Continuing by Faith*

By faith Abel, by faith Enoch, by faith Noah, by faith Abraham and Sarah . . .

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. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth . . . they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

By faith Abraham, by faith Isaac, by faith Jacob, by faith Joseph, by faith Moses' parents, by faith Moses, by faith the people passed through the Red Sea, by faith the walls of Jericho fell, by faith the prostitute Rahab . . . was not killed . . .

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

By faith, fifty years ago, a group of Christians began a congregation . . . may we continue by faith, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith . . .

*from Hebrews 11: 3-40 and 12: 2