Heroes of the Faith

Best-selling author, speaker and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarland, best-selling author and apologist Dylan Burroughs together bringing you truths for a new generation. This is TMG radio, the reputation of a thousand years is proven or determined by the conduct of one moment and with that quote, we welcome you to this edition of TMG radio. Welcome to the program were going to be in Hebrews 11 and were going to talk about the heroes of old, the Hebrews 11 passages very often called the faith Hall of Fame will talk about that little bit, but we will welcome you to a new broadcast year of TMG radio Alex McFarlane here with me. My colleague and cohost Dylan Burroughs and Dylan.

I trust you and your family had a wonderful holiday and Christmas and happy new year my friend a happy new year to you as well Alex yes it has been a blessing every year.

My wife shares a birthday with January 1 so we celebrated two ways.

On the first day of the year and it was a joyous day to start off 2019 be glad to be back with you and with our listeners as we talk about this topic. The mention from Hebrews 11. The influence of faithful leaders of the past and what that means for us today. I can't think of a better topic as we start the new year together.

Alex Reno, Dylan.

I've always unit when the new year comes around. I've always kind of been reflective and you think about the past and you and to spread the future and what people kind of wax philosophical in the beginning of a new year but always some and you know we try to pray, and we always bring in the new year with prayer and we tried it, you know, spend a good part of of the month of January. Just trying to lay a foundation of our walk in our weakness in our service for Christ, and were reading over Hebrews 11 and there.

There's just a lot here about the, the people of old, from Abraham and Moses and Samson and people that lay down their life in biblical times were very often inspired by people who are valiant for Christ. Here and in this day and age, but the message we want to get out of this here and I'm gonna read from Hebrews 11 in just a moment, but you know think about it. Dylan we know the tomb is empty.

We know Christ is coming back. We know that salvation is been accomplished in our sin debt was paid. Jesus rose from the dead. We got the entire New Testament and we've got 2000 years of church history during which people have faithfully served the Lord and God has been faithful to them and are you ever struck by the level of commitment and faithfulness often exhibited by those who really didn't have a fraction of the revelation that you and I are privy to. I mean we know the whole story and we are victorious in Christ. But when I read Hebrews 11 and and frankly look at much of church history, I'm amazed at people that absolutely laid the foundation for the growth of the church and maybe they didn't know all of the great rich tapestry of truth that we've been shown will certainly I think about that especially people like Noah, who had very little to go on and yet he was faithful to what God had commanded him to do and build an ark and God saved his life and change the world through his example and there many others. You look at Moses, he saw the burning bush did not want to go and yet God compelled him. He followed through and by faith God used him in a miraculous way. On many occasions and so we are thankful to be part of that tradition, but is a very humbling experience to because so many times our lives do not match up with what we see in some these examples in the Bible daily Alex that will they really don't. They really don't. If you read Hebrews 11, you know, it begins very famously. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

And I want to challenge everyone listening to make 2019 the year that you really do take God at his word and walk by faith and in faith means trust, but I want to say it's not a blind faith. It's not some, you know, pie-in-the-sky, wishful thinking, Dylan. I guess the paradox of it is to trust the eternal God, the God of Revelation, the God of Scripture, of the son of God, who died on the cross rose from the dead pay for our sins. He's coming again soon. I would say the trust of God in faith is more tangible then to lean on any material thing in this transient temporal world. It might sound counterintuitive, but but friends make this the year that you trust God that you take God at his word and learn to walk by faith. Hebrews 11 talks about Abel and Ina can Noah, Abraham and Sarah and all these people, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and all these other examples and let me read this and it will go to talk about the heroes of the faith heroes versus hirelings you you don't want to be a hireling will explain what that means. What we want you to be a hero like these who are role models.

It goes on what more shall we say, for time would fail to tell of Gideon and Barack and Samson and Jephthah and David and Samuel and the prophets who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. I believe that's a reference to Daniel in the lines didn't quench the violence of fire escape the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens women receive their dead raised to life again and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection and others had trial of cruel markings and scourging J moreover of bonds and imprisonment. Listen to verse 37 there were stoned, they were sawn asunder I think about the brutal martyrdom that people went through and consented to die for the faith and they didn't know they didn't know half of what you and I know about all this. The empty tomb and and the victorious Jesus is coming again. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskin's being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy.

They wandered in deserts and mountains in dens and caves of the earth and all these, having obtained a good report through faith.

In other words, they they believed God. Romans foreign and they were declared righteous through faith received not the promise the words they didn't know that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem live a sinless life rise from the dead, God having provided some better thing for us that day without us should not be made perfect in other words, it wasn't dependent on their own righteousness wasn't dependent on us. It was God who in faithfulness, delivered them, sustain them, but Dylan, are you amazed at the level of trust and obedience on the part of those who you know they didn't have a study Bible to read and that they hadn't read.

You know all the commentaries they just trusted God and their trust was validated was not the SEC has in other parts of Scripture there faith is shown by the lives that they lived in many today who are athletes seem to be part of the Hall of Fame someday.

But here we see this hall of faith, something that we should strive for. Spiritually, as followers of Christ, we come back in a moment.

We'll talk more about Hebrews 11 what it means to live for Christ fully to start the new year with first Peter 315 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have were instructed to be prepared to defend our faith. This is Alex McFarlane for the life answers teams students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina. The life answers. Teams are made up of students who will inspire and equip your congregation. These apologetics teams. We train speaking churches to youth groups and train Christians of all ages to address key issues of our times. From a biblical perspective like is there a God is the Bible true. What about gender and moral issues. Call me at 864977 2008 and we will arrange for the life answers team to come to your church and give a presentation that will benefit your people for years to come. 864-977-2000 eight and always be ready.

You know Alex is writing for many years, and one of his classic books is still great. Today is a basic introduction to the Christian faith.

It's called Stan courtrooms must know for unshakable faith. This book will help you help your teens get off the roller coaster of doubt onto solid ground will read about the six pillars of biblical Christianity. They are one inspiration of the Bible to the virgin birth. Three. The deity of Christ for atonement. Five.

Christ's resurrection and six.

Christ's return know Alex mixes it up with humor and stories gleaned from decades of working with youth and encourages things to build a foundation of faith that will stabilize their lives and help them take a stand for Christ. Simple and straightforward.

Stan courtrooms you must go for an unshakable faith available wherever Christian books are so welcome back to true for new generation this is Dylan Burroughs with Alex McFarlane we're talking about. Hebrews chapter 11. Why are we talking about.

Hebrews chapter 11 because these were people who walked by faith exhibit traits that we want to live by today as we start the new year Alex, you've read some these verses from Hebrews 11, but as you have. It's reminding me of this passage from second Corinthians 418 that tell us that that we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen is what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Rusting compelled by the things we see on the screen whether beer phone our televisions today. Yet God calls us to focus on what is unseen at what is on the screen and that should be our focus for the new year.

Talk a little bit about this and some of these topics we want to address today from Hebrews 11, while working to give several principles here in several realities that I think are very inspiring very motivating unit, Dylan. I've got a lot of heroes that I have in a study like DL Moody, one of my great heroes of the faith. From the 19th century Dwight Moody and CS Lewis and down through church history, the reformers, Martin Luther, and you know, of course, the Bible figures. I love Joseph of the book of Genesis and I love to read about the life of David and Solomon as well, and I'm often when I think about the lives of all these people and Billy Graham who just, you know, died in 2018 that what an amazing thing it was that the whole world stop to take note of the life of Billy Graham for a whole week media coverage was doing a retrospective of the life of Billy Graham. You got understand before all the tributes and before all of the you know the accolades in the world leaders and you know even here in Hebrews 11 when you read about Daniel in the lion's den and Gideon, Samuel and the prophets before that the plaque on the wall comes a price to pay and and there's got to be commitment not God honors that in God's faithful word of God is very clear first grade in 1558 our labor in the Lord is not in vain and Hebrews 619 talks about Jesus being the anchor of our soul. But before the prize.

There's a price and that's obedience and that's repentance to turn from sin to Christ. So let's talk about some principles because folks. I think there's some good core foundational realities for our own life. Number one the heroes of old, think about this, they had less to go on and longer to wait and we mean by that unit, which we know the tomb is empty and we know that the sting of death has been removed. We know second Timothy 110 says Jesus has abolished death by the blood of his cross, and the word abolish their means unemployed Jesus put death out of a job and we know how the story ends, but the heroes of old that they didn't have the great panorama of revelation and they had a long time to wait. You know Noah worked hundred 20 years for less than 10 converts and yet second Peter 25 says that he was a preacher of righteousness Dylan out. We've got some missionary friends in France and many of the.

The people that work in places like Australia and parts of Europe in France, and certainly in the Arabic world. Some of these missionaries work years and years and years before their first convert, and I think about here in America if stuff doesn't happen instantaneously, you know, we throw in the towel and move on.

But really the church history of the gospel and the church is the story of of having to wait on God, but that that is time well spent.

I would argue the wisest investment of time ever is to follow God. Obey God and even to wait on God and the SOL said so often we see time as being a commodity that we work with. We try to get the most done in the least amount of time from God's perspective.

He is a plan for every second of every day, and he doesn't get stressed out and things don't happen in time and compared our standards he doesn't get worried when things don't show up at just the right time that we think they should show up at it. We like to say that God is right on time in his time perfect all the time and that is something to keep in mind as we focus on this new year where we realize that God's timeframe is not the same as our time frame at something that's exhibited very well these people we see in Hebrews 11 and in it I will say is we record this in the news in my home state of North Carolina.

There was a lot of press about a pastor who bought his wife a $200,000 car shortly before Christmas and hate. It's possible, as they say, to have things but don't let things have you, but I do want to say this.the second principle about the heroes of the faith. You know, it talks about this in Hebrews 11. They wandered about in sheepskins and goat skins first 37 destitute. Many of the heroes of old had a greater initial investment and a lesser immediate return and am I the idea of being able to, you know, by 1/4 million dollar car for somebody. I think many of the greatest heroes that we revere would be just aghast at that thought. When that money could have been used for the great commission.

I talked to young men often times coming out of Bible college or seminary and down you know frankly is if they don't have a job with $50,000 and all the perks and all the benefits they won't even get into the ministry and and I say listen most of the ministry ever done in the last 2000 years was done without a salary. Without certainly all of the bling of life. You know on those of church in a building program. The pastor told his people. He said the good news is we have all the money we need to do the ministry of this church. The bad news is it's out there, still in your pockets and so I want to challenge everybody listening that make 2019 the year that you honor the Lord with your substance and trust God and and become a tither if you're not already.

And if you've given God your heart. Give God your wallet. Trust God as the heroes of the old did and Dylan one last thought before we know we have to pull away but they had less to go on longer to wait that greater initial investment. A lesser immediate return, but they had less to work with and more to overcome many of the heroes of old Noah says they wandered about and says the world was not worthy of them. They didn't have the Internet. They didn't have mass communication or international travel, and they did have hostile governments against them. Persecution often rejection of family and yet they lay down their life for the great commission and we have the gospel today for it. Let's be faithful now in our time in our era.

Let's fully give our lives that the woman of Christ, as is the people before us have done as well.

Said Alex and stick with us. We write back a tree for new generation first Peter 315 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have were instructed to be prepared to defend our faith.

This is Alex McFarlane for the life answers teams students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina. The life answers. Teams are made up of students who will inspire and equip your congregation. These apologetics teams. We train speaking churches to youth groups and train Christians of all ages to address key issues of our times. From a biblical perspective like is there a God is the Bible true. What about gender and moral issues. Call me at 864977 2008 and we will arrange for the life answers team to come to your church and give a presentation that will benefit your people for years to come. 864-977-2000 eight and always be ready. Christians don't necessarily agree with one another when it comes to questions of religious pluralism, homosexuality, the role of government abortion and war. Too often, we manage these disagreements by ignoring them, yet were called to engage the world for the sake of Christ.

How can we be effective if we avoid society's most pressing questions 10 issues that divide Christians Alex McFarlane challenges us to drill down to the biblical core of 10 current issues such as social justice evil and suffering, photography, and environmentalism as he echoes the biblical invitation come let us reason together only by engaging the Scriptures deeply thinking clearly and speaking truthfully can we, in God's family address our differences and discover the peace that comes with unity of purpose. 10 issues that divide Christians find this book and many others@alexmcfarlane.com you will share the great church historian was writing and he read a book on the history of evangelism and he said that dealmaking I think about this in the 19th century.

In a horse and buggy era DL Moody preach face-to-face for more than 20 million people that's amazing. They said that Moody expected souls to be saved.

He expected God to do things and deal Moody spoke each time if it were his last opportunity to preach and maybe some sinners last opportunity to hear it without we welcome you back to injury ready. I do want to remind you as we are going to this outline about heroes of the faith and how we can be heroic for the gospel.

We I want to say a big thank you to all the people who supported this ministry has is 2018 ended in 2019 began. We have seen a lot of people pour out prayers and financial support for the ministry and were going to be doing six major citywide events in 2019. That will keep you informed of our California Santa Ana California Louisville Kentucky Salt Lake City Richmond Virginia Columbus Ohio and Fayetteville were going to be doing something with Fort Bragg for the military families and of course I'm on the road preaching. You can find out so much@truthforanewgeneration.com or my website Alex McFarlane.com and.Dylan. Whether it's events, broadcasting or publishing and and by the way, speaking of publishing, we got a major Hispanic thrust this year. I've got a brand-new gospel booklet that I wrote that's coming out in Spanish and it's being printed in Latin America, even as we speak. Then we've got our curriculum. We did unapologetic Sunday school curriculum that has just been translated the translation from English to Spanish was just finished over this past weekend and so a lot going on and your prayers and support are much appreciated. You can donate online or you can write to us the truth. For Nugent, PO Box 10231, Greensboro, NC 27404 but whether it's publishing, broadcasting or events. We want to win the lost and equip the saved and Dylan. That's a God seems to be blessing that Disney he certainly does. And that's really what it's all about we talk about all of these events in all of these details and sometimes there's a tendency to get distracted by some of the side issues with the key topic is to make disciples of all nations, especially young people, and where she is sitting in looking at the example of Scripture where they had less to work with and more to overcome. I think of a time were there no ZIP Codes, no cell phones and Internet. They did not even have modern transportation. There is no such thing as a one-week mission trip to another nation hundreds or thousands of miles away, and yet they were able to spread the gospel in a way that we would be shocked if we saw in our time today so we have a lot to learn from the past that can apply to our lives now and in the future.

Alex, I'm excited about this passage because it reminds us of the importance of focusing on the unseen, and have in this eternal perspective of living for Christ and what matters. From his perspective will amen. The fourth thing that I want to draw out of this passage is that the heroes of old, they had more things to suffer, and much more at risk. You know it says in Hebrews 1124 25 that Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter and he chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, and in many and many an era when the missionary would go to a foreign country and me. They would they would tearfully say goodbye to their family because they knew in this life. At least they would never see their family again. I mean they would oftentimes carry their belongings in a coffin because they were going for life. And when you think about it we don't suffer a lot for the gospel. I mean I mean if the preacher is over 10 minutes. We might be late to the restaurant on Sunday but that's not suffering for the gospel. People often say Alex you know I appreciate apologetics but I don't get very bold because I don't want people to think I'm a fanatic.

Listen let people think you're a fanatic let people think you're radical for Jesus because he calls us to a life of radical obedience in I think about William Tyndale as he was being burned at the stake for translating the New Testament into English. His last words were, oh God, open the eyes of the King of England, but the final thing that I want to say is that you know have less to go on and longer to wait in a very, very little to work with and a lot to suffer a lot to risk but here's the thing. They had a lesser sense of self a greater sense for souls and a complete surrender to Jesus Christ. They had a purpose in life.

That said, look, God's calling on my life is bigger than any challenges the call I received overrules any challenges I face.

They had a perspective that said, it is worth it and they had a passion this to keep on going and I think we need these things again today.

Amen is so easy to forget in our culture, where it's all about status and making more and doing more that I been blessed with a lot of education over the years, including a doctoral degree in leadership but when it comes down to it I look at Matthew 23 verse 11 where Jesus tells his followers the greatest among you will be your servants and that is the attitude we are called to have.

Not that we try to make more get more and do more, but that we are greater servants for the kingdom of God to our Lord Jesus Christ seeking to make an eternal difference among those around us. Amen.

You know when Paul was incarcerated in Philippians he said my chains are in Christ. Now, how could that be, well, he said, because the things that have befallen me have turned out to the furtherance of the gospel and so understand know this folks. Your circumstances are permitted by God and God is in control and what today is a disappointment or delay. Tomorrow is going to be a victory. So as we go into this year.

You know, we trust Christ. Galatians 220.

Paul said I'm crucified with Christ and so it's not me that's doing the living.

It's not me that's calling the shots. I'm going to obey God and I'm to follow God I'm in a trust God even if I have to wait on God. And so as we wrap up here in of the Hebrews 1113 it says that the heroes these all died in faith, not yet having received the promises, but they did see them afar off, so I want you to think about the promises of God that on the authority of God's word on the authority of the testimony of faithful folk that have preceded us for centuries look, my dear friend one minute into heaven all that you invested for the gospel. All that you suffered all the things you had to let go off in your obedience to Jesus you will know that it was so worth it because it resulted in souls being saved the church being edified, the kingdom being extended in his name being glorified make this the year that you lay it all down for Jesus and make this the day that you immediately do that truth for a new in association with Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries exist to equip Christians with the biblical worldview through conferences and camps for information about upcoming events visit for a new generation.com or give us a call at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes, God, and the number one TMG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries PO Box 10231, Pearl, NC 27404. That's PO Box 10231, North Carolina 27404.

Give online@alexmcfarland.com or truth for a new generation.com. Thanks for listening and join us again next day as we bring you more true for a new generation on TMG radio