"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).
"Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him" (Genesis 5:21-24).
IDEA: Faith believes that God is interested in us.
PURPOSE: To help listeners embrace as a reality that God is interested in them.
Are you easy to please?
Do you know anyone who is not easy to please?
How do you think most people would answer the question, "How do you please God?"
The writer to the Hebrews tells us what characterizes those who please God: They must believe that "God is" (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith believes that God is interested in us.
I. Many pagan religions believed there were gods but they didn't believe that the gods were particularly interested in men and women. Worshipers had to get their attention.
Elijah on Mount Carmel – "So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, 'O Baal, hear us!' But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made" (1 Kings 18:26-29).
"When you pray, don't keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words" (Matthew 6:7 NIV).
II. Many modern sophisticates believe in some "higher power" or "a ground of being," or a "first cause," but feel it is preposterous that the God of suns and stars and planets would care about the tiny beings that inhabit this tiny planet called Earth.
Have you ever felt that?
III. The claim of the Bible is that God is interested in you. That may be the single most difficult affirmation of the Bible to believe.