Connecting Point: Hebrews Chapter Eleven's Hall of Faith

To recognize exceptionality, the Pro Hall of Fame was constructed in Canton, Ohio in 1963 to recognize franchise owners, officials, front-office personnel, coaches, and players for their sweat and devotion. Since then, other endeavors have followed suit. If you fly, well, there’s the hall for Aviation. Ditto, military, theater, medicine, automotive, music, and gymnastics. I’m thinking that somewhere there is a Hall of Fame titled The International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center. (There is, it is famous in Baraboo, Wisconsin, well, according to “the” website, anyway.)

Hebrews chapter 11 is well known for its “Hall of Faith”, listing sixteen exemplary examples of men and women prior to the first century, all being respected by the Jewish community. The purpose of listing these individuals was intended to bring inspiration to the Hebrew Christians of that era, their faith was being tested, some to the greatest degree. They needed to be reminded about the “cloud of witnesses” who had enduring faith, all of which were “normal” people. We can often refer to people as “heroes” but at times doing so seems to suggest they are perfect. Inductees cited in the Bible were not perfect, they had flaws like you and me.

Billy Graham defined faith as “means believing that something is true, and then committing our lives to it. In the Bible, ‘faith’ means believing in God “and also in Christ’s life, devotion, sacrifice, and love” for us...” than committing ourselves to Him.”

Hebrews chapter 11 also establishes a deeper understanding of what “faith” includes. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for,” (Hebrews 11:1-2). One, faith assures us of our future hope. Two, faith provides us with strong convictions outside our five senses. There is more to this life than day-to-day living, Christians are promised an eternal reward beyond the grave. Humanism provides the opposite belief, once you’re dead that it… you're dead. Nothing, nada!

“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,” (Hebrews 11:3). Three, faith involves rational thought. Allow me to make this simple, our universe was not created by chance or accident over millions or billions of years of nothingness. Or this example, we understand that automobiles are engineered with tremendous human creativity and experience. If the raw materials to create automobiles were left in a building for a millennium they would never come together by chance, they would rot and decay. Basic rationality informs us that God is the great architect of life. Without an intelligent designer and creator of particles, atoms, and oxygen, we wouldn’t exist.

“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 11:6). Fourth, faith develops into seeking God, helping us grow into loving God. Randomly going through life without God's purpose is meaningless. We were uniquely created by Him to have a relationship with Him.

“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect,” (Hebrews 11:39-40). Fifth, faith points us directly to Jesus. In conclusion, these “heroes of faith” lived and died before Jesus the Messiah was born. They heard of him, even wished for his arrival. On the other hand, we can look to Jesus because he brings our faith alive. God’s promises never fail.