TBC's Summer ACE combined study is The Hall of Faith: God's Faithfulness in the Lives of Faithful People.
“Hebrews 11 is a reminder from Old Testament history of how God has enabled his people down the centuries to endure by faith in Him.” (Faith for Life, Richard Coekin)
In the introduction lesson (May 31), we looked at Hebrews 10:39 - 11:3
But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
For by it the men of old gained approval.
By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
Children of God, we need to remember that our faith is not optimism, bootstrap positive thinking, a hunch, sentimentality, merely faith in faith, or a feeling.
Our faith is the following...
According to Hebrews 10:39, faith is soul protection. It preserves the soul.
According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is filled with "future certitude" and "visual certitude."
It gives us certainty of the things hoped for in Christ - the future. It reminds us that God is always working in, through, and around us even when we cannot see what He is doing - now.
According to Hebrews 11:2, faith is how we are saved.
Faith is not simply one way to please God. It is the only way to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
Hebrews 11:3 enables us to understand how God created the world.
During the second week of the Hall of Faith class (June 7), we looked at Abel (Hebrews 11:4) and Enoch (Hebrews 11:5).
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now, before he was taken, he was commended as having pleased God.
Both of these men were commended by God. Abel was commended for an acceptable gift, an act of worship. Enoch was commended for a life of faith.
ABEL
Abel's story, actually Cain's story in which Abel plays a role, is first found in Genesis 4. Abel brought an acceptable offering to the LORD, but Cain did not; he became very angry and murdered his brother. Abel's faithful act of worship resulted in God's approval and his murder by Cain.
ENOCH
Enoch's story is not much of a story. It is four verses in a genealogy. Verse 24 has a clear statement, "Enoch walked faithfully with God," and a cryptic result, "then he was no more, because God took him away." Enoch's faithful life resulted in his being taken away by God.
REMEMBER
Quote related to Abel - “Let us ensure that our sacrifices are not merely religious bribes but motivated by a personal and loving faith in God.” Coekin
Quote related to Enoch - “My greatest spiritual challenge is rarely adversity. Usually it is consistency.” Lockwood
