By Faith (Hebrews 11:1-40)
The sermon outline can be found here in the ministry guide.
All of us live by “faith”, regardless of whether we are religious or irreligious, Christian or non-Christian. We all trust in something or someone to help us make sense of life. The question is not whether we have faith, but in what or whom we put our faith. For some of us, faith may be like positive thinking, a hopeful optimism in ourselves and our circumstances.
Thankfully, biblical faith is better than our dubious self-belief. Biblical faith is necessary if we are to persevere to the end. Our endurance through life depends on whether we have genuine, saving faith: “My righteous one shall live by faith” (Heb 10:37); “We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Heb 10:39). Do we belong to those who have faith?
Examples of faith can be powerful. Many of us can think of people in our lives who have inspired us by their faithful examples. Some of us read good biographies for inspiration. Recently, I was especially encouraged by Don Carson’s Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, which is about his father’s patient, faithful ministry in French-speaking Canada. A good missionary biography I look forward to reading is To the Golden Shore—an account of the life of Adoniram Judson, pioneer missionary to Burma.
We persevere in Christ by following examples of faith, who show us what faith is and what faith does.
Who are those who have faith? Hebrews 11, known as the Bible’s “hall of faith”, is about some of them. These men and women in the OT, who lived by faith, are examples for us. They show us how to endure to the end by trusting God. Hebrews 11 teaches us that we persevere in Christ by following examples of faith, who show us what faith is and what faith does.
What faith is (Heb 11:1)
The chapter begins by defining what faith is: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). This is fundamentally different from how the world understands “faith”. Biblical faith is not wishful thinking. Faith trusts God to keep His promises.Faith is the confidence God will do what we hope for. Faith is founded on God’s character and word. We feed our faith by feasting on God’s promises.
The certainty of our faith doesn’t depend on us. Biblical faith is being sure about God, “because he who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:23b). Therefore, what matters most isn’t the quantity or quality of our faith; it’s who we have faith in. Our assurance rests on God, who is true to Hs word. How can we be sure? God has already kept His greatest promise: to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to save sinners like us.
We have been unfaithful to God, who made us to know and trust Him. Instead of believing God, we have trusted in ourselves, thinking we know better. We have sinned against God and deserve His righteous judgment. But God, who is gracious and merciful, promised a Saviour. In the fullness of time, God spoke by His Son, Jesus, whom He sent to save sinners. Jesus is the better high priest and sacrifice. He died for sinners, bearing God’s wrath in our place if we repent and believe in Hm. Jesus rose from the dead to give us new life. In Christ alone, we are forgiven and made right with God. Faith looks back at what Jesus has done and trusts in Him.
Faith also looks forward to what God will do in the future. Now that Christ has come, we hope in His return to fully fulfil God’s promises. If we are in Christ, then we shall be raised with Him in glory in the new creation. We will enter God’s rest and dwell in His presence forever with perfect peace and joy. Faith brings our future hope into the present and transforms how we live now.
Faith believes without seeing; yet sees by believing. The eyes of faith see the invisible, because we are convinced God will keep His promises.
Hebrews 11 highlights this key quality of faith: Faith believes despite not seeing the promises fulfilled: it is “the conviction of things not seen” (Heb 11:1b). We walk by faith, not by sight. Faith believes without seeing; yet sees by believing. The eyes of faith see the invisible, because we are convinced God will keep His promises. The Old Testament believers lived by such faith. Although they didn’t live to see God’s promises fulfilled in Christ, they kept trusting God till their dying day. They obeyed God in radical ways. Will we follow their example of faith by living today in view of tomorrow? How will living by faith change our desires and decisions, our goals, priorities, and ambitions? How will it change how we use our time, abilities, and money?
What faith does (Heb 11:3-40)
What would it look like to live by faith? The rest of Hebrews 11 presents us with a series of Old Testament examples, beginning in Genesis, to show us what faith does. Notice how the author doesn’t tell us their entire life stories, but instead highlights particular details of their lives. These details reveal seven aspects of what faith does when we live by faith. Do our lives show evidence of faith at work?
Faith believes God’s word (Heb 11:3)
How did the world come into existence? None of us saw the creation of the universe, but we affirm by faith that God made all things because His word tells us so: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1) He created out of nothing, speaking the universe into being.
Believing God’s word doesn’t mean we’ll understand everything perfectly. We may still have questions or doubts. But faith is a humble posture of heart that trusts God and takes Him at His word. Faith seeks understanding from God. We can bring our questions and doubts to Him. Faith submits to God’s truth. We can know what He has revealed, but the secret things He has not revealed belong to Him.
More and more, the world encourages us to embrace unbelief and uncertainty as an end in themselves. … Faith believes God’s word.
More and more, the world encourages us to embrace unbelief and uncertainty as an end in themselves. It’s arrogant to be so sure of objective truth, so we’re told. It appears modest, except those who say it’s good to suspect and question everything sound pretty sure that they themselves are right! But God has spoken. Praise God that He has not left us to figure things out ourselves. Faith believes God’s word.
Faith pleases God (Heb 11:2, 4-6)
How do we please God? Is it by performing all sorts of religious rites and rituals? Hebrews 10 tells us God takes no pleasure in sacrifices and offerings. What He desires is not external religiosity but our wholehearted devotion to Him. It was true for people in Old Testament times; it’s true for us today. “(By faith) the people of old received their commendation.” (Heb 11:2) God is pleased when we trust in Him.
First, we have the example of Abel (Heb 11:4). Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. In Genesis 4, both brought offerings to God—Cain brought grain or fruit, while Abel brought the firstborn of his flock. Why did God accept Abel’s offering but not Cain’s? It was because Abel offered his sacrifice “by faith”. Abel believed that God would save through the death of a sacrifice. Cain, by contrast, did not have faith. He went through the motions, but his heart was far from God.
Abel was counted righteous by faith. Although Cain murdered him, Abel’s example still speaks to us today, encouraging us to believe in Jesus, the only true, acceptable sacrifice. His blood was shed for sinners, that we might be forgiven and brought back to God. Only through faith in Christ can guilty sinners like us please God.
Enoch is another example of pleasing God by faith. Genesis 5 says “Enoch walked with God”. He shows us that faith involves a daily, personal relationship with God. It is impossible to please God without faith, because it is only by faith that we know God for who He truly is. By faith, we trust Jesus is the great high priest who has opened the way for us to draw near to God. Faith assures us of God’s favour when we come to Him through Jesus. Be encouraged to seek God, who will surely reward us with life, love, peace, joy, and hope in Christ. God is pleased when we draw near to Him by faith.
Faith trusts and obeys (Heb 11:7-22)
We are saved by faith alone, not works. But saving faith works it produces the fruit of obedience. Faith is active, not passive. If we trust God, we will also obey Him.
The next set of examples focuses on Noah and the founders of Old Testament Israel: Abraham and Sarah, and their descendants, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Faith is the one thing they have in common. Because they trusted in God’s promises, they obeyed God’s commands. We are saved by faith alone, not works. But saving faith works—it produces the fruit of obedience. Faith is active, not passive. If we trust God, we will also obey Him.
Faith leads us to obey God, even when it doesn’t make worldly sense. The obedience of faith is counter-cultural, it doesn’t value what the world values. Noah believed God’s warning of a coming flood, while that event was still unseen. So, Noah obeyed God and built an ark on dry land, even though this must have looked silly and absurd to the world. But God declared Noah righteous by faith. Noah’s obedient faith saved his household. Faith understands that what ultimately matters is God’s approval, not the world’s acceptance. Are we trying to please God or man? The cross of Christ is folly to the world, but if we repent and believe in Jesus, we shall be saved.
When God called Abraham to go to the promised land, he trusted and obeyed. He left the familiar comforts of home, although he didn’t know where God was leading him. But Abraham went because he believed God’s promises. And he kept on believing, though he did not possess the land in his lifetime. His descendants, Isaac and Jacob, also lived in tents as strangers and exiles without a permanent home. But faith trusts and obeys, even if it doesn’t make worldly sense. Trust in the LORD. Do not lean on our own understanding. Living by faith means breaking off a relationship with a non-Christian and trusting God with your desire for marriage. Living by faith means turning down a job or promotion if it hinders us from loving our spouse and children. Living by faith means forsaking our comfort and convenience to welcome and care for a stranger.
By faith, Abraham’s wife Sarah believed God would enable her to conceive the promised son, although she was long-past the child-bearing age. In terms of having children, Abraham’s 100-year-old body was also “as good as dead” (Heb 11:12). But what is impossible with man is possible with God. He can give life to the dead and raise up countless offspring for a barren couple.
By faith, Abraham obeyed God’s command to sacrifice his son, Isaac, although it made no sense. If God’s plan is to be fulfilled through Isaac, then how will God keep his promises if Isaac is dead? But Abraham believed God would keep his word, even if it meant raising his son from the dead. God indeed provided a sacrificial substitute to take Isaac’s place. Abraham received his son back from the dead, figuratively speaking. Isaac foreshadows the offering of a greater Son. God did not spare His own beloved Son. Jesus died as a sacrificial substitute for sinners like us. God kept His promises by raising Jesus from the dead.
Abraham’s descendants—Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph—lived by faith. Notice how Hebrews focuses on what they said on their deathbed. Although they died without seeing God’s promises fulfilled, they continued to trust and obey God. This is finishing well—not that our earthly lives are comfortable and successful, but that we continue to have faith in God regardless of our circumstances. We believe God’s promises in death. We pass away but the testimony of our faithin God echoes through the generations.
These Old Testament believers remind us that this passing world is not our home. They did not live for worldly gain. They were looking forward to a heavenly city, “whose designer and builder is God” (Heb 11:10). Therefore, although the promises remained unfulfilled in their lifetimes, they did not go back to the world. “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city” (Heb 11:16).
Beloved, do not lose heart when we face disappointment and discouragements. When we are tempted to drift away or give up, remember that our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus. He will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body. Because Jesus is better, we are headed for a better country, a heavenly one. In the world we will have trouble. But take heart; Jesus has overcome the world. Press on in Christ. We are bound for the promised land, where sin, sickness, sorrow, and death will be no more. God has promised to prepare an eternal city for us. He is not ashamed to be our God if we are not ashamed to be His people.
Faith says “no” to sin (Heb 11:23-27)
Moses was raised by Pharaoh’s daughter and grew up in luxury. Worldly treasures and pleasures were his. Moses could have stayed on to satisfy his fleshly desires. But he chose to suffer with God’s people, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. But why choose suffering over sin, pain over pleasure? By faith, Moses decided to follow God. Faith says “no” to sin, because faith sees through sin’s lies and empty promises. By faith, we see that sin’s pleasures will not last. Sin ultimately brings shame and sorrow. It is like the adulterer who indulges in a night of sensuality, only to awake the next morning to a lifetime of pain. Faith understands that the wages of sin is death.
“The root power of sin is severed by the power of a superior pleasure — a more compelling joy.” (John Piper)
More than that, faith trusts that the joy of following Jesus is far better than anything sin can ever offer. Moses “considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward” (Heb 11:26). Faith seeks for true reward. By faith, Moses saw suffering with Jesus as better than the pleasures of sin. By faith, Moses looked forward to the eternal reward that only Christ can give. When we are tempted to sin, preach the gospel to ourselves. Tell ourselves and one another that Jesus is better. Remind one another of the reward Jesus promises to all who follow Him faithfully to the end. John Piper said, “The root power of sin is severed by the power of a superior pleasure — a more compelling joy.”
Faith says “no” to sin; it also stands firm in the face sinful opposition. By faith, Moses’ parents protected him and were not afraid of Pharaoh. By faith, Moses led Israel out of Egypt. He endured by looking to God with the eyes of faith and “seeing him who is invisible” (Heb 11:27b). How might we struggle with the fear of man? Maybe we don’t share the gospel with others because we worry about what they might think of us. Trust God to make us bold for the gospel. Faith in God drives out the fear of man.
Faith looks to the God who saves (Heb 11:28-31)
Believing God’s word, Moses had faith that the blood of the Passover lamb would rescue the Israelites from God’s judgment. The Israelites trusted God to provide a way of escape by opening up a path through the Red Sea. Because Joshua believed God would give Israel victory over Jericho, he followed the strange battle plan of walking around the city for seven days. Rahab hid the Israelite spies because she trusted God was on Israel’s side. That a pagan prostitute can be saved shows the limitless reach of God’s grace. Friend, regardless of who you are, where you come from, or what you’ve done, God’s grace is greater than your sin. Faith looks to the God who saves.
Faith believes that God saves through surprising, unexpected ways. His ways are higher than ours. We may not always understand how God works, but we can trust Him to work all things for our good and His glory. Jesus did not come to establish a worldly kingdom through worldly might. Instead, he saves through His surprising, servant-hearted sacrifice. He is the humble and lowly Lamb of God who was crucified to take away the sin of the world. He defeated death by dying and rising from the dead.
In Christ, we have a great salvation. Therefore, let’s step out of our comfort zones by faith. Be bold and take godly risks for the gospel. Speak of Jesus to a family member, friend, colleague, neighbour, or stranger. Do inconvenient, uncomfortable, and difficult things for the glory of Christ.
Faith conquers through weakness and suffering (Heb 11:32-38)
As the author wraps up his list of examples, he mentions several judges (Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, Samuel) and king David. These men of faith were not without their faults: Gideon struggled to trust God. Barak was fearful. Samson was impulsive and immoral. Jephthah made a rash and foolish vow. David committed adultery and murder. Samuel was careless in appointing his ungodly sons to be judges. They were not sinless, but they trusted in the God who justifies the ungodly by His grace. Like them, we are also weak and flawed. This is why it is by faith, not works.
Do not put the examples of Hebrews 11 on a pedestal. Our faith is not in great people but in the great God. They were “made strong out of weakness” (Heb 11:34). Believers like Daniel stopped the mouths of lions. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego quenched the power of fire. Elijah and Elisha raised the dead. Jeremiah was imprisoned. Zechariah was stoned. Isaiah was said to have been sawn in two. They were destitute, despised, and forsaken. The world’s history books make no mention of them, but their names are forever written in God’s book of life. The world saw them as worthless, but the world was not worthy of them. These men and women of faith accomplished great things by trusting in the great God. Just as Jesus conquered through the cross, so faith conquers through weakness and suffering.
So take heart, beloved. God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. Suffering is not the last word. Our trials will end. “This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” (2 Cor. 4:17) In Christ, we shall “rise again to a better life” (Heb 11:35b). We have a better hope of a better resurrection.
Faith waits for God’s promises (Heb 11:39-40)
Finally, these Old Testament believers show us that faith waits patiently for God to fulfil His promises. God is faithful to keep His word. As it says in Habakkuk 2:3: “still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” The Old Testament believers persevered in faith, although they “did not receive what was promised” (Heb 11:39) in their lifetime.
But God has “provided something better for us” (Heb 11:40a). God has spoken to us by His Son. Jesus fulfils God’s promises. Under the old covenant, the animal sacrifices could not cleanse from sin and guilt. But now that Christ has come, we are made perfect through His death and resurrection. If God has already kept His promise to send His Son, then surely we can trust Him to glorify us when Jesus returns.
We wait for the fullness of what God has promised. … While we live in the gap between promise and fulfilment, we live by faith until faith turns to sight. … Our faith is not wishful thinking; it is certain.
Like these Old Testament believers, we wait for the fullness of what God has promised. Now is not our best life. Praise God that we look forward to something far better. As Romans 8:18 writes, “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” While we live in the gap between promise and fulfilment, we live by faith until faith turns to sight. Beloved, don’t give up. Our faith is not wishful thinking; it is certain. So, wait patiently for God’s promises. Jesus shall return.