Slices
Prepare
‘I gotta have faith, faith, faith,’ sang George Michael.* If you check out the lyrics, they’re all about wanting something or someone better in the future. What do you have – or need – faith for?
*George Michael, ‘Faith’, 1987
Bible passage
Faith in action
11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 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.
4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: ‘He could not be found, because God had taken him away.’ For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 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.
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
Explore
So, we have arrived at Hebrews 11, this wonderful chapter detailing many Old Testament heroes, what they did and the faith they had. Today’s reading contains three of the earliest: Abel, who made a proper, acceptable sacrifice to God; Enoch, who walked faithfully with God; and Noah, whose ark meant that the future God had planned could take place (see Genesis 4–9 for their stories).
The reading also reminds us that faith ‘is our handle on what we can’t see’ (v 1, The Message). God’s creative power is believed in by faith. Faith speaks into the future (v 4) and when we believe in God he is pleased (v 6). One thought, however: it’s tempting to think that to please God our faith has to be of a magnitude like that of these characters. Jesus said even a mustard seed of faith can achieve great things (Luke 17:5,6); and that’s comforting to remember when, as I once heard a past SU National Director say, faith is sometimes like clinging on by your fingertips – and you bite your nails.
Respond
If you feel your faith is only just clinging on today, remember that we please God even with a tiny amount of trust in him. Pray for anyone in those circumstances that the knowledge that God delights in our trust will encourage and bring confidence.
Deeper Bible study
‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’1
For the rest of this week we are reading Hebrews 11, that inspiring list of faithful people from the past who were selected by the writer to encourage his people. Today’s reading begins with a description of faith and then lists the faithful exploits of Abel, Enoch and Noah.
The opening description refers to things hoped for and things unseen. What we hope for is clearly in the future but, as we read the chapter, we will notice that often the unseen things are also in the future. This is clear with Noah, who was warned about the coming flood, and we will also find more unseen things that people acted on over the next few days. Be on the lookout for them. However, what comes out most clearly in these opening verses is the word ‘commended’. You will have read it three times as you read the verses for today (vs 2,4,5) and the Greek word for ‘commended’ also underlies the words ‘spoke well of’ in verse 4. The ancients were commended for their faith, Abel was commended as righteous when God commended his offerings and Enoch was commended as one who pleased God.
These verses also contain some ‘we’ statements. It is faith that enables us to be confident about what we hope for and assured about what we do not see. It is faith that enables us to believe that God commanded the universe into existence. By earnestly seeking God, we can also have ourselves included in the ‘anyone’ statement of verse 6. It is faith that enables us to believe that God exists and it is faith that enables us earnestly to seek him, knowing that when we seek him in this way he will reward us.
‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find’.2 As we consider Hebrews 11, be prepared to seek God earnestly and so receive God’s commendation.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Proverbs 17,18; Psalm 91
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for the Wales team as they engage in outdoor sports holiday clubs during the summer holidays across Wales, including Pembrokeshire, the Valleys and Cardiff.
Fancy some training?
Led by industry experts we have a mixture of local and national training opportunities both online and in person. We’re currently running our brilliant Introduction to Schools Ministry training and we’d love you to get involved!
