Hebrews 11:1-7 | Faith

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Covenant Reformed Baptist Church Pastor Jeff Rice

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One day y 'all all gonna say hollowback like it's gonna be beautiful All right, so If you would turn with me to your
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Bibles, we'll be in Hebrews chapter 11 We will consider verses 1 through 7
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Last week we looked at verses 1 and 3 this week 1 through 7 Dear God, we love you and Lord.
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We know that you have met with us this morning Well, we pray that you will continue to do so Speak to us through your word we pray in the name of your
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Son Jesus Christ Amen So our theme for the
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For chapter here 11 of Hebrews is going to be the same. I mentioned that last week is going to be faith
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Our theme is faith Our timeless truth. We're going to be looking at the obedience of faith
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Book of Hebrews chapter 11 is about the obedience of faith. We've walked through the
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You know us resting in Christ us receiving faith by grace through faith.
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Are you saved? So chapter 11, which
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I believe the book of Hebrew. I mean, but the book of Romans is also about the obedience of faith
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And the last week we also looked at Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 4 and I'll read that real quick It says behold
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His soul is puffed up it is not upright within him but the righteous shall live by faith and we compared this with Romans chapter 1 verses 16 and 17
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Paul the writer here says for I am NOT ashamed of the gospel. Let's stop right there the gospel being
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That that God sent his son to redeem a people through his death burial and resurrection
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Paul saying I am NOT ashamed of that message I am NOT ashamed of the gospel for in it that message is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the
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Jew first and also to the Greek so at this time the
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Jews were run out of Rome during the the reign of Claudius After Claudius dies they come back to Rome.
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There's a church established But they were not welcoming to the
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Gentiles This letter is them telling us Paul telling them that it's for the
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Gentiles also for in it the gospel
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The righteousness of God is revealed from faith the moment you were born again for faith you live in this out as it is written the righteous shall live by faith not by works done in the old covenant law, but by Faith in Jesus Christ living your life looking to him as your answer
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This week. I want to look at the other place where this verse is quoted and we're just going to read it
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Then we'll come back to it towards the end and that's going to be in Galatians chapter 3
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Galatians 3 verse 11 So if you just Put your finger and Hebrews 11 and look at Galatians 3 verse 11
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Paul again, the writer says now it is evident that no one is justified
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What does justify mean to be made right? No one is made, right? No one is justified before God by the law
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For the righteous Shall live by faith again quoting
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Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 4 The righteous are not to live by the old covenant law
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But they are in fact to live by faith in Jesus Christ That's the argument that's being made in this book as well as other
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Letters the first book that we preached to here was Galatians and we kind of hit on that pretty hard from the
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Gentile side Paul speaking to the Gentiles You don't not you do not go and become a
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Jew and live under the law to become a Christian and now Paul I believe speaking to the
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Hebrews You do not go back to the law You look to Christ and we will come back to this text in a little bit guys
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As I mentioned earlier, but we will continue to consider Habakkuk 2 Romans 1 and Galatians 3 as we continue to walk through this chapter
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But our outline for today we will see We will focus on what pleases
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God by looking to the faith of Abel and Enoch And as we transition we'll look at what we look
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The portion of scripture that we looked at last week so Hebrews chapter 1
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I mean chapter 11 verses 1 through 3 Hebrews chapter 11 1 through 3 It says now faith is the assurance of things hoped for The conviction of things not seen for by it speaking of faith the people of old receive their commendation
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By faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God So that what is seen?
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Was not made out of the things I mean, it's huddle so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible
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So that what is seen was not made up. Sorry, I Stumble over my word sometimes, please forgive me.
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So I believe from our text last week. We gave a comparison And I gave this comparison on the fly like it wasn't in my notes.
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So As many of you know, I do not have a full manuscript, but I have a skeleton outline
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So I just have like like PowerPoints that I know that I need to touch And as I was preaching last week,
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I I just noticed something in the text and so I want to kind of expound on that so So in the text we have creation
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The things that are seen gives glory to the things that are unseen right we
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When speaking of our faith that says in verse 1 now faith again, this is You you say that you have faith now faith what you say that you have is
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The substance the things hoped for It is the conviction of things seen and we also looked at it and when we change the words we looked at the
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Greek and we see what assurance can also mean and Some translations will have it and what evidence could also mean and some other translations have it so we saw that our faith is the assurance that it is the substance that it is something that that you can grab it's something that you can see of The things hoped for and the conviction or the evidence of things that are not seen
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And there seems to be two big things that are texts in our text that faith gives evidence for so so so it says that our faith is the substance that our faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction the evidence of things not seen and so I want to point out is the the two things that I feel
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That our faith gives evidence for I see it in the text, but I also See it in life and life in general as it plays out.
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So The the first is is our faith gives evidence for our faith.
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I Know that probably doesn't make much sense, but our faith gives evidence Of what we say we believe right are living in faith
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So are living our lives look into Jesus following Jesus gives evidence of what we say
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We believe I believe that that is a true interpretation when we look at our context and also
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The book of James so if you turn to the book of James So the book of James we're gonna be focusing on chapter 2
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But I'm gonna read a little bit from chapter 1 as well But the book of James if you could if I could break it down in a sentence
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It would be a a persecuted church showing favoritism to their rich persecutors over the poor
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Marie that again a persecuted church Showing favoritism to the rich Persecutors over the poor and this poor would have been those that are in the church as well
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So if you look with me at chapter 1 And now that I've said that when you go back and you read
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James, it's gonna open up a new a New way of seeing it. So in James chapter 1 verse 22 says this
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So he's talking to the people and he says be doers of the word So think of the obedience of the faith be doers of the word and not hearers only
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Deceiving yourselves for if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer
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He is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror
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For when he for he looks at himself and he goes away and at once forgets
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What wasn't what he was like so imagine looking in the mirror You know, you're brushing your teeth.
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You're coming your beer, whatever it is that you do And then you walk away and you forget what you look like That's what he's saying for those of you who say you have faith
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But you're not living in faith. You're like a man looking in the mirror Walks away and doesn't never immediately forgets what he looks like, but the one who looks into the perfect Law the law and right here.
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It's going to specify the law of Liberty and Proceeds being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts he will be blessed in his doing
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In chapter 2 verse 1. He says my brothers show no partiality
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As you hold to the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ The Lord of Glory for if a man wearing a gold ring
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So he's kind of pointing to the persecutors here a gold ring fine clothes comes into your assembly
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And a poor man and shabby clothing comes in and if you pay attention to the one who was wearing the fine clothing and Say you sit here in a good place while you say to the poor man you sit over There or Sit at my feet
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Have you not made a distinction among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
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Listen beloved brothers has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
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Which he has promised to those who love him, but you have dishonored the poor man
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Are not the rich ones Who are not the are not the rich the ones who oppress you and the ones who drag you into courts?
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and they are Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called listen to verse 8 for if you
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Really fulfill the royal law according to the scriptures This is the second part of the decalogue.
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Love your neighbor as yourself You are doing well, but if you show partiality pointing out their favoritism towards the rich You are committing sin and are convicted by the law as a transgressor for whoever keeps the whole law
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But fails at one point Has become guilty of it all
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For he who said do not commit murder may do not commit adultery also said do not murder
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If anyone does not commit adultery but murders You have become a transgressor of the law
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So it doesn't matter which one you break if you break one you have become a transgressor of the law So speak and so act as those who will be judged under the law of Liberty verse 13
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For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy mercy triumphs over judgment what so we see here the obedience of faith and Chapter 1 22 through 25 and we see in chapter 2
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Particularly in in verses 8 through 13 that that all of us are under sin Alright, we've all broken at least one law
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I've broke them all you at least we've broken one But if you've broken one, you are a transgressor of the law, you might not have committed adultery in act
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But you haven't thought you might not have stolen something But you have told a lie like we've all broken the law and he's saying that if you break one you're guilty of the whole thing so as we're going to Enter into verse 14 when it talks about works.
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We have to understand that it's not talking about the works of the law This is something different So to 14 what good is it my brothers if someone says that he has faith?
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But he does not have Works can such a faith save him if a brother or sister is poorly clothed now
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Think about the whole rich and poor thing is poorly clothed lacking in daily food And one of you says to him go in peace be warm Remember you sit right here at my feet or you sit over there right here saying be go in peace be filled be warmed
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Without giving them the things needed for the body. What good is that? so also
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Faith in itself if it does not have works is dead. But some will say
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I have faith I Have war and I have works show me your faith apart from your works and I will show you my faith by my works
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So works here cannot be keeping Judicial law where everyone has broken them
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We've at least broken one so therefore we're guilty of breaking it all this this work here cannot be judicial law
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So what is this work work here has to be? living by faith
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It's it's your faith the life that you live given evidence to what you say you believe
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Right. There has to be substance to your faith. There has to be something that someone could see and recognize
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Yeah, you say you have faith, but are you living your life in faith? Are you repenting of sin are you looking to Jesus Christ?
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This is the kind of faith that he is talking about again, we have to take the context that this is a persecuted church showing favoritism to the rich persecutors and Not taking care of their poor
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Who actually needs the church and he is condemning them for this horrendous act?
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Second I believe that our faith just like creation gives evidence to the Creator or living and obedient are living in the obedience of faith is something that people can see and That faith gives evidence of the
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Creator who is unseen So when you go out and you say that you believe
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But you don't live for him. Are you are you?
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Are you pointing back and saying yeah, he's real. He's so real. I don't live for him
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Yeah, I believe And I'm living like the devil Does that is that proof that you are a worshiper of God or do people say you know what?
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I? Don't believe what he believes, but I know that he believes what he believes and to them
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It's an indicator that that you truly believe that you truly believe that Jesus Christ entered creation
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That he died for your sins that he was buried and he rose again and you're living like it like you
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Your life has actually took a turn like well, you know All I know is me ex -gangbanger.
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It's guy this guy on the street living for himself shaking his fist at God Here's the gospel
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My whole life changed. I mean what a traumatic but but this is like like turning around a big old ship
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You know, but my life has changed I'm no longer that gangbanger I no longer identify myself as someone who bangs
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I identify myself in Christ And I like to believe that even around my friends who are unbelievers that my life is evident to them that something happened to me and if something happened to me that someone had to happen what happens and It points to God Or if they ask me
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Jeff, how did you become a believer? What do I say? I was given faith My life points to God And so I believe that our faith gives evidence our living in faith gives evidence of our faith and our living in faith is evidence of God just like creation does and it's funny how
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God kind of lines the two up, you know, the creation of all things and the the new creation
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Buildings give evidence for a builder Creation gives evidence for a creator in the life that you live gives evidence of what you say you believe
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And that's what the book of Hebrews is about. That's what the book of Romans is about. That's what the book of Galatians is about You say you believe
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But are you living for Jesus? Are you like Paul where he says I have been crucified with Christ It is no longer
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I who live but Christ that lives in me in the life that I live in the flesh. I Live by faith.
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That's the obedience of faith. That's that's the righteous shall live by faith I live by faith in him who loved me and gave himself for me
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And we'll see this as we walk through and we see these Oh Testament Fathers of the faith and first we'll look at Abel So, what do we know about Abel now, there's a lot of things that I've looked at this week that I Was like, oh wow, that's you know,
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I didn't I didn't think about that, you know I just just reading through the scriptures. We kind of we just you know, unless you're doing a deep study.
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It's hard to For some of these things to cross your mind. So what do we know about Abel? And we understand that Abel was a shepherd and his brother
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Cain was a keeper of the ground And I believe it's safe to assume that Adam was told to take dominion of the livestock and he was and he was given every green plant for food.
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I Believe it's safe to say that that Cain and Abel they learned their trade from their father
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Right Adam was a was given dominion and he was given the ground every green plant for food
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So one followed as a shepherd the other went as a gardener
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Now if you would turn to Genesis chapter 4 will be in verses
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We'll start in verse 1 and read to 11 Genesis chapter 4 verse 1 now
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Adam knew So this right here this new this is intimacy Adam knew
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Eve his wife and she conceived and bore Cain saying
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I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord Yohei Vahe I have gotten a man with the help of Yohei Vahe And again, she bore a son his brother
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Abel now Abel was a keeper of sheep and Cain worked the ground in The course of time
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Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground and Abel also brought the firstborn of his flock and There are fatted portions and the
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Lord had regard on Abel and his offerings but Cain and his offering He had no regard.
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So Cain was angry and his face fell the Lord said to Cain Why are you angry?
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And why has your face fallen? If you do well Will you not be accepted and if you do not do well sin is crouching at your door
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Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it
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Cain spoke to his brother and while they Came spoke to Abel his brother and while they were in the field
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Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him Then the
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Lord said to Cain Where is your bro? Where is Abel your brother? He said
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I do not know Am I my brother's keeper and the
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Lord said what have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground and now you are cursed from the ground
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He's cursed from his trade Which has opened its mouth
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To receive your brother's blood from your hand So the controversy of this seems to be the sacrifice
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That God accepted one sacrifice over the other Both Cain and his brother
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Abel gave a sacrifice of their trade one from the ground one from the livestock Now someone would point out the fact that Abel gave a blood sacrifice
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And because it was a blood sacrifice God was pleased If you look at verse 7, he says if you do well, will you not be accepted speaking of the sacrifice?
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So I don't think that's the case even our text Hebrews chapter 11 verse 4
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Let me make sure I don't have that repeated. Okay. Yeah, even in our text Hebrews 11 verse 4 tells us that that Cain's Sacrifice was more acceptable.
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I Was more acceptable to Cain but nowhere in our text listen read it read it in the
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Greek Septuagint read it in Hebrew, whatever you can do nowhere in the text
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Nowhere, does it point to us that God has required a sacrifice? Like it's not there
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God has not up until this point required a sacrifice that we can read that we can study that we
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Without speculation God, we cannot go back and see where God has told them to make a sacrifice
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Much more a blood sacrifice. I mean just look at verse 3 of our text Genesis chapter 4 verse 3 in the course of time
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Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground It does not say that the
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Lord tells him to bring an offering. It says in the course of time Cain decides to give an offering
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Abel also brought the first fruit This is something
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The sacrifice seems to be something that they're offering outside of God's command now.
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I'm not saying that that's true I'm saying you cannot get you cannot say that that took place in the text
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The only thing the text tells us is that in the course of time? This and this took place
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The only sacrifice given before this was the sacrifice by God of an animal to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve And so I'm not one to speculate
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I'm not gonna get up here and speculate that God had commanded the sacrifice We only know that Cain and Abel offered a sacrifice one was accepted and the other one wasn't
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But that doesn't answer the question. Why was one accepted and the other one was it right? So let's reverse this three and four again in the course of time.
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Remember, this is something that they Just do without a command According to the scriptures.
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There's no command in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord a sack an offering of the fruit of the ground and Abel also brought the firstborn of his flock in the fatted portion and the
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Lord had regard for Abel's and his offering Now I do believe that in order for us to understand we need to look at the main text so Hebrews chapter 11 verse 4 says now
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It says but by faith Abel Offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain through which he was commended as righteous
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God commended him by accepting his gift and Through his faith though he died he still speaks
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And in our text that speaks about his blood the earth receiving his blood chapter 12 tells us that the blood is still crying out to God so it's speaking about his blood still speaking.
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So I believe what we see here is the first act of faith
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So he's the first One mentioned after creation, he's the first one mentioned
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I believe what we see here is the first act of faith. His sacrifice was accepted
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Because he offered in a faith not because it was a blood sacrifice But because he offered in a faith he told
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Cain if you do well, will you not be accepted? If You come in faith.
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Will you not be accepted as a transition? The only way that God can't commence because it says that he was commended as righteous
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The only way that God commends or counts someone righteous is by faith
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So I believe by our text saying that he was commended as righteous it's pointing to the story that we're going to get to with Abraham who was committed who was counted righteous by his
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Faith not by his works but by His faith and then we can also read
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Romans chapter 4 where Paul tells us that just like Abraham was Made righteous counted righteous by faith.
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So you and I today we are made righteous counted righteous by faith
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From that we can cook from that. I believe we can safely conclude that Cain did not have faith
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Cain offered his gift he was the first one to go and offer a gift, but he was not offering it in faith and I Listen, I don't know.
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I just I just believe if he would have offered it in faith. God would have accepted his sacrifice
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Notice it says that it was not only he commended the sacrifice of Abel, but he commended
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Abel Now I want to also note
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That Cain and Abel are not in the Garden of Eden Meaning They're not walking
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Like God is not walking with them God walked with Adam and Eve Right what we have to do is walk with God God has made himself evident to us.
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We walk with God God walked with Adam and Eve We're gonna see here in a minute that the
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Enoch walked with God This is something that we do in faith Adam and Eve did not have to have faith.
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They he was there. It was right there. It's in their presence And so any interaction that you have with God post
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The garden it has to be in faith It has to be in faith And so the although Adam, I mean although Cain knew he was he existed he he could hear from God He could hear the voice of God But he had to choose to walk with God in faith
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This offering would have been something. I mean this offering would have been an offering of faith again, as we said earlier
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Abel's was accepted Cain's wasn't and now because Abel and now
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Now Abel because of his offering. He is now and he has been is now
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And as long as the Lord tarries forevermore will be The first man who offered a sacrifice in faith and his first Sacrifice his first offering in faith him being the first man of faith became becomes the first man martyred for his faith
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He's the first one. He's the first one to offer something in faith He's the first one to walk who who who walks with God not
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God walks with him, but him walking with God he's the first one whose faith is accepted and could commend it by God and The first one who is killed for his faith and because of that his blood still speaks
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Now real quick. Let's look at Enoch Enoch in our text
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Hebrews chapter 11 verse 5 By faith Enoch was taken up So that he would not
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By faith Enoch was taken up so he did not see death And he was he was not found because God had taken him
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Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God So what do we know about Enoch?
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In the genealogy of Enoch. He was seventh from Adam His father was named Jared and his and he was the father of Methuselah If you know anything about Methuselah, Methuselah is the oldest man who ever lived 969 years
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So to read about this story we go to Genesis chapter 5 and it's just a few verses
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He's not in Genesis a whole lot Genesis chapter 5 verses 21 through 24 Says when
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Enoch had lived 65 years he fathered Methuselah Enoch walked with God notice that he walked with God after He fathered
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Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
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He walked with God for 300 years Thus all the days of Enoch's life was 365 years
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Enoch walked with God and he was not for God had
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Taken him Enoch's brief encounter in Genesis ends with him being taken up by God this happened 57 years after Adam's death and 69 years before the birth of Noah Enoch is also spoken about in the book of Jude and I believe it's vital information is given to us from the book of Jude and Trust me as I was reading this it took me a long time not to break out in a series about Enoch and Jude I mean it was tough
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So in Jude chapter 14, I mean do you chapter? I mean the book of Jude is one chapter verses 14 and 15
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It says and he was also It was also about these that Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied saying behold the
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Lord comes with ten thousand of his holy ones to execute judgment on All and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds and unrighteousness
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That they have committed in such an ungodly way and of all the harsh things
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That ungodly sinners have spoken against him. So the him here
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I I Think there's an argument. Is it speaking about Enoch or is it speaking about God and I'm not gonna get into that Again, I wanted to break out in a series but I'm holding back because then
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Hebrews will be another six weeks eight weeks before we can get done with it So again, not without going too deep.
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We see that This information we can conclude that Enoch lived a life of faith
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He preached repentance and a coming judgment on the people of his days Now I will go on to say in the context of Hebrews.
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It does speak about the angels that fail. I Believe that's speaking about in Hebrews chapter 6.
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So whether you think they're actual Angelic beings or the sons of Seth I believe that this judgment that he's speaking about that's coming
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We see take place in the flood and that's all I'm gonna say without going into a series Okay He preached repentance and a coming judgment to the people of his day 65 years later
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Noah's born and Then Noah builds the art It's kind of where that's going
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But the main meaning when it comes to Enoch is that is that God had taken him?
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He walked with him meaning the righteousness The righteous shall live by faith
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Enoch was a man of faith. He lived by faith meaning the faith the obedience of faith
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So so so Enoch walked with God he was taken He was taken because the righteous shall live by faith and he walked with him 300 years in faith the obedience of faith
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He walked with him and then he was no more and now when you look at Hebrews turn back to Hebrews chapter 11.
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We see why these things took place verse 6 Without faith it is impossible to please him
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For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him
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So the question is is how are we to please God? The answer is faith walking in the faith living our lives in faith
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Faith and what and Jesus Christ also the faith and knowing that he exists
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We are to live our life With our faith in Jesus Christ knowing that there is a
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God And as we've been going through this book and I mentioned a little bit last week
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But I want to kind of expound on a little more The theme of this book is the supremacy of Jesus Christ and the sufficiency of Jesus Christ And then last week
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I mentioned how this book includes faith I have been hitting on I've also been hitting on the act of impassive obedience really hard at this time.
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I want to show my cards So the supremacy of Jesus Christ Means and I know if I'd ask you you'd be able to recite this because you're
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Baptist you won't so I'm not gonna ask That Jesus is greater than all right the superior the supremacy of Jesus Christ Jesus is greater than all anyone who has ever come before him or will ever come
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Jesus is Greater that's the supremacy of Christ. That's what's what this book is about, but it's also about the sufficiency of Christ Which means that his sacrifice is greater than all sacrifices that were ever made past present or future that when
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Jesus came He fulfilled what the book of Daniel talked about in Daniel 9 putting an end to sin
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And that's speaking about the day of young Kapoor that after he comes there is no need to have sacrifice
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There is no need to slaughter lambs There is no need to to to pray to to impute sins upon goats
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There is no need to take another goat and to sacrifice him. He is putting the end to all that system
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The supremacy of Jesus Christ is listen to me is the act of obedience of Jesus Christ When we say that Jesus Christ is greater.
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It means that he's the one who lived the life that we could not live And he done this as a substitute
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And the sufficiency of Jesus Christ is his passive obedience. He's the one who's taken our punishment he's the one who took upon himself the death that we deserve as Our substitute and when it comes to the faith aspect of this, it's that message through that message
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We are given faith to believe and through that message. We are given faith to live
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So in that message, we're given faith and through that message we are given faith one
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We are given faith and we are justified and the other we are given faith to live
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We are given faith to believe and we are given faith to live by the one message and that being
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Jesus's Jesus's supremacy and Jesus's sufficiency It's active and passive obedience death burial resurrection
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That true and living faith is active because of what was done for us
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So if you truly believe and I know I've given this analogy before I got it from from from Paul Washer He speaks about you know, if I tell you then
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I'm coming to your house and you're expecting me at 6 o 'clock And it's 7 o 'clock comes.
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I'm still not there 8 o 'clock. I'm not there 9 o 'clock. I'm out there Knock on your door at 10 o 'clock, and I'm and I'm nothing's wrong with me physically.
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I'm just breathing hard. I said, oh, I'm sorry I'm late. I got hit by a Mack truck on the way What is it?
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I was walking across the street drop my wallet went down pick up my wallet and I stood up Matt truck Boom, I got hit me, but I'm here now
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He was you you would think that I was out of my mind because if anyone gets hit by a Mack truck you are
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Changed You're physically altered if not dead. You cannot get up after being hit by a
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Mack truck You're dead something has happened to you and you cannot reverse it and The point is is when you're given faith when you truly believe that Jesus is the
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Christ that he lived the life He couldn't live took upon himself. The punishment was dead buried and that he actually came up out of the ground
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If you truly believe that your life it changes you are altered
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You're no longer the person that you once were And listen to me
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Jesus Christ is bigger than a Mack truck He's better You become dead to sin and alive to Christ That true faith is living and it's active and it's not because you are
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Making yourself living in active it's because of what he has done for us. So now please turn back to Galatians Galatians chapter 3 look at verse 10 for all who rely on the works of The I mean for all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse
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Ford has written cursed is everyone Who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law and do them
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Those that are living in the law, they're cursed because they cannot do them and they're told to do them. They're cursed
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Now it is evident That the one who is justified the one who was made right before God That no that is evident that no one is justified no one is made right by the
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God before before God by the law for it is For the righteous shall live by faith.
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He cannot be made right before God by the law The righteous shall live by faith verse 12 but the law is not a faith rather the one who
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Does them shall live by them? Christ redeems us from the curse of the law by becoming the curse for us as it is written cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree
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So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles so that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith
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So we do not live by the law
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We live by faith we live by the right if we are the righteous if we receive faith
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We are the righteous we live by Faith the righteous shall live by faith this speaking of the obedience of faith us living our life
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Looking to Christ when we read our Bibles what I say with We read it in such a way as Christ becomes the flashlight.
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So as we're reading crisis this flashlight upon how we see the text Everything is
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Christ centered. We are Trinitarian We are monotheist.
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We believe there's one God yet We are Trinitarian that this one God is three persons and yet we are
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Christ Center. We're Christ focused that it's because of The work of Jesus Christ that we are able to have the
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Holy Spirit and we're able to come to the father We are Christ centered and you and I who were born of a natural
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Of a natural birth with a natural earthly mother and father We cannot keep the law
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But the eternal Son of God born of a woman begotten by the
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Father before all worlds God of God a lot of light true God of true God took on flesh became a man kept the law and Became a curse and we're saying it's by that message by that message.
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We were given faith by that message We were given the Holy Spirit and by that message we live in faith
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And so Hebrews 11 6, let's read that again
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And without faith it is impossible to please him
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For whoever would draw near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him
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First I want to point out the exist If there's doubt in your heart that he exists
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You're not pleasing God You're not pleasing God Creation declares his glory.
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You know, there's a God because creation When we come to God we must believe that he exists and he rewards those look it says he rewards those who seek him
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Question is is how do we draw near to him? The answer is chapter 10 verse 22
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That's what this whole portion of the text is focused on these few verses Let us draw near with a heart full of assurance of faith
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What does that mean believe in that he's believe in that he's this believing that Jesus Christ took our punishment and we can get to him now because of what
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Jesus Christ on the context is talking about we enter into his Presence through the torn veil the torn flesh of Jesus Christ We draw near to him because of the torn flesh of Jesus Christ believing that he exists with our heart
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Sprinkled clean we're drawing near because he has changed us and our bodies washed with pure water those who have been born again and have taken the covenant sign draw near to God with a heart of assurance of faith and According to our text where it tells us that the righteous shall live by faith
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It's speaking of the the faith hope and love that's in our our immediate context
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So the question is is how do we live by faith? And the answer is this whole this whole portion Let us draw near with a heart full of assurance of faith
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With our heart sprinkled clean with it from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water verse 23 speaking of this
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Speaking of how it's lived out. Let us Hold fast to the confession of our hope
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So when you're holding fast to the confession of your hope it's in faith without wavering for he who promises faithful Right here again.
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We're doing this by faith. Let us consider how to stare one another up to love and good works Not Neglecting to meet together as some are in a habit of doing but to encourage one another all the more as the day
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Is drawing near what we're doing here today is living by faith you gathered here today
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To worship God and to be around the people of God. That's living by faith
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It's living by faith this is a an act of faith All right, your name can be
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Included in this portion by not neglecting to meet together This is a faith act.
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We're meeting together in faith believing that he exists and that we can get to him through Jesus Christ Because God rewards those who seek him and that's nothing
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Pentecostal about it, right? That's the that's not a health wealth get rich quick blab it grab it
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Message if you seek God, he will reward you now.
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I'm not promising riches in this life But I'm promising that you will be in his presence in this life.
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And when you die, you will see him face to face So repentance and faith
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God has Reconciled us to himself by sending his son and he's called all men everywhere to believe
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To repent to turn from their sins and to trust him to stop trusting in themselves and to trust him
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So if you're here today and you have not put your faith in Christ, I would encourage I would beg you
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As Paul said I compel man to to to turn to Jesus Christ Because he is worthy
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Because he lived the life that we could not live and took upon himself our death that we deserve I'm available to anyone who wants to talk
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Let's pray father Lord, thank you. I Love you sometimes
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I'm just overwhelmed how texts connect with text and seeing how creation declares your glory and Then our lives declare if we truly believe
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And that in fact our lives declare you Lord Help us to be lights
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Lord help us to be better Proof of evidence of you and of our faith in you
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Well, I pray over the congregation Concern in the Lord's Supper I Pray that you will be with them as they prepare their heart and I pray that you bless this and that you will use it