April 14 - 15, 2007 HEROES! Hebrews 11:8 - 19, Selected

THE MAKING OF HEROES!

(Senior Pastor Roger Storms)

“SIMPLE, TRUSTING FAITH!” - Carl Ketcherside

*** Hebrews 10:32-39 “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. [33] Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. [34] You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. [35] So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. [36] You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. [37] For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. [38] But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." [39] But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” [New International Version]

*** Hebrews 11:1-2 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. [2] For by it the men of old gained approval.” [New American Standard Version]

• Creation! - Hebrews 11:3 “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” [NASV]

• Able! – Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.” [NASV]

• Enoch! – Hebrews 11:5 “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.” [NASV]

*** Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” [NASV]

*** Mark 2:5 “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." [NIV]

*** Matthew 8:5-10, 13 “When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. [6] "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." [7] Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."
[8] The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. [9] For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
[10] When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. [13] Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.” [NIV]

JESUS WAS ASTONISHED BY SIMPLE TRUSTING FAITH!

• You look at the evidence of God’s existence!

• You observe “God-acts” in your own life and the lives of others!

• Then you step across the line with simple trusting faith!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart…!”
Proverbs 3:5a [NIV]