Hall of Faith Part 2

At Trinity Baptist Church, we are doing our summer study entitled "The Hall of Faith: God's Faithfulness in the Lives of Faithful People."  There are several different people teaching throughout the summer.  I had the privilege of teaching three of the first four lessons.   

This is the post about the most recent lesson I taught in this series.

Here is the other post from the other lessons: https://drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/06/hall-of-faith-part-1.html

Before getting into Sarah's faith, here is a spiritual discipline/prayer help.  

Pray prayers from the Bible.  There are two different ways to pray prayers from the Bible.  First,  pray what the Psalmists write, pray the prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray, and pray the prayers Paul and other epistle writers prayed.  The second way to pray prayers from the Bible is to pray from a Bible-saturated, God-glorifying, people-loving heart.  This is what I was praying for this week.  In studying and thinking about the faith of Sarah, I prayed for couples who haven't been able to have children, for those who have adopted children, and for those who need an extra measure of faith right now because of challenging life circumstances.

 

Now back to this week's lesson on Hebrews 11:11.  "And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise faithful."

The Bible is very open about its heroes' shortcomings and sins.  Sarah, this week's person of faith, is a good example of a not-so-great example, but she appears in this Hall of Faith.  Why is she here?

This week's passage makes it clear.  She is faithful "because she considered [God] faithful who had made the promise faithful."  Sarah knew that the promise-making God was also the promise-keeping God.

Now, before moving on, consider a couple of low points in Sarah and Abraham's faith story.  First of all, because of fear, Abraham gave his wife to other men twice, to Pharaoh in Genesis 12:10 - 20 and to Abimelech in Genesis 20:1 - 18.  In both of these instances, Abraham told his wife to lie, and he gave her to other men because he feared death.  He did this not once, but twice.  Another low-point, lack-of-faith example was Sarah's plan to give Abraham a son.  The plan would result in a son, but it was not the way God intended.  Sarah gave her husband her servant woman, Hagar, so that they would "obtain children through her."  Abraham giving Sarah to foreign rulers for protection and Sarah giving a servant woman to Abraham for children are not great examples of faith.  God's plan done my way doesn't equal God's plan.  Consider this Hudson Taylor quote: "God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply."

Another not-so-great example of Sarah's lack of faith appears in Genesis 18:9-15.  When Sarah heard the LORD say, "Sarah, your wife shall have a son," she laughed to herself, then denied laughing.  God proved himself faithful to His promise, and Sarah recognized this by saying, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me."  God did such an amazing thing that people would laugh when they heard the story of the woman who was unable to have a child and then had a baby boy.  

 

God spoke a promise to Sarah and Abraham, and from that promise came life.

Now, let's look at Hebrews 11:3.  "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."  God created the universe and life by His word.  

God's word is powerful and true.  He is incomparably faithful.  His plans stand firm forever (Psalm 33:11).  In The Blessed and Boundless God, George Swinnock writes the following about God's faithfulness.  

At times, lying arises from forgetfulness; some people break their word because their memories are poor.  But God never forgets.  At times, lying arises from weakness; some people want to keep their promises, but they lack the ability to do so because their circumstances have changed. But God never changes.  At times, lying arises from wickedness; some people are able to keep their word, but they refuse to do so.  But God never breaks a promise.  He cannot be accused of wickedness:  'There is no unrighteousness in him' (Psalm 92:15). 

With all of Sarah's missteps, mistakes, & sins, why is she in Hebrews 11?

Because she had faith in God, who is amazingly always faithful.

Looking back over your life, think about how God and His faithfulness are seen in it.
Seen in amazing, and sometimes hilariously laughable ways.  

As we fix our eyes on Jesus and continue on in this life, remember He is faithful no matter what your circumstances are.

Sarah and Abraham were far from perfect. Remember, it is not about the people in Hebrews 11.  It is about our faithful God - his perfection, his promises, his provisions, and more.