The Hall of Faith

 

To watch the sermon and service, click here.

1. Understanding Faith (1-3)

True saving faith is not something you conjure up within yourself. True faith is external, not looking to yourself, but looking to God.

Faith is about the object of faith. 

It’s about who we have faith in. 

Faith looks forward and backward

Faith looks BACKWARD to things we have not seen. From the cross to creation. We believe all of it as actual history.

Faith also looks FORWARD to the return of Jesus.

Faith looks forward with such certainty that it’s as if it has already happened. 

It’s not about how strong your faith is. 

What makes faith powerful is who it is in.

v 2 – By faith the men of old gained approval

Whether you’re talking about us today

Or anyone throughout all of history

It’s always been by faith in Jesus Christ.

Faith Illustrations:

1. Abel’s Faith (verse 4)

Cain & Abel were the first two humans that hadn’t seen God face to face and had to have faith. 

Abel’s offering was acceptable to God and Cain’s was not.

You cannot come to God on your own terms. 

Thinking that you can do it in the way that makes the most sense to you. We come to God on His terms, through Jesus Christ.

2. Enoch (verse 5)

Genesis 5:24 – Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Enoch is a picture of a faithful walk with God. Day-in-day out consistency. 

True, deep, genuine faith will lead to an intimacy with Him that will affect every single aspect of your life. 

Faith is not an esoteric “out there” thing

It’s not just a certificate you hang on the wall of your spiritual life.

It’s a daily pursuit.

3. Noah’s Faith (verse 7)

Noah points us to the necessity of obedience when you don’t understand. True faith obeys God without hesitation, deviation, or exception.

Is obedience a foregone conclusion?

By which he condemned the world.

Noah’s obedience highlighted the disobedience of the rest of the world. 

A life of true faith in God points to God’s faithfulness. The saved love it. The lost hate it.

God is a Rewarder (verse 6)

God is not some omnipotent miser who delights in witholding all the good things from His pitiful little minions down below. 

He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

[He] gives to all generously and without reproach… Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights,

The Application:

It’s faith that connects us to God’s blessings.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him

But here is what you must do:

1. Believe God is.

As we demonstrate, express, exercise  faith in Him - He saves us.
The big question: 

Do you believe in God? That He is?

2. Believe He rewards

Come to Him, through Jesus, in repentance and faith. 

The Key: Seek Him.

Seek Him like:

• Abel: Worship

Focus on what Jesus did

Remember His blood, His sacrifice for us!

• Enoch: Walk with God

Psalm 1 is a warning of how we veer off and don’t walk with Him. (Memorize it)

Don’t Walk in the counsel of the wicked 

The voices you listen to shapes the way you think. Identify the negative voices in your life and learn to leave them behind. 

Don’t stand in the way of sinners – 

Wrong thinking leads to a wrong action. The voices you listen to will ultimately become the people you follow. 

Don’t sit in the seat of scoffers!

Who you follow becomes who you identify with, leading to a wrong community. 

Once you’ve sat down in the seat of scoffers, it’s extremely difficult to stand back up.

Instead, delight.. in the law of Yahweh,

And in His law… meditates day and night.

Let God’s word guide you.

Be consumed with it.

• Noah: Obey

Simple, reverent, radical obedience.

Find the command. Do it.

May you walk in faith today

Pastor Rob