The “SURE THINGS” Series
#4
"A SURE FAITH!"
TEXTS: Heb.
10:32-39; 11:1-2ff; James 2:14-26; Jude
3-4
INTRO: While it is
true that not all men and women live by faith in God ... all men and women live
by faith in something! It is not
difficult to know who/what people believe in or where they put their faith ...
just look at their life and see where their greatest priorities are placed, this
will tell you what they believe in.
For
some; their faith is in:
a.
The stock market -- they live for their investments! (Money)
b.
Careers -- they live for their
jobs!
c.
Themselves -- they live to please only their own
life
d.
Knowing the right people -- they spend countless hours and money getting
to know the "right" people!
e.
Pleasure seeking -- they go from thrill to thrill ... always looking for
something more pleasurable in the next
thrill!
f. Acquisitions ...
acquiring more and more of this world's stuff ... they live to get
more!
PROP.SENT: There really
is one thing worth having faith in ... it is a sure thing; it is called FAITH IN
GOD!
I. CONFIDENCE Heb.
10:32-39
A.
Perspective
Heb. 10:32-34
1.
Remember when faith was new and fresh ... the passion of faith's strength
within us!
a.
We could easily withstand trials ... great contests of faith versus
reality would strike us square in the face and we held up gladly ... new faith
is often vibrant and resistant to failure!
b.
Remember those who poked fun at you for your new found faith ... perhaps
you even felt awkward at the beginning because you didn't know enough of God's
Word to defend your faith against reason ... but you clung to that faith
anyways!
ILLUS: To those who
believe, no explanation is necessary. To those who do not believe, no
explanation is possible. -- Franz Werfel (1890-1945) - Edythe Draper, Draper's
Book of Quotations for the Christian World (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers,
Inc., 1992). Entry 608.
c.
A whole new perspective yielded a new type of lifestyle ... a new value
system embraced.
2.
This fresh perspective was sharp and clean ... so we would put everything
in its proper perspective ... material things were just that ... nothing but
"STUFF."
3.
The decrease value we gave to these material things only helped us
appreciate the eternal values of God's kingdom and the sure hope faith gave, one
day we would exist within these eternal principles in full
expression.
4.
This new perspective gave great confidence of faith ... we were
sure of what we believed!
B. Patience Heb.
10:35-39
1.
But now time has gone by, perhaps a great deal of time ... and we grow
tired of the trials and the harassment of being a Christian and keeping our
FAITH up!
2.
The constant battles start to wear down the saints: perhaps even has them
wondering, "Is it really worth it
all?"
a. God recognizes the weakness
of our human constitution ... hence a word is added here for
encouragement:
b.
"Don't
throw away your confidence" ... "IT WILL BE RICHLY
REWARDED!"
3.
This is the hardest part about faith ... all rewards do not
necessarily come in this lifetime ... but they WILL
COME!
4.
The purpose of the trials is so we can gain perseverance or develop
patience!
a.
Think about it ... there is no quick way to become a patient
person!
b.
The man or woman who becomes IMPATIENT can do great harm to their
witness for Christ or for the development of the kind of deep faith they really
want in their lives ... shortcuts don't always make the trip
quicker:
ILLUS: A doctor was
called one night to come to another hospital about 50 miles away ... he was
called because a young boy was dying with an odd infection, and this doctor who
lived 50 miles away was the only expert on that infection. He quickly agreed to come right
away ... as he was traveling out of
town he had gotten as close as the last stoplight ... suddenly the door opened
and a man with a brown jacket and rumpled hat pulled him out shouting, "I am sorry but I have to steal your
car!" The doctor tried to
explain who he was and his mission of life and death but it was no use ... the
man was off with his car right away!
2 hours later the doctor via a bus arrives at the hospital. Coming down the hall was the other
doctor who had called him 2 hours earlier.
He explained his dilemma of arriving 2 hours late only to hear the
hospital doctor say, "I too am sorry ...
the boy died just 10 minutes ago ... if only you would have been here on
time. Would you be as kind as to
explain to the parents the reason for their son's death, they are here in the
other room." Walking in the
room the doctor tried to brace himself for some logic or answer that might
soften the blow ... as he walked in there sat a man in a brown jacket and
rumpled hat! That man's lack of
patience and panic had stolen the very car of the man who could have saved his
only son!
– Source Unknown
5.
The promise to those who will be patient is "in just a very
little while" God will come and with Him there will be a reward for
those who keep faith in God!
a.
The Greek translated here: "a little while" means a "VERY, VERY,
LITTLE while..." the idea of imminence or shortness of
time
b.
Perhaps this shortness of time is meant to compare the few years of faith
now compared to the span of eternity!
6.
The declaration of the one who will be rewarded ... who will be
triumphant is those "WHO WILL LIVE BY
FAITH!"
a.
We must not shrink back!
b.
The world offers nothing to believe in ... only temporary pleasure and
life without significant meaning ... you live some ... you die; you're dust and
forgotten!
c.
Though it may be hard and difficult at times ... we must not give up on
faith!
II.
COMMENDATION
Heb. 11:1-2ff
A.
Persuaded Heb.
11:1-2
1.
"Faith
is being sure of what we hope for ... it is the evidence of things not
seen!"
a.
Lest this sound too crazy ... all men and women do this to some degree or
another with temporal objects not nearly as wonderful as God
Himself!
b.
For instance: most has faith in the invisible air around them ... their
evidence is seen in the fact that they leave their homes without oxygen masks
on!
c.
Hardly anybody here had second thoughts about sitting down on the chair
under them ... they believed and had faith in the ability of the chair to
support them ... the evidence of this faith was proven by the fact that they sat
without inspecting the chair!
2.
If sinners can have faith in such material things ... these things will
only last for a short period of time, then why is it foolish to them for
Christians who have faith in God ... a being of eternal life and great power ...
at least we aim high! !
3.
Now faith is carefully defined here: It is evident by the individual's
certainty and sureness via the lifestyle and actions ... acting out confidence
though lacking absolute proof!
a.
But acting as if proven!
Faith is not just about believing, it is about
behavior!
ILLUS: Don't be afraid
to take a big step. You can't cross
a chasm in two small jumps. -- David
Lloyd George (1863-1945) -- Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the
Christian World (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992). Entry
3650.
b.
Our absolute proof is coming though ... the future will bear this
out!
c.
The big different between "sinners" and "saints" ... all sinners have
their past catching up with them; believers however, always have their futures
catching up with them! This is a
huge difference when we are facing life and this world, as well as
eternity!
B.
Pleasing!
Heb.
11:3ff
1.
Notice the long list of characters commended here for their
faith!
2.
What is also interesting about these names is that there were moments of
failure in their faith too ... but they
recovered from those moments to complete a lifestyle evidencing their faith
in God!
3.
Abraham left Ur of the Chaldeans to travel to a land he had never seen
but had been promised to by God - his action to travel and go there without ever
seeing it was proof of his faith in God!
a.
Evidence of his faith was his willingness to travel and leave behind the
idolatry of the city he grew up in!
b.
Faith doesn't just move mountains ... it does something even more
incredible; IT MOVES US!
4.
Enoch simply disappeared ... never saw death ... direct route to heaven
because he lived HIS FAITH OPENLY!
5.
In fact the heart of these examples is found in verses 5-6. "... THEY PLEASED
GOD, AND WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE
GOD!"
6.
We must do 2 things to have real faith: (Heb.
11:6)
a.
Believe that He exists!
b.
Believe that He rewards us in the future for trusting Him
now!
c.
This trust is evidence by the very way in which we
live!
ILLUS: A bold
unbeliever was lecturing a group on the folly of religious faith in general and
the Christian faith in particular.
At the close of the presentation the speaker invited people to propound
any questions they might have. In
the audience was the town drunkard, who had been converted to Christ. In response to the invitation the
converted alcoholic came up front, took out an orange, peeled it, and ate it
without comment.
The speaker asked if
he had a question for him. After
downing the last segment of orange the convert turned to the infidel and asked,
"Was the orange I just ate sweet or sour?"
Angrily, the speaker replied, "You idiot, how can I know whether it was
sweet or sour when I never tasted it?"
To this the converted drunkard retorted, "And how can you know anything
about Christ if you have not tried Him?" -- James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton:
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 190.
7.
NOAH built an ark believing that God was going to do what he had never
seen before ... RAIN, and lots of it!
a.
His faith was rewarded in the saving of his life and many of the life
forms of earth!
b.
It took Noah 120 years to build that ark, as proof of his faith ... and
preached all those years to warn the sinners ... no others outside his family
obeyed or lived to tell about it!
8.
Notice verse 13. All these were living by faith
when they died ... they didn't receive everything promised them in this first
lifetime ... but God hasn't forgotten, at the right time we will join them and
be given our rewards ... if we are faithful
now!
III. CONNECTION
James 2:14-26
A.
Practical
James 2:14-19
1.
Faith is not some far-out concept of great spirituality that has little
practical value!
2.
Faith evidences itself in frequent everyday types of
behaviors!
a.
It shows others the nature of Christ that has now impacted our
lives!
b.
We cannot act like the world and declare then our faith in
Christ!
3.
There is a NEW reality to the NEW man formed in us by
Christ Jesus!
4.
Faith makes us like Christ ... we begin living and touching others in a
way that Jesus Himself would live if He were physically present on earth; like
He did almost 2,000 years ago!
5.
Real
faith does REAL things!
ILLUS: Napoleon often
referred to Marshall Ney as the bravest man he had ever known. Yet Ney's knees trembled so badly one
morning before a battle that he had trouble mounting his horse. When he was finally in the saddle he
shouted contemptuously, "Shake away, knees, you would shake worse than that if
you knew where I am going to take you." -- James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton:
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) pp. 129-130.
6.
Belief in God is NOT ENOUGH ... even the Devil believes in God, so
do the DEMONS! But their lives do
not express the life of Christ ... hence they may believe but they don't have
faith!
a. This is an important point
James is making in
b.
When someone says they believe in God ... we should follow up the
statement with, "Oh yeah, what evidence is
there?"
B.
Powerful!
James 2:20-26
1.
Faith also does powerful things ... it finds expression in our lives in
ways that defy logic!
2.
Faith brings healing, gives unique wisdom in a situation, allows the
impossible to occur simply because the God we serve can do the impossible -- so
such possibilities are not outside the realm of
reality!
3.
Things like the sick healed, the dead raised, the cripple made whole ...
and a host of other POSSIBLE things can happen when we believe
God!
4.
This is why we should be careful not to limit the possibilities of
God!
5.
God can build up a church where none existed before ... even where you
live!
6.
Deeds & Faith go together ... or as James said it, “Faith without
works is no faith!”
ILLUS: For centuries
the islands of
7.
Faith cannot be stripped away from the works we do out of
faith!
8.
IF YOU’VE GOT IT ... IT BETTER
SHOW!
IV. CONTENDING Jude
3-4
A.
Preserve Jude
3
1.
We are to "contend for the faith once delivered to the
saints" ... in other words we are to fight to keep it preserved AND
practiced!
2.
If any generation grows without the preserved witness of the Gospel and
true faith in God we will witness the utter destruction of an entire
civilization!
3.
The very concept of "contend" means that it is going to be a
struggle to maintain the FAITH.
a.
We will be challenged!
b.
We will be mocked!
c.
We will be tried!
d.
We will be harassed!
ILLUS: Sweeping across
I
believe in the sun--even when it does not
shine;
I
believe in love--even when it is not
shown;
I
believe in God--even when he does not speak -- Robert Schuller -- James S. Hewett, Illustrations
Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 186.
4.
There will be those who will attempt to destroy the faith of believers
... you'll have to tell them, "I'd rather fight than
switch!"
5.
Preserving the faith of God once delivered to the saints of God is a
responsibility that all believers have!
B.
Polluted! Jude
4
1.
One characteristic of the last days will be the attempts of man to
pollute this Gospel ... to change the faith of the
saints!
2.
There will be cults, but worse than this ... there will be those who will
slip in "tickling teaching" ... ideas of human origin in
the guise as the gospel! There will
be fad doctrines floating around that will glorify man more than God ... a true
sign of a counterfeit!
3.
Their teaching will take what is "clean"
faith and encourage Christians that they can lead lives of a sloppy
witness ... okaying all kinds of sinful pleasures and a kind of "feel
good" faith that allows any
activity.
ILLUS: If you believe
what you like in the gospel, and reject what you don't like, it is not the
gospel you believe, but yourself. --
4.
These pet doctrines only give license for man to express more and more
ungodliness instead of godly behavior!
5.
Good Doctrine always lifts up Christ's
example in pleasing His Father ... and our call is to do the
same!
6.
How well is your faith today?
Is it without real works? If
it is it is gone or isn't true faith!
7.
Is your faith expressed by doing whatever you please rather than what God
is pleased with ... then it too is not real
faith!
CONCLUSION: Faith is not some mindless
spiritual exercise ... it is a powerful lifestyle expressing the reality of God
in everything we believe and do! It
is practical and persuasive ... as we express our certain confidence in God in
all of life!