This is why the ancients were commended.For by this, the elders obtained approval.For by it the elders obtained a good report.For therein the elders had witness borne to them.
3 sermons cite this verse
Verse 2. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony by faith. We understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. That means God spoke the world into existence. That's awesome. God, who is spirit, spoke in material creation, came into existence. Wow. That's the God. That's the God of the Bible. That's the God that you love. And so we understand the worlds were framed by the word of God. So that the things which are seen. So church, I want you to hold up your hand and I want you to just tap your other hand. Just touch your other hand. Just do that. And as you're doing that, look at this. That the things, by faith that we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Remarkable. We can touch, we can even hear the sound of the touch. And yet, according to God's word, all of it began with that which is invisible. …
… I couldn't help myself, guys. Hebrews 11 verses one through three in the message translation says, the fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. By faith, we see the world called into existence by God's word. What we see created by what we don't see. and this is the life of faith. We're believing that there's a God who we can't see, doing works deep down that we also can't see, moving and shaking and wanting to use us in a natural yet supernatural way. This is our faith. Let's let our faith rise up in our hearts. Let's let God move, move us, move in us. Let him move in your life. Let it show in your works. He will do it. The pressure is off of you because it's on him and he can handle whatever you're going through. …
… we do it. It's just not enough. It's just too good. All right. Verse one. Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained a witness that he was righteous. God testifying of his gifts, and through it, he being dead still speaks. In other words, even though he's died, he still is prophesying to us how truth works. Verse 5, by faith, Enoch was taken away. That's just one of the weirdest things in all of history. 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. Is that amazing? Faith, faith provided a walk for him with God. I heard a little girl explain this once, a repeat story of a little girl who said that God and Enoch went for a long walk and finally God said, you know, you're closer to my house than to yours. Why don't you just come home with me? So I don't know if, you know, that works for me. I'm going with the little girl's story. So that's how she saw it. But here's this last phrase, so that he pleased God. …