FAITH BELIEVES
Hebrews 11:5-6
Introduction
One morning this week, I had an unusual experience. I woke up laughing. I literally
woke myself up laughing. Later in the week I was visiting with a lawyer friend of
mine and told him about it. He asked me a great question: “How do you do that?”
“How do you wake up laughing?”
This series of sermons on Faith is my answer. It is a series of lessons I’ve learned
and am learning about faith. Faith is not a noun. Faith is an action verb. In this
series on the ABC’s of faith we are taking each letter of the alphabet and finding an
action verb to describe faith. Last week we began with the definition of faith in
Hebrews 11:1. Using the letter “s” we discovered that faith sees. Faith sees beyond
the surface, beyond the circumstances and beyond the grave. Then last Sunday
night, using the letter “a” and John 15, we learned that faith abides. Faith abides in
Christ. Faith abides in the Word. Faith abides in obedience and love. Faith abides
in joy.
This morning I want you to turn to Hebrews 11 again. We are going use the letter
“b” as we look at verses 5 and 6. Faith Believes.
Hebrews 11:5-6 (5) By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not
experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For
before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. (6) And without
faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must
believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (NIV)
(6) Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must
believe that he is [exists] and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek
Him.(NASB)
What does it take to please God? What does it take to be acceptable to God? How
do we approach God? How do you live in a way that pleases and is acceptable to
God?
He who comes to God, must believe two things.
To approach God you must believe two things.
1. Faith Believes God Exists.
Explanation
That’s basic. What does it mean when it says you must believe God exists?
Greek = God is.
Greek philosophers sought to explain the ultimate reality. God is. The Great “I AM.”
God is the ultimate reality in your life.
Poll - Most people claim to believe in God, but they really don’t.
Why? Because they believe the newspaper. Open any newspaper and you won’t
read about how a person was healed of cancer. You won’t read about how a church
was healed after a split. You won’t read about how God changed a man who was
an alcoholic and an abuser. No, you’ll learn how people died in terrible ways. You’ll
learn about the corruption of politicians. You’ll learn of death from earthquakes,
floods, and every other kind of disaster.
Why? Because ultimately the people who are responsible for reporting the news do
not believe God exists. For them the ultimate reality is not that God is, but that bad
things happen in this world. It’s a view of the world that presupposes God is not
alive and active in this world.
Don’t let the harsh realities of life cause you to treat God like the Enquirer.
As a result we have been put on the defensive. Instead of trying to prove God
exists, we should demand that the world prove He doesn’t exist.
We believe in atoms and genes. Everyone who has seen an atom or a gene raise
your hand.
“He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me
along life’s narrow way. He Lives! He Lives! Salvation to impart. You ask me how
I know he lives. He lives within my heart.”
When you believe God exists, you can believe in the impossible. And I want you to
know that it will make you laugh.
Illustration
It’s the kind of faith Abraham had. Abraham is known as the father of faith for good
reason. At the age of 75, God promised Abraham that his descendants would be
as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on earth. Abraham
believed the impossible. For that reason, in Genesis 15:6 it says that Abraham
believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Abraham’s belief trusted
that God could do the impossible - take a man as old as he and give him a son.
What is amazing about Abraham is the strength of his belief. Do you know how long
Abraham believed God before his son was born? 25 years. He had the kind of faith
that makes you laugh. Abraham was 100 years old when his son was finally born.
He named him Isaac, which means he laughs.
Church split - staff from Pensacola, Forth Worth, Texas, and the law.
Appliction
Do you live in a way that demonstrates you believe God exists? When you believe
that God exists, you can face life and all of its challenges.
Transition
Believing God exists is not enough. James 1:19 You believe that there is one God.
Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.
2. Faith Believes God Rewards.
Explanation
To please God, you must have the kind of faith that believes God rewards those
who earnestly or diligently seek Him.
Greek - The preposition implies that you “find” or that you exhaust yourself seeking.
Literally, God becomes a rewarder.
Illustration
Abraham - the Reward is Him. Genesis 15:1 “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your
shield, your very great reward.”
I have a confession to make. There was a time when I used to go to sleep dreaming
that I won the lottery or the Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes. I dreamed
about it because I thought that would make my life so easy. I even dreamed that if
I won the jackpot, I would go back into the ministry because my worries would be
over. I don’t dream about that anymore. I went back into the ministry and found that
I had won the jackpot. Doing what God wants you to do, being where God wants
you to be, and having a living growing relationship with Him is absolutely the
greatest reward you can ever experience.
I also used to be skeptical of those who said they talked to God or that He talked
to them. I used to be skeptical of those who saw the world in too positive a light. I
don’t do that anymore either, because now I understand them. It’s not something
spooky or other-worldly, it is the most natural and blessed thing in the world.
That’s why I am not afraid to be Jesus Freak. I truly want every one of you to learn
what I have learned - that God Himself is the greatest reward.
If I were a game show host and knew that behind door No. 1 was a billion of dollar
and that behind door No. 2 was a personal, living relationship with God, I would tell
you to chose door No. 2. And give you the more valuable of the two. I would
introduce you to Him. And the amazing thing is that if you received Him, you would
agree with all your heart that you got the better prize.
Appliction
The greatest reward you can ever receive from this life is Him. You have to believe
that regardless of what’s going on in your life - no matter how much pain, struggle,
or prosperity - the greatest thing you will ever receive is the reward of knowing God.
Generation of Israelites died in the wilderness because they didn’t believe God was
a rewarder. In Exodus 33:1-3, God promised to give them the land and send an
angel before them to drive out the inhabitants. That generation didn’t believe the
promise so they didn’t receive the Promised Land and died after wandering in the
wilderness for forty years.
Friends, the promised land is not a place. It’s a position. It’s not a location. It’s a
lifestyle. It does not exist in this world. It’s a world view. Don’t die in the wilderness.
Invitation
Enoch did not experience death. Death is not extinction. It’s separation. For those
who believe death is separation from this world and presence with God.
