STUDYING
CHARACTERS OF THE BIBLE I. TEXTUAL THOUGHTS 1. Hebrews 11 - Many
examples of people who lived by faith 2. 1 Corinthians 10:1-6 -
Some people did not live by faith, so they are a bad example to us 3. 1 Corinthians 11:1 -
The apostle Paul lived a life that we need to imitate (in principle) 4. Philippians 2:19-24 -
Timothy was worthy of praise for his exemplary faith 5. Philippians 3:17 - We
should look around us for good examples of Christian faith II. MAIN THEME - In the book of Hebrews,
God gives several examples of great men/women of faith. By studying a portion of their lives, our
faith can be increased. 1. The example of Abel. Hebrews 11:4; Genesis 4:1-5; 1 John
3:12; a. Abel offered
the firstfruits of his labor to God.
So, he offered the best to God. b. Abel revealed
his faith in God by a willingness to give the best to God. c. We should
give our whole life as a living sacrifice to God - Romans 12:1-2. 2. The example of Noah. Hebrews 11:7; Genesis 6-9; 1 Peter
3:18-22; 2 Peter 2:5 a. Noah lived in
a time of great wickedness, yet he was a righteous man. b. Noah believed
God's warning about the great flood, so he built the ark according to the pattern that God gave to him,
though he did not see God. c. Noah's
obedience was the evidence of his faith in God - Genesis 7:5. d. It is
important that we believe the words of God and obey Him - James 2:14-26 3. The example of Abraham. Hebrews 11:8-11,17-19; Genesis 12-25; Romans 4 a. Abraham
believed God in the most incredible circumstances: moving from his home to an unknown destination, waiting on
the Lord to give him a child when he and his wife were very old, and offering his
only son as a sacrifice at God's request. b. These stories
show how much Abraham genuinely trusted God's promises. c. We also
should trust in the Lord, like Abraham - Romans 4:23-5:5 4. The example of Moses. Hebrews 11:24-29 Moses chose to serve and trust God rather than seeking his
own pleasures and the comforts of an easy life. 5. The example of Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-3 Jesus is our perfect example! III. APPLICATION 1. If we are men of
faith, we will choose to serve God, even if it means suffering for the sake of righteousness
because we know God's faithfulness as seen through these stories. 2. Look for examples of
faith among the leaders of your congregation - Hebrews 13:7 3. There are also bad
examples which we should recognize - Philippians 3:18-19 4. People are taught by
examples. We look at our fathers,
mothers, or friends. Be careful that you choose
the kind of example, who will lead you to God - 1 Peter 2:25 MEMORY VERSE - Hebrews 11:6 |