Hebrews 11:1
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. (NLT)
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (NIV)
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (ESV)
We are not called to have blind faith. No, God created the universe with intention, precision, with a masterstroke. Think of the theme of our youth camp a few years ago: Handcrafted. Think of God like a master carpenter. He has perfected things in his creation that we can only imitate or simply observe in awe.
We spend so much time focusing on the evils, the darkness, the pain and suffering of this world, but do not count God out!. HE CREATED all of this, and despite Adam’s fall, despite our failures and screwups. Despite our constant need to come to the cross and confess our sins, do not forget that creation is still his! The wonder that it inspires, the beauty of it all, that is of Him and Him alone.
Hebrews 11:3
Hebrews 11:4
Hebrews 11:6
Hebrews 11:7-12
Genesis 5:23-24
Enoch lived 365 years walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared,because God took him.
Don’t you wonder? What kind of things did he see to have such faith. Was he simply born with it? Born with that undeniable aura of faith? That “it” factor of confidence and poise?
He is one of the first people I want to sit down with in Heaven for sure.
Hebrews 11:5
You see God was moving. He was shaking. He was present in their lives. He was doing it for them, but there was a greater intention behind it as well. He knew that we needed to see this, understand their great faith. These were the stories we needed to understand Him.
Hebrews 11:13-16
You see, this message is not actually based on Hebrews 11. Don’t get me wrong, I am HEAVILY leaning on Hebrews 11, because the author of Hebrews is a far better writer than myself. But what I originally was preaching on was a parable. The parable of the new and old treasures. Let’s look at it.
Matthew 13: 51-52
Do you understand all these things?’ ‘Yes,’ they said, ‘we do.’
Then he added, ‘Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.’
God does not want us to have blind faith. He has given us gems of truth, treasures that are deeply complex, yet simple in their message. He provided us with stories of heroes, giants,stalwarts of faith. Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Abel, Rahab, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Esther, Ruth, Moses, Elijah, Job.
Hebrews 11:32-38
They were not called to have Blind faith, but they were called to have faith. Faith greater than many of us in this room can know. And their faith created these treasures of old. They were stories designed by God and carried out by man to show us what faith brings.
But here’s the kicker. They were not just stories of faith in what was. NO. They are ultimately stories of faith in what will be! That is what Jesus is talking about. He was talking to people that knew these stories. That knew more about Enoch than I clearly do. That knew the context and power of these scriptures. And he said this (my words not scripture). Now look at these new treasures I’ve given you and put them in the context of what you’ve known. Do you see what I’m showing you?
When you take the old treasures. The old stories, the rich histories, the precise instructions, the powerful prophesies. And you combine these with the new perspective that Jesus offered. That is where you find the fullness of the Kingdom of Heaven. The entirety of the new covenant. It doesn’t make you better than or greater than, but as Jesus says, it makes you like a homeowner who brings out the old and the new.
Now I am not the best at making these connections. If there is anything I want to grow in, it is understanding how to connect and make sense of the old treasures. But here’s the thing. We can cheat. We do this thing called life together. And Jesus wants us to. Because he wants us to pull out these old and new treasures and share them. He wants us to taste the Kingdom of Heaven here on this earth! Note that he did not reference a homeowner going to his storeroom to check out his pokemon card collection and PS5. No! He says it is like a homeowner who brings FROM his storeroom new and old gems of truth.
And so to end this message, let me cheat, because I’m going to share with you what was shared with me a few weeks ago.
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v_N2gxMnWQ)
“Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.
Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal.
Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void not knowing whither he went, to create a new people of God.
Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount, but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from me,” now we can look at God taking his son up the mountain and sacrificing him and say, “Now we know that you love us because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from us.”
Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.
Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.
Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.
Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.
Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.
Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.
Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn’t just risk leaving an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.
Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.
Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He’s the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.
The Bible’s really not about you – it’s about him.”
We are not called to have blind faith. He’s been writing this story since the beginning of creation. The whole story. And He’s been sharing it with us every step along the way. And Jesus, the cornerstone, allows us to finally fully understand it! Maybe not fully on this Earth, but we will understand it in the Kingdom of Heaven! Because He has called us his sons and daughters, invited us to join His Kingdom, given us grounds to have faith. Faith in what WAS. Faith in what IS. And faith in what WILL BE.