Sermon Tone Analysis

Hebrews 11is the faith hall of fame.

We have here person after person acknowledged for their faith.

Today we look at the first two.

But before we delve into our text lets just back up a wee bit because I believe this is necessary if we are to gain an accurate picture of the faith that is described in this chapter.

expand on this passage

Heb 10:

Then begins Chapter 11 with this wonderful definition of faith

Expand on this passage Faith is substance it is the evidence of that which we do not yet see or were not able to witness first hand

By faith the elders obtained a good report

Heb

We now begin to examine these elders and their report obtained through faith.

Abel The Righteous

In our text in Hebrews is tells us that Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.

However, in Gen we are not given a reason why God had respect unto ables offering and not Cains.

We also don’t find clear indication of why they were compelled to offer sacrifices in the first place.

What we are told here in Hebrews is that is was by faith that Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice.

That alone could be our answer.

Even if there were no other distinguishing factors it could be the God had respect unto Abel’s offering because he offered in in faith and Cain did not.

But there is another difference.

Cain offered the fruit of the ground where Abel brought the firstling of his flock.

Abel’s offering was a blood sacrifice and Cains was not.

And as we found in without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.

So I believe that one possible scenario could be that God had set them an example through the sacrifice of the animals whose skins He used to make clothes for Adam and Eve and or God had given commandment to Adam and Eve to offer sacrifices and how to do so which they would have passed down to their children.

And so Cain and Abel would have had a method that they could have followed in faith yet Cain choose to do things his own way.

I also believe that Abel’s blood sacrifice was offered in the faith that God would restore all that was lost in the garden.

The blood sacrifice speaks to this as well.

That a true offering for sins would be made

What was the result of Abel’s faith?

Two things mentioned in our text.

1.

He obtained a witness that he was righteous

by God’s own testimony

2.

He speaks even though he is dead

His blood cried out to God from the ground

His testimony and story lives on through all eternity teaching us of the power of faith

The second elder that we see in our text that obtained a good report is...

Enoch The Man Who Pleased God

Enoch had the testimony that he pleased God.

How do we get this testimony?

Because he walked with God.

No one else was said to have walked with God, the rest lived and died but Enoch walked with God.

The fact that Enoch walked with God is his testimony that he pleased God.

No other man walked with God since Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden.

By virtue of the fact that he walked with God he fellowshipped with God communed with God we know that he pleased God.

And his reward was that he did not taste of death like everyone else but he was translated.

Enoch’s translation itself gives us hope of resurrection and eternal life.

Enoch is the man who pleased God.

However, as if the author of Hebrews anticipate that we might say ok he please God but what did that have to do with faith? and he gives us the answer in verse 6

Heb

Enoch could not have walked with God and been translated unless he had pleased God and so that is his testimony.

However, and this is where faith comes into it because, It is imposable to please God without faith.

So what faith is required to please God?

It is two fold

You must believe that God is

You must believe that God rewards those who seek him diligently.

In our false sense of humility that we often walk around with we don’t like to give the impression that we desire any reward from God.

Which is strange really because the Bible often talks of rewards.

Matt 10:42

1Pet 5:1-

This is why Paul said that

So to please God we must not only believe that He is but also that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

If we by faith keep our eye on the prize then we will be able to endure any trial we may face.

As Paul pointed out in chapter 10 this is what gave them strength to endure the spoiling of their good.

Heb 10:

And doesn’t our salvation even teach us that we must also have faith that God will reward us.

It’s not enough to believe that Christ exists or even that He is the Son of God, that He died on the cross or even that He rose from the grave we must believe that we can be partakers of His glory also.

We must believe that we can benefit from His death.

We must believe that He died for our sins and through His death we can be forgiven.

So we must believe that He is and that He is a rewarded of those who diligently seek Him.

So a life of faith is a like that is always looking forward to our reward in Christ.