Hebrews #28: an exposition of Hebrews 11:5-6. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, November 2, 2014.
Intro:
He is a mysterious figure in the Old Testament. We only know him through a genealogy. There is no narrative. No heroic story. No rousing sermon or political movement. Just the passing word that he “walked” with God. Oh, and that he didn’t die God just “took” him. “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). It’s stated just that way. Very matter of fact. In the list of these folks who lived and begat – “he walked with God and was not because God took him.” That’s it? What did he do? What did he say? Surely there was something extraordinary about this man. Everyone else’s story in the passage ends the same, “…and he died.” Enoch was “taken.” Was he just walking along and poof, he was gone? Was it a whirlwind, a chariot of fire like Elijah? We don’t know. The only other thing we know about him is found in our text in Hebrews chapter 11.
Text: Hebrews 11:5-6
Hebrews 11 records for us a catalog of the faithful.
These are folks who were living examples of the kind of faith described in 11:1-3.
The kind of faith that enables one to “joyful accept the plundering of their property because they knew they had a better possession.”
These struggling believers in Rome needed some encouragement. A key component to that encouragement is the example of those who have gone before. Those who have experienced hardship and intense struggle yet lived to tell about it. They had their world rocked and yet they knew the peace and comfort of God’s abiding presence. These Hebrew believers needed to know that others had survived and that they could too!
Don’t lose sight of the context.
It is stated for us in 10:35-36:
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
This is a call to faith, a call to believe.
As we work through our text we discover…
Thesis: We are called to a life of faith and our faith is to be radically God-centered.
There are two things I want us to note.
- The life of faith is well pleasing to God. (11:5)
- The faith that is well pleasing to God is focused exclusively on Him. (11:6)
There are 2 parts to this faith.
- Those who draw near to God must believe that He exists.
- Those who draw near must believe that God rewards those who seek Him.
Conclusion:
- God is pleased when we affirm and delight in the fact He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.
- Faith is focused on His existence, His nature, His person.
Biblical faith is dependent on what God is like – not on what our faith is like. - We are called to a life of faith and our faith is to be radically God-centered.