Text: Hebrews 11:1-13; 11:39-12:2
(Chatham Citadel: August 8th, 1999 AM)
This message was accompanied by a relatively familiar drama where a man is climbing a cliff and slips. As he’s clinging onto a branch almost falling to his death, he cries out “God help me” – and God answers. God says “Trust me! Let Go!” and the man’s response is “is there anyone else up there?” Eventually he lets go only to discover that there was a hidden ledge below that he fell onto when he trusted God.
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
So begins the roll call, in Hebrews 11, of those who have been commended for their faith. But more than simply a roll call, Hebrews 11 is a roll of honour for these men and women who have passed a testing of faith. At some time in these people’s lives, they could have easily turned the other way, but by faith they persevered.
While their faith may have occasionally been blind, it was most definitely not stupid. When they put their hope in what was as yet to them unseen, they were certain their faith would be rewarded and they would receive that reward they knew was waiting for them. They didn’t second-guess the value of what their faith told them was true.
These days, we probably all have an electronic thermostat in our homes. When it was first introduced, manufacturers guaranteed that by adjusting the temperature through the day, the thermostat would not only make you more comfortable, it would also save you money by reducing the amount of energy you use. They claimed you would save enough on your energy bill in one year to pay for the thermostat, and that if you didn’t, the company would buy it back. If you multiply the annual savings over the lifetime of the product, it should have been obvious and reasonable that the purchase would be wise one. Yet, when people saw the $100 price tag, they would reach for the much cheaper manual one. All it took was a little faith to see a much bigger reward.
There are hundreds of examples where faith is necessary to life. Without faith, we can do nothing. Without faith, we can accomplish nothing. Don’t be deceived; faith is not only necessary for our spiritual life, it is necessary for all of life.
The fact is, as George Michael sings, "Ya’ve gotta have faith - faith that there is something more!
Note: Yes this is a “secular song” about a girl, but listen to the lyrics carefully – what is George really saying about faith?
FAITH DOES NOT PRECLUDE REASON
So many in the world today would say that faith is fickle, and when it comes to faith in God, it is even bogus. Others would tell you that you are stupid to believe in God by faith alone – that you should rely on reason instead – and since, they say, there is no physical proof that God exists, we are foolish to believe in Him.
But just because we have faith does not mean that we ignore the facts. We do not suspend all reason to simply rely totally on a gut feeling. There are lots of good reasons to believe in God. However, at some point, the essence of who God is moves beyond our frame of reference and into things that we do not understand or can explain – at that point, He exists outside of our ability to reason because he is outside of what we can quantify and measure. We have nothing to compare Him to.
Really, how could we possibly compare him with something he created in the first place. He is beyond our scope of experience and far beyond our understanding. Even with all our science and knowledge, we are still finite beings living in a finite creation contemplated and created by an infinite God. Reason alone cannot comprehend the greatness of God, and so we require faith.
Faith does not take the place of reason – it extends reason. Faith is required in every walk of life. You have to have faith that the sun will come up in the morning. You have to have faith that your clocks are right and that you will get up at the correct time. You have to have faith that when you get in your car, it will start. You have to have faith that when you get to work, there will be a job there for you to do. You had to have faith that when you sat in your chair, it would hold you or you would never have sat down. Even those who have very analytical and scientific minds must rely on faith or they will go nowhere.
After talking for a short time, a young man who once visited Albert Einstein walked out onto the porch with him. The young man pointed to a tree. "Dr. Einstein, do we know that tree is there?" and the great mathematician replied "Only by faith"
Another great man of reason, Blaise Pascal, who is considered to be the inventor of the adding machine, and thereby the father of computers, is reputed to have said “Faith indeed tells what the senses do not tell, but not the contrary of what they see. It is above them and not contrary to them.”
In other words, faith confirms fact even before we can prove those facts. It “is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV) If fact should prove it wrong, then it was false faith, but faith that does not have fact to confirm it does not deny that what the faith is placed in, is false – and have not yet seen evidence to convince me that faith in the God of Hebrews is false.
Faith does not preclude reason. It merely takes a leap ahead of it.
Faith does not discount reason, but faith is sometimes required before reason is possible. People tell us that if they could only see God – find some physical evidence to prove he exists – they would have had faith. On the other hand, we as Christians ask people to accept Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the basis of faith, and then as they experience a relationship with Him, they will find the evidence within their own hearts and lives that God exists and cares for us.
Those who do not have faith must make the first move. If faith could be given to them so that they might see God, we would, but we cannot. If, however, you can accept on faith that Jesus died to redeem you, then you can see for yourself and be satisfied that God exists… and even more.[1]
FAITH IS NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING
Asking people to accept Jesus Christ on faith is not such an unreasonable thing to do. Thomas Edison asked people to believe on faith that he could make electricity light a room. For a very long time, there were many doubters. Those working with him had to accept it on faith that such a thing was possible without any proof. After thousands of hours of painstaking work and hundreds of failed attempts during which Edison himself must have been tempted to say it was impossible, what he believed by faith finally became an experienced reality. But what if he had given up? Imagine the world of darkness we would live in if Edison had not persevered – in faith!
Jesus said “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain ‘move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Mat 17:20 NIV). Within my lifetime, we have seen not only mountains moved, but men walk on the moon and robots walk Mars. It is not merely technology that has accomplished these tasks, but the faith of those who believed it could be done. Having that kind of faith is incredibly powerful.
Edna Butterfield tells a story about her husband Ron, a teacher at Harding University in Arkansas; “Ron, once taught a class of mentally impaired teenagers. Looking at his students' capabilities rather than their limitations, Ron got them to play chess, restore furniture and repair electrical appliances. Most important, he taught them to believe in themselves. Young Bobby soon proved how well he had learned that last lesson. One day he brought in a broken toaster to repair. He carried the toaster tucked under one arm, and a half-loaf of bread under the other.”
Without faith, nothing is possible. With faith, all things are possible. It is indeed the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1 KJV)
It is interesting that one of the very few times Jesus commended someone for their faith, it was to a centurion who compared Jesus ability to heal to his own position of command.
“…I myself am a man under authority,” the centurion said in Luke 7:8-9 (NIV), “with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, ‘I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.’”
Perhaps you have heard the story of the old drinking water pump on the very long and seldom-used trail across Nevada’s Amargosa Desert some time in the 1930’s. A letter was written and placed in a baking powder tin wired to the handle of the pump, which read: “This pump is all right as of June 1932. I put a new sucker washer into it and it ought to last five years. But the washer dries out and the pump has got to be primed. Under the white rock I buried a bottle of water, out of the sun and cork end up. There's enough water in it to prime the pump, but not if you drink some first. Pour about one-fourth and let her soak to wet the leather. Then pour in the rest medium fast and pump like crazy. You'll git water. The well has never run dry. Have faith. When you git watered up, fill the bottle and put it back like you found it for the next feller. (signed) Desert Pete. P.S. Don't go drinking the water first. Prime the pump with it and you'll git all you can hold."
Without faith we would be tempted to drink the bottle first, but taking the risk that faith affords us and priming the pump brings us more water than we could ever drink.
Without faith we may not take any risks, but neither will we accomplish anything of value. As Henry Miller once said “Back of every creation, supporting it like an arch, is faith. Enthusiasm is nothing; it comes and goes. But if one believes, then miracles occur.”
FAITH IN JESUS BRINGS ETERNAL REWARDS
Having faith does not mean that we are blindly accepting something on the basis that it makes us feel good. We do not simply believe because it is convenient to do so. We believe because of what we do know and is supported by the testimony of others who have been there. It is true we don’t have all the answers, that some things we have to take on faith, but we know that without faith we can accomplish nothing.
Faith takes us places we have not yet known, and when it comes to Jesus and spiritual things, it is no different.
Pascal tells us that there are only three kinds of people: Those who serve God, having found Him, are reasonable and happy. Those who live without seeking Him, and have not found Him, are foolish and unhappy. Those who are occupied in seeking Him, not having found Him, are unhappy and reasonable.
Personally, I would rather be reasonable and happy. As Edward Mote wrote in his popular hymn, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Blood and righteousness…”,
Hear what God is saying to you right now. As Paul states in Acts 20:21, “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.”
CONCLUSION
The bottom line for all of us today is: “You gotta have faith!” Faith that there’s something more for you and that God in his infinite wisdom has a greater plan for you.
You have to take the plunge – to take that first step on the journey. Let us “run the race”, as Paul says, let us “fix our eyes on Jesus.” Let us put our trust in him and by faith seek his direction. It is a long and sometimes scary road to follow, but when we trust him, he leads us safely through every challenge. All that is required is a little bit of faith.
One night there was a house that caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below. Flames leapt from the roof not far behind the man’s son silhouetting his small figure in a hellish red glow.
With outstretched arms, he called to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see below, however, was smoke, and blackness. He felt safer where he stood, and was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling to him: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you." In desperation, the father replied, "But I can see you and that's all that matters."
Are you living on a roof top surrounded by flames? Jesus is calling to you today to make the leap of faith – you can’t see him, but his arms are outstretched, waiting to catch you. Make that leap of faith today.
[1] Pascal - Pensees - 240
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