Sermon # 70 Hebrews
Notes
Title:
Text: Hebrews 11:30
Subject: Faith Seen in the Fall
of
Date: Tuesday Evening –
Tape # W-74b
Introduction:
(Hebrews
11:30) By faith the walls of
No man’s ministry lasts forever. The best of prophets, pastors, and leaders will soon die and their ministries will come to an end, -- this one included. When the prophet dies, he needs to be buried, preferably buried in obscurity, lest his garnished sepulcher hinders his successor.
God’s cause is not wrapped up in a man; and we must not wrap it up in a man, -- any man. God’s church and kingdom does not depend upon a man; and we must not make it, or act as if we made it, dependent upon a man, -- any man.
Moses
Under the leadership of Moses, God accomplished great
things for his people,
·
He brought the children of
·
Because of Moses’ intercession the children of
·
Because of his earnest prayer in their behalf God preserved the nation.
·
Still, throughout his ministry, he had the heartache of a grumbling,
discontent, and rebellious congregation.
When Moses’ work was done, God took him and raised
up another man, a new leader for the congregation of Israel, -- a man like
Moses, yet altogether different from Moses, -- a man trained by Moses, but a
man trained by God through Moses, -- a man to take the place of Moses, but a
man standing in his own place to do his own work for the glory of God. Joshua
was God’s chosen servant to lead the Israelites into the promised
land.[1]
In our text this evening we have an exhibition of the
triumph of faith under the leadership of Joshua. In verse 29 we saw what faith
accomplished during the exodus from
(Hebrews 11:29-30) By faith they
passed through the
The Life of
Faith
By these two things, we see again that the believers life is from beginning to end a life of faith. Without faith no progress can be made, no victories can be obtained, and no fruit can be brought forth for God’s glory.
· “The just shall live by faith.”
· “As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.”
· “Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.” – (Isa. 45:25; John 1:29; Heb. 12:2; 1 John 3:2; Rev. 22:4).
40 Years
It is solemn to note that an interval of forty years duration comes in between Hebrews 11:29 and 30. Those years were spent in the wilderness. They were years of judgment from God because of the unbelief and disobedience of the people.
Our text is an inspired commentary on the sixth
chapter of Joshua, which begins by telling us, “Now
Yet, it fell to a people who
possessed no artillery, and without them fighting a single battle. All they
did, in obedience to God’s Word, was to march by faith around the city once
each day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. On that seventh day
(The Number Of Grace – The Number of Salvation – The
Number of Completion), the trumpets of rams horns were blown and when the
people shouted the walls collapsed before them.
Proposition: By faith they destroyed
“Faith, persevering faith, enabled Joshua and the
Israelites to do what otherwise they could not have done, and by doing so, to
obtain what otherwise they could not have obtained” – (John. Brown)
Divisions:
1. Their Captain.
2. Their Commission.
3. Their Conduct.
4. Their Conquest.
I. Their
Captain – They had a
divine Captain (Joshua
(Joshua 5:13-15) And it came to
pass, when Joshua was by
A. Israel’s Captain is
1. This was none other than the
Lord Jesus Christ, – The Prince of Israel, -- The Captain of our Salvation
(Heb.
2. He is the great “I Am.” – The One who commissioned Moses.
3. He is the Covenant God who
promised to Abraham the
B. God’s ways are not our ways.
They are never our ways! God never does things the
way we would do them; and we would never do things the way God would have them
done if he did not compel us to walk in his way and follow him.
(Isaiah 55:8) For my thoughts are
not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
·
Moses was preserved in the ark of bulrushes.
·
David was chosen as
·
Goliath was slain by a shepherd boy’s sling.
·
Elijah was fed by a raven.
·
The Messiah was laid in a manger.
·
God’s ways stain the pride of man.
C. God is totally independent of all natural
means, and superior to all “laws of nature.”
·
Daniel in the lion’s den.
·
Three Hebrews in
II. Their
Commission – They had a
specific commission. – Take
(Joshua 6:1-5) Now
A.
Formidable difficulties and powerful oppositions are
encountered in the warfare of faith.
We, too, are engaged in a warfare.
The believer’s life is a constant warfare, a warfare waged in hostile enemy
territory.
·
The World
·
The Flesh
·
The Devil
We cannot take possession of our promised inheritance except we conquer the enemy. But conquer we have, conquer we do, and conquer we shall.
·
Christ conquered the enemy for us (John
(Colossians 2:13-15) And you,
being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened
together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out
the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us,
and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having
spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing
over them in it.
·
The Lord God gives us grace, day by day, to prevail over our enemies (2 Cor. 12:9).
(2 Corinthians 12:1-10) It is
not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations
of the Lord. 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether
in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God
knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a
man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words,
which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such an one will I
glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6 For
though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the
truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that
which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And
lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the
revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan
to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I
besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said
unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in
weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the
power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for
Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
·
We shall prevail at last over all our foes (Rom.
We do have our swelling rivers to cross, impregnable
walls to pass through, and mighty enemies to conquer in this warfare. But
whatever our difficulties are, our God has put them before us. They are placed
in our path on purpose by his hand. And our God will cause us to trample them
beneath our feet.
(Galatians 2:20-21) I am
crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the
grace of God: for if righteousness come by
the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
(Philippians 4:13) I can do all
things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
(2 Timothy 1:12) For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not
ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to
keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
B. Satan’s strongholds cannot stand before a
people believe God.
·
·
Apostolic days.
·
Reformation.
·
Great awakening.
B.
Why is it that we are not witnessing the same Gospel
triumphs in our day?
Why is it that we do not see
God’s mighty arm stretched out and his glory revealed in our day? Is his arm
shortened that it cannot save? – No! The problem is not with our God, but with
us.
(John 11:40) Jesus saith unto
her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see
the glory of God?
(Matthew 13:58) And he did not
many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
(Isaiah 48:17-19) Thus saith the
LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which
teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou
shouldest go. 18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as
the waves of the sea: 19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the
offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been
cut off nor destroyed from before me.
·
David could not bring the ark of God up to
·
Let us go forth doing God’s work in his way, and dependent upon his
power.
III. Their
Conduct – They Believed God.
When
Illustration:
-- Cortez’s Orders – “Burn the ships!”
A. Faith is a living principle; and every living
thing grow.
Yes, there are degrees of faith. We grow in faith as
we grow in grace. We grow in grace as we grow in the knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ. And we grow in faith by the blessed discipline of grace (Heb.
12:5-11).
·
Receiving Faith (John
·
Reckoning Faith (2 Tim.
·
Risking Faith – Faith which dares something for the Lord – Exemplified
in:
(1). Moses
before Pharaoh.
(2). David
before Goliath.
(3).
Daniel in
(4).
Elijah before the prophets of Baal.
(5). Paul
and Barnabas
B. God honors faith because faith honors him.
Quote:
“Ask great things of God; expect great things from God, undertake great
things for God.” – (William Carey).
C. Joshua and the children of
(Joshua 6:3-4) And ye shall
compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city
once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 4 And seven
priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the
seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow
with the trumpets.
(Joshua 6:6-8) And Joshua the
son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven
trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD. 7 And he said unto
the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on
before the ark of the LORD. 8 And it came to pass, when Joshua had
spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of
rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark
of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
1. God’s ways often seem strange to us.
a. Naaman.
b. The
apostles (5 loaves and 2 fish).
c. Consider
2. God’s Word, his revealed will is be implicitly obeyed.
These people were required to march around
(Psalms 34:4-7) I sought the
LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked
unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. 6 This
poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his
troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear
him, and delivereth them.
1. The apostles were commanded
to tarry at
2. “Men ought always to pray
and not to faint” (Lk. 18:1). Often we faint when victory is almost in sight. God is in
no hurry Gal. 6:9).
(Galatians
6:9) And let us not be weary in well
doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
(Psalms 27:14) Wait on the LORD:
be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the
LORD.
(Psalms 37:34) Wait on the LORD,
and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked
are cut off, thou shalt see it.
(Proverbs 20:22) Say not thou, I
will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
(Isaiah 40:31) But they that
wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with
wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk,
and not faint.
(Lamentations 3:25-26) The LORD is
good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the
salvation of the LORD.
E. Theirs was an expectant faith (Josh.
(Joshua 6:20) So the people
shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass,
when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a
great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the
city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
1. The people shouted before
the walls fell down. – Because they believed God, they expected those mighty,
huge walls to fall.
2. We ought to expect God to do
all that he has promised. – What could be more reasonable.
·
In Prayer.
·
In Preaching.
·
Regarding His Elect.
·
Regarding His Church.
·
Regarding This World.
·
Regarding Ourselves!
IV. Their
Conquest – They took
A. God made a promise and they believed it.
B. Let us likewise believe our God (Matt.
(Matthew 17:20) And Jesus said
unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say
unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and
nothing shall be impossible unto you.
(1 John 5:4) For whatsoever is
born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the
world, even our faith.
(2 Chronicles 20:20) And they
rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as
they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye
inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be
established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
(Revelation 19:1-6) And after
these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia;
Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2 For
true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great
whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the
blood of his servants at her hand. 3 And again they said, Alleluia. And
her smoke rose up for ever and ever. 4 And the four and twenty elders
and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne,
saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying,
Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and
great. 6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as
the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
(Revelation 20:6) Blessed and
holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second
death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall
reign with him a thousand years.
[1] God raises up specific men for specific purposes. When the servant has accomplished the purpose for which the Lord raised him up, God takes him.