1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,000 When I had a friend, a family, pretty close to us, 2 00:00:06,140 --> 00:00:07,240 I love these people. 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:08,720 I don't know if they'll ever hear this, 4 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:12,920 but the Bailey family, Joe and Donna Bailey 5 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:18,220 are just sweet people, love the Lord. 6 00:00:18,220 --> 00:00:20,160 They had gotten right with the Lord, 7 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:22,900 gotten back in church at our church in Park Street. 8 00:00:22,900 --> 00:00:25,520 She was a bank teller, and I remember one week, 9 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:28,460 I think it was because my parents were gone, 10 00:00:28,460 --> 00:00:29,800 so she picked us up from school, 11 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,100 when I was a kid, middle school, I think. 12 00:00:33,100 --> 00:00:35,060 And she said, oh, today was an exciting day. 13 00:00:35,060 --> 00:00:37,960 I found counterfeit money. 14 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,040 And I was like, really, how do you know it's counterfeit? 15 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:43,200 Like, if it's monopoly money, 16 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:45,440 I think I could pick it out, right? 17 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:49,520 But how is it that you knew that the money that you found, 18 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:51,100 you're counting all this money, how did you know? 19 00:00:51,100 --> 00:00:53,520 She goes, well, you know, I deal with money so much 20 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,760 as a teller, and that was back before debit cards 21 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:58,520 were a big thing, and so she was like, 22 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:00,520 I'm handling money cash all the time. 23 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:02,840 And she said, you know, when you deal with 24 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:04,640 the authentic bills all the time, 25 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:06,560 then when something comes across that's different, 26 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,680 you can tell the authentic, and dealing with the authentic, 27 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:15,680 and knowing the authentic can make the fake stand out, right? 28 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,400 And I thought that was an interesting thing, 29 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:21,840 and then later on, I heard the story about somebody 30 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,480 that taught, and I don't know if it's a true story 31 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:26,240 or if it's a fake story, but it's a good story. 32 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,080 It's a good illustration, preacher story, 33 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,400 where this guy who wanted to teach somebody 34 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:35,320 to do the trade of Jade, selling Jade, 35 00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:38,080 and this guy came to me, I wanna learn how to do this trade 36 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,880 and know what Jade is, and so he made him just hold 37 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:43,680 a piece of Jade all the time, and for weeks and months 38 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:45,280 and years, he's just holding this Jade, 39 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,720 and it's kind of one of those Mr. Miyagi moments, 40 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,120 you know, paint defense, you guys don't know what I'm talking 41 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:51,480 about, like, I don't know what I'm learning, 42 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,200 I'm learning something, I think I'm just doing 43 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:55,000 guys' chores, right? 44 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:56,920 But it was one of those days when he threw him a new one, 45 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:58,080 and there was something, and he's like, 46 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,520 this isn't Jade, he goes, now you know the trade, 47 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,680 because by knowing the genuine, you can pick out 48 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:05,840 what's not authentic. 49 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,800 Today, I want you to think through this with me, 50 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,440 we value the authentic, don't we? 51 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,440 You value authentic things, if I gave you something, 52 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:19,440 I had somebody the other day, and if he's here, 53 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:21,680 don't get offended, this is just what happened, okay? 54 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:22,520 I love you. 55 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:24,960 I don't think he's here, but anyway, 56 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:29,080 he's like, hey, do you want some AirPods? 57 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:30,800 Do you guys know what AirPods are? 58 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:31,640 Yeah? 59 00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:35,320 They're Apple's overpriced headphones. 60 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:39,440 And so, sure I'll get some, and he's like, 61 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:41,320 my friend just had an extra pair, and he wants to sell, 62 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,000 okay, cool, so I got them, and I paid this really low price 63 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,280 for them, and I put them in, and I tried to connect them, 64 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,000 like, these are not genuine Apple parts. 65 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,160 I was like, oh man, I want the genuine, 66 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:53,520 who wants the genuine thing? 67 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,040 Like, if you're gonna pay that much money, 68 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:56,640 you want the real thing. 69 00:02:56,640 --> 00:02:59,280 We value the authentic. 70 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,000 Now, here's who else values the authentic. 71 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:03,640 God values the authentic. 72 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:09,720 The difference with us and God is that God knows our hearts. 73 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,800 He knows when we're being hypocritical 74 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:14,440 and when we're being authentic. 75 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,000 And what God values, and I wanna kinda key you in 76 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:21,280 this morning, and I want you to feel the weight of this, 77 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,840 and I want you to feel the urgency in this, 78 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,520 it's so important that we understand 79 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,120 that faith in the God of the Bible, authentic faith 80 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:35,080 in the God of the Bible is essential for your life. 81 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,720 It's essential for your eternity. 82 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:42,920 God, God values our faith. 83 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:44,720 And in fact, he says, we've been studying 84 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:46,680 in the book of Hebrews, if you have your Bibles, 85 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,760 Hebrews chapter 11 is where we are. 86 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:50,280 I'm gonna have you go back a little bit 87 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,200 to Hebrews chapter 10, verse 38. 88 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,240 It's at the end of this passage that he's wanting 89 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,520 these some who are believers, some who are not yet believers 90 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,800 but are maybe intellectually events. 91 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,200 He says, hey, I want you to be convinced of this thing 92 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,280 that you ought to go forward and put your faith 93 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:10,800 and trust in Christ. 94 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:12,040 And you ought to do that. 95 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,560 In fact, he says in verse 38, now the just, 96 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,880 those who are justified, those who are saved, 97 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,440 those who are given as we're gonna talk about today 98 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,880 and inherited righteousness from God, 99 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:28,880 those people shall live by what? 100 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:31,040 Okay, say it like you mean it. 101 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,000 Man, almost all you did it, that's good. 102 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,640 The just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, 103 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:40,080 my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 104 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,520 He says in verse 39, but we are not of them, 105 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:47,520 hey, my Hebrew, Israeli, Jewish, people of Israel, 106 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,760 children of Israel, you people who have this background 107 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:54,400 and this heritage, we're not of people who drew back. 108 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,160 We're people, we're not of those who draw back 109 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,960 in a petition but of them that believe 110 00:04:59,960 --> 00:05:03,360 to the saving of the soul. 111 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:08,040 He said, we people of God, we chosen the chosen Jews, 112 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:13,040 we are people who believe we don't go back. 113 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,440 And so in the first couple verses we've been looking at, 114 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,640 last week we talked about how that God values faith. 115 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:22,840 Faith is the evidence of things hoped for, 116 00:05:22,840 --> 00:05:25,120 the evidence of the substance of things hoped for, 117 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:26,160 the evidence of things that I've seen, 118 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,160 that idea of substance is a putting under, 119 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,560 it's a foundation that are the way that the just, 120 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:34,680 people who are saved live their lives, 121 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,920 it's on a foundation of faith and trust in God, 122 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:39,840 it's evidence of things not seen. 123 00:05:39,840 --> 00:05:43,640 We act as if it's true because we believe that it is. 124 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:48,640 The just shall live, you're getting it, awesome. 125 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:53,680 He goes on in verse two and says, it's by this faith, 126 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:57,520 this true authentic faith in the true son of God 127 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,680 that the elders, those people who've gone before, 128 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,320 obtained a good report, who is their report to? 129 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,640 Their report was to us, how many guys agree, 130 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:08,640 their faith helps your faith? 131 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,440 When you see the people that have gone before 132 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,040 in the Old Testament and you hear their stories of faith, 133 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:16,240 last Sunday night a pastor of mine was preaching 134 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,240 an incredible message about David and Goliath, 135 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:21,440 you guys remember that? 136 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,040 And he called it David and the Dwarf 137 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:24,240 and I thought that was pretty funny. 138 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,440 And he was talking about how that David 139 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:29,240 put his trust in the Lord, not, he says, 140 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,240 in that particular passage he talks about, 141 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,840 God doesn't save by sword and spear, 142 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:38,240 the Lord is the one who wins for you, 143 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:39,240 the Lord wins for us. 144 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,040 And so we're encouraged by those ones who have gone before 145 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:43,240 and how they responded. 146 00:06:45,340 --> 00:06:49,280 Today he says here in verse two elders obtained a good report, 147 00:06:49,280 --> 00:06:51,180 they're a good report to us, but it's also a good report 148 00:06:51,180 --> 00:06:53,720 to God that what pleases them, 149 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,520 what pleases God is faith, and we'll talk about that today. 150 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,240 We also saw an illustration of faith that God, 151 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,780 that we believe because, and it has to be by faith, 152 00:07:02,780 --> 00:07:05,280 we see evidence of God's creation, 153 00:07:05,280 --> 00:07:06,680 but it's through faith that we understand 154 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:08,280 that the world was designed. 155 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,560 That we see, and I kind of taught you that from the stars 156 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,480 down to the cells in our skin, 157 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:18,960 there's evidence all around us that God designed the world. 158 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,160 And it's through faith we believe that. 159 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:24,400 Today he goes into some of those elders 160 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:26,200 and the report of faith that they have, 161 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:28,320 and in fact over the next few weeks, 162 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,760 we're gonna be looking at a bunch of these different 163 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:32,840 patriarchs, those who went before, 164 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,040 who were not of those who went back under perdition, 165 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:37,680 but were on those who went forward 166 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:38,920 to the saving of the soul, 167 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:42,840 those who were just, who lived by faith. 168 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,600 And in that teaching today, 169 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,480 I want you to understand that authentic faith 170 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:52,640 in the true and living God is absolutely essential 171 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:57,160 for your life, for your life now and for eternity later. 172 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:01,080 Authentic faith in God is essential. 173 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:02,520 And we're gonna see four lessons 174 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,580 from three different characters. 175 00:08:04,580 --> 00:08:06,040 I tried to make it three from three, 176 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:07,920 but it's four from three, all right? 177 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:09,720 Will you forgive me? 178 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:11,960 All right, will you remember it? 179 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:12,800 Will you remember it? 180 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:13,640 Can you try to remember? 181 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:15,400 Who wants to learn something today? 182 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:17,520 Who wants to grow because of what you're here for? 183 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:18,360 I wanna do that too. 184 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:19,640 I wanna live by faith. 185 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,120 And so we're gonna learn four lessons 186 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:24,840 from three, three guys in these three verses 187 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:27,520 that will help us to live by faith 188 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:29,600 and understand what authentic faith looks like. 189 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:31,420 The first lesson we're gonna learn 190 00:08:31,420 --> 00:08:33,680 is from a guy named Abel. 191 00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:37,360 Abel teaches that a real faith and authentic faith 192 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,760 is a faith that obeys. 193 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,280 A faith that obeys. 194 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:44,120 Look at verse number four. 195 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:49,120 It says this, by faith, now that is a phrase 196 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:51,920 we're already pausing, two words in and I'm pausing. 197 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:55,040 In two words he says by faith. 198 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:57,240 Look at verse five, well how does that start? 199 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,160 How does verse seven start? 200 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:06,160 Verse eight, verse nine, verse 11, 201 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:12,680 no, through faith, I got ya. 202 00:09:12,680 --> 00:09:15,060 Does anybody sense a pattern? 203 00:09:15,060 --> 00:09:16,720 Who senses a pattern? 204 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,200 What's this whole passage about? 205 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,560 What are we gonna talk about for the next couple of weeks? 206 00:09:21,560 --> 00:09:22,920 That's right. 207 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:24,480 Who thinks faith is important? 208 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,760 It's important but it's important who you have faith in. 209 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:30,840 What I taught you last week 210 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,520 is everybody has faith in something. 211 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:36,960 Who's your faith in and is your faith authentic? 212 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,120 Now here's what he says about Abel. 213 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,720 By faith Abel offered unto God 214 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:47,620 a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. 215 00:09:47,620 --> 00:09:51,840 By which he obtained witness that he was, what's the word? 216 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:53,840 Righteous, what does righteous mean? 217 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,040 Righteous means right before God. 218 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,520 Righteous means right before God, okay? 219 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:04,680 Now how did he, he says he obtained witness 220 00:10:04,680 --> 00:10:09,040 that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts 221 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:12,720 and by it he being dead, yet speaketh. 222 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:13,840 Now here's what I want you to do. 223 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:15,400 I want you to grab your Bibles 224 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:18,340 and I want you to go to Genesis chapter four. 225 00:10:18,340 --> 00:10:22,680 Genesis chapter four, I have one of these fancy Bibles 226 00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:25,760 where I have more than one ribbon, okay? 227 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:28,680 I like lots of ribbons. 228 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:35,160 And in my Bible you can put a ribbon in one ribbon 229 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,120 and the other because in Genesis chapter four, 230 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,400 we're gonna actually, on a couple of occasions 231 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,220 in the next few minutes, we're gonna be on the almost 232 00:10:43,220 --> 00:10:46,600 the same page back in Genesis when we go back and forth. 233 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:51,360 In Genesis chapter four, we find out who Abel was. 234 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:54,680 If you look at four verse one, it says this, 235 00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:59,300 and Adam knew his wife, knew Eve his wife. 236 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:02,200 Who are Adam and Eve? 237 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,760 They're the first human beings. 238 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:08,320 They were created by God. 239 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,760 You asked me, Ben, do you think these were historical figures 240 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:14,760 with all my heart? 241 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:15,960 These are real people. 242 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:19,800 And it says Adam knew his wife Eve. 243 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,480 That's what happens when married couples procreate 244 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,640 and it says, and she conceived and bear Cain, 245 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:27,760 who's the firstborn? 246 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:30,440 Who's the firstborn? 247 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:34,240 She bear Cain and said, I've gotten a man from the Lord 248 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:38,120 and she again, bear his brother Abel. 249 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:40,840 And Abel was a keeper of the sheep, 250 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,800 but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 251 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,200 So you have two boys, two different pregnancies, 252 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:48,920 one older, one younger. 253 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:52,300 You have Cain who is a farmer. 254 00:11:52,300 --> 00:11:53,660 Are there any farmers here? 255 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:56,820 Couple of you, we love farmers. 256 00:11:57,680 --> 00:11:59,400 Who loves farmers? 257 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:01,040 Who loves food? 258 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:02,040 Amen. 259 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:03,720 So we love farmers, amen. 260 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:07,720 So you have Cain who's a farmer and then you have Abel, 261 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:12,020 and he was a shepherd. 262 00:12:13,680 --> 00:12:16,840 So it says here in verse number three, 263 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:19,720 and in the process of time it came to pass 264 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:21,520 that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground 265 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:23,480 an offering unto the Lord. 266 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:25,920 And Abel, he also brought of the first things 267 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:27,640 of his flock of the fat thereof. 268 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,640 And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering, 269 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:36,280 but unto Cain and to his offering, he had not respect. 270 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:38,680 And Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell. 271 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:41,000 So you have two offerings that were given. 272 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,600 It says in that passage, after the process of time it happened. 273 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:46,640 So this isn't like a story. 274 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:47,640 This is one thing that happens. 275 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,680 I think people get mixed up when they read the Bible. 276 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:54,800 Sometimes that we read because there's succession, 277 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,120 that it's almost like day one, day two, day three, 278 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:58,440 like it's happening all right. 279 00:12:58,440 --> 00:12:59,760 It says here in the process of time. 280 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:01,160 So it didn't happen right away. 281 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,080 It's at some point in their relationship. 282 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:04,840 Now they're older. 283 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,120 Are they babies or are they men? 284 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:07,960 They're men. 285 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,720 So from verse one, when she has them as kids, 286 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:12,560 to now they've grown up. 287 00:13:12,560 --> 00:13:13,400 Okay. 288 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:18,400 And Cain, his gifting, his ability, his interest was farming, 289 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:20,480 Abel's was shepherding. 290 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:23,080 It says that Cain brought of his offering 291 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:24,800 and it makes sense that he would bring. 292 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:27,080 At some level it kind of matches offering. 293 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,440 He brings the fruit of the ground. 294 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,200 And it says something interesting about Abel's. 295 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:34,760 It says that he brought the firstlings of his flock 296 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:36,720 and of the fat thereof. 297 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,280 Now some may ask, okay, and then what happened? 298 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:44,280 God rejected Cain's, but he accepted Abel's. 299 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:46,760 Now some may ask, well, why did it? 300 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:48,000 Why did that happen? 301 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:52,440 Well, some have proposed several animal answers. 302 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,920 One is that Abel's was an animal 303 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,440 and therefore a blood sacrifice. 304 00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:02,040 The Bible, even in Hebrews, has told us 305 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:07,040 that things were not forgiven or purged except by blood. 306 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:11,680 And even if you go back in Genesis chapter three, 307 00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:16,680 verse 21, when God was sending Adam and Eve out of the garden, 308 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:20,520 what does it say he did? 309 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:24,120 And Adam and also, and Adam also and to his wife, 310 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:29,120 did the Lord of God make coats of what? 311 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,240 Skins and clothe them. 312 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:36,240 You remember that when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit 313 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:37,920 that they weren't supposed to eat, 314 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:41,840 then their eyes were open and they were, what does it say? 315 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:42,680 Ashamed. 316 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:43,680 And what did they do? 317 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,120 They went and hid, you guys are with me, 318 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,240 you guys want to answer the question, this is good. 319 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:53,480 They went and hid, but they also took fig leaves 320 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:57,160 and with those fig leaves they sowed aprons to cover themselves, 321 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,200 to cover their nakedness, to cover their shame. 322 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,520 After God sends them out, God does this interesting thing 323 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,400 where it's not with fig leaves, 324 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,200 not with plants, are you getting it? 325 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,320 Not with plants that they're covered, what does he do? 326 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:14,920 With animal skins, to get an animal skin to cover 327 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,360 their nakedness, what does he have to do? 328 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,720 Kill an animal, sacrifice blood. 329 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:23,320 So we see a pattern in just a few verses, 330 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:26,080 not leaves, blood. 331 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:28,240 Maybe that's why. 332 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:35,360 For sure, who is the one who is the one who is the one 333 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:38,000 who agrees with Abel, it was his best? 334 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,880 He says he brought up the firstlings of his flock, 335 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:43,040 the fat thereof. 336 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,680 Who also agrees, and this is I think a right answer 337 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,720 and I think we put all these answers together, 338 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:53,320 who agrees that God knew Abel's heart 339 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:55,720 and God knew Cain's heart? 340 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:57,160 He did. 341 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:59,680 And we are told that they were supposed to do these offerings 342 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:03,240 in terms of we know when God commanded Adam 343 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:05,080 and what God commanded Adam to do, 344 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,680 we don't know what God, the specifics of what God 345 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,640 commanded Abel and Cain to do in bringing these offerings, 346 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:12,680 but we do believe that they felt an obligation 347 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:14,720 to bring the offerings who agrees. 348 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:18,280 So God must have given them instruction on how to do this. 349 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:20,640 And I think the simple answer is this, 350 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,520 Abel was obedient, Cain was not. 351 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:28,600 Abel was obedient, Cain was not. 352 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,640 Not just obedient in practice, obedient in, 353 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:35,560 in what? 354 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,640 In heart, in heart. 355 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:42,400 Sometimes I ask my kids to take out the trash. 356 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:45,800 Hey, Audrey, could you take out the trash? 357 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:49,600 Audrey does everything she does when she has a good attitude 358 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:50,920 and she's mad at me for talking about her, 359 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:51,920 but I'm going to. 360 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,920 She skips in prances and dances everywhere, right? 361 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:58,400 And so when she, will you take out the, 362 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:02,920 yes, I'll take out the, the trash. 363 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:04,840 That's how she does it. 364 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:07,960 Sometimes my kids, so they do it with a good heart. 365 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:09,520 You're like, you let your Baptist kids dance, 366 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:11,760 I can't stop her, she just dances all the time. 367 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:16,680 Sometimes when I ask my kids to obey, you know what they do? 368 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:21,880 Anybody have kids like that? 369 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:23,880 Anybody kids obey like that? 370 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:26,000 Is that obedience? 371 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:27,640 No, obedience is doing what you're told 372 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:30,560 when you're told with a good attitude. 373 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:32,520 Cain's heart was not right before God. 374 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,680 And so God accepted Abel's obedient heart, 375 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:40,520 his obedient life, his faith, a faith that obeys, 376 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,000 and he rejected Cain's. 377 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:45,320 Now what ended up happening? 378 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:47,760 We know what happened. 379 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:50,520 Verse six, the Lord said to Cain, 380 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:53,680 why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen? 381 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,160 If thou doest well, shall thou not be accepted. 382 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:57,360 And if thou doest not well, 383 00:17:57,360 --> 00:17:58,200 so what's that mean? 384 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:00,120 Verse seven, if thou doest well, 385 00:18:00,120 --> 00:18:01,360 shall thou not be accepted. 386 00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:02,800 You know what that means? 387 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:06,400 If you would obeyed, wouldn't your gift be accepted? 388 00:18:07,360 --> 00:18:10,760 And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. 389 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:15,160 That language is like sin is like a crouched tiger, 390 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:16,340 ready to pounce. 391 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,600 I want you to know that sin is like that. 392 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:24,880 Sin, when it's finished, brings forth death. 393 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:26,840 Sin is dangerous. 394 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:27,920 You don't play with it. 395 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:31,360 And unto thee shall be his desire, 396 00:18:31,360 --> 00:18:33,240 and thou shalt rule over him. 397 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:35,240 Verse eight, and Cain talked with his brother, 398 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:37,360 and it came to pass when they were in the field 399 00:18:37,360 --> 00:18:41,360 that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 400 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,800 And the Lord said unto Cain, where is Abel thy brother? 401 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,360 And he said, I know not, am I my brother's keeper? 402 00:18:47,360 --> 00:18:48,560 Let me ask you a question. 403 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,280 Are you your brother's keeper? 404 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:53,360 The answer is yes. 405 00:18:53,360 --> 00:18:55,060 We are all our brother's keeper. 406 00:18:55,060 --> 00:18:59,100 Do you have a responsibility for other people? 407 00:19:00,380 --> 00:19:02,140 Okay, church, I think you're confused. 408 00:19:02,140 --> 00:19:05,260 Do you have a responsibility for other people? 409 00:19:05,260 --> 00:19:06,260 Of course you do. 410 00:19:07,140 --> 00:19:08,700 Do you have a responsibility for your family? 411 00:19:08,700 --> 00:19:09,700 Yes, you do. 412 00:19:11,100 --> 00:19:12,100 And he said, what's thou done, 413 00:19:12,100 --> 00:19:13,900 thy voice of thy brother's blood, 414 00:19:13,900 --> 00:19:18,220 cryeth unto me from the ground? 415 00:19:20,780 --> 00:19:22,020 I think it's interesting. 416 00:19:22,020 --> 00:19:24,940 God is a God of justice. 417 00:19:24,940 --> 00:19:26,620 God's a God of justice. 418 00:19:27,900 --> 00:19:30,540 It says, the voice of your brother's blood 419 00:19:30,540 --> 00:19:32,500 cries to me from the ground. 420 00:19:32,500 --> 00:19:35,940 There's this God's concern with blood. 421 00:19:35,940 --> 00:19:38,740 God's concern with shedding innocent blood. 422 00:19:38,740 --> 00:19:41,740 And I want you to know that sometimes it seems 423 00:19:41,740 --> 00:19:44,140 as if people are sinning and they're getting away with it. 424 00:19:44,140 --> 00:19:45,500 And I want to tell you this, 425 00:19:45,500 --> 00:19:47,780 nobody's going to get away with anything. 426 00:19:49,220 --> 00:19:51,620 None of us are getting away with anything. 427 00:19:51,620 --> 00:19:56,620 Our sin is either paid for in God's wrath 428 00:19:56,620 --> 00:19:58,620 being poured out in Jesus on the cross 429 00:19:58,620 --> 00:20:01,340 where he made a blood atonement for what we did, 430 00:20:01,340 --> 00:20:05,620 who agrees with me, or in eternity forever. 431 00:20:05,620 --> 00:20:10,620 Revelation chapter 21, verse eight is a scary verse 432 00:20:11,100 --> 00:20:12,620 if you do not know Jesus. 433 00:20:13,620 --> 00:20:16,620 Revelation 21, verse eight says this, 434 00:20:16,620 --> 00:20:19,620 but the fearful and the unbelieving 435 00:20:19,620 --> 00:20:23,740 and the unbelieving, let me get there. 436 00:20:26,220 --> 00:20:28,860 And the abominable and murderers and hormone-ongers 437 00:20:28,860 --> 00:20:31,420 and sorcerers and idolaters, 438 00:20:31,420 --> 00:20:33,060 well Pastor Ben, I'm none of those things, 439 00:20:33,060 --> 00:20:38,060 and all liars shall have their part in the lake 440 00:20:38,660 --> 00:20:41,020 which burneth with fire and brimstone, 441 00:20:41,020 --> 00:20:44,540 which is the second death. 442 00:20:45,420 --> 00:20:48,660 When you put your faith and trust in Jesus, 443 00:20:48,660 --> 00:20:52,020 and that's shown out in your actions 444 00:20:52,020 --> 00:20:54,020 in terms of the just living by faith, 445 00:20:54,020 --> 00:20:55,180 God declares you righteous, 446 00:20:55,180 --> 00:20:56,540 we're going to see that in a few minutes. 447 00:20:56,540 --> 00:20:57,860 That's what happened here. 448 00:20:58,860 --> 00:21:01,620 Abel believed the revelation that he had from God, 449 00:21:01,620 --> 00:21:05,260 he obeyed God, and God testified that he was righteous, 450 00:21:05,260 --> 00:21:07,820 not because of his works, but because of his faith. 451 00:21:08,940 --> 00:21:11,660 And it says here that a faith that saves 452 00:21:11,660 --> 00:21:13,740 is a faith that also obeys. 453 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:15,740 Are you with me? 454 00:21:15,740 --> 00:21:17,900 We don't get saved because we're obedient, 455 00:21:17,900 --> 00:21:20,900 we're obedient because we've gotten saved. 456 00:21:20,900 --> 00:21:21,820 Do you get it? 457 00:21:22,940 --> 00:21:26,180 So faith is putting, faith, 458 00:21:26,180 --> 00:21:29,420 the faith, the kind of faith we see in Abel is a faith 459 00:21:29,420 --> 00:21:31,180 that's not just putting trust in God 460 00:21:31,180 --> 00:21:33,660 in extraordinary circumstances, 461 00:21:33,660 --> 00:21:37,700 it's a faith that believes God just to be obedient today 462 00:21:37,700 --> 00:21:41,420 with what I know I ought to do today. 463 00:21:42,300 --> 00:21:43,700 Can I ask you a question? 464 00:21:45,060 --> 00:21:47,140 If I were to ask you about the status of your faith, 465 00:21:47,140 --> 00:21:48,300 how's your faith doing? 466 00:21:48,300 --> 00:21:49,900 And the question I have for you is, 467 00:21:49,900 --> 00:21:51,180 is there any part of your life 468 00:21:51,180 --> 00:21:54,140 where you're being knowingly disobedient to God? 469 00:21:54,140 --> 00:21:55,140 What would you say? 470 00:21:56,380 --> 00:21:59,340 You don't confess to me, I'm not your priest. 471 00:21:59,340 --> 00:22:02,260 You confess to God, but does God know your heart? 472 00:22:03,300 --> 00:22:04,860 Is there something in your life, 473 00:22:04,860 --> 00:22:06,620 is there some area of your life 474 00:22:06,620 --> 00:22:09,500 where you have an acceptable level of disobedience 475 00:22:09,500 --> 00:22:10,900 in your own heart and life? 476 00:22:13,340 --> 00:22:14,540 A faith that believes God is, 477 00:22:14,540 --> 00:22:15,780 you know what God says it's wrong, 478 00:22:15,780 --> 00:22:18,540 I'm gonna say it's wrong too, you know what that's called? 479 00:22:18,540 --> 00:22:23,020 It's called repentance, a change of mind 480 00:22:23,020 --> 00:22:25,460 that leads to a change of the heart 481 00:22:25,460 --> 00:22:28,420 which leads to a change of actions. 482 00:22:28,420 --> 00:22:29,860 Are you being obedient? 483 00:22:31,100 --> 00:22:35,500 Is your faith producing obedience in your life? 484 00:22:36,860 --> 00:22:38,220 Is there something in your life 485 00:22:38,220 --> 00:22:41,140 where you should be doing something and you're not? 486 00:22:42,060 --> 00:22:43,340 Or is there something in your life 487 00:22:43,340 --> 00:22:46,460 where you shouldn't be doing it and you are? 488 00:22:46,460 --> 00:22:49,100 Abel teaches us a lesson that authentic faith 489 00:22:49,100 --> 00:22:50,340 is a faith that obeys. 490 00:22:51,300 --> 00:22:55,420 Here's a second lesson, this is from a guy named Enoch. 491 00:22:55,420 --> 00:22:58,100 Look at verse number five. 492 00:22:58,100 --> 00:23:00,860 Enoch teaches us that authentic faith 493 00:23:00,860 --> 00:23:02,940 is a faith that walks. 494 00:23:02,940 --> 00:23:05,060 Here I'm talking about walking with God. 495 00:23:06,300 --> 00:23:09,060 Abel teaches us that faith obeys God. 496 00:23:09,060 --> 00:23:13,500 Enoch teaches us that a faith that obeys God 497 00:23:13,500 --> 00:23:15,100 is one who walks with God. 498 00:23:15,100 --> 00:23:19,700 Look at verse five, back in Hebrews chapter 11. 499 00:23:19,700 --> 00:23:24,460 By faith, Enoch was translated 500 00:23:24,460 --> 00:23:28,220 that he should not see death and was not found 501 00:23:28,220 --> 00:23:32,940 because God had translated him before his translation. 502 00:23:32,940 --> 00:23:37,940 He had this testimony that he pleased God. 503 00:23:39,700 --> 00:23:41,500 Now this is an interesting thing. 504 00:23:41,500 --> 00:23:44,220 Genesis chapter five, if you go to Genesis chapter five, 505 00:23:44,220 --> 00:23:48,460 back where we were before, you're reading, 506 00:23:48,460 --> 00:23:50,540 this is just across the page in my Bible 507 00:23:50,540 --> 00:23:52,220 from where we were in Genesis four. 508 00:23:52,220 --> 00:23:56,620 In Genesis chapter five, you get down to verse 21. 509 00:23:58,740 --> 00:24:00,820 Genesis chapter five has given us 510 00:24:00,820 --> 00:24:04,660 Adam's descendants all the way down to Noah. 511 00:24:06,140 --> 00:24:08,100 He's given us these descendants 512 00:24:08,100 --> 00:24:09,580 and he's giving us years. 513 00:24:09,580 --> 00:24:12,380 If you look at verse one of chapter five, 514 00:24:12,380 --> 00:24:14,180 this is the book of the generations of Adam 515 00:24:14,180 --> 00:24:15,380 and the day that God created man 516 00:24:15,380 --> 00:24:18,140 and the likeness of God made he, him, male and family, 517 00:24:18,140 --> 00:24:19,060 created him. 518 00:24:19,060 --> 00:24:21,980 Verse three, and Adam lived 130 years. 519 00:24:21,980 --> 00:24:24,780 If they're myths, they don't live 130 years. 520 00:24:26,940 --> 00:24:29,780 Does the Bible think that Genesis is history? 521 00:24:29,780 --> 00:24:31,300 Genesis is history, okay? 522 00:24:31,300 --> 00:24:33,140 So he's giving us descendants. 523 00:24:33,140 --> 00:24:38,140 You get down, Adam to Seth, to Enos, to Canaan. 524 00:24:39,060 --> 00:24:42,180 You get down to verse 21. 525 00:24:42,180 --> 00:24:47,180 And Enoch lived 60 and five years in Begatmah, Thuzalah. 526 00:24:47,540 --> 00:24:48,740 Here's what it is, verse 22. 527 00:24:48,740 --> 00:24:50,780 Here's the testimony. 528 00:24:50,780 --> 00:24:54,820 And Enoch walked with God after he Begatmah, Thuzalah, 529 00:24:54,820 --> 00:24:57,400 300 years, say that's a long time. 530 00:24:57,400 --> 00:24:59,640 Thank you, thank you, Robbie. 531 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,280 And Begat sons and daughters and all the days of Enoch 532 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:09,280 were 360 years and Enoch, what does it say? 533 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:11,240 Walk with God. 534 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,000 Look at verse 22 and Enoch, what? 535 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:21,000 Verse 24, and Enoch walked with God. 536 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:26,000 And he was not for God took him. 537 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:32,280 What an interesting thing to put in a line of descendants. 538 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:34,320 Enoch walked with God. 539 00:25:35,360 --> 00:25:37,240 What does it mean to walk with God? 540 00:25:38,460 --> 00:25:41,780 For sure, walking with God means spending time with God. 541 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:46,400 You and I can spend time with God. 542 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:48,720 We can walk with God in that way. 543 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,760 We can know him and be known. 544 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,680 We can actually have a relationship with God. 545 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:55,520 How does that happen? 546 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:57,280 Well, we spend time with him. 547 00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:58,600 Let me ask you a question. 548 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:02,080 This week, don't answer my question out loud, 549 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:03,080 answered in your own heart. 550 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:04,680 Did you spend time with God? 551 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:09,400 You spend time doing a lot of things. 552 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:11,400 You spend time doing a lot of things. 553 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:13,400 You spend time doing a lot of things. 554 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:15,400 You spend time doing a lot of things. 555 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:16,880 You spend time doing a lot of stuff. 556 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:20,360 You know, we all spent the same amount of time this week. 557 00:26:20,360 --> 00:26:21,200 Every single one of us. 558 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:22,560 We all spent the same amount of time. 559 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:23,720 Who agrees? 560 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:25,920 Yeah, we all didn't spend the same amount of time 561 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:28,840 doing the same things, but we all spent, 562 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:30,800 did you spend time with God this week? 563 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:33,360 Enoch, walk with God. 564 00:26:33,360 --> 00:26:34,720 We can walk with God. 565 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:39,200 Who agrees that walking with God also means 566 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,280 talking to God in prayer? 567 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:42,400 Who agrees? 568 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:45,240 You can talk to God and he can hear you. 569 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:50,240 He can actually answer your prayers. 570 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:55,240 The Bible says you have not because you ask not. 571 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:59,160 And like a dad wants to be a blessing, 572 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:00,920 last time we went through McDonald's 573 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:02,240 after we went to a concert, 574 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:03,920 after a concert we went to McDonald's. 575 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:07,160 And I got my kid's ice cream and it was really late 576 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:09,520 and my wife probably is not very happy with me 577 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:11,080 because it was like after nine o'clock. 578 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:12,600 And so we got ice cream. 579 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:17,000 And Audrey asked for, dad, can I have extra hot fudge? 580 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:20,600 Did I get her extra hot fudge? 581 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:21,720 I got it. 582 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,040 And Zika was, can I have a McFlurry? 583 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:27,360 I'm like, son, the McFlurry is like $1.50 more 584 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:30,800 than the hot fudge. 585 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,320 Who's hurting from McDonald's prices going up? 586 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:34,720 And so I'm like, it's like $1.50. 587 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:36,640 He's like, dad, but I like them with flurry. 588 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:38,560 Did I get them in McFlurry? 589 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:40,920 Cause I like to give my kids stuff. 590 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:42,680 I like to be a blessing to them. 591 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:45,120 I also like them to go to bed, but that's another thing. 592 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:51,840 God wants to answer our prayers. 593 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:55,080 I'm not saying I am not a prosperity preacher. 594 00:27:57,560 --> 00:27:58,680 I'm not a prosperity preacher. 595 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:00,760 I don't believe that God's will is that everybody 596 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:02,800 be rich, healthy, and wise. 597 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:04,120 That is not it. 598 00:28:04,120 --> 00:28:06,440 But I do believe that God answers prayer. 599 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:09,120 And I believe that when we ask God for things 600 00:28:09,120 --> 00:28:11,760 that are within his will, and he wants to give it to us, 601 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:13,040 we can spend time with him. 602 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:14,240 We can talk to him. 603 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:18,200 Who believes that he can talk to us? 604 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:21,840 We hold a miracle in our hand. 605 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:25,880 And we can spend time to God in his word. 606 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:28,040 We can talk to him in prayer. 607 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:31,000 So my question to you is this, 608 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:34,440 do you have a walk with God? 609 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:39,440 Jesus told the Pharisees, or he told his disciples 610 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:41,640 talking about the Pharisees, when you pray, 611 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:43,520 don't do like the Pharisees. 612 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:45,880 They stand out in the street corners and they pray, 613 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:48,840 and they pray really loud and long. 614 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:50,720 They use all kinds of flowery language. 615 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:52,360 When you pray, don't pray like them, 616 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:54,880 because they pray not with God as their audience, 617 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:56,320 but with who? 618 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:57,320 Man as their audience. 619 00:28:57,320 --> 00:28:59,560 And when you pray that way, he says truly, 620 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:02,600 I want you to know this, they have their reward. 621 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:03,920 What does that mean? 622 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:06,360 Their reward is an answer from God in prayer, 623 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:08,320 because they're not even talking to God. 624 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:11,840 Their reward is they get some kind of respect from people, 625 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,240 because wow, that guy can really pray. 626 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:15,960 He says, when you pray, what do you do? 627 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:19,840 Go into your closet, he said. 628 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:21,800 And now Jesus isn't just saying that 629 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:24,360 the only place you can pray is where you store your clothes. 630 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,600 What he's saying is go in private. 631 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:29,520 And he says, when you pray to God in private, 632 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:33,800 the Lord who sees you in private will reward you openly. 633 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:36,360 The reward, here's the thing. 634 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:39,800 Prayer is not about getting treasure from God. 635 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:42,960 Prayer helps us understand that God himself is the treasure. 636 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:45,880 Do you get it? 637 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:49,480 Jesus is the prize, not what Jesus gives me. 638 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:52,200 And so we can walk with God. 639 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,320 Now in this particular statement, we find that Abel, 640 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:58,560 it says that he pleased God to the point that he walked 641 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:01,080 with God where he was not for God took him. 642 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:02,600 That's an interesting thing, and there's all kinds 643 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:04,040 of applications there. 644 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:06,360 But don't miss this. 645 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:08,440 How is your walk? 646 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:10,720 I know this, we're more likely to obey 647 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,080 when we spend time with God. 648 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:17,800 I know it with my kids, my kids and I are a lot, 649 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:20,440 they are a lot more likely to obey me, 650 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:24,400 to do what I want them to do, to live how I want them to live 651 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,920 because they know, because I've spent time with them, 652 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:29,040 that I love them, that I care for them. 653 00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:31,160 They tend to be more obedient. 654 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:33,960 I know they can hear me, two out of the three. 655 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:37,360 They tend to be more obedient when they know that I care. 656 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:38,840 And that's something I don't just show one time, 657 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:40,600 it's something I don't show every day. 658 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:41,440 Are you with me? 659 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:46,120 We tend to obey God more when we spend time with God 660 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:47,080 and have his heart. 661 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:50,320 Spending time with God grows our faith. 662 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:54,600 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the, 663 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:56,560 you get faith in God as you pray to him 664 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,400 and as you hear from his word, that's what he does. 665 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:03,600 So Enoch teaches this that authentic faith 666 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:06,520 is a faith that walks. 667 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:10,040 Enoch also teaches us another lesson. 668 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:12,800 We learn from Abel that authentic faith obeys, 669 00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:14,240 that authentic faith walks. 670 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:18,440 Number three, we learn from Enoch that authentic faith 671 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:20,440 is a faith that pleases God. 672 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:25,320 Verse five B, the end part of verse five says, 673 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:30,320 for before his translation, he had this testimony 674 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:37,840 that he pleased God, but without faith, it is impossible 675 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:42,880 to please him. 676 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:46,360 For he that cometh to God must believe that he is. 677 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:48,920 You're not gonna pray to a God you don't believe 678 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:51,800 could hear you, not consistently, not for a long term. 679 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:56,800 He that believes, he that cometh to God must believe 680 00:31:56,800 --> 00:32:00,000 that he is and that he is a rewarder of them 681 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:01,800 that diligently please him. 682 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:04,600 Pleasing God comes and when we have enough faith 683 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,600 to walk with God, when we walk with God, 684 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:10,360 we tend to obey God. 685 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:15,360 And when we obey God, God is pleased. 686 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:20,360 It's impossible to please God without faith. 687 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:22,360 Now when you think about pleasing God, 688 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:24,760 there is that relational aspect to it. 689 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:29,760 When we please God by faith, when we have that relationship 690 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:33,360 after we get saved, it's important that we please God 691 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:35,640 because we won't have a good relationship with them. 692 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:39,360 Like we want our dads to be proud of us and happy with us 693 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:40,360 and we want them to be pleased, 694 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:42,360 so should we feel that way with our heavenly Father. 695 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:44,360 But I think there's also the aspect of this 696 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:48,360 that you and I, before we're saved, 697 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:53,360 God says that we are enemies of God. 698 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:56,360 We're enemies of God. 699 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:59,360 There's only one way to God. 700 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:01,360 That's through Jesus Christ. 701 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:04,360 Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. 702 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:09,360 No man cometh to the Father, but by me. 703 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:12,360 And so here's what I want you to know. 704 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:13,360 This is the part where I'm telling you 705 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:15,360 it's essential that you please God 706 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:18,360 because if God is not pleased with you, 707 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:21,360 you aren't getting into heaven. 708 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,360 Are you with me? 709 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:26,360 I'm talking about pleasing the sense of being saved. 710 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:29,360 Now as a believer, there are times that I displease God 711 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,360 just like my kids can displease me 712 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:34,360 or I can displease my Father, 713 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:37,360 but that doesn't make me stop being this kid. 714 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:39,360 Are you with me? 715 00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:41,360 When we put our faith in trust in God, 716 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:44,360 God makes us His kid and we can please Him. 717 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:47,360 So let me ask you another question. 718 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:49,360 This is about application today. 719 00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:51,360 Let me ask you a question. 720 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:55,360 Who are you seeking to please? 721 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:59,360 What is the bullseye of your life in terms of wanting to please? 722 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:01,360 Who do you want to please? 723 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:04,360 Do you want to please yourself? 724 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:08,360 Do you want to please somebody else? 725 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:11,360 Or do you want to please the Savior? 726 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:15,360 I hope that your desire is to please not yourself, 727 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:19,360 not somebody else, ultimately the Savior. 728 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:21,360 And I want you to know that when you do, 729 00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:23,360 He is a rewarder of them. 730 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:26,360 It says that diligently what? 731 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:28,360 Seek Him. 732 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:30,360 If you seek to please God, 733 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:34,360 you will be pleased and that God will reward you. 734 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:36,360 Is that exciting? 735 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:38,360 So exciting. 736 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,360 So we see from Enoch a faith that pleases, 737 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:43,360 a faith that walks. 738 00:34:43,360 --> 00:34:45,360 We see from Abel a faith that obeys. 739 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:47,360 Here's the last one. 740 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:50,360 We see from Noah a faith that saves. 741 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:52,360 A faith that saves. 742 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:54,360 Look at what it says in verse 7. 743 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:58,360 This is back to Hebrews chapter 11, verse number 7. 744 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:01,360 By faith Noah, 745 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:04,360 being warned of God, 746 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:07,360 of things not seen as yet. 747 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:11,360 What was it that he had not seen? 748 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:13,360 He had not seen flooding. 749 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:15,360 He had not seen rain. 750 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:17,360 He had not seen the wrath of God in that way. 751 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,360 By faith Noah, being warned of God, 752 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:22,360 not seeing as yet, 753 00:35:22,360 --> 00:35:23,360 moved with fear, 754 00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:25,360 prepared an ark to the saving of his house, 755 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:28,360 by the which he condemned the world and became, 756 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:31,360 here it is, air of righteousness, 757 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,360 which is by what? 758 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:37,360 By faith. 759 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:41,360 We see this go back in, again, back to Genesis chapter number 6. 760 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:43,360 We're just moving right through, 761 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:45,360 because that's what the author of Hebrews does. 762 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:48,360 He's going right through the Old Testament. 763 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:51,360 In chapter 4 of Genesis we learn about Cain and Abel. 764 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:53,360 In chapter 5 we learn about Enoch. 765 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:55,360 When we get to chapter 6, we learn about, 766 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:58,360 we learn about Noah. 767 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:04,360 It says in verse 5 of chapter 6, 768 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:09,360 and God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, 769 00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:12,360 and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart 770 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:15,360 was only evil continually. 771 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:17,360 Who agrees? 772 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:19,360 That's pretty bad. 773 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:22,360 Jesus says, as it was in the days of Noah, 774 00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:24,360 so shall it be before the coming of the Son of Man. 775 00:36:24,360 --> 00:36:25,360 Who agrees? 776 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:29,360 This isn't a bad description of our world right now. 777 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:31,360 That wickedness of man was great in the earth, 778 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:34,360 and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart 779 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:37,360 was only evil continually. 780 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:39,360 Is that not the internet? 781 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:42,360 Is that not our television? 782 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:44,360 Verse 6, 783 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:46,360 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth 784 00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:48,360 and agreed to met his heart, 785 00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:51,360 and the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created 786 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:52,360 from the face of the earth, 787 00:36:52,360 --> 00:36:54,360 with man and beast and creeping things, 788 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:57,360 the fowls of the air for it repented me that I have made him. 789 00:36:57,360 --> 00:36:59,360 But here's a good news verse 8, 790 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:05,360 But Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord. 791 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:06,360 These are the generation of Noah. 792 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:09,360 Noah was a just man and perfect or complete or mature 793 00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:10,360 in his generations. 794 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:13,360 Noah, what does it say? 795 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:14,360 What does it say? 796 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:15,360 Noah did what? 797 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:17,360 Hey, he walked with God too. 798 00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:20,360 Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, 799 00:37:20,360 --> 00:37:23,360 and the earth also was corrupt before God, 800 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:25,360 and the earth was filled with violence, 801 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:27,360 and God looked upon the earth and behold, it was corrupt. 802 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:31,360 For all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 803 00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:33,360 So what did God do? 804 00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:36,360 It says in verse 7 of Hebrews 11, 805 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:38,360 by faith, Noah being warned of God. 806 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:41,360 Here's where God comes to know and warns them. 807 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:43,360 Look at verse 13. 808 00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:46,360 God said to Noah, to the end of all flesh has come before me, 809 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:48,360 for the earth is filled with violence through them, 810 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:51,360 and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 811 00:37:51,360 --> 00:37:54,360 Make thee an ark of gopher wood, 812 00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:56,360 rooms that thou makin' the ark, 813 00:37:56,360 --> 00:38:00,360 and shall pitch it within and without with pitch. 814 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:03,360 So God warns Noah and says, 815 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:05,360 I'm gonna destroy the earth, 816 00:38:05,360 --> 00:38:08,360 and so then he commissions Noah. 817 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:13,360 In verse 14, make thee an ark of gopher wood. 818 00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:17,360 When God warns, what happens in our hearts is fear, 819 00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:20,360 and that's what happened in Noah's heart. 820 00:38:20,360 --> 00:38:24,360 It says that he was moved with fear, fear of God, 821 00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:25,360 fear of God's warning. 822 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:26,360 So what did he do? 823 00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:27,360 He obeyed God. 824 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:31,360 He was commissioned by God to provide salvation 825 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:35,360 for anybody who would get into the ark. 826 00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:37,360 But who did he end up saving? 827 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:40,360 He prepared an ark, it says in verse 7, 828 00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:45,360 to the saving of his house. 829 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:47,360 How many people got on the ark? 830 00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:50,360 Go back to, actually go back to 1 Peter. 831 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:56,360 In 1 Peter chapter 3, we're told about Noah. 832 00:38:58,360 --> 00:39:01,360 After reading this this week, I thought, 833 00:39:01,360 --> 00:39:06,360 man, there's a lot here that I'm gonna leave unsaid. 834 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:09,360 You start reading this passage, and it gets pretty interesting, 835 00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:11,360 and there's probably some things that you're gonna wonder 836 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:15,360 what I think about, or maybe you wonder what you think about. 837 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:17,360 So don't get hung up on this. 838 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:21,360 It says in verse 18, for Christ also, this is chapter 3, 839 00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:26,360 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 18, I'm ahead of my PowerPoint, 840 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:27,360 so just listen in. 841 00:39:27,360 --> 00:39:30,360 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, 842 00:39:30,360 --> 00:39:34,360 the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, 843 00:39:34,360 --> 00:39:37,360 being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, 844 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:41,360 by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, 845 00:39:41,360 --> 00:39:45,360 by which sometime we're disobedient, 846 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:49,360 when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of, 847 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:50,360 who is it? 848 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:54,360 Noah was God patient in the days of Noah? 849 00:39:54,360 --> 00:39:56,360 He was. 850 00:39:56,360 --> 00:40:03,360 Noah spent years and years and years making the ark, 851 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:07,360 proclaiming God's wrath. 852 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:11,360 It says, while the ark was preparing, we're in a few, 853 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:13,360 that is, how many? 854 00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:17,360 Eight souls were saved by water. 855 00:40:17,360 --> 00:40:20,360 The like figure we're into, even baptism does now also save us, 856 00:40:20,360 --> 00:40:22,360 not putting away the filth of the flesh, 857 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:25,360 but the answer of a good conscience towards God 858 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:28,360 by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who's gone into heaven, 859 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:32,360 and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities 860 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:36,360 and powers being made subject unto him. 861 00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:39,360 There's a lot there, but here's what Peter's saying. 862 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:45,360 Like the ark was a salvation for the people at Noah's time, 863 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:49,360 so Jesus is salvation for us at our time. 864 00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:52,360 There was one door on the ark. 865 00:40:52,360 --> 00:40:57,360 There's one way to get through the wrath of God in this flood. 866 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:00,360 That one way was this ark. 867 00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:05,360 So to us, there's one way. 868 00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:08,360 Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. 869 00:41:08,360 --> 00:41:12,360 No man comes to the Father, but by me. 870 00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:15,360 Abraham believed God. 871 00:41:15,360 --> 00:41:17,360 He made the ark. 872 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:24,360 He was physically saved in that ark through the provision of God. 873 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:27,360 But he also, it says here, what does it say? 874 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:33,360 Became heir of the righteousness, which is by faith. 875 00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:36,360 How do you become an heir of righteousness, which is by faith? 876 00:41:36,360 --> 00:41:39,360 Does that mean Noah was sinless? 877 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:44,360 We know Noah wasn't sinless, because after he landed at the end of the flood, 878 00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:49,360 they went out and Noah, Noah got drunk. 879 00:41:49,360 --> 00:41:52,360 And Noah did some very evil things in getting drunk. 880 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:56,360 Noah wasn't perfect, but Noah was saved. 881 00:41:56,360 --> 00:41:58,360 That's the testimony here. 882 00:41:58,360 --> 00:41:59,360 Why? 883 00:41:59,360 --> 00:42:02,360 Because he believed God and God gave him righteousness. 884 00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:05,360 It was an inherited, imputed righteousness. 885 00:42:05,360 --> 00:42:07,360 What are you talking about? Imputed righteousness. 886 00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:08,360 That's a big word. 887 00:42:08,360 --> 00:42:09,360 What are you talking about? One more passage. 888 00:42:09,360 --> 00:42:10,360 Go to Romans. 889 00:42:10,360 --> 00:42:14,360 Romans chapter 4. 890 00:42:14,360 --> 00:42:31,360 At the end, Romans chapter 4. 891 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:33,360 Look at verses 1 through 3. 892 00:42:33,360 --> 00:42:35,360 This isn't on the screen. 893 00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:36,360 Just read it with me. 894 00:42:36,360 --> 00:42:38,360 This is talking about Abraham. 895 00:42:38,360 --> 00:42:41,360 It applies to Noah here. 896 00:42:41,360 --> 00:42:45,360 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertain to the flesh hath found? 897 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:49,360 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, 898 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:50,360 but not before God. 899 00:42:50,360 --> 00:42:52,360 For what sayeth the Scripture? 900 00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:55,360 Abraham believed God. 901 00:42:55,360 --> 00:42:57,360 What is that? 902 00:42:57,360 --> 00:42:58,360 That's faith. 903 00:42:58,360 --> 00:42:59,360 Who agrees? 904 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:00,360 That's faith. 905 00:43:00,360 --> 00:43:05,360 Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him. 906 00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:07,360 It was imputed unto him. 907 00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:09,360 It's another way of saying that. 908 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:11,360 As righteous. 909 00:43:11,360 --> 00:43:16,360 Abraham wasn't made righteous before God by works. 910 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:17,360 It was by faith. 911 00:43:17,360 --> 00:43:21,360 Go down to verse... 912 00:43:21,360 --> 00:43:24,360 Talking again about Abraham verse 20. 913 00:43:24,360 --> 00:43:26,360 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, 914 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:31,360 but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded 915 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:36,360 that what he, God, had promised, he, God was also able to perform. 916 00:43:36,360 --> 00:43:39,360 God says you are going to make of you a great nation. 917 00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:42,360 And even though he was old, he believed God. 918 00:43:42,360 --> 00:43:44,360 I don't know how I am going to have a nation full of kids. 919 00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:45,360 I am really old. 920 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:46,360 But I believe God. 921 00:43:46,360 --> 00:43:48,360 I am going to act on that belief. 922 00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:50,360 Verse 21. 923 00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:53,360 And being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able to perform. 924 00:43:53,360 --> 00:43:56,360 And it was imputed unto him for righteousness. 925 00:43:56,360 --> 00:43:59,360 Now it was not written for this sake alone that it was imputed to him. 926 00:43:59,360 --> 00:44:04,360 But it was for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him 927 00:44:04,360 --> 00:44:09,360 that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. 928 00:44:09,360 --> 00:44:12,360 I can't be totally righteous. 929 00:44:12,360 --> 00:44:14,360 You spend 10, 20 minutes with me. 930 00:44:14,360 --> 00:44:16,360 You will find out I mess up. 931 00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:18,360 I mess up all the time. 932 00:44:18,360 --> 00:44:21,360 The word for mess up is sin. 933 00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:24,360 Your pastor is a sinner. 934 00:44:24,360 --> 00:44:29,360 None of you are shocked. 935 00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:31,360 I still sin all the time. 936 00:44:31,360 --> 00:44:35,360 I am not making it to God by my works. 937 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:40,360 I am making it to God because of what Jesus did. 938 00:44:40,360 --> 00:44:45,360 And when I put my faith and trust in Jesus, God takes away my sin 939 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:49,360 and he gives me Jesus' righteousness. 940 00:44:49,360 --> 00:44:54,360 It's an alien righteousness that I get to inherit because he performed it. 941 00:44:54,360 --> 00:44:56,360 He did it. 942 00:44:56,360 --> 00:44:59,360 He was in no point sin. 943 00:44:59,360 --> 00:45:01,360 He didn't sin at any point. 944 00:45:01,360 --> 00:45:07,360 He was tempted in all points like we are yet without sin. 945 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:09,360 This is the good news. 946 00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:12,360 And that's why he says in verse 25, 947 00:45:12,360 --> 00:45:24,360 What do we have? 948 00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:26,360 Peace with God. 949 00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:28,360 Now I am no longer an enemy of God. 950 00:45:28,360 --> 00:45:30,360 I have peace with him. 951 00:45:30,360 --> 00:45:32,360 And by faith I can please him. 952 00:45:32,360 --> 00:45:35,360 I can have a relationship with him. 953 00:45:35,360 --> 00:45:36,360 And I can be saved. 954 00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:37,360 We have peace with God. 955 00:45:37,360 --> 00:45:38,360 The enmities with God. 956 00:45:38,360 --> 00:45:40,360 Now we have access to God. 957 00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:45,360 By whom also, talking about Jesus, we have access by faith into this grace 958 00:45:45,360 --> 00:45:54,360 where we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 959 00:45:54,360 --> 00:45:59,360 The only way we are getting into heaven is when we are made right with God 960 00:45:59,360 --> 00:46:02,360 and we are made right with God by faith. 961 00:46:02,360 --> 00:46:10,360 And a faith that saves is a faith that puts its complete trust in Jesus Christ. 962 00:46:10,360 --> 00:46:13,360 So what do I tell you today? 963 00:46:13,360 --> 00:46:16,360 Today is the day of salvation. 964 00:46:16,360 --> 00:46:18,360 Today is the day of salvation. 965 00:46:18,360 --> 00:46:20,360 We are not promised tomorrow. 966 00:46:20,360 --> 00:46:22,360 We have today. 967 00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:27,360 Today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 968 00:46:27,360 --> 00:46:30,360 God has offered to you salvation. 969 00:46:30,360 --> 00:46:35,360 You have an obligation to believe, to put your faith in God. 970 00:46:35,360 --> 00:46:39,360 And when you put your faith and trust in Jesus, who came and lived a perfect life 971 00:46:39,360 --> 00:46:41,360 and died on the cross for your sin and mine. 972 00:46:41,360 --> 00:46:46,360 When you put your faith and trust in him, the Bible says that God gives us the Holy Spirit. 973 00:46:46,360 --> 00:46:48,360 He regenerates our hearts. 974 00:46:48,360 --> 00:46:53,360 We put our faith in him and we become one of his kids. 975 00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:55,360 He does it. 976 00:46:55,360 --> 00:46:56,360 He does it. 977 00:46:56,360 --> 00:46:58,360 Isn't that amazing? 978 00:46:58,360 --> 00:47:01,360 So today is the day of salvation. 979 00:47:01,360 --> 00:47:12,360 And that's why he says about Noah, that when Noah, let's read the verse one more time. 980 00:47:12,360 --> 00:47:17,360 He condemned the world because he put faith in God, they did not, 981 00:47:17,360 --> 00:47:24,360 and became heir of the righteousness, which is by what? 982 00:47:24,360 --> 00:47:27,360 Faith. Here's the problem. 983 00:47:27,360 --> 00:47:37,360 The problem is that you and I stand guilty before God outside of Jesus Christ. 984 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:39,360 We stand guilty before God. 985 00:47:39,360 --> 00:47:41,360 We have sinned. 986 00:47:41,360 --> 00:47:50,360 And if we are to stand in our own righteousness, the Bible says that our righteousnesses are like filthy rags. 987 00:47:50,360 --> 00:47:55,360 That outside of Christ, what I have to offer God, 988 00:47:55,360 --> 00:48:02,360 if I'm offering him my righteousnesses like lepers, bandages, like used band-aids, 989 00:48:02,360 --> 00:48:09,360 that's what I'm offering to God. 990 00:48:09,360 --> 00:48:16,360 God says that he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 991 00:48:16,360 --> 00:48:21,360 God says that by grace we're saved through faith and not of ourselves. 992 00:48:21,360 --> 00:48:22,360 That grace is not of ourselves. 993 00:48:22,360 --> 00:48:28,360 It's a gift of God, not of works, less than any man should boast. 994 00:48:28,360 --> 00:48:31,360 God wants us to be people of faith. 995 00:48:31,360 --> 00:48:35,360 He's calling us to put faith in him for our salvation. 996 00:48:35,360 --> 00:48:39,360 That when we put our faith in him, he will give us Jesus' righteousness. 997 00:48:39,360 --> 00:48:40,360 I don't have to go to hell. 998 00:48:40,360 --> 00:48:41,360 I can go to heaven. 999 00:48:41,360 --> 00:48:43,360 Not because I'm good, but because he's good. 1000 00:48:43,360 --> 00:48:47,360 And he says that if I put my faith in trust in him, that he will not let me perish. 1001 00:48:47,360 --> 00:48:52,360 I will repent and believe and be saved. 1002 00:48:52,360 --> 00:48:59,360 And if you trust in God for your salvation, God's call to you is to also trust God for your life, 1003 00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:02,360 for your sanctification. 1004 00:49:02,360 --> 00:49:10,360 An authentic faith that is a saving faith is a faith that will also lead you to walk with God, 1005 00:49:10,360 --> 00:49:12,360 to obey God. 1006 00:49:12,360 --> 00:49:20,360 And when we walk with God and we obey God, he responds to our faith and helps us to understand that we can please him too. 1007 00:49:20,360 --> 00:49:22,360 We can please God. 1008 00:49:22,360 --> 00:49:29,360 And then when we please God, he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 1009 00:49:29,360 --> 00:49:31,360 Is that encouraging? 1010 00:49:31,360 --> 00:49:34,360 I don't have to perform for God. 1011 00:49:34,360 --> 00:49:36,360 God will grow in and through me. 1012 00:49:36,360 --> 00:49:38,360 Isn't that awesome? 1013 00:49:38,360 --> 00:49:40,360 So today, are you saved? 1014 00:49:40,360 --> 00:49:44,360 Has there been a place in time where you put your faith and trust in Jesus? 1015 00:49:44,360 --> 00:49:47,360 And I'll ask you those other questions. 1016 00:49:47,360 --> 00:49:50,360 Are you obeying God? 1017 00:49:50,360 --> 00:49:53,360 Are you walking with God? 1018 00:49:53,360 --> 00:49:56,360 Are you seeking to please God? 1019 00:49:56,360 --> 00:50:21,360 And presumably something funny.