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:
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 .
2. It was the name for a city built by Cain, Gen. 4:17 .
3. It was name for the son of Jared who is the father of Methuselah who was
the oldest human being in human history.
“The image of walking with God is used in Scripture to represent the behavior of believers in their relationship with God.”--Martin H. Manser
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
1. The Rationale—He Trusted God
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
Enoch walked steadily with God. After he had Methuselah, he lived another 300 years, having more sons and daughters.
24 Enoch walked steadily with God. And then one day he was simply gone: God took him.
μετατίθημι metatithēmi: transfer; change, depart, change, from one state to another. DBL Greek
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:
