2007 Book of Hebrews Series –
“Faith (4 of 4): Moses, etc.”
Hebrews 11:32-40
Sermon preached at Curwensville Presbyterian Church – August 26, 2007
Prayer Introduction: This morning we finish up a 4-part look at Hebrews chapter 11 – the Hall of Faith. If you’ve missed the other three sermons, here they are: We looked at Abel who, by faith, worshiped the Lord with his heart rather than simply going through the motions, like his brother Cain. We looked at Enoch who showed us that without faith it is impossible to please God. We looked at Noah who listened to God’s Word and, by faith, obeyed. We looked at Abraham who, by faith, understood that God’s promises may not be for us but for our children and our children’s children. We looked at Isaac, Jacob and Joseph whose faith grew as they grew older – and so should ours. We looked at Moses and his parents – realizing that the genuine faith of parents must be lived out so that it can be passed on to our children. We looked at the people of Israel passing through the Red Sea, by faith – after they had seen the miracle – and walking around the city of Jericho, by faith – before they saw the miracle. And we looked at Rahab, a prostitute whom God not only saved – but made a direct descendent of Jesus himself; so we know that God doesn’t save “good people” he saves sinners like us. And there it is the last 3 sermons in 55 seconds.
It reminds me of the pastor who was describing the relationship between fact and faith. He said, “That you are sitting before me in this church – is fact. That I am standing here, speaking from this pulpit – is fact. That I believe anyone is listening to me – is faith!”
This morning we will look at the last 9 verses, which give us some incredible statements of what God has done through those who lived by faith – such that the glory goes to God alone. Let’s pray as we begin…We pray now for the preacher in the pulpit. He is not worthy, but by your grace he is able. And so it is through Jesus Christ that we pray – Amen!
I. Faith is Sure and Certain
Before we read, let’s do a brief re-visit of the definition
of faith as it comes in the first verse of
This past week I read a great quote from John Piper: “Books don't change people; paragraphs do. Sometimes even sentences.” The Lord is present at all times, but there are those wonderful moments when, by faith, we really see the Lord – in a sentence we read in a book, or hear in a sermon, in a Sunday School class, or from a friend – the Lord is present and by faith we respond to His grace with life changing decisions.
The Lord was there when I was in 5th grade and received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. The Lord was there in 7th grade when I chose to save myself for marriage. The Lord was there at key moments in high school when I did not follow the well-paved path of my peers. The Lord was there in my freshman year of college when I read through the 4 Gospels back-to-back-to-back-to-back with deep conviction and passion. The Lord was there in my sophomore year when I accepted that he was calling me into ministry. The Lord was there when Jen and I prayed together for the first time and I knew that we would get married. The Lord was there when two pastors mentored me in the Reformed faith. The Lord was there when we changed our choice of Seminary three months before classes began. And the Lord was there when we accepted the call to serve with you, the Curwensville Presbyterian Church.
The Lord is there in the big moments, but also in the little moments when we face temptation and reject it. The Lord is there in the little moments when we face a difficult situation and look to glorify God instead of satisfying our earthly desires.
As I thought about this, I realized that some of you may misunderstand what I just said as boasting – as though I am saying look at me and my faith. That is ludicrous. I am saying look at the Lord – for without him, I would be lost.
The Apostle Paul quotes the
Prophet Jeremiah who said, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1
Corinthians 1:31; cf.
When I mention the way the Lord has worked, and is working in my life, it is not boasting in myself – it is boasting in the cross of Jesus Christ, which saves me in my weakness. This is also what the author of Hebrews is doing in lifting up the examples of faith. In the Hall of Faith we don’t honor the inductees; we honor the one who inducts us by his grace.
II. The Others (vv.32-38)
And so we come to the last list of names entered into the
Hall of Faith in verse 32 of
These were men of faith – not men who were perfect – but men of faith. And then, in verses 33-38, the author of Hebrews exalts God for what he did through the faith of those who have been listed – as well as others who have not been listed: “who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated – the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.”
There is a whole series of sermons here – they would actually make a great series of Sunday School lessons or family devotions. Rather than trying to unpack the dozen plus references; let’s inhale deeply the flavor of faith as it is presented.
First, through faith God’s power is revealed. By faith God’s servants conquered kingdoms, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of flames, became powerful in battle. It is not the servants who were powerful; it is God who is powerful.
Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).
Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. It is not us who moves the mountains; it is God who moves the mountains – but he is pleased to reveal his power through faith practiced by his people.
What mountains lie before you? What is your weakness? To boast in faith is to boast in our weakness. The Apostle Paul spoke of a thorn in his flesh. We have no idea what it was; but we all have one as well. We all have some ailment – physical, emotional – that brings us pain. Paul pleaded with the Lord to remove it. Instead the Lord said to Paul, “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore [says Paul] I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Know that the Lord will reveal his power in your weakness, either by moving the mountain, or by causing you to stand strong in the sufficiency of His grace as you face the mountain.
Through faith God’s power is revealed and so is his grace. Some escaped the edge of the sword, but many others stood strong in the sufficiency of God’s grace while they were tortured, jeered, flogged, chained, imprisoned, stoned, sawed in two.
I read the faith of the martyrs and I am ashamed to complain about anything I face. My troubles pale in comparison to those faced by so many others. And yet God cares about the trials we face. God is always near, and wants to draw us near to Him so that we can overcome our temptations and endure our trials. A.W. Tozer said, “God needs no one, but when faith is present, he works through anyone.”
It has been said that separating faith and works is like separating the heat and light from a candle. You know both are produced by the candle. You know they are not the same thing. You also know you cannot separate them.
Faith causes us to act differently. By faith, we can overcome our temptations and endure our trials.
III. Faith in Christ (vv.39-40)
This brings us to the last two verses of
The Old Testament saints – Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses (and his parents), the Israelites, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets and the many others who lived by faith – none of them received what had been promised. Now, in verse 33, it says by faith they had gained what was promised – that is to say, some did receive partial fulfillment of God’s promises.
But the fulfillment of the promise – the true hope of the Old Testament saints – was the promise of the coming Messiah.
The Old Testament believers were saved not by works, but by faith – just like we are. We are saved by the same faith from the same grace from the same God.
Old Testament believers put their faith in the promised Messiah who was to come. We put our faith in the Messiah who has now come.
Neither of us has seen Jesus Christ; but our faith is centered on him. And so we see that faith is more than just believing; it is absolute trust.
Charles Spurgeon said it very well – “It will not save me to know that Christ is a Savior; but it will save me to trust him to be my Savior. I shall not be delivered from the wrath to come by believing that his atonement is sufficient; but I shall be saved by making that atonement my trust, my refuge, and my all. The pith, the essence of faith lies in this – a casting oneself on the promise.”
Someone else has described it by saying that you can believe a person can walk across Niagara Falls on a tight rope pushing a wheelbarrow; but true faith is getting in the wheelbarrow – that’s faith.
Do you just believe in God, or have you put your faith in God? Spurgeon said, “Little faith will bring your soul to heaven; great faith will bring heaven to your soul.”
Put all of your trust in Jesus Christ. Know that his sacrifice was sufficient for your salvation. And you shall stand strong in the sufficiency of his grace to overcome temptations and endure trials.
MAY THE TRUTH SET YOU FREE – AMEN!