Gtcotr/ss042218
What
do you do:
·
When
the future scares you
·
When
others are in danger
·
When
you just don’t know what to do
Hebrews 11 NKJV
1 ¶ Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders
obtained a good testimony.
3 By faith we understand that
the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen
were not made of things which are visible.
4 ¶ By faith Abel offered to
God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness
that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being
dead still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken
away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken
him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is
impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He
is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
7 By faith Noah, being divinely
warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the
saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the
righteousness which is according to faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed
when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an
inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he dwelt in the
land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac
and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
10 for he waited for the city
which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Verse
8 –
“By faith Abraham, when he was called,
he went out, not knowing where he was going.”
This
passage points to the Old Testament story of Abraham as being a glimpse of a
New Testament reality. All of the accounts we read in the Bible are meant to be
more than history lessons about the Patriarchs of our faith, these testimonies
were written, preserved and given to us as a spiritual guide for our lives. This
passage is all about you and God today.
Hebrews
11 details the unfolding of the Gospel through the lives of men and women
chosen by God to be the forerunners of our faith in God and in His Son, Jesus
the Christ. We call it the faith chapter …
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is our
…
1.
Substance of the hope we have in Christ
2.
Evidence of the unseen eternal realm of God
3.
Good testimony we have obtained
4.
Confidence of things we cannot humanly understand
Those
things which are impossible with man are possible with God.
Let’s
take a look at the first 7 things the writer of Hebrews wants us to know about
God and the unfolding Gospel in this chapter on faith.
1. God is the God of creation v. 3
2. God is an accepting and a forgiving God v.4
3. God is a friendly God Who enjoys relationship
with us v.5
4. God is a God who rewards those who seek Him v.6
5. God is a redemptive God Who saves the
righteous from destruction v.7
6. God is God of the unknown v.8
o He is God in life
o He is God in death
o He is God in sickness
o He is God in health
o He is God in
prosperity
o He is God in need
o He is God in the
beginning
o He is God in the end
o He is the God of all
we know
o He is the God of all
we cannot understand
7.
God is the
God of your future vs. 9&10
He is not only the God of the Future, He is
the God of my future and He is the God of your future.
·
What
do we do when the future scares us?
·
What
do we do when others we care about are in danger?
·
What
do we do when we just don’t know what to do?
We
trust God … He is still God in the unknown …
Close:
Perhaps
you are in a place where your faith has been tested. Maybe you have unanswered
questions or future uncertainties … what will you do?
·
Who
will you marry?
·
Where
will you live?
·
What
job will you get?
·
When
will help arrive?
·
Why
are things so hard?
Hebrews
11 contains testimonies of men and women just like you. Ordinary, everyday
people who were begin tested by life. These decided to trust God in trying
times … even with the unknown.
God
created the whole universe and then He created you …
He
accepts us and forgives us even when we aren’t perfect …
He
wants to have a relationship with you …
He
will answer and guide you if you will get serious and seek Him with all your
heart.
He
is a God Who saves, and He will save you from destruction …
He
has your unknown concerns already worked out for your good …
He
is the God of your future and your greatest day is yet ahead!
