Isaac, Jacob, Joseph (Hebrews 11:20-22 Jeff Kliewer)

Cornerstone Church

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July 25, 2021

Sermon Notes: http://notes.cornerstonesj.org Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

03:34: That's just a really amazing thing. Earlier this morning, Pastor Jeff prayed that our intent and our focus this morning as we come together would be to have our eyes fixed on the kingdom of God and not on the things of this world.
03:50: That's our prayer for you this morning. I wanted to start out this morning with a little encouragement that in life, in how we experience life, how we walk in our life, there are going to be temptations for having harmony and being in commonality with one another by dumbing down to the lowest common denominator.
04:23: There's a bumper sticker, it still exists, I still see it every now and then, it says Coexist. It has all the different icons of all the different religions.
04:32: It's like, can't we just all get along? Isn't it okay? Let's just all get along. That's not the way of the scripture.
04:40: I think I can say with the authority of scripture that it's not God's desire for us to get along with each other by finding the lowest possible level where we don't disagree on anything.
04:52: No, I think it's God's design that we ascribe to him. In fact, it's going to teach us in Ephesians 4,
04:59: Paul is going to write to the church at Ephesus and he's going to tell us to speak truth in love, truth, speak truth, but do it in love and that we should be growing up in all aspects unto him.
05:14: That should be where we're setting the bar, doing it in love. In John 17, as Jesus prays what we know as the priestly prayer, in verse 11, he prays to his father, keep them in our name, keep them in our name that they may be one even as we are one.
05:36: It is God's desire that we have a heart of unity and camaraderie and fellowship, but at a level that seeks after him.
05:45: Don't fall into the trap, the snare, that as long as we are in unity, it's okay to compromise because that's not
05:54: God's truth. I have a few announcements. We're finally taking a break from a little bit of the hecticness of things that we've been doing and right now, but don't breathe too long because there's so many amazing things coming up.
06:11: Most recently, Jonathan Leonard, he's sitting back there, was down south and he attended a training conference on love life.
06:21: He became equipped with approaches and things that we would do in ministering to women who are in extreme issues of pregnancy and are being encouraged by the world.
06:36: Get rid of that growing piece of blob inside of you because it's an inconvenience. That is not truth.
06:44: What is there is a child of God. Jonathan has been trained on how we can minister to and encourage these women and Jonathan is going to provide a training class for us here at Cornerstone.
06:57: It will be August 22nd. It will be after the morning worship service so that we can be equipped to go to the
07:05: Cherry Hill Women's Center. We can be equipped to minister to these women in a time of need.
07:11: There are so many lives that are being sacrificed at the altar of the world and let's get equipped.
07:18: A couple of other things are coming up. We're going to be having another baptism service. We had one a few months ago.
07:24: I was outside. That meant an amazing time, but we know that there are others who are seeking after baptism.
07:31: We're going to be scheduling one on the 19th of September. We are also going to be starting another starting point class.
07:38: For those of you who are perhaps new to us, for those of you who want to learn more about our church or the
07:44: E -Free Church who would like to maybe become members, we're going to be having a class in the month of September.
07:52: So if you're either interested in baptism or you're interested in our church for our class, contact myself,
07:57: Pastor Jeff, any of the elders, and we will make that happen for you. I want to remind you,
08:04: Sunday evenings we have our prayer meeting at 6 o 'clock. During the week we have men's and women's
08:09: Bible studies. You can go on our website and get all the information for that, but stay in contact with one another.
08:17: I want to read a note that we got from Gary Kamlin. Gary and Terri Kamlin are our missionaries in Portugal.
08:26: Terri, we've been praying for her for the last few months. She has come down with cancer, and she is now undergoing chemo therapy, which her body did not react well to.
08:39: In fact, reacted poorly. She's been hospitalized. Gary has given us a note of praise that God has relieved much of the pain.
08:50: She still is under the chemo, but much ahead of the time, Terri was discharged today and arrived home at about 5 .30
08:58: this afternoon. The infection was a tough one, but it now cleared up, and the inflammation of the intestine has improved, and overall
09:07: Terri is feeling very good and glad to continue her recovery at home. That's a praise that God has relieved her of that, but we do continue to pray for her.
09:18: Thank you, Jesus. Well said. Let's go to prayer. Father, we do lift Terri to you at this point in time.
09:25: We know the ravages of cancer, but we do know that you are the sovereign God and that you know her.
09:32: In your timing and in your will, Lord, we know that you have the best for her. We boldly pray,
09:38: Lord, that these treatments that are being given will be successful and that she and Gary will continue for a long time in their ministry there in Portugal.
09:48: We thank you, Lord, for the good news that this internal infection has subsided. She continues now in her treatment.
09:56: Father, we lift Carol Budd and her family. We know that Dick has gone home to the
10:03: Lord and is in glory alongside you right now and experiencing an amazing existence with you, but there is an emptiness in our hearts here.
10:17: We pray for Carol. We pray for the rest of the family, that you would be alongside them as a comfort, as a consolation, as a presence for those family.
10:28: Lord, we pray for your protection for our church in the midst of many of the attacks that are going on right now.
10:36: There are things like critical race theory, the woke movement. We pray, Lord, that there would be no compromise, that our focus would be on your word and on your truth.
10:48: And so, Lord, protect Pastor Jeff as he speaks clearly and as he has a book coming out to speak about it.
10:55: Protect him because we know Satan will be on the attack. We ask, Lord, that your word would remain true here.
11:03: Lord, as we walk in our daily walks, I pray that our focus,
11:11: Lord, that we would be seeking God's truth in all things, that we would deny the temptation to compromise, but we would stay true to you in love.
11:21: Today, as Pastor Jeff brings us into Hebrews chapter 11, as we look at Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph and their lives of testing and their lives of difficulty, yet,
11:33: Lord, the perseverance through the way that you have protected them through to the end.
11:38: We pray it would be an encouragement to us to walk true to you. We pray these things in Jesus' name, amen.
13:43: I scarce could take it in. It sinks my soul, my
14:08: Savior God, to Thee. How great, how great
14:18: Thou art.
14:41: Christ shall come. We shall battle the nation and take thee home.
14:52: But joy shall fill my heart, and I shall bow with humble adoration at their proclaiming.
15:14: It sinks my soul, my Savior God, to Thee.
15:23: Great Thou art.
16:14: We were waiting without hope. Till from heaven we came running.
16:22: There was mercy in Your eyes to fulfill the law and prophet.
16:29: To a virgin came the blessed glory.
16:36: To a cradle in the dirt. Praise the
16:46: Father. Praise the Son. Praise the
16:52: Spirit. Three in one. God of all.
17:15: To reveal the King and to reconcile the lost.
17:21: To redeem the whole creation. You did not despise the cross.
17:28: For even in Your suffering, we saw to the other side.
17:34: Knowing this was our salvation. Jesus, for our sake,
17:39: You died. Praise the
17:47: Father. Praise the Son. Praise the
17:54: Spirit. That You rose.
18:19: All of heaven held its breath. Till the stone was moved for good.
18:26: For the Lamb had conquered death. And the dead rose from their tombs.
18:32: And the angels stood in awe. For the souls of all who come.
18:39: To the Father are restored. And the church of Christ was born.
18:45: Let the Spirit build a flame. And His gospel truth of hope.
18:52: Shall not be his freedom.
19:39: Praise forever. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our
19:58: Savior appeared. He saved us. Not because of works done by us in righteousness.
20:04: But according to His own mercy. By the washing of regeneration. And the renewal of the Holy Spirit.
20:11: Whom He's poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. The splendor of the
20:31: King. Clothed in majesty.
20:39: Let all the earth rejoice. He wraps
20:48: Himself. And darkness tries to hide.
20:59: And trembles at His voice. How great is our
21:10: God. And all with our
21:26: God. Age to age
21:35: He stands. The Godhead three in one.
22:14: He's our God. He's the name of all the world.
22:55: He's our God. He's the name of all.
23:21: He's our God. How great is our
23:32: God. Sing with me how. How great is our
23:48: God. Amen.
23:59: Please be seated. And let us go to our great
24:06: God in prayer. God your word commands us to make every effort.
24:17: To add to our faith virtue. And to virtue knowledge. To knowledge steadfastness.
24:24: Self -control. Brotherly love. Lord this morning that is our desire.
24:31: And so we're asking for help. By your word we ask that you would make us more steadfast.
24:37: More persevering. Stronger in the faith. We pray that your word would minister to our hearts.
24:45: To make us more like you. So please use your word to accomplish these things in us.
24:52: Even as we make every effort to pay attention. And to hear and respond to your word.
24:58: In Jesus name we pray. Amen. How many of you are watching the
25:04: Olympics? Anybody? Nobody's watching the Olympics? Come on.
25:10: I got eye rolls going on out here. What is wrong with the Olympics? Come on the Olympics can be kind of fun to watch right?
25:18: So one of the things you know about an Olympic athlete. Is that this person man or woman has trained.
25:28: All Olympians have in common that they are very disciplined people. Delaying gratification.
25:34: Putting off the things of the flesh. Disciplining their bodies for the goal that they have.
25:40: We can appreciate that about their perseverance. And it's not just like a flurry of activity.
25:46: Where someone gets excited about something and does it for a week or two. It is a sustained discipline.
25:54: A daily disciplining of the body. Persevering week after week.
25:59: Month after month. Year after year. To finally reach the point where they are. One of the most famous Olympians of all time.
26:08: Was Luis Zamperini. Anybody familiar with Zamperini? He was training for Tokyo.
26:13: Only the Olympics before World War II. And as a high schooler.
26:19: As a senior in high school. He went to the Olympics and was the leading American in that race.
26:24: He didn't medal. But he did. I think set the record for the fastest individual lap.
26:30: In one of his races. Luis Zamperini. Well from there.
26:36: The war broke out. And he went to war against Japan. And their plane crashed into the ocean.
26:43: And so he found himself adrift for 47 days. And by perseverance he continued to live.
26:52: Until a passing Japanese ship picked him up. Which of course brought him into a prison camp.
26:59: So he did make it to Tokyo. Just not as he expected. He was there as a war criminal.
27:05: And for years he was suffering under the horrible treatment of the bird. If you haven't seen the movie
27:11: Unbroken. It is worth watching. It's a hard watch. But it shows what perseverance looks like.
27:19: Luis Zamperini. Luis Zamperini did not persevere and survive of his own accord.
27:29: Even though he showed great perseverance to survive for 47 days. Had it been a day or two longer he would have perished.
27:35: It was God who kept him alive on those waters. It was
27:41: God that kept him from dying under the mistreatment of the Japanese prison camp guards.
27:49: And it was God who after the war drew him to saving faith. As strong as Zamperini was.
27:57: And he was a man's man. This is one of the strongest toughest most persevering men in the history of the world.
28:03: He could not save his soul. Coming back from the war he suffered from PTSD. And was depressed and an alcoholic.
28:11: And would have died that way. But for grace. Grace interposed.
28:18: And God sent an evangelist named Billy Graham. To Los Angeles. And there at a Billy Graham crusade.
28:24: He heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. And went forth and surrendered his life to God.
28:29: Through faith in Christ. It was God who sustained him. And all of the glory for his life is owed to God.
28:39: It's to the praise of God's glorious grace. Today we're looking at this subject of perseverance. And we're going to see in the text three examples of believers who make it to the end.
28:51: And in their dying moments they're still clinging to Christ. Their faith perseveres to the end.
29:00: And all saving faith does that. Saving faith is not a one -time decision at a
29:06: Billy Graham crusade. For many people have been deceived in that way. Thinking because they made a solitary decision in a moment of time.
29:15: That they're born again. But no. True saving faith will be an enduring faith. It will continue with that person right through death.
29:24: And at the moment of death. The site which is by faith.
29:30: When a person beholds Christ by faith becomes sight.
29:36: We will see him face to face. Now we see through a dark glass. But then we will behold him face to face.
29:44: Faith perseveres knowing that God can be trusted with the future. Turn with me to Hebrews chapter 11.
29:53: And today we study verses 20, 21, and 22. And it is as if the author of the book of Hebrews.
30:03: Has been cruising along down the highway. At a steady pace.
30:09: And all of a sudden he just puts the pedal to the metal. And just flies through the rest of the book of Genesis.
30:16: If you haven't noticed. So far the whole book of Genesis. The whole book of Hebrews chapter 11.
30:22: Has been an exposition of the book of Genesis. So follow with me. Hebrews 11 verse 3.
30:30: Refers to Genesis 1. Creation. Hebrews 11 4.
30:36: Is about Genesis 4. The story of Abel. And how by faith he offered a sacrifice that pleased
30:42: God. In obedience he offered a blood sacrifice. Which points to the blood of Christ.
30:47: In 11 5. Enoch walks with God. That corresponds to Genesis 5.
30:53: Where Enoch walked with God. And then he was no more. Because he was taken. A picture of walking with God.
31:00: Being sanctified. And then in Hebrews 11. Verses 6 and following.
31:06: We have the story of Noah. Which of course corresponds to Genesis 7 through 9.
31:12: And then from Hebrews 11 8. All the way through the text we're studying today.
31:18: We have the story of Abraham. From Genesis 12 to Genesis 24. So pedal to the metal now.
31:25: In three verses. We go all the way from chapter 24 to Genesis 50.
31:32: So what that tells me is we have a lot of material to cover. So here's what I'm going to do. I thought about splitting this up.
31:39: Into three sermons. But that's not what the author of Hebrews did. In fact the first thing I want you to notice as we read.
31:45: 20 21 and 22. Is that all three patriarchs have something in common.
31:51: In this verse. So see if you can pick it up before I tell you. Hebrews 11. 20 21 and 22.
31:59: By faith Isaac. Invoked future blessings. On Jacob and Esau.
32:05: By faith Jacob. When dying. Blessed each of the sons of Joseph.
32:12: Bowing in worship over the head. Of his staff. By faith Joseph. At the end of his life.
32:18: Made mention of the exodus of the Israelites. And gave directions concerning his bones.
32:26: All of these have in common. Death. This is the end of life. Where the patriarch.
32:33: The believer. Has persevered to the end. And is still believing. And begins to exercise that faith.
32:42: By blessing the descendants that will follow him. They're still looking for a future hope. The kingdom.
32:49: Even though they're nearing the end. Of their life. So I didn't decide to preach.
32:56: Three separate sermons. But to group them. Because I want us to see that thread. That runs through these verses.
33:02: They are a unit. Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. It's their dying.
33:07: It's the end of their life. And what we see in common. Is that all of them have persevered in the faith.
33:14: Right through to the end. Now if you're like me. When we studied Abraham.
33:20: Last week. And we saw a man. Who when commanded to kill his son.
33:27: Even though the promise. Was that through that son. The world would be blessed. By faith.
33:34: Reconciled those two things. Reasoning that God would raise the dead. That if he killed his son.
33:40: God would raise him from the dead. When I saw that faith in the text. It made my faith.
33:46: Feel very small. To me. Abraham is a giant of the faith. And I'm a flea.
33:53: But when we come to Isaac. We have an encouragement. Of a different direction.
33:59: A more ordinary man. Isaac is more pedestrian. Than Abraham. And so let's look at him first.
34:07: And we will take each of these one by one. Verse 20. By faith Isaac. Invoked future blessings.
34:15: On Jacob and Esau. Face value. You say well that's good. That shows a lot of faith.
34:22: But this here. Is another example of a waffling. Faltering.
34:29: Faith. Well why do we say that? Turn back with me to Genesis chapter 25.
34:35: Verse 23. Isaac.
34:45: Procured a wife. Named Rebecca. Who came back with a servant. And they were married.
34:50: When Isaac was 40 years old. For 20 years they were unable to have any children. Until showing faith.
34:58: Isaac prayed for his wife. And were told she became pregnant. And so within her womb.
35:04: Were Jacob and Esau. But look at chapter 25. Verse 23 from the book of Genesis.
35:11: The Lord said to her. Namely Rebecca. Two nations are in your womb.
35:18: And two peoples. From within you. Shall be divided. The one shall be stronger than the other.
35:26: The older. Shall serve the younger. God said.
35:32: And when God speaks. What he has to say. Is authoritative. It's not an opinion.
35:38: It's not a mere suggestion. It is a decree. From almighty
35:43: God. Namely that two nations are within. The womb of Rebecca. We know from studying history.
35:50: That one of those Jacob. Becomes Israel. And the other Esau. Becomes the
35:56: Edomites. Who live in Mount Seir. If you watch Indiana Jones. There's a scene where they go to Seir.
36:04: That's where the Edomites were. Not that I recommend. Watching Indiana Jones by the way.
36:09: We went back and watched that. Now that we're grown. As kids. Like oh yeah Indiana Jones. That's a gruesome movie.
36:14: That's not a movie for kids. Side note. Careful what you let your kids watch. So not that we have experience with that.
36:21: But guys. Seir is Edom. And the Edomites.
36:27: Were enemies of Israel. They laughed from on high. While Israel was being attacked.
36:34: In the valley. And it was foretold. That this would be the case.
36:40: That Israel the younger of the two. Jacob will be born after Esau. Even though he's grabbing his heel.
36:46: Which is why his name is heel grabber. Jacob. He's the younger. Jacob the younger.
36:52: We're told according to Genesis 25. Verse 23. Will be over Esau. That's a hard pill.
37:01: For Isaac to swallow. Why is that so hard? Well in the custom of the day. The first born.
37:07: Had the favoritism. Had the inheritance. Had the birthright.
37:14: Had the blessing. The first born had a very high position. In that culture. And for Isaac to bypass that.
37:23: And to bless. Jacob rather than Esau. Would be very degrading.
37:30: To his eldest son. It would be a deep wound. And to make matters worse.
37:36: As the kids grew up. Esau was the one that he loved. He favored
37:42: Esau. Why? Well Esau was kind of like a manly man. He would go out into the woods.
37:47: And kill animals and bring back. And cook a great steak dinner for Isaac. He loved
37:53: Esau. Whereas Jacob was. Kind of like a homebody. And very soft and gentle.
38:00: And quiet. And I think Isaac just didn't connect as much with him. So. When the time came.
38:09: For Isaac to pronounce the blessing. Over his son. The command had been given.
38:16: The older shall serve the younger. Isaac called. Not Jacob. But Esau.
38:23: And he said son. Today is a special day. Today go into the field. Bring back the game.
38:31: That you know that I love. Cook me a meal. And when you've done that. I will give you the blessing.
38:37: Now we know what he had in mind. At this particular point. Because when he thinks.
38:44: He's praying over Esau. He makes him greater than his brother. So he's intending.
38:52: To disobey the command. And go with what his heart tells him. Go with what he wants.
38:58: He's going to bless Esau. Not Jacob. But God. Rebecca.
39:05: Here's the plan. She goes to Jacob. And says quick. Before your father blesses your brother.
39:13: Here's what you're to do. Take this goat skin. And cover your arms.
39:19: And your head. With goat skin. Because your father is basically blind. He can't tell by looking at you.
39:25: But he'll feel your skin. And when he feels the goat skin. He'll assume you're
39:31: Esau. Wow. That kind of tells you just how hairy.
39:37: Esau was right. If you can confuse it by putting goat skin on him. And he puts on Esau's clothes.
39:45: So he has the smell of Esau. And he goes in. And at first Isaac is suspicious. You sound like Jacob.
39:52: I know that voice. But you smell like Esau. Come here. Let me feel you.
39:57: And he feels the goat skin. Okay. You're Esau. And so he pronounces the blessing. The older.
40:05: Shall serve the younger. Said God. He pronounces you.
40:12: Will be over your brothers. And Jacob receives the blessing.
40:18: And leaves. Well, what's going to happen next? You know the story, right? Here comes
40:25: Esau. In from catching the game. He brings in the steak dinner. Turn with me to 27.
40:32: Verse 23. He presents the food. Isaac's like.
40:38: Who are you? Well, I'm Esau. I'm back. In chapter 27.
40:44: Verse 23. Says he did not recognize him. Because his hands were hairy.
40:50: Like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him. So Isaac had blessed Jacob. Now look down at 33.
40:58: Then Isaac trembled. Very violently. And said. Who was it then that hunted game.
41:05: And brought it to me. And I ate it all before you came. And I have blessed him.
41:12: Pause. Yes. And he shall be blessed. Shaking violently.
41:20: Isaac realizes what happened. He blessed Jacob. Not Esau.
41:27: He's shaken by this. But at the end he says yes. And he shall.
41:33: Be blessed. This is what the author of Hebrews picks up on.
41:38: Because when you read. The story of Jacob and Esau. It doesn't look like a triumph of faith.
41:45: In fact. Isaac was not even intending. To do what God told him to do. This is a failure of faith.
41:52: But God. Through the deception. Of Jacob. Takes that and works it together.
42:01: For his own purpose. This is a key. Doctrine of scripture. We are preserved.
42:11: By grace. One of the great doctrines. Of the Christian faith. Is called the perseverance of the faith.
42:17: The perseverance of the saints. If you're a Christian. You put your faith in Christ.
42:26: You're saved. He will keep you. To the end. Philippians 1 .6.
42:32: He who began a good work. And you will carry it on to completion. Until the day of Christ Jesus. Amen.
42:38: Ephesians 1 .13. He has marked you with a seal. The promised
42:44: Holy Spirit. Who is a guarantee of your inheritance. Until the redemption of all who are God's possession.
42:49: Amen. All right. You're with me. This is good biblical doctrinal truth.
42:56: He's not going to lose any of his sheep. John 10 .11. He will preserve us. However.
43:04: This perseverance. Is often despite us. Not because of us.
43:11: Isaac. Failed. And yet was kept. Turn with me to Romans 9.
43:18: To see this text. And this very story. Taught for it's theological meaning.
43:24: Romans 9 .7. The doctrine is called the perseverance.
43:33: Of the saints. But it might be better said. The preservation.
43:40: Of the saints. That God is able to keep. His own.
43:48: In Romans 9 .7. It says. Not all are children of Abraham. Because they are his offspring.
43:55: But through Isaac. Shall your offspring be named. Pause for a moment.
44:01: And let me introduce this problem. The problem in Romans chapter 9. Is that God has said through Isaac.
44:08: Shall your offspring be named. In other words. The descendants through Isaac. Jacob. The people of Israel.
44:15: Are his chosen people. These are the elect of God. And yet when Christ comes.
44:21: Born of a woman. Born under the law. Dies for our sins. Rises from the dead.
44:26: Is offered to the people of Israel. What do they do? By and large they.
44:33: Reject. So has the word of God failed? That's the question of Romans 9.
44:40: You have. The elect people. Israel. But they're not believing.
44:48: So has the word of God. Failed? Here is how God reconciles.
44:53: Those two. Within Isaac. Within the offspring.
44:59: The natural descendants. Of Abraham. There are those who are elect.
45:04: And those who are not. It says in verse 7. Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.
45:11: Look at verse 8. This means. That not. It is not the children of the flesh.
45:18: Who are the children of God. But the children of the promise. Are counted as offspring.
45:26: Verse 9. For this is what the promise said. About this time next year. I will return.
45:32: And Sarah shall have a son. It wasn't just. The physical descendant
45:37: Ishmael. And Isaac. It was the one that God promised. Namely Isaac.
45:43: And now look at verse 10. And not only so. But also when Rebecca. Had conceived.
45:49: Children by one man. Our forefather Isaac. Though they were not yet born.
45:56: And had done nothing. Either good or bad. In order that God's.
46:02: Purpose. Of election. Might continue. Not because of works.
46:07: But because of him who calls. She was told.
46:13: The older. Will serve. The younger. In other words that promise.
46:21: Genesis 25 23. Was before they had done anything. It is not of him who.
46:28: Wills or him who runs. But it is of God. Who has mercy.
46:34: Look at verse 13. As it is written. Jacob I loved. But Esau I hated.
46:40: This is a very hard teaching. Jacob had done nothing wrong. Neither had
46:47: Esau. It was not. Anything that they did. No will that they exerted.
46:53: No running. No effort. So what shall we say then? Look at verse 14.
46:59: We're in Romans 9 verse 14. What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part?
47:08: Is that unjust of God? Is that unfair? Answer. By no means.
47:16: He goes on to say. I will have mercy. On whom I have mercy.
47:22: And I will have compassion. On whom I have compassion. Here in the
47:28: Greek. Mercy and compassion are. Active verbs. We don't have that in the English.
47:34: If we did it would sound like. I will mercy whom I mercy. I will compassion whom
47:39: I compassion. God actively. Gives mercy. Or compassion. Not based on any merit.
47:47: But just from himself. Out of his own nature. By his own sovereign will.
47:54: According to the praise of his glorious grace. So it says here. I will mercy whom I mercy.
47:59: Compassion whom I compassion. How is that an answer? Because here is how we stand.
48:05: Before a holy God. Without claim. God owes nothing.
48:13: To any of us. Yet the world. Would object to this of course. Even the birthright.
48:18: How could God favor. The older over the younger. Or vice versa. To put the younger over the older.
48:26: How could he privilege one or another. God has sovereign freedom.
48:33: In this world. Each of us. Are affected by the choices. That God makes.
48:39: He chooses our parents. And that affects our lives. More than almost anything.
48:46: He chooses. The country in which we are born. And that affects things drastically. He chooses.
48:54: The age in which you live. Even this idea of first born. And second born. There is still a correlation.
49:00: That the first born. Tends to make more money. Than the second born. There is some kind of.
49:06: Privilege or advantage. That comes along with that. Not always the case.
49:13: The biggest factor. Is you. But there are things in this life. That we cannot control.
49:20: And the world hates that idea. Because the world clamors. That all things be made equal. That is not
49:27: God's design. God. Has a freedom.
49:33: That we need to come to understand. And really to submit to. That anything.
49:39: That God gives us. Above the ground. Is mercy.
49:46: God owes us nothing. And when we come to that understanding. From Romans 9.
49:52: God will mercy whom he mercies. And the potter has the right over the clay. We humble ourselves.
49:58: Before a holy God. And in that we find freedom. And I am here to tell you.
50:04: That this doctrine. Is good news. It is very good news.
50:10: Here is why. Because if my salvation. Depended on me. Mustering the courage.
50:17: To do what is right. Like Isaac needed to muster the courage.
50:23: To bless the younger over the older. I might very well. Fail the same way.
50:29: That Isaac failed. But if grace. Is his work.
50:36: In me. To him be the glory. And I am secure.
50:43: Isaac. Was saved by grace. Not by works. He was held.
50:49: And kept and preserved. By God's power. And so. In this moment.
50:55: When he offered the blessing. Having spoken the words.
51:01: It dawned on him. And God's grace. Changed his heart. And he began to speak prophetically.
51:08: He pronounced that blessing. And he affirmed it. And then. He spoke the harsh words.
51:16: To his profane son. You see for a long time. He had his head in the sand. Esau married
51:22: Canaanite women. And once. The blessing by Isaac.
51:28: Was given over Jacob. A harsh word. Was spoken to Esau.
51:34: About how he would become the Edomite people. Esau. Went to spite his father.
51:43: Married more Canaanite women. Esau. Was a picture of an unregenerate man.
51:52: And Isaac. Spoke that word prophetically. As hard as it was for him to do. So here we are.
51:59: And we're going to move on to verse 21. But notice. The example we're given. In Hebrews 11 20.
52:08: Is God. Speaking through Isaac. Despite Isaac.
52:15: He meant to bless the older. And instead. God turned it around.
52:21: For his glory. To affirm. What he had already said. So Hebrews 11 21. Let's move on.
52:29: Hebrews 11 21. Is our second example. If Isaac was the first.
52:37: You'll be interested by the story. Of Jacob for the second. By faith Jacob. When dying.
52:44: Blessed each of the sons of Joseph. Bowing in worship. Over the head of his staff.
52:52: Remember the story of Jacob? He was a trickster.
52:59: He tricked his father. We just studied that portion. Putting on goat hair. And all this manner of deception.
53:05: Which was not glorifying to God. God used it. Even though what he meant was for evil.
53:12: God meant it for good. He tricked Esau. When Esau was so hungry.
53:19: He came in and he spotted that. Jacob had this red stew. And Esau's name means red.
53:26: So he just really wanted this red stew. He was so hungry.
53:32: He was willing. To sell his birthright. For a single meal.
53:39: So short sighted. So worldly. Was Esau. That he counted as a common thing.
53:47: The promise of God. And the birthright. The future blessings. He was so caught up in the things of the world.
53:54: Jacob though. At least valued those things. But he tried to grab it.
54:00: Tried to grasp it as by the heel. Later. He left. He had to run for his life.
54:06: After this Esau incident. And as he's going. He encounters God. And says surely the presence of the
54:13: Lord is in this place. At that time. Now Jacob begins.
54:19: To worship the true God. Genuine faith is born in him. And the faith of his father
54:25: Isaac. Becomes his own. And he progresses on. Where he meets
54:30: Laban. And through much. Trickery. One to the other.
54:37: He procures. Not just one wife. But four. He was after Rachel.
54:44: Remember the story. But he woke up after his wedding night. To see that it was actually Leah. That had been given to him.
54:50: Laban tricked him in the dark of the night. And he found out in the morning. And then the women have this.
54:56: Like competing thing going. Where they try to have children. Both. Rachel and Leah and their servants.
55:05: So. Such were born the twelve sons. Of Israel. Jacob is
55:10: Israel. Now returning. To the promised land. After sojourning. In the territory of Laban.
55:17: He meets. With God himself. And wrestles with the Lord. All night long.
55:23: Remember the story. And the Lord touches his hip. And puts it out of socket. And so his name is changed.
55:30: To Israel. He comes back and meets Esau. Interesting there. He sends the children and the wives.
55:36: Ahead of him. I don't know why he did that. Not very chivalrous at that point. But he goes back to the promised land.
55:46: And as he comes to his dying days. We come to this passage in Hebrews 11. 21. When dying.
55:53: Blessed each of the sons of Joseph. Bowing in worship. Over the head of his staff.
56:01: Where does that come from? Genesis 47. The last verse.
56:06: Turn with me there. In the days of Jacob's life.
56:25: He was a man of God. Chosen of God. But clinging to the things of the world.
56:32: Constantly grasping at heels. Trying to take for himself. The things of this world. In his dying.
56:39: He has let go of those things. And all the energy he has left. He musters for the things of God.
56:46: Here is a man. Who is looking to the future kingdom. In verse 31. The context here.
56:52: Genesis 47. 31. He is blessing his sons. He is giving instructions concerning his bones.
56:59: Not to be buried in Egypt. But to come back to the promised land. And he said. Swear to me. And Joseph.
57:06: He swore to him. Then Israel. Bowed himself upon the head.
57:11: Of his bed. In the Septuagint. That word reads.
57:18: Staff. There is a difference there in the translation. Between the
57:23: Masoretic Hebrew. And the Greek translation of the Old Testament. But it is the case.
57:29: That both of these things happened. He was on his bed. And mustering.
57:35: What strength he can. He accomplished. One last thing for God. Blessing the sons.
57:43: Leaning on a staff. Look at chapter 48. Verse 2. It was told to Jacob.
57:50: Your son Joseph has come to you. Then Israel. Summoned his strength.
57:56: And sat up in bed. The picture here. Is of a dying man.
58:02: He has been in the throes of death. He probably hasn't opened his eyes. For days. And yet hearing this.
58:09: He somehow digs down deep. Perseveres. Sits up in bed. Rallies his strength.
58:15: And what we hear from this point on. Is him blessing the 12 sons of Israel. He still is working for God.
58:23: With every last bit of the life. That is in him. Earlier in his life.
58:32: He was of the world. He was a deceiver. He was trying to get for himself.
58:38: The birthright. The blessing. The inheritance. A name for himself. Wives and the cattle.
58:45: And the goods of Laban. But here in his dying.
58:50: He is letting go of the things of this earth. And every fiber of his being. Everything.
58:56: Every part of his life. Is now devoted to God. So that after speaking the blessings.
59:04: He pulls his legs back up into the bed. And dies. Brothers and sisters.
59:11: This is a picture of persevering to the end. And it is a metaphor for our lives.
59:18: In this world. You will have trouble. But take heart. He has overcome the world. You are in the world.
59:26: And it has a pull. Our enemies are the world. The flesh and the devil.
59:32: These three enemies conspire against us. And they tempt us. To take hold of the things that are here.
59:41: Like Jacob to try to make a name for ourselves. To try to grab and take and get as much as we can.
59:50: But Jacob was transformed by grace over the course of his life. So that in his dying he was no longer of the world.
01:00:00: The deceiver. The worldly man. Was now completely given to God.
01:00:07: In his dying. Brothers, sisters. We must get to that place. To make a break with the world.
01:00:16: There are temptations in this life. Sexual temptations. Financial temptations.
01:00:25: Distractions. That vie for your attention. We must make a break with the world and give everything that we are to God.
01:00:35: The sooner we do that the better. By his dying breath Jacob had done that.
01:00:41: Lastly, Joseph, turn with me. And again, we could do an entire sermon on each of these, but I wanted to keep all of them together to see and then ultimately to feel the full force of their testimony.
01:00:54: That they're persevering to the end and in their death they still speak.
01:01:01: So it says in verse 22. By faith Joseph at the end of his life made mention of the exodus of the
01:01:10: Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. The story of Joseph in short version is that he was the favored son of Jacob.
01:01:26: He was given a coat of many colors which his brothers were jealous of. He had dreams of the sun and the moon bowing down to the stars and he was the center of that worship.
01:01:38: The other eleven stars worshiping him. He had visions that he then passed on, but it wasn't sinful.
01:01:48: He was speaking what God showed him. And he was mistreated and rejected by his brothers the same way that Jesus was rejected by the
01:01:59: Jewish people. They took Joseph and they threw him into a pit and sold him to some camel traders.
01:02:10: In the same way Jesus was rejected by the Jewish people and handed over to the Roman soldiers.
01:02:17: But Joseph was brought down to Egypt and for doing nothing but righteous things he was thrown into a pit.
01:02:25: A picture of the burial of Jesus. Potiphar made sexual,
01:02:32: Potiphar's wife made sexual advances upon him. Practically throwing herself at him.
01:02:39: Come to bed with me. But Joseph resisted that temptation and literally ran from the room for that righteous deed.
01:02:53: He was thrown in prison. Not for sinning, but for resisting sin.
01:03:02: In the same way Christ was rejected and bore our sin.
01:03:09: Coming out from that tomb, Joseph then was elevated to the place of the highest authority in all of Egypt.
01:03:18: And this pictures for us the coming Christ. He is a type of Christ. But what does
01:03:25: Hebrews 11, 22 pick up on? At the end of his life he makes mention of the exodus of the
01:03:31: Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. Here is a man with foresight to the coming kingdom.
01:03:43: He knew that Pharaoh would enslave the Israelites.
01:03:49: He could see the coming captivity which we learn later will last 400 some years.
01:03:58: And yet in faith he believed the promise that God would bring them up out of Egypt and back into the promised land.
01:04:06: He's living by faith even in his dying. So he gives directions concerning his bones.
01:04:11: What this indicates is that the world had no grip on Joseph.
01:04:19: Egypt is a picture of the world. It is a metaphor for the world in which we live.
01:04:26: Joseph was sent into the world but he never became of the world. Egypt never became a part of him.
01:04:33: His bones belonged in Israel. In the same way your bones belong with God in heaven.
01:04:41: He will raise you up one day. Your very bones calling back the molecules of your body to meet your spirit in the air.
01:04:51: And so you will be with God in the eternal kingdom. After a thousand years on this earth
01:04:59: Joseph gave directions concerning his bones because Egypt was not his home.
01:05:06: In the same way this world is not our home. Look beyond and this is the story of Hebrews 11 20 to 22 in a nutshell.
01:05:16: Even to the point of death they are looking for a kingdom that had not yet come. These are now four patriarchs into the promise.
01:05:25: Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and Joseph and where do they find themselves? In captivity in Egypt.
01:05:32: Not yet in the promised land. That speaks to us because in this world this world will stifle and suffocate you.
01:05:45: Why? Because you weren't made for it. You're made for a different world.
01:05:53: We must live not for this life but for the one to come. Jesus taught us do not store up treasures in this world where moth and rust destroy.
01:06:04: Thieves break in and steal. But store up treasure in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal.
01:06:16: The story of Hebrews 11 20 to 22 is men coming to the point of death still persevering in the faith, still looking for the promise that has not yet come having completely been broken free from the worldliness that was in them and now trusting in the promise.
01:06:37: So the application then in your notes if you want to look at that is that from Isaac we learn that all glory for your salvation belongs to God.
01:06:51: It was him that drew you. It was him that sent the gospel to you in the first place that drew you by the
01:06:58: Holy Spirit and it is him alone that keeps you. His power is keeping you in the faith.
01:07:08: Because Isaac is a picture of faltering. He's not a picture of victory and yet he was kept.
01:07:17: He comes back around and the analogy for this would be Peter. Remember Peter? How strong was
01:07:25: Peter? He sure was self -assured wasn't he? He said I will never deny you even if everybody else, hey church, if all of you deny the
01:07:34: Lord, not me. That was Peter's attitude. Jesus said before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.
01:07:46: If that were the end of the story, if it were up to Peter to muster the resolve to keep himself in the faith, he would have been lost like Judas.
01:07:55: But Jesus goes on to say, but I have prayed for you that your faith will not fail.
01:08:05: Did you hear that? Why are we kept? Why are you secure?
01:08:11: Faltering Christian? Your faith has wavered. You're not the
01:08:17: Abraham of this room, are you? I'm certainly not. Well good news to you.
01:08:24: We have an advocate with the Father. Christ said to Peter I have prayed for you that your faith will not fail.
01:08:31: That means at the right hand of the Father, there is a priest, an advocate who ever lives to make intercession for the saints.
01:08:42: Hebrews 7 .25. He is interceding for us now. That our faith will not fail.
01:08:50: And after we have stumbled, we rise. We will not fall to destruction like the son of perdition,
01:09:01: Judas. But we will rise to strengthen our brothers as Peter did. The good news is that it is
01:09:09: God who keeps us. It is not us holding on to ourselves.
01:09:15: So that's the message of Isaac. The concluding message of Jacob is that the world, although it entangle us,
01:09:24: God is breaking those chains off of us. He's prying our fingers off of the things of this world to set us free.
01:09:34: It happens in death. Guys, all of us here, unless Christ come, will experience death.
01:09:41: And that death is part of his plan to sanctify us. It's that final passing through the veil that you see in the pilgrim's progress, where he must jump into that wave to reach the other side.
01:09:57: In Jacob's dying, he's no longer clinging to this world. He is broken free.
01:10:03: And he has nothing but the last fibers of his being offered to God. Do that now.
01:10:09: And in Joseph, keep your hope set on the kingdom come, not the things of this world.
01:10:15: Let's close in prayer. So Father, we have looked at three stunning examples.
01:10:22: Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. Each of them persevering in the faith.
01:10:30: So we ask now, as we pray by the Holy Spirit, knowing that we have an intercessor at the right hand of the
01:10:37: Father, we ask that you would keep us in your grace. God, I pray that none of these, your sheep, would wander unto destruction.
01:10:49: Keep them in your love. Let them not be presumptuous that they can do it.
01:10:57: For when we think we're standing strong, that's when we're prone to fall. God, keep your own.
01:11:07: I pray for any that might have come here this morning and they're worried, maybe I'm not of the elect, maybe
01:11:13: I'm not kept and chosen. I pray,
01:11:19: God, that you would grant them faith, and that they would hear the call that if they would repent of their sin, confess their sin, believe in the
01:11:31: Lord Jesus Christ, they will be saved. Then they'll know that they belong to you. So draw them,
01:11:39: Lord God, by grace. Grant them repentance and faith. Lord, we thank you for the examples of perseverance, and we pray that you would help us to persevere till the end.
01:11:55: In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you, brothers and sisters. Let's stand and worship our
01:12:01: God. Jesus, the only one who could ever save, worthy of every breath we could ever breathe.
01:12:57: We live for you. We live for you. Holy, there is none beside you.
01:13:13: You open up my eyes in wonder. Show me who you are and fill me with your heart and lead me up to those around me.
01:13:38: Jesus, Jesus, the name above every other name.
01:13:48: Jesus, the only one who could ever save, worthy of every breath we could ever breathe.
01:13:59: We live for you. Oh, we live for you. Holy, there is none beside you.
01:14:15: You open up my eyes in wonder.
01:14:28: It was easy to pick the doxology to close with.
01:16:12: Jude 24 and 25. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.
01:16:26: To the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever.