1. Hebrews 11 H
Rebecca Brown

3. Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) 11 1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

5. Faith is not a power which you possess to create your own future
Faith is not a power which you possess to create your own future. Faith is a God-given ability to trust the future that God has promised in the Scripture because He loves us perfectly and has ordained for us a future that is purposeful, fulfilling, satisfying, God-glorifying, and eternally blessed..

7. How is the writer of Hebrews going to penetrate this Old Testament thinking?

8. In chapter 11, he decides to provide examples of Jewish heroes of old, whose lives were marked by faith, not just works. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. (NLT) verse 4, “By faith, Abel...” verse 5, “By faith, Enoch..” verse 7, “By faith, Noah...” verse 8 & 17, “By faith Abraham.” verse 20, “By faith, Isaac.” verse 21, “By faith, Jacob.” verse 22, “By faith, Joseph...” verse 23 & 24, “By faith, Moses.” verse 31, “By faith, Rahab.” verse 32, “There's Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets, who by faith did all these amazing things.”

9. His whole point was to let the Jewish people know that salvation by faith was not something new, it was something very old. In fact, it went all the way back to Abel. Hebrews 11:4 4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

10. Abel was the first man who came to God by faith.

11. Why were Adam and Eve not listed as people who walked by faith?

12. There are three things in this verse that identify Abel as being a man of faith. 4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith. Because he believed, he offered a better sacrifice. Because he offered a better sacrifice, God declared him righteous. Because God declared him righteous, he then becomes a model of faith to all who know his testimony. Let’s look at his story.

13. Genesis 4:2b-5 2b When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. 3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift.

18. Now we meet our second Old Testament hero of faith
Now we meet our second Old Testament hero of faith. Hebrews 11:5-6 5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.

19. Abel tells us how you enter the life of faith, Enoch tells us how you live the life of faith, or how you walk by faith. Genesis 5 5 Adam lived 930 years, and then he died…8 Seth lived 912 years, and then he died…11 Enosh lived 905 years, and then he died… 14 Kenan lived 910 years, and then he died… 17 Mahalalel lived 895 years, and then he died…20 Jared lived 962 years, and then he died…21 When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. 23 Enoch lived 365 years, 24 walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.

20. What would your testimony be like if you were left on earth for three hundred years? What record of sin would you accumulate? Could you survive the corruption of this society and live a godly life, and could it be said at the end of your three hundred years that you walked faithfully with God to such a degree that He literally took you to heaven and you skipped death?

21. What does it mean to please God, or walk with God?

22. Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him
Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” The only way to please God (walk with God) is by faith. Let’s look at the three things in these verses that explain how Enoch walked with God.

23. 5bHe was known as a person who pleased God
5bHe was known as a person who pleased God. 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith.

24. 6bAnyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists
6bAnyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists. This is where faith begins--believing God is who He says He is. So Enoch believed what God had revealed to be true about Himself. Enoch knew God as the Creator. 3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

28. The Bible states, we “know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them…Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Romans 1:19-20 Even though you can't prove God from science there certainly are some things that would indicate from science that God exists.

32. Second thing, Enoch pleased God by seeking God's reward
Second thing, Enoch pleased God by seeking God's reward. 6bAnyone who wants to come to Him must believe…that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.

33. The Psalmist said in Psalm 58:11, "Verily, there is a reward for the righteous." In Proverbs 11:18 it says, "To him that seeketh righteousness shall be a sure reward."

34. Then there's another thing that Enoch did that pleased God and it's not in Genesis, or Hebrews. It's tucked away in Jude 1: He preached for God. 14 Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people (false teachers). He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones 15 to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Just a little tidbit: "And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and he begot Methuselah.“ What's the significance of Methuselah? His name means - when he is dead, it shall be sent - It was as though God said to Enoch, - You see that baby, Enoch, that baby you just had? The world will last as long as he lives. So Enoch pleased God by believing, by seeking, by walking and by preaching, all by faith.

36. You've got to worship before you can walk, and you've got to walk work.

37. Hebrews 11:7 7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith. (NLT)

39. The second thing that illustrates Noah’s faith: Hebrews 11:7 “By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world.” Genesis 6:8 says, “Noah found favor, or grace, in the eyes of the Lord. He was a righteous man, blameless in his time, Noah walked with God.”

41. Some of us run out of patience with God in a week, when our prayers aren’t answered. Noah waited on God one hundred and twenty years. Noah, “received the righteousness that comes by faith.” (NLT)

44. The Substance of Faith – John Macarthur Abel: A Primitive Faith – John Macarthur Enoch: The Walk of Faith – John Macarthur Noah: A Preacher of Faith – John Macarthur BY FAITH -- Stephen Smarowsky Excited Anticipation -- Jeff Strite