Sermon # 69 Hebrews
Notes
Title: Faith
Delivers – Presumption Destroys
Text: Hebrews 11:29
Readings: Larry
Criss & Larry Brown
Subject: Faith
Does The Impossible
Date: Tuesday Evening -- ,2001
Tape # W-73a
Introduction:
Hebrews 11 shows us, by numerous examples, what
true, saving faith is. By contrast, it also shows us what faith is not. In this
chapter, we see faith doing things that are impossible with men, doing things
which only God almighty, with whom nothing is impossible, can do. You see, the
power of faith, the strength of faith lies not in us but in the Lord Jesus
Christ, who is the Object of all true faith. So when men and women do things
believing God, it is not them, but Christ who is doing the work: doing it through
them, yes, but he is the One doing the work.
This blessed gift of faith,
the work and operation of God in his people performs great works indeed. Faith
in Christ enables weak, helpless sinners, sinners who believe God, to perform
supernatural acts, overcome impossible difficulties, and endure trials which it
is impossible for flesh and blood to endure. Tonight, we have another
tremendous example of this in Hebrews 11:29.
(Hebrews 11:29)
By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
The title of my message will
give you the direction of the sermon: -- Faith
Delivers – Presumption Destroys. Israel passed through the Red
Sea as by dry land, because they believed God. The Egyptians attempting top do
the same thing in the strenth and energy of the flesh were destroyed.
It was faith that enabled
Israel to enter a miraculously formed valley between two mountainous ridges of
water, crossing over safely to the other side of the Red Sea. Perhaps you are
thinking, “Bro. Don, that is a wonderful thing to read about, but what does it
really have to do with us?” I’m glad you asked.
In much the same way, true,
saving faith, faith in Christ, is that which enables believers to pass through
and overcome trials and troubles that utterly destroy others. As it was faith
in Christ that enabled those men of old ultimately to enter into and take
possession of Canaan, so it is faith in Christ that will soon land us safe on
Canaan’s happy shore and enable us to take possession of heaven’s eternal
bliss.
There is not a greater
example of the contrast between faith and presumption in the whole Book of God
than that which is before us in Hebrews 11:29. We have before us the ultimate
end and result of the long controversy the Egyptians and the Israelites. This
is clearly a type and picture what will be the last end of the conflict between
the world and the church. It has been a long and bitter conflict (Cain and Abel
– Ishmael and Isaac – Solomon and David); but it shall soon end in the sudden
appearance of Christ for the complete salvation of his church and the utter
destruction of his enemies.
The example of faith before
us in this text is remarkable, indeed. It was night when children of Israel
undertook their flight out of Egypt. Through the darkness they fled, moved by
faith. Through the darkness Pharaoh and the huge Egyptian army presumptuously
and blindly pursued them, moved by envy, hatred and lusts. At last, the hour
arrived when the long-insulted forbearance of the Almighty was to be avenged.
(Exodus 14:24-25)
And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the
host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled
the host of the Egyptians, 25 And
took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the
Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for
them against the Egyptians.
It was too
late. The Lord had begun to fight against them. Once Jehovah unsheathes his
sword of justice, he does not put it away until he has dipped it into the blood
of his enemy! The haughty monarch of Egypt and those led by him learned
suddenly and everlastingly that it is vain folly for any to be found fighting
against God!
That which
was the path of deliverance for the believing Israelites (the Red Sea) was made
the very gate of hell for the Egyptians. You see, every attempt of men to
obtain in unbelief that which is obtained only by faith is doomed to
everlasting disappointment.
Oh, may
God the Holy Spirit teach and convince you who believe not how vain it is to
fight against God. Turn to him now. Sue for mercy, pleading the merits of
Christ for your soul, lest he begins to fight against you this very hour!
Proposition: Faith
in Christ enabled Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Aaron, Miriam and the believing
Israelites to obtain what they could never have otherwise obtained. – Faith
gave them strenth to obey the command of God and pass safely through the
roaring Red Sea with complete safety.
·
Faith alone will enable us to obey God.
·
Faith alone will enable us to obtain the promise of grace.
·
God’s promises are promises to be taken; but they can only be taken by
faith.
1. The danger was very great.
2. The deliverance was very
glorious.
3. The destruction was very
grievous.
4. The delight was very grand.
I. The danger was very great.
Our text takes us back to what is recorded in Exodus
14. There we are informed that shortly after Pharaoh had consented to let
Israel go, he hardened his heart again and repented of his grant. Being
informed by his spies that the Israelites were trapped, he pursued them in his
hot fury. When Pharaoh got within sight, the children of Israel cried out unto
the Lord. And they said unto Moses, “Because
there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the
wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of
Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us
alone that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve
the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness” (Ex. 14:10-12).
A. The chase
Pharaoh was pursuing them in great wrath. Israel had fled from Egypt but now they were
hemmed in. They were shut in with the wall of Egypt on one side, the wilderness
on the other, the Red Sea before them, and Pharaoh behind them. What did they
do? They complained.
B. The chiding -- They murmured against God.
1. They
had eaten the Passover and God had protected them from the Death Angel.
2. They had walked out of Egypt with a high hand.
3. They did not believe the promise of God.
4. They did not trust the faithfulness of God.
5. They looked to their own strength rather than the
power of God, and their hearts failed them.
What was
the result? God chastened them. He here tried their faith. Most of them failed
the test. But there were a few who believed God – Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Aaron,
Miriam, and an elect remnant.
NOTE: The
unbelievers were preserved because of the believers (Acts 27:24).
C. The chastisement
God brought Israel to such a helpless and hopeless
condition that they were constrained to trust Him. What could they do? Fight
they dare not. Flee they could not. If the Lord had not shown himself strong on
their behalf they would surely have perished. God guided them to this place!
1. God had promised to be for them. Now he was teaching them to rest confidently in his
Covenant.
2. Child of God, has not he promised – “When thou passest through the waters I will
be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee” (Isa.
43:2). What assurance there is in that for his believing child.
The soul that on Jesus hath
leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not,
desert to its foes.
That soul, though all hell
should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no
never forsake!”
NOTE: No
matter how deep the waters, no matter how dark the storm, no matter how strong
the oppressor may be, God who cannot lie has said, “They shall not overflow thee!”
II. The deliverance was very glorious.
“And Moses
said unto the people, Fear ye not stand still and see the salvation of the
Lord, which He will show you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today,
ye shall see them again no more forever” (Ex. 14:13).
Moses was
undeterred by the murmuring of the people. Wisely he did not respond to their
gripes. Rather, he turned their minds away from the outward danger and directed
their hearts to Jehovah. They had “lifted
up their eyes and beheld the Egyptians” (v. 10), and in consequence they
were sore afraid; but there was something else for faith to see, namely, “the salvation (or deliverance) of the Lord,” which was not yet visible
to natural sight. If they were stedfastly occupied with God’s salvation, their
trembling hearts would be stilled.
A. The source of their flight. -- The children of Israel fled
across the Red Sea from the armies of Pharaoh, but how?
1. God had brought them to the place that they now
must look to Him. There was no human strength to which they could turn.
2. The Israelites were terrified at their
oppressors.
3. Moses commanded them to “stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.”
4. Application –
a. We are sometimes called upon to face great
trials. A Red Sea of difficulty and trouble confronts them. We should observe
that it was not an enemy who put the sea in their way, but God himself.
NOTE: How
often a new born believer emerges from Egypt, thinking that now it will be easy
to surrender everything to God, but after a while there is a Red Sea of testing
before him, which seems impossible to cross.
b. Believers are often terrified by powerful
enemies.
·
How often the Egyptians (our former sins) come upon us and we discover
another law warring in our members, bringing us into captivity of the law of
sin. Our sins seem more better than ever. -- In Egypt their task masters only
appeared with their whips. Now they are mounted on chariots.
·
Satan hurls all the power of hell at us. Egypt now hates us.
c. We are often troubled
with fainting hearts, too.
A faint, disbelieving heart
is the worst foe a believer has in this world. When the anchor of faith is
fixed deep in the Rock, he need never fear the storm. But when the hand of
faith is palsied, or the eye of faith is dim, it will go hard for us in our pilgrimage.
B. The strength of their
faith
1. Moses had a revelation from God, which he communicated to the people
(Rom. 10:17). If he had had not revelation of God’s salvation, he would have
drowned as he presumed to cross the sea.
NOTE: If was a revelation to the
heart of what God would do (Rom. 8:26).
2. He acted upon the revelation. By faith he stretched out his
rod and stepped into the sea. He must act.
3. Application – Here we are instructed how we are to act under
great trials (Ex. 14:13-15).
(Exodus 14:13-15) And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not,
stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to
day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no
more for ever. 14 The LORD shall
fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto
the children of Israel, that they go forward:
a. “Fear not.” – Cease
from all feverish activities. Trust, stop worrying.
b. “Stand still.” – Turn
from all self-help. Get down upon your knees and cry unto the Lord. “See the salvation of the Lord” – By
faith.
c. Go forward. – The
believer is ready to go forward when by faith he has seen the deliverance of
the Lord, before it is actually accomplished.
·
(1). We must learn the way of obedience.
·
(2). The Red Sea was the last thing the eye of the flesh would turn to
as a way of escape.
·
(3). They were rewarded for stepping into the sea at God’s command (Ex.
14:22).
(Exodus 14:22)
And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right
hand, and on their left.
NOTE: I
do not think the waters parted until Moses’ foot stepped into them.
C. The Security of their freedom
1. There may have been some trembling Israelites who
passed through the sea. But those who walked by faith were fully assured that
God would deliver them. God who made the sea for them could certainly guide
them through it (Rom. 8:1).
2. The God who makes your trials will also guide you
through them until he brings you home (Rom. 11:36, 1 Cor. 10:13, John
10:28-30).
D. The symbolism
From the Scriptures (1 Cor. 10:1-2) we are taught
that the passage of Israel through the Red Sea had the same signification as
Christian baptism now has.
(1 Corinthians 10:1-2) Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye
should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all
passed through the sea; 2 And were
all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
1. Israel’s baptism signified the distinction which
God puts between Israel and Egypt. So does believer’s baptism. Redemption is
pictured by power.
2. It showed their obedience to God’s command. So
does believer’s baptism.
3. They were both performed upon the same grounds.
-- The command of God and the promise of God (Ex. 14:13-16, Matt. 28:19, Mk.
16:16).
III. The destruction was very grievous
A. The reprobation
1. God reprobated Pharaoh at the same time in
eternity that he chose Moses (Rom. 9:15-18; Prov. 16:4).
2. God reprobated Pharaoh because of his sin (Ex.
14:17).
(Exodus
14:17) And I, behold, I will harden the
hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour
upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
NOTE: God
fought against Pharaoh because Pharaoh fought against God (Ex. 14:24-25).
(Exodus 14:24-25)
And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the
host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled
the host of the Egyptians, 25 And
took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the
Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for
them against the Egyptians.
B. The resolution
The Egyptians resolved to pursue Israel into the
sea. But theirs was not faith, but rash presumption. With similar presumption
do many rush into eternity. There God will fight against you.
C. The restitution -- They had drowned the first
born and now they are drowned.
D. The recognition – Jehovah is God.
IV. The delight was very grand (Ex. 15:1-6)
(Exodus 15:1-6)
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and
spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the
horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. 2 The LORD is my
strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God,
and I will exalt him. 3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. 4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his
chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. 5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a
stone. 6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is
become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the
enemy.
Application:
1. Let us walk by faith, laying hold of the promises
of God, marching onward to Zion.
2. Shall we not trust God to deliver us from every
trial and every temptation.
3. Obedience that is the synonym for holiness.
4. You who dare live as rebels against God, beware,
lest Jehovah begins to fight against you. When Jehovah begins to judge, he will
overcome.