Grace Pipeline, The

Faith's Hall Of Fame

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Shelley Quinn

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Series Code: GPL

Program Code: GPL000017


00:01 Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn
00:02 inviting you to join us now on "The Grace Pipeline"
00:05 as we take a stroll down Faith's Hall of Fame.
00:08 Nothing defines faith more clearly
00:11 than lives that testify to it.
00:31 Welcome to "The Grace Pipeline."
00:33 This is the series that follows a Bible study
00:36 that is written in a book by the same title
00:38 and it was my great privilege to write that book.
00:41 If you're following along in the series companion book,
00:44 our study today will be from chapter 9
00:47 and will begin on page 140.
00:50 Now on our last program, we began to define faith.
00:56 Today, we will consider our inheritance of faith
00:59 that has been passed down by previous generations
01:03 and this will help broaden that definition.
01:08 Let me start with something that's rather clever.
01:10 I heard it once and I've never forgotten it.
01:13 Someone has said that faith is an acronym
01:16 for following an invitation to heaven.
01:20 The ancient faithful that are listed
01:23 in Hebrews Chapter 11 Faith's Hall of Fame
01:26 that we'll talk about today,
01:28 they certainly proved that truth.
01:31 Many would be mocked today by our postmodern society
01:38 and no doubt they were mocked during their own day.
01:41 But the Lord looks upon the heart
01:44 and He measures a person's greatness
01:47 by the measure of their faith.
01:50 Nothing defines faith more clearly
01:53 than lives that testify to it.
01:56 And the testimony of those who have endured
01:59 the sufferings of faith and they've enjoyed
02:02 the great victories of faith are to us a blessing.
02:07 As we consider the familiar stories of faith champions
02:10 that is celebrated in Hebrews 11 and elsewhere,
02:14 pray for new insight on the biblical meaning of faith.
02:19 Let's begin with Abel.
02:21 The Bible says in Hebrews 11:4, "By faith Abel offered to God
02:27 a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,
02:29 through which he obtained witness that he was righteous."
02:34 We know that Cain and Abel were sons of Adam and Eve.
02:38 But let's review their history for just a second.
02:40 When God created the first couple, their parents,
02:44 He clothed them with the radiance of His light
02:47 and they disobeyed His only loving command
02:51 and they ate from the tree
02:53 of the knowledge of good and evil.
02:54 When they did, their covering was removed
02:57 as a result of their sin.
02:59 And they stood naked before the Lord
03:01 whom they had rejected.
03:03 So to restore the relationship
03:05 between the Creator and the created,
03:08 God instituted the sacrificial system
03:11 and He covered Adam and Eve
03:13 with the skins of the sacrificed lamb
03:15 pointing to the Calvary plan and the promised Lamb of God
03:20 who would take away the sins of the world.
03:23 We know from the Genesis 4 account that the sacrifices
03:27 that were offered by their sons Cain and Abel,
03:30 we can see that it is evident
03:32 both men were familiar with the sacrificial system.
03:36 They were familiar with the necessity of shedding
03:39 the blood of a sacrificed substitute.
03:42 Faith's power caused Abel to approach God
03:46 in a worthy manner of worship
03:48 by the sacrifice of blood as the Lord had prescribed.
03:53 Cain, however, showed irreverent disregard
03:56 for God's appointed ways
03:58 and offered a sacrifice of his own works.
04:01 That Cain knew better than to offer
04:04 this fruits of his labor is obvious
04:07 because he did not accuse God of unfair preference
04:11 in accepting Abel's sacrifice and rejecting his.
04:16 But still in a jealous rage, he murdered his noble brother.
04:21 The haughty and self-willed Cain
04:24 rebuilt against following the defined regulations.
04:29 Cain's religion was nothing but an exhibition of his ego.
04:35 Abel, however, believed God and obeyed
04:39 putting his faith into action
04:41 and remaining righteous before the Lord
04:44 and that landed him in Faith's Hall of Fame.
04:47 When I read Abel's report, I ask myself,
04:52 "Am I worshipping according to my desires
04:56 or in spirit and in truth as God wills."
05:01 Now let's look at Enoch.
05:04 We find Enoch's story or his recording
05:08 in the Faith's Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11:5.
05:11 And it says, "By faith Enoch was taken away
05:16 so that he did not see death,
05:18 'and was not found, because the God had taken him',
05:23 for before he was taken
05:25 he had this testimony, that he pleased God."
05:30 Bless Enoch's heart.
05:32 He lived during a dark period of history,
05:36 but he believed God and he acted righteously.
05:39 He was in the wicked world, but the world was not in him.
05:43 In steadfast faith, he lived up to his name
05:46 which means dedicated.
05:48 And he continued in a constant walk with God.
05:53 Genesis 5:24 explains "Because Enoch walked
05:58 in such close fellowship with the Lord,
06:01 God translated him into His presence in heaven
06:05 without experiencing death."
06:08 Enoch's witness makes me wonder
06:13 if my walk of faith is pleasing to the Lord,
06:16 "Am I crucified to the world and the world to me?"
06:22 Now let's look at Elijah.
06:25 Hebrews 11 does not include mention of Elijah.
06:28 He was the Lord's great prophet of the 9th century BC.
06:32 But as the only other person that the Bible states
06:35 was translated to heaven without seeing death,
06:38 his story comes to mind.
06:40 Elijah's strength, his faith is a stellar example
06:46 to in-time believers.
06:48 He was persecuted for righteousness sake.
06:50 He suffered moments of despondency,
06:53 but he always rebounded.
06:55 Elijah's faith released the Lord's amazing acts
07:00 and mighty works into the world.
07:03 And we find in 2 Kings 2:11.
07:09 He is pictured as being caught up in a chariot of fire.
07:14 Now that was a symbol of God's angels
07:17 and he's caught up in this chariot of fire by a whirlwind,
07:21 which was the symbol of the Lord and His power.
07:24 Elijah typifies the living believers
07:28 at the second coming of Christ
07:30 who will be caught up with the resurrected righteous
07:33 to meet the Lord in the air.
07:35 If we walk with God abiding in Christ by faith,
07:40 we are promised deliverance from eternal death.
07:44 Elijah's life causes me to question.
07:48 If I knew Christ was coming tomorrow,
07:52 would I do anything differently today?
07:57 Now let's look at Noah.
07:59 We find in the Hall of Fame here in Hebrews 11:7,
08:05 the mention of Noah and it says, "By faith Noah,
08:09 being divinely warned moved with godly fear
08:14 and became heir of the righteousness
08:17 which is according to faith."
08:20 God warned Noah of the world flood that was to come.
08:25 And Genesis 6:8 says the reason
08:28 was Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
08:32 Believing God's word and fearing
08:35 the consequences of disobedience,
08:38 faith moved him to build an Ark
08:41 according to God's precise instructions.
08:45 You see, when we look at Noah,
08:46 faith includes obedience.
08:49 He was ridiculed. He was rejected by his countrymen.
08:54 Noah and his family though were saved
08:57 by grace through faith.
08:59 God made him an heir of righteousness
09:03 which is according to faith.
09:05 Noah's obedient faith causes me to pause and consider
09:11 "Am I acting in faith to follow all of the Lord's instructions?"
09:18 Now let's look at Abraham.
09:21 And we find Abraham in Hebrews 11:8-10,
09:26 this is his mention in the Hall of Fame.
09:29 It says, "By faith Abraham obeyed
09:33 when he was called to go out to the place
09:36 which he would receive as an inheritance.
09:39 And he went out, not knowing where he was going
09:42 for he waited for the city which has foundations,
09:46 whose builder and maker is God."
09:50 You know, the Genesis 12 account of Abraham's response to God
09:55 tells how faith urged Abraham
09:59 to leave his homeland of Ur of the Chaldees
10:02 and to follow God's leading to unknown places
10:06 without even questioning.
10:08 Though God blessed him richly,
10:10 he dwelt intense in a foreign land
10:13 looking through the telescope of faith
10:17 to the eternal city whose architect was God.
10:21 Abraham believed God's covenant to make him
10:25 a great nation of countless descendants
10:28 and the reward of his faith was God's approval.
10:32 When he was 100 years old
10:34 and his wife Sarah was about 90 years old,
10:37 both beyond the natural age of reproduction,
10:40 this childless couple convinced of God's promise,
10:46 conceived their own son of promise.
10:49 In Romans 4:20-22, it says that Abraham did not waiver
10:57 at the promise of God through unbelief,
10:59 but he was strengthened in faith giving glory to God
11:04 and being fully convinced that what God had promised
11:08 He was also able to perform.
11:11 Therefore, God accounted
11:14 Abraham's response to him as righteousness.
11:19 Righteousness has always been by faith.
11:23 Hebrews 8:11 speaks of Abraham's wife Sarah
11:27 and it declares it was by faith
11:31 that the aged and barren Sarah
11:33 received strength to conceive seed
11:36 and she bore a child when she was past the age.
11:40 Why? Scripture tell us it was because she judged Him,
11:45 God, she judged Him faithful who had promised.
11:49 So by faith, she stood on God's promise.
11:54 Now let us take a look
11:56 at a stunning example of Abraham's faith.
11:59 This is found in Hebrews 11:17-19
12:03 and it says, "By faith Abraham,
12:06 when he was tested, offered up Isaac,
12:10 and he who had received the promises offered up
12:14 his only begotten Son, of whom it was said,
12:17 'In Isaac your seed shall be called,'
12:21 concluding that God was able to raise him up,
12:26 even from the dead."
12:29 Oh, mercy.
12:31 You know, we find this account,
12:33 of this amazing feat of faith in Genesis 22.
12:38 With unfaltering trust in God,
12:40 Abraham performed the most stunning example
12:44 of his insuppressible faith by his willingness
12:49 to sacrifice his son the heir of all of God's promises.
12:55 Now, you know, that sounds amazing,
12:57 but we have to remember that Abraham had seen
13:01 Christ's day in vision and he probably knew
13:04 the entire story of redemption including the crucifixion
13:09 and resurrection of God's only Son.
13:12 He also knew that God detested human sacrifice,
13:16 still how stunning was his faith to follow
13:20 the Lord's test of offering his son Isaac
13:23 concluding that God would raise him up
13:27 even from the dead in order to fulfill his promise
13:31 of making Abraham a great nation.
13:34 By his example of faith in action,
13:38 we are called to trust in God's promises
13:41 and walk in obedience.
13:43 You know, Abraham's amazing act of faith causes me to ask,
13:49 "Have I ever totally surrendered my will to God?"
13:55 Now let's look at Moses
13:57 and we find Moses mentioned in the Hall of Faith
14:01 in Hebrews 11:24-26 and it says,
14:06 "By faith Moses, when he became of age,
14:09 refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
14:12 choosing rather to suffer affliction
14:14 with the people of God than to enjoy
14:16 the passing pleasures of sin,
14:19 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches
14:23 than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward."
14:30 Moses sacrificed the temporary world
14:32 and its benefits for the reward
14:35 of an invisible God in eternal world.
14:38 Now Moses' parents, prompted by faith
14:41 in God's promise of a deliverer,
14:43 entrusted their son to His care.
14:47 In total disregard of Pharaoh's edict
14:50 demanding the death of all Hebrew male newborns,
14:54 his mother concealed him for 3 months
14:57 then placed him in an ark like a basket of papyrus reeds
15:02 and floated him down a river.
15:04 Pharaoh's daughter rescued Moses
15:06 and the son of slaves was reared
15:09 in the ostentatious splendor of Pharaoh's palace.
15:15 By faith Moses forsook his position of privilege
15:19 and the treasures of Egypt
15:21 spending 40 years in the land of Midian
15:24 before becoming Israel's great leader and lawgiver.
15:29 Led by faith, he returned to Egypt
15:32 to deliver God's people from bondage.
15:35 The God of grace provided the Passover
15:39 to protect the first born of Israel during a plague.
15:42 And in faith, Moses obeyed God
15:46 believing that the sprinkling of blood
15:48 on the doorpost would save,
15:51 recognizing that it pointed forward
15:54 to the blood of the Lamb of God, Christ our Passover.
15:59 By faith, Moses and the Hebrew children
16:01 passed through the Red Sea.
16:04 Moses died though without entering
16:06 the Promised Land on earth.
16:08 But we know from Jude 1:9
16:12 that Moses was raised up again
16:15 in a special resurrection by the Lord
16:19 and he lives in the paradise of God in heaven.
16:23 Moses typifies the resurrection of the righteous dead.
16:28 Now when I consider Moses life, I wonder,
16:33 "Is my walk of faith worthy of my Lord?"
16:36 When my account is finally settled, will I be able to say,
16:41 "Lord, you delivered to me these talents.
16:44 And I have gained more besides them?"
16:46 Will He say to me, "Well done, good and faithful servant.
16:51 You've been faithful over a few things.
16:53 I will make you ruler over many.
16:56 Enter into the joy of your Lord?"
16:59 There are countless champions
17:01 that are talked about in that Faith's Hall of Fame.
17:05 Let's look at this and it comes from Hebrews 11:33, 34.
17:12 "Talking about God's champions
17:14 'who through faith subdued kingdoms,
17:17 worked righteousness, obtained promises,
17:20 stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire,
17:24 escaped the edge of the sword,
17:26 out of weakness were made strong,
17:29 become valiant in battle,
17:31 turned to flight the armies of the aliens'
17:35 proved the instrument of faith releases
17:38 the power of His promises on earth."
17:41 Still in this very same Chapter
17:44 there is the story of other champions of faith
17:48 and it is told in Hebrews 11:36-39.
17:53 And it says "These champions had trial
17:57 of mocking and scourgings, chains and imprisonment.
18:01 They were stoned, sawn in two, tempted,
18:06 slain with the sword, wandered about in sheepskins,
18:10 being destitute, afflicted, tormented,
18:14 of whom the world was not worthy.
18:17 They wandered in deserts, mountains, dens, and caves."
18:23 What does their story show?
18:25 It proves that poverty and suffering
18:27 are not evidence of God's displeasure with us
18:31 and it's not evidence of lack of faith in His promises.
18:35 We live in a world under the dominion of the devil.
18:38 Some of the early Christians survived persecution.
18:43 Others were martyred including the apostles
18:46 with the exception of John.
18:48 So Hebrews 11:39-40 says this
18:53 "And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith,
18:58 did not receive the promise,
19:01 God having provided something better for us,
19:04 that they should not be made perfect apart from us."
19:09 These faith heroes died without seeing
19:12 the promise of being united with the Lord
19:15 in order that we could join together with them
19:18 at the time of receiving God's ultimate perfection.
19:22 Uh, but when you think about it,
19:24 how great will be their reward in the end?
19:28 As I consider these countless champions,
19:30 I find myself asking,
19:33 "Am I fighting the good fight of faith?"
19:37 Now let's think about Paul.
19:39 Paul was God's ambassador of grace.
19:43 The ever persecuted Paul endured great struggles
19:46 with suffering yet he pressed forward
19:49 motivated by faith to gain Christ and attain eternal life.
19:55 Paul stated in Philippians 3:8-11,
19:59 "I have suffered the loss of all things and count them
20:04 as rubbish that I may gain Christ that I may know Him
20:09 and the power of His resurrection
20:11 and the fellowship of His sufferings,
20:14 being conformed to His death if by any means
20:18 I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."
20:22 The captain of our salvation Jesus Christ, the Lord,
20:26 was as the author of Hebrews put it
20:29 perfected by His sufferings.
20:32 And Paul yearned for the same perfection.
20:36 Let me ask, do you suffer for righteousness sake?
20:40 The Bible counsels you to consider yourself blessed
20:44 and rejoice that you partake of Christ's suffering,
20:47 experienced by believers around the world.
20:51 The Savior who suffered for you
20:54 understands your disappointments and fears.
20:56 He understands your physical and emotional pain.
21:00 He is with you always.
21:03 Your Heavenly Father takes notice.
21:06 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 says that,
21:09 "He is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.
21:14 He will comfort you in all your tribulations."
21:18 Take heart and hold fast to the Lord's hand
21:22 till the finishing of your faith.
21:25 Paul's life causes me to pause and consider in self pity,
21:32 "Do I become weak-kneed
21:34 and murmur against my circumstances?"
21:37 God help me to believe His grace is sufficient
21:41 and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
21:48 We tap into God's pipeline of grace
21:52 by the instrument of faith
21:55 for the purpose of obedience to the faith.
21:58 The great cloud of ancient witnesses
22:01 who looked forward to a better country
22:05 testified to God's continued grace
22:08 by their lives of active faith.
22:10 The Bible instructs us to look to their example
22:14 and to follow the glorious faith in this manner.
22:18 Hebrews 12:1-2, "Let us lay aside every weight,
22:24 and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
22:28 and let us run with endurance the race
22:31 that is set before us, looking unto Jesus,
22:35 the author and finisher of our faith,
22:38 who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
22:42 despising the shame, and has sat down
22:46 at the right hand of the throne of God."
22:49 Oh, I was talking about the Polaroid camera earlier.
22:53 Please point your cameras to Christ.
22:57 Fixture eyes on Him and you will become what you behold.
23:02 He is the author and the finisher of our faith.
23:06 He who worked miracles healed the sick
23:09 and the broken hearted.
23:10 He who came to set at liberty
23:12 those who were oppressed by sin, is the source of faith
23:17 and because we believed in and received Him as Savior,
23:22 He gave us the right to become the children of God
23:25 and receive His inheritance.
23:27 Paul wrote to Timothy, "I know whom I have believed
23:31 and I am persuaded that He is able to keep that
23:35 which I have committed unto Him until that day."
23:38 Christ is the finisher of our faith.
23:42 We can count on Him.
23:44 As we commit our lives to His care,
23:46 He will perfect our faith.
23:48 He will perfect our characters guarding our future with Him.
23:53 I love the promise of Philippians 1:6.
23:56 It provides the assurance
23:58 that we can be confident of this very thing
24:02 that "He who has begun a good work in you
24:05 will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."
24:09 Glory to God, He does not forsake His children,
24:13 but He remains faithful to continue our development
24:17 until the very day that Christ returns for us
24:21 and we will be restored to His image
24:25 we will be perfected.
24:27 We shall be like Him.
24:29 Our destiny will be fulfilled.
24:32 Like the heroes of faith's history,
24:34 let us recognize that this world
24:37 is temporary and not our permanent home.
24:40 God's champions who sought a better place
24:43 in the coming of Christ
24:45 died without receiving the promise
24:47 of being united with the Lord.
24:49 They sleep in Jesus, secured by their faith.
24:54 And their next conscious moment
24:55 will be when He returns to bring them up with Him.
24:59 Those who are alive at His coming will not precede them
25:04 in entering into His presence
25:06 for the dead in Christ will rise first
25:09 and they will receive their rewards of obedient faith
25:12 when He comes for them in glory.
25:14 Let's look at 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16
25:20 which explains this.
25:22 Paul writes "I do not want you to be ignorant brethren,
25:26 concerning those who have fallen asleep
25:29 that includes those faith champions,
25:31 lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
25:35 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
25:39 even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus.
25:44 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord,
25:48 that we who are alive and remain
25:52 until the coming of the Lord
25:53 will by no means precede those who are asleep.
25:57 For the Lord himself will descend
25:59 from heaven with a shout,
26:00 with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.
26:04 And the dead in Christ will rise first."
26:09 Oh, my brother, my sister, walk in the obedience of faith
26:13 and welcome His coming rewards.
26:16 Focus your faith on Him.
26:18 By His power, He will keep you
26:21 for the supreme salvation that is to be revealed.
26:24 The trials which grieve you now will only improve
26:28 the genuineness of your faith.
26:30 Listen to the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
26:34 found in Revelation 22:12-14.
26:37 He says, "Behold, I am coming quickly
26:42 and my reward is with me,
26:44 to give to everyone according to His work.
26:48 I am the alpha and the omega,
26:50 the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
26:54 Blessed are those who do His commandments
26:57 that they may have the right to the tree of life
27:00 and may enter through the gates into the city."
27:04 Hold fast to the one you love.
27:07 The day of His second coming is near.
27:10 Believing you can stand fast
27:14 looking forward in faith to your future inheritance
27:17 reserved in heaven for you.
27:19 As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Peter 1:8-10,
27:23 he says, "Though now you do not see Him,
27:26 yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible
27:30 and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith,
27:33 the salvation of your souls.
27:36 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired
27:38 and searched carefully who prophesied of the grace
27:42 that would come to you."
27:44 Well, our time together today is gone.
27:47 Please join us next time
27:48 when we will look at the one incident of faith
27:51 that caused the Lord of glory to marvel
27:55 as well as the turning point of faith in Paul's life,
27:58 until then, good bye.


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Revised 2014-12-17