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.
00:12:49.50\00:12:55.17
Now, you know,
that sounds amazing,
00:12:55.17\00:12:57.77
but we have to
remember that Abraham had seen
00:12:57.77\00:13:01.44
Christ's day in
vision and he probably knew
00:13:01.44\00:13:04.38
the entire story of redemption
including the crucifixion
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and resurrection
of God's only Son.
00:13:09.12\00:13:12.02
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
00:13:20.53\00:13:23.80
concluding that
God would raise him up
00:13:23.80\00:13:27.17
even from the dead in
order to fulfill his promise
00:13:27.17\00:13:31.27
of making
Abraham a great nation.
00:13:31.27\00:13:34.88
By his example
of faith in action,
00:13:34.88\00:13:38.01
we are called to
trust in God's promises
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and walk in obedience.
00:13:41.62\00:13:43.92
You know, Abraham's amazing
act of faith causes me to ask,
00:13:43.92\00:13:49.09
"Have I ever totally
surrendered my will to God?"
00:13:49.09\00:13:55.50
Now let's look at Moses
00:13:55.50\00:13:57.17
and we find Moses
mentioned in the Hall of Faith
00:13:57.17\00:14:01.00
in Hebrews 11:24-26 and it says,
00:14:01.00\00:14:06.68
"By faith Moses,
when he became of age,
00:14:06.68\00:14:09.58
refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh's daughter,
00:14:09.58\00:14:12.45
choosing rather
to suffer affliction
00:14:12.45\00:14:14.42
with the people
of God than to enjoy
00:14:14.42\00:14:16.95
the passing pleasures of sin,
00:14:16.95\00:14:18.99
esteeming the reproach
of Christ greater riches
00:14:18.99\00:14:23.56
than the treasures in Egypt,
for he looked to the reward."
00:14:23.56\00:14:30.07
Moses sacrificed
the temporary world
00:14:30.07\00:14:32.87
and its benefits for the reward
00:14:32.87\00:14:35.67
of an invisible
God in eternal world.
00:14:35.67\00:14:38.94
Now Moses'
parents, prompted by faith
00:14:38.94\00:14:41.54
in God's promise of a deliverer,
00:14:41.54\00:14:43.91
entrusted their son to His care.
00:14:43.91\00:14:47.65
In total
disregard of Pharaoh's edict
00:14:47.65\00:14:50.42
demanding the death of
all Hebrew male newborns,
00:14:50.42\00:14:54.22
his mother
concealed him for 3 months
00:14:54.22\00:14:57.06
then placed him in an ark
like a basket of papyrus reeds
00:14:57.06\00:15:02.00
and floated him down a river.
00:15:02.00\00:15:04.60
Pharaoh's daughter rescued Moses
00:15:04.60\00:15:06.87
and the son of slaves was reared
00:15:06.87\00:15:09.80
in the ostentatious
splendor of Pharaoh's palace.
00:15:09.80\00:15:14.98
By faith Moses forsook
his position of privilege
00:15:14.98\00:15:19.65
and the treasures of Egypt
00:15:19.65\00:15:21.95
spending 40 years
in the land of Midian
00:15:21.95\00:15:24.85
before becoming Israel's
great leader and lawgiver.
00:15:24.85\00:15:29.39
Led by faith, he
returned to Egypt
00:15:29.39\00:15:32.79
to deliver God's
people from bondage.
00:15:32.79\00:15:35.90
The God of grace
provided the Passover
00:15:35.90\00:15:39.33
to protect the first born
of Israel during a plague.
00:15:39.33\00:15:42.60
And in faith, Moses obeyed God
00:15:42.60\00:15:46.17
believing that the
sprinkling of blood
00:15:46.17\00:15:48.61
on the doorpost would save,
00:15:48.61\00:15:51.51
recognizing that
it pointed forward
00:15:51.51\00:15:54.92
to the blood of the Lamb
of God, Christ our Passover.
00:15:54.92\00:15:59.45
By faith, Moses
and the Hebrew children
00:15:59.45\00:16:01.89
passed through the Red Sea.
00:16:01.89\00:16:04.19
Moses died
though without entering
00:16:04.19\00:16:06.86
the Promised Land on earth.
00:16:06.86\00:16:08.66
But we know from Jude 1:9
00:16:08.66\00:16:12.57
that Moses was raised up again
00:16:12.57\00:16:15.54
in a special
resurrection by the Lord
00:16:15.54\00:16:19.21
and he lives in the
paradise of God in heaven.
00:16:19.21\00:16:23.78
Moses typifies the resurrection
of the righteous dead.
00:16:23.78\00:16:28.65
Now when I consider
Moses life, I wonder,
00:16:28.65\00:16:33.05
"Is my walk of
faith worthy of my Lord?"
00:16:33.05\00:16:36.56
When my account is finally
settled, will I be able to say,
00:16:36.56\00:16:41.00
"Lord, you
delivered to me these talents.
00:16:41.00\00:16:43.97
And I have gained
more besides them?"
00:16:43.97\00:16:46.50
Will He say to me, "Well
done, good and faithful servant.
00:16:46.50\00:16:50.97
You've been
faithful over a few things.
00:16:50.97\00:16:53.48
I will make you ruler over many.
00:16:53.48\00:16:55.98
Enter into the
joy of your Lord?"
00:16:55.98\00:16:59.61
There are countless champions
00:16:59.61\00:17:01.58
that are talked about in
that Faith's Hall of Fame.
00:17:01.58\00:17:05.45
Let's look at this and it
comes from Hebrews 11:33, 34.
00:17:05.45\00:17:12.43
"Talking about God's champions
00:17:12.43\00:17:14.60
'who through
faith subdued kingdoms,
00:17:14.60\00:17:17.37
worked righteousness,
obtained promises,
00:17:17.37\00:17:20.24
stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the violence of fire,
00:17:20.24\00:17:24.37
escaped the edge of the sword,
00:17:24.37\00:17:26.81
out of weakness
were made strong,
00:17:26.81\00:17:28.98
become valiant in battle,
00:17:28.98\00:17:31.51
turned to flight the
armies of the aliens'
00:17:31.51\00:17:35.05
proved the
instrument of faith releases
00:17:35.05\00:17:38.59
the power of His
promises on earth."
00:17:38.59\00:17:41.52
Still in this very same Chapter
00:17:41.52\00:17:44.29
there is the story of
other champions of faith
00:17:44.29\00:17:48.06
and it is told
in Hebrews 11:36-39.
00:17:48.06\00:17:53.77
And it says "These
champions had trial
00:17:53.77\00:17:57.07
of mocking and scourgings,
chains and imprisonment.
00:17:57.07\00:18:01.74
They were stoned,
sawn in two, tempted,
00:18:01.74\00:18:06.11
slain with the sword,
wandered about in sheepskins,
00:18:06.11\00:18:10.02
being destitute,
afflicted, tormented,
00:18:10.02\00:18:14.39
of whom the
world was not worthy.
00:18:14.39\00:18:17.89
They wandered in deserts,
mountains, dens, and caves."
00:18:17.89\00:18:23.16
What does their story show?
00:18:23.16\00:18:25.00
It proves that
poverty and suffering
00:18:25.00\00:18:27.77
are not evidence of
God's displeasure with us
00:18:27.77\00:18:31.14
and it's not evidence of
lack of faith in His promises.
00:18:31.14\00:18:35.34
We live in a world under
the dominion of the devil.
00:18:35.34\00:18:38.78
Some of the early
Christians survived persecution.
00:18:38.78\00:18:43.02
Others were martyred
including the apostles
00:18:43.02\00:18:46.09
with the exception of John.
00:18:46.09\00:18:48.29
So Hebrews 11:39-40 says this
00:18:48.29\00:18:53.16
"And all these, having obtained
a good testimony through faith,
00:18:53.16\00:18:58.80
did not receive the promise,
00:18:58.80\00:19:01.74
God having provided
something better for us,
00:19:01.74\00:19:04.41
that they should not be
made perfect apart from us."
00:19:04.41\00:19:09.48
These faith heroes
died without seeing
00:19:09.48\00:19:12.58
the promise of
being united with the Lord
00:19:12.58\00:19:15.28
in order that we could
join together with them
00:19:15.28\00:19:18.42
at the time of receiving
God's ultimate perfection.
00:19:18.42\00:19:22.79
Uh, but when you think about it,
00:19:22.79\00:19:24.73
how great will be
their reward in the end?
00:19:24.73\00:19:28.03
As I consider these
countless champions,
00:19:28.03\00:19:30.77
I find myself asking,
00:19:30.77\00:19:33.23
"Am I fighting the
good fight of faith?"
00:19:33.23\00:19:37.61
Now let's think about Paul.
00:19:37.61\00:19:39.84
Paul was God's
ambassador of grace.
00:19:39.84\00:19:43.08
The ever persecuted
Paul endured great struggles
00:19:43.08\00:19:46.72
with suffering
yet he pressed forward
00:19:46.72\00:19:49.65
motivated by faith to gain
Christ and attain eternal life.
00:19:49.65\00:19:55.09
Paul stated in
Philippians 3:8-11,
00:19:55.09\00:19:59.46
"I have suffered the loss
of all things and count them
00:19:59.46\00:20:04.07
as rubbish that I may
gain Christ that I may know Him
00:20:04.07\00:20:09.37
and the power
of His resurrection
00:20:09.37\00:20:11.94
and the
fellowship of His sufferings,
00:20:11.94\00:20:14.48
being conformed to
His death if by any means
00:20:14.48\00:20:18.61
I may attain to the
resurrection from the dead."
00:20:18.61\00:20:22.82
The captain of our salvation
Jesus Christ, the Lord,
00:20:22.82\00:20:26.86
was as the
author of Hebrews put it
00:20:26.86\00:20:29.92
perfected by His sufferings.
00:20:29.92\00:20:32.59
And Paul yearned
for the same perfection.
00:20:32.59\00:20:36.36
Let me ask, do you
suffer for righteousness sake?
00:20:36.36\00:20:40.24
The Bible counsels you
to consider yourself blessed
00:20:40.24\00:20:44.11
and rejoice that you
partake of Christ's suffering,
00:20:44.11\00:20:47.81
experienced by
believers around the world.
00:20:47.81\00:20:51.08
The Savior who suffered for you
00:20:51.08\00:20:54.22
understands your
disappointments and fears.
00:20:54.22\00:20:56.65
He understands your
physical and emotional pain.
00:20:56.65\00:21:00.49
He is with you always.
00:21:00.49\00:21:02.99
Your Heavenly
Father takes notice.
00:21:02.99\00:21:06.03
2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 says that,
00:21:06.03\00:21:09.36
"He is the Father of mercies
and the God of all comfort.
00:21:09.36\00:21:14.87
He will comfort you in
all your tribulations."
00:21:14.87\00:21:18.84
Take heart and hold
fast to the Lord's hand
00:21:18.84\00:21:22.81
till the
finishing of your faith.
00:21:22.81\00:21:25.58
Paul's life causes me to
pause and consider in self pity,
00:21:25.58\00:21:32.09
"Do I become weak-kneed
00:21:32.09\00:21:34.82
and murmur
against my circumstances?"
00:21:34.82\00:21:37.89
God help me to believe
His grace is sufficient
00:21:37.89\00:21:41.86
and I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me.
00:21:41.86\00:21:48.77
We tap into
God's pipeline of grace
00:21:48.77\00:21:52.91
by the instrument of faith
00:21:52.91\00:21:55.14
for the purpose of
obedience to the faith.
00:21:55.14\00:21:58.81
The great cloud
of ancient witnesses
00:21:58.81\00:22:01.88
who looked forward
to a better country
00:22:01.88\00:22:05.09
testified to
God's continued grace
00:22:05.09\00:22:08.02
by their lives of active faith.
00:22:08.02\00:22:10.89
The Bible instructs us
to look to their example
00:22:10.89\00:22:14.13
and to follow the
glorious faith in this manner.
00:22:14.13\00:22:18.53
Hebrews 12:1-2, "Let
us lay aside every weight,
00:22:18.53\00:22:24.31
and the sin which
so easily ensnares us,
00:22:24.31\00:22:28.48
and let us run
with endurance the race
00:22:28.48\00:22:31.55
that is set before
us, looking unto Jesus,
00:22:31.55\00:22:35.48
the author and
finisher of our faith,
00:22:35.48\00:22:38.25
who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross,
00:22:38.25\00:22:42.96
despising the
shame, and has sat down
00:22:42.96\00:22:46.43
at the right hand
of the throne of God."
00:22:46.43\00:22:49.90
Oh, I was talking about
the Polaroid camera earlier.
00:22:49.90\00:22:53.40
Please point your
cameras to Christ.
00:22:53.40\00:22:57.51
Fixture eyes on Him and you
will become what you behold.
00:22:57.51\00:23:02.34
He is the author and
the finisher of our faith.
00:23:02.34\00:23:05.98
He who worked
miracles healed the sick
00:23:05.98\00:23:08.98
and the broken hearted.
00:23:08.98\00:23:10.39
He who came to set at liberty
00:23:10.39\00:23:12.52
those who were oppressed
by sin, is the source of faith
00:23:12.52\00:23:17.43
and because we believed in
and received Him as Savior,
00:23:17.43\00:23:22.40
He gave us the right to
become the children of God
00:23:22.40\00:23:25.37
and receive His inheritance.
00:23:25.37\00:23:27.77
Paul wrote to Timothy,
"I know whom I have believed
00:23:27.77\00:23:31.54
and I am persuaded
that He is able to keep that
00:23:31.54\00:23:35.04
which I have committed
unto Him until that day."
00:23:35.04\00:23:38.81
Christ is the
finisher of our faith.
00:23:38.81\00:23:42.25
We can count on Him.
00:23:42.25\00:23:44.05
As we commit our
lives to His care,
00:23:44.05\00:23:46.59
He will perfect our faith.
00:23:46.59\00:23:48.49
He will perfect our characters
guarding our future with Him.
00:23:48.49\00:23:53.26
I love the promise
of Philippians 1:6.
00:23:53.26\00:23:56.16
It provides the assurance
00:23:56.16\00:23:58.77
that we can be
confident of this very thing
00:23:58.77\00:24:02.67
that "He who has
begun a good work in you
00:24:02.67\00:24:05.77
will complete it until
the day of Jesus Christ."
00:24:05.77\00:24:09.44
Glory to God, He does
not forsake His children,
00:24:09.44\00:24:13.28
but He remains faithful
to continue our development
00:24:13.28\00:24:17.55
until the very day
that Christ returns for us
00:24:17.55\00:24:21.59
and we will be
restored to His image
00:24:21.59\00:24:25.39
we will be perfected.
00:24:25.39\00:24:27.10
We shall be like Him.
00:24:27.10\00:24:29.36
Our destiny will be fulfilled.
00:24:29.36\00:24:32.07
Like the heroes
of faith's history,
00:24:32.07\00:24:34.94
let us recognize that this world
00:24:34.94\00:24:37.57
is temporary and
not our permanent home.
00:24:37.57\00:24:40.61
God's champions who
sought a better place
00:24:40.61\00:24:43.51
in the coming of Christ
00:24:43.51\00:24:45.31
died without
receiving the promise
00:24:45.31\00:24:47.85
of being united with the Lord.
00:24:47.85\00:24:49.85
They sleep in Jesus,
secured by their faith.
00:24:49.85\00:24:54.09
And their next conscious moment
00:24:54.09\00:24:55.92
will be when He returns
to bring them up with Him.
00:24:55.92\00:24:59.96
Those who are alive at His
coming will not precede them
00:24:59.96\00:25:03.97
in entering into His presence
00:25:03.97\00:25:06.33
for the dead in
Christ will rise first
00:25:06.33\00:25:09.27
and they will receive
their rewards of obedient faith
00:25:09.27\00:25:12.87
when He comes for them in glory.
00:25:12.87\00:25:14.91
Let's look at 1
Thessalonians 4:13-16
00:25:14.91\00:25:20.25
which explains this.
00:25:20.25\00:25:22.38
Paul writes "I do not want
you to be ignorant brethren,
00:25:22.38\00:25:26.05
concerning those
who have fallen asleep
00:25:26.05\00:25:29.06
that includes
those faith champions,
00:25:29.06\00:25:31.46
lest you sorrow as
others who have no hope.
00:25:31.46\00:25:35.10
For if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again,
00:25:35.10\00:25:39.37
even so God will bring with
him those who sleep in Jesus.
00:25:39.37\00:25:44.17
For this we say to you
by the word of the Lord,
00:25:44.17\00:25:47.98
that we who are alive and remain
00:25:47.98\00:25:52.45
until the coming of the Lord
00:25:52.45\00:25:53.85
will by no means
precede those who are asleep.
00:25:53.85\00:25:57.32
For the Lord
himself will descend
00:25:57.32\00:25:59.19
from heaven with a shout,
00:25:59.19\00:26:00.76
with the voice of an archangel,
and with the trumpet of God.
00:26:00.76\00:26:04.49
And the dead in
Christ will rise first."
00:26:04.49\00:26:09.33
Oh, my brother, my sister,
walk in the obedience of faith
00:26:09.33\00:26:13.70
and welcome His coming rewards.
00:26:13.70\00:26:16.27
Focus your faith on Him.
00:26:16.27\00:26:18.71
By His power, He will keep you
00:26:18.71\00:26:21.34
for the supreme salvation
that is to be revealed.
00:26:21.34\00:26:24.91
The trials which grieve
you now will only improve
00:26:24.91\00:26:28.68
the genuineness of your faith.
00:26:28.68\00:26:30.79
Listen to the words of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
00:26:30.79\00:26:34.32
found in Revelation 22:12-14.
00:26:34.32\00:26:37.86
He says, "Behold,
I am coming quickly
00:26:37.86\00:26:41.96
and my reward is with me,
00:26:41.96\00:26:44.40
to give to everyone
according to His work.
00:26:44.40\00:26:48.77
I am the alpha and the omega,
00:26:48.77\00:26:50.51
the beginning and the
end, the first and the last.
00:26:50.51\00:26:54.74
Blessed are those
who do His commandments
00:26:54.74\00:26:57.75
that they may have the
right to the tree of life
00:26:57.75\00:27:00.45
and may enter through
the gates into the city."
00:27:00.45\00:27:04.22
Hold fast to the one you love.
00:27:04.22\00:27:07.36
The day of His
second coming is near.
00:27:07.36\00:27:10.86
Believing you can stand fast
00:27:10.86\00:27:14.00
looking forward in faith
to your future inheritance
00:27:14.00\00:27:17.57
reserved in heaven for you.
00:27:17.57\00:27:19.70
As the Apostle Paul
wrote in 1 Peter 1:8-10,
00:27:19.70\00:27:23.91
he says, "Though
now you do not see Him,
00:27:23.91\00:27:26.34
yet believing, you
rejoice with joy inexpressible
00:27:26.34\00:27:30.55
and full of glory,
receiving the end of your faith,
00:27:30.55\00:27:33.88
the salvation of your souls.
00:27:33.88\00:27:35.98
Of this salvation the
prophets have inquired
00:27:35.98\00:27:38.85
and searched carefully
who prophesied of the grace
00:27:38.85\00:27:42.62
that would come to you."
00:27:42.62\00:27:44.53
Well, our time
together today is gone.
00:27:44.53\00:27:47.03
Please join us next time
00:27:47.03\00:27:48.63
when we will look at
the one incident of faith
00:27:48.63\00:27:51.93
that caused the
Lord of glory to marvel
00:27:51.93\00:27:54.97
as well as the turning
point of faith in Paul's life,
00:27:54.97\00:27:58.24
until then, good bye.
00:27:58.24\00:28:00.11