Faith Rewarded Tomorrow

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:35-40
December 17, 2023

Hebrews 11:35-40, NIV: Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated — the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Hebrews 11:35-40, ESV: Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated — of whom the world was not worthy — wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Sermon Outline

1. True faith may seem unrewarded in this life

• Being confined

• Loss of home or comfort

• Physical pain

• A painful death

• Emotional pain

2. God commends his faithful by contrasting them with the world

• What God condemns

• What God loves

3. God’s great plan for those with faith

• Verse 40 is speaking of Old Testament believers after death

• Verse 40 is also speaking of all believers on the world’s final day

Benediction

Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Faith Rewarded in This Life

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:32-35
December 3, 2023

Hebrews 11:32-35: And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.

Sermon Outline

1. Our author’s approach in chapter 11

2. A general and a judge

• Barak

• Samson

3. Four famous faithful foreigners

• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

• Daniel

4. Two anonymous women

• The Zarephath widow

• The Shunammite woman

• Summary

5. Some principles

• Many times, God rewards our faith in this life

• God rewards our faith even in times of national decline

• God rewards the faith of people whose faith has faltered

Benediction

May God give you grace to persevere in faith, so when you’ve done the will of God you’ll receive what He has promised. — paraphrased from Hebrews 10:36

Faith at the Walls of Jericho

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:30-31
November 19, 2023

Hebrews 11:30-31: By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

Sermon Outline

1. The setting

2. Several days earlier...

• Spies are inside the city

• In Rahab's house

3. Jericho vs. Jehovah

• Day one

• Days two through seven

4. Lessons

• True faith overcomes insurmountable odds

• True faith results in doing

• True faith saves even the most unworthy

Moses' Faith Rescues Others

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:28-29
November 12, 2023

Hebrews 11:28-29: By faith [Moses] kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

Sermon Outline

1. The Israelites believed the warning that judgement was coming

• Punishing plagues

2. The Israelites believed Moses' directions to escape the tenth plague

• Only one method of salvation was given

• The people obeyed

• That dreadful night

3. Crossing the Red Sea

• 600,000 freed men and their families march out of Egypt

• God leads them south

• Pharaoh goes after them

• The miraculous parting of the Red Sea

4. Lessons

• True faith benefits not just yourself, but others

• True faith believes not just the Bible's good news, but also the bad news

• True faith always focuses on God as Savior, not on imitating the actions of true believers

The Faith of Moses

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:24-27
November 5, 2023

Hebrews 11:24-27: By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he preserved because he saw him who is invisible.

Sermon Outline

1. The life Moses was adopted into

• The food he was served

• The surroundings he grew accustomed to

• The first-rate education he received

2. When he was grown, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter

• He chose one kind of life and forsook another

• What life did Moses choose?

• What life did Moses refuse?

• The result of his choice

3. How was Moses able to do this?

• He was enabled by faith

• He considered the facts

• Fact: Sin brings pleasure -- heaven brings ecstasy

• Fact: Sin's pleasures are brief -- God's ecstasies are forever

4: Conclusion

Faith for the Next Generation: The Parents of Moses

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:23
October 29, 2023

Hebrews 11:23: By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

Sermon Outline

1. Background: Israel's history in Egypt

• Israel (aka Jacob) moves to Egypt with his family

• The Hyksos take over Egypt and enslave the Israelites

• The Egyptians regain control

2. The family of Moses

• Parents, brother, and sister

• "...they saw he was no ordinary child"

• His parents' life-saving plan

• This is what the readers of Hebrews needed to read

3. How God spared Moses

4. Lessons

• It's absolutely necessary for believing parents to trust the Sovereignty of God

• It's the absolute responsibility of parents to raise their children from their earliest days to know the one true God

Faith for the Generations to Follow

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:20-22
October 1, 2023

Hebrews 11:20-22, NIV: By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.

Hebrews 11:20-22, ESV: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.

Sermon Outline

1. Isaac's faith on his deathbed

• His wife and the birth of his twin sons

• Jacob and Esau's early life

• Esau exchanges his birthright for stew

• Jacob steals the blessing of the firstborn

• The blessing given to Jacob

• The blessing given to Esau

• How Isaac showed faith

2. Jacob's faith on his deathbed

• Why Jacob fled

• Jacob in Haran

• Trials in Canaan

• How did Jacob have faith?

• What we learn

3. Joseph's faith on his deathbed

• Joseph spoke about the exodus

• Joseph gave instructions about his bones

Offering Up Isaac

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:17-19
September 24, 2023

Hebrews 11:17-19: By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Sermon Outline

1. About human sacrifice

• God hates human sacrifice

• The near-sacrifice of Isaac pictures Jesus Christ being sacrificed on the cross

2. What made God's command hard?

3. Abraham thought it through

• "Is God erratic or am I finite?"

• Abraham's faith-based reasoning

4. Faith is what makes obedience possible

• Prompt obedience

• Sustained obedience

• Willing obedience

5. God testing your faith always has something glorious in mind

6. Applications

• What hard thing has God asked of you?

• Jesus says, "Take up your cross and follow me"

• God will show you the glory behind what he called you to either in this life or in heaven

Waiting for Isaac

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:11-12
September 17, 2023

Hebrews 11:11-12, NIV (1979): By faith Abraham, even though he was past age — and Sarah herself was barren — was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Hebrews 11:11-12, ESV: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many and the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

Sermon Outline

1. The promise of an heir was made four times

• The first time

• The second time

• The third time

• Impatience results in Ishmael

• The fourth time

2. The promise was fulfilled in God's timing

3. Lessons

• Remember why this story was included in the letter

• Faith can be real even when it is weak

• Faith is ultimately always about Christ

The Faith Behind Noah's Ark

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:7
September 3, 2023

Hebrews 11:7: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Sermon Outline

1. Human wickedness spreads

• Adam and Eve

• Cain and Abel

• The righteous and unrighteous family lines

• The family lines merge

2. How God responded to human wickedness

• Delayed judgement for Noah's sake

• Blueprints for Noah's Ark

3. Noah's faith

• Noah believed God's warning of incoming judgement

• Noah believed God when he had no children

• Noah believed God over a long period of time

• Noah believed God despite the world's scorn

4. The Great Flood

5. What do we learn from Noah's faith?

• Faith can rescue one's family

• Faith draws a line between the redeemed and the unredeemed

Faith Through the Unfamiliar (Abraham)

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:7-10, 13-16
August 27, 2023

Hebrews 11:7-10: By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with fundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:13-16: All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Sermon Outline

1. The life of faith often involves leaving all that’s familiar

• What Ur was like

• God’s command to leave Ur

• Abraham’s faith in unfamiliar Canaan

• Abraham’s life pictures faith when we leave all that’s familiar

2. The life of faith often means seeing only one step at a time

• When he left Ur, Abraham did not know his destination

• Even when Abraham learned the general trajectory, he was detoured

• Had God’s Word dropped to the ground? No.

• The life of faith is one step at a time for all believers

3. The life of faith often involves disappointments in how God fulfills His promises

• Abraham had constant struggles

• Abraham needed to keep moving

• Abraham and his family were foreigners in the land

• For all believers, this life is full of disappointment with how God’s promises are fulfilled

4. The life of faith involves knowing that God’s promises — only dimly fulfilled in this life — will come blazing true in heaven

• Ur

  • for Abraham

  • for us

• Canaan

  • for Abraham

  • for us

• Disappointing Canaan

  • for Abraham

  • for us

Two Ancient Believers

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:4-6
August 20, 2023

Hebrews 11:4-6: By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Sermon Outline

1. Introduction

2. Abel (Genesis 4:1-16)

• How did Abel know God approved of his offering?

• Why did God accept Abel and not Cain?

3. Lessons from Abel

• Faith makes your prayers and church attendance acceptable

• Faith makes your life speak long past your death

4. Enoch (Genesis 5:21-24)

• His lifespan

• He walked with God

• He hadn't always lived acceptably to God

• He never experienced physical death

• His faith is what pleased God

5. Lessons from Enoch

• Faith in God saves believers from hell

What is Faith?

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-3, 6
August 6, 2023

Hebrews 11:1-3, 6: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Sermon Outline

1. Mistaken ideas about faith

• Wishful thinking

• Emotion

2. Faith is a confidence in God based on good reasons

• Confidence in God

• Based on good reasons

• More about faith based on good reasons

3. Faith responds positively to what God says

4. Lessons

• Faith involves your mind and your will