The Patriarch’s Faith (Part B)

What about goddesses just wait reason why Ishmael was born in all the problems that came from not only Ishmael's descendents of Ishmael because Abraham and Sarah did not eat. They learn to but they did not get it right away. One can become a Christian in an instant cannot become a man of faith woman of faith in an instant saving faith. Yes, serving faith, no, this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston.

Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Hebrews chapter 11 as he continues his message the patriarchs faith.

I think all of us get it. Who believe at one point or another. Satan just wears on the enemy where zones in Daniel. It speaks of the antichrist in the last days that he will wear out the saints.

That's what he tries to do.

Just wear us out wear us down to persecution or temptation through luxury. If you have it really good.

You need to be asking God what do I do with your goods because it's all yours. Verse 11 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God of the writer is course has more light, more knowledge of God through Jesus Christ and Abraham had, though Abraham knew God, no question about but as far as revelation from God about where is going with Messiah and how is going to save mankind.

The writer has more information then Abraham had yet is also saying that Abraham who can live like that man. He waited for the city which has foundations. This is no Jerusalem that's the New Testament knows that Abraham just knew God had a better city for him without knowing the details.

There are situations in this life will we find ourselves incapable of doing anything with our faith, or in our faith both so he says in verse 10, for he waited network stands out.

Anyway, wants the way, who wants to sleep, charging a bumper-to-bumper traffic somewhere you know you go to the beach. Have a good time on the way home what you have. If you're not careful you don't know some of the routes you and have bumper-to-bumper traffic and no one likes waiting is not easy for us but spiritually speaking, we must learn how to do it. Like it or not, you will be cast into positions where you do have to do it or you will get into your flesh and cause more problems. Story of Hagar the life of Abraham. So when we are forced to be passive.

We are forced to endure.

We are forced to suffer what may appear to be defeat, but we've not sinned. What may appear to be shame, but would not send we are frustrated, but we've not sinned to bring these things on us, that is God saying you have to wait. You must wait for things to develop. God works while we wait. He works in us, because James will have more to say on being patient when we get there you'll just have to wait to get to James, but it's much easier to be a busybody for God and to wait for God. This unfortunately is carried out all over the place. When is the Holy Spirit.

I can do it in my own energy I can muster up enough support resources or whatever I want through my business savvy through preaching sermons to pull on people's hearts to get them to do what I would like them to do needs the Holy Spirit for that. What about goddesses just wait reason why Ishmael was born in all the problems that came from not only Ishmael but the descendents of Ishmael was because Abraham and Sarah did not wait, they learn to but they did not get it right away. One can become a Christian in an instant. She cannot become a man of faith or woman of faith in instant not not in the faith in the saving faith.

Yes, serving faith, no, that is worked and that is called maturity that comes from hanging on the vine abiding in Christ in all weather. John's gospel chapter 14, Jesus said in my father's house are many dwellings. I know some say no that word is mansions know it's not the Greek is not mentioned but the prosperity teachers love that they all think they're going to get a mansion. We will will maybe deal that another time. But right now my father's house are many dwellings if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am there. You may also be but you have to wait every one of all those disciples had to wait all of them suffered for Christ while they were waiting they suffered violence, suffered life suffer the loss of loved ones, they suffered what comes with ministry in Christ amongst those who claim Christ.

They suffered it all just like we do. They had to wait so while Abraham waited one thing he did not do and that is depart from the faith, and so is telling these Hebrews look at Abraham.

He knew how to wait. You'll have to wait yes you going through some tough times what you know Jesus is the sufferings that come your way. All of them have been told for, told don't grow frustrated and start believing in less how easy it is to do that how easy it is to set standards high that this great vision of the coming of the word of God and sing yes I love this. I'm going to do this. I'm going to be that man of faith. I'm going to be a Daniel, then you set out on your journey and you find how you don't have it and what you going to do now you wait you work you see what also even covering this and in the life of David David could not build the temple and David Sybil. What else can I do.

So he stockpiled for the temple so that when the Jews came when the temple was finally dedicated to God they could say God use David to do this fact.

Use David Moore the Solomon. He says the city.

As I mentioned here in verse 10, that is, the new Jerusalem that is spoken of in Revelation 21 in verse 11, by faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Oh wait wait wait. Sarah was faithful yeah man she was. But before she got there before she got to that fateful moment when she overheard the stranger show up and tell Abraham that you will have a child.

This time next year. She laughs, he said here right, what did God called her out on yes Abraham. Why did Sarah laugh now you can imagine Abraham's faith has me I didn't even hear her laugh.

As the Scripture says she left in her heart while Sarah said I did not laugh or what you did no passes given here.

Let her off the hook. She never forgot it and she adjusted her course. Otherwise, she never would have received the child she did in the Hebrew writer tells us Sarah by faith receive the rebuke corrected her course by faith and move forward how encouraging it is for all of us who have listen to something God has said and said in return. I don't think it's going to happen many times is not going to happen is not God's will is not his perfect will or is permitted Wildenstein for this to happen and you just gotta live with it.

But then there are other things that God is working in us and he wants us to trust.

He wants to change it.

He wants to move through it and we have to set the sale God provides the wind we have to raise a sale if you don't raise it. He provides that when you miss it is that the story of Thomas, the missing man. Where was he that day Christ showed up after the death on the cross after the resurrection.

Where was Thomas was missing. I don't want to be that yeah I showed up later. The grace of God received yet another rebuke, did he not listen to you. You see, you believe more Blessed are those who don't see and believe in so Sarah rather than continuing her course of doubt, she adjusted it and it was by faith. Verse 12 therefore from one man and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude enumerable as the sandwiches by the seashore. The outcome proves that God's word is sure and Abraham is faithful, the outcome as you look on the map you see the nation Israel, not Palestine is a row. The people of God, the descendents of Abraham, the outcome events have proven God sure the proof is with us today, Abraham and Sarah's descendents.

Not Abraham and couture are not Abraham and Hagar, though their descendents. You can then mixed into not with the Jews. That is, Abraham and Sarah proof this were the testimony that faith in God is what the believer is to pursue and relentlessly so not for season for a lifetime. I II enjoy that about our faith.

I enjoy that my spirit does my flesh hates everything about the spirit and everything that comes from God. My flesh always wanted now never wants to wait does not want to ever suffer in and on the same side. None of us should want to suffer but the spiritual man enjoys the fact that in the midst of whatever happens, God, God is there, and God will show himself to his people.

He traverses the earth were told in Chronicles, to show himself strong on behalf of those seeking who want verse 13 these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them or brace them and confess that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth all died in faith, that you that seems to be contradictory, but God is a faithful keep you alive in this life.

This faith will give you everlasting life, and so Abraham and Sarah never saw the fulfillment of the promises, the great increase of their offspring. They saw Isaac. They saw Jacob Belize. Abraham saw Jacob, but they never saw sons of Jacob and the tribes of Israel, but they believed it as the stars in the sky the multitude you don't get to see them so much now. But if you go to a place where the light is not washing out the sauce got first time I ever saw the sky or notice the sky and all her stars was out on the desert. I just happen to be looking up at couldn't believe what I saw.

So in those days you can imagine that statement would've been quite profound because you couldn't count the stars are so many of them is still there so told. Anyway, the forces of faith is stronger than the forces of unbelief when we tap into me and we know what that's why we stick with the faith. Even when we suffer we stick with it because we know there are greater forces and operation. We understand that there are things happening that count beyond this life that this life is not everything.

So we work, we train ourselves to not cling to this life. It's not easy to do. In fact, it's impossible in the flesh to do it the way that God would have us do it is very possible in the spirit. Others have done it and we are doing it. He says they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth again. There are tents declared their attitude towards this world again. The altar of Abraham. It confessed his relationship with heaven. So the 10 said, here's my relationship with the earth I'm not staying here is my altar. It confesses my relationship with heaven. I'm going there. Romans 12 verse two, we all know this. Reminding us that we are strangers away from home. We are pilgrims going home traveling through. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your my don't think like those who don't have Christ when it comes to the things of God. John first letter.

Chapter 2 verse 17 world is passing away in the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever.

First Peter 215. This is the will of God, that by doing good. You may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, foolish men of this world are the productive product of this world. Verse 14 of Hebrews 11 for those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland say what things will do things with came across in verse 13 with a embraced and they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims of verse 14 says those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland beyond beyond this life there. There is unbroken happiness and were working towards it, but we want to take with us more than us.

We want to take a testimony we want to take a well done good and faithful servant with eminent God. We want God to say, I saw you you want for the kingdom. Are there any Christians here that your life is all about your life you come to church you worship God you believe in God you read the Bible, but you really don't do anything for God. If you are here this morning. I hope I'm not making you comfortable with that part of your life that part of your life needs to be disturbed. You need to be moved with a godly fear, as was Noah before you know went to work in a day when they had compared to today, crude tools, he went to work felling trees and building an ark. It is expected of you and me that we work for the kingdom.

If you work for the kingdom of God, God will allow Satan to still come your way and say things like this, you are not doing it right.

You're not doing enough. You're not doing anything. It doesn't matter, you're wasting your time. You have to learn how to stand against those things for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ.

That's why he is given us some to be called apostles, some prophets, some evangelist, some pastor teachers for these things that we would be stirred, but too often that little pebble in the road flips you off the road you mail like so we set guards out repost centuries we relieve the centuries with fresh centuries so that we can get it done in the church can do this and you can do it and anyone that tells you otherwise is not telling you the truth, no intelligent Jew in the days of her revelation and her faith, whatever say that the promise land was all that they were going to get that that was the place of rest and there was nothing else they knew there was something more. So do we. We know that this life is not all that we get become the church and you hear things like this that may challenge you, what would happen if you didn't go to church and hear these things to be challenged. What what is the opposite. What is the antithesis of not receiving the preaching of the word in season and out of season. You know Paul emphasize that Timothy said give heed to the doctrine to the Scripture preach it to them all the time. Some will not like it someone their ears tickled, but there are others, they will receive it. They will produce and they won't feel sorry for themselves, to the point where they can't get anything done. You know when you start those pity parties you can't you can't work got you little hat on annual party favors. And you prancing around feeling sorry for yourself and you can't work change that party had for hardhat and serve the Lord. Now those of you who are serving you're not you, not to come under conviction when you are serving as though you're not serving do God and injustice by saying well you know I'm just not doing anything below when you are and he'll come along as in the why are you doing all these things, my spirit in you grab hold of that, enjoy it, one within understand the ushers that are sitting in the hallways, the children work is right now doing God's word whether they feel it or not, they take it by faith.

And if you don't take it that way, you become like someone in another church somewhere doesn't believe in Christ but yet is working in the children's ministry that happens and it happens quite a bit and it is shameful how does that happen. How do we let the leaven in this way. Verse 11 and truly, if they had call to mind that country from which they had come out they would have had opportunity to return if they really wanted to go back.

They could've gone back to speaking of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Jacob could've gone back to the land that God called them out. It happens lots wife remember her.

She looked to back to the land that God saved her from and she perished Dimas. Paul, having loved this present life. John Mark John was one of the beautiful stories of the New Testament. He stepped out in the ministry with a lion's heart and ran like a lamb and God brought him back in. Paul did the right thing by sinking one is I am not taking the one who dropped out like that and then years later writing to Timothy bring Mark with you. He is useful to me for ministry. The mercy of God, the potential of his servants to rebound to recover to get back and maybe you have left the church where you were the problem. Bad mouthing sharing bad things. Now you come to church God is giving you another chance. Not to be that way again rise above it he being dead still speaks instead of able. We have to embrace these things as these patriarchs did so. The recipients of this letter were to follow the example of the fruitful and not return to Judaism. As Abraham and Isaac, and Sarah did not return to Mesopotamia, from which they came.

Jesus said to him, no one having put his hands of the plow.

Looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. John Mark did that he took his eyes off the plow. He looked back he was unfit for service, and Paul held them to that. And then he was rebuilt and now we have the gospel according to Mark the mercy of God. No Christian, no Christian order multiple overall their past mistakes when there's opportunity to make future victories. We move forward know sometimes it we we post excerpts from the sermons and sometimes a look at them and I'll sleep boy I'm I didn't want to say it that way. So if I am saying things the way I don't want to say them there. My problem not yours.

My point that I'm trying to make out of that is listen to the Holy Spirit and not the preacher if the preacher is right on the spirit of God.

Don't dismiss that he works through broken vessels. He works through those who really aren't all that that should give you great hope and great encouragement. So again it is to feel like I need to say this again is there anyone here, you started out loving and serving the king and now you don't because you got so many other things going on. That's all what he installable more than likely it's going to burn up what is going to count on that day. When you stand before the Lord, what would happen if Noah said build an ark's work. I'm not going to do it. God would've found someone else to do. This happens again and again and good churches. We don't want 10% of the people doing 100% of the work we want to hundred percent of the workers working together but now they desire a better verse 16.

That is, a heavenly country there for God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. God certainly is ahead of us. I like him. I like what Augustine has to say we talking about a better place for us. The struggles between this place and that place between tent living and living in that city whose builder and maker of the foundations as God, Augustine in the fifth century, said two cities are formed by two lovely speaking about in our hearts the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God, the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self so your carnal nature does not like your spiritual nature in your spiritual nature does not like your carnal nature and these two war against each other, the one you feed the most is the one is going to prevail. You will have this fight this dogfight throughout your life but you are in line or in formation with all the other saints before you and so two cities are formed by two loves and we are to keep your eyes on the Lord as much as we can, in spite of the setbacks and disappointments we incur. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God who those who live by faith. Verse 17 by faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac and he who had received the promise offered up his only begotten move you've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

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