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The Faithful Father’s Faith
Hebrews 11:8-22
In the parable of the sower, there are 4 kinds of hearers. The hardened heart refuses to hear or understand the gospel. This leads to no conversion. The good heart delights to hear it to be saved. One has no faith, the other has faith. But in that parable, we see two other hearers that seem to have faith - the stony heart and the thorny heart. They’re even said to hear the Word gladly. But trials and worldly cares prove there was no genuine faith at all. Dearly beloved, while shocking and sad, we should never be discouraged when churchgoers give up the faith. God’s Word says it happens. Trials, persecution, and disappointments test us to reveal if we’re true or fake believers. Because the wilderness generation wouldn’t endure trials, they couldn’t enter the Promised Land. The cares of the world and deceitfulness of riches cause people to reject Christ - the love of an unbeliever, career, leisure, and even food. Esau gave up his inheritance for red bean soup, he lost his birthright.
On the other hand, trials to a true Christian are good. Job 23:10 says the trying of our faith is like the purifying of gold. As fire removes dirt from gold, trials remove sinful impulses. They’re God’s ways to prune us to bear more fruit. John 15:2 says, “every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” The worldly cares are also good when we exercise faith to overcome them. Why? They prove how precious Christ is to us. We see both trials and cares in Abraham’s life - how they caused him to exercise and prove his faith. Today, we learn the 4 precious descriptions of Abraham’s faith. May they also describe ours. Firstly, his faith risked all comfort to follow Christ. Secondly, his faith was steadfast despite delayed promises. Thirdly, his faith patiently waited for God’s promise. Fourthly, his faith understood the meaning of the promises.
Firstly, his faith risked all comfort to follow Christ. Verse 8 says, “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” When God called Abraham, it wasn’t because he was a good or god-fearing man. Scriptures clearly say he was a pagan, an idol worshiper. Joshua 24:2 says Abraham, his brother, and their father served other gods. And he lived in the lands beyond the Euphrates - in Ur of the Chaldees. This was the most advanced city or region of its time, and excelled in the ancient world in architecture. At its height, it had a population of 250,000. It was known for its textile industry and was a center of trade. The tombs of the kings even 500 years before Abraham contained sophisticated art, objects of gold, and precious stones. Life was comfortable. It had a substantial middle class. And this was the city Abraham was called to leave. The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches were great there. But Abraham left it behind.
And what do we know of Abraham? While the Bible doesn’t inform us specifically of his circumstances, we know from his many servants that he wasn’t poor. In fact, he was quite powerful. He mounted a solo attack against a coalition of kings. He defeated them and rescued his nephew Lot. And in Genesis 23:6, the Hittites acknowledged that Abraham was a mighty prince. So when he left Ur, it wasn’t because he was an economic migrant, like our forefathers to this country. He was an established man. So it wasn’t the cares of the world that motivated him. But leaving the city behind meant substantial risk - he didn’t know what he would face, whether he’d lose what he had. Which tells us he was willing to leave comforts behind.
When God called him and commanded him, Abraham showed his faith by obeying. He packed up, got everyone together and left even though he didn’t know where he was going. Why? Faith. Faith is trusting in an objective truth, accompanied by hope in unseen things. And that’s amazing. He hadn’t seen the land. He wasn’t schooled in faith. His parents worshiped idols. Abraham didn’t have teachers to tell him the gospel. But when God spoke, Abraham believed and risked all comforts to follow Christ. On the other hand, we see Lot. Already rich, he wished to be richer - moving to the green plains towards Sodom - and eventually into Sodom, shipwrecking his faith.
Secondly, his faith was steadfast despite delayed promises. Verse 9 reads - “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.” The author emphasized it was by faith Abraham sojourned. “Sojourn” means to travel. And he traveled in the land God had promised him. He was just a pilgrim in the land he was promised. While he was heir and resident, he would never truly possess it in his lifetime. And that’s the rub. God led him to Canaan, but he didn’t own it. So this is wonderfully significant. It means that while Abraham obeyed God; the promise was never fulfilled; and he continued to be a pilgrim in that land.
We have a divine commentary on this in Acts 7:2-5. “The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.” Abraham took a detour after he left Ur, arriving only at the Promised Land after his father died. But when he finally made it, he didn’t actually possess it. It’s like having a Happy Meal voucher, but you can’t use it. Despite the advertising the voucher is only valid 430 years from now. Yes, the land would be given to his descendants. But he didn’t even own one square foot. Despite this great trial, he pressed on in his faith in God.
Many of us would’ve been so exasperated, we’d thrown that voucher in the cashier’s face. We’d call it false advertising! We’d have complained, given up, and gone back to Ur. “God, I had a home in a great city, you told me I’d possess this land, but I don’t even own it yet! I can’t even build a home - I have to live in tents! I’m going back!” Like the wilderness generation, they didn’t hold on to the promise. After a few disappointments, they abandoned faith in God. They couldn’t wait. Imagine living in Canaan every day, and remembering that you’re a squatter in this “promised” land! But Abraham believed. He endured. When Sarah died at 127 years; he had no place to bury her. He owned no land. So he had to buy a piece of land for her grave. He bought the cave of Machpelah and surrounding land from the Hittites for 400 shekels of silver. And some have said it was an inflated price. The Hittite elders took the opportunity to fleece him. He was made to buy the land promised him. The meal he already had a voucher for. And this was 60 years after he was told to leave Ur. In 60 years, the promises weren’t fulfilled. In fact, his descendants also didn’t possess the land. Verse 13 says, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises.” Who are the “these”? Verses 20-22 speak of Isaac and Jacob - the heirs of the same promise. But listen to the verdict. They all died in faith. Abraham never turned back. Neither did they. They had faith it would happen even though it was not yet. One day! Jacob told Joseph at his death bed God would bring them to the Promised Land. Joseph then told his people that after he died, God would save them and “bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” He even gave instructions for his bones to be buried in the Promised Land. This kind of faith is amazing.
And why were they were able to have such faith? Because God made an oath and he doesn’t lie. Remember Hebrews 6:17-18 - “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” They had strong consolation because of a promise to keep a promise. So while the promise wasn’t fulfilled yet, they believed it would be. And they all died in that faith, not out of faith. That’s true faith - to keep believing until death. That’s also Christ’s faith. He was promised a people by God. He was sent to purchase them, to free them from slavery to sin, to be his subjects. But they weren’t technically his until he paid for them; which only happened at his death.
Thirdly, his faith patiently waited for God’s promise. While Abraham didn’t have the land, there was one promise God had to fulfill in his life time. God promised to make Abraham into a great nation. And so Abraham needed to have a son. But when he was 99 years old, he still had no son. Hebrews 11:12 called him as good as dead. In Genesis 18, Sarah called herself an old woman, as she was nearing 90 and barren. But that blessing came because they had faith. Verse 11 tells us, “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.” This tells us that faith is not something passive but active. Through faith, she received strength to conceive. Yes, she laughed, but then she believed. Because she believed, she had a child. To be sure, faith is not just a desire or hopeful wish. She believed the angel’s words that she’d have a child. She believed so she waited, and God blessed her. Abraham also exercised this kind of faith. Romans 4:20 says him, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.” Abraham received power to beget Isaac because he was strong to exercise faith.
So it’s important for us to know what God’s promises are now. If we know them, let’s exercise faith to receive them. He’s promised us sanctification, joy, contentment, etc. But we must be clear that God never promised us children - not all will have them. God also never promised life without problems, a brilliant career, a life partner, good health, or riches. But God promises peace, joy, purpose, contentment, true love, and everlasting life. And those things are possible by faith, even if you have no kids, no spouse, no health, no success. By faith, we can be blessed. Remember, those other promises are all fulfilled in heaven. There, work will be glorious in the restored garden. There’ll be no more illness, no more tears before the Lamb. The Lamb’s Supper will be loaded with food and friends. These perfect promises are delayed.
And despite all odds, we can still hold on to that faith. When Isaac was a teen, God tested Abraham’s faith. Verse 17 - God called him to sacrifice the son he waited for; and the son from whom Christ would come, verse 18. Abraham may not have been able to understand but took him to the place of sacrifice. But he had faith in the promises. So much so, that when they reached Moriah, he told his servants to wait. After they’d worshiped, they both return. Both return! Why such faith? Verse 19 - he reasoned in himself and “Account[ed] that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead.” Abraham accounted. He calculated. He knew even if he did sacrifice Isaac, he’d receive him back from the dead. He did it for Abraham and Sarah - good as dead, but he revived them to have a child. And if he could do that, he could raise Isaac. So faith patiently waits for God to fulfill his promises. Just because things don’t go our way, doesn’t mean that God is not good. His promises are love, joy, purpose, contentment, true love, and eternal life in Christ Jesus. They are now.
Fourthly, his faith understood the real meaning of the promises. Why was Abraham willing to offer up Isaac? Why did he not fret when the land promises were not fulfilled in his time? Simple. It’s because he knew the real meaning of the promises. Verse 10 - “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Verse 16 tells us he and his progeny hoped for a heavenly city - “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” Sure, the land promises were important, but they served only to point to the better land. Just as the sacrifices, Moses, and the temple pointed to Christ; the land only pointed to the rest God’s people have in Christ. Many people feel bad for Moses for never entering the Promised Land; but he did - the real one! The city he looked for wasn’t Jerusalem, but the New Jerusalem. We must never forget that. The faithful father’s faith was not merely in any physical land, it was in a heavenly city - a far better country.
And that’s the kind of faith we must have. Dearly beloved, members of this church, new members who’ve vowed to follow God, to pursue your true inheritance - we’re a body that professes that this world is not our home, but heaven is. By faith, we have fulfilled promises - salvation, sanctification, peace, joy, purpose, contentment, true love, and eternal life. Exercise your faith - not to live for worldly goals - that your only comfort in life and death, in body and soul, is the Lord Jesus Christ. But what’s the deceitful of sin that chokes up your faith? Chokes up your peace and contentment? Will your faith overcome or will you give it up for these things? Will your faith cling onto these unseen things? Is it genuine? If you say you’re a pilgrim and stranger on earth, you declare plainly that you seek a better heavenly country. Like Jesus, Abraham considered all the glories and splendors of this world as nothing. What profiteth a man, if he gain the whole world but lose his soul? No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. We must exercise faith.
1. His Faith Gave Up Comforts to Follow Christ
2. His Faith Was Steadfast Despite Delayed Promises
3. His Faith Patiently Waited for God’s Promise
4. His Faith Understood the Meaning of the Promises
Conversation for Change:
1. What are the things God never promised us that we often place our “faith” in? Will we let true faith lead us to contentment and joy even if we don’t get the things we desire?
2. How much do you desire the true Promised Land - with its perfect work, life, and fellowship? What does that say about your faith?
3. If God called you to serve him full-time, would you?
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Mark Chen, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
(c) Copyright 2025, Rev. Mark Chen
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