Text: Hebrews 11:7-8
Introduction:
Eph.2:8 tells us, "By grace we have been saved through
faith." God gives us the
Divine equation for salvation: Grace + Faith = salvation. A distinct
theme through
the entire Bible. Rom.5:2: "We access God’s Grace by
faith." Faith is important but
to better understand faith we need to turn to Heb.11/"hall of
fame." - Heb.11:1 we
have a definition; Heb.11:6, learn what is involved w/faith:
"diligently seeking."
Trust in God to do what He said He would do WHEN we do what He asks
us to do. 1. God’s
Revelation to Noah – He was warned of things not seen
2. Noah’s Response – Faith, Trust, Confidence
3. The Outcome – Salvation
1.NOAH WAS "warned of things not yet seen."
Couldn’t see what God saw: trusted.
A. We are much the same way:
B. When we are baptized we are confronted w/things not seen.
C. What happens when we are baptized? 1. Go into the water & come
up. 2. But
we don’t see forgiveness of sins. 3. But we know that forgiveness
of sins has been met.
How? Because we trust in God to do what He said He would do WHEN
we do
What He asks us to do.
2Cor.5:7 says, "We walk by faith & not by sight."
Read 2 Cor.4:16-18
- We are just like Noah and it doesn’t take a Flood for us to be in
the same situation.
- Romans 5:8-9 tells us that Christ died while were yet sinners and
we are justified by His blood & saved from the wrath of God. Like
Noah, we anticipate being saved from God’s wrath – How?
Trusting God to do what He said He would do WHEN we do what He asks
us to do.
2. NOAH’S RESPONSE: Faith,
Trust - How did he respond to God’s warning?
A. With godly fear, with w/respect. He took God at His word and
believed He would destroy the world. Believed God would save Him &
his family if he obeyed.
B. In fact, all these great people of faith in Heb.11 They didn’t
get there over night. But did get there by Trusting God – by faith.
And the same is true of us.
C. Partake of the Lord’s Supper what do you see? Crackers and
Juice? It is w/out faith. D. God could build a better Ark, but wanted
Noah to do it. Not perfect but obeyed.
F. Same w/ all these people in Heb.11 – Perfect? No faithful YES
– How?
Trusting God to do what He said He would do WHEN we do what He asks
us to do.
3.THE OUTCOME: What’s the outcome – Salvation (v.7 again).
- Noah became "heir of the Righteousness, which is according to
faith."
- Now, I’m not 100% sure who wrote Hebrews but folks that’s Paul
talk. "Heir of Righteousness." Reminds me of Romans 1:16-17
- 1. Gentiles guilty 2. Jews guilty 3. All have sinned and begins
making defense of
proposition; the just live by faith. Rm. 4 Paul uses Abraham as an
example of living
by faith. Hebrews writer too: See 11:8. Abraham responded in faith
– How? by obeying.
Abraham believed and it was credited to him as righteousness. How did
he believe?
D. Gen.26:5; Heb11:8 –obeyed. James says. Faith w/out works is
dead. Trust God to
do what He said He would do WHEN he did what God asked him to do.
Conclusion: Will we do it flawlessly? Never. Will we do it
perfectly? Never
Will we do it faithfully? Yes! I haven’t seen Jesus, yet I’m
willing to die for Him. Friends, faith is the victory that over comes
the world.
Douglas Post
