Sermon Notes from "Not Ashamed to be Called God." Sermon by Jim Scott Orrick.

[The following notes were taken during the 10:45AM service this morning at Kosmosdale Baptist Church. The notes were cut short because I ran out of paper in my note-pad. The entire sermon is available to hear on-line HERE.]

Hebrews 11:1-16.

I. Introduction. Illustration of faith: one who has been born and reared in a dark cave.

A. The person inside the cave can hear the outside world and develop theories about what makes the sound.

B. If a pinpoint hole were suddenly placed in the wall of the cave, then it would radically impact the people inside of the cave, and it would lead the people in the cave to crave the outside world.

C. The pinpoint of light from the outside world in the wall of a dark cave is a metaphor for faith in this world.

II. "God is pleased with people who have faith."

A. "By faith we look to God for the knowledge of good and evil."
1. Before Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were immediately dependent upon God to tell them the difference between good and evil.
2. Man has usurped God's prerogative of determining good and evil.
3. Illustration: the history of Mary Ingles;
a. Upon escaping, Ingles had to discern the correct river in order to return home.
b. In the Garden of Eden, Man began to follow the wrong river.
c. By faith, we return to following the correct river.

B. "By faith we stop working to please God."
1. Implicit in the practice of sacrifice is the idea that we cannot please God by ourselves.
2. Faith confesses that we can do nothing to reconcile ourselves to God and that we need the help of someone Else.
3. Illustration: the parent is happy to grant the desires of a submissive child, but must discipline the spoiled, fussy child.

C. By faith we enjoy God.