Hebrews 11 (1)

Introduction
It takes faith to believe in Jesus, and it takes faith to endure in Him. Unless we understand what faith is, and how it operates to keep us in God’s rest, we will be subject to drift at the slightest provocation. This longest chapter in the book of Hebrews, therefore, zeroes in on the question of faith, setting forth examples of faith for us to emulate. But the writer takes nothing for granted. He begins by the most succinct and important definition of faith in all of Scripture, and we will look at that definition in today’s study.

Read Psalm 91.

Read Hebrews 11.1-3.

Think it through.
1.  True and saving faith consists of two things: substance and evidence. The substance of what we believe matters supremely. How would you summarize the substance of what Christians believe? Faith resides in the soul – heart, mind, and conscience. How does the substanceof what Christians believe affect how they think, what they feel, and what they value? The second aspect of faith is evidence. When the substanceof our faith is doing its work in our soul, we expect evidence or proofof that inward transformation to be visible in our lives. Meditate on Ephesians 2.8-10. What “good works” should Christians be working to bring forth in their lives as evidence of true and lively faith? Is drawing back from Jesus a good work? Explain.

2.  Faith focuses on “things hoped for” and “things not seen.” What things? Such faith leads to “a good testimony.” What does the writer mean by this? If we say we have faith, but then draw back from Jesus when opposition or threats arise, is that a good testimony? Explain. Faith affects everything about our lives, beginning with our worldview. How does faith teach us to understand the beginnings of the world? Meditate on Psalm 33.8, 9. Why should we fear God? What does His power to create everything out of nothing say about Him? About what He can do? Does it matter what we believe about how the cosmos began? Explain. 

Meditate.
“Faith then is seeing things not plain, he means, and brings what are not seen to the same full assurance with what are seen. So then neither is it possible to disbelieve in things which are seen, nor, on the other hand, can there be faith unless a person is more fully assured with respect to things invisible than he is with respect to things that are most clearly seen. For since the objects of hope seem to be unsubstantial, faith gives them substantiality or, rather, does not give it, but is itself their substance.” John Chrysostom (344-407 AD)

For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 2 Peter 3.5, 6

Strengthen in me assurance of faith, O Lord, that I may live boldly for…

Pray Psalm 91.1, 2.
As you pray, envision yourself being where these verses set you, and saying what they lead you to say. 

Psalm 91.1-3 (Lauda Anima: Praise My Soul the King of Heaven)
All who dwell within God’s shelter in His shadow will reside. 
He our Tow’r, our Fortress ever, in Him we our trust confide. 
From the trapper’s snares He saves us; safe from sickness we abide.