When He Was Called, He Obeyed

December 15, 2019 · Ray · Hebrews

Series · Hebrews · Week 39 of 69

Scripture referenced 20 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

Hebrews 11:1 definition of faith as assurance of things hoped for, conviction of things not seen

1 Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.

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Hebrews 11:7

Noah, warned by God, prepared an ark for salvation of his household

7 By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

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Genesis 15:6

Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness

6 He believed in Yahweh, who credited it to him for righteousness.

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Genesis 11

Abraham told to leave his land and go to a place God would show him

1 The whole earth was of one language and of one speech.

2 As they traveled from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there.

3 They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.

4 They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.”

5 Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built.

6 Yahweh said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do.

7 Come, let’s go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”

8 So Yahweh scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city.

9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of all the earth. From there, Yahweh scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.

10 This is the history of the generations of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old when he became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood.

11 Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

12 Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and became the father of Shelah.

13 Arpachshad lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Shelah, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

14 Shelah lived thirty years, and became the father of Eber.

15 Shelah lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Eber, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

16 Eber lived thirty-four years, and became the father of Peleg.

17 Eber lived four hundred thirty years after he became the father of Peleg, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

18 Peleg lived thirty years, and became the father of Reu.

19 Peleg lived two hundred nine years after he became the father of Reu, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

20 Reu lived thirty-two years, and became the father of Serug.

21 Reu lived two hundred seven years after he became the father of Serug, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

22 Serug lived thirty years, and became the father of Nahor.

23 Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

24 Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and became the father of Terah.

25 Nahor lived one hundred nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

26 Terah lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

27 Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot.

28 Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees.

29 Abram and Nahor married wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran who was also the father of Iscah.

30 Sarai was barren. She had no child.

31 Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife. They went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there.

32 The days of Terah were two hundred five years. Terah died in Haran.

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Genesis 12

Abraham receives promise that the land shown him will be inheritance for his offspring

1 Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.

2 I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treates you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

4 So Abram went, as Yahweh had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

5 Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go into the land of Canaan. They entered into the land of Canaan.

6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time, Canaanites were in the land.

7 Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” He built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.

8 He left from there to go to the mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and called on Yahweh’s name.

9 Abram traveled, still going on toward the South.

10 There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land.

11 When he had come near to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.

12 It will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive.

13 Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”

14 When Abram had come into Egypt, Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.

15 The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

16 He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

17 Yahweh afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.

18 Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?

19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”

20 Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they escorted him away with his wife and all that he had.

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Romans 4:3

Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness

3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

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Galatians 3:6

Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness

6 Even as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.”

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James 2:23

Abraham believed God, reckoned as righteousness, and he was called a friend of God

23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God.

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Acts 7:2-3

Stephen's speech recounting God of glory appearing to Abraham in Mesopotamia, calling him to leave for a land God would show him

2 He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

3 and said to him, ‘Get out of your land, and from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.’

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Hebrews 11:8-10

Abraham obeyed when called, lived as alien in land of promise, looking for city whose architect and builder is God

8 By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.

9 By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

10 For he looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

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Hebrews 11:11

Sarah received ability to conceive because she considered God faithful who had promised

11 By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised.

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Genesis 21:12

God told Abraham not to be distressed, that his descendants would be named through Isaac

12 God said to Abraham, “Don’t let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your servant. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For your offspring will be named through Isaac.

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Hebrews 11:17-19

Abraham offered Isaac, considering God able to raise people from the dead

17 By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son,

18 to whom it was said, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac”;

19 concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.

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Hebrews 11:20

Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau regarding things to come

20 By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.

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Hebrews 11:21

Jacob as he was dying blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped leaning on his staff

21 By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

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Hebrews 11:22

Joseph when dying made mention of the Exodus and gave orders concerning his bones

22 By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave instructions concerning his bones.

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Genesis 50:24-25

Joseph told his brothers God would bring them up from Egypt and made them swear to carry his bones

24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am dying, but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

25 Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”

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Exodus 13:17-19

God led Israel by the wilderness way and Moses took the bones of Joseph with him

17 When Pharaoh had let the people go, God didn’t lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt”;

18 but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.

19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.”

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Joshua 24:15

choose this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord

15 If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”

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Luke 2:8-11

Advent reading: angel appearing to shepherds announcing good news of great joy, a Savior born in the town of David

8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.

9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.

11 For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

Ray continued First B's walk through Hebrews 11, moving through the Hall of Faith section that names specific men and women who believed God and acted on that belief. He worked through seven examples, Abel through Joseph, noting what each one did, and what came of it. The recurring point was that none of them received the full promise in their lifetime, yet their faith was counted as righteousness and God was not ashamed to be called their God.

What was said

Ray opened by returning briefly to the three examples covered the previous week. Abel offered the first of his flock and was murdered for it. Enoch walked with God and was taken up. Noah built an ark that saved his household and, by the same act, condemned everyone who had refused to listen through a hundred years of preaching. The outcomes were wildly different, but the character of each was the same: they acted on what God said before they could see how it would end.

Abraham is the fourth example, and Ray lingered on the simplicity of what Hebrews says about him: when he was called, he obeyed. He went out not knowing where he was going, lived as a stranger in the land he had been promised, never owned it, and never stopped moving toward what Ray called "God City," the city whose architect and builder is God. The New Testament returns to Abraham repeatedly, Ray noted, because the core of his story is that he believed God, and that belief was credited to him as righteousness. Paul and James both quote the same Genesis line, and James adds that Abraham was called a friend of God.

Sarah comes in with an emphatic "even Sarah herself," and Ray acknowledged that most people probably remember her laughing when told she would conceive. What Hebrews focuses on is what came after the laughter: she considered God faithful who had promised. Ray returned to something he had said the week before, that the subjective faith each person holds matters far less than where that faith is placed. Sarah placed hers in the faithfulness of God, and the result was a son born to a man Ray described as "as good as dead" at his age, and from that son an innumerable number of descendants, just as God had said.

The testing of Abraham, where he offered up Isaac, is the hardest part of the passage to preach, Ray admitted. He pointed out that God was foreshadowing something about himself in that test, and that Abraham went through with the offering because he had reasoned that God was able to raise people from the dead. He had no resurrection stories to draw on. He had no examples. He simply believed that God, having said the line of promise would run through Isaac, would find a way to keep that promise. In that sense Isaac came back to him as a type, offered and then received back.

Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph are handled more briefly. Isaac blessed his sons regarding things to come. Jacob, Israel himself, blessed each of Joseph's sons while leaning on his staff while he was dying, still walking. Joseph, near the end of his life in Egypt, made the sons of Israel swear to carry his bones out when God brought them back to the promised land. Ray read the passage from Genesis where Joseph said it, and then the passage from Exodus where Moses actually took the bones with him, and then the note in Joshua that they were finally buried at Shechem. Joseph prophesied God's favor in the Exodus before anyone knew the Exodus was going to happen.

Ray drew the list together by sitting with the outcomes. Some were prosperous in earthly terms. Some were not. All of them died without having received the full promise. He said the original readers of Hebrews were people suffering persecution for believing in Christ, and the point of this long list was to show them that the life of faith has always looked like this. You believe that God is, that He rewards those who seek Him, and you walk toward that even when you cannot see it yet.

Doing a Bible study?

Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.

Ray said that when we think of the people listed in the Hall of Faith, what often comes to mind first is not their faith but their doubt, their confusion, or even their failures. Which of these figures do you most identify with in that way, and why?
The text says that by faith Abraham 'when he was called, obeyed' before he even knew where he was going. Ray said he would love for it to say 'by faith, Ray, when he was called, obeyed.' Is there an area in your own life right now where God seems to be calling you forward without showing you the destination first?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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0:05 Good morning, everybody. How are you? Good.

0:09 To see you this morning. Would you stand? We'll sing together. Let's warm up to the Lord.

0:20 Alright, angels we've heard on high.

3:00 Think that there are some announcements. There are. Here we go. Monday nights at first b.

3:10 Yep. That's not what we're eating tomorrow. It's actually breakfast for dinner tomorrow. We're gonna be on 06:00 meal, music, message, a topical sermon on joy. And so, please, doors open.

3:24 Come join.

3:25 Alright. And there is tonight. I should mention this first. Tonight. So, we have been printing it in the bulletin.

3:33 I mentioned it quickly last week but there's a chili cook off and caroling that's happening today starting at 04:30. So, 04:30 gathering will send out a delegation different probably couple different trailers going different ways to do caroling around town and then come back together for the chili cook off. So, if you have a chili that you love to make, please make it, bring it and there's a little bit of a competition. This is the seventh annual Buzzard Breath Chili Cook off but the the Christmas caroling that kind of goes along with it. We go to the living center and we do have a good time with that.

4:08 So, that's happening tonight, 04:30, starting 04:30 this evening. Awana is happening tomorrow also, same time as Monday nights at First B. So, 05:45, six right in there up until 07:30. That's great. Good kids club.

4:24 Jackson Hole Men's Alliance are up to Ephesians six. Ephesians six starting this week putting on the full armor of God. Wednesday morning, 6AM. We had a good time last Wednesday morning at six. That's coming.

4:36 There's a discovery class but if you've seen my office, normally, we do the discovery class in my office between services If you want more information about the church, really it's just kind of sit down and talk about it. If you want to do that, we cannot do it in my office. We'll figure out where it is. See me afterwards if you want to do the discovery class and we'll we might do it right here on this stage because my office Christmas has already happened in my office. It looks like a bomb blew up in there but it's not going to be in there but there's a discovery class usually the third Sunday of the month and we'll schedule one if you want to do it apart from that.

5:10 Snowmobile snowmobile It's easy for me to say. Snowmobile retreat is happening January 24 through the twenty sixth. Kyle Knutson, I believe has more information on it but schedule that. If you want to go, go ahead and mark that off in your calendars. Alright.

5:29 Old Faithful Christian Ranch, Island Park, something that we know where it is and how to do it. So, that's this is a fun time. That's a really really good time. It's not just for snowmobiling. People go and cross country ski and we've had people do all kinds of different outdoor activities up there.

5:46 So, it's fun. Snowmobile retreat is happening January 24 through the twenty sixth. The Angel Tree, there are fresh tags out there. If you would like to take for needy families, there are more tags on the tree this morning. If you'd like to, you're welcome to do that.

6:02 Angel Tree Tags. If there are any announcements that I've forgotten and there are almost certainly are. It's a it's a whirling time in the life of the church this Christmas season. So, if there's anything else, if you want to keep up with everything, it's written in the paper bulletin that you're handed on the way in or you can grab one on the way out. Is there something I forgot?

6:22 Yes, there is one. I knew there was one that wasn't coming up. Katie Davis. So, first of all, I want to stop right here and say before Katie, Bailey Morley has been our three court for the last few years and she has done a great job but she is stepping back and Katie is stepping in. Now, go.

6:43 Okay.

6:44 Is this on? Okay. Yeah. Woah. That's on.

6:46 Okay. So, hi, everyone. Thank you for that introduction, pastor Ray. I'm Katie Davis. I've been a part of this church community for seven years and prior to that, a visiting member, because my parents have been going here for a long time.

7:01 But we have a need in this church that we are asking and seeking, pleading all of you to to find it in your hearts to volunteer every now and again, to come and help out in the nursery ministry. We would love to be able to allow our moms and dads to be able to sit in the church service and listen to the the message that pastor Ray is delivering because currently what we have is about every three weeks, parents are not able to listen to the message and are in the nursery or somewhere else. We have a lot of young families who are volunteering for connect hour, for Sunday school, and they're just everywhere. We're asking you if you are not plugged in to please pray about it, think about it. I will be at the back of the church in between services.

7:57 So please come meet with you meet with me if you have a heart for children or just want to be able to support the church in this way. We would love to have you and yeah. So, thanks.

8:10 Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you, Katie. If there's something else, I knew that I was going to forget that one. Sorry about if anything else that should be in that paper bulletin.

8:19 Let me see. Any hand? Have I forgotten? Suggestions? Recommendations.

8:24 Alright. If y'all would stand and greet one another, we will bring you back together with a happy Christmas number.

9:34 We're going to

9:35 sing a heart of heraldings sing.

12:13 Let me pray on that. May I? Lord, truly, when we sing those songs, they are so true. Light and life to all you bring. Truly, mild, you lay your glory by.

12:24 Born that we wouldn't die by putting our faith and trust in you. Thank you for being light and life and love. Lord, we offer our our hearts to you, our attention, our allegiance. And, Lord, would you fill us with your spirit and your truth today? In Jesus' name.

12:41 Amen.

13:03 Say Jesus Christ is born today. Ox and lamb before him bow, and he is in a manger

14:57 Let's sing worthy is.

15:02 Worthy of every song we could ever sing. We live for you. Jesus, the name above every other name. Jesus, the only one who could ever say. Worthy of the only bread we could ever breathe.

16:45 Around me.

16:49 And sing, I will build my life.

18:59 Amen. Y'all can have a seat Frontline team's already coming forward God, in this season, we are reminded over and over of your stepping into time and space that you spoken to be in God, it's amazing that Jesus left the glories of heaven and left his place to come and to walk on this Earth to to be nurtured as a child just as we are to be tempted in every way just as we are lord but to walk without sin and the power of the Holy Spirit to bow and submit to you. God, I'm I'm overwhelmed by overwhelmed by the season, overwhelmed by the the light and the life and the joy that he brings And so Lord, I I pray that you would use this body here gathered, the ones that are here, Lord, that you'd use us as your witnesses and your representatives, Lord, that through our lives and through our humble devotion to you, our God, that we would believe you and we would act on that belief lord but that that we might be a way of transmitting this gospel forward. Use us lord in any way you see fit. Pray for the offering that is this time of the service where we give back a portion of what you've given to us.

20:21 Lord, I pray that you'd take this and that you'd bless it and you'd bless it to do your will and your way. From here forward to the uttermost parts of the earth. God, we bow and are humble before you. Amen.

22:08 Like a shepherd so scared, I'll rejoice and declare that hope was born this night. Glory to God in the highest. To God in the high years. Peace on earth, glory to men. Let all of the world sing the chorus of joy because hope was born is not.

23:32 Let's sing glory.

24:09 Amen. And we're going to do the Advent reading. So, family would come forward to do the Advent reading. Steve, Susie, balled up.

24:33 There you go. Thanks, Ray. On this third Sunday in Advent, the candle of joy is lit. Jesus came to give us fullness of joy and abundant life. Joy is ours because of Jesus.

24:47 His presence brings the promise of joy.

24:55 Luke two verses eight through 11 says, and there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shown around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today, in the town of David, a savior has been born to you.

25:19 He is Christ the Lord.

25:28 Thank you. And now, it's time for children's church. There's the cattle feed. Are y'all running like crazy this week? Is everybody running around like crazy?

25:42 Is it just me? It's just me. After after that calms down just a little bit, they're going down to have fun. Yeah. They're they're big sections.

25:58 When that happens, it's like Swiss cheese. If you're sitting in the back and you want to fill in one of these holes, you're welcome to do that. There are a lot of holes upfront. The kids don't mind sitting upfront. I don't scare them as bad as I scare y'all.

26:13 Can we just take a little bit? I don't know exactly how long but just a little bit just to center Deep breath Amen. Thank you. We are continuing forward in our chronological study of Hebrews of of the New Testament really. We've been doing this for six and a half years.

26:52 It's not a surprise. I usually do break off a couple of times a year. One of those being Christmas and one of those being Easter. So, next week, you can expect a Christmas sermon. It won't be me trying to fit Hebrews into being a Christmas sermon.

27:06 Although, it's a great one. It's a fantastic one. What lifts Jesus higher than the book of Hebrews? I can't think of anything else but we're going to go forward in the hall of faith and in a way, this week is is kind of like walking in deep snow. I I would say mud in in my hometown but it's like walking in deep snow.

27:26 We're post hole in a little bit here because there's a lot in this little section of specific examples and you think of these people that are listed in the Hall of Faith and the things that come to your mind are not always their faith. Sometimes it's their doubt. Sometimes it's their confusion. Sometimes it's lying. Sometimes it's laughing.

27:46 Sometimes, it's different things but their faith is is what characterized them and made them friends with God and so we're going to go forward in the hall of faith and hopefully, it'll be an encourage this week. Next week, we'll get the Christmas message there. I started a few weeks back in Hebrews 11 and I just did the outside edges. So, they're just the bread on the sandwich. It's the first couple of verses and the last couple.

28:11 The first couple is right here. Now, is the assurance of things hoped for. Your translation may say, evidence of things hoped for or guarantee. It is going to happen. Faith is the assurance of things that are hoped for, the conviction of things not seen or better stated not yet seen.

28:32 It's it's going to happen. Though it tarries, wait for it. Faith is assurance of things hoped for, the essence of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it, the ancients gained approval and this is kind of starting off a list that we started last week. We covered just three examples last week and we'll hit those briefly again So, the three specific examples in the two general statements from last week, Abel, that is early on.

29:00 This is the just the the kid of Adam and Eve, right? Abel offered of the first of his flock and his outcome for that act of faith. By faith, he offered the first of his flock and for that, he was murdered Woah, that's not a prosperity gospel sermon right there, is it? Next one, Enoch he walked with God is what it says. There's not a whole lot about Enoch in the Old Testament in Genesis.

29:28 It says, Enoch walked with God and he was taken up. That's that's what Enoch was not and for God took him up. It says that. So, we covered that. He was taken up.

29:39 That's a very different outcome and then, Noah Noah would know better than two because there's certainly a lot more written about him. He prepared an ark. God warned him and he prepared an ark and that meant the salvation of his household and probably the point that came back to me most this last week is it also meant the condemnation of the world. The rest, those who did not act out of faith. Now, he'd been preaching for a hundred years.

30:06 He'd been telling people what God had said but they weren't listening. They weren't having it. They continued. So, Noah prepared an ark meant the salvation of his household. So, beyond that, by faith, Noah haven't been warned about by God about things not yet seen.

30:23 Faith is assurance of things hoped for, things not yet seen, right? Being warned by God about things not yet seen, having been moved by reverence, he prepared an ark for the salvation of his household by which he condemned the world and he became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. That becoming an heir of the righteousness of God. It's according to faith. The New Testament picks up on this idea over and over.

30:49 As we go forward in this section of Hebrews, we'll see it again and by faith, Abraham. So, this is our specific example number four. Wow. That thing's jumping. Specific example number four.

31:03 Abraham. Y'all know Abraham. We've heard a lot about Abraham. This simply says and I love this statement. I'd I'd like for it to say, by faith, Ray, when he was called obeyed, you know?

31:14 By faith, Abraham, when he was called obeyed. Oh, that's beautiful. It goes on, but I can put him on our specific example board here. When he was called, he obeyed. That's wonderful.

31:28 Now, the Old Testament reference for that, Genesis fifteen six says, then he believed in the Lord and he reckoned it to him as righteousness. Actually, it goes further back but when actually, it gets way further back. When he told him to leave the land that you know and go to a place I'll show you Genesis 11, He started going right then. Genesis 12, he gets a promise that the land that he shows him will be an inheritance for his offspring. It's an old man already and then after that, then he's included in the promise and he was already walking, right?

32:04 When he was called, obeyed. And then two chapters later, then he believed in the Lord and he reckoned it to him as righteousness. This is after a lot of his life but this is the one the New Testament most picks up on. That's why I included this. New Testament references.

32:23 What does scripture say in Romans four three? Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Galatians three six says, even so, Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. We don't have any righteousness of our own. Does that make any sense?

32:44 We don't have any righteousness of our own. All human righteousness is either self righteousness which is not righteousness at all or it is derived from God. He imputes to us the righteousness of Christ. Abraham was looking forward to the provision God would make. We have to look back to the provision he made but believing God is very very important.

33:07 Galatians mentions, even so, Abraham believed God. It was reckoned to him as righteousness. James two twenty three. So, so far, we got two from Paul, one from James here and the scripture was fulfilled which says and Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness and he was called a friend of God. Oh, what a nice thing to be called.

33:27 That's that comes up in Chronicles. It comes up a couple of other places. That Abraham was a friend of God. Acts seven twenty three Oh, Steven's speech. I mentioned that this Paul of faith is not a new thing in scripture.

33:43 We get a repetition of some of the great heroes of the faith and heroines of the faith from the past. This one has more heroines than most of the other list but and he said, this is Steven speaking Steven's opening lines of his speech or probably better put his defense when he was dragged out for his belief in Jesus and he was speaking before the Pharisees who are ready to stone him. Oh boy. And he said, hear me brethren and fathers the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran and said to him, leave your country and your relatives and come into the land that I will show you and he did When he was called, he obeyed. That's what the text says I might give you all another minute of silence if this thing keeps on not doing what it's supposed to do I'm sure it'd be good Okay.

34:46 There we go. By faith, Abraham when he was called obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance and he went out not knowing where he was going and he went out not knowing it was going to be his inheritance He just went out because God said, go By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise He never had a fixed house, never owned anything there. He did purchase a piece, a funeral plot for his wife. He never owned any. By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise as in a foreign land dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob.

35:34 His son and grandson fellow heirs of that same promise for he was looking for the city which has foundation whose architect and builder is God. He was looking for the city of God He was going to the place that God said. That's why he calls it God City. It was he was the designer. He was the one and that's where Abraham was looking was towards that.

35:58 So, Abraham got a lot of stuff here. When he was called, he obeyed in the New Testament. It makes it obvious in Genesis 15, it makes it obvious. He believed God. That's an act that demonstrates faith.

36:09 He lived as an alien in the land. That's not always comfortable or easy. I've done it. But he was looking forward to God city The outcome not listed right here. In fact, we go to our specific example that's next by faith.

36:24 Even Sarah herself and that emphatic Even Sarah herself Listen to this. Even Sarah herself specific example number five received ability to conceive even beyond the proper time of life. Laughable time of life apparently because both Abraham and Sarah left. She's her outcome is listed but so far it doesn't list what her act that demonstrated faith was and most of us, like I said, would probably remember her laughing about this to begin with When God said this was going to happen but she miraculously received the ability to conceive and from here, it does say what she did. She considered him faithful who had promised.

37:07 Ain't that beautiful too? God made a promise and she after having initially laughed, considered him faithful. He's God. What I last week said several times, your subjective faith that you have, your faith that you are given by God, Where you place that faith makes all of the difference in your life and in the life of others around you too but your faith needs to be placed in the faithfulness of God. This says that's what Sarah did.

37:40 She considered him faithful who had promised and she received the ability to conceive. So, there it is. She considered him faithful who promised Therefore, because she considered him faithful, because she trusted by faith, Sarah herself, and by faith, Abraham, believe God. Therefore, there was born even of one man and him as good as dead at that. He's an old, old man.

38:08 As many descendants as the stars of the heaven in number and innumerable as the sandwiches by the seashore Sorry. Sorry. Just in case you didn't catch it the first time. There we go. He came, he became the father of a new an innumerable number and that was the promise that God had given him.

38:32 That's what was going to happen and that happened because he believed God by faith. He acted on that belief Indeed, if they, that's both of them, Abraham and Sarah, if they had been thinking about that country from which they went out and homesickness is real too, you know? Especially when you're living in a zalien in a tent and a stranger out amongst people, different people. They don't believe the same way you do. They don't talk the same way you do.

39:03 If they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they they had opportunity to return. They they walked there. They could've walked back. My my dad always says, same highway that took you out there can bring you home I said, or it could bring you all out here but as it is, they desired a better country That is a heavenly one Therefore they were looking forward to that city with foundations, architect, builders, God. Therefore, God's not ashamed to be called their God.

39:42 Yeah, they messed up here and there. Abraham treachery takes up a whole chapter Not ashamed to be called their God for he's prepared a city for them They're not perfect but they did look to him in faith. God was not ashamed That's the outcome of that. That's a beautiful outcome Abraham your friend in Chronicles and Abraham It's called a friend of God in James So, where is, if you wonder where all the Abraham stuff, I can't read every bit of it. It's a lot.

40:13 So, Abraham eleven twenty six of Genesis mentions his birth. That's just like in the in the normal begats kind of thing and then it hits Abraham and then it goes off into the story of his life for several chapters 12 through 24 is the story line of his life and some of his relatives and then Genesis 25, Abraham dies and it picks up with our next hero that we're going to hit. Isaac but here we go. By faith, Abraham. Now, I know some people have a real hard time with this part and I do too preaching it is hard because this is about Abraham and Isaac and him offering Isaac or being willing to offer Isaac and there are a lot of people say, oh no god that would ever ask that of anyone.

40:58 Well, God did that himself He was foreshadowing that in this very test of Abraham. He's testing him. He never intend for Isaac to die but he did intend for Abraham to trust him. This is after, by the way, Abraham's treachery where he walks away for his own personal gain. God is testing him and this says, by faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered.

41:27 Oh, the the verb verb tense right there says, he did what was required. He offered him. Now, no, he did not slay him on the altar with the knife, burn whatever. He didn't do that but he offered him and then immediately it turned around. He had for he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son and he knew actually, let me go on.

41:51 It was he, that's Abraham. It was Abraham to whom it was said and then shall be called. So, he knew and had trust that eventually the innumerable number would come out of Isaac. God said to Abraham, Genesis twenty one twelve, do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid Whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her. Isaac, your descendant shall be named.

42:18 He knew what that meant. It's going be through Isaac. Our God is saying, I want for you to offer up Isaac. And I and so he, that again is Abraham. He consider that God because God is God and he's almighty God and he consider that God is able to raise people even from the dead.

42:39 That's faith At this time, it didn't have Jesus as the example of didn't have Lazarus as the example of the resurrection. He didn't have some of those that the prophets raised from dead. Didn't have Peter's didn't have little girl. There, he didn't have any examples of that but he still considered that God was able. To raise people even from the dead and from which he also received him back as a type.

43:08 So, he is Abraham and the him there is Isaac Abraham offered him up and then he did not have to give him up In a sense, he was resurrected He was as good as dead in that he was offered and on the path carrying the wood that he was going to be sacrificed with. And then by faith Isaac his daddy was a man of faith He believed God. He listened and by faith Isaac, I love to see that. There's not a whole lot about Isaac mentioned right here. He specific example number seven Blessed Jacob and Esau.

43:47 We know the story. You can look it up if you want to. That's kind of a long story. It's a little complicated There was tons of Jewish myth around the story and the writer of Hebrews is writing the first century Jewish background folks and so they knew all of the different history of and and the different things that have been added scripture, the legend, and whatnot about Jacob and Esau. This keeps it pretty short.

44:09 By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau even regard things to come and so he blessed his son's future. He did bless both but Jacob received the birthright. So, the line goes through Jacob even though Esau was slightly older. By faith, I bless Jacob and Esau even regarding things to come. So, how that turn out?

44:34 Well, for Jacob, it turned out pretty good. For Esau and spoke not as good. But that's not what the story is about. I think we can just go with he died. Isaac died.

44:48 By faith, Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped. I mean, Jacob is Israel, right? He's got the 12 tribes of Israel but by faith, Jacob as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and he worship Leaning on the top of his staff, that leaning on the top of his staff, they were no Travelers, That's his walking stick Still walking By faith, Jacob as he was dying, he blessed each of the sons of Joseph and he worshiped Amen. These are the considered the patriots. If you're looking back in any kind of a Christian history or Jewish history, these are the patriarchs.

45:32 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. How many times in the Bible does it say I'm the God or it says, the God of Isaac, and Jacob. God himself mentions it twice from the mouth of God. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. What a beautiful thing to be his friend and for him not to be ashamed By faith, Jacob as he was done, blessed each of the sons So, Jacob blessed his grandsons.

45:56 That was Joseph's sons that he blessed and then he died. So, by faith, Joseph and there's tons of stuff about Joseph in the Bible too. That's a that's a good study that eventually we're going to get to. By faith, Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the Exodus. Joseph went into Egypt and became a second command in Egypt and was in prison.

46:20 He had all kinds of stories about Joseph. But what this one mentions is when he was dying, he made mention of the Exodus, the sons of Israel and he gave orders concerning his bones That's that seems kind of odd for us, I think but you know, when people want want their ashes spread in a certain place, they tell us and we try to do exactly what they've, you know, so this was what he thought but that that land, that promised land even though they always were nomads and strangers and had not received the promise That promised land was for a later time and Joseph still had forward looking faith and was going towards that even at death when he was dying. He made mention of the Exodus that they would eventually get out of that land of Egypt So, Joseph lots of stuff I could say but y'all can look that up too. Here's what what this passage refers to is in Genesis 50 and Joseph said to his brothers, I'm about to die But God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land. To the land which he promised on oath to Abraham and and Abraham believed God and he passed it down to Isaac.

47:36 He passed it down to Jacob and he passed it down to Joseph. He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob and then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear saying, God will surely take care of you and you shall carry my bones up from here. Yeah. So, fast forward just a little bit to the Exodus. In Exodus 13 God is leading the people.

48:00 Now, when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philist even though it was near the easy way Ain't that true? God does not always lead in the easy way Even though it was near, for God said, the people might change their minds when they see war and return back to Egypt and hence, God led the people around by the way of the wilder to the Red Sea and the sons of Israel went up in a martial array from the land of Egypt and Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. For he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear saying, God will surely take care of you and you shall carry my bones from here with you. Remember Joshua speech that Moses didn't get to go into that promise land. Moses is the next of our specific examples.

48:45 We're going to hit but we're going to do that after Christmas, okay? But Joshua 24, the choose this day whom you will serve speech. Remember that speech? You probably remember that part of that speech. That's the Gorbachev tear down this wall sort of moment.

49:01 Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve whether the gods which your father serves which were beyond the river or the gods of the Amorites and whose land you're now living but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord That's the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob Now, they buried the bones of Joseph, took his bones away with him from Egypt which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt at Shekem in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamer and father Shekem for 100 pieces blah blah blah. That was it. They followed through on his wishes and they did that by faith. Bringing those bones with him. Told him that God was going to be with him.

49:40 Surely, God will take care of you. So, lots of stuff. He prophesied God's favor in the Exodus before they even knew that the Exodus was going to be a thing. Gave plans for his bones to be carried along and he died. So, father of an innumerable number sounds like a good outcome and miraculously conceiving in old age and able to able to nurture and take care of Isaac was a huge blessing for Sarah and Abraham.

50:10 Isaac, Jacob, died, died, died Joseph died There's our list so far. These are specific examples. Like I said, we're postholding through snow. There's going to be something pretty at the end of this but we have done what we came to do this morning. Alright Looking at the faith of these is really helpful.

50:29 And looking at the outcome, that's what stuck with me more than anything. You don't know Earth's Earthbound. You don't know what the outcome is gonna be. It might be prosperity. It was for some of them.

50:39 Or it might be not good in earthly terms. But by faith, the point of this whole passage is they did not receive the promise but but it's come. So, let's stick with this. Imma go back to it a couple more times I know of. Without faith, it's impossible to please him but each of us has been given a measure of faith and you're choosing every day where to place that.

51:07 If you place it in God I I I'm hesitant to say. It will go well for you. It will eventually go well for you. The list is showing to people in the first century who are suffering from persecution for believing in Christ that he is the way, he is the truth, he is the life, and he is worth it. He's worth the persecution you're going through.

51:42 All of these died without having received the promise. This is not something this life that you're you're seeking to live after Christ, you believe that God is and that he's a rewarder of those who seek him. If you're not seeing it right now, you have to live out of faith and not sight. You have to. You can't just say, well, to me, the thing that makes the most sense is to do blah.

52:14 Because it's not always the most sense. Leaving the land that your father has all his flocks and land and everything else. That that didn't make the most sense for Abraham. What made the most sense in the earthly sense was the opposite of what God wanted him to do and his major testimony of faith is that when he was called, he obeyed even though it didn't make sense. Without faith, it's impossible to please him for he who comes to God must believe that he is and he's a reward of those who seek him.

52:46 I asked last week is, do you believe that God is and are you seeking him? Are you looking for that city where the foundations architect and builder is God? Are you looking forward to what God has for you there but in the meantime, while we're here, doing all you can to please him and walk with him and be his friend. I think that's where we're going end. Carl, would you bring the band on back up and if y'all would like to come forward, I'll stop playing the bass and I'll turn off my microphone if you want to talk but I'm also available.

53:26 I'm here. We are busy This is what we do. Okay. This is a moving moving passage for me Is the microphone off? Does anybody have a testimony?

53:40 Okay. When you made that microphone symbol to me, maybe it was an ice cream cone. I don't know what you were saying. I don't speak sign language very well. But would y'all stand with us and we're going to sing

53:55 God rest you merry.

53:56 God rest you merry, gentle

54:48 From God our heavenly father, this blessed angel came and unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same. How about in Bethlehem was born the sun of God by name. Oh, tidings of comfort and joy. Comfort and joy. Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

55:23 And I'll to the Lord sing praises all you within this place. And with true love and brotherhood, each other now embrace this holy tide of Christmas all others stop this face. Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy. Oh, tidings of comfort and joy

56:04 Amen. Blake, thank you Blake does the benediction a lot of Sundays and this is perfect Now, may the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ perseverance by faith. Lord, I pray that we would walk this week in a way that would show your love and your light and as this is the Advent Sunday of Joy. I pray lord that that would be apparent on on our faces. It would have joy in the journey.

56:34 Amen.

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