Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro?

In order for us to live by faith, we really have to understand God’s faithfulness.

So I’d like us to begin there as the foundation for what we see in our verses in Hebrews today.

PRAY

Generation after generation, God is faithful.

The promise-making God is faithful… generation after generation.

So generation after generation, God uses weak and flawed vessels to do incredible things through their faith.

And generation after generation, people of faith put their trust in God to be their strength, regardless of the temporal results.

Whether there be earthly rescue and temporal victory, or a path of suffering like Christ in this life, God is faithful to be our strength and keep his promises.

And what’s more, we have actually received highest confirmation that God keeps his promises—the fulfillment of God’s promised salvation in Christ Jesus.

So we have all the more reason to live by faith in our faithful and mighty God, who keeps his promises and who strengthens us to persevere until we reach complete rest with our Great High Priest in glory.

Read 11:1-2, and review who has been covered in this chapter to lead up to this crescendo and conclusion of heroes enduring by faith:

[First we see in our passage that…]

In every generation, by faith God accomplishes great things through weak vessels, in spite of our fallenness.

In the hero list of v. 32, two things really stand out: 1.

Big names through whom God accomplished great things.

(and) 2. These men were fascinatingly flawed.

1.

(In Judges 7) By God’s direction, Gideon’s forces went from 32,000 down to 300 men—through whom, with torches and clay jars and horns, God routed the massive Midianite army.

Gideon acted in faith, and God delivered.

(Judges 4) Barak was a military leader who led Isreal in defeat of Sisera and the Canaanites.

At first he refused to go into battle unless the prophetess Deborah came along… “But at the critical moment he acted in faith when told to advance against a superior military machine with its 900 chariots.

A sudden downpour immobilized them and allowed Barak’s army to prevail.”

(O’Brien, P. T. (2010).

The Letter to the Hebrews (p.

439).

Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.)

(From Judges 13-16) In and around Samson’s vices we still see that he understood he was empowered by the Lord and that it was God using him to provide victories over the Philistines.

In spite of Jephthah’s foolish vow, by faith he led in the defeat of the Amorites and Ammonites (Judges 10-12).

Samuel, as transitional figure, was the last of the judges and first of the prophets, who demonstrated faith in God to lead as Isreal became a united monarchy.

And David was of course the greatest king of Israel’s history, known not only for great exploits for God but also for being a man after God’s own heart.

Finally, rounding out the list with “the prophets” allows our author to include quite a group of candidates of faith, from the period during the monarchy and beyond.

- “Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the twelve prophets... who were exemplars of faith to their own generation.

Faith was evident in both their message and their actions.”

(O’Brien)

2. But aside from these prophets not named, there is no doubt in my mind that with the great feats of faith that would come into the minds of listeners would also come remembrance of surprising flaws.

[Steve Cole puts it this way:]

The interesting thing is that the first five men all had some serious shortcomings, but in spite of these flaws, God honored their faith.

Gideon at first was cowardly and had to be coaxed to do what God called him to do.

After his amazing victory with 300 men over the Midianite army of 135,000, he made an ephod that lured Israel into idolatry (Judges 8:24-27).

Yet in spite of his failures, the author names him as a hero of faith.

Barak won a great victory for Israel over an army that had 900 chariots, but he only did it at the prodding of a woman, Deborah.

Samson routed the Philistines on numerous occasions, yet he was tripped up by his lust for foreign women.

Jephthah, the son of a harlot, was at first driven away by his half-brothers.

But later, the elders of his home town pled with him to return and lead them in battle against the enemy.

He won a victory, but then made a rash vow to sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house when he returned from battle.

His only daughter came out to greet him, and he foolishly kept his stupid vow.

David was a man after God’s heart, who had great faith even as a teenager, when he defeated Goliath.

But he later committed adultery and then murder to cover his tracks.

Even Samuel, although a godly man himself, failed to raise his sons to follow the Lord (1 Sam.

8:1-3).

Samuel was regarded as the first of the prophets, and so the term covers everyone from his day down to Malachi.

As a whole, they boldly spoke God’s truth, and often suffered for it.

But overall, put the men of verse 32 into a scale and it tips towards those who had glaring flaws.

But in spite of these flaws, God used them because they trusted Him in some challenging situations.

My failures don’t prevent God from granting faith and using me.

(He is able - in Hebrews 7:25) [consequently… bc he continues forever and holds his priesthood permanently]

So God accomplishes great things through flawed people of faith.

Not only that, but...

In every generation of faith, whether in earthly victory or present suffering, triumph comes through God’s strength.

God is faithful and can be trusted, regardless of earthly results.

(33-38) - In both cases, there is Only one explanation—God’s power.

Faith taps into God’s strength.

That’s true in vv.

33-35a, and also true in 35b-38.

(in what appears from the world’s perspective to be very different outcomes)

Through the list...

Even with all the miraculous involved, here’s the common thread… and for us as well: “were made strong out of weakness” (just snuck in there in v. 34)

What are you trusting God for that is beyond your ability?

(from big dreams to daily obedience - conquering anger, lust, envy, discontentment)

God is able and he can be trusted:

illust of words of daniel’s friends facing fire: Daniel 3:16-18

But God doesn’t always triumph by temporal victory.

Sometimes the path of his triumph is to grant us strength to suffer without wavering and without compromise:

The basic perspective of those who suffer by faith without temporal deliverance.

(last part of v. 35)

Through the list...

Our suffering doesn’t mean God isn’t winning.

And it doesn’t mean God isn’t faithful.

And it doesn’t mean God is unconcerned for us.

God cares deeply for us, and he is most certainly faithful, and his victory is ALREADY assured.

Do you know why I talk about suffering often?

Bc the Bible does (this letter does), and bc it’s the hardest thing we face as God’s cognitive creatures.

So this is what we need to hear and be reassured of about God: As he did through Jesus, God is still accomplishing his victory and will vindicate our faith even or especially through suffering.

- I loathe the health and wealth gospel and the word of faith movement.

Let’s be careful that we don’t get caught up in that mindset.

(It’s such an atrocious misrepresentation of God’s goodness.

In order for God to be good, he has to do what’s good for me right now.

And if he doesn’t grant success (on my terms), then (it isn’t bc he’s unloving… which actually true) but bc I’m not praying with enough faith or giving generously enough by faith or whatever (which actually isn’t true!).

- We can give everything we have and gain nothing but Christ!

And Paul says that is enough.

It MUST BE enough.

Generation after generation, Christianity has towered above and powered through manmade religion for this very reason: Jesus lived and died for us; by faith we can live and die for him.

- In fact, it is suffering itself which helps to produce God’s victory IN YOU: If we persevere through suffering by faith, we get more mature character, which reinforces our hope.

(Rom.

5:3-5)

- That’s a very different faith than the flimsy nonsense where Jesus’ name is your miracle bandaid bc he really doesn’t want you to suffer, and if you just have enough faith God will be the genie he really wants to be for you.

The truth of the Bible’s call to suffer like Jesus is quite different from being told you just need to speak certain words out loud in faith for God to make it happen.

How ‘bout these words instead: “Not my will, but yours be done.”

(Luke 22:42)

The nameless suffering heroes really deserve more credit and honor.

[i feel that way about all the olympic athletes who work so hard to compete but don’t get all the recognition and don’t win.

but they keep enduring and competing]

?Sufficient grace - 2 Cor.