Christian Commitment

1. Part 1:
The Faith of Heroes Proved
Hebrews 11:17-28
by Samuel E. Ward
Pastor, Covenant Baptist Church

2. Introduction
You might be a Hero of Faith if you . . .
A. Offer God what He asks of you instead of
only what you are willing to give or part
with. (Abel)
B. Live to please God rather self. (Enoch)
C. Take God’s warnings about judgment
seriously and seek deliverance His way.
(Noah)

3. D. Leave your comfort zone to go places or
do things armed only with the promise of
God’s presence and guidance. (Abraham)
E. Believe that God can do the impossible if
necessary in order to keep His promises.
(Abraham)
F. Do not to withhold from God what you
treasure most in your heart when He
asks for it. (Abraham)
G. Communicate your hope in God’s eternal
inheritance to your children. (Isaac and
Jacob)

4. H. Live your life preparing for your future
in heaven rather building for comfort on
earth. (Joseph)
I. Experience the persecution and wrath of
men in order to be obedient to God.
(Moses’ Parents)
J. Choose suffering and disgrace for Christ’s
sake rather than the pleasures of sin.
(Moses)

5. K. Obey God rather than fear the threats of
men. (Moses)
L. Trust God to deliver you when there does
not seem to be a way out. (Moses)

6. There are more examples of Heroes of the
Faith in Hebrews eleven that we now
consider.
M. You Might Be a Hero of the Faith If You
Follow God’s Directions for Gaining
Victory, (Israel - Heb 11:30)
God’s purpose for the battle of Jericho was
at least two-fold. First, it was God’s
judgment upon its inhabitants for the
enormity of their wickedness.

7. Second, it was the first step in the
fulfillment of God’s promise to give the
children of Israel the land of Canaan. Here
He would establish His nation where He
would be their God and they would be His
people, Gen 15:18-21.
It all began with a simple and seemingly
implausible plan, Josh 6:2-5.

8. Victory over the enemy came not because
of Israel’s strength, but faith in God’s plan
and His power. Christians should remember
when engaged in life’s battles that God is
able bring victory to us according to His
immeasurable power and oftentimes in
unimaginable ways for the sake of His
glory, Eph 3:20-21.

9. Scripture teaches that the humanity has
three main enemies which each of us will
have to engage on a continual basis
throughout our lives. The Word of God also
teaches that none of them need have
victory over us. Consider . . .
1. Death, Eph 6:12-13
2. The world system, James 4:2-4;
1 John 5:2-5
3. The spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms, Eph 6:12-13

10. N. You Might Be a Hero of the Faith if You
Risk All in Order to Do the Right
Thing, (Rahab - Heb 11:31)
We all have a past. Paul reminds us of this
fact in Colossians, Col 1:21-23.

11. O. You Might Be a Hero of the Faith if You
Attempt Anything God Asks and Are
Ready to Endure Any Consequence of
Obedience to Him. (The Faithful
Multitude - Heb 11:32-33)
1. The names of some deserve to be
honored, Heb 11:32.
2. The conviction of all of them deserved
to be remembered, Heb 11:33-37.
3. The testimony of God concerning them
deserves to be recorded, Heb 11:38-40.

12. Conclusion
The question that has been formulating
from the beginning of this chapter to its
end for each reader is this. Is the faith you
profess one of conviction or of preference.
One is not saved by preferring Christ over
some other means of salvation, but only by
the conviction that He is the only Way of
Salvation and that they are ready to die
than deny this fact.
Remember what Jesus said to his
disciples.

13. (Mat 16:24-26 NIV) "If anyone would come
after me, he must deny himself and take
up his cross and follow me. {25} For
whoever wants to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for me will
find it. {26} What good will it be for a man
if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his
soul? Or what can a man give in exchange
for his soul?”

14. In which kingdom will you live? The
world’s or God’s. You cannot live in both
for both require complete allegiance and
are in direct opposition to each other.
Joshua demanded that Israel make a choice
as they stood on the banks of the Jordan
River poised to enter the land of God’s
promise.

15. (Josh 24:14-15 NIV) "Now fear the LORD
and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw
away the gods your forefathers worshiped
beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve
the LORD. {15} But if serving the LORD
seems undesirable to you, then choose for
yourselves this day whom you will
serve, whether the gods your forefathers
served beyond the River, or the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land you are living. But
as for me and my household, we will serve
the LORD."

16. Any of you who are double-minded in
your commitment to Christ should know
that you can’t live in both kingdoms—the
world’s and God’s. You may try. And you
may even fool some people into believing
that you have made a choice for
Christ, when in reality you merely prefer to
associate with Him as long as it does not
require much from you.
(James 4:4 NIV) “Don't you know that
friendship with the world is hatred toward
God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of
the world becomes an enemy of God.”