“Grasping Hold of What God Offers”-outline

FAITH: THE HEARTBEAT OF AUTHENTIC CHRISTIAN LIVING

“Grasping Hold of What God Offers”

MEMORY VERSE: NKJV | ‎Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

TEXT:

Hebrews 11:5–6 (NIV) 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.

Genesis 5:21–24 (NKJV)

²¹ Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. ²² After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. ²³ So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. ²⁴ And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

INTRODUCTION:

Enoch is name for 1 City and 2 People

1. It was the name given to the eldest son of Cain, Gen. 4:17, 18.

Genesis 4:17–18 (NKJV)

2. It was the name for a city built by Cain, Gen. 4:17.

Genesis 4:17–18 (NKJV)

3. It was name for the son of Jared who is the father of Methuselah who was 

the oldest human being in human history.

Genesis 5:18–24

Luke 3:37 (NKJV) ³⁷ the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan,

Hebrews 11:5, Jude 14, 1 Chronicles 1:3

Gn. 6:9; Mi. 6:8; Mal. 2:6).

“The image of walking with God is used in Scripture to represent the behavior of believers in their relationship with God.”--Martin H. Manser

Eph 2:1-2; Ro 8:1; 2Co 5:7; Eph 4:1; 5:2; Col 1:10

Genesis 5:24 (GW)  ²⁴ Enoch walked with God; then he was gone because God took him.

Philip H Hacking says “With Enoch, faith is grasping hold of what God offers.”

 Prophet Elijah was another person who never experience physical death.   2 Kings 2:11

Cf. Psalms. 49:15; 73:24

Jude 14–15

1.    The Rationale—He Trusted God

Genesis 5:22 (NIV) ²² After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:24 (NIV) ²⁴ Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

Hebrews 11:5–6 (NIV) 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.

1 John 1:3, Galatians 4:8, Heb 11:1, 27

Greek word pistis “faith,” “believe,” and “trust.”

Lawrence O. Richards writes: “Stripped down to its basics, faith is confidence that God exists, and the conviction that He “rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Only those who know God not only as a power but also as a Person who loves will dare truly seek Him.”

Romans 14:23

Greek word: ἐκζητέω ekzēteō: seek out, seek diligently, pursue earnestly. DBL Greek

2.    The Reason—He has a Testimony

He was testified about and he testified about God also.

Hebrews 11:5–6 (NIV)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.

Jude 14–15 (NIV)¹⁴ Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones ¹⁵ to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 

μαρτυρέω martyreō testify μαρτυρέω (martyreō): witness, give testimony, speak well of, commend, speak respect, vouch for. DBL Greek

  

3.    The Reward of his FAITH—He was Translated into the presence of the Lord. He changed from mortality to immortality.

Hebrews 11:5–6 (The Message)

^5–6 By an act of faith, Enoch skipped death completely. “They looked all over and couldn’t find him because God had taken him.” We know on the basis of reliable testimony that before he was taken “he pleased God.” It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.

           

Genesis 5:22 (The Message)

Enoch walked steadily with God. After he had Methuselah, he lived another 300 years, having more sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:24 (The Message) ²⁴ Enoch walked steadily with God. And then one day he was simply gone: God took him.

Hebrews 10:35; 11:26; 12:11

John 3:13; John 1:1; John 1:14; John 1:18

μετατίθημι metatithēmi:  transfer; change, depart, change, from one state to another. DBL Greek

1Co 15:51, 52

God is a rewarder. Ge. 15:1. Ru. 2:12. Ps. 58:11. Pr. 11:18. Mat. 5:12; 6:1, 2, 5, 16; 10:41, 42. Lu. 6:35.

CONCLUSION:

Luke 13:24 (NKJV) ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

John 3:16 (NKJV) ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.