IDEA: God wants us to walk with him by faith.
TEXT: "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. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:5-6).
PURPOSE: To help listeners realize that the Christian life is a life of faith.
Back in your growing-up days, did you ever meet someone that you really liked right away? You wanted to know him or her better?
How did you go about it?
I. You usually have a two-pronged attack to get the other person to like you.
You decide to impress the other person with your abilities. You show off your abilities, thinking that your abilities will get a good response.
You also try to do the things that you think the other person would like. So you talk about his interests, his activities, the things you think he likes.
What's wrong with this strategy? You are being self-centered. You have shown off your abilities and you have appealed to what YOU think are his interests.
II. Do you think we try to get to know God that way?
Non-Christians try to figure out what God wants. It is often what they feel God would like if they were God. They make God in their own image.
Can Christians sometimes do the same thing?
Christians may have come to know God and it was great. Out of that experience they may have wanted to have fellowship with God and they believe that God wants to have fellowship with them. Whatever that means, they want it.
They figure that the best way to have fellowship with God is through service. Their lives are immersed in the church—the musical team, Sunday school, the visitation team. Their lives are filled with activities for God. They have not found out FROM God what His basis of fellowship is, asking "How can I please God?"
III. The only way to have fellowship with God is by faith, not activity.
Hebrews 11:5-6 confirms this by an illustration from ancient history: 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. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.
Enoch walked with God by faith.
What makes a marriage relationship work? Does it ever differ from courtship?