Ridiculous Faith: Faith Seeks and Faith Desires
RECAP
- In Week 1, we learned that Faith Knows and Faith Hopes
- Through Abel we saw that Faith brings us into relationship with God and Faith Worships God as God
- Through Enoch we saw that Faith is walked out day by day
- In verse 6 of Hebrews 11, we see that without Faith it is impossible to please God and that Faith without works is dead, but works without Faith is dead as well
- Through Noah, we saw that Faith works in more ways than one
- Through Abraham we saw that Faith Obeys and Faith Moves
- Through Sarah and Abraham both last week, we saw that Faith Strengthens and that Faith brings forth New Life
Hebrews 11:13-16 (NKJV)
13 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. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they SEEK a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they DESIRE a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
#1 This Life is Temporary, but Life itself is Eternal
Hebrews 11:13 (ESV)
“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth . . .”
Genesis 23:4
“I am a stranger and a sojourner among you; give me a burial site among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
Genesis 47:9
“The years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty”
Psalm 39:12
“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; do not be silent at my tears; for I am a stranger with Thee, a sojourner like all my fathers.”
Philippians 3:20
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 2:11
“Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.”
- The life of Faith is the life of a sojourner.
Hebrews 11:14
For those who say such things declare plainly that they SEEK a homeland.
#2 Faith Seeks
- A sojourner living by faith in God’s promises is “SEEKING” another country.
Matthew 6:33
But seek you First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all these things will be added to you.
Hebrews 11:15
And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
Hebrews 11:16
But now they DESIRE a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
#3 Faith Desires
- Verse 14 says: they were SEEKING a different kind of country than this world offered.
- Verse 16 says: they were DESIRING something better than what earthly existence, as we know it, could offer.
Hebrews 11:16
…Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Exodus 3:6
“I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
- So what are the two reasons God is not ashamed to be called the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?
- The reason at the back end is because He has prepared for them a city – a heavenly city of promise.
- And the reason at the front, is that they Desire that city.