All right, our study tonight is from Hebrews chapter 11. And I'm sure that you noted while Brother Trabant was reading this 11th chapter the number of times that the word faith occurs, 24 times. in these 40 verses. Faith is written. Faith. And the key statement, I believe, in this 11th chapter would be verse 6, showing us the importance of our subject tonight. But without faith, but without faith it's impossible. to please God. For he that cometh to God must, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. He's a merciful God. Now before we begin our verse-by-verse study, I want to give you two scriptural definitions of faith that will help us on our way. The first one is found in 2 Timothy 1, called by that great prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon, the clearest definition of faith to be found. In 2 Timothy 1, verse 12, Paul said, for the which cause I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I'm not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed. Faith, number one, is born of knowledge. I know whom I have believed. I know who he is, who Christ is. I know from whence he came, I know why he came into this world, I know what he did, why he suffered, and we know where he is now. How shall they call on him in whom they've not believed, and how shall they believe in him of whom they've not heard? So faith begins with an understanding of who Christ is. I know whom. I notice Paul didn't say, I know what I believe. He did. He didn't say, I know when I believe, indicating a time. He said, I know whom. Redemption is a person. Faith, the object of saving faith, is a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. So the first part of faith, it all goes together, but there must be knowledge. I'm confident, persuaded that he's able. I'm confident, I'm persuaded. The second part of faith is the confidence in him. I know who he is, and I'm confident that he's able to do what he says. That's the basis of Abraham's faith. When I read a moment ago in Romans 4, who against hope rejoiced in hope, knowing that God was able to do to perform all that he said. He's able. He's able. He's able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him. He's able to keep us from falling. He's able to present us faultless before the Father's throne, holy and unblameable. He's able to raise us by our bodies. He's able to make us like him. He's able. Faith is born of knowledge, and faith is confident in the ability and power of our Lord to redeem. Our Lord alone, alone. Christ is all. All right, then the third thing mentioned here, he said, I know knowledge. I know whom I have believed. I'm confident that he's able to keep. He's able to keep that which I have committed. involves a commitment. It involves a knowledge of a person. It involves a confidence in that person. It involves a commitment to that person. As many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become sons of God. All that my Father giveth me shall come to me. They'll come to me. They'll believe on me. They'll hear my word and they'll follow me. They'll commit themselves and all that they are and all they have to me. That's faith now. Born of knowledge, based on confidence, and it involves a commitment. All right, John chapter 6. I want you to listen to the Apostle Peter here. This to me is a clear declaration and definition of faith. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in John chapter 6, talked about substitution, grace, sovereign mercy, and it was offensive. They said in verse 60, many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, this is a hard saying, hard saying, who can hear it? Verse 61, our Lord asked them, did it offend them? Then he said in verse 62, what if you see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before? If this doctrine of substitution and sovereign mercy offends you, he said, where do you see the Son of Man ascend where he was before, glorified with the glory which he had with the Father before the world was? And then verse 63, he said, the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing. And they walked back, they left Him, verse 66. From that time, He said, no man can come to Me except it were given him of My Father. And from that time, many of His disciples went back and walked with Him. Disciples means followers. These people, thousands of them following Him, some for the loaves and fishes, and some for the miracles, and some for other reasons. And then Jesus, look at verse 67, then Jesus said to the twelve, will you also go away or are you going to leave? These people began to drift away, leave, walk no more with him. And he turned to the twelve and he said, will you also go away? And Peter indicates that he wouldn't and tells him why. the basis of faith. Then Simon Peter answered and said, Lord, to whom shall we go? To whom shall we go for mercy, for forgiveness, for life? Where shall we turn? To the law? To the ceremonies? To the synagogue? To the Pharisees? To whom shall we go? of eternal life. Thou hast the words of eternal life. Grace poured from his lips, and Peter recognized that grace, hope, and life. You have the words of life. And we believe, and we are sure, confident, that you are that Christ You are that Christ whom Abraham saw, of whom Moses wrote, son of David, subject of the prophets. You are that Christ, the son of the living God. Faith is a precious grace wherever it is bestowed. It rests in Jesus Christ alone. It is the gift of God. Horatius Bonar said this, faith does not come to Calvary to do anything. Faith comes to Calvary to see, not to do, to see. To see the Lamb of God accomplished full salvation. Not to do, but to hear, to hear him say, it's finished. Not to do, but to see, and to hear, and to say, amen. Where faith begins, our work ends. Faith is rest, not work. Faith is trust, not merit. Faith is giving up all our former efforts to earn or merit His favor and His grace. Faith is resting, trusting, and rejoicing in our sufficient Redeemer. All right, Hebrews 11. Let's look at Paul's words here in Hebrews 11 concerning faith. We'll probably make three messages out of this chapter as we did chapter 10. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. And I've read that verse time after time after time, and I've preached on it time after time after time, and I've sought a simple way in which to present it. And I believe today that I saw it more clearly that I have before, and let's look at it and see if I can help us with it. Faith is the substance, that is the confidence. Faith is the substance, the ground, the basis, the substance of things hoped for. All right. What are the things hoped for? What are the things hoped for? Well, forgiveness of sins. fellowship with God, to know God. That's what Paul said, oh, that I may know Him, that I may win Christ and be found in Him. That's what we hope for. Eternal life. That's what we hope for. Hear Him say, come ye blessed into the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world. That's what I'm hoping for. Well, now, these things are certain. God said to Moses, I will be merciful. God said to Abraham, I will have a people. You're going to be the father of a people out of every nation and tongue unto heaven. These things are certain. There is forgiveness. There is eternal life. There is a kingdom. There are some people who are going to be like Christ. God promised it. How do I know that it's mine? Faith, that's how. Faith is the ground. These things are a reality to me because I find in my heart faith in Him who promised. I find in my heart God has worked faith, believing Him. And that confidence and that faith which He has given unto me and to you, is the confidence that these things are reality to us, and they apply to us, and they are our possession. When you find that faith in your heart, that belief, believe in God, it's the same faith that's in the heart of Abraham. God gave it. God gave it. Abraham believed it. And that's the confidence that these things are ours. We believe God. It's not based on works. It's not based on doing. It's not based on experience. It's not based on feeling. It's based on the fact that faith is in our hearts. That's the gift of God. I believe. If they weren't mine, I wouldn't believe. That's right. That's the confidence. You find faith. Do you find in here you believe God? Do you believe God? Well, God gave you that faith. And when he gave you that faith, he gave you the confidence that his promises are yours too. And now watch the second thing. And faith is the evidence of things not seen. Now I see creation. David looked at the heavens and he said, the heavens declare the glory of God. I can see that. I can see the sun and the moon and the stars. And I see the marvelous works of nature and I'm amazed I'm amazed. A couple of me and I were talking this afternoon. We were planting some bushes, and how amazed we are that things we plant grow. Aren't you amazed? They just put a seed in the ground and it grows. I can see that. I can see the hand of God, the work of God, the awesome work of God. I see the Word of God. And I read this book, and it's awesome to me. I can see this. I see the creation. I can see the nature, the marvelous works of nature, the power of God. I see all that. I see the Word of God. I know God is. God reigns. God is almighty. But here's what I don't see with these eyes. I don't see his love. and mercy and grace to sinners. I can't see that with these eyes. I can see creation. I can see nature. I can see the acts that God showed Israel, His acts. But now, I don't see the covenant council where God chose a people and gave them to Christ. I can't see that with these eyes. And I don't see the incarnate Son of God becoming a man. I haven't seen that. I heard about it, but I haven't seen it. I don't see the cross. I don't see the tomb. I don't see the risen Lord. I don't see the mercy seat. Well, where's the evidence that he did that for me, or even that he did that for sinners? All right, listen. Faith is the evidence. Faith is the proof. Now look at Romans. Turn to Romans 8. Romans 8, verse 14. Here's the evidence. It's that spirit of faith he's put within us. His spirit, the Spirit of Christ. Look at Romans 8, verse 14. For as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you've received the spirit of adoption, whereby you cry, Abba, Father. Hey, there's a spirit of God in you that owns God, not just as the Creator, but the Father. Not just as a sovereign king, but as our Heavenly Father in Christ. The Spirit of God in you calls him Father. That's right. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit that we're children of God. That's the evidence. All of these things that are created are the evidence of his power and wisdom and sovereignty. The Spirit of God in him. that brings me to love him, and love his word, and love his gospel, and love his son, and come to a confidence and a faith in him, that's the evidence that these things are mine. That's right. Let me show you some more scripture. Turn to Galatians 4. It's the Spirit of God in us. Galatians 4, listen to this. Galatians 4, verses 4-6. Now listen, "...when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your heart, crying, Abba, Father." That's the evidence. Faith is the ground and confidence of things hoped for. It's the proof and evidence of things I haven't seen. And I want to run you through some verses in 1 John, if you'll turn over there. This helped me a lot on this particular verse, this verse. 1 John 2, 5. Here's what we're saying. What is the evidence, the proof of these mercies? He's given us His Spirit, the Spirit of love, the Spirit of faith, and we call Him our Father, our loving Father, our heavenly Father, Abba Father. The world doesn't love Him. We love Him as He is. 1 John 2, verse 5, "...whoso keepeth his word, In him, verily, is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we that we are in him." He's put his Word in our hearts. And we love his Word, and we keep his Word. That's how we know that we're in him. Look at chapter 3, verse 5. And this we know, that he was manifested to take away our sins. We know that. And in him is no sin. Look at chapter 3, verse 14. We know. We've passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. There's love for God in our hearts and love for the brethren. That's proof. That's evidence. You can't love without him. You can't believe without him. You can't call him Father without a work of grace in you. No man can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Spirit. Look at chapter 3, verse 24, "...And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abides in us by the Spirit which he hath given us." That's the proof, that's the evidence. Look at chapter 4. This is all the way through the book of 1 John. Chapter 4, verse 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he has given us his Holy Spirit. The Spirit regenerates us, quickens us, teaches us, takes the things of Christ and reveals them to us. Look at chapter 5, verse 19. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, we're in Him that is true, even in His Son. This is the true God. This is eternal life. We know it. Does that help you? It did me. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. That faith that we have in here God gave us is the ground and the confidence that our hope's a good hope. And that faith and that spirit which he put within us is evidence and proof that the things we've not seen, promised by God in Christ Jesus, belong to us. And verse 2 says, and by that faith, that same faith, Who are those elders? Noah. See, this chapter talks about those men. Noah, Abraham, Moses. These men believed God. And it was counted to him as righteousness. By this same faith, the elders obtained a good report. Four times in the Scriptures, this statement is made. Abraham believed God. Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Same faith. That's faith's definition. All right, verse 3, we find faith's foundation. What's the basis? What's the chief support of this faith in Christ, the reason for our hope? How do we come by this understanding and knowledge of the living God? Well, four words. Find it in verse 3. What's the faith's foundation? What's the chief support of faith? The basis of faith in Christ. Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God. That's the chief support. The Word of God. So the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. The things that we now see were not made of things which we now see. The glorious things which we now see were promised to us in Christ by the Word of God, by the Word of God. The same Word of God that spoke the world into being spoke these promises into being. Turn with me to 2 Peter. 2 Peter chapter 3. 2 Peter chapter 3. The same word of God which spoke this world into being also according to his word gave us these promises. In 2 Peter 3, start with verse 4. 2 Peter 3, 4. Well, let's read 2 Peter 3, verse 3. Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? Since the fathers fell asleep, all things continued as they were from the beginning of creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water. It was all came to pass by the word of God. Now look down at verse 13. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. According to the same word, the word that created the first world and shall speak and destroy, by his word promises the eternal kingdom. That's the foundation of our faith, His Word. That's what Abraham believed, that what God promised, His promise, His promise, according to His promise, that he was able to perform. Now look at verse 4 in our text. Faith's definition, faith's foundation is the Word of God. Faith's chief support is the Word of God. Now look at faith's sacrifice. By faith, Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and by it he being dead yet speaking." Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, faith sacrifice. He offered it by faith. Well, let's turn back to Genesis 4 and see about this, read about this sacrifice. Genesis 4, verse 3 through 5. Let's read verse 2. Genesis 4, verse 2. And she again bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to the Lord. Here are two men now. who come before God and bring an offering. Two men come before God to worship. He built an altar and offered a sacrifice. Cain brought her the fruit of the ground, an offering to the Lord. And Abel, he also brought her the firstling of his flock. He brought a lamb out of the fat thereof. He brought a lamb, slew the lamb, shed its blood. And the Lord had respect unto Abel's under his offering, Abel and his offering. But under Cain, under his offering, he had not respect. And Cain was robbed, and his countenance fell. Now, here are two men, and one brings the things that he had done, fruit of the ground he had raised and cultivated and worked and brought it to God, and Abel brought a lamb and shed its blood. Abel sacrificed. have respect to Abel's sacrifice and not the king? Well, Abel's sacrifice acknowledged sin on his part. He said, my sins deserve death. Abel's sacrifice acknowledged God's holiness, that God's holiness cannot be satisfied without death, the soul that sinneth it must die. Abel's sacrifice acknowledged that sin required death and demanded death. Abel's sacrifice pointed to the death of the Son of God, the Lamb of God, who died on the cross for our sin. That's why God had respect to Abel's offering. Abel brought the right sacrifice, and the sacrifice of faith is the blood, the blood of Christ. Let's look in Luke 18 at two other men, two other men quite a number of years after these two brothers, Cain and Abel. And here our Lord Jesus Christ is speaking to those who, like Abel, trust in themselves and not in the Lamb, and not in the blood of the Son of God. In Luke 18, verse 9, our Lord spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank Thee that I'm not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. Well, I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess. Here he comes like a cane of old with what he has done, bringing it to God for God's approval. Our Lord said, but the publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast and said, God, be merciful. And everybody who interprets this passage of scripture is saying that this man is saying, God, be propitiated. Be propitiated through the blood of the mercy seat to me. Be merciful. Be propitiated of mercy seat. toward me, the sinner. And Christ said, I'll tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the others. So we come to God by faith, but always faith in the sacrifice, faith in the sacrifice. Know that we are not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold from our vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot. Faith's foundation, the Word of God. Faith's sacrifice, the blood of Christ. Now let's see about faith's conduct. Hebrews 11, verse 5. Faith's conduct by faith. This same saving faith, this same faith, God-given faith, worked in our hearts for the Spirit of God. Enoch was translated that he should not see death, and he was not found because God translated him. But before his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God. Enoch pleased God. Well, what do we know about Enoch? Well, let's turn back to Genesis. Now, there was an Enoch. In Genesis 4, that was born to Cain. Genesis 4, 17, Cain knew his wife and she conceived and bore Enoch. And Cain built a city and named that city after his son Enoch. But that's not the Enoch that we're reading about here that pleased God, walked with God. Genesis 5. And this is the only time Enoch is dealt with except in Jude. But listen to this in Genesis 5. learn a little bit about him. In verse 18, Genesis 5, 18, and Jared lived 162 years and begat Enoch. And Jared lived after he begat Enoch 800 years and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Jared were 962 years and he died. And Enoch lived sixty and five years and begat Methuselah. His son was Methuselah. And Enoch walked with God. And after he begat Methuselah, three hundred years, and he begat sons and daughters. So we know... We'll stop there just a minute. What we do know about Enoch, he was a well-known man in Scripture. He was the father of Methuselah. He was the great-granddaddy of Noah. He was a family man, he had many children. He was a man that looked for Christ. Don't you turn in here, let me just turn over here to Jude and read something about Enoch over here, in Jude 14. And Enoch, the seventh from Adam, Adam, Enoch, prophesied of these saying, Behold the Lord coming. The Lord cometh, the Lord cometh to this earth with 10,000 of his saints. Enoch knew something, didn't he? Let's go back to where we were reading. Enoch, Enoch, verse 22, walked with God after he begat Methuselah 300 years and begat sons and daughters all the days of Enoch for 365 years, and he walked with God. Someone said of Enoch, he walked not with God by sight. He never did see God. No man see God and live. He walked with God by faith. Enoch walked not with God by law. The law hadn't been given. The law is the rule of life. Enoch didn't have a rule, but he walked with God by faith. Enoch didn't walk with God by works. I can't find anything in here about his works. His great-grandson did some work. He built an ark. But ain't it? No statues, no arks, no works. And he walked not with God for a while. He walked with God hundreds of years. And then what did he do? He walked right on into heaven. Read verse... And all the days of Enoch were 300. Back in verse 22, Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah 300 years. He walked with God. And Enoch walked with God, verse 24, and he was not. God took him. So that's faith's conduct. Faith walks with God. Faith walks with God. Fellowship with God. That's what John wrote about in 1 John 1, our fellowships with the Father and with His Son. And we preach this gospel to you that your fellowship might be with the Father and with the Son. He walks with God. Oh, at Faith's works, verse 7, I read verse 6 while ago, verse 7, by faith Enoch, I mean Noah, by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen, moved, moved with fear to all reverence, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith." Faith produces works. Faith is not born of works or built upon works. Faith does not claim works, but faith does produce works. The Word of God says that. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 1. 1 Thessalonians 1, faith produces works. They're called the work of faith. 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 3, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, your labor of love, your patience of hope. Faith produces works. If it's real faith, genuine faith, James chapter 1. Turn over there and let's read this. James chapter 1. Faith produces works. Good works. Godly works. Works of love and kindness. In James chapter 2, it is. James chapter 2, verse 18. Verse 17. Even so, faith, if it hath not works, is dead. Being alone. A man can say, I have faith. Thou hast faith, I have works. Show me your faith without your works. Show me faith without works. It can't be done. I'll show you faith by my works. You believe there's one God, sovereign God, electing God, merciful God. You do well. The devil believes that and he trembles. But will you know, vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works? No, he was justified by faith. But his faith was justified by works. Abraham said he believed God. How do you know he believed God? By his works. That's exactly right. Noah, what are you doing? I'm building an ark. Why are you building an ark on dry land? There's going to be a flood. Noah, have you ever seen a flood? No. Noah, have you ever seen rain? Nope. It never rained on this earth until it wiped it out. It never rained on this earth prior to Noah's day. The earth was watered by mist. Have you ever seen it rain, Noah? No. Well, Noah, why are you building an ark? I believe God. That's why I'm building an ark. I'm not building an ark in order to believe God. I'm building an ark because I believe God. I'm not doing what I do in order to find favor with God. I'm doing what I'm doing because I have found favor with God. That's right. Faith produces work. You can't separate faith and obedience. Let me show you an illustration of that. Turn to Exodus chapter 9. This is a very simple illustration of faith, and yet it's so clear. Exodus 9, verse 18. Exodus 9, 18, God said, Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even till now. Send therefore now, and gather your cattle, and all that thou hast in the field. For upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and not brought home, the hail will come down upon them, and they'll die. And it was he that feared the word of the Lord. among the servants of Pharaoh even, made his servants and his cattle flee into houses. And he that regarded not the word of God left them in the field." Now that's funny. If a man believes God, he acts on it. He acts if he really believes God. And if he doesn't believe God, the status quo. My text again. Hebrews 11. What did Abraham do when God called him? He went out. It says in verse 8, "...by faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for inheritance, obeyed." That's what faith does. It obeys. It believes God and acts. And he went out not knowing where he went. final thing that I'm going to talk about tonight, and that's faith trials. Faith trials. By faith, Abraham went out not knowing where he was going. By faith, verse 9, he sojourned in a land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tents, tabernacles and tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. Abraham's journey through this world It was not an easy one. God sent many trials His way. I've preached from this before. I don't need to enumerate the trials of Abraham, but they were many. Many. Just to mention, God told him to leave his father's house. He's 75 years old. Go to land, I'll show you. He went not knowing where. And when he was 100 years old, God promised him a son. He didn't know how, but he believed God. And then when that son came, he didn't know why, but God told him, take him up on a mountain and burn his body and shed his blood as a sinner. He didn't know why. He didn't know where, he didn't know how, he didn't know why. But verse 10, he looked for a city and he didn't know when, but he never quit looking. All believers are going to be tried. I told some of you all about this dear friend of mine in California, Brother Jesse Eldridge. He came to knowledge of the gospel of Christ just three or four years ago. He began looking for a church where he could hear that gospel preached. He found that church. in Rescue, California, where Brother Gene Harmon's a pastor. He started going to that church. Ronnie's been sending him tapes for four years. While I was out in California, he got married about that time. He's about 42, three or four years old, but he got married. And he and Diane had a little boy. And a few months passed, had a physical problem. He went to the doctor and the doctor thought he had a stroke, but they diagnosed it as Lou Gehrig's disease. So for the past two years, he's just been slowly getting weaker and weaker, losing all movement. He can't talk now. When I was out there, Doris and I were out there in California in November. She brought him to the service in a wheelchair and we went to his house the next day visited with him. He can hear you, but he can't speak. His wife can still understand a little bit. He can move his left hand and work his amigo, but he can't move anything else. And there's no cure. And I write to him regularly. It's an email I got while I was studying this message about Abraham looking for a city. Desiring a better country. You remember reading that? And I got this email just a few hours after I prepared my message. Dear Brother Mahan, just one drop of your note lets you know Jesse's most recent status before you leave on your trip. I wrote to him I was leaving tomorrow. As Jesse's disease progresses, he has also been battling some complicated bowel problems. in addition to the debilitating effects of the illness. In light of this, yesterday, Monday the 29th of March, he decided that the time had come for him to stop eating altogether. We know that you'll understand this is not a sign of giving up or just being depressed. But Jesse desires a better country. And he feels that his God-given time is at hand. All in all, we're holding up well. Jesse's sister from Arkansas is here. His mother will join us next week. Thank you for your prayers, which continue to be answered. Love in Christ, Jesse and Diane. He desires a better country. Abraham did too. He desired a better country. A better country. And that's the end of faith, isn't it? A better country. All right. Pray for Diane. Pray for the little boy. He's about 18 months old. Beautiful little fellow. But they have strong faith in Christ. Both of them, Diane and Jesse, both.