Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn
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inviting you to join us
now on "The Grace Pipeline"
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as we take a stroll
down Faith's Hall of Fame.
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Nothing defines
faith more clearly
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than lives that testify to it.
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Welcome to "The Grace Pipeline."
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This is the series
that follows a Bible study
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that is written in a
book by the same title
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and it was my great
privilege to write that book.
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If you're following along
in the series companion book,
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our study today
will be from chapter 9
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and will begin on page 140.
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Now on our last program,
we began to define faith.
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Today, we will consider
our inheritance of faith
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that has been passed
down by previous generations
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and this will help
broaden that definition.
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Let me start with
something that's rather clever.
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I heard it once and
I've never forgotten it.
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Someone has said
that faith is an acronym
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for following an
invitation to heaven.
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The ancient
faithful that are listed
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in Hebrews Chapter
11 Faith's Hall of Fame
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that we'll talk about today,
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they certainly
proved that truth.
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Many would be mocked
today by our postmodern society
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and no doubt they were
mocked during their own day.
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But the Lord
looks upon the heart
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and He measures a
person's greatness
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by the measure of their faith.
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Nothing defines
faith more clearly
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than lives that testify to it.
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And the testimony of
those who have endured
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the sufferings of
faith and they've enjoyed
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the great victories of
faith are to us a blessing.
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As we consider the familiar
stories of faith champions
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that is celebrated in
Hebrews 11 and elsewhere,
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pray for new insight on
the biblical meaning of faith.
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Let's begin with Abel.
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The Bible says in Hebrews 11:4,
"By faith Abel offered to God
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a more excellent
sacrifice than Cain,
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through which he obtained
witness that he was righteous."
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We know that Cain and
Abel were sons of Adam and Eve.
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But let's review their
history for just a second.
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When God created the
first couple, their parents,
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He clothed them with
the radiance of His light
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and they disobeyed
His only loving command
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and they ate from the tree
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of the knowledge
of good and evil.
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When they did,
their covering was removed
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as a result of their sin.
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And they stood
naked before the Lord
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whom they had rejected.
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So to restore the relationship
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between the
Creator and the created,
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God instituted
the sacrificial system
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and He covered Adam and Eve
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with the skins of
the sacrificed lamb
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pointing to the Calvary plan
and the promised Lamb of God
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who would take away
the sins of the world.
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We know from the Genesis 4
account that the sacrifices
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that were offered by
their sons Cain and Abel,
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we can see that it is evident
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both men were familiar
with the sacrificial system.
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They were familiar with
the necessity of shedding
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the blood of a
sacrificed substitute.
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Faith's power
caused Abel to approach God
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in a worthy manner of worship
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by the sacrifice of blood
as the Lord had prescribed.
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Cain, however,
showed irreverent disregard
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for God's appointed ways
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and offered a
sacrifice of his own works.
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That Cain knew
better than to offer
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this fruits of
his labor is obvious
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because he did not
accuse God of unfair preference
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in accepting Abel's
sacrifice and rejecting his.
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But still in a jealous rage,
he murdered his noble brother.
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The haughty and self-willed Cain
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rebuilt against following
the defined regulations.
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Cain's religion was nothing
but an exhibition of his ego.
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Abel, however,
believed God and obeyed
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putting his faith into action
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and remaining
righteous before the Lord
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and that landed him
in Faith's Hall of Fame.
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When I read Abel's
report, I ask myself,
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"Am I worshipping
according to my desires
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or in spirit and in
truth as God wills."
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Now let's look at Enoch.
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We find Enoch's
story or his recording
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in the Faith's Hall
of Fame in Hebrews 11:5.
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And it says, "By
faith Enoch was taken away
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so that he did not see death,
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'and was not found,
because the God had taken him',
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for before he was taken
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he had this
testimony, that he pleased God."
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Bless Enoch's heart.
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He lived during a
dark period of history,
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but he believed God
and he acted righteously.
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He was in the wicked world,
but the world was not in him.
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In steadfast faith,
he lived up to his name
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which means dedicated.
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And he continued in a
constant walk with God.
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Genesis 5:24
explains "Because Enoch walked
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in such close
fellowship with the Lord,
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God translated him
into His presence in heaven
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without experiencing death."
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Enoch's witness makes me wonder
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if my walk of faith
is pleasing to the Lord,
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"Am I crucified to the
world and the world to me?"
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Now let's look at Elijah.
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Hebrews 11 does not
include mention of Elijah.
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He was the Lord's great
prophet of the 9th century BC.
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But as the only other
person that the Bible states
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was translated to
heaven without seeing death,
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his story comes to mind.
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Elijah's strength, his
faith is a stellar example
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to in-time believers.
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He was persecuted
for righteousness sake.
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He suffered
moments of despondency,
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but he always rebounded.
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Elijah's faith
released the Lord's amazing acts
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and mighty works into the world.
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And we find in 2 Kings 2:11.
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He is pictured as being
caught up in a chariot of fire.
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Now that was a
symbol of God's angels
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and he's caught up in this
chariot of fire by a whirlwind,
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which was the symbol
of the Lord and His power.
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Elijah typifies
the living believers
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at the second coming of Christ
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who will be caught up
with the resurrected righteous
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to meet the Lord in the air.
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If we walk with God
abiding in Christ by faith,
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we are promised
deliverance from eternal death.
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Elijah's life
causes me to question.
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If I knew Christ
was coming tomorrow,
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would I do
anything differently today?
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Now let's look at Noah.
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We find in the Hall of
Fame here in Hebrews 11:7,
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the mention of Noah and
it says, "By faith Noah,
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being divinely
warned moved with godly fear
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and became heir
of the righteousness
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which is according to faith."
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God warned Noah of the
world flood that was to come.
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And Genesis 6:8 says the reason
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was Noah found grace
in the eyes of the Lord.
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Believing God's word and fearing
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the
consequences of disobedience,
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faith moved him to build an Ark
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according to God's
precise instructions.
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You see, when we look at Noah,
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faith includes obedience.
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He was ridiculed. He was
rejected by his countrymen.
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Noah and his
family though were saved
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by grace through faith.
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God made him an
heir of righteousness
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which is according to faith.
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Noah's obedient faith
causes me to pause and consider
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"Am I acting in faith to follow
all of the Lord's instructions?"
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Now let's look at Abraham.
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And we find
Abraham in Hebrews 11:8-10,
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this is his mention
in the Hall of Fame.
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It says, "By
faith Abraham obeyed
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when he was called
to go out to the place
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which he would
receive as an inheritance.
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And he went out, not
knowing where he was going
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for he waited for the
city which has foundations,
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whose builder and maker is God."
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You know, the Genesis 12 account
of Abraham's response to God
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tells how faith urged Abraham
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to leave his
homeland of Ur of the Chaldees
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and to follow God's
leading to unknown places
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without even questioning.
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Though God blessed him richly,
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he dwelt intense
in a foreign land
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looking through
the telescope of faith
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to the eternal city
whose architect was God.
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Abraham believed
God's covenant to make him
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a great nation of
countless descendants
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and the reward of his
faith was God's approval.
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When he was 100 years old
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and his wife Sarah
was about 90 years old,
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both beyond the
natural age of reproduction,
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this childless couple
convinced of God's promise,
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conceived their
own son of promise.
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In Romans 4:20-22, it says
that Abraham did not waiver
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at the promise of
God through unbelief,
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but he was strengthened
in faith giving glory to God
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and being fully convinced
that what God had promised
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He was also able to perform.
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Therefore, God accounted
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Abraham's response
to him as righteousness.
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Righteousness has
always been by faith.
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Hebrews 8:11 speaks
of Abraham's wife Sarah
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and it declares it was by faith
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that the aged and barren Sarah
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received
strength to conceive seed
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and she bore a child
when she was past the age.
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Why? Scripture tell us it
was because she judged Him,
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God, she judged Him
faithful who had promised.
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So by faith, she
stood on God's promise.
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Now let us take a look
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at a stunning
example of Abraham's faith.
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This is found
in Hebrews 11:17-19
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and it says, "By faith Abraham,
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when he was
tested, offered up Isaac,
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and he who had
received the promises offered up
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his only begotten
Son, of whom it was said,
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'In Isaac your
seed shall be called,'
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concluding that God
was able to raise him up,
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even from the dead."
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Oh, mercy.
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You know, we find this account,
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of this amazing feat
of faith in Genesis 22.
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With unfaltering trust in God,
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Abraham performed
the most stunning example
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of his insuppressible
faith by his willingness
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to sacrifice his son the
heir of all of God's promises.
00:12:49.54\00:12:55.17
Now, you know,
that sounds amazing,
00:12:55.20\00:12:57.79
but we have to
remember that Abraham had seen
00:12:57.82\00:13:01.46
Christ's day in
vision and he probably knew
00:13:01.49\00:13:04.38
the entire story of redemption
including the crucifixion
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and resurrection
of God's only Son.
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He also knew that God
detested human sacrifice,
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still how stunning
was his faith to follow
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the Lord's test of
offering his son Isaac
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concluding that
God would raise him up
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even from the dead in
order to fulfill his promise
00:13:27.23\00:13:31.30
of making
Abraham a great nation.
00:13:31.33\00:13:34.87
By his example
of faith in action,
00:13:34.90\00:13:38.02
we are called to
trust in God's promises
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and walk in obedience.
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You know, Abraham's amazing
act of faith causes me to ask,
00:13:43.94\00:13:49.09
"Have I ever totally
surrendered my will to God?"
00:13:49.12\00:13:55.53
Now let's look at Moses
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and we find Moses
mentioned in the Hall of Faith
00:13:57.23\00:14:01.02
in Hebrews 11:24-26 and it says,
00:14:01.05\00:14:06.67
"By faith Moses,
when he became of age,
00:14:06.70\00:14:09.58
refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh's daughter,
00:14:09.61\00:14:12.45
choosing rather
to suffer affliction
00:14:12.48\00:14:14.43
with the people
of God than to enjoy
00:14:14.46\00:14:16.94
the passing pleasures of sin,
00:14:16.97\00:14:18.99
esteeming the reproach
of Christ greater riches
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than the treasures in Egypt,
for he looked to the reward."
00:14:23.59\00:14:30.07
Moses sacrificed
the temporary world
00:14:30.10\00:14:32.87
and its benefits for the reward
00:14:32.90\00:14:35.68
of an invisible
God in eternal world.
00:14:35.71\00:14:38.94
Now Moses'
parents, prompted by faith
00:14:38.97\00:14:41.55
in God's promise of a deliverer,
00:14:41.58\00:14:43.91
entrusted their son to His care.
00:14:43.94\00:14:47.65
In total
disregard of Pharaoh's edict
00:14:47.68\00:14:50.42
demanding the death of
all Hebrew male newborns,
00:14:50.45\00:14:54.23
his mother
concealed him for 3 months
00:14:54.26\00:14:57.05
then placed him in an ark
like a basket of papyrus reeds
00:14:57.08\00:15:02.01
and floated him down a river.
00:15:02.04\00:15:04.62
Pharaoh's daughter rescued Moses
00:15:04.65\00:15:06.88
and the son of slaves was reared
00:15:06.91\00:15:09.81
in the ostentatious
splendor of Pharaoh's palace.
00:15:09.84\00:15:14.99
By faith Moses forsook
his position of privilege
00:15:15.02\00:15:19.65
and the treasures of Egypt
00:15:19.68\00:15:21.95
spending 40 years
in the land of Midian
00:15:21.98\00:15:24.84
before becoming Israel's
great leader and lawgiver.
00:15:24.87\00:15:29.38
Led by faith, he
returned to Egypt
00:15:29.41\00:15:32.77
to deliver God's
people from bondage.
00:15:32.80\00:15:35.91
The God of grace
provided the Passover
00:15:35.94\00:15:39.35
to protect the first born
of Israel during a plague.
00:15:39.38\00:15:42.62
And in faith, Moses obeyed God
00:15:42.65\00:15:46.20
believing that the
sprinkling of blood
00:15:46.23\00:15:48.62
on the doorpost would save,
00:15:48.65\00:15:51.53
recognizing that
it pointed forward
00:15:51.56\00:15:54.92
to the blood of the Lamb
of God, Christ our Passover.
00:15:54.95\00:15:59.44
By faith, Moses
and the Hebrew children
00:15:59.47\00:16:01.90
passed through the Red Sea.
00:16:01.93\00:16:04.17
Moses died
though without entering
00:16:04.20\00:16:06.85
the Promised Land on earth.
00:16:06.88\00:16:08.70
But we know from Jude 1:9
00:16:08.73\00:16:12.60
that Moses was raised up again
00:16:12.63\00:16:15.55
in a special
resurrection by the Lord
00:16:15.58\00:16:19.23
and he lives in the
paradise of God in heaven.
00:16:19.26\00:16:23.79
Moses typifies the resurrection
of the righteous dead.
00:16:23.82\00:16:28.66
Now when I consider
Moses life, I wonder,
00:16:28.69\00:16:33.05
"Is my walk of
faith worthy of my Lord?"
00:16:33.08\00:16:36.55
When my account is finally
settled, will I be able to say,
00:16:36.58\00:16:41.02
"Lord, you
delivered to me these talents.
00:16:41.05\00:16:44.00
And I have gained
more besides them?"
00:16:44.03\00:16:46.53
Will He say to me, "Well
done, good and faithful servant.
00:16:46.56\00:16:50.99
You've been
faithful over a few things.
00:16:51.02\00:16:53.50
I will make you ruler over many.
00:16:53.53\00:16:55.97
Enter into the
joy of your Lord?"
00:16:56.00\00:16:59.61
There are countless champions
00:16:59.64\00:17:01.60
that are talked about in
that Faith's Hall of Fame.
00:17:01.63\00:17:05.45
Let's look at this and it
comes from Hebrews 11:33, 34.
00:17:05.48\00:17:12.42
"Talking about God's champions
00:17:12.45\00:17:14.63
'who through
faith subdued kingdoms,
00:17:14.66\00:17:17.37
worked righteousness,
obtained promises,
00:17:17.40\00:17:20.25
stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the violence of fire,
00:17:20.28\00:17:24.39
escaped the edge of the sword,
00:17:24.42\00:17:26.81
out of weakness
were made strong,
00:17:26.84\00:17:28.99
become valiant in battle,
00:17:29.02\00:17:31.51
turned to flight the
armies of the aliens'
00:17:31.54\00:17:35.04
proved the
instrument of faith releases
00:17:35.07\00:17:38.57
the power of His
promises on earth."
00:17:38.60\00:17:41.52
Still in this very same Chapter
00:17:41.55\00:17:44.28
there is the story of
other champions of faith
00:17:44.31\00:17:48.07
and it is told
in Hebrews 11:36-39.
00:17:48.10\00:17:53.80
And it says "These
champions had trial
00:17:53.83\00:17:57.07
of mocking and scourgings,
chains and imprisonment.
00:17:57.10\00:18:01.76
They were stoned,
sawn in two, tempted,
00:18:01.79\00:18:06.11
slain with the sword,
wandered about in sheepskins,
00:18:06.14\00:18:10.02
being destitute,
afflicted, tormented,
00:18:10.05\00:18:14.38
of whom the
world was not worthy.
00:18:14.41\00:18:17.90
They wandered in deserts,
mountains, dens, and caves."
00:18:17.93\00:18:23.17
What does their story show?
00:18:23.20\00:18:25.01
It proves that
poverty and suffering
00:18:25.04\00:18:27.79
are not evidence of
God's displeasure with us
00:18:27.82\00:18:31.14
and it's not evidence of
lack of faith in His promises.
00:18:31.17\00:18:35.34
We live in a world under
the dominion of the devil.
00:18:35.37\00:18:38.77
Some of the early
Christians survived persecution.
00:18:38.80\00:18:43.02
Others were martyred
including the apostles
00:18:43.05\00:18:46.10
with the exception of John.
00:18:46.13\00:18:48.30
So Hebrews 11:39-40 says this
00:18:48.33\00:18:53.16
"And all these, having obtained
a good testimony through faith,
00:18:53.19\00:18:58.81
did not receive the promise,
00:18:58.84\00:19:01.74
God having provided
something better for us,
00:19:01.77\00:19:04.43
that they should not be
made perfect apart from us."
00:19:04.46\00:19:09.49
These faith heroes
died without seeing
00:19:09.52\00:19:12.58
the promise of
being united with the Lord
00:19:12.61\00:19:15.30
in order that we could
join together with them
00:19:15.33\00:19:18.43
at the time of receiving
God's ultimate perfection.
00:19:18.46\00:19:22.79
Uh, but when you think about it,
00:19:22.82\00:19:24.71
how great will be
their reward in the end?
00:19:24.74\00:19:28.04
As I consider these
countless champions,
00:19:28.07\00:19:30.80
I find myself asking,
00:19:30.83\00:19:33.24
"Am I fighting the
good fight of faith?"
00:19:33.27\00:19:37.63
Now let's think about Paul.
00:19:37.66\00:19:39.86
Paul was God's
ambassador of grace.
00:19:39.89\00:19:43.09
The ever persecuted
Paul endured great struggles
00:19:43.12\00:19:46.73
with suffering
yet he pressed forward
00:19:46.76\00:19:49.64
motivated by faith to gain
Christ and attain eternal life.
00:19:49.67\00:19:55.08
Paul stated in
Philippians 3:8-11,
00:19:55.11\00:19:59.45
"I have suffered the loss
of all things and count them
00:19:59.48\00:20:04.10
as rubbish that I may
gain Christ that I may know Him
00:20:04.13\00:20:09.37
and the power
of His resurrection
00:20:09.40\00:20:11.94
and the
fellowship of His sufferings,
00:20:11.97\00:20:14.49
being conformed to
His death if by any means
00:20:14.52\00:20:18.62
I may attain to the
resurrection from the dead."
00:20:18.65\00:20:22.82
The captain of our salvation
Jesus Christ, the Lord,
00:20:22.85\00:20:26.85
was as the
author of Hebrews put it
00:20:26.88\00:20:29.92
perfected by His sufferings.
00:20:29.95\00:20:32.57
And Paul yearned
for the same perfection.
00:20:32.60\00:20:36.40
Let me ask, do you
suffer for righteousness sake?
00:20:36.43\00:20:40.24
The Bible counsels you
to consider yourself blessed
00:20:40.27\00:20:44.11
and rejoice that you
partake of Christ's suffering,
00:20:44.14\00:20:47.83
experienced by
believers around the world.
00:20:47.86\00:20:51.08
The Savior who suffered for you
00:20:51.11\00:20:54.23
understands your
disappointments and fears.
00:20:54.26\00:20:56.64
He understands your
physical and emotional pain.
00:20:56.67\00:21:00.49
He is with you always.
00:21:00.52\00:21:02.97
Your Heavenly
Father takes notice.
00:21:03.00\00:21:06.02
2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 says that,
00:21:06.05\00:21:09.38
"He is the Father of mercies
and the God of all comfort.
00:21:09.41\00:21:14.90
He will comfort you in
all your tribulations."
00:21:14.93\00:21:18.86
Take heart and hold
fast to the Lord's hand
00:21:18.89\00:21:22.81
till the
finishing of your faith.
00:21:22.84\00:21:25.58
Paul's life causes me to
pause and consider in self pity,
00:21:25.61\00:21:32.08
"Do I become weak-kneed
00:21:32.11\00:21:34.81
and murmur
against my circumstances?"
00:21:34.84\00:21:37.87
God help me to believe
His grace is sufficient
00:21:37.90\00:21:41.89
and I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me.
00:21:41.92\00:21:48.77
We tap into
God's pipeline of grace
00:21:48.80\00:21:52.92
by the instrument of faith
00:21:52.95\00:21:55.16
for the purpose of
obedience to the faith.
00:21:55.19\00:21:58.82
The great cloud
of ancient witnesses
00:21:58.85\00:22:01.87
who looked forward
to a better country
00:22:01.90\00:22:05.08
testified to
God's continued grace
00:22:05.11\00:22:08.02
by their lives of active faith.
00:22:08.05\00:22:10.87
The Bible instructs us
to look to their example
00:22:10.90\00:22:14.16
and to follow the
glorious faith in this manner.
00:22:14.19\00:22:18.54
Hebrews 12:1-2, "Let
us lay aside every weight,
00:22:18.57\00:22:24.32
and the sin which
so easily ensnares us,
00:22:24.35\00:22:28.48
and let us run
with endurance the race
00:22:28.51\00:22:31.55
that is set before
us, looking unto Jesus,
00:22:31.58\00:22:35.50
the author and
finisher of our faith,
00:22:35.53\00:22:38.24
who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross,
00:22:38.27\00:22:42.95
despising the
shame, and has sat down
00:22:42.98\00:22:46.41
at the right hand
of the throne of God."
00:22:46.44\00:22:49.93
Oh, I was talking about
the Polaroid camera earlier.
00:22:49.96\00:22:53.42
Please point your
cameras to Christ.
00:22:53.45\00:22:57.52
Fixture eyes on Him and you
will become what you behold.
00:22:57.55\00:23:02.35
He is the author and
the finisher of our faith.
00:23:02.38\00:23:05.97
He who worked
miracles healed the sick
00:23:06.00\00:23:08.98
and the broken hearted.
00:23:09.01\00:23:10.38
He who came to set at liberty
00:23:10.41\00:23:12.51
those who were oppressed
by sin, is the source of faith
00:23:12.54\00:23:17.42
and because we believed in
and received Him as Savior,
00:23:17.45\00:23:22.43
He gave us the right to
become the children of God
00:23:22.46\00:23:25.38
and receive His inheritance.
00:23:25.41\00:23:27.79
Paul wrote to Timothy,
"I know whom I have believed
00:23:27.82\00:23:31.54
and I am persuaded
that He is able to keep that
00:23:31.57\00:23:35.05
which I have committed
unto Him until that day."
00:23:35.08\00:23:38.82
Christ is the
finisher of our faith.
00:23:38.85\00:23:42.24
We can count on Him.
00:23:42.27\00:23:44.06
As we commit our
lives to His care,
00:23:44.09\00:23:46.59
He will perfect our faith.
00:23:46.62\00:23:48.48
He will perfect our characters
guarding our future with Him.
00:23:48.51\00:23:53.24
I love the promise
of Philippians 1:6.
00:23:53.27\00:23:56.19
It provides the assurance
00:23:56.22\00:23:58.77
that we can be
confident of this very thing
00:23:58.80\00:24:02.67
that "He who has
begun a good work in you
00:24:02.70\00:24:05.78
will complete it until
the day of Jesus Christ."
00:24:05.81\00:24:09.44
Glory to God, He does
not forsake His children,
00:24:09.47\00:24:13.30
but He remains faithful
to continue our development
00:24:13.33\00:24:17.56
until the very day
that Christ returns for us
00:24:17.59\00:24:21.60
and we will be
restored to His image
00:24:21.63\00:24:25.37
we will be perfected.
00:24:25.40\00:24:27.08
We shall be like Him.
00:24:27.11\00:24:29.37
Our destiny will be fulfilled.
00:24:29.40\00:24:32.10
Like the heroes
of faith's history,
00:24:32.13\00:24:34.94
let us recognize that this world
00:24:34.97\00:24:37.59
is temporary and
not our permanent home.
00:24:37.62\00:24:40.62
God's champions who
sought a better place
00:24:40.65\00:24:43.51
in the coming of Christ
00:24:43.54\00:24:45.31
died without
receiving the promise
00:24:45.34\00:24:47.84
of being united with the Lord.
00:24:47.87\00:24:49.85
They sleep in Jesus,
secured by their faith.
00:24:49.88\00:24:54.09
And their next conscious moment
00:24:54.12\00:24:55.92
will be when He returns
to bring them up with Him.
00:24:55.95\00:24:59.96
Those who are alive at His
coming will not precede them
00:24:59.99\00:25:03.97
in entering into His presence
00:25:04.00\00:25:06.35
for the dead in
Christ will rise first
00:25:06.38\00:25:09.30
and they will receive
their rewards of obedient faith
00:25:09.33\00:25:12.88
when He comes for them in glory.
00:25:12.91\00:25:14.93
Let's look at 1
Thessalonians 4:13-16
00:25:14.96\00:25:20.24
which explains this.
00:25:20.27\00:25:22.39
Paul writes "I do not want
you to be ignorant brethren,
00:25:22.42\00:25:26.05
concerning those
who have fallen asleep
00:25:26.08\00:25:29.05
that includes
those faith champions,
00:25:29.08\00:25:31.44
lest you sorrow as
others who have no hope.
00:25:31.47\00:25:35.12
For if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again,
00:25:35.15\00:25:39.38
even so God will bring with
him those who sleep in Jesus.
00:25:39.41\00:25:44.18
For this we say to you
by the word of the Lord,
00:25:44.21\00:25:47.99
that we who are alive and remain
00:25:48.02\00:25:52.45
until the coming of the Lord
00:25:52.48\00:25:53.85
will by no means
precede those who are asleep.
00:25:53.88\00:25:57.32
For the Lord
himself will descend
00:25:57.35\00:25:59.20
from heaven with a shout,
00:25:59.23\00:26:00.76
with the voice of an archangel,
and with the trumpet of God.
00:26:00.79\00:26:04.49
And the dead in
Christ will rise first."
00:26:04.52\00:26:09.34
Oh, my brother, my sister,
walk in the obedience of faith
00:26:09.37\00:26:13.72
and welcome His coming rewards.
00:26:13.75\00:26:16.27
Focus your faith on Him.
00:26:16.30\00:26:18.71
By His power, He will keep you
00:26:18.74\00:26:21.35
for the supreme salvation
that is to be revealed.
00:26:21.38\00:26:24.92
The trials which grieve
you now will only improve
00:26:24.95\00:26:28.67
the genuineness of your faith.
00:26:28.70\00:26:30.77
Listen to the words of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
00:26:30.80\00:26:34.31
found in Revelation 22:12-14.
00:26:34.34\00:26:37.86
He says, "Behold,
I am coming quickly
00:26:37.89\00:26:42.00
and my reward is with me,
00:26:42.03\00:26:44.42
to give to everyone
according to His work.
00:26:44.45\00:26:48.77
I am the alpha and the omega,
00:26:48.80\00:26:50.53
the beginning and the
end, the first and the last.
00:26:50.56\00:26:54.75
Blessed are those
who do His commandments
00:26:54.78\00:26:57.74
that they may have the
right to the tree of life
00:26:57.77\00:27:00.44
and may enter through
the gates into the city."
00:27:00.47\00:27:04.22
Hold fast to the one you love.
00:27:04.25\00:27:07.35
The day of His
second coming is near.
00:27:07.38\00:27:10.86
Believing you can stand fast
00:27:10.89\00:27:14.02
looking forward in faith
to your future inheritance
00:27:14.05\00:27:17.60
reserved in heaven for you.
00:27:17.63\00:27:19.71
As the Apostle Paul
wrote in 1 Peter 1:8-10,
00:27:19.74\00:27:23.93
he says, "Though
now you do not see Him,
00:27:23.96\00:27:26.34
yet believing, you
rejoice with joy inexpressible
00:27:26.37\00:27:30.54
and full of glory,
receiving the end of your faith,
00:27:30.57\00:27:33.87
the salvation of your souls.
00:27:33.90\00:27:35.98
Of this salvation the
prophets have inquired
00:27:36.01\00:27:38.85
and searched carefully
who prophesied of the grace
00:27:38.88\00:27:42.63
that would come to you."
00:27:42.66\00:27:44.51
Well, our time
together today is gone.
00:27:44.54\00:27:47.02
Please join us next time
00:27:47.05\00:27:48.66
when we will look at
the one incident of faith
00:27:48.69\00:27:51.94
that caused the
Lord of glory to marvel
00:27:51.97\00:27:55.00
as well as the turning
point of faith in Paul's life,
00:27:55.03\00:27:58.24
until then, good bye.
00:27:58.27\00:28:00.16