Noah: Persevering Faith

Hebrews #29: an exposition of Hebrews 11:7. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, November 9, 2014.

Intro:
There has been a lot of talk in recent years about role models.  We are asking, “Who are our role models?”  “Is it right to expect those who live public lives to live lives worth imitating?”  Few seem to live the kind of lives that inspire confidence and esteem.  There is a famine of heroes.  Values are warped and perverted.  Comic book heroes once fought for truth, justice and the American way.  Good always triumphed over evil.  Now, it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other.  Good is not so good and evil is not all that bad, it depends on how you look at.

Then we have to add to the mixture the fact that some question the validity of even having heroes.  “You shouldn’t put that kind of pressure on anyone.  No one can live up to other people’s expectations and it is wrong to demand that.”  “I’ll live my life – you live yours and leave me alone” seems to be the attitude of most these days.  Well meaning Christians warn us of the danger of putting “confidence” in any person.  We are warned of the danger of putting anyone on a pedestal.  I know that we don’t put our trust in any man.  Our faith is in Christ alone.  But we also need godly examples.  Paul didn’t hesitate to say, “Be imitators of me as I am an imitator of Christ.”  If you’re looking for a hero the Scriptures are full of them.  One of the great things about the heroes found in the Scripture is that they are flawed like us!  Men and women of flesh and bone.  Frail children of dust who struggle as we do yet are shinning examples of what God can do in and through those who yield to His sovereign will.

This morning as we continue our study of the 11th chapter of Hebrews.  We are going to look at one of those flawed heroes.  His name is Noah and his story is told in Genesis chapters six through nine.  Our text is found in Hebrews 11:7.

Text: Hebrews 11:7

We must not forget the context of Hebrews 11.
Their world had been rocked.
Many have turned from the faith others were considering do so.
The biblical writer pleads with them to continue in the faith.
The immediate context is a call to faith.

The kind of faith that enables you to joyfully accept the plundering of your property (10:34).
The kind of faith described in 11:1-2.
“The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

What follows in chapter 11 is a catalogue of the faithful.  These are folks who lived lives of faith.    Who in the midst of great struggle and heartache knew the peace of the Lord’s abiding presence and His great comfort.

We will start reading in verse 1 of chapter 11 but our focus will be on verse 7.

As we work our way through this text we discover that…

Thesis: Genuine, saving faith produces a life of faithful obedience and ensures a glorious inheritance.

Too often we think of saving fact as a single act.  We think that at some point in time you become convinced and convicted of the truth of the Gospel and you, in faith, believe on the Lord Jesus.  You give yourself to Christ – you trust in Christ and him alone for salvation.  But then every subsequent act of obedience or faith is an “add on.”  Rightly understood saving faith receives Jesus in order to go on trusting Him!  Saving faith is a life of faith.  Listen to Hebrews 10:39: But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.  Saving faith believes and keeps on believing.  That belief is demonstrated by obedience.  We are saved by faith alone but it not a faith that is alone.  That faith is accompanied by action.  What does saving faith look like?  That’s what Hebrews 11 is all about.

Noah is for us an example of persevering faith.

There are 4 things I want to point out from our text and his life.

  1. Genuine, saving faith inspires a confident assurance.
  2. Genuine, saving faith produces steadfast obedience.
  3. Genuine, saving faith enables a dynamic witness.
  4. Genuine, saving faith results in a glorious inheritance.
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