Hebrews 11: Christ Is A Better Prize

Hebrews 11

Theme: Remain Confident in Christ

A) Reasons
3) Because He is a Better Prize (11-13)

Faith is an assurance of things we hope for, and a conviction
about things we have not seen (1). For example, by faith we
understand that God made the world out of nothing. Hebrews 11
shows our need to remain confident in Christ as our hope of
future inheritance, rather than those things we can see and
handle. The reason for this is because He is a better
prize...

Than worldly praise (11:1-6)

Faith in Christ is Better than worldly praise, because God
commends those who believe in Him. God commended Abel for
offering a better sacrifice, by faith, than his brother Cain
(4). This may picture that faith in Christ's sacrifice
results in God's testimony that we are righteous
(justification), while faith in the fruit of our own labors
(such as offered by Cain), do not merit God's approval.

Enoch also pictures someone God approves of. Because he lived
by faith in God's promises, he "obtained the witness that...he
was pleasing to God." God took Enoch into heaven alive, and
this pictures the believer's hope that he will be taken to
heaven by Christ, to receive the fulfillment of the promised
inheritance of eternal life with God.

Than worldly possessions (11:8-22)

Faith in Christ is better than worldly possessions, because He
promises eternal life in a heavenly city for those who wait
for Him (Rev. 21-22). Faith in God's promises motivated
humble and obedient living in Abraham and Sarah.

For example, Abraham believed God's promise of a seed, and was
therefore willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, because he
believed God would have to raise him from the dead to keep his
word. Belief in the resurrection of Christ and God's promise
to raise all believers with a glorious body (1 Cor. 15),
enables us to obey Christ even in the face of death, in the
hope of resurrection.

Even though Jacob was in the most prosperous nation on earth,
he blessed his children in hope of God's promises instead, and
Joseph, requested his bones to be buried in the promised land.

Than worldly pleasures (11:23-29)

Christ is better than worldly pleasures, because worldly
pleasures are only "passing", but Christ is a permanent
reward. Moses could have had all the pleasures of Egypt, but
endured ill treatment with his people instead. He also did
not fear what Pharaoh would do to him because of faith in
Christ. This should motivate believers to choose the
permanent possession of Christ over the passing pleasures of
sin, and to endure ill treatment for their faith in Christ.

Than worldly power (11:30-35)

Christ is better than worldly power, because He gives present
and future victory over sin, evil, and death. Many who
believed God's promise to give them the land of Canaan fought
bravely and gained victory over the enemies of God. Those who
did not believe in God's promise to give them victory and an
inheritance, wandered in the wilderness of sin and died.
Christ corresponds to the believers promised inheritance land,
and by faith in His death and resurrection we gain victory
over guilt, sin and evil in this present life, and receive an
eternal inheritance in glory (cf. Rom. 6 - 8).

Than worldly peace (11:36 - 12:3)

Christ is better than worldly peace, because He alone provides
resurrection from the dead (cf. 1 Cor. 15). Such hope
motivated people of God to endure reproach, torture, and
poverty for their faith.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
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