What is on Your Report Card?
Hebrews 11:1-3
In this sermon we are going to look at the subject of faith in the lives of a saved person. First we will use this passage from Hebrews to define faith and then compare our faith based on some examples from the gospels in order to see if we would have a good report as the examples from the honor roll of faith.
Definition of Faith: (Hebrew 11:1)
1) Substance of things hoped for (substance – In the general sense being, something that exist by itself, that which really is)
2) Evidence of things not seen (evidence – That which elucidates and enable the mind to see truth. Instrument of writing which contains proof)
Explanation of Definition: (Hebrews 11:3)
1) Worlds were framed by the word of God {Substance}
- Genesis 1:1 ( In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth)
- Genesis 7:4,23 (1st time substance is used in a KJB)
- Job 38:1-6 (1st questions that God asked Job are about creation)
- John 1:1-3 (Jesus Christ, the word of God, created everything)
2) So that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear {Evidence}
- Jesus Christ is the evidence (Note the occurrence of the word faith in the Bible. 2 times in O.T. 245 times in N.T.)
- Only other time evidence is used in the bible is (Jeremiah 32:1-14)
- Note the earthen vessel (verse 14)
- Compare this with John 1:14 “Word became flesh and dwelt among us”
Saving Faith: (Galatians 2:16)
God is substance (John 1:1-3) and note that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).
Living Faith: (Galatians 2:20)
The word of God is the evidence, and we walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
How is your report Card?
1) Where is your faith (Luke 8:22-25)
- Faith must be in the word of God “Let us go over to the other side”
2) Little faith (Matthew 14:22-31)
- Must keep your eyes on the word of God “Wherefore didst thou doubt”
3) Great faith (Matthew 8:10 ; Luke 15:28)
- Man in Matthew understood authority.
- Woman humbled herself and used scripture (Proverbs 12:10)