May 19
- 20, 2007 HEROES! Hebrews
11: 32 - 40, Selected
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN +!
(Senior Pastor Roger Storms)
• Saw the Evidence of God and were satisfied!
• Observed God-Acts in their lives and in the lives of others and determined that God is real and interactive!
• They stepped across the line…Simple Trusting Faith!
*** Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” [NIV]
Common Denominator in All These Faith Heroes:
Simple Trusting Faith that was Demonstrated in Action!
*** Heb. 11:32a “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about….” [New International Version]
*** Hebrews 11:32-35a “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, [33] who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, [34] quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. [35] Women received back their dead, raised to life again.” [NIV]
Gideon – Judges 6-9
Barak – Judges 4
Sampson – Judges 13-16
Jephthah – Judges 11-12
David – 1 Samuel 16 – 2 Samuel
Samuel – 1 Samuel 1-25
The Prophets!
*** Hebrews 11:31-35a “…through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, [34] quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. [35] Women received back their dead, raised to life again.” [NIV]
*** Hebrews 11:35b-39 “Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. [36] Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. [37] They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- [38] the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.” [NIV]
Sometimes God’s blessings are in the Here-and-Now!
Sometimes God’s blessings are in the Here-and-After!
“The common feature of the faith that escapes suffering and the faith that endures suffering is this, both of them involve believing that God Himself is better than what life can give you now, and better than what death can take from you later. When you have it all, faith says that God is better, and when you lose it all, faith says God is better!” -- John Piper
*** Hebrews 11:38 “…the world was not worthy of them.” [NIV]
*** Hebrews 11:39 “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” [NIV]
*** Hebrews 11:39-40 “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. [40] God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” [NIV]
YOU AND I ARE WRITING THE FINAL CHAPTERS OF THE FAITH-HEROES STORY!
“Let
us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a
harvest of blessing if we don't get discouraged and if we don’t give up.”
-- Galatians 6:9
[Living Bible]