BETWEEN THE BEGINNING AND THE GOAL

Heb. 11

Heb. 11:1-5(Amp.) – Faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality – faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.

• Conviction is the undergirding support of confidence towards things expected, the conviction with evidence of deeds not seen.

Newton’s Law of Motion states that:

1) “an object at rest remains at rest while an object in motion remains in motion at constant speed and in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force.”

2) The acceleration of an object depends on the mass of the object and the amount of force applied.

3) For every action there is a reaction.

• How can these statement be applied to faith and works?

• With every push-back we encounter from circumstances around us on what God has spoken to us through His Word, we respond with standing in faith, speaking the word of truth, and hold on to expectant hope that God will do what we cannot do for ourselves!

Hebrews 11:13, 23-29, 36-40 – These verses specifically state that

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth – and chose to suffer affliction rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.

1) These ‘sufferings’ are given in the last of these verses: derision, beatings, restrictive bonds, imprisonments, being put to death, tempted, homeless, afflicted, tormented – for nothing more than their faith towards God in Christ Jesus.

2) What were the ‘in between’ choices of these Biblical peoples:

• Israel after entering the Promised Land – Deut. 6:10-12 – Promise: God shall bring you into the land of Promise and give you great and good cities which you didn’t build and houses full of good things, wells already dug, vineyard and olive trees already planted. Beware! Do not forget the Lord who does all this for you.

o Joshua 18:3(NET) – Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long do you intend to put off occupying the land the Lord God has given you?”

o Throughout their Wilderness wanderings their first response was often complaint; in this new land their first response was to stay in their comfortable tents! They chose the familiar rather than the new and different.

• Jesus’ Disciples after seeing Jesus feed the multitude – Mk. 6:43, 45, 47-52 – took up 12 baskets full of fragments and fish; Jesus sent His disciples to the boat to sail to Bethany while He sent the multitude away so He could pray. As evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea with a strong wind against them. Jesus saw them straining at rowing and walked to them on the sea. They saw Him walking on the sea and supposed it was a ghost and cried out and were troubled! Immediately Jesus talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

o Saw a spirit and relied on folk-lore for what it was, lacking discernment. FOLK LORE: Seeing a spirit while at sea means death is coming for you.

o Jesus identifies their hearts’ stance: “they were greatly amazed beyond measure and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.”

o Experiencing miracles does not necessarily open our understanding to comprehend the power of what we just experienced.

• The Disciples after an encounter with the Pharisees – Mk. 8:14-21, v.17 (READ)

o V. 15 - Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.

o V. 17-18 - Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not heart? And do you not remember? (the feeding of the multitude and its end result of leftovers.)

3) CHOICE: Learn from our failures & Focus on the Promise

• There were plenty inscripture who failed the ‘test’ of the in between:

• Israel after deliverance from Egypt and entering the Promised Land – Deut. 8:2-5 – wilderness shows us what is in the heart that we are unaware of;

o Ex. 15:22-25 – found no water, …and they complained against Moses;

o Ex. 16:1-3 – next location (Wilderness of Sin) complained …For you [Moses] have brought us out to die of hunger!

o They made it through three days’ time before resorting to complaint instead of confessing their faith in God; with every new circumstance they found reasons to complain.

• Abraham produced Ishmael; Elijah gave in to fear and depression and wanted to die. – I Kings 19

• Consider Enoch’s and Abel’s examples:

 Heb. 11:4-5 – By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous. God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

 Israel entered the Promised Land; Abraham birthed Isaac; Elijah trained up Elisha;

 Disciples turned the world upside down with the Good News

What is your heart stance currently? Which of these examples do you relate to now? What ‘test’ of your heart is revealing what is harbored there that the Lord wants to free you from so you can walk in faith?

I John 3:3 – And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself even as He is pure.

This is evidenced when we practice righteousness and love [our] brother (I Jn. 3:10)