Heroes of the Faith

Best-selling author, speaker, and advocate for Christian apologetics, Dr. Alex McFarland.

Best-selling author and apologist, Dylan Burrows. Together bringing you truth. For a new generation, this is TNG 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 TNG Radio.

Welcome to the program. We're going to be in Hebrews 11, and we're going to talk about the heroes of old. The Hebrews 11 passage is very often called the Faith Hall of Fame, and we'll talk about that a little bit, but we want to welcome you to a new broadcast year of TNG Radio. Alex McFarland here with me, my colleague and co-host, Dylan Burrows. And Dylan, I trust you and your family had a wonderful holiday and Christmas, and happy new year, my friend. Well, happy new year to you as well, Alex. Yes, it has been a blessing, and every year my wife shares a birthday with January 1st. So we celebrate in two ways on the first day of the year, and it was a joyous day to start off 2019, but glad to be back with you and with our listeners as we talk about this topic that you mentioned 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.

Well, you know, Dylan, when the new year comes around, I've always kind of been reflective, and you think about the past and you anticipate the future, and a lot of people kind of wax philosophical in the beginning of a new year. But I always, Angie and I, we try to pray, and we always bring in the new year with prayer, and we try to spend a good part of the month of January just trying to lay a foundation of our walk and our witness and our service for Christ. And we were reading over Hebrews 11, and there's just a lot here about the people of old from Abraham and Moses and Samson and people that laid down their life in biblical times. We're very often inspired by people who are valiant for Christ here in this day and age. But the message we want to get out of this here, and I'm going to 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 has been accomplished and our sin debt was paid.

Jesus rose from the dead. We've got the entire New Testament, and we've got 2,000 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're victorious in Christ, but when I read Hebrews 11 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. Well, certainly. I think about that especially with people like Noah, who had very little to go on, and yet he was faithful to what God had commanded him to do in building an ark, and God saved his life and changed the world through his example.

And there are many others. You look at Moses. He saw the burning bush and 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 it's a very humbling experience, too, because so many times our lives do not match up with what we see in some of these examples in the Bible, do they, Alex? Well, 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 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. The Son of God who died on the cross rose from the dead to pay for our sins.

He's coming again soon. I would say the trust of God in faith is more tangible than to lean on any material thing in this transient temporal world. It might sound counterintuitive, 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 Enoch and 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 then we're going to talk about the heroes of the faith, heroes versus hirelings. You don't want to be a hireling. We'll explain what that means.

We want you to be a hero like these who are our role models. It goes on, what more shall we say for time would fail to tell of Gideon and Barak 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 lion's den. 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 received 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 mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment.

Now listen to verse 37. They were stoned. They were sawn asunder. Now 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 the victorious Jesus who's coming again. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy.

They wandered in deserts and in mountains and dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good report through faith, in other words they believed God, Romans 4, and they were declared righteous through faith, received not the promise. In other 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 they without us should not be made perfect. In other words, it wasn't dependent on their own righteousness or it wasn't dependent on us. It was God who in faithfulness delivered them, sustained them. But Dylan, aren't 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 they hadn't read all the commentaries. They just trusted God, and their trust was validated, wasn't it? Yes, and you see as in other parts of scripture, their faith is shown by the lives that they lived.

And many today who are athletes seek 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. And when we come back in a moment, we'll talk more about Hebrews 11 and what it means to live for Christ fully to start the New Year.

Stick with us. First Peter 3.15 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have. We're instructed to be prepared to defend our faith. This is Alex McFarland 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 speak in 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 864-977-2008 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.

864-977-2008 and always be ready. You know, Alex has been writing for many years and one of his classic books is still great today as a basic introduction to the Christian faith. It's called Stand, Core Truths You Must Know for an Unshakeable Faith. This book will help you help your teens get off the roller coaster of doubt and onto solid ground. You'll read about the six pillars of biblical Christianity.

They are 1. Inspiration of the Bible, 2. The Virgin Birth, 3. The Deity of Christ, 4. Atonement, 5. Christ's Resurrection and 6.

Christ's Return. You know, Alex mixes it up with humor and stories he gleaned from decades of working with youth and encourages teens to build a foundation of faith that will stabilize their lives and help them take a stand for Christ. Simple and straightforward, Stand, Core Truths You Must Know for an Unshakeable Faith. Available wherever Christian books are sold.

Welcome back to Truth For A New Generation. This is Dylan Brose with Alex McFarland and we're talking about Hebrews chapter 11. Why are we talking about Hebrews chapter 11? Because these were people who walked by faith and exhibit traits that we want to live by today as we start the new year. And Alex, you've read some of these verses from Hebrews 11, but as you have, it's reminding me of this passage from 2 Corinthians 4.18 that tells us that we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. We're often compelled by the things we see on the screen, whether it be our phone or our televisions today, yet God calls us to focus on what is unseen, not 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 that we want to address today from Hebrews 11.

Wow. Well, we're going to give several principles here and several realities that I think are very inspiring, very motivating. You know, Dylan, I've got a lot of heroes that I've studied like D.L. Moody, one of my great heroes of the faith from the 19th century, Dwight Moody and C.S. Lewis and down through church history, the Reformers, Martin Luther, and 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 died in 2018, what an amazing thing it was that the whole world stopped 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've got to understand before all the tributes and before all of the accolades and the world leaders and even here in Hebrews 11 when you read about Daniel in the lion's den and Gideon and Samuel in the prophets, before the plaque on the wall comes a price to pay, and there's got to be commitment. Now God honors that, and God is faithful. The word of God is very clear. 1 Corinthians 15.58, �Our labor in the Lord is not in vain.� Hebrews 6.19 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. Now what do we mean by that? We know the tomb is empty, and we know that the sting of death has been removed, and we know 2 Timothy 1.10 says Jesus has abolished death by the blood of his cross, and the word abolish there means unemployed. Jesus put death out of a job, and we know how the story ends, but the heroes of old, they didn't have the great panorama of revelation, and they had a long time to wait. Noah worked 120 years for less than 10 converts, and yet 2 Peter 2.5 says that he was a preacher of righteousness.

Dylan, we've got some missionary friends in France, and many of the people that work in places like Australia and parts of Europe and 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, I mean if stuff doesn't happen instantaneously, you know we throw in the towel and move on, but really the church, the history of the gospel and the church is the story of having to wait on God, but 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 that's so well 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, but from God's perspective, he has a plan for every second of every day, and he doesn't get stressed out when things don't happen in time compared to 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. 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 time frame is not the same as our time frame. It's something that's exhibited very well in these people we see in Hebrews 11.

Amen. You know I will say as 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 hey, 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 goatskins, verse 37, destitute. Many of the heroes of old had a greater initial investment and a lesser immediate return. And the idea of being able to buy a quarter 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 talk to young men oftentimes coming out of Bible college or seminary, and you know, frankly, 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 I say, listen, most of the ministry ever done in the last 2,000 years was done without a salary, without certainly all of the bling of life. You know, there was a 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 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 I know we have to pull away, but they had less to go on longer to wait, they had greater initial investment, a lesser immediate return, but they had less to work with and more to overcome. Many of the heroes of old, you know, it says they wandered about and it 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 laid 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 world may know of Christ as the people before us have done.

It's well said, Alex, and stick with us. We'll be right back at Truth For A New Generation. First Peter 3.15 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have.

We're instructed to be prepared to defend our faith. This is Alex McFarland 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 speak in 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 864-977-2008, 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.

864-977-2008, 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 we're called to engage the world for the sake of Christ.

How can we be effective if we avoid society's most pressing questions? In Ten Issues That Divide Christians, Alex McFarland challenges us to drill down to the biblical core of ten current issues, such as social justice, evil and suffering, pornography 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 and God's family address our differences and discover the peace that comes with unity of purpose.

Ten Issues That Divide Christians. Find this book and many others at AlexMcFarland.com. You know, Paul Schaff, the great church historian, was writing of D.L. Moody, and he wrote a book on the history of evangelism, and he said that D.L. Moody, now think about this, in the nineteenth century, in a horse and buggy era, D.L. Moody preached face to face before more than twenty million people.

That's amazing. And he said that Moody expected souls to be saved, he expected God to do things, and D.L. Moody spoke each time if it were his last opportunity to preach, and maybe some sinner's last opportunity to hear it. With that, we welcome you back to TNG Radio. I do want to remind you, as we are going through this outline about heroes of the faith and how we can be heroic for the gospel, I want to say a big thank you to all the people who have supported this ministry as 2018 ended and 2019 began. We have seen a lot of people pour out prayers and financial support for the ministry, and we're going to be doing six major citywide events in 2019 that we'll keep you informed of. California, Santa Ana, California, Louisville, Kentucky, Salt Lake City, Richmond, Virginia, Columbus, Ohio, and Fayetteville. We're 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 at TruthForANewGeneration.com or my own website, AlexMcFarland.com. And Dylan, whether it's events, broadcasting, or publishing � and by the way, speaking of publishing, we've 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 an apologetic 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. Your prayers and support are much appreciated. You can donate online or you can write to us at Truth For A New Generation, P.O.

Box 10231, Greensboro, North Carolina, 27404. But whether it's publishing, broadcasting, publishing, or events, we want to win the lost and equip the saved. And Dylan, God seems to be blessing that, doesn't he? He certainly does, and that's really what it's all about.

We talk about all of these events and all of these details, and sometimes there's a tendency to get distracted by some of the side issues. But the key topic is to make disciples of all nations, especially young people. And we're sitting here looking at the example of Scripture where they had less to work with and more to overcome. I think of a time where there were no zip codes, no cell phones, no internet.

They did not even have modern transportation. There was 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. And I'm excited about this passage because it reminds us of the importance of focusing on the unseen and having this eternal perspective of living for Christ and what matters from his perspective.

Well, 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 11, 24, and 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 an era when a missionary would go to a foreign country, I mean, 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, if the preacher is over ten 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. You know, 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 they, you know, had less to go on and longer to wait and very little to work with and a lot to suffer, a lot to risk, but here is 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 that said keep on going. And I think we need these things again today. And it's so easy to forget in our culture where it's all about status and making more and doing more, but I've 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 servant. That is the attitude we are called to have, not that we try to make more, get more, 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 a delay tomorrow is going to be a victory. So as we go into this year, you know, we trust Christ. Galatians 2.20, Paul said, I am 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 going to follow God, I'm going to trust God even if I have to wait on God. And so as we wrap up here, you know, the Hebrews 11.13 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 of 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, and His name being glorified.

Make this the year that you lay it all down for Jesus and make this the day that you obediently do that. Truth for a New Generation, in association with Alex McFarland Evangelistic Ministries, exists to equip Christians with a biblical world view through conferences and camps. For information about upcoming events, visit truthforanewgeneration.com, or give us a call at 877-YES-GOD-1. That's 877-YES-GOD and the number 1. TNG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland Evangelistic Ministries, PO Box 10231, Greensboro, North Carolina 27404. That's PO Box 10231, Greensboro, North Carolina 27404. Or give online at alexmcfarland.com or truthforanewgeneration.com. Thanks for listening and join us again next time as we bring you more truth for a new generation on TNG radio.