Sermonette: Hebrews 11

One my favorite passages in scripture to read is Hebrews Chapter 11. It’s often referred to as the “faith” chapter and I have generally referred to it as the “hall of faith.” If you take the time to read it you will see that it references many of the big names of the Old Testament. The writer references many examples of men and women who not only had faith in regards to belief, but they had a faith that was lived out.

Hebrews 11:1-2 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”

The writer points out in verse 2 and also later in verse 39 that they were commended (From dictionary.com: to present, mention, or praise as worthy of notice; to cite or name with approval or special praise) for their faith. As you read this chapter, and honestly the entirety of scripture, you see that faith is not just about a certain set of beliefs. A faith that is real is a faith that is lived out. It is a belief with a strong enough conviction to live it out. The ancients lived out their belief in God. Some saw God do mighty works on their behalf while others suffered and failed to see the miracles and mighty works others saw. But all were commended for their lived out faith.

The faith that the ancients were commended for was a faith that enabled them to hold on to the promises of God in spite of the circumstances they faced. It was a faith that helped them to persevere in the midst of opposition. It was a faith that enabled them to continue to place their trust in God.

Whenever I read Hebrews 11, I am confronted by my own faith, or at times, my lack of faith. If you were to read each story referenced in Hebrews 11, you will see that these were not perfect people who never struggled in their faith. They were people who were real, who had real emotions, who faced fear and anxiety and depression, but who were commended for their faith because they kept the faith. They placed their trust in the God of all creation. They placed their hope in the promises of God. May we, like those we read about in scripture, be commended for a faith that moves beyond a set of beliefs and to a life of faith that is lived out.