In this series we have been exploring Hebrews 11—a list of biblical figures that God calls heroes. As we’ve seen so far, the list not only includes some of the obviously important characters of the faith, like Abraham, it also includes less obvious people like Rahab. So what makes these people heroes? What characterizes heroes from God’s perspective?
1. Faith.
The people on this list believed God’s promises and they believed God could use them. We saw this with Abraham. He was basically just a shepherd until God called him and he obeyed and went without knowing what the outcome would be.
2. Sacrifice.
These people were faithful even when it cost them something. Verse 24 talks about Moses. He grew up in the house of the king of Egypt. He had everything he could have wanted. But when God called him to free the Israelites from slavery, Moses gave it all up to obey Him.
3. Perseverance.
They stayed at it for the long haul. They didn’t just give their best for a few months, they were faithful for decades. Verse 13 says, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance…” They didn’t see the fruit of their faithfulness during their lifetimes yet remained obedient.
These three traits describe many of the volunteers at Engedi as well. For example, those working with the kids and youth have faith that God is using them to shape the next generation, even without being able to see the end result. The parking lot team sacrifices their comfort when they are greeting visitors throughout the winter. CABLE Group leaders show perseverance when they keep pushing people on in their spiritual journeys in spite of difficulties. Volunteers in all different areas of the church are marked by faith, sacrifice and perseverance. That makes them heroes!
Question: In what other volunteer teams and situations can you see examples of these three characteristics? Otherwise, who in your life exemplifies these characteristics?
What makes these modern day heroes serve? What is their motivation? If you talk with a group of volunteers their reasons usually boil down to three main categories.
First, they serve simply out of gratitude to God and to other people for reaching out to them with His grace. Some people are so overwhelmed by God’s love, and so grateful for a caring friend who invested in them that they can’t imagine not doing the same thing for others.
Second, they serve because of the incredible joy they get by serving. They’ve discovered that what Jesus said is actually true—we discover life by giving our lives away to others. Many people find that serving energizes them.
Finally, they serve because of compassion. They are left broken-hearted by the spiritual needs around them and want to do something to help. Their service is sparked by a sense of urgency that people really need Jesus and that we have to do everything we can to ensure people hear about Him.
Christians in our community may not feel this as much as they should. Sometimes people from a churched background don’t realize how messed up things can be without a relationship with Jesus. We also forget that thousands in our city are still trying to make life work without Christ and are heading toward a Christ-less eternity. This is real!
Whatever the reasons we serve, it is worth it. God is using our service to change lives.
Question: Do you volunteer at Engedi or another organization? If so, in what capacity do you serve? What is your reason for serving? If not, what keeps you from volunteering?
What is it that keeps heroes going over the long haul?
Again, verse 13 gives us a key insight. It says the heroes saw the things promised and welcomed them from a distance. What they saw in faith—their vision for the future—kept them going. They dreamed of a day when things would be better. They dreamed of a day when lost people would come home. They dreamed of a day when poverty would be history. And they believed God could use them to help accomplish this vision.
Maintaining this kind of vision can be difficult for many reasons. We may doubt our context or ourselves. But if we band together as a church family and take the path of heroes, keep taking risks and believe in the God of the impossible, we will see God do far greater things than our competencies or context would suggest are even possible.
Question: As you consider where God could take Engedi over the next few years, what gets you excited? What are you praying for God to accomplish through you?
If you are not serving at Engedi yet, go here to get plugged in. Whatever your passion, personality or gifting, there is a place for you to serve!
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