you
.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Faith
Award Baptist shirts.
Very good to see you all here back for our Sunday night
service.
If you would please find your seats now.
Let's go to hymn 421.
We'll begin tonight.
Hymn 421, the first Noel.
Hymn number 421.
We'll begin on that first verse together once you find your place.
421 begins the first Noel.
The angel did say hymn number 421.
Lift up your voice on that first now.
The first Noel.
The angel did say was too certain for shepherds and fields where they lay.
In fields where they play keeping their sheep.
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel.
Born is the king of Israel.
And by the light of that same star.
Three wise men came from country far.
To seek for a king was their intent.
And to follow the star wherever it went.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel.
Born is the king of Israel.
This star unite to the north-west.
Or let the heavens against rest.
And there it is.
Both sorrow and shame.
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel.
Born is the king of Israel.
Let it turn in.
Noel, twice and three.
Noel, and we.
Come on there, me.
And offer them.
In His presence.
Their gold, ember, and praying in sand.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel.
Born is the king of Israel.
Good start to our singing tonight.
We want to go before the Lord and ask His blessing on the service.
So I've asked for the next.
Matt and Tosh, if you'd like to sing a prayer, please.
Dear Heavenly Father and Lord,
thank you for allowing us to be gathered here tonight.
We pray that you would bless all aspects of the service
and help us to sing praises to you.
Get some Jews to let me pray. Amen.
Him number 430, number 430.
While shepherds watch their flocks.
Him number 430.
430 while shepherds watch their flocks by night.
All seated on the ground.
Him number 430.
Lift it up now.
While shepherds watch their flocks by night.
All seated on the ground.
The angel of the Lord came down
and glory shone around.
And glory shone around.
Hear not, sending for my spirit
at sea's fair trouble night.
Glad tidings of great joy I bring
to you and all mankind.
To you and all mankind.
To you and David's town this day
is born of David's mind.
The Savior who is Christ the Lord
and this shall be the sign.
And this shall be the sign.
God and we make you there shall hide
to you and you display.
All neatly wrapped in swallowing match
and in a manger lane.
And in a manger lane.
All for we lead to God all night
and to the earth we ease.
Your wilderness, Lord, what have you
and begin and never cease.
Begin and never cease.
All right, this time we'll go through our announcements together.
If you don't have a bulletin,
slip up your hand nice and high.
We'll get to you with one.
On the inside we have our service times.
Sunday mornings at 10.30 is our preaching service.
Sunday nights at six.
Wednesday nights at seven is our Bible study.
This week we will be in Second Chronicles chapter number 29.
We've got the soul winning times listed there below
as well as salvation and baptisms.
Across the page, great news about the Jamaica missions trip.
It was a massive success.
And so super thankful for everyone who was involved
in any way, shape or form.
Obviously there's a lot that goes into something like this
as far as just planning, prayer, preparation,
just the funds to pay for things and everything.
And then obviously the people who participated,
they paid a lot of their own way
and their own time and energy.
And so we're especially thankful to the people
who actually physically went there and performed the work.
But we had 33 soul winners out there working hard
over a week or so.
They got 902 people saved
through actual face-to-face conversations,
either one-on-one or small groups
where they could interact and talk to people.
And then also they were able to preach in schools
to an additional 4,900 people
in either giant school assemblies
or going from classroom to classroom,
about 30 students at a time.
And of course many of you have probably seen videos of this
because we've put out a lot of videos of this kind of thing
over the years of us preaching to big assemblies
or preaching in little classrooms with 40 students or whatever.
It's a super cool opportunity that exists
in a lot of these countries
where you can just kind of talk your way into these schools
and just preach to the whole school
something that would be pretty much unheard of
in the United States probably, pretty rare
that you'd be able to do something like that.
And so 900 salvations
and then plus probably many hundreds more
that we don't know about
just from preaching to giant groups and so forth.
So good job everybody
and looking forward to doing more great missions in 2025
and keep this thing going.
Below that we've got the note about the bridal shower
that's next Sunday 2 o'clock
and so please RSVP to Denise Furbey
if you're planning on going to that
and try to only bring the nursing children
and leave the other kids at home with dad.
And then across the page
we've got the note about the Christmas caroling
this is Thursday December 19th
so we'll meet here at 5.30 for that
and then after we get back we'll have cookies and milk
the cookies are sort of a potluck
so please bake and bring cookies if you can.
And then below that there's a Christmas party
for the ladies and teen girls.
This is on Saturday December 14th
5 o'clock right here at the church building
so that's this coming Saturday
so this is coming up very soon.
There was some fake news
about this being a white elephant gift exchange
it's actually just a gift exchange
and so this is the limits $30
so don't go too crazy on those gifts
and please bring an appetizer or finger food to share
there'll also be some light refreshments
and no kids but nurselings are okay.
If you have any questions
or if you would like to RSVP
please speak to Grace Young as soon as possible.
There she is this is Grace Young everyone
may I present to you Grace Young alright
and then also speaking of people to RSVP do
Denise Furbey come on down
can you raise your hand
Denise Furbey and she's the one to RSVP to
for the bridal shower
so that's about it for announcements
let's go ahead and count up the soul winning
for the past few days first of all let's just
go ahead and just plug in a nice 900
and two right off the bat
alright
and then what else have we got for
this week Thursday
okay
alright
okay
anything else from Thursday
is that a two?
alright
okay and then how about Friday
okay
alright
okay
how about Saturday
got it
any other Saturday groups
and then how about Sunday today
brother Scott
nine for the main group of brother Scott
got ya
got it
alright very good keep up the great work
let's go ahead and do the bridal shower
let's go ahead and count up the soul winning
with that let's sing our next song come
lead us
alright you should find the insert in
front of your hymnal with the two songs
we'll start with angels we have heard on
high
if you don't have an insert you can raise
your hand and you'll receive one
and we'll sing it on that first together
angels we have heard on high
if you don't have an insert you can raise
your hand and you'll receive one
again
fire
Gloria, in excelsis Deo, shepherds by this jubilee,
by your joyous strains prolong, what the glad sun tidings me,
which inspire your heavenly song.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
come to Bethlehem and sing, in whose birth the angels sing,
come agor on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, in excelsis Deo.
Amen, on the last.
See them in a major lay, Jesus, Lord of heaven and earth,
Mary, Joseph, let your reign with us sing our Savior's birth.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, in excelsis Deo.
Amen, if you flip that sheet over, we'll sing together,
within the crib, my Savior lay.
Within the crib, my Savior lay,
a wood and manger filled with hay.
Come down for love on Christmas Day,
all glory be to Jesus.
Upon our cross, my Savior died,
two ransom sinners crucified,
His loving arms still open wide,
all glory be to Jesus.
A victor's crown, my Savior won,
His work of love and mercy died,
the Father's high ascended Son,
all glory be to Jesus.
Amen, get singing tonight.
All right, this time we'll quickly pass our offering plates around
as the plates go around.
Let's turn our Bibles to Hebrews chapter 11.
Hebrews chapter 11, as we always do,
we'll read the entire chapter beginning in verse number one.
Follow along silently with Brother Dan as he reads,
Hebrews chapter 11, starting in verse number one.
Hebrews 11.
Hebrews 11 the Bible reads,
Now faith is a substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen,
for by it the elders obtained a good report.
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the word of God,
so that things which are seen
were not made of things which do appear.
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice
than Cain, by which he obtained witness
that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts,
and by it he being dead yet spaketh.
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death
and was not found because God had translated him.
For before his translation he had this testimony
that he pleased God.
But without faith it is impossible to please him,
for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
By faith Noah, being warned of God
of things not seen as yet,
moved with fear, preparing an ark to the saving of his house,
by the which he condemned the world
and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place
which he should not, which he should after receive
for an inheritance obeyed,
and he went out not knowing whether he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise
as in a strange country,
dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob,
the heirs with him of the same promise.
For he looked for a city which had foundations
whose builder and maker is God.
Through faith also Sarah herself received strength
to conceive seed and was delivered of a child
when she was past age
because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead.
So many as the stars of the sky and multitude
and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
These all died in faith,
not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off
and were persuaded of them and embraced them
and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For they that say such things declare plainly
that they seek a country.
And truly if they had been mindful of that country
from whence they came out
they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country
that is in heavenly
where for God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for yet prepared for them a city.
By faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac
and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son
of whom it was said
that in Isaac shall thy seed be called
accounting that God was able to raise him up
even from the dead.
From whence also he received them in a figure.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
By faith Jacob when he was a dying blessed
when he was a dying blessed both of his sons of Joseph
and worshiped leaning upon the top of his staff.
By faith Joseph when he died made mention of the departing of the children of Israel
and gave commandment concerning his bones.
By faith Moses when he was born
was hid three months of his parents
because they saw he was a proper child
and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
By faith Moses when he was come to years
refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God
than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season
esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt
for he had respect under the recompense of the reward.
By faith he foresook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king
for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
Through faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood
lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land
which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down
after they were compassed about seven days.
By faith the harlot Rahad perished not with them that believe not
when she had received the spies with peace.
And what shall I shall I more say
for the time which fail would
but the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and of Baruch
and of Samson and of Jephth
and of David also and Samuel and of the prophets
who through faith subdued kingdoms
wrought righteousness obtained promises
stopped the mouth of vows of lions
quenched the violence of fire
escaped the edge of the sword
out of weakness were made strong
waxed valiant in fight
turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Women received their dead raised to life again
and others were tortured not accepting deliverance
that they might obtain a better resurrection
and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourges
yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment
they were stoned
they were sawn asunder
were tempted
were slain with the sword
they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins
being destitute afflicted tormented
of whom the world was not worthy
they wandered in deserts and in mountains
and in dens and caves of the earth
and these all having obtained a good report
through faith
received not the promise
God having provide some better things for us
that they without us should not be made perfect.
Definitely Father Lord
thank you for allowing us to be in church
thank you for all the so oners who are in the work for you
please feel pastor Anderson with the Holy Spirit
so they may preach bully
so that we can be edified by the sermon
in Jesus name I pray amen.
Man Hebrews chapter 11
is commonly known as the Hall of Faith
sort of like the Hall of Fame
but it's a catalog of men throughout the Old Testament
who had great faith in God
and all the great things that they achieved by faith
when we stop and think about the term faith
our mind typically just instantly goes to salvation
because we're constantly preaching to people
that we are saved by faith
not by works.
So many religions out there are teaching
that you go to heaven by being good
that you earn your way to heaven
by either doing some kind of good deeds
or cutting sin out of your life
or keeping commandments or something like that.
Of course we believe
that the only way that we're going to heaven
is through Jesus Christ
because if it were based on how good we are
none of us would be going
but because Jesus Christ died and was buried and rose again
if we put our faith and trust
in what Christ has already accomplished for us
on the cross
then we receive the gift of eternal life.
So that's the main thing that we think about
when we think about faith
because we're constantly preaching that message
as we evangelize
hopefully on a weekly basis
hopefully in your life you're regularly
giving the gospel to other people
and talking about that subject with other people
but faith goes beyond that
because after we get saved
by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ
for salvation
that's not the end of faith in our life
that's not where faith stops
because we continue going through life
being faced with challenges
and decisions that need to be made
and we have to keep on trusting
what God says in his word
in order to make the right decisions
because people are constantly coming at us
with all kinds of advice
and different ideas
and ways of life
and different councils
and the wisdom of this world
and we're getting all these different messages
and being pulled in different directions
and we're faced with a decision
and we need to know what is right
what is not right
and at the end of the day
there's what the Bible says
and then there's what everybody else says
and all the other different opinions
that are out there
and it can sometimes be tempting
to get sucked into unbiblical ways of thinking
and not to fully trust
what God has said in his word
about every subject
so here's the thing
it doesn't really take a lot of faith to get saved
you don't have to be some great man or woman of faith
or have the faith that moves mountains
in order to be saved
you just have to take what little faith you have
and just put it all on Jesus
and just confess with your mouth
to Lord Jesus
believe in your heart
God raised from the dead
and you shall be saved
but as we go through the Christian life
we want to increase our faith
and there are other things that the Bible says
that we also want to
not only believe on an intellectual level
but we want to trust those things
and how do we show that
by actually putting them into practice in our lives
okay
and look throughout my life
I have seen God's word
and the truth of God's word confirmed over and over again
where the Bible says
that things are going to happen a certain way
and then they happen exactly the way the Bible says
they're going to happen
and I just keep seeing it confirmed over and over again
but I'm not going to lie
there are also sometimes in life
where you're faced with situations
or things or events
that will actually make you question the word of God
and you actually doubt
and you say wait a minute
this seems to be different
than what I'm reading in the Bible
that's where you got to have the faith to say
well you know what
even if I don't understand
even if it doesn't make sense to me
even if this is confusing to me
or causing me to doubt
though he slay me
yet will I trust him
because you can see how a man like Job
could lose faith right
he's been trusting God
he's been doing all the right things
God has been blessing him
and then all of a sudden
he loses everything for no reason
you can see how that could make him doubt the promises of God
but he did not
he maintained his faith
he was confused
he questioned things
he got upset
he went through a lot of emotions
but at the end of the day he said
though he slay me yet will I trust him
and you're going to come to points in your life
to where you are going to be asked to exercise faith
and say well hey
I don't understand
but this is what the Bible says
I'm not moving from it
I'm not going to budge from it
because at the end of the day
the Word of God doesn't change
and I know it's true
so with that in mind
let's go ahead and approach
Hebrews chapter 11
because Hebrews chapter 11
is a chapter
that yeah it's going to touch on some things
that have to do with salvation
but really
it's a chapter that's written to God's people
about how to be victorious and triumphant
in the Christian life
how to be successful
and giving examples of great men and women of God
who've done great things
by living a life of faith
trusting God
relying on the promises of God
and so forth
but starts out in verse number one
now faith is the substance of things hoped for
the evidence
of things not seen
of course this is a beautiful
and very famous definition
of faith
it's the substance of things hoped for
another way of explaining that would be
that it makes things real to you
that we only read about in the Bible
we haven't really experienced
or seen
or physically felt
in a tangible way
but
they're real to us
because we have the faith
that if God said they're real
they're real
okay
and then it says they are the evidence
faith is the evidence of things not seen
and so
faith has to do with believing in something
we've never seen
now we've never seen heaven
we've never seen hell
we've never seen God
we've never seen Jesus
we've never seen the Holy Spirit
you know descending like a dove on Jesus
and his baptism
we didn't see those things
we believe those things
because
we've read about them in the Word of God
and so if somebody says
well what's the evidence that Jesus died on the cross
well the Bible says
faith is the evidence of things not seen
we believe
the Word of God
when he says that those things are real
and so those things have substance for us
they are real to us
even though
we haven't actually
experience them
firsthand with our with our physical senses
faith is the substance of things hoped for
the evidence of things not seen
of course you know
some of the scientific minds of this world
would kind of scoff at that and say you know
well I only believe in you know
things I can see or feel
or I gotta see the evidence or whatever
and this mentality that says
I must see the evidence
is a mentality of a person
who will never get saved
until they get rid of that mentality
because without faith
it's impossible
to be saved
and so if you're going to have this attitude
that says well I must see evidence
then you'll never be saved
because you're never going to be shown
concrete evidence of Jesus
dying on the cross
being buried and rising again
you're going to have to believe that
but of course it's very hypocritical
for the scientists to say that
because they believe in all kinds of things
that they've never seen
and never will see as well
unless they're just going to go through life saying
and look maybe there are scientists
like this out there
and I'm sure there are
you could go through life as a scientist
say well I only see
I only believe what I see
then you'd have to basically just say
well I have no idea
where the universe came from
I have no idea where life came from
I have no idea
where the human species came from
because I only believe in stuff
that I can actually see
and prove and believe
so all I know is what's going on right now around me
but let's face it
most of these scientists will tell you about the Big Bang
and tell you all these things
about how you know DNA came from nothing
even though DNA is more complicated than
you know any software on your computer
that it just supposedly just all programmed itself
it's absurd
they've never seen that
they have no evidence of that
it can't happen
and so
you know people will claim
that oh I only believe in what I can see
but typically everybody has faith in something
right like some people are believing
that God created the world
other people are believing
that it came from nothing
other people think that aliens created us
but then that doesn't really solve anything
because then you gotta figure out
where the where the aliens come from
you're just kicking the can down the road
with that problem
but at the end of the day
everybody has faith in something
it's just we just need to put our faith
in Jesus to be saved
so the Bible says in verse 2
for by it the elders
obtained a good report
and what the Bible means here by elders
it's just meaning people of an older time period
than us
because the context here
he's gonna go back in time
thousands of years
and talk about all the people in the past
who obtained a good report
through faith right
meaning that we can look back
and get a good story
about their lives
about how they succeeded
and we could look at them
as a great person
who achieved something great
and they did it through faith
right
so then
the author of Hebrews here
is gonna sort of go through
in chronological order
a bunch of Bible stories
and talk about how faith
played a role
in these different Bible stories
but before
he gets into Bible stories about people
he just starts with the creation of the world
because that's really the first story
in the Bible right
if you open Genesis 1
the first thing you're reading about
is the creation
and so he says
through faith we understand
that the worlds were framed
by the Word of God
so that things which are seen
were not made of things
which do appear
and this is a reference to the fact
that God spoke the world
into existence
but what's really interesting
is that this is probably
the clearest verse in the Bible
about creation being
ex nihilo
or from nothing
okay
because a lot of people
will dispute that
and claim that God
created the world
from pre-existing matter
or something
again you're just kicking the can down the road
eventually things had to come from somewhere
but the Bible says
that the things which are seen
what are the things which are seen
the earth
the sky
the sun
the moon
the stars
basically everything that we see in the universe
the things which are seen
were not made
of
things which do appear
now
the things which do appear
are the same
as the things that are seen
if something appears
it means that it's apparent
we can see it
so the idea here is
that the things that we see
around us
this created world
was not made
from things that we can see around us
in this created world
meaning that it wasn't made
from any stuff that's here right now
it was made from what
nothing
so the world was created
from nothing
it was not made of things which do appear
the things which are seen
were made of things which do not appear
meaning things that you can't see
because they are
not actual physical elements
because
God created the world
from nothing
ex nihilo
that's what the Bible is saying
it says in the next verse
by faith
Abel
offered unto God
a more excellent sacrifice than Cain
by which he obtained witness
that he was righteous
God testifying of his gifts
and by it
he being dead
yet
speaking
now
Adam and Eve are the first humans
that were created
and of course they were in the Garden of Eden
Eve
ate of the forbidden fruit
gave it to Adam
he ate they both got kicked out of the Garden of Eden
and they had to work hard
and go through a lot of suffering
that even all of us kind of go through in our lives
suffering of various kinds
but Adam and Eve
after they're kicked out of the garden
they have a multitude of children
now Cain and Abel
are just two of their children
that are being highlighted
that are just kind of an important
two children
you know the first two children
Cain and Abel these two brothers
but the Bible is clear that
Adam and Eve had many many sons and daughters
okay after Cain and Abel
ultimately Abel is replaced by Seth
as being the
sort of one to receive the blessing
of kind of the inheritance or whatever
but at the end of the day
Seth is not the only son
there are already a bunch of other sons and daughters
at that time
when Seth is born
and so it says that by faith
Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain
of course we know the story
where Cain
brought an offering unto God
of the fruit of the ground
of the produce of the earth
so he's bringing fruits and vegetables
because that's what he did for a living
he's a farmer
and so he brought his best
and this is a picture
of someone seeking to please God
through their own works
through their own deeds
and that's not the sacrifice
that God is looking for
in order for us to be justified
or declared righteous in the sight of God
whereas
Abel brings of the firstlings of the flock
and of the fat thereof
so he brings an actual animal sacrifice
he brings the blood of the lamb
picturing the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ
so when Abel brings that gift
then God declares him to be righteous
for bringing that gift
whereas Cain's offering is not accepted
it's not respected
and Cain gets angry
and ends up murdering Abel
now here's the thing about this
the Bible says by faith
Abel offered unto God
a more excellent sacrifice than Cain
now in order for Abel
to have done that by faith
then that means that God
must have given them
some kind of an instruction
they must have known somehow
or been told somehow
this is the offering
that you're supposed to bring
right it wasn't like
Abel just dreamed up an offering
and Cain dreamed up an offering
and then God said
well I like your offering Abel
I like this idea that you had
but I don't like what you did over here Cain
you know with your fruits and vegetables
that's not what happened right
the idea here is
that God is already demonstrating
this idea of the animal sacrifice
even before Cain and Abel
with Adam and Eve
because when Adam and Eve sinned
they tried to cover their nakedness
with fig leaf aprons
which is a plant-based textile
and God
did not see that as a sufficient covering
and again the plant base
is picturing there
our own works
the produce of the ground
that we build and make ourselves
but then
if you remember
that inadequate covering
that they made out of the fig leaves
with the apron
is replaced by the covering that God made
and the covering that God made
is animal based
it is
the coats of skins
the difference is number one
it's made by God
not by man
right the fig leaf apron is man-made
the coats of skins are God made
number one
and then number two
an animal had to die
in order to produce that clothing
versus just you know
picking the leaves off of a plant
and so again the picture here is that
without shedding of blood
there's no remission
so in order for our sins to be covered
it's only God
that can provide the covering for our sins
it can't be us
right he has to provide those coats of skins
and the blood
has to be shed
and of course it's not possible for the blood of bowls
and of goats to take away sins
it's ultimately the blood of Jesus Christ
the true Lamb of God
that takes away our sins
everything that happened in the Old Testament
as far as an animal sacrifice
is just a foreshadowing of the real sacrifice
right those
those sacrifices could never really take away sins
they're just a picture
of the real thing
just like getting baptized
doesn't do anything for you spiritually
in the sense of washing away your sins
or taking away your sins
but it pictures something that does wash away your sins
which is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus
so it's a picture of the real thing
just like the animal sacrifices
were a picture of the real thing
and so clearly
since this goes all the way back to Adam and Eve
even before Cain and Abel were born
this was already a thing
this thing of the animal being sacrificed
and so they were clearly told an instruction
Abel put his faith in
what God said was going to provide an atonement
right Abel is given an instruction
he says okay
if God wants an animal to be sacrificed
then an animal is going to be sacrificed
whereas Cain doesn't rely on trust
put his faith in what God has commanded
and instead he does his own thing
and brings the wrong offering
and so it says that
Abel obtained witness that he was righteous
not because he lived a really good life
but because he had the right sacrifice
and that's the only way we're going to be righteous
on the side of God
is if we have the right sacrifice
which is believing in the sacrifice of Jesus
instead of in our own works
and the produce of our hands
and so it says that God
testified of his gifts
and by it
he being dead yet speaketh
so we're still reading about it
and talking about it
thousands of years later
now it says in verse 5
by faith Enoch
was translated
that he should not see death
and was not found
because God had translated him
for before his translation
he had this testimony
that he pleased God
so if we go back into the Old Testament
there's very little written about Enoch
almost nothing is written
but the statement that is made
is that Enoch walked with God
and then it says
he was not
for God took him
so everybody else in that list
he died
but then we're going to say Enoch
instead of saying he died
it just says well
he wasn't there anymore
basically he was not
because God took him
and it says that before God took him
he walked with God
so because he walked with God
God took him
but here's the thing about that
we don't want to misunderstand
and think that somehow
Enoch was necessarily
you know physically walking with God
as far as like hanging out with God
because some people could have a wrong idea
and think
oh before the flood
God was just way more intimate with humans
or you know just kind of talking to them
and walking among them
and being with them on that level
but if you look at this verse carefully
it says in verse 5 at the end
it says before his translation
he had this testimony
that he pleased God
but without faith
it's impossible to please him
for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is
and that means believe that he exists
and that he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him
and so the idea here is that Enoch
had to believe that God existed
just like you and I have to believe
that God exists
and that God is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him
so the Bible
does not spell out in the book of Genesis
oh Enoch is a great man of faith
Enoch had faith
but what the author of Hebrews is doing
which I believe is the Apostle Paul
some people would debate that
the King James replica says
the epistle Paul to the Hebrews just saying
but the idea here is
that the author of Hebrews
is going back and looking at these Bible stories
that don't explicitly bring up faith
but explaining this happened by faith
because here's the thing
if we know that Enoch
walked with God
and that because of walking with God
God took him and he did not die
but that he was just translated directly
to the Kingdom of Heaven
well then we know that without faith
it's impossible to please God
because he that cometh to God
must believe that he is
and that he's a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him
so we're constantly quoting verse 6 by itself
as we should because it's a great verse
it's a great truth
Hebrews 11-6 a powerful statement
but if we actually get it in context
we see that it starts with this conjunction
but and that's a reference back to Enoch
Enoch did this
but we know that
without faith it's impossible to please him
so Enoch pleased God
without faith it's impossible to please God
therefore Enoch must have believed that God existed
and that he was a rewarder of those
who diligently seek him
so the idea here is that just like you and I
have to believe that God exists
because we have not necessarily seen
or talked with God
obviously we haven't physically laid eyes on Jesus
or anything like that
we have to believe that God exists
Enoch had to do the same thing
according to the Bible
he had to believe that God existed
and that he's a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him
and it says that he was translated
now it's kind of a strange word
in this context right translate
because when we hear the word translate
we would think of going from one language
to another
okay
and what this is basically saying is
that he's just taken from one realm
or one plane to the other
he he goes from earth to heaven
that's the translation that's happening
most of us would have to go there by means of death
right we're not just going to be translated into heaven
we have to die to get there
we have to die physically I should say
in order to get there
now this is a picture of what will happen
at the second coming of Christ
at what we commonly call the rapture
because the Bible says we shall not all sleep
referring to death
but we shall all be changed
in a moment
in the twinkling of an eye
at the last trump
the dead will be raised incorruptible
if we read 1 Thessalonians chapter 4
it says that we which are alive
and remain unto the coming of the Lord
shall not prevent them which are asleep
says the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout
with the voice of the archangel
with the trump of God
and the dead in Christ shall rise first
then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air
and so shall we ever be with the Lord
wherefore comfort one another with these words
so when the Bible says
that we which are alive and remain
will be caught up together
to meet them in the air
the dead in Christ that have risen first
okay
that is what the Bible means
what it says we shall not all sleep
but we shall all be changed
because most people throughout history
they die right
their soul goes to heaven
and their body is just in the grave
and then they get that new
glorified changed body
at the second coming of Christ
when the dead in Christ rise first
then we which are alive and remain
are caught up together with them
but guess what
we experience the same change that they experience
so you got a dead body in the grave
transformed into a brand new glorified body
as it's caught up
to meet the Lord in the air
we which are alive and remain
we're also changed
transformed
caught up to meet the Lord in the air
in a brand new glorified body
the Bible says in Philippians 3
that he shall change our vile body
that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body
okay
and so we're not all gonna sleep
but we're all gonna be changed
and so this idea of someone
being caught up to heaven
translated to heaven
without dying
is a picture of the rapture
because it's exactly the same thing right
just as Enoch is caught up without dying
that's exactly what's gonna happen to believers
who are alive
when Christ returns
so I've heard some people say this well
you know Enoch
has to come back in the end time
so that he can die
because everybody has to die
but you know it's a point and the men wants to die
wrong
because a lot of people aren't gonna die
if Christ returns in our lifetime
we're not gonna die
we should not all sleep
but we shall all be changed
and so it is a picture of the rapture
I've also heard people say this
they said well
Enoch is a picture of the pre-tribulation rapture
because here's what they say
he gets caught up before the flood comes
you know so before the flood
he's already taken out before the flood
here's what's funny about that
is that Enoch is actually taken out
he's actually translated
669 years
before the flood
so talk about being taken out
just in the nick of time
you know
so the flood
the flood hasn't even been talked about yet
because remember
when God announces the flood
it's like 120 years out
he says man's days will be 120 years
go build the ark
so he gives like 120 year warning
this is 669 years earlier
plus when Enoch died
he's
excuse me
Enoch didn't die
when Enoch was translated
he was 365 years old
okay
now 365
plus 669
okay
he would be over a thousand years old
he's not even gonna make it to the flood
because no one in the Bible lived
over a thousand years
even in the Old Testament
before the flood
when they're living super long
the longest
living man in the Bible
what was his name
and how old did he live to be
969
so Enoch
even if he would have lived to be as old as the oldest man
would have still died
many decades before the flood
so God was not removing him
to get him out of there like
we gotta get you out of here
for the flood
this would be like
if if a catastrophic event
were gonna happen in 2024
and God pulled someone out in 1355 A.D.
like think about that
like before Columbus
before you know
before the Renaissance
like just 1355
it's like oh man
gotta get you out of here son
something big's coming in 2024
let's get you out
oh wait I want to stay
you know
that's not the point here
it's a great picture of the rapture
but has nothing to do with
the timing of the rapture
with relationship to the flood
okay because these events are way too far apart
to be relevant
so it says by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death
and was not found because God had translated him
for before his translation
he had this testimony that he pleased God
and again
the Old Testament states it as he walked with God
not he pleased God says he walked with God
so
here's my point
is that for us in 2024 to walk with God
we can walk with God the same way Enoch walked with God
because he's not physically walking with God
it's not like an Old Testament appearance of Jesus
or something where he's physically walking with God
because if that were the case
he wouldn't have to believe that God is
and that God's a rewarder of them
the diligently seek him
he walked with God the same way we walk with God
by faith
he believed in the word of God
okay
because they did have the word of God before the flood
they didn't have a physical Bible
but they had the prophets that spoke the word of God
and so it says without faith it's impossible to please him
for he that cometh to God must believe that he is
and that he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him
and that still stands true today
that was true in Enoch's day
it's true in our day
you have to believe
that God is real
and that God's going to reward you for doing right
because look
let's face it we're living in a time
where there's just not a lot of the fear of God
unfortunately
it says don't care
what God says
and they just do whatever they want
and live however they want
and they have no fear of God
but here's another
sort of flip side to that
of not fearing God
is the other side of that coin is
not believing that God's a rewarder
of those that diligently seek him
it's kind of two sides of the same coin
first of all
you're not believing
that punishments coming if you do wrong
and then you're also not believing
that a reward's coming if you do right
so you're just living your life
however you want
and just living for today
living for right now
we need to have the faith to understand
that we are going to be better off
serving God than not serving God
if you want God to bless you in your life
you've got to serve God
and if you want
to please God
and be rewarded by God
right
then you got to be reading the Bible
trusting what it says
and living your life accordingly
otherwise
if you just think
oh God doesn't care
he's not watching
he doesn't reward anyone
he doesn't punish anyone
then you're just going to have to find out the hard way
when your life goes poorly
and when you end up
a failure
so moving on it says by faith Noah
of course jumping forward as I said
you know
over 500 years
to even Noah being warned
by faith Noah being warned of God
of things not seen as yet
moved with fear
prepared an ark
to the saving of his house
so again
the two sides of the same coin right
we've got
Enoch
believing that God rewards people who do well
and then we've got
Noah
believing that God is going to punish
the wicked
and he was moved with fear
of the destruction of the flood that's coming
and so he prepares an ark to the saving of his house
by the which he condemned the world
and became air of the righteousness
which is by faith
now how did Noah
condemn the world
well because God's grading on a curve
so therefore
if everybody
if every single person in the world
were wicked
God can't destroy the whole world
and just kill every single person
now why can't God just destroy the whole world
and just kill every single person
he can't fail everybody
it's like if you're in a class
and the teacher can't give everyone an F
so the teacher grades on a curve
and then there's that one guy
who studied
okay now here's the thing
if nobody studied and everybody gets an F
then the teacher can't really fail everybody
but then you got Noah over here
he studied he gets an A
now he condemned the class
because now they're all failing because
you know it's like
the good there's good news and bad news
the good news is the teacher's grading on a curve
the bad news is
the the best grade in the class was on 98
you know so it's like
oh great now my 56 just went up to a 58
or my 74 went up to a 76 or something right
because the curve
whereas if the best kid in the class got an 85
well then now
my 55 is going up to a 70
my 70 is going up to an 85
does everybody understand how this works
hopefully it's too much math
you're just like
so the point is
that Noah condemned the world
why can't God destroy the whole world
and just kill everybody
because God has already promised in Genesis chapter 3
that the woman's seed will bruise the serpent's head
he's already prophesied the coming salvation
through the Lord Jesus Christ
that's what all those animal sacrifices were even about
about Jesus
and so the Jesus has to be born of the woman
he has to be the woman's seed
and so therefore
God can't wipe everyone out
and he finds one righteous man
and he says of Noah
the only have I found righteous in this generation
you know see Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord
he's got he's the one guy
who moved with fear prepared an ark to the saving of his house
by the which he condemned the world
because now God can just wipe everybody else out
because the human race can continue with Noah's family
and he became heir of the righteousness which is by
faith
now
why was Noah saved from drowning
the reason he was saved from drowning
is because he believed
in the punishment that was coming
he believed the word of God
and he therefore built the ark that God told him to build
he got on the ark
and so he's saved from drowning
this is a picture
of the righteousness which is by faith right
we believe that hell is real
we believe that Jesus is the ark
Jesus is the only way to be saved right
Jesus said on the door
if any man enter in by me he shall be saved
and go in and out and find pastor
well here's the thing
the ark when it was built
it was specifically specified that it will only have one door
right there aren't just a whole bunch of ways to get to heaven
a whole bunch of ways to get saved
there's one door and that door is Jesus
and so it had one door
and Jesus is the door
and so we
have the same righteous of Noah
by just believing God's word
and
you know receiving Christ's righteousness imputed unto us by faith in him
then it moves on to the next
example by faith Abraham
when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive from inheritance obeyed
and he went out
not knowing whether he went
so if you remember when God gives him the promise he just says go to a land that I'll show you
he doesn't even tell him where he's going he doesn't tell him how far he's going
he just says go to a land that I'll show you
and this is kind of the way God will sometimes lead us in our lives
he just shows us the next step but he doesn't show us the whole journey he doesn't tell us the destination
we can only see the road just right in front of us
it's a lamp to our feet and a light to our path
but we don't know what's going to be five years from now ten years from now
so he's just called to go out to a to a land that he would after receive from inheritance
he doesn't know where he's going
and then it says in verse nine
by faith
he's sojourned in the land of promise and the word sojourn
this isn't a word of permanent dwelling
this is like a temporary stay is what a sojourn is
so by faith he's sojourned in the land of promise
as in a strange country
as in we would say in our modern vernacular like in a foreign country
so he's in the land of promise
as a stranger as a foreigner like he's in a foreign country
he's a stranger in a strange land
and it says
he was dwelling in tabernacles what's another word for tabernacles
tents
so he's living in
temporary
structures
in a foreign country
with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him
of the same promise
and here's the fascinating thing about that
is just that nothing about that story makes sense from an earthly perspective
like think about this your Abraham
okay and you're called to just go to some other country
and God says go to this other country I'm gonna make you a great nation and all this stuff
you get to the other country there's already people there
it's not like you get there and it's empty and you're just gonna colonize it and start over
there already civilizations there they're already people there
and you're sort of an outsider
you're a stranger you're like in a foreign country like you're there you're kind of the odd man out
of the people who are already there and have already been there and established
they have permanent
situations and you're just like staying at a hotel
you know and go I'm gonna give you all this
and Abraham had to believe that it's it's kind of hard to believe
oh I'm gonna give you all this and then he just keeps getting older and older
and he doesn't really actually own any land or he's just kind of there
and he's intense
and he's just a sojourner
and then not only that God's telling him
oh I'm gonna make you a great nation
look up at the sky look at all the stars that's how many descendants you're gonna have
that's how your seed is gonna be
look at the sand by the sea shore
that's how your seeds gonna be
he doesn't even have one kid
he has zero children
and so he's confused by this at times
this is confusing to him
but he he keeps going
and here's the thing a lot of times
our lives can get confusing
you just got to just keep moving forward
you just keep going
and you just keep trusting God
and eventually it all makes sense
but you got to put yourself in Abraham's shoes
as year after year after year is going by
and he has no child
and God's telling him oh you're gonna be a great nation
and then God's telling him oh you're gonna inherit all this land
he's not inheriting any of it
he's there as a sojourner
Isaac is there as a sojourner
Jacob is there as a sojourner
right
they don't actually end up
inheriting the land and building permanent dwellings there
and actually setting up shop permanently
until several hundred years later
when they come out of Egypt
right
and so he's there
and at first Abraham thinks
oh well maybe it's gonna be my nephew
right because maybe my nephew is gonna be the one
so he brings his nephew with them and everything
but then he ends up separating from his nephew
it ends up becoming clear that
you know it's not the nephew
that's that's that's the
the heir
he ends up hanging around with too many fags and queers
and so he doesn't work out
but anyway
what happens is
first you're thinking like is it the nephew
and and and then he's saying
oh maybe it's my servant
you know Eleazar that's born in my house
maybe he's the one
and God's telling him now
you know you're gonna have
your own child
then
because his wife is just getting so old
and he's so old
finally
he decides to just take the maid servant Hagar
and have a kid with her
obviously that wasn't right
he was supposed to do it through his legitimate wife Sarah
and so he ends up having Ishmael with Hagar
and so then it seems like
okay maybe maybe Ishmael is gonna be a great nation
God comes along and says
no it's not Ishmael
Ishmael is gonna be a great nation too
but this isn't what I'm talking about
you know
Sarah
is going to have
a child
and of course God
just miraculously allows
Abraham
age a hundred
Sarah at age 90
to produce a child
okay
and so just against all the odds
but think about it
it's like you're a hundred year old man
and you've got this one baby
and God's telling you
oh you're gonna have just
the stars
for multitude of descendants
you're gonna inherit this whole land
I mean you have to stop to really appreciate the faith of Abraham
this guy's got a lot of faith to believe this
and to just keep serving God
keep going
and not to just finally say
you know what
I've been doing this for decades
it doesn't make any sense
I'm out
he just stays with it
stays with it
still serving God
still believe in the Bible
still fall in it
then
we don't know exactly
how much later
but decades later
and you know
you could guess
I like to think that Isaac's probably like 30 some years old
to kind of mirror Jesus being 30 some years old
but he's clearly a grown man
and Abraham
is told to take him
to one of the mountains
of Mariah
and to offer Isaac as a sacrifice
upon one of these
so he has one kid finally
and then before this kid is reproduced
God's basically saying to kill him
now that's pretty crazy
you know I mean just everything's against the odds with Abraham
and this just goes on for chapter after chapter after
what do you think God's trying to teach us
as we read the book of Genesis
chapter after chapter after chapter after chapter
just seeing promises made
and everything about his situation
seeming to defy those promises
and yet he persists
what do you think God's trying to teach us
he's trying to teach us
to have faith in the word of God
no matter what life throws at us
no matter what happens to realize
God will come through
and you've just got to push through
and rely on those promises
let's go back to the text here in Hebrews chapter 11
it says in verse 10
for he looked for a city
which had foundations
whose builder and maker is God
through faith also
Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed
and was delivered of a child
when she was past age
because she judged him faithful who had promised
therefore sprang there even of one
and him as good as dead
so many as the stars of the sky in multitude
and as the sand which is by the sea shore
innumerable
these all died in faith
not having received the promises
but having seen them afar off
and were persuaded of them
and embrace them
and confess that they were strangers
and pilgrims on the earth
look it says in verse 13
these all died in faith
I mean we're talking about
a man who lived to be a very old man
and he died
did he get to see
descendants like the stars of heaven
or like the sand by the sea shore
did he get to see them
taking over the promised land
and inheriting all the land
remember God saying
oh all this land while I give you
did he see any of that
he died without even seeing that stuff happen
but he died believing
it's going to happen someday
didn't happen in my lifetime
but it's still coming
that's an incredible amount of faith
and that's why Abraham is known as the father of faith
and all of us who believe in Jesus Christ
are the children of Abraham
we're following in the steps
of faith of our father Abraham
and so if you're going to say
oh I'm a child of Abraham
I'm saved
I believe in Christ
okay well let's take that a step further
if you really want to be a child of Abraham
why don't you exercise
the kind of faith that Abraham exercised
not just getting saved
I'm glad you're saved
I'm glad you have eternal life
and that you're eternally secure in that
but how about now
you spend the rest of your life
serving God
no matter what God throws at you
and no matter what happens
and no matter how unlikely
the promises of God seem
you just keep believing the promises of God
and you just keep pushing through
because of the Word of God
because of faith
right
you want to be a great man
you want to be a great woman
that's what you have to do
you have to believe the Word of God
everything that it says
and when somebody comes at you and says
oh look look you know
your life's not going the way
that it was supposed to go
God's let you down
you say nope
though he slayed me yet will I trust him
still going
still preaching
still soul winning
still reading the Bible
still keeping the commandments of God
still staying faithful to your spouse
right
still doing what the Bible says
and not listening to the wisdom of this world
that tells you
oh you should be living like these people over here
or these people are
pointing to all these people
who are not following the Bible
right
oh do it this unbiblical way
follow this unbiblical philosophy
do it this way
do your marriage this way
do your child wearing this way
do church this way right
follow all these people
that are not going by what the Bible says
look I know what the Bible says
you know what the Bible says
we have the Holy Spirit of God
we have the written Word of God
we know what the Bible says
and we are going to keep doing it
and it doesn't matter
what happens
we're going to keep going
and everybody else can bail out
and change
and do other things
and give up on it
I'm not going to
I am going to get up
every day
read this book
believe this book
and do what this book says to do
hey how's that working out for you
doesn't matter
you can say the same thing to Abraham
how's that working out for you Abraham
which are zero kids
how's that working out for you Abraham
which are one kid
how's that oh you're still living in a tent
because I'm over here
living in this house over here
I'm in a city over here with well
and Abraham said well I'm looking for a city
I'm looking for a city
in heaven
and I don't need anything fancy on this earth
I'll live in a tent on this earth
because I got a mansion in heaven waiting for me
and so you know this whole
how's that working out for you mentality
you know what here's the thing
first of all I promise you
you live for God
you're going to be better off
in this lifetime
but even in the times when it doesn't seem that way
you got to push through
you got to push through right
Abraham pushed through Isaac pushed through
Jacob pushed through
that's what you got to do
you got to keep going
don't give up
you see you don't you don't just test out
living for God
you don't test out the Christian life like
well I'm going to do it for a year
and see if my life gets better
I'm going to do it for six months
and see if my situation improves
no it's just it's just I'm going to do it for life
and if I lose everything
and if my life just goes completely down the toilet
well you know what then God will just have to explain to me
when he gets there why I did that
but I'm just going to keep believing God
just keep following the Bible
not going to let anyone talk me out of clear scripture
in the Word of God
and so it says in verse number 13
these all died in faith
not having received the promises
you know I mean they didn't even get to see it
in their lifetime in many cases
but yet they believed
they that say such things
verse 14 declare plainly that they seek a country
and truly if they'd been mindful of that country
from whence they came out
they might have had opportunity to have returned
what's the Bible saying don't look back
serve God and don't look back
believe that God is telling the truth
figure out how the Bible says to live your life
get on God's program
live that program
and do not look back
don't stop and think maybe
I could go back to the way things were
maybe I could go back to Egypt
nope it's just forward only
no turning back
the Bible says that if you put your hand to the plow
and you look back where you're not fit for the kingdom of God
there's no looking back
but now they desire a better country verse 16
that is in heavenly
where for God is not ashamed to be called their God
for he has prepared for them a city
so what was Abraham looking for according to verse 10
he looked for a city
and what does the Bible say God prepared for him
at the end of verse 16
for he has prepared for him
a city
right now did he get to see that in his lifetime
no he'd never lived in a city lived in a tent
all the way to the end
but he looked for a city
and God prepared for him a city
okay so
ultimately our reward is going to come after we die
there are many rewards we're going to get on this earth
and God blessed Abraham while he was on this earth
I mean Abraham was blessed
with a lot of good things
and he was a powerful man
he had 318 servants
and you know he had a lot of things going for him in this life
but ultimately what he really wanted most
he didn't really get what he really was after
until after he died
but that's okay
because life is short
it's a vapor that appears for a little time
and the vanishes away
and eternity is long
we're going to have plenty of time to enjoy the rewards
in heaven
after life is over
and so he says
in verse 17 by faith Abraham
so it's interesting in the hall of faith
how we start talking about Abraham in verse 8
and in verse 17 we're still talking about Abraham
we literally talk about Abraham from verse 8
to verse 19
so there's only 40 verses in this chapter
and we talk about a lot of people in this chapter
and yet Abraham just gets this gigantic chunk of the chapter
the biggest chunk of the chapter
because again
his story is one of just incredible faith
against all the odds
you know what does the Bible say in Romans 4
against hope
he believed in hope
even against the odds
even against what appearances are
and so again
we can't stop talking
we're going to talk about faith
it's like we just can't stop talking about Abraham
like just when you think you're done with Abraham
you're like alright who's next
let's go Isaac
nope not done
by faith Abraham
when he was tried offered up Isaac verse 17
and he that had received the promises
offered up his only begotten son
of whom it was said that an Isaac shall thy seed be called
accounting that God was able to raise him up
even from the dead
from whence also he received him in a figure
so
if you read the story in Genesis
Abraham says that I in the lad
will go and worship
and we will come again
so he used the plural
to talk about coming back
so unless Abraham is just lying to his servants
which he wasn't
he is anticipating
that he and Isaac will somehow
both come back alive from this ordeal
which is kind of strange
because what's he being told to do
to kill Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice
but yet he anticipates them both
coming back alive
how is that
well the Bible tells us right here
that he accounted that God was able to raise him up
even from the dead
so
it was revealed to Abraham
and we don't know exactly how much information Abraham had
about the coming Christ
the resurrection
what the symbolizes
we don't know exactly what details were given
but somehow
Abraham believed that even if he literally killed his son
that his son would come back from the dead
and he would come back to life
that he'd be resurrected
and so that's why he's willing
to actually
slay his son
and of course when he takes him up on the altar
he lifts up the knife
above Isaac
and is ready
to plunge it into Isaac
and the angel has to stop him
and it's funny yeah
he says his name twice
like Abraham
Abraham
you know
it's like he has to say it twice
because he's so ready
like if you think about it
it's not like Abraham's just kind of going through the motions
it's like Abraham
oh yeah
huh
yeah
I mean he's like ready
like he was already like on his way
Abraham Abraham
you know oh whoa
and Isaac's like whoa
man that was a close call
and then
he shows him the substitute the ram with its horns
caught in the thicket
in the thorns
and that pictures Jesus
right the crown of thorns
the substitute
and so forth
and it's interesting
because Abraham
tells Isaac
because Isaac says
where's the lamb
and then Abraham
tells Isaac
God will provide himself a lamb
but then what God
actually provides is a ram
and the idea there is
that that the
when he says
God will provide himself a lamb
we're talking about Jesus
the ram
is just kind of a temporary substitute
the real substitute
is still coming the lamb
not the ram
but the lamb of God
which is Jesus
and so he
yeah he believed that
that Isaac could be resurrected
so he actually
is willing to go through with it
and it's interesting
it says in verse 17
that he offered up
his only begotten son
it's it's funny
whenever Christians talk about
this event
if we asked Christians
what is Genesis chapter 22
about this is what every
Christian would say
they would say
what's the offering of Isaac
or the sacrifice of Isaac
which is interesting
because if you ask Jews
about this
they would never say that
Jews would never call
that the offering of Isaac
and sacrifice
all right
what they literally call
it is the binding of Isaac
which is kind of a dumb
name for a story
because it's not really
the most important aspect
of the chapter
the fact that he was tied up
okay
but they call it
the binding of Isaac
it's interesting
how Christians call it
the sacrifice of Isaac
or the offering of Isaac
when in reality
did he actually get sacrificed
did he actually get offered
but it's like Christian
the Christian mentality though
is kind of seeing it
as a real event
because of the fact
that it pictures a real event
Jesus really was sacrificed
Jesus really was offered
and Isaac pictures that
and then Hebrew
is phrased it that way
Abraham offered up
Isaac he offered Isaac
he sacrificed Isaac
because he's ready to do it
he's he's laid him on there
on the altar
he's got him there
and he's ready to go
so Abraham did the offering
he made the sacrifice
but God just spares Isaac's
life just in time
then it moves on
finally to the next story
says in verse 20
by faith Isaac
blessed Jacob and he saw
concerning things to come
so again
in order for Isaac
to give those blessings
to Jacob and he saw
he had to receive
the word of God
believe the word of God
and then preach it to them
pass it on to the next generation
by faith Jacob
but isn't that sad
how little time
Isaac gets in this passage
I mean Abraham
just finished getting
like 12 big verses
and then Isaac gets
like one sentence
he doesn't really
get a lot of time
but hey
just being in the hall
of faith is cool
no matter how many verses
you get
by faith Jacob
when he was a dying
blessed both the sons
of Joseph
and worshiped
leaning upon the top
of his staff
by faith Joseph
when he died
made mention
of the departing
of the children of Israel
and gave commandment
concerning his bones
so again
they're talking about
and thinking about
and believing
the future glory
of Israel
that they're going to come
out of Egypt
that they're going to come
into the promised land
and so forth
says in verse 23
by faith Moses
when he was born
was hid three months
of his parents
because they saw
he was a proper child
and they were not
afraid of the king's
commandment
and again
this is faith on their part
because they're breaking
the law
right they have to break
the law
in order to obey
God's law
in order to obey
righteousness
in order to not
murder their child
right or allow their child
to be killed
they had to hide him
for three months
and it says
that they were not
fearing
sorry they were not
afraid of
the king's commandment
now
here's what's interesting
about this
it says that they
didn't fear
the king's commandment
and then if you look
at verse 27
it says that
when Moses first
took Egypt
he was
not fearing
the wrath of the king
do you see that
says parents
didn't fear
the king's commandment
and then he was
not fearing
the wrath of the king
but at the same
time
if we go back
to the actual story
in Exodus
we see that
Moses actually
was afraid
right because he
you know
he's afraid
about getting caught
which is why
he even
fled Egypt
in the first
so you know
what does this mean
because sometimes
people will look at
stuff like this
and they think
it's a contradiction
but what it really
is just a nuance
because a lot
of times
you know
in one sense
you're afraid
in one sense
you're not afraid
right
let me kind of
give you an example
to help you
understand this
it'd be like
if I for example
you know
um
well I'm
I'm trying to
think of a good example
maybe not necessarily
me
let's just say
someone
okay
let's say
the apostles
in the book of Acts
or something like that
right
and they're being told
hey don't preach
in the name
of Jesus
right and they're
they're being told
that in
in Jerusalem
by the elders
and the scribes
and the chief priest
don't preach
in the name of Jesus
you know
we don't want you
to and they're beating
them
and telling them
to stop
and put them
in prison
doing these different
things
well here's the thing
like
obviously on a human level
if you were
in that situation
and you're getting up
in the temple
and you've been told
not to do this
and you've been told
it's illegal
you're seeing
other people
go into prison
maybe even being killed
you know
remember how
James is one
of the ones
who gets killed
in the book of Acts
one of the apostles
who gets killed
for
for preaching
the gospel
see that happen
and then you just
keep on preaching
I'm sure
I'm certain
that on a human level
you're going
your heart
going to be pounding
a little bit
if you're
doing stuff
that's illegal
you know
you're preaching
and you're not
supposed to be preaching
and look
we could probably
all think about
times in our lives
where
we
preach the gospel
in a situation
where we were afraid
right
so like
maybe we're
nervous
to witness
to someone
but we did it anyway
and I can
I can think of times
when I was literally
trembling
as I witnessed
to someone
where I was literally
shaking
because I was just
nervous
about preaching
the gospel
to someone
I was literally
I could feel
like my teeth
chattering
and myself
shaking
and I'm sure
that some
of you
have probably been there
too
where
you're standing up
for what's right
you're preaching
the gospel
you're doing something
and you're
you're scared
but you're
doing it anyway
okay
and so I think
that that's
what God's
getting at here
is that
if you think
about the apostles
I'm sure
that on a human level
there's a little bit
of fear
because
what does the Bible
say
the Bible says
that they're in the
upper room
with the door shut
why
for fear
of the Jews
so these aren't guys
that are just
never scared
they have all
the door shut
for fear
of the Jews
but then
they go into the temple
and they boldly
preach Christ
anyway
so
were they afraid
did they fear
did they not fear
you know
in one sense
you could say
they feared
because
they're human beings
and they
felt a little scared
on a human level
but on the other
sense
you could say
they're not afraid
because they did it
anyway
okay
so I think that
the moral of the story
is that if
if you're
if you're kind of
afraid to do
the right thing
but then
you do the right thing
in spite of fear
you push through the fear
and do
what's right
anyway
God sees that
as you
not being afraid
because you could even
say it this way
you could say
like
he wasn't afraid
to do what was right
he wasn't afraid
to preach the gospel
the apostles
weren't afraid
to boldly preach
in Acts chapter 5
but does that mean
that they didn't
feel any fear
you see what I'm saying
it's not a contradiction
it's really just
two angles
of looking at
the same thing
I think that
if you're
scared
but you do
the right thing
anyway
because of faith
then
it counts
as you
not being fearful
because you push
because you overcame
the fear
right
and I like
what brother
Hiles said
his brother
Hiles definition of faith
was believing
and doubting
but acting
on the belief
that was his definition
of faith
right
because I don't think
anyone's faith
is perfect
right
you know
we don't just have
perfect faith
where we never doubt
because even
John the Baptist
doubted
you know
different people
throughout the Bible
had doubts at times
and so
we're going to
believe
a promise of God
maybe doubt
and
and oh man
I don't know
I'm a little scared
but you know what
I'm going to fully trust
what God has said
and that's
what I'm going to do
then
that's faith
right
and if you're a little scared
but you overcome
the fear
and
do what's right anyway
then that's considered
fearing not
and I think that's how
you can reconcile
some of these passages
where the Bible
saying in Hebrews 11
oh yeah
they didn't fear
the king's commandment
oh yeah
Moses didn't fear
the wrath of the king
but then you read
the more detailed story
and there
there's some moments
of fear there
there are sometimes
of fear there
same thing with
Romans chapter 4
is talking about Abraham
and Sarah
man they believe God
he staggered not
at the promise of
of God
through unbelief
but was strong in faith
giving glory
you know it's just going on
and on about how powerful
Abraham's faith was
but then you go back
into the detailed story
and Genesis
and aren't there
sometimes when Abraham
expressed a little doubt
and aren't there times
when Sarah
expresses some doubt
and she's kind of
laughing at the idea
of getting pregnant
at 89 years old
she laughs at that
Isaac's name
literally means laughter
because she's laughing
and how silly it is
to think that she's going to
have a kid
when she's 89 years old
and yet the Bible says
by faith
Sarah
also herself
received strength
to conceive seed
and it says
she judged him
faithful who had promised
and I find this really
encouraging
to realize
that these people
that are in the hall of faith
they're not superhuman
they're not robots
they're not machines
that just have just ultimate
perfect faith
all the time
because guess what
they did have some doubts
they were scared
a little bit
but yet God
looks at the big picture
of their life
and says yeah
but he did it
didn't he
he went to the country
he stayed there
he followed me
he served me for decades
he still took Isaac
up that alt
up that mountain
to kill him
and so
yeah he had a few doubts
along the way
so what
they were a little scared
here and there along the way
so what
in general
they feared not
in general
they had faith
and so we as Christians
yeah
we're saved by faith
and we're going to stop there
tonight
but we're saved by faith
right
we
we just believe
that one thing
that Jesus is our savior
we just kind of believe
that one thing
that Jesus died
and was buried
and rose again
and that he's the only way
to heaven right
but is that really
the only thing
that God
expects us to do by faith
for the rest of our lives
that's just the beginning
of a life of faith
after we're saved
we're constantly being asked
by God to do things
the Bible is constantly
telling us to do things
and do more things
and we have to live our life
for decades
of serving God
sometimes
all of the things around us
are just showing us
how true the Bible is
and we're just seeing it
all happen right around us
and then other times
appearances are the opposite
and we're like
wait a minute
this isn't how
the Bible said it would be
I thought my seed
was going to be like the sand
by the seashore
why do I have one kid?
why do I have zero kids?
see what I'm saying?
and so sometimes
we're going to be getting
all these confirmations
of God's word
other times
things are going to seem
hazy
and sometimes
we're going to maybe
feel some fear
but the key is
we overcome the fear
and boldly serve God
we're going to have doubt
we overcome that doubt
and we keep
serving God
and you know what?
I'm sorry but if you
are only going to serve God
when everything is going well
and everything's looking good
and everything's just
plainly right in front of you
and everything around you
is confirming
what you believe
then you know what?
you're probably not going to
last in the long run
because
it's a long life to live
and a lot of people
crash and burn along the way
and then there are the ones
that are still going
five years, 10 years, 20, 30 years
and you know what?
you want to be in Abraham?
you got to go all the way
to the end
and if you can't be
on the trial size
you got to just
have the lifetime supply
that's why I didn't have
a word of prayer
Father we thank you so much
for the Hall of Faith
this great chapter
Hebrews 11 Lord
help us to be inspired
especially by Abraham
but by the other people
mentioned as well
that we would also
overcome doubt
overcome fear
overcome circumstances
and even when
the world makes us doubt
help us
to push through
and remain strong in faith
and make it all the way
to the finish line
and in Jesus' name
we pray amen
amen
alright ladies and gentlemen
let's take our hymnals
please go to hymn 433
hymn number 433
away in the manger
hymn number 433
sing this out with me
together on that first now
hymn number 433
away in the manger
no clip or a bed
the little Lord Jesus
laid down this sweet death
the stars in the sky
look down where He laid
the little Lord Jesus
thought sleep on the hay
the cattle are blowing
the baby awakes
but little Lord Jesus
no crying He makes
my lovely Lord Jesus
look down from the sky
and stay by my cradle
till morning is nigh
be near me Lord Jesus
I ask He to stay
close by me forever
and love me I pray
bless all the dear children
with thy tender care
and take us to heaven
to live with Him there
amen
good thing tonight
we are dismissed
amen