Faith’s Wonder Work

Hebrews 11:1-3

Key Verse 11:1

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Thank God for blessing the Spring Conference. At the Spring conference I suggested we watch the movie Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. This movie is G-rated. At the dining hall at the conference I sort of complained to Dr. David Min saying that although the movie is good, not many people came to watch it. Then Dr. David Min said that nowadays people are so over stimulated by R-rated or X-rated movies that they do not like G-rated ones. But I still think it is a good movie. The point of the movie is kind of interesting: you had better believe to see it. Interestingly, the object of faith is “a woodblock.” If Miss Molly Mahony, Mr. Magroim’s apprentice, believed, the woodblock would do wonders. So she kept making wishes to the woodblock, praying that that wood block would do wonders. But no matter how much she wished, the woodblock did not do a thing. It just sat there. Eventually, she learns that it is not the woodblock that was the problem, but she. What does wonders is not the woodblock, but she. When this realization hit her, the woodblock suddenly started responding. And it was not just the woodblock but all the toys, so that the whole store turned into a wonderful “wonder” emporium. 

Today the author of Hebrews introduces to us this faith that does wonderful wonders of all wonders. Are you interested in this wonderworking faith? Assuming you are, let us think about the passage in three ways or three wonders.

The first wonder is the wonder of knowing the living God and getting into a living relationship with him.

The first category of the wonder works which faith performs is the wonderful blessing of coming to know the living God and getting into a living relationship with Him. This is foundational, for it is God the Father who is the source of all wonders, signs, and miracles. Look at verse 1. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 

As used here the word “hope” denotes the hope for a man to get know God the Father and get into a living relationship with Him. The expressions the author employs (to describe this point) in chapters 1-10 are diverse but the point remains the same. For example, Hebrews 10:19-23 reads, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” [Here the way Jesus opened for us is called a new and “living” way, for it gives us access to the Living God who is the source of life to the full.]

Many people think that God is someone up there, maybe somewhere way in the farthest corner of the universe or somewhere beyond the known world. Some say, “Well, God is too big, so he is not knowable.” But, surprisingly, the author of Hebrew says at the outset quite the opposite. Do you still remember what Dr. Paul Lim shared in his message, the first lecture of the book of Hebrews? Just in case you have forgotten, let us open the Bible and read Hebrews 1:1-3, “ In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

What he says is quite phenomenal, for he says that in the last days God revealed himself fully by sending His one and only Son Jesus Christ. To support this truth the author says that Jesus is the exact representation of God’s being. In John 14:9, Jesus is direct on this point: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?”

This removes all confusing notions about who God is. Jesus is God incarnate. He is God made visible. After we are done with the study of Hebrews, we would like to get into one of the four gospels, possibly Mark’s gospel, for in each gospel we can see Jesus’ person and Jesus’ work. I know you are busy, but I would still encourage you to set aside special moments to read the four gospels and take an inventory of all the wonders and miracles Jesus performed. If you did, you will quickly understand that God is the God of wonders. When Jesus came to this earth he showed himself as none other than the God of wonders. Just to whet your appetite, let me talk about the first miracle Jesus performed, that is, turning buckets of wash water into buckets of choice wine. Can you do that? I do not think anyone can do this. This miracle so amazes me that when I visited Cana in Galilee a few years ago, I dropped by a store and bought a bottle of wine being sold at the store located right next to the site where Jesus performed the first of his miracles. 

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for.” Faith in Jesus gives us assurance of what we hope for, that is, to get to know the living God and to get into a living relationship with him. The example of the first miracle in Cana in Galilee is the case in point: there at the wedding, when the wine ran out, the first to find the need for wine was Jesus’ mother. And she knew how to get the problem resolved, that is, going to Jesus by faith and asking him for help. Knowing that not all would believe in Jesus, she sternly instructed the servants to not question but just obey whatever Jesus might ask them to do. Lo, and behold, without explaining why, Jesus asked the servants to go and fill the water jars. Yet, the servants believed in Jesus. They obeyed him absolutely. In this way they knew first-hand who Jesus is.

Knowing God the Father and getting into a living relationship with him hold promises not only for the days to come but also for the day called Now. For one thing, for the present day we can withdraw from him the provisions needed to do the will of God. When Jesus came and called a few disciples, he trained them to provide food for the flock of God all by faith. One day Jesus was having a conference with about five thousand people thronging around him. At the Big Bear Pine Crest conference site we had plenty of food. But at that time Jesus and his crowd did not have any food. There were no restaurants nearby. Yet by faith Jesus asked his disciples to go and look for what they had. Reluctantly, they went and looked. They found a small boy holding onto a lunch box which had five barley loaves and two small fish. By faith Andrew brought them to Jesus, saying, “Lord, how far will they go among so many?” Jesus blessed Andrew’s faith, and fed the five thousand. They all ate until their stomachs became like a full moon. Jesus supplied so much that there twelve basketfuls of leftovers.

 

When we believe in the Lord, despite our limits, we can get to know the Living God. As we remain in the life-giving relationship with the Living God, God who is living works through our faith, and so through him we can live as a source of blessing, not just for us, our family members, but for all peoples on earth and all generations to come! Amen!

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for…” Note again that it is faith that gives us the assurance of what we hope for. It is not the work of your hands but your faith that assures you of the hope. You cannot get into a living relationship with the living God either for now or for later though your own abilities to behave. It is by faith in who God is and what God can do that you can get into a living relationship with him. Since the Lord God fully revealed himself in the life of Jesus, then, when we put trust in Jesus, our faith in Jesus will guarantee that what we hope for will come true, even the hope of the life in a resurrected body in the world which is not subject to the old order of things, but the brand new order (cf. Rev 21:4). 

Second, the wonder of living a life that garners God’s commendation.

What is the second category of wonder-works which faith performs for those who believe? Look at verses 1-2 again. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” This passage (verse 2) says that it is by faith that the ancients were commended by God. Deeply imbedded in the heart of a child is the desire to please his or her parents. Coupled with this desire is the desire to get the parents’ recognition. The same is true in our relationship with God the Father. We desire to see God being happy with us. We are going to be unhappy if he is angry or in any other ways feels uncomfortable with us. Speaking of this recognition then we need to talk about two things. Firstly, the real recognition which really counts is the recognition from God the Father. In our society, people have developed all sorts of ways in which to recognize men’s, because people are hungry for recognition. For example, we have the Academy Awards, American Idol’s singing contest, and the honors system in schools. And there are ratings, such as credit ratings, teachers’ ratings, movie ratings, and all sorts of other ratings. But the ultimate recognition which comes with a lasting crown is from God. When we get God’s recognition, then no matter what the world or the people of the world might think of us, we are still cool. Why? It is because when God thinks that you are cool, then you are truly cool. In the coming studies on Heb 11 we will see who garnered God’s recognition, who does not, and what it is to be commended by God. Just as a preview let us think about the example of Noah. In Noah’s day, tons of people were living on the planet. And a lot of them were regarded as macho men or macho women. Genesis 6:4 says of them, “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.” But what did God think of them? Listen to what the next Bible passage says: “The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." The Genesis account of the people of Noah’s day indicates that the way God sees men is different from the way men see themselves. Compared to these macho people, Noah looked stupid, boring, and unimpressive. But it turned out that it was only Noah and his family members who were saved. All the rest went down below the flood waters. 

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” This passage talks about the “ancients,” but what about the people living in this 21^st Century? Would the same principle apply? Certainly! When we live by faith in the Lord we can get God’s recognition. 

A practical question then arises, “How does this work? Why is it that faith works such a great wonder, even the wonder of getting God’s commendation?” Well, at the Spring Conference we already learned the answer, that is, when we live by faith in the Lord, the Lord forgives us of our sins. The Lord puts his Spirit in us. Then it is this Spirit of God that inspires us to prophesy, see visions, and dream dreams. It is the Holy Spirit who transforms an otherwise dull, obtuse and unfruitful man, as dull as a woodblock, into a powerful man of God, such as Simon Peter turning into the bed-rock of Jesus’ church. Once upon a time Simon Peter was as dull and dead as the eyes of a dead fish. But since Jesus put his Spirit in him, all of sudden light came in. He became like a light bulb which after getting energized shines ever so brightly, giving light to people sitting in a dark room. 

In our own generation the same can happen to many, particularly, to the young people of this nation. On the other hand those who are smart and able, but without faith, will end up living a self-seeking life. They will try to build their own security here on earth. Because they do not have faith in God they have to rely on something else, such as a job, a career, a pension fund, a license, green-card, or citizenship. They work, work, work. Every once in a while they think about and even talk about serving God’s mission. But because they do not have faith in God, they do not have the courage to go for it. Plus, God knows that they do not live by faith, so God cannot work for them. What then will they become? They will be like the people in the days of Lot, for they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

Third, the wonder of living an informed life.

Verse 1 talks about faith’s wonder works on God’s dimension, verse 2 describes faith’s wonder works on a human dimension, and now verse 3 addresses faith’s wonder works on a material dimension, that is, the dimension of the universe we are living in. Now that we come to know the living God and are into a living relationship with the Living God, and now that we know how to live a life that garners God’s commendation, we will consider how God wants us to “understand” the way he formed the universe and everything in it. 

Look at verse 3. “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” This passage conveys to us the most important information (or knowledge, if you will) we need to know (and understand) in regards to the universe in which we are allowed to live. This knowledge is important for God gave us the duty to manage the universe he created. And how can we manage (and conquer) the universe and everything in it unless we understand the way in which the universe was formed? 

In the first place just think about the universe itself. Even without resorting to scientists such as Einstein we do know that the universe we live in is truly vast. There are so many things in such a vast universe. And there is so much we need to know about the universe. And our brain has a limited capacity. How can we possibly secure all information about everything? And if all these bodies of knowledge made their ways into our brain, wouldn’t our brain blow up? Yes, it will. 

Thankfully, however, God made the task handy, that is, he came up with the way in which for us to know and understand sufficiently enough to perform as the stewards of his creation. What is the way? Again let us look at verse 3. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. This passage indicates that the first and perhaps the foremost important thing we need to know and “understand” is the truth that the universe was formed at God’s command. The point of this understanding is this: what is seen was not made out of what was visible. Why is it important for us to understand that what is seen was not made out of what was visible? In addition, “If it was not made out of what was visible by what was it made?” We know the answer: God’s command. The point then is this: we should not let what is visible overwhelm us. Rather we ought to hold onto the truth that it is God’s command that gave rise to and is in control of the universe and everything in it. This understanding sets us free from all forms of idol worship, such as materialism or a humanistic lifestyle. It also tells us that we can live an orderly life if we concentrate ourselves on God’s commands and live by them. 

This is similar to how a peaceable life in the U.S. is secured by the prevailing principle of this nation, that is, the rule of law. In the U.S. people from different nationalities, with different cultural and ethnic backgrounds live together. Yet since this nation is founded on the principle of the rule of law, people can get along in a relatively civilized way. The same holds true in our life in this universe. We thrive only when we go by God’s commands. Therefore let us stop for a moment and think about God’s commands. What are they? Where can we find them? Most of you who have studied the Bible for a while already know the answer: God’s commands are found in the Bible. Just think about Moses’ Ten Commandments. There are ten, not hundreds or thousands, but only ten, which govern our relationship with God and with our neighbors. Even these ten commandments are not without one single governing point, that is, love, and not any love but the love which God has for us, the love that seeks the highest good of the one whom you are called to love. 

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command that what is seen was not made by what was visible.” This statement can be paraphrased in a simpler way, that is, God created and maintains the universe all according to one point, that is, love. For this reason we say that God had no other motive to create the universe than to bestow upon its creation his love, which is the highest good. And the highest good is God himself. Thus, we say that God formed the universe in order to create the possibility for him to fully give himself to his creation. How do we understand this truth? Again, it is by faith. What is faith? According to the book of Hebrews faith is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we closely look at Jesus Christ then we can find that Jesus is indeed the embodiment of God’s love. For this reason we can understand that when we believe in Jesus, we come to understand that God created the universe according to his command, namely, the command to love. Once we secure this command and live for it and by it, very naturally, no matter where we go or what we do, the Lord God will cause all things to fall into all the right places. Then God’s blessings will overflow. Wonders and miracles will be commonplace. Life will no longer be a bore. 

In conclusion, in this passage we learned of faith’s three wonder works: the wonder of knowing the living God and getting into a living relationship with him, the wonder of the life that garners God’s commendation, and the wonder of the life that fully understands the way God created the universe. All these are the work of faith. When we live by faith in the Lord, the Lord will certainly bless our faith and continue to reveal to us the wondrous wonders of the wonderful world of faith. 

One word: faith works wondrous works

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