Dr. Pothna's Teaching

1. Chapter-11
Dr. Pothana

2. Hebrews 11

3. Just ANOTHER way to walk

4. LET’S LEARN IT!

5. HEBREWS 11
A.Hebrews 11 is called the faith chapter.
B.It describes the faith of many who have
gone before us who were faithful to
God in spite of the consequences of
their obedience.
C.Hebrews 11 could also be called the
faith & works chapter because it tells
what faith did in their lives.
D.“By faith” is used 18 times followed by
what was done by their faith.

6. Hebrews 11:1-7

7. Faith is a common denominator.
Every one alive daily expresses faith in
something.
No one can live a single day without exercising
faith – faith in the physical world.

8. Faith is also expressed in the spiritual realm.
Each of us regardless of our backgrounds or
educations, our social status or our talents can
express faith.

9. The difference between the faith we exercise in
our daily routine and our religious faith is the
object of that faith.

10. Your faith is only as good as the object in which
you place your faith. The Bible insists that we
personally put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

11. Acts 4:12 : “Nor is there salvation in any other,
for there is no other name under heaven given
among men by which we must be saved.”

12. I. WHAT FAITH IS (11:1-3)

13. 1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped
for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by
it the men of old gained approval. 3 By faith
we understand that the worlds were
prepared by the word of God, so that what is
seen was not made out of things which are
visible.

14. True faith is confident obedience to God’s word in spite of
circumstances or consequences.
Faith is described in a two-fold way.

15. 1) Assurance or Substance: (Greek: hupostasis) means literally
‘to stand under or to support.’
Faith is the foundation that gives the believer the confidence
(support) to stand.
The verse could be translated “faith is the SUPPORT of things
hoped for.”
SUBSTANCE= sSUPPORT= STABILITY=

16. 2) Evidence means “conviction.”
This inward conviction enables the believer to believe things
not yet seen, that God perform what he has promised.
The believer’s faith shows practical evidences of the inward
conviction.

17. II. HOW FAITH THINKS (11:3)

18. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were
prepared by the word of God, so that what is
seen was not made out of things which are
visible.

19. FAITH REASONS UPON GOD’S WORD
AND NOT UPON WHAT CAN BE SEEN

20. It changes our walk style.

21. FAITH REASONS THAT GOD CREATED THE WORLD WITH HIS
WORD AND MADE THINGS THAT ARE VISIBLE TO APPEAR
FROM THINGS THAT ARE INVISIBLE TO MEN.

22. Walking upon the invisible

23. Romans 4:16-17
• 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that
it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all
Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are
of the law but also to those who have the faith
of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is
written: “I have made you a father of many
nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in
whom he believed—the God who gives life to
the dead and calls into being things that were
not.

24. III. WHAT FAITH DOES (11:4-7)

25. Faith Caused Abel to Worship God (Heb. 11:4)
(Gen. 4:1-10)
“By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than
Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was
righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being
dead still speaks.”

26. Abel’s faith caused him to worship God.
“Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice: he chose the
choicest lamb as an offering and he brought it to the place of
sacrifice.
True faith looks for an opportunity to worship!!
It finds creative ways to worship in all circumstances!!

27. Faith Caused Enoch to Walk with God (vv. 5-6)
“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death,
“and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before
he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But
without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes
to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him.”

28. Enoch is a fascinating biblical character.
He lived in one of the darkest period of the history of the
world.
He lived just before God had to destroy the earth because of
man’s evil, yet Enoch managed to keep himself pure.
Enoch walked with God.

29. The Hebrew form of the verb means he walked closely and
continually with God.
The walk that Enoch experienced was on of deepening
intimacy with God.
He lived every day in the presence of the Lord and in constant
communion with Him.
His faith and his obedience, as well as his worship, were
outstanding.

30. A wonderful description of a believer’s life.
The hallmark of Enoch’s life was that “he pleased God”.

31. Faith Caused Noah to Work for God (v. 7)
“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet
seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the
saving of his household, by which he condemned the
world and became heir of the righteousness which is
according to faith.”

32. The story of Noah’s generation is the story of the
degeneration of humanity into sin.
“The wickedness of man was great… every intent of the
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually… The earth was
corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.”
(Gen 6: 5, 11)

33. It is also the story of the marvelous grace of God.
Noah stood alone against the whole world.
Noah built an Ark because he believed God.
Every tree he chopped down shouted: faith.
Every board he sawed: shouted faith.
Every swing of his hammer: shouted faith.
Every layer to which he applied the pitch shouted, faith.

34. Faith will make us work.
Only his steadfast belief in God kept Noah faithful for the 120
years cutting the trees and planning the construction of the
Ark.

35. It would be hard to hidethat huge ark from the ridicule of the
scoffers.
Can you imagine the mockery that Noah must have faced on a
daily basis as he built this huge ship?
It was a hundred miles from the nearest ocean and far to big
to move.

36. The majority of the people simply refused to believe Noah’s
witness concerning the coming flood.
Yet, he in faith went right on working and witnessing, building
the ark and warning of the coming judgement.
Then as a final act of faith, he and his family stepped into the
ark and closed the door.
Noah was a man of faith and his life continually showed his
faith.

37. ABEL worshiped God faithfully.
ENOCH walked with God faithfully.
NOAH worked for God faithfully.

38. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
the conviction of things not seen.
For by it the men of old gained approval.

39.  By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than
Cain, through which he obtained the testimony
that he was righteous, God testifying about
his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he
still speaks.
ABEL GAINED GOD’S APPROVAL

40.  By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would
not see death; and he was not found because God
took him up; for he obtained the witness that
before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.
ENOCH GAINED GOD’S APPROVAL

41. By faith Noah, being warned by God about things
not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the
salvation of his household, by which he condemned
the world, and became an heir of the
righteousness which is according to faith.
NOAH GAINED GOD’S APPROVAL

42. “ 4 Now to the one who works, wages are not
credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5However, to
the one who does not work but trusts God who
justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as
righteousness.”
YOUR “SALARY” COMES FROM YOUR “FAITH”

43. WALK FAITHFULLY
WITH GOD BY
FAITH

44. Vs 8-10 ABRAHAM followed as God led, not
knowing where he was going (Genesis
12:1-7)
Vs 11-12 SARAH came to believe and accept
what was impossible (Genesis 18:11-14)

45. INTERLUDE:
Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not
having received the promises, but having seen
them afar off were assured of them, embraced
them and confessed that they were strangers
and pilgrims on the earth. (14) For those who
say such things declare plainly that they seek a
homeland. (15) And truly if they had called to
mind that country from which they had come
out, they would have had opportunity to return.
(16) But now they desire a better, that is, a
heavenly country. Therefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God, for He has
prepared a city for them.

46. HEBREWS 11
Vs 17-19 ABRAHAM offered Isaac as a sacrifice (Gen
22)
Vs 20 ISAAC foretold the future (Genesis 27:27-29
Vs 21 JACOB blessed the sons of Joseph as him own
to become part of the 12 tribes of Israel (Genesis
49)
Vs 22 JOSEPH instructed that his bones were to rest in
Canaan (Genesis 50:25)
Vs 23 MOSES PARENTS hid him from Pharaoh. (Exo 2)
Vs 24-29 MOSES chose to suffer as an Israelite (Exo
2:11-12), kept the Passover, crossed the Red Sea
Vs 30 JOSHUA walls of Jericho fell as a result of his
obedience (Joshua 6:20)
Vs 31 RAHAB saved the spies and cast her lot with the
Israelites (Joshua 2:9; 6:23)

47. Hebrews 11:32-37 And what more shall I say? For
the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak
and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and
Samuel and the prophets: (33) who through faith
subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions, (34)
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of
the sword, out of weakness were made strong,
became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies
of the aliens. (35) Women received their dead raised
to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting
deliverance, that they might obtain a better
resurrection. (36) Still others had trial of mockings
and scourgings, yes, and of chains and
imprisonment. (37) They were stoned, they were
sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the
sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and
goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented--

48. HEBREWS 11
Vs 32 GIDEON waxed mighty in war (Judges 7:21)
Vs 32-33 BARAK subdued kingdoms (Judges 4:24)
Vs 32,34 SAMSON from weakness was made
strong (Judges 16:28)
Vs 32-33 JEPHTHAH defeated armies (Judges 11)
Vs 33 MANY PROPHETS worked righteousness
Vs 32-33 DAVID obtained promises (2 Samuel 7:11-
13)
Vs 32 SAMUEL delivered from enemies (1 Sam
12:11)
Vs 33 DANIEL stopped mouths of lions (Daniel
6:22)
Vs 34 DANIEL 3 FRIENDS quenched the violence of
fire (Daniel 3)

49. HEBREWS 11
Vs 34 JEHOSHAPHAT saved from a huge army from
the east (1 Chron 20)
Vs 34 ELIJAH made him strong enough to defeat the
prophets of Baal & travel 40 days and nights on
sustenance of two meals. (1 Kings 18 & 19)
Vs 34 DAVID was valiant in battle with Goliath (1 Sam
17)
Vs 35 ELIJAH raised the dead son of the widow of
Zarephat (1 Kings 17:7-24)
Vs 35 ELISHA raised the dead Shunammite’s son (2
Kings 4:8-37)
Vs 35 JESUS could have called 10,000 angels to
deliver Him. (Mat 26:53)

50. HEBREWS 11
Vs 36 JESUS & THE APOSTLES were beaten
and scourged and imprisoned
Vs 36 JEREMIAH was beaten and imprisoned
(Jeremiah 20:2)
Vs 37 ZECHARIAH was stoned (2 Chronicles
24:20-21)
Vs 37 ISAIAH sawn asunder (Tradition)
Vs 37 JEREMIAH was tempted to stop
prophesying (Jeremiah 20:9)
Vs 38 MANY OF THE PROPHETS (JOHN THE
BAPTIST) wandered in deserts and
mountains in dens and caves.

51. FAITH, WORKS & THE PROMISE
A. Hebrews 11:39-40 And all these, having obtained a
good testimony through faith, did not receive the
promise, (40) God having provided something
better for us, that they should not be made perfect
apart from us.
B. This message is to us also as God’s servants, if we
remain faithful He will reward us with a home in
heaven with Him.
C. Would your faith be strong enough to go through
the above things to remain faithful to God?
D. Notice how chapter 12 begins - Hebrews 12:1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every
weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us,