Hebrews 11 - How Do You Make It Into the Hall of Faith?

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1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:1 is probably the best definition of faith in the bible. Faith is about confidence and assurance. We can have confidence in our faith because our faith is in a person, Jesus Christ. We can be confident that Jesus is who he said he was, because he always kept His promises. Even though we cannot see Jesus and were not there to witness his life, death, and resurrection, there are many reasons we can be assured of what we "cannot see". 

We know without a shadow of doubt Jesus lived. Nobody would ever doubt that. Jewish historians, like Josephus, included accounts of his birth and life. We also know without a shadow of doubt that he died on a cross. That is not debated either. The final reason for our assurance and hope is in Jesus' resurrection. Though the disciples were witnesses and others too, it is still debated and many think the claim of His resurrection is just folklore or wishful thinking. 

But what is the evidence of Jesus rising from the dead?

1. The disciples went from being forlorn about Jesus death, and their own denial of him, to starting the church, which grew dramatically under their leadership and works of power. Remember these were everyday, ordinary guys that became world class leaders and influencers of a skeptical culture. The "proof was in the pudding". 

The most compelling aspect and proof that they were not making this stuff up was that almost of all of the disciples died and were "martyred" for their faith. Someone has said, "Rarely will anyone die for the truth, but who would die for something they knew to be a lie!"

2. No one could disprove Jesus' resurrection, or come up with a dead body. The tomb was empty. The religious leaders tried to say someone stole body. But there were a couple of reasons this was not possible. First of all, Jesus'  tomb was put in a big cave and a large rock was rolled into place to seal the cave. The chance of anyone being physically able to move to rock from the opening of the tomb was next to nothing. Secondly, the soldier guarding the tomb would pay with his life if Jesus' body would have been stolen. Finally, why would the disciples steal the body, if they knew he was dead? If he wasn't raised from the dead all the things he had promised were lies. They would have no credible motive to do so. Why would they want to perpuate a lie. 

3. The women at the tomb were the first to testify to Jesus' resurrection. In Jesus' day to have women be the first to testify would not have been a good strategy, if you were trying to deceive the public.

"In first-century Jewish culture, women held low legal standing as witnesses; the fact that the Gospels record women as the primary discoverers of the empty tomb points to historical authenticity rather than a fabricated legend." - Kirk Cameron

4. Finally, millions of Christians over the past 20 centuries have to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, who lived, died, and rose again. This belief in resurrected Jesus is what has propelled this movement started by Galilean fishermen to more than 2.3 billion believers in Jesus. 

In the verses that follow in Chapter 11, you will see all the people included in the Hall of Faith who came before Jesus but believed in faith in God's promises so much so that they gave their lives for it. As you read through each of their stories their faith they were confident in what they hoped for and had assurance in what they could not see. Their faith became sight as the walked in faith. 

There are lots of good reasons to believe in Jesus, but the only way you will discover them and experience them is if you walk in faith. As you step out in faith and see God meet you there you will begin to have confidence in what you hope for and assurance of what you do not see! 

Jesus, thank you for the gift of faith. Thank you for all those who have gone before us who had confidence in what they hoped for and certainty of what they could not see.  As we step out in faith our confidence will grow and will grow in the assurance of what we cannot see. One day our faith will become sight and all we hoped for and trusted in will be made known to us face to face. Keep us in faith until that day by the power of Your Holy Spirit, as we hold on to Your precious promises! Amen.