Hebrews 11:1-7

Faith before the Flood

By faith we are sure

• Defining faith • “Physical eyesight produces a conviction or

evidence of visible things; faith is the organ which enables people to see the invisible order.” (FF Bruce)

• “Faith is putting all your eggs in God's basket, then counting your blessings before they hatch.”

• Faith is never a ‘leap in the dark’• Faith is beyond reason

By faith we understand

• It’s no wonder the atheist cannot understand the universe

• Faith did not create the universe, faith must have an object

• God made it from nothing • God made by his command • We do not have to understand ‘how’ the

universe was made

By faith we worship

• The problem with Cain’s offering was not that it was grain rather than the product of an animal

• Abel offered in faith • Cain’s offering resulted in anger against God• Contempt for his brother• Abel still speaks, God receives those acting in

faith• Faith leads to real worship (Romans 12:1)

By faith we walk

• Enoch is a mystery• One of only two people in scripture who did

not die• We do know that he believed in God• He believed in God’s character • We walk by faith

(Romans 1:17, Hebrews 10:38)• The race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1)

By faith we build

• Noah had never seen rain• To build an ark made no sense • He must have been mocked• Perhaps he was pitied • Perhaps despised • He acted on the word of God

By faith we build“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

By faith we build

• What are we building?