The Substance of Trust

Larry Siegle
07/28/24 - Sun AM

Link to sermon video: The Substance of Trust - L Siegle

The Substance of Trust

(Hebrews 11:1)

Thesis:  What Does it MEAN to TRUST God?

INTRODUCTION

1.    The title of this message is The Substance of Trust

2.    There is a contrast in the Scriptures between shadow and substance (Heb. 10:1; Col. 2:16, 17).

3.    The purpose of a shadow is to provide a ‘reflection’ of the substance or the reality of something.

        a.     When I managed KXOI in West Texas, I had the opportunity to sell radio advertising.

               1)    In this bag is 30-seconds….would you like to buy this?

               2)    In this bag is 60-seconds….would you rather buy this?

        b.    Buying a ‘piece’ of time is like trying to sell something that has no substance---people cannot relate to a ‘slick’ of

               time.  

               1)    Nine out of ten potential customers would decline just purchasing a segment of time.

               2)    Instead we had to come up with something of substance they could picture and relate to.

        c.     We would sit down, write the copy for a potential commercial and while talking to the possible customer, allow

               them to listen to it---provide them with substance….(Like this).

               1)    The difference was that nine out of ten potential customers who heard the spot would then purchase either

                       the 30 or 60-second spot on our station.

               2)    When we discuss the reality of who God is and what God has done, it provides substance to the message and

                       meaning of the Bible.

        d.    As it pertains to the substance of what it means to trust God, to have faith, people often want to experience the

               true substance of what that means in reality.

4.    The Bible is full of abstract concepts and ideas that often illustrate various aspects of relationship with God.

        a.     Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35)

        b.    Jesus said, “I am the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5)

        c.     Jesus taught the crowds using “parables” (‘to lay beside for the sake of comparison).

               1)    A “parable” is ‘an earthly story, with a heavenly meaning’---the physical aspect is used to illustrate the

                       spiritual aspect of a certain truth that pertains to the nature of the Kingdom and the relationship of a person

                       to that Kingdom.

               2)    A valid principle of interpretation and understanding is that the use of a physical expression does not negate

                       the reality of the spiritual meaning.

               3)    When we talk about something that is spiritual it must not be seen as an expression of something that is not

                       real.

               4)    When people talk about a “literal interpretation” what they mean is something that is physical that can be

                       experienced by the five senses.

               5)    In reality a spiritual truth is more real that anything that can be seen or experienced in this physical realm in

                       which we live.

5.    Love is an abstract word that carries with it a variety of meanings.

        a.     I love my wife.

        b.    I love my children.

        c.     I love my house (or car, or job).

        d.    I love pizza.

6.    As it pertains to relationships there is an inseparable connection that must be seen between love and trust.

        a.     Love for another person is possible, but unless there is also trust eventually love dies or fades away.

        b.    Love for God is rooted in our willingness to trust Him every moment of every hour of every day.

               1)    Our trust in God manifests itself in our thoughts, words, and actions in our everyday life.

               2)    Hebrews 11 magnifies the fact that faith and trust are manifested in the actions that follow.

               3)    The phrase “by faith” is used 18 times in this chapter to express how those mentioned in the chapter loved

                       God, trusted God, and ‘put feet to their faith’ by the actions that followed.

7.    What is Faith?

        a.     Faith is not simply ‘mental assent’--mere accepts of certain things.

        b.    Faith is the ‘assured expectation’ of that which God promised.

        c.     To better understand Hebews 11, we have to backup to the previous chapter (Heb. 10:32-39).

               1)    These believers had allowed their situations and circumstances to ‘weaken’ their determination in looking

                       toward the reality of what was going to come.

               2)    They stood, looking at the shadow of the Old Covenant life--the temple, priesthood, sacrificial system, laws,

                       feast days, weekly sabbath, dietary laws).

               3)    Do not allow what you see with your eyes, take away from the reality of what God is doing.

8.    The examples of faith in Hebrews 11 are testimonial proof of what took place in their lives and what God was doing. 

        a.     Faith as illustrated in Hebrews 11 is the “title deed” or substance (assurance) of what was not seen with their

               physical eyes at the time.

               1)    The encouragement of the writer is for those first century believers not to “shrink back” “to draw under,

                       recoil, withdraw, to let down” (hupostello).---it implies a turning away from.

               2)    The condition of one who turns away, give up their faith and their trust in God, the situation becomes far

                       worse for them (II Pet. 2:20-22).

               3)    It is the examples of true faith that forms a bridge between the Old and New Covenants, and between life out

                       in the world today, with the richness of what it means to have the life of Christ.

CONCLUSION

1.    The substance of what it means to trust in God is measures by our obedience to what is written.

2.    The substance of what it means to trust in God is demonstrated by the evidence of God’s providence in our lives.

3.    The substance of what it means to trust in God is seen in how believers love “one another” (John 13:35).

4.    The substance of what it means to trust in God is by our desire to honor Him and to worship Him in “spirit and truth”

        (John 4:24).