Hebrews 11:4

I.  By faith we offer authentic worship.

-Gen. 4:1-7

-"in the course of time" = "at the end of days"

-Rom. 10:17

-Jude 11

 

  II.  By faith we obtain authentic righteousness.

-obtained the testimony = matureo = bear witness; aorist passive indicative

-God testifying = matureo = present active participle

-Gen. 4:6

 

 III.  By faith we produce an authentic witness.

-James Moffatt "Death is never the last word in the life of a righteous man. When a man leaves this world, be he righteous or unrighteous, he leaves something in the world. He may leave something that will grow and spread like a cancer or a poison, or he may leave something like the fragrance of perfume or a blossom of beauty that permeates the atmosphere with blessing."

-speaks = laleo = to say, to speak; present active indicative

-MacArthur "Man comes to God by faith, not by works, man must accept and obey God's revelation above his own reason and self-will; and sin is severely punished."

Hebrews 11:1-3

What faith is not.

1.  Faith is not equal to a creed.

2. Faith is not wishful thinking.

3. Faith is not a blind leap.

4. Faith is not a sincere devotion to something.

 

  I.  Faith confirms God's unseen promises.

-faith = pistis = faith, trust, belief, conviction

   a.  It is the assurance of things hoped for.

-assurance = hupostasis = essence, reality, substance, foundation, confident assurance, guarantee, attestation

   b.  It is the conviction of what is not seen.

-conviction = elenchos = evidence, proof, verification, certainty

-MacArthur "Faith, then, provides the firm ground on which we stand, waiting for the fulfillment of God's promise. Far from being nebulous and uncertain, faith is the most solid possible conviction. Faith is the present essence of a future reality."

-Kent Hughes "It is a solid conviction resting on God's words that makes the future present and the invisible seen."

 

 II.  Faith motivates trusting obedience.

   a.  By faith the people of old received God's approval.

-gained approval = martureo = bear witness; passive verb

   b.  By faith we know God created by His Word.

-understand = noeo = to understand, perceive, discern

-worlds = aion = age

-word = rhema = that which is spoken

-Guthrie "Faith is confidence that results in action carried out in a variety of situations by ordinary people in response to the unseen God and his promises, with various earthly outcomes but always the ultimate outcome of God's commendation and reward."

Hebrews 10:32-39

I.  Remember how you endured in the past.

   a.  They had endured great suffering and public scorn.

-endured = hupomeno = patiently bear, patiently and hopefully endure

-conflict = athlesis = fighting, conflict, contest, struggle

-public spectacle = theatrizo = bring upon the stage, hold up to derision

-thlipsis = pressure, trouble, affliction

   b.  They had shared with those who also suffered.

   c.  They had joyfully accepted the confiscation of their possessions.

-lasting = meno = remain, abide

-Luke 6:22

-Bruce "The inheritance laid up for them was so real in their eyes that they could lightheartedly bid farewell to material possessions, which were short-lived in any case."

 

  II.  Continue to persevere to the end.

   a.  Continued endurance will receive God's promised reward

-Hughes "Perseverance does not earn salvation, but rather is prime facie evidence of saving grace."

-Matt. 24:13

   b.  Don't shrink back, persevere faith.

-Hab 2:3-4

-shrink back = hupostello = draw back, withdraw oneself

 

Why remember?

1. To be challenged by past endurance.

2. To be reminded of God's faithfulness and power to sustain.

Hebrews 10:26-31

I.  Those who turn away from Christ face terrifying judgment.

    a.  They know the truth.

-knowledge = epignosis = full knowledge, recognition, understanding

    b.  They continue in willful sin rejecting the truth.

-willfully = hekousios = deliberately, willfully, deliberate intention

-go on sinning = harmartano = to sin; present act participle

-Numbers 15:30-31

 

  II.  Those who turn away from Christ deserve more severe punishment.

    a.  Those under the Old Covenant were judged for rejecting the Law.

-set aside = atheteo = place aside, reject, annul

    b.  Those who turn away from Christ have rejected the Son of God.

      i.  They trample Christ under their feet.

-trample = katapateo = to trample, stomp upon

     ii.  They consider the blood of Christ as unclean.

-unclean = koinos = impure, common, defiled

    iii.  They insult the Holy Spirit by their rejection.

-insult = enhubrizo = treat with contempt, arrogantly insult

 

  III.  God brings His vengeance upon those turn away from Christ. 

-Deut. 32:39

-Leon Morris "David chose to fall into God's hands. But David was a man of faith; he committed himself in trust to God, not man. It is different with one who has rejected God's way. He must reckon with the fact that he will one day fall into the hands of a living, all powerful deity. Such a fate is a daunting prospect, not to be regarded with equa