Hebrews 11:29-40

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Further Heroes of Faith Presented as Models

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. Believers should follow the faith of the children of Israel.

  2. Believers should follow the faith of Rahab.

  3. Believers should follow the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthath.

  4. Believers should follow the faith of David and Samuel and the prophets.

  5. Believers should follow the faith of the unnamed heroes of Hebrews chapter 11

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Would you have been selected for Hebrews chapter 11?

QUESTIONS

  1. Faith does not say, “Seeing is believing”. What does faith say?

  2. What does the eye of faith see?

  3. How do we know that there is really substance to the things hoped for?

  4. On what did the heroes of Hebrews 11 base their faith?

  5. Rahab concealed the Jewish spies from those seeking their lives. Was Rahab’s lie condoned in the Bible? For what was she commended?

ANSWERS

  1. Faith says, “Believing is seeing”. Faith sees the promises of God as realities.

  2. The eye of faith sees what the heart of faith believes. It sees the realities of what God has revealed, not to the natural eye, but the spiritual eye.

  3. Because God said it. Saving faith and living by faith consists of believing what God has said and revealed, then acting on it.

  4. They believed not only that God exists, but also they believed what He had revealed to them through His word. They based their lives and destinies on this.

  5. Rahab’s lie is not condoned anywhere in scripture. Rather, Rahab is commended for her act of hiding the Jewish spies which was evidence of her faith.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Read Exodus 14 and Hebrews 11:29-30. The children of Israel were not giants of faith, and their unbelief kept them from receiving many blessings, including being kept out of the land of Canaan. But there were times when their faith was evident, and God honored this faith. Are there times when your faith fails? Remember what God remembered about the faith of the children of Israel. God will honor your faith when you trust Him.

  2. Read Joshua Rahab had heard about the deeds of God, and knew that the inhabitants of the land were fainthearted because of this news. See especially Joshua 2:9-1 She believed the promises of God through the spies – that she and her family would be spared. She believed the details, like binding the red cord in the window. What details has God revealed to you about your future? Do you believe Him? Do you follow through on His great plan and on the details of that plan?

  3. Read Hebrews 11:32a. Look at the lives of these judges as compared to some of the “outstanding” judges who seemed to have shown more faith than Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthath. Does this encourage you? Although they were weak in their faith at times, God honored their genuine faith. Our merciful, faithful, and gracious God will honor genuine faith. However, consider ways to strengthen your faith.

CHALLENGE

  1. Would you have been selected for Hebrews Chapter 11? What events in your life would stand as evidence of your faith?

KEY VERSES

  • “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” Hebrews 11:39-40



Hebrews, New Testament, TalksDeb HarmsHebrews 11:29-40