"Faith is the means by which we receive eternal life and preservation."

We continued our series through Hebrews 11 this week, with Sean focusing on verse 20, which reads, "By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau." We read through Genesis 25:19-34 and Genesis 27:1-40 which helped provide:

1. Context

2. Background text

3. Meaning

4. Meaning for us

Sean also used these passages to help us answer the questions:

1. How is Isaac an example of faith?

2. How do we emulate him?

From these verses in Genesis, we learned that Isaac spoke about what would happen as if it was a sure reality in that present time, and that by blessing his sons, Isaac was taking God at His word.

"We live in a culture that we are sent to as missionaries."

This week we continued our series through Hebrews 11, focusing on verses 17 - 19 and and the story of Abraham and Lot in Genesis 18:16-33; Genesis 19:1-38; and Genesis 22:1-19.

"Salvation is never a result of works, it is always a result of faith."

For the last several weeks, we've been going through a series on faith, while reading Hebrews chapter 11. We continued with that series this week, but focused instead on Genesis 13 through 18 on the story of Abraham:

Genesis 13: We see Lot's character develop

Genesis 14: Sodom is attacked and Lot and his family are taken captive

Genesis 15: God is writing a contract between Him and Abraham

Verse 6 is the fundamental salvation verse of the Bible - "And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness."

Genesis 16: God sees us in our time of need

Genesis 17: Constant reminder that God and Abraham have a covenant with one another

Genesis 18: God had a plan from the beginning and is patient with Abraham

This week, Brett continued with his series through Hebrews 11, and discussed the faith of Abraham, referencing Genesis 12.

"The obedience that we are all called to, is to walk with God."

This week, Brett continued with our series on faith in Hebrews chapter 11. We focused on Hebrews 11:5-7, which reads, "By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith, Noah being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith."

From this passage, we learn that Noah's assignment was to build and ark, while Enoch's assignment was to be translated from life to life. In verse 4 of Hebrews 11, we saw a worship of faith in Abel, and in these verses we see a walk of faith in Enoch, and the work of faith in Noah.

Some of the main points that Brett drew from verse 7 were:

1.  Noah is taking God at His word

2. Everything about God's request of Noah was beyond his capability to comprehend/understand

3. God has warned us of things not yet seen

4. There will be a coming judgement

5. God's Word is true and will never be found void

"Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, but a gift for the guilty."

This week, Brett discussed the timeline leading up to the birth of Jesus, and what it was like from the perspectives of Mary and Joseph. We read Luke 1:26-47 (focuses on Mary), Matthew 1:18-25 (focuses on Joseph), Luke 2:1-7, and Matthew 2;1-23.

"It's not as much about the offering, as it is about the heart."

This week, Brett continued with his series on Hebrews 11, and discussed verse 4 , which reads, "By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks."

Brett discussed Genesis 4:1-15 (the story of Cain and Abel) and how God shows graciousness by:

1. Giving us opportunities to repent

2. Warning us about the damaging affects of sin

From the passage in Hebrews, Brett noted these things about Abel:

1. He knew God and what He demanded, and in obedience offered what God required

2. Jesus spoke of him and his righteousness generations later

3. Though he was the first to die, he will be the last to speak

4. We see in a prophetic pattern in Abel

This week, Brett continued with our series on Hebrews 11, and discussed verse 3, which reads, "By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible." This verse tells us that God spoke time into existence and that what is, hasn't always been. The author is also telling us that by faith we believe that God created time, space, and matter.

Brett also referenced Genesis 1:1-31; Genesis 3:1; Exodus 20; Matthew 19:3-5; Romans 1:18-23; and Isaiah 44:12-17. One of the main concepts that Brett explained, was science vs. scientism, and how scientism views science as "all-knowing."

"Faith is taking God at His word."

This week Brett started his sermon series on Hebrews 11, and discussed the different types of faith and what faith demands of us. He explained there are three different types of faith:

1. faith in a great dream

2. faith in a great plan

3. faith in a great God 

He also explained what faith demands:

1. We believe God at His word, is true

2. To push back against the world and its desire for us

"In order to be obedient, we need to be reminded."

This week, Lew discussed Deuteronomy 6:4-9, how we live in a culture that trains us, and that through time and repetition we need to teach ourselves the way of Jesus. Lew explained the passage in this way:

Verse 4: Israel receives a command to listen

Verse 5: Another command to love the Lord with their whole being (heart, soul, and might)

Verse 6: God's Word was commanded to Israel and to us

Verses 7-9: Practical examples to be reminded of God's Word and their commitment