Sermon #49 Miscellaneous Sermons:
Title: “Faith To Die By”
Text: Hebrews 11:21 (Genesis 48:5-22)
Reading:
Subject: The faith of Jacob
Date: Tuesday Evening - September 18, 2001
Tape #
Introduction:
Matthew
Henry wisely observed, “Through the grace of faith is of universal use
throughout our whole lives, yet it is especially so when we come to die. Faith
has its greatest work to do at last, to help believers to finish well, to die
to the Lord, so as to honor him, by patience, hope, and joy - so as to leave a
witness behind them of the truth of God’s Word and the excellency of his ways,
for the conviction and establishment of all who attend them in their dying
moments.”
.
How
greatly God is glorified when His people leave this world with their flag
flying at full mast. His worthy name is marvelously honored when the Spirit
triumphs over the flesh, when world is consciously and gladly left behind for
heaven. For this faith must be in exercise.
We
should observe that in Hebrews 11:20-22 the Holy Spirit has furnished us with
three examples of faith in the final crisis and conflict of life. God would
hereby assure his trembling and doubting children, that he who has begun a good
work in them will perform it unto the last day. He who has sovereignly and
graciously given the precious grace of faith to their hearts will not allow it
to languish when its support is most needed. Beloved rest on this: God who has
enabled his people to exercise faith in the vigor of life, will not withdraw
his quickening power in the weakness of death.
Regretfully
God’s children have been very little instructed, in our day, concerning
preparation for death and the comforts that can be ours in those last hours.
Satan is actively seeking to strike terror in the hearts of God’s children.
Knowing this, it is the duty of Christ’s servants to expose the groundlessness
and hollowness of Satan’s lies.
A
God-given and a God-sustained faith is not only sufficient to enable the
feeblest saint to overcome the solicitations of the flesh, the attractions of
the world, and the temptations of Satan, but it is also able to give him a
triumphant passage through death.
Balaam
said, “Let me die the death of the
righteous, and let my last end be like his” (Num. 23:10). Well might he wish
to do so. Every Christian, who, in the main current of his life, has walked
with God, shall experience in his last hours the brightest and most blissful of
all. “The path of the just is as the
shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Prov.
4:18). Though his body may convulse with pain, and physical unconsciousness
set-in, yet the soul cutting adrift from its earthly moorings, is then blest
with a sight and sense of his precious Redeemer such as he never had before. “He being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up
steadfastly into Heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the
right hand of God” (Acts 7:55).
“Mark the perfect man, and behold the
upright; for the end of that man is peace” (Psa. 37:37). A peaceful death
has concluded the troublesome life of many godly men. Mr. Spurgeon, in
commenting on that verse, said: “With believers it may rain in the morning,
thunder at midday, and pour torrents in the afternoon, but it must clear up ere
the sun go down.” Most clearly do these words apply to the case of Jacob. His
was a stormy passage indeed, but the waters were smooth as he entered the port.
May hours of his life were cloudy and dark, but it was bathed with the radiant
splendor of sunset at its close.
Proposition:
The
believer’s faith enters upon its fruition in the hour of death. The faith of
the dying saint is the most perfect faith.
Divisions:
1.
The blessed man of faith.
2.
The benediction message of faith.
3.
The broken manner of faith.
I. The blessed
man of faith.
A. Jacob, above all the other
patriarchs, abounded in trials and temptations and therefore he furnishes us
with many illustrious testimonies of faith.
NOTE: The life of faith is not
like the shining of the sun on a calm and clear day, meeting with no resistance
from the atmosphere; rather it is like the sun-rising on a foggy morning, its
rays struggling to pierce through and dispel the opposing mists.
1.
Jacob walked by faith, but in the exercise of faith he encountered many
struggles, and he had to fight hard for each victory.
2. In
spite of all his faults and failings, Jacob dearly prized his interest in the
everlasting covenant. He trusted God and highly esteemed his promises.
NOTE: We all are as full of
error as Jacob.
NOTE: The old nature was strong with
him, but so was the new.
a. He valued the birthright which Esau
despised.
b. His faith coveted the promises of
God.
c. He desired for the Lord to be his
God (Gen. 28:21).
d. Though he was terrified at Esau,
nevertheless, he sought the Lord, pleaded his promises, and obtained the answer
of peace (Gen. 32:12).
e. Though he cringed at the feet of
his brother, in sequel we find him prevailing with God (Gen. 32:28).
f. Equally with Abraham and Isaac, “by faith he sojourned in the land of
promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tents” (Heb. 11:9).
B. During the closing days of his
life, Jacob’s faith shone most brightly.
1. When he gave permission for Benjamin to
accompany his brothers on their second trip to Egypt, he said, “God almighty (or God the Sufficient
One) give you mercy before the man” (Gen.
43:14). Thus he rested on the covenant promise.
2.
Blessed is it to see the conduct of this Blessed Man of faith when he was
presented before Pharaoh, ruler of the greatest empire of the world.
a. Instead of cringing before him, we are
told, “Jacob blessed Pharaoh” (Gen.
47:7).
b. He
acted as a child of the King of kings (Heb. 7:7). He carried himself with
dignity as the ambassador of the Most High God.
II. The
benediction message of faith.
This benediction of Jacob was a great act of
faith (Gen. 48:8-20). We can learn much from the circumstances of this final
benediction.
A. Jacob’s realization by faith.
1. His ages - Jacob exercised his faith in
his old age; and not only so but when he had a certain prospect of the sudden
approach of his death (Gen. 47:29; 48:21).
NOTE: In spite of all his trials
and conflicts, the weaknesses and disconsolations of old age, he abode firm in
the faith, and vigorous in the exercise of it. His natural decay did not cause
any abatement in his spiritual strength.
2.
His assertion - In this blessing of Joseph and his sons Jacob solemnly
recognized, pleaded, and asserted the covenant made with Abraham (Gen. 48:15). “And he blessed Joseph, and said, God,
before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk.”
Here is the very life of faith:
a. To
lay hold of the divine covenant.
b. To
draw strength from it (Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 3:21 & 23; 2 Cor. 4:15).
c. To
walk in the light of the everlasting covenant.
(1).
It is the foundation of all our blessings (Eph. 1:3).
(2).
It is the charter of our inheritance.
(3).
It is the guarantor of our eternal glory.
NOTE: he who keeps it in view
will have a happy deathbed, a peaceful end, and a God-honoring exit from this
world of suffering and sin.
Quote: Upon his deathbed the
eminent Dr. John Gill made a heartfelt confession by which we may almost look
into his very soul.
“I
depend wholly and alone upon the free, sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love of
God, the firm and everlasting covenant of grace, and my interest in the persons
of the Trinity, for my whole salvation; and not upon any righteousness of my
own; nor anything in me, or done by me, under the influence of the Holy Spirit;
Not upon any services of mine, which I have been assisted to perform for the
good of the church, but, upon my interest in the Persons of the Trinity, the
free grace of God, and the blessings of grace streaming to me through the blood
and righteousness of Christ, as the ground of my hope. These are no new things
to me, but what I have long been acquainted with; what I can live and die by. I
apprehend I shall not be here long, but this you may tell to any of my
friends.”
I say
that a firm view of Christ, in the covenant secures the heart of dying saints!
3.
His acknowledgment (Gen. 48:15). Here Jacob made an acknowledgment of all
temporal, as well as spiritual, mercies were his by virtue of the covenant. “The God which fed me all my life long unto
this day.”
Quote: “It
was a work of faith to retain a precious thankful remembrance of divine
providence in a constant provision of all needful temporal supplies, from first
to last, during the whole course of his life” (John Owen).
NOTE: God is honored, before
those surrounding his perishing body, when a dying saint bears testimony to his
faithfulness in having supplied all his need.
B. Jacob’s reflection upon faith - “Redeemed me from all evil.”
1. His afflictions in faith.
Now
all the dangers are past, all his evils conquered, all his fears removed, and
he retains a sense of the goodness and kindness of God in delivering him out of
them all. His love was nearly perfected (1 John 4:18).
2.
His actions by faith - He remembers now the strength which God gave him by
faith (Hosea 12:3-4).
NOTE: He had faith in the Son of
God, the Angel of the covenant (Gen. 32:24-30).
C. Jacob’s revelation of faith.
In his old age Jacob’s hands were guided
wittingly, understandingly, so that he blessed the sons of Joseph and predicted
their future according to purpose of God (Gen. 48:14, 16-18).
1. He
desired for them the blessings of the covenant, rather than the wealth of
Egypt.
NOTE: The delights of this world are nothing
compared to the blessings of Zion (Psa. 128:5; 134:3; 133:3).
2.
His faith acted contrary to the will of his favorite son (Gen. 48:18).
D. Jacob’s resolute faith (Gen. 48:19).
Jacob
was determined, at this stage of life, that obedience to God was the great
thing. He had heard from God (Rom. 10:17), he believed God, and he submitted to
God.
III. The
Broken Manner of Faith.
The life of Jacob could be summed up in these
words.
A. His deception - He was deceiving and
cunning.
B. His determination - He was
determined to have the promised blessings of God.
C. His repentance - He was finally
broken and became totally dependent upon God. “He
worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.”
NOTE: There
is no contradiction between Genesis 47:31 and Hebrews 11:21. The Hebrew word
may have a different pronunciation, depending on the supply of vowels. Hebrew
does not itself have the vowels. If we read “mittah” it signifies a bed; if we
read “matter” it signifies a staff. Paul simply quotes the LXX. His design is
not an exact translation, but to express the posture and act of Jacob in this
adoration.
1. He
showed great confidence in God’s promise (Gen. 47:29-30).
2.
Even in his dying hour he was a pilgrim, such was the purpose of emphasizing
his staff.
3. He
was in complete dependence upon God. His final act was one of worship! May it
be yours and mine. That is what God does for all his elect (Phil. 2:5).
Application:
1. It is great mercy when faith grows strong in the
last conflict with death.
2. In the dying hour nothing quickens faith so much
as clear views of the Angel of the Covenant.
3. We should live constantly by faith, thus
preparing to die by faith.
4. Such faith comes from Christ alone. Plead with
him for it.
5. When we come to death let us rather rejoice than
mourn.
Why do we mourn departing
friends,
Or shake at death’s alarms?
Tis but the voice that Jesus
sends,
To call them to His arms.
Are not we tending upward
too,
As fast as time can move?
Nor should we wish our hours
more show,
To keep us from our love.
The graves of all the saints
He blest,
And softened every bed;
Where should the dying
members rest,
But with their dying Head?
Thence He arose, ascending
high,
And showed our feet the way;
Up to the Lord our flesh
shall fly,
At the great rising day.
----- Isaac Watts
Faith
in Jesus is faith to live by, ah but faith in Jesus is faith to die by - Amen!