Broken People and Famous Faith: Hebrews 11

The Baton Is Passed to Us

August 25, 2024 • J.D. Greear • Hebrews 11

Faith often takes different shapes and forms throughout your life. Sometimes it means believing God for a miracle, while at other times it looks like trusting that God is good even when the miracle doesn't come. In this week's message, the finale of our Hebrews 11 series, Pastor J.D. encourages us with the truth that no matter where we find ourselves, our faith can be used to glorify God and point others to the gospel. What might God do through us as we continue the legacy of these great men and women of faith?

The Faith of a Prostitute: Rahab

August 18, 2024 • J.D. Greear • Hebrews 11

The beauty of faith is often found in its simplicity. You don't have to possess a wealth of theological knowledge to be captivated by the truth of the gospel. Maybe, like Rahab, you've simply heard what the Lord has done and you believe. In this week's message from Hebrews 11, Pastor J.D. explains how the faith of a Gentile prostitute changed the course of history and left an enduring legacy. In the same way, one simple act of faith on our part has the potential to make a profound, eternal difference in the lives of those around us.

Joseph: The Confidence of Faith | Curtis Andrusko

August 11, 2024 • Curtis Andrusko • Hebrews 11

When you think of Joseph, you may think of the famous "coat of many colors," or even of his bizarre dreams or his prominent position as Pharaoh's second-in-command. But you probably don't think of the instructions that Joseph gave for his own burial. In this week's message from Hebrews 11, Pastor Curtis shows us how throughout Joseph's life, whether he was in the palace or the prison, he remained confident that God was with him. How might our outlook on life change if we truly believed that God was with us at all times, no matter our circumstances?

Keep Walkin’, But You Won’t Knock Down Our Wall | J.D. Greear

August 4, 2024 • J.D. Greear • Hebrews 11

It’s tempting at times to read the Bible through a human-centric lens, as though we are the main character in each narrative. But in so doing, we’re in danger of missing the larger point of stories like Joshua and the city of Jericho. In this week’s message from Hebrews 11, Pastor J.D. shows us how this key moment in Joshua’s life holds a valuable lesson for us: Rather than orienting our lives around trying to get God “on our side,” we ought to be asking what God wants to do and how we can join him in it.

Soda's Not Good for the Gospel

July 28, 2024 • Bryan Loritts • Hebrews 11

“A life of more.” This phrase likely has different connotations depending on who is speaking. To the world, “a life of more” may look like more money, more possessions, or more recognition. But to the Christ-follower, it means a kind of satisfaction and contentment that is found in Jesus alone. In this week’s message from Hebrews 11, Pastor Bryan shows us how Moses’ pursuit of a life of more meant turning his back on the treasures of Egypt and stepping out in faith to fulfill his God-given mission. We can exercise this same kind of faith knowing, as Moses did, that God will never leave us or forsake us.

Moses: The Cost of Faith

July 21, 2024 • Curtis Andrusko • Hebrews 11

Though we may not realize it, our choices often reveal what we truly value. How we choose to spend our time, what we choose to do with our money—these things are a reflection of what we hold dear. In this week's message from Hebrews 11, Pastor Curtis explains how choices made by Moses and his parents revealed the value they placed on faith in God, and how much they were willing to sacrifice for it. Faith undoubtedly comes with a cost, but it always yields rewards far greater than those that the world offers.

Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph: Seeking Blessing and Finding Hope

July 14, 2024 • J.D. Greear

There is something in each of us that cries out for acceptance, that longs for blessing. And while the culture around us strives for this acceptance to the point of exhaustion, the gospel says that God's acceptance of us is strictly a gift of grace that can't be earned. In this week's message from Hebrews 11, Pastor J.D. shows us how this truth came to life for Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Though circumstances might have pointed to the contrary, God's faithfulness was always at work, even in the midst of dark days.  

Abraham: The Final Test

June 30, 2024 • J.D. Greear • Hebrews 11

What Abraham faced in his final test from God was incomprehensible, and yet he knew that God would remain faithful no matter the outcome. How was Abraham able to display such trust when met with the thought of sacrificing his son? In this week's message from Hebrews 11, Pastor J.D. explains how ultimately, this story is not about Abraham's obedience, but about God's commitment to his people. Whatever the nature of our trials in this life, we can take comfort in knowing that the God we place our faith in is the one who always keeps his promises.

Overcoming Barrenness

June 23, 2024 • Bryan Loritts • Hebrews 11

Have you ever felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness, whether regarding your career, marriage, or simply life in general? In this week's message from Hebrews 11, Pastor Bryan highlights this experience in the life of Sarah, a woman whose barrenness led her to take matters into her own hands. But what Sarah learned was that her only hope of seeing the promise fulfilled was by living a life of complete dependence on God, trusting that he would do it. This principle still holds true for us today, as we must resist the temptation to rely on ourselves and instead, surrender in faith to a trustworthy God.

Abraham

June 9, 2024 • J.D. Greear • Hebrews 11:8–10, Hebrews 11:13–18

A man often regarded as the "father of faith," Abraham was faced with numerous tests throughout his life. Called by God to an unknown land, Abraham had to decide if obeying God was worth leaving everything that was familiar and comfortable. In this week's message from Hebrews 11, Pastor J.D. invites us to consider what made Abraham regard what he was gaining as having far greater value than what he was leaving behind. What does it mean to truly follow God in faith? It means, like Abraham, taking steps of obedience even when we don't know exactly where God is leading.

Noah

June 2, 2024 • J.D. Greear

Though widely known, the story of Noah and the ark is one that tends to be misinterpreted by many in today's society. Far from being a tame bedtime story, it gives us a glimpse of the response of a holy God to the depravity of sin. In this week's message from Hebrews 11, Pastor J.D. explains how Noah's faith led him to act on God's command, without fear of what the surrounding community might think. Likewise, we are called to display the kind of faith that acts according to God's Word, out of reverence for him, and calls others to do the same.    

Faith the Facts

May 26, 2024 • Curtis Andrusko • Hebrews 11

The Great Hall of Faith

May 19, 2024 • J.D. Greear

One of the most inspiring chapters in the Bible is Hebrews 11, often referred to as the "Great Hall of Faith." But while the stories contained there are indeed powerful, we shouldn't regard the people in them as perfect or their faith as unattainable. In this week's message, Pastor J.D. begins our series through Hebrews 11 by helping us see what faith looks like in practice. Through the examples of Abel and Enoch, we're reminded that true faith is demonstrated when we believe in and act on God's promises—even when others around us don't.