Watching the Parade Go By

Welcome to living in the light with Bible teacher and Graham lots when the Lord calls your name out. It's wonderful. What you have to show for your life.

The donor kind of award will you and Graham lots in the introduction to her message today reminding us, we may be just watching the parade go by peers and the story is told of a little boy who heard that the circus is coming to town and he was so excited he was just dying to go to the circus. He read the articles in the paper he looks at advertisements in he saw the posters and all he was so intriguing. He wanted so much to go, but his parents couldn't afford a ticket and then look like you would be able to enter Monday. The mail came in there was a special letter with his name on it, and his grandmother at her that he wanted to go to the circus engine cinematic and he was so excited in the day for the circus came and he went downtown.

He stood beside the road and the train pulled up in the big door opened and all the animals began coming off the train in their work great big elephants with funny little silk satin hats and monkeys dancing on their back and then came the horses that were bareback with the beautiful girls in ballerina costumes during their dance on the bareback of the horses and dogs are walking on the hind legs just a little closing people on stilts and lions and tigers and cages, roaring and then came the clowns all the funny kind of some of funny faces and some are sad faces and big red noses. This one counting little boy stuck out his hand little boy gave Ms. ticket and the crown went on down the road and the little boy was through, he was so excited he went home that night. He was telling his parents about around the supper table. He said you won't believe what I saw the elephant in the horses with the dancing girls and little dogs walking on their hind legs and the father some of what did you think about the trapeze artist and he said trapeze artist is a you know the people that swing through the air and they do flips and they catch each other in the boys.

I didn't see anything like that and the mother several what did you think about the land that jump to the hoop far and is why didn't see anything like that makes a civil what did you think we explain how the train pulled up in all the animals got often and founding fathers that didn't you going to the tent cities and what Dan is in the tent at the end of the street and then the father said son you never went to the circus. You were just standing watching the parade go back and I thought about that story ends thought about a lot of people within church today and we talk about knowing God we get excited when we are beautiful music and we go and we hear a sermon all that but how many of us are just standing on the sidelines watching the parade go by and we don't have our own experience with God. Reading somebody else's book somebody else's testimony throw that somebody else's experience, but do you have your own experience with God.

Are you experiencing God how you experience God. Jesus is enough to not only know God exactly as he is not only enough to know God personally in a right relationship with Jesus Christ is enough to know God by experience in your life through a safe anchored purpose driven glory bound life you open your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 11 in this look together at these characters before we do the writer to the Hebrews just introduces it and says if you want to experience God, you need to have a safe anchored life, faith, it's anchored in the word of God and faith is absolutely essential to experiencing God because first John 56 says the victory that overcomes the world is your faith. You have no victory without faith. Matthew 929 Jesus that according to your faith be it unto you. You won't have answers to prayer. Unless you have faith. Romans 43 says the just shall live by faith. You won't even build a live in a right relationship with God without faith.

And then of course Hebrews 11 six it says without faith it's impossible to please God know what you're going to live a life pleasing to God. Unless you have faith in the faith we talk about his faith. It is anchored and rooted in the word of God into the right of the Hebrews says when your faith is anchored in the word of God you can be totally certain of hope. Verse one. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don't see in biblical hope is different from the kind of hope that you and I think of when I think of hope. I think of all hope so you are really hope this happens it may not. But I really hope it will, and biblical hope is not like that biblical hope is absolute certainty you know what's going to happen, it just hasn't happened yet is like.

I hope I'm going home this next week and doesn't mean I may not go home. It means I'm going home.

I just haven't gone yet and that's biblical hope that you know something even though you don't possess that you don't see it yet. So some of things that biblically hope for.

I hope that all things work together for good in my life. It doesn't mean they might not yet means that they haven't work together for good.

Yet not all the things in my life haven't work together for good, but I know they well I'm certain they will because of Romans 828. My faith is rooted in God's word, hope that I will reap if I faint not. So if I don't grow weary in well doing all reaper thought they not.

That doesn't mean I may not read, it means I know I'm going to rape. I just haven't raped yet because my faith is anchored in Galatians 69 that says I will and I hope God's word will not return void as I share with you.

Hope that will bear fruit won't return void. It doesn't mean that may return void means I haven't seen it come back yet but I know it's not going to return void because my faith is anchored in Isaiah 5511, and I hope that there is a power in the cross to change lives. It doesn't mean there may not be powering across a change last it means. On the other will be.

Haven't seen everybody's life changed yet but I know it will be because of Romans 116 says there's a power in the gospel to change lives. Hope that Jesus is coming back to receive me to himself. It doesn't mean that he may not come back to receive me to himself. It just means I haven't seen him come back yet, but my faith is anchored in John 14. Three.

I know he's coming back to receive me to himself and I hope that my father's house is being prepared for me. It doesn't mean maybe it's not being prepared for me it means I just haven't gotten there yet to possess it, but I know it's been prepared because of John 14 to you see, your faith is anchored in the word of God, not in your feelings, not in your emotions not in your circumstances. And when your faith is anchored in the word of God. You're absolutely certain of hope.

The things that you have experienced at the things you don't possess that the things I've been fulfilled yet.

Jim seen it, but you know you will because God's word says so. So you're certain of hope. Hebrews 619 says we have this hope as an anchor for the soul firm and secure enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain were Jesus went before us is entered on our behalf so you can be absolutely certain of hope when your faith is anchored in God's word and secondly you can be absolutely certain of honor. In verse two it says this is what the ancients were commended for in verse four it says there commanded in verse five it says a committed verse 39 is is are all commanded, and so these people that are listed in Chapter 11. They all love for the purpose of bringing glory and honor to God, and they had that sense of God's approval. God was pleased with them.

They had his blessing in their lives.

And it's because they were purpose driven is were going to see in a moment but they were absolutely certain that when they live their life in obedience to God's will and in accordance to his way, in obedience to his word that God would honor them and they would have a heavenly reward. It's Paul and Timothy to remember the last thing that he wrote in second Timothy chapter 4, he says I'm already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time is come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I finished the race off The faith.

Now look at him being certain of the honor to come. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, not only to me but also to all those who have longed for his appearing in the something in Scripture that sometimes we don't talk that much about, but it's when you live your life for the glory of God in obedience to his word, in accordance with his will. Doing things is what you're going to be rewarded. You can be certain of honor to come and that's important because done in this life we attempt to deliver the world honor in the world's glory and the world's pleasure and we care about the opinions of other people. But when you're certain of honor to come.

So now what this world offers just doesn't seem as important anymore, and you begin to set your sights on things in eternity and you live for the well done good and faithful servant that will be the honor that the king will bestow on you for living a lie for him and maybe it involves more than that, who knows what the honor is going to be. But in Revelation chapter 22. One of the last things that Jesus says to us. Chapter 22 verse 12 he says behold I'm coming soon. My reward is with me and I will give to everyone according to what is done. I was a little girl, my daddy traveled all the time and when he left home mom of the sort of ignored is going since it wasn't a big deal when he left know your dad is gone again today and so she just you know really play that down. But when he came home. It was a big deal. We went out to meet him at the train station we brought them back home and we all went to his bags because he always had something for SOM may be, was the wings of the powder given on the plane a little stuffed animal he picked up in the airport at the gift shop but always had a gift for us and we could wait for him to come home to see what the gift was and when Jesus comes back he says I'm coming and I'm going to bring my gifts with me and I'm going to reward you according to what you've done is going to be a wonderful award ceremony in heaven and we think of people that are going to be awarded. We think of people like Billy Graham. Maybe Pope John. Maybe Mother Teresa may be somebody who's just lived an exemplary life ends. I wonder when we get to heaven.

The first ones called up for their award will be some missionary in the jungles of Columbia just struggling to serve the Lord. They are a man who would escape from these death camps in North Korea and his escape to soul and it said that he had placed his faith in Christ because when he was in the death camps in North Korea. There was a person would profess faith in Jesus Christ and he was threatened that they were killing if he didn't recant his faith and he refused and they kill them and that so impressed this man that he gave his heart to Christ and he escape the soul to give his testimony.

Now think when we get to heaven, God's going to single out of the huge crowd that person who gave his life in the death camp and said I saw what you did and you gave your life form and because you do hear someone who came to faith because of you and you is going to be people that are called up that would never heard of people that are faithful for God's plan at them, seeking to live their lives in the glory of God and to make him known where the been planted ends and there'll be some people I know who have big names on it could have been faithful to allow me to put people down like that but I think it's going to be amazed. It's going to be a wonderful when the Lord calls your name out wonder what you'll have to show for your life lived on earth.

What kind of award, will he give you and I don't know. I wonder if maybe if we been faithful in service down here.

She'll give us more opportunity to serve them up there maybe just be more responsibility.

You are one of the things I want him to give me. I want to see the pleasure on his face when he sees my children just the joy of living for that. Maybe it would just be the smile on his face as he sees me, or is he sees you and we just know that arcane his plays. Maybe that's all.

The award will be you know Clinton's tells us that our life when we live. It is either like wood hay and stubble and passes the fire of God's holiness and is burned up because we're wasting our lives still save but is about fire or are what labs can be like gold, silver, precious stones past that five God's holiness and we have something to show for life lived down here because we've lived in obedience to his word, in accordance with his will. Doing things his way and it is like gold, silver, precious stones and then the Bible says that is like a crayon that he gives us in reward for life. It's live for him down here and I wonder if our honor is going to be a crayon that then we can place it is nail pierced the I can't think of any higher privilege when we see him at all he's done for us to be able to have something to give them back in return, and maybe a crown that when given to us in reward for life lived for him down here would be something to give our Savior when we see, but the Bible teaches that were going to have a crown that there's going to be an honor that they'll be a reward for life lived for him down here and you can be certain of that. When your faith is anchored in the word of God you can be absolutely certain of the honor to come into whatever this world offers is temporary. It's leading you in the world is very fickle.

They can be pleased with you today and dump you tomorrow, and it just all comes and goes and who cares were not living for this world's treasures were living for the honor that's going to come when God himself will give us a sense of his approval.

Well done, thou good and faithful servant and reward us in a way that perhaps we can then turn back and give him as our gift of love for all that is done for us. We can be certain of honor to come. We can be certain of hope we can be certain of him when your faith is anchored in God's word certain of his power. Verse three by faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible and when our faith is anchored in the word of God were absolutely certain that he has power to create change. Isn't that going back to Genesis chapter 1, when we see they created everything with the power of his word and his word went forth, and he transformed the world and he is our creator, not just digress for a moment because so much evolution is being taught today and is accepted in our schools almost as facts and yet evolution actually is an expression of rebellion against the creator because if you believe in evolution that you just evolve from some amoeba and some prehistoric pool or some seller some Big Bang or whatever. They really are saying that your life is a cosmic accident that you don't belong to anybody that you have to give an account of your life to anybody that you just sort of come in the beginning and that you snuff out in the end in your life has no purpose and no meaning in this totally contradictory to the word of God and the word of God tells you and me that we were created by God in his image. That means that means that you were created with the capacity to know your creator sets us apart from the animals that we can know God exactly a person experientially. We have a capacity to have a relationship with our creator that unique and you can be absolutely certain of him. He's your creator, but nothing certain. Also this power not only to create you and me, but, but his power to change through his words and I think is worth concentrating on reading, studying, teaching the Scriptures you need to nail that one down that your absolutely certain of the power of God to go through his word and closed his word to change lives. As you give it out. People come to me saying how can you be so confident in God's word. How can you be so confident is going to make a difference. How can you be so confident that the power of the cross is there to change life in the cleanse of sin and how can because my faith is rooted in the word of God, and I know this is God's word. He's a gentleman. He doesn't line keeps his word, and I take him at his word and his word says those things in his word because it's inspired by the Holy Spirit. It's closed with its own power and so when you get out God's word you not just giving out nouns and pronouns you're giving out eternal truths that has kept the life of God in the words so to speak, and it doesn't return void when you share and I'm absolutely certain of the power of his word.

The change lives changed planet Earth back in chapter 1.

Remember, to the preparation of the spirit every day as were going forth every day there was a change until planet Earth that was without form and void and darkness a fluid like condition was totally transformed into a place that brought God pleasure a beautiful place, a place in which he could see his own image reflected through man who lived on planet Earth and of God to do that back then, through the proclamation of his word in the preparation of the spirit why you think you can't do the day not only with planets but with lives people whose lives are without form, they have no purpose, no meaning, that aren't dark and condition depressed, no joy, and fluid like condition and not going anywhere. Inconsistent and just existing men.

The word comes into their lives and the Holy Spirit begins the however as we pray and God has the power through his word. The change lives today and I know that because his word says so.

And I know that my experience at this point I've seen him do it and you all yourselves can give testimony to that. We know were absolutely certain of his power. The power of his word and absolutely certain of his presence.

Dropping down to verse six without faith it's impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. My faith is anchored in the word of God and absolutely certain that I can come to him and you love that thoughts you can come to him believing that he exists that he is who he says he is that he's exactly as he reveals himself to the person of Jesus Christ. Exactly as he reveals himself in the pages of your Bible and you believe them exactly as he is revealed to me to the person of Jesus Christ and you come to him and he will reward you with the reward that you can know that not all is the answer your prayers, but he gives you a personal experiential relationship with the living, and I'm absolutely certain of his presence that can come into his presence that I can know him in a personal relationship through Jesus Christ, that he will reward by seeking by revealing himself to me and I can enter into that kind of relationship. So my faith is anchored in the word of God. I'm absolutely certain of hope and I'm certain of honor and I'm certain of him and what is your faith anchored if your faith is anchored in your circumstances. If your faith is anchored in your feelings. If your faith is anchored in what somebody else says your faith is anchored what you've been talks your faith is anchored in your pastor's sermons is not going to stand up visits and you're going to have deep down doubts when the crunch comes in. The crisis breaks and disaster hits is not going to be strong enough to carry you through.

You need your faith anchored in the word of God, get it into God's word for yourself and use getting into God's word for yourself as the tool of the vehicle that plant your anchored down deep into God's word that you might be certain of hope and certain of honor and certain of him you want to experience God means that you need to have a faith anchored life. Secondly, you need to have a purpose driven life and I'll look at each one of these characters in Chapter 11 and I see each one of them as driven by a purpose, and I think they all had the same overarching purpose and I'll describe it this way when I was a little girl was raising the Presbyterian Church and at a certain point I had to memorize the shorter Westminster catechism.

I don't know if any of y'all had to do that but the only thing I remember when from the shorter catechism is this question.

What is man's chief end and I remember the answer man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever that the overarching purpose in our lives is to glorify God and enjoy him in the process and so that's our purpose to bring glory and honor and blessing and praise to God, but we express it through different ways. He calls us to put to specific purposes in our lives and that specific purposes the means to the greater end of bringing glory to God to each one of these characters had a specific purpose that God had outlined for them but they all achieve the greater purpose of bringing glory to God. The first one in the list is able, in verse four. And I see him as expressing his specific purpose through dedication to the gospel and let me explain it this way because able was the son of Adam and Eve and he had older brother Cain and Cain and Abel were both seeking to worship God.

It must've been what Adam and Eve were separated from God and driven from the garden and God clothed them in the skins of animals they must've taught them at that point that in order to come back into his presence. There had to be the shedding of blood there had to be a sacrifice to take away sin in order to have a relationship with him because we found in the very next generation with Cain and Abel. We found them sacrificing and able sacrifice the blood sacrifice coming back under relationship with God through a blood sacrifice. Cain on the other hand, was a farmer as we thought will not going to come through a blood sacrifice as a mesial thing. I'm just going to come the way I want. As we sacrifice some of his fruits and vegetables in his grain and and God came to him is a cane that is not acceptable. And Cain got angry and instead of just saying God, thank you for pointing it out to me and thank you if you want a blood sacrifice. That's what I'll do because I want a relationship with you.

Instead, cane, and the pride of his heart was offended that his way wasn't good enough and he got so offended me that the anger built up and he so resented his brother was accepted by God. They took his brother out in the field and he slowly Cain murdered Abel and Abel, whom I'm sure was aware of the rising tension and anger and bitterness and resentment is backing off and just deciding will not going to sacrifice in front of my brother and I'm not going to approach God this way so offensive him. I don't want to offend my brother Abel just kept right on sacrificing knowing that that was the way to enter into a right relationship with God and it cost him his life as honestly enable someone who was willing to stake his claim in the gospel even when it was offensive to his brother who is your cane. Abel gave his life for the truth that the only way to come to God is through a blood now hears and with this final word. Abel made the decision to live in a contrast to the rest of the world of his day, a fact that was evidenced by the sacrifice he brought to God. A blood sacrifice. When his brother gave God whatever he felt like giving. In so doing, Abel revealed a submissive obedience to God's word and Abel's attitude toward the grievances in his life when his brother reacted with anger and bitterness revealed a sweet acceptance of God's will, even when it included hardship and suffering. While his brother rebelled against God. Abel turn to God.

As a result, his life was different from Cain's life and the civilization that followed Jesus describe the powerful witness of a life is different when he described it as the light of the world.

The primary value of light rests in the fact that it's so different from the darkness. And Jesus described a powerful witness is being like the salt of the earth. Salt is also very different from whatever it's placed on that not only draws out flavor makes people thirsty. How much of a contrast is there between your life and the life of your neighbor who doesn't know God are you so afraid of offending those around you that your salt is lost its savor your light is hidden under a bushel. Are you basically denying who you are. The Bible says about faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain did by faith. He was commended as a righteous man. When God spoke well of his offering, and by faith he still speaks. Even though his dad wouldn't it be wonderful if, like Abel, you remember, throughout all the generations as one who lifted up the light of truth and later he living in the light is a weekly study in God's word with teacher and author and grandma learn to listen to his voice, then start making the choice to keep on going and believing and trusting who God is go to and grandma South Fork take advantage of the many helpful free resources to get started doing this again for living in the light