tense of the Greek
in Hebrews 11, 8
suggests that even as God was speaking,
he went.
Abraham did not act and gain faith.
Abraham acted because he had faith.
He believed that what God said was true,
and therefore he acted.
It is this faith that the author of Hebrews tells us
what gave Abraham his commendation
in verse 2 of chapter 11.
Similarly,
our activity does not
and could never save us,
but saving faith acts.
Saving faith is evidenced by activity.
It is this very point that James makes
when he asks the rhetorical question
of James chapter 2 verse 14.
What good is it, my brothers,
if someone says he has faith
but does not have works?
Can that faith save him?
Saving faith is evidenced by obedience
to God's commands.
Not perfect obedience,
as we'll see soon.
None of us can claim that.
But a saving faith does in fact work.
Desires to follow God
and to be sent by him
wherever he would have us go.
Faith also,
and most often,
costs.
Faith costs.
It costs us something.
The last part of verse 8 says,
And he went out,
not knowing where he was going.
It wasn't until later
that Abraham's destination
was revealed to him
as he stood and overlooked
the land of Canaan.
He had no real idea
where he was going,
and yet he went.
Abraham was willing
to abandon his home
for the sake
of a better promise.
Martin Luther wrote
of Abraham's faith.
It was hard to leave
his native land,
which it is natural
for us to love.
Indeed,
love for the fatherland
is numbered among
the greatest virtues
of the heathen.
Furthermore,
it is hard to leave friends
and their companionship,
but most of all,
to leave relatives.
And then it is clear
that with his obedience of faith,
Abraham gave a supreme example
of an evangelical life
because he loved everything
and followed the Lord,
preferring the word of God
to everything
and loving it
above everything.
We do not get
to negotiate
the terms
of following God.
We must come to him
on his terms,
by faith
in Jesus Christ.
But to do so
without counting
the costs
is foolish.
Faith requires
our everything.
If you would have God,
you will have him
by following
the way of Jesus.
And the way of Jesus
was to give
everything
that he would
please the father.
Jesus says
in Mark chapter 8,
verse 34 and 35,
If anyone would come
after me,
follow him,
be his disciple.
If anyone would come
after me,
let him deny himself
and take up his cross
and follow me.
You need to read there
that this idea
of cross
is not a momentary
and light thing,
but a place of death.
This is the call
to follow Christ,
that we would die
to ourselves
in order that we may
gain him.
And then in verse 35
of Mark 8,
For whoever would save
his life
will lose it.
Whoever loses his life
for my sake
and the gospels
will save it.
So faith costs.
And do you find yourself
trying to negotiate
the terms with God?
Well, God,
I will give you
this and such,
but not
this and such.
I'm willing to go
this far,
but only this far.
We must come to God
on his terms.
Faith also tarries.
Verse 9 and 10
say,
By faith he went
to live in the land
of promise
as in a foreign land,
living in tents
with Isaac and Jacob,
heirs with him
of the same promise.
Abraham
never took possession
of the land
that was promised
to him.
Neither did his son
or his grandson.
The only land
that Abraham ever owned
was a tomb
for his wife
that he purchased
near Hebron.
You can see that
in Genesis chapter 23.
He owned
a small bit
of alcove
and a rock.
But that was it.
He didn't take
any other possession
of this promised land.
Stephen in his
wonderful sermon
in Acts chapter 7
in verse 4
and part of verse 5
stated,
Then Abraham
went out
from the land
of the Chaldeans
and lived in Haran.
And after his father died,
God removed him
from there
into this land
in which you are now living.
Yet he gave him
no inheritance in it,
not even a foot's length.
Abraham
was a sojourner.
He and his family
lived in tents.
Just imagine
that God made a promise
to you
to give you
the land of
California.
Trying to think
of a strange place
for us to go.
So you pack up
your whole family,
you leave behind
all that you know
and many that you love.
You take a nephew
with you.
And you go
and live
amongst a strange
people.
This analogy
is working out
great now
in my mind.
I couldn't have
written a better one.
Who do not worship
God
that you worship,
right?
Who will not grant
you the rights
of citizenship
and you dwell there
until the day
that you die
in a tent.
This is the faith
of Abraham
practiced.
I think we look
over the fact
that he had
no permanent
dwelling place.
In fact,
in our reading
of Genesis,
he is constantly
moving and being
moved
by others.
God is faithful
to him all along
but never completes
the promise
that was made.
Would you stay?
Would you at some
point say,
God has not
been faithful to me.
He said he would
do a thing.
He's not doing it.
I'm packing up
and I'm headed
back to Georgia.
I think many of us
would.
Would you believe
in the promise
of God
even when you
could not see
it with your
own eyes?
How was Abraham
able to do
such a thing?
Our text tells us.
He was looking
forward,
this is verse 10,
to the city
that has
foundations,
right?
His tents had
no foundations,
dirt or grass
floors.
He was looking
forward to the
city that has
foundations,
whose designer
and builder
is God.
He was looking
to a permanent
dwelling place,
a place beyond
this world.
Beloved,
our experience
is not as
unlike Abraham's
as we may
think.
It seems that
we make many
efforts to keep
our experience
from being at
all like Abraham's.
We're doing
lots of things
to try to show
our permanency
here.
But the truth
is simply
this.
We are
sojourners
and we are
exiles
and our
faith must
tarry.
There's many
promises that
God has made
for us
that are going
to be past
this life.
The greatest
promises that
God has made
for us are
past this
life.
Our faith
must
tarry.
It must
endure.
We are
sustained
here in
temporal
dwellings
by faith
in a future
city.
A city
that has
foundations.
A city
that is
built
and designed
by God.
Paul writes
in Philippians
chapter 3
verse 20
Our citizenship
is in heaven
and from it
we await
a Savior
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
This place
is not
our home.
And in a few
months we will
study Hebrews
chapter 13
verse 14
which states
for here
we have
no lasting
city
but we
seek
the city
that is
to come.
So Abraham
and his
family
express for
us this
wonderful
paramount
faith
in the
promised
land.
And we
can see
that it
means so
much more
than just
the promise
of Canaan.
It means a
permanent
place
that we
will dwell
with God
forever.
Secondly
Abraham and
his family
had faith
in the
promised
son.
Faith
in the
promised
son.
In verse
11 we
can see
that by
faith
Sarah
herself
received
power
to conceive
even
when she
was past
the age
since she
considered
him faithful
who had
promised.
So faith
is
certain.
There is
a
certitude
to
faith.
Sarah
was most
likely
91
years
old
when she
gave
birth
to
Isaac.
His
conception
full-term
gestation
and
healthy
delivery
let me
remind you
in a
tent
were not
only
improbable
but
impossible
in human
terms.
However
Abraham and
Sarah
weighed
the human
impossibility
of having
a son
against
the divine
impossibility
that God
would not
be true
to his
word
and they
believed
him.
We put
those two
things on
a scale
together
and God
not being
a liar
highly
outweighs
any of
our
conception
of what
he has
promised
to accomplish.
Thomas
Watson
Puritan
once wrote
this is on
your bulletin
where reason
cannot
wade
their
faith
may
swim.
The author
of Hebrews
tells us
in chapter
11
verse
6
without
faith
it is
impossible
to
please
him
for
whoever
would
draw
near
to
God
must
believe
that
he
exists
and
that
he
rewards
those
who
seek
him.
Abraham
and
Sarah
believed
in the
promise
of God
and
they
had
a
son.
But
allow
me
to be
of
encouragement
to
you
this
morning.
The
faith
of
Abraham
and
Sarah
was
not
a
perfect
faith.
We
read
of
the
birth
of
Isaac
in
Genesis
chapter
21
but
before
that
in
Genesis
chapter
16
verse
1
and
following
we
read
now
Sarah
Abraham's
wife
excuse me
Abram's
wife
they're
getting
new
names
soon
had
born
him
no
children
she's
not
believing
the
promise
she
had
born
him
no
children
she
had
a
female
Egyptian
servant
whose
name
was
Hagar
and
Sarah
said
to
Abram
behold
me
from
bearing
children
go
into
my
servant
it
may
be
that
I
shall
obtain
children
by
her
and
Abram
listened
to the
voice
of
Sarah
so
after
Abram
had
lived
in
ten
years
in
the
land
of
Canaan
Sarah
Abram's
wife
took
Hagar
the
Egyptian
her
servant
and
gave
her
to
Abram
her
husband
as
a
wife
I'll
encourage
you to
read
that
chapter
all
kinds
of
things
happen
that
are
not
favorable
because
of
the
unfaithfulness
of
Sarah
and
Abraham
later
we can
read
in
Genesis
chapter
18
verse
11
and
following
now
Abraham
and
Sarah
were
old
advanced
in
years
the
way
of
women
had
ceased
to be
with
Sarah
this
is
this
is
a
funny
episode
in
the
book
of
Genesis
so
Sarah
laughed
to
herself
saying
after
I
am
worn
out
and
my
Lord
is
old
shall
I
have
pleasure
that's
funny
maybe
when you
get
older
you'll
get
it
the
Lord
said
to
Abraham
why
did
Sarah
laugh
and
say
shall
I
indeed
bear
a
child
now
that
I
am
old
is
anything
too
hard
for
the
Lord
at
the
point
in
time
I
will
return
to
you
about
this
time
next
year
and
Sarah
shall
have
a
son
those
chapters
are
riddled
with
doubt
as a
side
note
some
people
use
this
little
bit
of
Sarah
laughing
as a
context
for
something
called
holy
laughter
you
need
to
ignore
that
this
was
not
holy
at
all
right
this
was
Sarah
doubting
fully
doubting
that
God
would
do
what
he
had
said
that
he
would
do
and
can
we
blame
them
they
they've
been
in
the
land
quite
some
time
now
the
promise
doesn't
seem
like
it's
coming
to
pass
right
they're
waiting
and
they
are
waiting
I'm
astounded
in my
reading
of the
Old Testament
at how
impatient
I am
as God
works out
his
faithfulness
with
his
people
I
kind of
snap
my
fingers
and see
things
happen
I
don't
want
to
wait
10
years
40
years
to see
promises
come
to
pass
I
don't
really
want
to
wait
for
promises
to
come
to
pass
after
I
pass
the
faith
of
Abraham
and
Sarah
was
not
perfect
faith
but
it
was
sufficient
faith
this
text
reminds
me
of
the
father
of
the
demon
possessed
son
who
says
to
Jesus
in
Mark
chapter
9
and
verse
22
and
following
if
you
can
do
anything
have
compassion
on
us
and
help
us
and
in
verse
23
Jesus
said
to
him
if
you
can
all
things
are
possible
for
one
who
believes
and
then
in
verse
24
immediately
the
father
of
the
child
cried
out
and
said
I
believe
help
my
unbelief
I
feel
that
way
often
you
may
find
yourself
with
faltering
faith
this
morning
find
solidarity
in the
life
of
Abraham
and
Sarah
find
solidarity
with
every
Christ
follower
in
my
hearing
and
know
that
God
is
abundantly
merciful
and
a
steadfast
love
endures
forever
be
comforted
this
morning
with a
text
like
Isaiah
chapter
42
verse
3
a
bruised
reed
he
will
not
break
and
a
faintly
!
burning
wick
he
will
not
quench
!
do
you
feel
like
your
flame
is
just
about
to
go
out
this
morning
if
you
are
God's
in
Christ
what
I
can
promise
you
is
that
he
will
fan
it
back
into
flame
be
encouraged
God
does not
expect of
us
a
perfect
faith
but a
sufficient
faith
so
faith is
certain
or
maybe one
should say
in time
finds
certitude
and
faith
is
rewarded
verse 12
therefore
from one
man
and him
as good
as dead
I like
that
interjection
there
Abraham
was quite
old
at the time
they conceived
were born
descendants
as many
as the
stars
of heaven
and as
many
as the
innumerable
grains
of sand
by the
seashore
beloved
that's
us
in part
we are
counted
amongst
those
many
that by
faith
are
grafted
in
to the
family
of God
I want to
read to you
just briefly
Kent Hughes
commentary
on this
he wrote
this
I just
thought
this was
a
great
insertion
here
he wrote
George
Sweeting
a past
president
of Moody
Bible
Institute
once gave
this
memorable
definition
of
optimism
he said
optimism
is when
an 85
year old
man
marries
a 35
year old
woman
and moves
into a
12 room
house
next to
an
elementary
school
inappropriate
but you
get his
point
but I
have a
better
definition
for him
optimism
is when
a 90
year old
man
and his
90
year old
bride
hear God
say
they're going
to be
parents
and believe
their offspring
will fill
not a
schoolhouse
but the
whole
earth
that they
will be
as many
as the
stars
of heaven
and as
many
as the
innumerable
grains
of sand
by the
seashore
praise God
that now
Abraham and
Sarah
in glory
with God
can see the
promise
fulfilled
and being
fulfilled
and it
started by
their faith
in the
promised
son
faith
and
faith
perseveres
to the
end
faith
perseveres
to the
end
verse 13
these
all died
in
faith
not having
received the
things promised
but having
seen them
and greeted
them from
afar
and having
acknowledged
that they
were strangers
and exiles
on the
earth
that is to
say
these all
died
in faith
Abraham
Sarah
Isaac
and Jacob
all
finished
well
they
persevered
in faith
to the
end
and not
only did
they finish
well
but they
lived
well
how
how did
they live
and finish
by
faith
the text
tells us
verse 14
for people
who speak
thus
acknowledging
is what he's
talking about
acknowledging
that they're
strangers
and exiles
acknowledging
that this
place is
not our
home
acknowledging
that there
are
promises
for us
that are
beyond
this
place
people
who speak
like
that
make it
clear
that they
are seeking
a homeland
beloved
this world
is not
our home
we
persevere
by faith
in recognizing
that
in knowing
this is not
where we
belong
there's a
new place
being made
for us
to dwell
with God
forever
verse 15
if they had
been thinking
of that land
from which
they had
gone out
they would
have had
opportunity
to return
but as it
is
they desire
a better
country
that is
a heavenly
one
therefore
God is not
ashamed
to be called
their God
for he has
prepared for
them
a city
they looked
to the
promise
they looked
to the
future
reward
they knew
that the
promised
inheritance
was sure
and they
ran
with endurance
the race
that was set
before them
we are asked
to do the
very same
thing
as we
live
in a
place
that is
uncomfortable
and growing
in discomfort
right
this is not
our home
beloved
right
we are
strangers
and we
are
exiles
and God
is preparing
for us
a city
and so in
these few
verses this
morning we
see faith
in the
promised
land
and that
faith
obeys
that it
costs
something
that it
tarries
faith in
the promised
son
that faith
finds its
certitude
and that
is rewarded
and that
faith
saving
faith
perseveres
to the
end
the author
of Hebrews
was charging
his original
readers
and the
Lord is
using his
pen to
charge us
today to
take up
the example
of Abraham
and his
family
in closing
listen to the
remarks of
Hebrews
chapter 12
and verse
1
therefore
since we
are surrounded
by so great
a cloud
of witnesses
let us also
lay aside
every weight
and sin
which clings
so closely
and let us
run with
endurance
the race
that is set
before us
let's pray
together