0:00
Well, are you busy? That's what I am, right? That's what that's what we've been very very busy in this season. Would you stand with us and we're going to sing some some good Chris Christmas songs. Hymn number two seventy eight, angels.
0:14
We have heard on high to begin with. So, if you would, sing it out. NX Chelsea's Deo.
0:31
Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o'er the plains and the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains shepherds why this you believe why your joyous strains prolong say what may the tidings be which inspire your heavenly song
3:24
Amen. Are your vocal cords awake? That's a exercise, isn't it? Oh come all you faithful. Right across the page.
3:32
No, it's hymn number two forty nine. Sorry, two forty nine.
3:43
All you faithful joyful and triumphant oh come
5:10
on the last Amen. Y'all can have a seat. Love it. Beautiful. Psalms, there are few announcements this morning but one of Monday nights at first B.
6:07
Why are there potatoes in that pot? I don't even know. It's probably remind me that it's meal music and a message. It's not not as festive as I'm sure the message is going to be. Carl, what's the message going to be?
6:19
Alright.
6:23
Fantastic.
6:28
Breakfast for supper, and we are doing the chili cook off. I was gonna say don't let me forget this. Chili cook off tonight. So tonight, this is tonight. Marcus Mark, back there.
6:46
Okay. Alright. Okay. No trailers this year. Walking for Christmas caroling, which is good, and the chili cook off will be afterwards, come back here to warm up and have chili and hot chocolate, right?
7:09
Yep. Perfect. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mark. So Monday nights at first be oh, joy.
7:21
This is what I was thinking about. It's the third Sunday in Advent. If I try to get y'all to stand up and shake hands before we do Advent, somebody stop me, okay? Anything outside of the normal pattern of this throws me. So that's that's happening today, but there's no slide to say so for me.
7:36
So we are still doing Awana every night right here, every Monday night right here in this room. There's a game circle still down. We pour into the kids and what we pour into em is scripture. It changes kids lives because the power of God through his word is amazing. That's what transforms.
7:56
The power unto salvation for all who believe and it is something. So, the kids are meeting tomorrow night, same time as Monday night. They start about 05:45. Sign up and then go to 07:30. The Jackson Hole Men's Alliance formerly men's fraternity is meeting on Wednesday mornings at 6AM and I know that they're up to Ephesians six ten this week because I did last week and we got up to Ephesians six ten last week.
8:22
They're starting with finally then be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power and then put on the full armor of God. That's a good one. 6AM, Wednesday morning in the fellowship hall. That's we call it the alliance because it's not just a first B thing. It's a community wide thing.
8:38
Nice full room the other morning. Discovery class usually happens on the third Sunday of each month. Third Sunday of each month. It usually happens in my office. If you've seen my Christmassy office, it is not happening in my office probably until after the first of the year but it's still happening.
8:54
If you want to know more about joining the church, if you want to be a member and you've been coming for a while, just talk to me afterwards and we'll do an impromptu discovery class wherever we are and we can sit down. Usually, that's the third Sunday of the month, the third Sunday of the month in my office, but it was not there today. I did one in the fellowship hall instead. Snowmobile retreat. The snowmobile retreat is January 24 through the twenty sixth.
9:17
You do not have to ride that particular model, but that they're gonna do that at Old Faithful Christian Ranch in Island Park, Idaho. We have been going for for a lot of years now, and it's a great, great, great time. It's a men's snowmobile treat. There are some folks who take cross country skis and other people take their snowboards and get somebody to drag them to the top of a mountain on the back and and ski down. To me that's crazy, but that's just me.
9:47
But the snowmobile retreat is kind of a misnomer. It's it's a retreat really, but snowmobiles, about half the people do snowmobile and other people do other stuff. It's a lot of fun. Angel Tree, you might have noticed coming in, there are fresh new tags on the tree. Tanya has been taking in and processing those families through and so there are tags on the Angel Tree and on the two boards outside of these pillars right here.
10:12
If you want to grab a tag or two and you wanna help out with a family in need, you're welcome to do that. Thank you for doing that. And the announcements. If I have forgotten anything, and that's not including because I announced that already. Okay?
10:26
But if I've forgotten anything, it'll be in your paper bulletin. We still do those paper bulletins because it's easiest to take that home, put it on the refrigerator, and you know everything that's going on that week. I can't possibly tell at all. Okay. Anything else?
10:42
Katie Davis this morning asked, she is going to be taking over as a nursery coordinator. Bailey has done a great job. Bailey Morley has done a great job. She is doing all she can to keep up with her, Devin Rose, right now, and so she is stepping back from being nursery coordinator, and Kimberly and Bruce App's daughter Katie Davis is taking over as a nursery coordinator, and she asked in the first service this morning a very general call for anybody who'd like to volunteer in the nursery, please, please, please let us know because it's a huge blessing to the parents of kids who are trying to keep up with them all week long to have that hour on Sunday where they just can pay attention to an adult saying something, Right? So if we can bless them in that way.
11:26
So that's for out there. I would volunteer, but I got something going on. Really. But they're down to just a three week rotation, and we'd really rather have it like a six or a seven week rotation so that once in a while you go down and you do the duty, but the rest of the time, and there's Jeff right there. Hey, Jeff.
11:45
There's Katie right there. I'm doing thought you were gone. Thank you very much. So that's Katie Davis, and that's who you need to see. She's waving her hand right there.
11:56
She is going to be coordinating nursery volunteers in the coming year, so thank you. Appreciate it. I just didn't see you. Thank you. And I'm gonna invite up our family for the Advent reading for this, the third Sunday in Advent.
12:12
Here we go. Richards.
12:33
Okay. 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. His presence brings the promise of joy.
12:49
Luke two eight two eleven 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.
13:13
He is Christ the Lord.
13:16
Thank you and y'all can stand now and greet one another.
13:40
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by yet in thy dark street shineth the everlasting life for Christ is born of and gathered all while angels keep their watch of wandering love morning stars together and praises sing to God the king and peace to how silently how the dear Christ saint their great glad tidings tell oh come to us abide with us
16:00
Amen. A lot of times in the church I grew up and we always skip the third verse of every song. It was, we just skip the third verse and I got overwhelmed that I missed the first part of the fourth verse. Listen to this. It's the no ear may hear his coming.
16:14
On that first advent, no ear may hear his coming. But in this world of sin where meek souls will receive him still, the deal, dear Christ enters in. That is beautiful. Oh, hidden treasures. No third third verses.
16:30
What child is this? We'll go forward into what child is this. Hymn number two eighty one.
16:42
What child is this who lay to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping angels the king whom shepherds God and angels sing haste haste to bring him lord the babe the son of Mary while I see in such meanest state where us and good whom shepherds guard and angels sing haste haste to bring him lord the babe the son so bring him incense gold and compassion king to own him the king of kings salvation brings let loving hearts in this is Christ the king whom shepherds guard and angels sing haste to bring him love the babe the son Amen.
18:50
Y'all can have a seat But the frontline team to come forward and would you pray with me? God is, in this season, we are often thinking of Christ's coming to Earth the first time and lord, I I think of his second advent, his second coming, and looking forward to that, lord and you've given us a task. You've you've given us your love. Obviously, you've given us joy in the journey but you've given us a task, lord, and it is to spread that love and spread that way through your good gospel, the gospel that Christ came and walked among us. He was tempted in every way just as we're tempted but he was without sin that he is the only one who is worthy to make a sacrifice and he made it.
19:41
The gospels, the power unto salvation for all who believe but there are tongues who have not heard. Lord, would you use us, your willing and obedient servants, the ones who have your love and have your joy to spread that love and joy and your word to the very ends of the earth. May it start right here in each heart that's here and every family that they represent and permeate lord to the very ends of the earth. May we carry your word forward. Lord, would you use these tithes and offerings that we put in these plates?
20:12
Would you bless and multiply them to do your kingdom's work and we come before you lord as your humble servants seeking after you. Amen.
20:36
The stars are brightly it is the night of the dear savior's bird lay the world in sin and ever binding till he appeared and the soul felt its the thrill of hope the weary world rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious Truly he taught us to love one another his law is love and his gospel is peace chains shall he break for the slave is our brother and in his name all the precious sweet hymns of joy and grateful chorus raise we let all within us ever praise we his power glory the more
24:13
Amen. Thank you, Casey and Judy. So, this Sunday, December 15, I have not switched off to do Christmas yet. I'm still plotting forward going forward in Hebrews 11. I usually do switch off one or two Sundays a year from whatever our proceedings are.
24:33
I can't think of a better place honestly that celebrates Christ than Hebrews because it lifts him to being he is the very radiance of God. He is the exact imprint of his nature. We are praising Christ through this. Now, we're in Hebrews 11, the heroes of the faith. So, this is pointing back to the patriarchs today and we're going to go forward from there.
24:55
Next week, I will skip away from Hebrews. I'll do a Christmas message for sure. No doubt about it but then we'll come back to where we're going to leave off today. Are those little screens gonna come up? So there it is.
25:13
Continuing in Hebrews 11, the hall of faith. So a lot of people call this the heroes of the faith. I think it's better to call it heroes and heroines. We'll see one of the heroines of the faith today in this and last couple weeks ago actually, when we got the Hebrew Hebrews 11, I said, we're just going to take the sandwich. We're taking the slices of bread on each side of the sandwich this time.
25:34
It's the first two verses and the last two that we covered that Sunday and we saw that by faith, by faith, Ephesians two eight and nine, for we're saved by grace through faith. By faith, we're unified with all believers of all times and Hebrews 11 starts this way. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for. Your translation may say is the evidence of hope, things hoped for or it might say the guarantee or the essence of things hoped for, the conviction of things that are not seen or maybe better put not yet seen. Now, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen for by it, by faith, the ancients gained approval.
26:23
For by faith, the ancients gained approval and this begins a list. There's a general statement in verse three but it begins a list of specific examples. And so last week, I covered the first three specific examples, Abel and Enoch and Noah, and those two general statements that by faith we believe that God founded the world, created everything that is, spoke it from nothing. And then the other one that without faith, it's impossible to please God. That's verse six but the three specific examples we cover were Abel and the act that demonstrated his faith is he gave of the firstlings of his flock.
27:00
He gave an acceptable offering to God and he did so apparently by faith. It says so in Hebrews, by faith, he gave of the firstlings of his flock, the fat portions of his firstling and the outcome for that, you would think, prosperity gospel, what would happen? He did, he gave that seed money that God asked for. What do you think would happen? He'd be blessed beyond measure but what actually happened was he was murdered.
27:25
That's the truth of that. Your diligent outworking of your faith does not guarantee earthly success or and that's very early on. Abel is Adam and Eve's kid. Right? So then we get to Enoch down several generations from Adam.
27:43
Enoch, it says, he walked with God. Actually, in the Old Testament, what it says, Enoch walked with God and he was not because the Lord took him. He was taken up. That's a different thing than being murdered. Noah was the third example.
28:00
The one we probably know most about. There's more about him, more of a story, more chapters in Genesis. It says, that Noah for his act that demonstrated his faith was prepared an ark when actually, I'll read the sentence in a minute, but he prepared an ark and that meant the salvation of his household. I actually got kind of emotional and was moved a bit last week. It's not just the salvation of his household that his act of faith, the outcome of it.
28:27
It also meant that the condemnation of the world, right? We have the choice of being repentant before God and when Noah was preparing that ark, he was preaching and saying what he was doing to everybody around. God had given him direction. He was listening to it and acting on it but no one else did and that meant their condemnation. Several of you called me and said, Ray, it's their sin that condemns him.
28:52
I said, I know that. But Noah's righteous act. Ultimately, they didn't get on that boat with him and it condemned the rest of the world and that's before God. They they deserved everyone in this room and everyone in that time will either be mercifully forgiven or justly condemned. I know that but that's the three specific examples by faith.
29:14
Noah, having been warned by God about things not yet seen. Now, faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not yet seen. So, having been warned by God about things not yet seen, rain, for example, and having been moved by reverence for God, by his spirit, he prepared an ark for the salvation of his household by which he condemned the world, and then this is it. He became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith, and there is one righteousness that is according to faith, and that one righteousness is a totally foreign thing to humans. If we have any righteousness as humans, it's either self righteousness, which is no righteousness at all, or there's a piano playing downstairs.
30:06
Can y'all hear that as loud as I can? Yeah. You. I appreciate it. I don't get distracted by babies and I don't get distracted by whispering and I don't get distracted by people that are trying to help their neighbor understand what I just said.
30:18
That don't bother me one bit. I never do but I hear music and it takes me away. So, sorry. He became an heir. He became an heir to the righteousness which is according to faith.
30:29
Now, they in the Old Testament were looking forward to the provision that God would make. Specifically, Noah was working on the instruction of God and looking for that way that God would save and he did. All of these other examples were looking forward in faith. We have to look back to the the the cross. We have to look back to Christ.
30:50
They had to look forward to it but all of us are unified. Like I said, by our faith and we are heirs of the righteousness which is according to faith. It's an imputed or a derived righteousness. If I am to be righteous, it must be by the spirit of God, by the sacrifice of Christ. It's a derived righteousness.
31:14
Noah became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith and then it starts immediately verse eight like this, by faith, Abraham. Now, this is the refrain. By faith, Abel. By faith, Enoch. By faith, Noah.
31:25
By faith, Abraham. So, this is specific example number four in the hall of faith. When he was called obeyed, amen. Oh, that it could be said, by faith, Ray, when he was called, obeyed. By faith, Bob, by faith, Dave, by faith, Diane.
31:45
When he was called, obeyed. So, Abraham, fourth one on our list right there. When he was called, obeyed, an Old Testament reference for that. I'm going to use Genesis 15. I could have chosen from Genesis eleven, twelve, 13, or 14, but I'm choosing 15 because it says he believed and the New Testament picks up on that concept over and over and over again.
32:07
Hopefully, I'll walk through eleven, twelve, and 13 with you too as we go. Genesis fifteen six says, then he believed in the Lord and he reckoned then he, small h, that's Abraham believed in the Lord and he, capital h, God, reckoned it to him, Abraham, as righteousness. The New Testament picks this concept up multiple times. Romans four three says, what does scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.
32:34
It was credited or imputed to his account. Christ righteousness was imputed to Abraham even before Abraham was born. If you don't believe it, listen to the words of Jesus and he says, even before Abraham, I am. I was. I am.
32:48
I was there. Abraham believed God. It was credited to him as righteousness. Galatians three six says, even so, Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. James two twenty three says in the scripture was fulfilled which says and Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
33:07
Two references from Paul one of James and he was called the friend of God. The last New Testament reference I'll bring up is Luke. So, two from Paul, one from James, and one from Luke but it's the words of Stephen. This is Stephen's speech before his stoning. His defense before the council.
33:31
Pharisees, maybe some sadducees too, Sanhedrin. For believing in Jesus and spreading the gospel, Stephen was accused, and this is the beginning of his defense. So also, the hall of faith in Hebrews, this is sort of a hall of faith. Stephen's speech, it lists a lot of them, not all of them that are listed in Hebrews. There's another list in Ecclesiasticus, an apocryphal book.
33:59
There are other lists in different places, but this one's great. If you haven't read Stephen's speech in Acts seven lately, it might be a good afternoon for you. And he said, hear me brothers and fathers. The glory of God or the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before he lived in Heron and he said to him, leave your country and your relatives and come into the land that I will show you. Go from the place that you know and go into the place that I'll show you.
34:26
That's Acts seven, two, and three. It goes on from there saying, he did obey but we're going back to Hebrews. Hebrews, by faith, Abraham, when he was called obeyed and he obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance. God had not told him he was going to receive that for an inheritance. When he said, leave the land you know and go to a place I'll show you.
34:46
He didn't say, so I can give it to you. But when he said, go, Abraham went. Amen. Obeyed by going out of the place which he was to receive for an inheritance and he went out not knowing where he was going. He just knew God was saying, go and I'll show you.
35:04
So, he's trusting God to go forward. By faith, emphasized twice here for Abraham so far by faith. He lived as an alien in the land of promise. You know, he was an alien, meaning, he never owned any land at all in that promised land. He he didn't ever own anything.
35:22
He did actually buy a little plot for his wife's burial. By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise. If y'all lived as an alien or you didn't know the language, you didn't know the religion, you didn't know much about the people and there you find yourself among them. It's not an easy life, you know. By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise as in a land dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob.
35:48
So, he and his son and his grandson and their families were all tent dwellers. They never had a Casa Fija. Never had a fixed house there. Fellow heirs of the same promise, so by faith, they lived as aliens. For he, that's Abraham, was looking for the city which has foundations whose architect and builder was God.
36:12
He's looking forward to that which God would provide and bring about and he was going forward in faith each step of the way. He did have some missteps. He's not a perfect guy. His son was also not perfect. His grandson, also not perfect.
36:28
His great grandson was the closest thing that we see in the Old Testament and it obviously was a type for the Christ of the new, Joseph. He's looking for the city which has foundations whose architect and builder has got by faith. He lived as an alien. He sojourned. He dwelt in tents.
36:46
So if you look at Abraham, there's a lot of I could write about him for the act that demonstrated his faith. Actually, there's tons of information about him and most of his steps happened by faith. A few of them happened by fear. Couple of them happened by fear, but mostly it's by faith. Abraham, when he was called obeyed, amen.
37:04
Abraham believed God. Abraham lived as an alien in the land all his whole life, all his whole life. Looking forward to God's city and the outcome is not stated yet. It'll be stated in just a minute. I'll get to it but the outcome is not stated.
37:19
We go to specific example number five. By faith, even Sarah herself. Amen. Nice for a lady to show up in the list here. By faith, even Sarah herself, that specific example number five, she received the ability to conceive.
37:35
Word there is along the foundations. She gave the foundation by which this line would be established by faith. Even Sarah herself after beyond the proper time of life. She was old already. By faith, even Sarah herself received ability to conceive even beyond the proper time and it's funny that she laughed initially and that's what we remember about it.
37:59
Genesis 18, we remember Sarah laughed. Abraham laughed in chapter 17, by the way. By faith, even Sarah herself received ability to conceive even beyond the proper time. One of the blessings that she gave, she said, you have made me lord to laugh as Isaac was being nurtured at her bosom. You've given me this ability, and she laughed and she said and the whole world would laugh with me not at me, but with me.
38:28
By faith even Sarah self received ability conceive even beyond the proper time of life. So, Sarah tells her outcome but it doesn't tell exactly how yet. It will in the next phrase. Abraham when he was called obeyed, Sarah miraculously received the ability to conceive and actually that was one of the promises that God had made to Abraham that he acted on. She received the ability to conceive even beyond the proper time of life since and this is going to tell us the act of faith that Sarah undertook.
38:59
Since she considered him faithful who had promised. Amen. It is about belief. It is about where you place your faith. And I said last week, you can so the our subjective faith and the faithfulness of God in Greek are the same word.
39:17
But our subjective faith must be placed in the faithfulness of almighty God in order for that to be the faith the Bible speaks of. You may believe something errantly or you may believe something that's not true, and you can place your faith in the wrong thing. Each of us is given a measure of faith and when you place that faith in the faithfulness of God, he works. He works through you, for you. By faith, even Sarah herself received ability conceived even beyond the proper time of life since she considered him faithful who had promised.
39:51
That's what she did and then after this, we go back to Abraham. Actually to both of them, therefore there was born even of one man, even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, 100 years old, hard to imagine. Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number and innumerable as the sandwiches by the seashore. Sorry. Can't help but just do it twice.
40:24
He became the father of innumerable number and that was the promise that God made. That was the promise God made is that you will have descendants innumerable, uncountable as the stars of the heavens or as the sand which is by the seashore. And if indeed they, oh, so sweet, husband and wife. And if indeed they, that's Abraham and Sarah. If they had been thinking of the country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.
40:56
They walked where they were. They could have turned around but they didn't go back. They kept going forward to the place that God would show them in faith by faith but as it is, they desired a better land or a better country. That is a heavenly one. They were looking forward to that city of God, foundations, and architect and builder being God.
41:17
And since they were looking forward to, they believed that God was and they believed that he was a rewarder of those who sought after him from the general statement verse six above. So therefore, because they were looking for what he had for them, God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared a city for them. He's made a place. There's no doubt about it. It is what Peter calls our incorruptible hope.
41:45
Nothing can take that away from someone who's placed their faith in God. So Abraham and Sarah, God was not ashamed for he has prepared a city for them. If you go back actually and look, there are multiple places where Abraham's called a friend of God. I think that's a beautiful term. James two twenty three is one of them.
42:05
In Chronicles, it says it again. But, you know, we hear of God being called. I am actually, we hear him called, well, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God of Abraham. It happens over and over and over again.
42:18
Old Testament and New Testament and in Exodus twice, God even says it about himself. God identifies himself and names three guys. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That's beautiful. He was their friend.
42:33
Yeah. Abraham. Did you not, oh God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people, Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham, your friend forever. This is what the rest of the line of Hebrews would be looking back to and thinking about this being the book of Hebrews written to first century Jewish background people who are considering leaving the way, the truth, the life, Christ for old covenant practices that were pointing to Christ the whole time. That's important.
43:05
James two twenty three also quotes that. So if you want to know where all the Abraham stuff is in the Bible, it's in Genesis. So far, we've gone in exactly chronological order. The author of Hebrews and I have a lot in common. We like going forward in order.
43:21
Whereas all this stuff about Abraham found out. Genesis eleven twenty six mentions his birth. That's in the line of begat so and so begat so and so begat so and so and Abraham was born. And then chapter 12 through 24 break off from the line and go after Abraham's story. Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, and all of that starts in chapter 12 and goes forward through 24, and in Genesis 25, Abraham dies.
43:47
So ultimately, that's the outcome. All of us are gonna die, right? So the outcome, he died, never having had a Casa Fija, fixed house. Never having had any land that he could call his own, but he was looking for that city whose author, architect, and builder was God. So, by faith, Abraham and this gets into the testing of Isaac.
44:08
I know of Abraham over Isaac and this is a hard one for a lot of people. I have some people that are really close to me that this is the hardest story in the Bible and they almost throw out everything in the Bible because of this story. So, by faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac and he who had received the promises, that's Abraham, was offering up his only begotten son. Now, he had another son, but it was not the son of promise. His only begotten in this case, that's the one that was born him and his wife, Sarah, Isaac specifically.
44:43
By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered. Actually, the verb tense is there offered and offering. It's the tenth of the verb says that he did what was required. During that test, he did not slay his son. Of course, well, the angel stopped his hand.
44:58
Well, he did everything necessary because Abraham believed God and this goes on to say to, it it was he, that's Abraham, to whom it was said, in Isaac, your descendant shall be called. So, there was no doubt in Abraham's mind that Isaac was the child of promise and that through him would be those descendants which are as the sand of the seashore or the stars in the heavens. So, he had no doubt about it. It goes on and right here, Genesis twenty one twelve says, but God said to Abraham, there's it's unequivocal. He knows it.
45:33
God said to Abraham, do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid. That's Hagar and Ishmael or Ishmael and Hagar respected. Whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her for through Isaac, your descendant shall be named. Abraham knew that. No doubt about it.
45:49
He considered though that God is able to raise people even from the dead and that's strong faith indeed because at the time of Abraham, he didn't have Lazarus to look back to. He didn't have Jesus' resurrection look back to. He didn't have the widow of Zarephes son. He didn't have all of these different examples that we get from the old and New Testament to look back and say, yeah, I believe in the resurrection like Mary, Martha, you know. He considered though that God's able to raise people even from the dead.
46:18
If he spoke this into existence, he can do whatever he wants And if he is telling me to do this, he will make a way. Even in that act, he was he was trusting God. So he, Abraham, consider that God is able to raise people even from the dead from which he also received him, that's Isaac, back as a type. So he did receive back his only begotten son that offered the text of that verb, like I mentioned before. The text of that verb says that he laid him out there and reckoned him as dead already because he had already made that choice.
46:57
When God stopped the hand, it was while he was offering his son and to receive him back, you know, the ram and the thicket and everything to pay the price, to receive Isaac back, it was like a resurrection of sorts, and the Hebrews author points that out. And by faith, Isaac, very next of our specific examples. Specific example number seven is by faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau even regarding things to come. Now, there's more written about Isaac in the Bible. The author of Hebrews does not spend a whole lot of time on this one.
47:34
Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau and we remember that. Jacob listed first. He's got the birthright by trickery, not a perfect person, started out as a trickster, stayed that way, but by faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau even regarding things to come. So on our list here, he blessed his son's future and that's beautiful because Abraham believed God and because Abraham believed God and walked it out, Isaac believed God and walked it out and blessed his kids. He blessed his son's future and even regarding things to come, if we look at it, Jacob, that went really well for Jacob, but it didn't go so great for Esau.
48:16
That was Esau's problem. At this time, there were tons of legends. There was a lot of material actually in first century Judaism about Jacob and Esau, more than we have in our Bible in Genesis. There's a lot of legend and motivation and all this sort of stuff they had added, and so they were trying to give reasons for, but the scripture doesn't tell us that much about it. Esau was more earth bound in his thinking.
48:43
He was hungry, right? And he wanted that porridge more than he wanted his blessing. Isaac blessed his son's future. So for Jacob and that went well and for Esau not so well, but really Jake I mean, Isaac just died, right? That's the that's his end.
48:59
He didn't receive the promise. He never had a house. He had some, you know, cattle and whatnot. And later in this passage, we're going to see that they died not having received the promise. So, by faith, Jacob as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
49:26
By by faith, Jacob. So, this is Isaac's son, Abraham's grandson, Jacob, as he was dying and this is all that it says. So in the text, there's plenty we could write down about Jacob for acts of faith, wrestling the angel, and all other sorts of things we could write down but the writer of Hebrews specifically mentions one and that was that he blessed each of the sons of Joseph. So, his grandsons and he worshiped leaning on the top of his staff. That staff was a walking staff.
49:55
He was still without a fixed house. He was still walking in faith as his forebear, Abraham. So, Jacob blessed his grandsons and then Jacob died. By faith, Joseph, Jacob's son, Joseph. Y'all remember the story?
50:15
All there's so much we could write about Joseph. Joseph is our specific example number eight and he is in this text just I could say lots of stuff. Okay. But I'm going to give you the one that the writer of Hebrews mentions. This is from Genesis 50.
50:31
Genesis 50 says, Joseph said to his brothers, you remember the story. Joseph going into Egypt and becoming kind of second command and he was able to save his family from famine because they had grain in this time and even Joseph, that's the way he got into it. Lots of stuff like I said but Joseph said to his brothers, I'm about to die. So, again, a dying blessing or wish. We try to always carry through on people's dying wishes.
50:58
If somebody says wear flip flops at my funeral, I do, right? If somebody says, scatter my ashes over, you know, Sheep Mountain, we do. 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 and to the land which he promised on an oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He's the God of Abraham, Isaac, and 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.
51:30
It's going to be a hard road but when y'all get out of here, take me with you, please. Fast forward a bit to Exodus and in Exodus, we see the story of God leading the people out of Egypt and now when Pharaoh had let the people go finally, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines even though it was near. For God said, the people might change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt. Know, that would have been the easier way than going through the Red Sea. It would have been easier to go that, but isn't it just like God did not call you to go the easy way?
52:07
The people might change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt. Philistines were constantly embattled with them. Hence, God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea and sons of Israel went up in martial array from the land of Egypt and Moses Moses by the way is our specific example number nine. He's coming next week or two weeks from now. I'm skipping for Christmas next week.
52:32
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. That was his dying wish and it had passed down to Moses. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear saying, direct quote, God will surely take care of you even though it's hard. God will surely take care of you and you shall carry my bones from here with you. If you look in with 24, Joshua 24 is probably best known for this little part of the speech.
52:59
This is the mister Gorbachev tear down that wall part of Joshua's speech within the promised land. Choose for yourself today whom you will serve. Whether you're gonna serve the gods which your father served, which were beyond the river or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you're living. But as for me and for my house, we will serve the Lord, the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That's who I'm going into this land serving.
53:22
Choose today how it's gonna be. That's from Joshua 24, but this is also from Joshua 24 in the same speech not as well known because it's kinda far into us. It says, now they buried the bones of Joseph. Ain't that beautiful? They did what he asked.
53:38
They spread his ashes on the Sheep Mountain or they wore flip flops at the funeral. They buried the bones of Joseph just like he asked. Can you imagine carrying with you the bones of Joseph? When it's hard in the wilderness, you say, listen, we're carrying these things back. We're going.
53:55
We're waiting for a whole generation of people to die off because of their unfaithfulness We're gonna bury these bones of Joseph and it says, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, Shechem, and the piece of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor blah blah blah. It goes on to a bunch of stuff. Abraham bought a little piece of land for Sarah and that was for a place to bury him but if you come right down to Joseph, his outcome as far as we see, yeah, he got to be in charge. He got to be in prison for a while too. Lots of stuff but he prophesied God's favor and he gave plans for his bones to be carried along and that showed his forward looking faith.
54:36
It was a forward looking faith going from the place where God had him to the place that God would show him. Even though death might stop him, he still wanted that taken back. It's pretty poetic. Last three, just died is all I have to say. So, those are all of our specific examples we've given so far.
54:53
Moses will be next. I'm going to stop in between. I told the first service, this is kind of like post hole through snow. You just kind of trodden through a lot of heavy stuff but you need to take the time to do it. You can't get in a hurry going back and checking all the Old Testament references and seeing where it's from is a really fruitful exercise for me during the week and hopefully for y'all on Sundays and then going from here.
55:16
I know some of you texted me since last week or called and mentioned things that God has really lightened up illuminated for you. I go back to verse eleven six again. It's a general statement but I think it bears repeating and it bears a little bit of mulling it over, ruminating on this. Without faith, it's impossible to please him but each of us have been given a measure of faith. It's up to us to decide where we're gonna put that.
55:43
Are we gonna put it in temporal things like Esau did and sell our birthright? Are we gonna do that? Without faith, it's impossible to please him. There's a hunger that Abraham had. There's a hunger that Abraham and Sarah had together.
56:00
There's a hunger that Isaac had. There's a hunger that Jacob had. There's a hunger that Joseph had and it was walking forward to that place that God would show him, that city of God, that place where he would have them dwell and walking it out on this side, they didn't receive the promise but they did believe that God is and they did believe that he's a rewarder of those who seek him. So, I'm going to ask you the same question this week I asked you last week. Do you believe that God is and are you seeking him?
56:30
Do you believe that God is and are you seeking him? Now, I have been in a lot of places where they say, just put your faith in Christ and your life will be so much better. From this list, we see a lot of different outcomes, and and I don't know what your life on this side is gonna look like. I know your future improves greatly. So eventually, this will go well for you.
56:56
This was presented by the writer or writers of Hebrews to people who are considering turning away from Christ to go back to ritual and going back to that place that they knew rather than going forward to the place that God would show em. God will direct. He has directed and it shows how he directed Abraham. It'll show more how he directed Moses but I don't know how he's directing you, but I'm asking you to respond to that by faith and do what it is he's asked. Seek after him and then listen, and when he calls, obey.
57:34
In Jesus name, Lord, may it be so. Amen. Would you all stand? Judy, she's gonna come forward. We're gonna play joyful, joyful, we adore you.
57:46
What a beautiful, beautiful song.
57:58
Joyful joyful we adore you God of glory lord of light angels lifting praise before you sing throughout this holy night in a manger lies a baby child of God voices joined in joyful chorus praise you and your gift of love
58:32
on the second do we have one
58:35
all your works declare your glory all creation joins to sing praise resounds as earth rejoices in the birth of Christ the king shepherd will be for the infant trumpet sound and anthems raise as with joy our hearts are lifted joined in wonder praise Amen.
59:13
And for the benediction this morning, I I think my brother back there, Blake, runs the slides and a lot of time, not every time but a lot of times, he gives a benediction and I love that and this one's perfect and I think it was just for me this morning Second Thessalonians three five says, now may the Lord direct your hearts into God's love. Amen and into Christ persever As you plod forward through this Christmas season, I know you're busy, busy, busy with all kinds of things and then, there are little interruptions that happen too and I pray that you'd be able to see those little interruptions as praiseworthy moments where God has you exactly where he wants you. In Jesus name, lord, may we persevere and may we be shining lights. May we be accurate reflections, lord, loving, merciful, forgiving, and good. Jesus name, thank you.
1:00:03
Amen.
