15.3 Examples of Faith

(Hebrews 11:7-12, 23-26, 32-33a)

It was faith that made Noah hear God’s warnings about things in the future that he could not see. He obeyed God and built a boat in which he and his family were saved. As a result, the world was condemned, and Noah received from God the righteousness the comes by faith.

It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him to go out to a country which God had promised to give him. He left his own country without knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as a foreigner in the country that God had promised him. He live in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who received the same promise from God, for Abraham was waiting for the city which God has designed and built, the city with permanent foundations.

It was faith that made Abraham able to become a father, even though he was too old and Sarah herself could not have children. He trusted God to keep his promise. Though Abraham was practically dead, from this one man came as may descendants as the are staes in the sky, as many as the numberless grains of sand on the seashore.

It was faith that made the parents of Moses hide him for three months after he was born. They saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s order.

It was faith that made Moses, when he had grown up, refuse to be called the son of the king’s daughter. He preferred to suffer with God’s people rather than to enjoy sin for a little while. He reckoned that to suffer scorn for the Messiah was worth far more than all the treasures of Egypt, for he kept his eyes on the future reward.

Should I go on? There isn’t enough time for me to speak of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and prophets. Through faith they fought whole countries and won. They did what was right and received what God had promised.

15.2 Peter’s Discourse After A Miracle

(Acts 3:11-16)

As the man held on to Peter and John in Solomon’s Porch, as it was called, the people were amazed and ran to them. When Peter saw the people, he said to them, “Fellow Israelites, why are you surprised at this, and why do you stare at us? Do you think that it was by means of our own power of godliness that we made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has given divine glory to his Servant Jesus. But you handed him over to the authorities, and you rejected him in Pilate’s presence, even after Pilate had decided to set him free. He was holy and good, but you rejected him, and instead you asked Pilate to do you the favor of turning loose a murderer. You killed the one who leads to life, but God raised him from death- and we are witnesses to this. It was the power of his name that gave strength to this lame man. What you see and know was done by faith in his name; it was faith in Jesus that has made him well, as you can all see.

15.1 Healing Of The Sick Woman

(Matthew 9:18-22)

A Jewish official came to him, knelt down before him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and place your hands on her, and she will live.”

So Jesus got up and followed him, and his disciples went along with him.
A woman who had suffered from severe bleeding for twelve years came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If only I touch his cloak, I will get well.”

Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, my daughter! Your faith has made you well.” At that very moment the woman became well.

14.4 Believe Only In God

(Psalm 81)

Shout for joy to God our defender;
sing praise to the God of Jacob!
Start music and beat the tambourines;
play pleasant music on the harps and the lyres.

Blow the trumpet for the festival,
when the moon is new and when the moon is full.
This is the law in Israel,
an order from the God of Jacob.
He gave it to the people of Israel
when he attacked the land of Egypt.

I hear an unknown voice saying,
“I took the burdens off your backs;
I let you put down your load of bricks.
When you were in trouble, you called to me,
and I saved you.
From my hiding place in the storm,
I answered you.
I put you to the test at the springs of Meribah.
Listen, my people, to my warning;
Israel, how I wish you would listen to me!
You must never worship another god
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of Egypt.
Open your mouth, and I will feed you.”

“But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not obey me.
So I let them go their stubborn ways
and do whatever they wanted.
How I wish my people would listen to me;
how I wish they would obey me!
I would quickly defeat their enemies
and conquer all their foes.
Those who hate me would bow in fear before me;
their punishment would last forever.
But I would feed you with the finest wheat
and satisfy you with wild honey.”

14.3 The Just Shall Live By Faith

(Romans 1:16-17)

I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God’s power to save all who believe, first the Jews and also the Gentiles. For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with himself: it is through faith from beginning to end. As the scripture says, “The person who is put right with God through faith shall live.”