WEBVTT 00:00:09.929 --> 00:00:13.710 Hebrews chapter 11. We're going to read verses 00:00:13.710 --> 00:00:17.429 1 through 2. And then we're going to jump forward 00:00:17.429 --> 00:00:23.429 and read verses 11 through 12. Now faith is the 00:00:23.429 --> 00:00:27.010 assurance of things hoped for, the conviction 00:00:27.010 --> 00:00:31.949 of things not seen. For by it the men of old 00:00:31.949 --> 00:00:37.869 gained approval. And then in verse 11, by faith. 00:00:38.759 --> 00:00:42.420 Even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, 00:00:42.659 --> 00:00:47.100 even beyond the proper time of life, since she 00:00:47.100 --> 00:00:53.340 considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore 00:00:53.340 --> 00:00:58.579 there was born even of one man, and him as good 00:00:58.579 --> 00:01:03.039 as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:07.670 of heaven in number. and innumerable as the sand 00:01:07.670 --> 00:01:10.629 which is by the seashore. Let's go to the Lord 00:01:10.629 --> 00:01:16.170 in prayer. Father, we come to you this Lord's 00:01:16.170 --> 00:01:20.689 Day. Father, we ask that you would bless the 00:01:20.689 --> 00:01:25.590 ministry of your word abundantly. Lord, we ask 00:01:25.590 --> 00:01:28.930 that you would accompany it in such a way that 00:01:28.930 --> 00:01:31.670 you would work in the hearts and minds of your 00:01:31.670 --> 00:01:35.870 people to sanctify them, to build them up and 00:01:35.870 --> 00:01:39.370 to grow them, to mature them and to mold them 00:01:39.370 --> 00:01:42.730 into the image and likeness of Christ in further 00:01:42.730 --> 00:01:46.129 and further degrees. And Father, we ask that 00:01:46.129 --> 00:01:47.750 you would accompany the ministry of your word 00:01:47.750 --> 00:01:51.030 in such a way that you would prick the heart 00:01:51.030 --> 00:01:55.409 of the unbelieving man, woman, or child, and 00:01:55.409 --> 00:01:58.590 that you would draw them unto yourself, that 00:01:58.590 --> 00:02:01.150 you would grant them faith, and that they would 00:02:01.150 --> 00:02:06.150 see that salvation is of... We ask these things 00:02:06.150 --> 00:02:11.250 in Christ's name. Amen. You may be seated. We 00:02:11.250 --> 00:02:17.270 continue our exposition of Hebrews chapter 11. 00:02:18.150 --> 00:02:25.669 The author is writing to a group of Hebrew Christians, 00:02:25.770 --> 00:02:30.770 and specifically Hebrew Christians who are... 00:02:31.150 --> 00:02:35.849 the recipients of a great deal of pressure from 00:02:35.849 --> 00:02:41.430 the Jewish synagogues, possibly Jewish leaders, 00:02:41.689 --> 00:02:46.590 the pagan world around them. And what is that 00:02:46.590 --> 00:02:50.129 pressure trying to get the Hebrew Christians 00:02:50.129 --> 00:02:54.389 to do? It's trying to persuade the Hebrew Christians 00:02:54.389 --> 00:03:03.169 to recant. of their faith in Jesus Christ, to 00:03:03.169 --> 00:03:09.330 reject the Lord Jesus Christ as Messiah, to turn 00:03:09.330 --> 00:03:15.569 back to the Jewish system of sacrifice and worship, 00:03:15.750 --> 00:03:19.689 or to forsake Christ and their confession of 00:03:19.689 --> 00:03:25.449 Christ altogether. So the author of Hebrews writes, 00:03:25.590 --> 00:03:31.530 in a particular chapter, To show them the true 00:03:31.530 --> 00:03:38.990 character and nature of faith. What it looks 00:03:38.990 --> 00:03:44.349 like, what it acts like, and what those with 00:03:44.349 --> 00:03:49.389 faith ought to expect in this life. In verses 00:03:49.389 --> 00:03:55.520 1 -2, the author defines faith. He says, now 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:59.580 faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the 00:03:59.580 --> 00:04:04.599 conviction of things not seen. For by it, the 00:04:04.599 --> 00:04:08.340 men of old gained approval. So in a very real 00:04:08.340 --> 00:04:11.939 way, the author of Hebrews is encouraging the 00:04:11.939 --> 00:04:17.420 Hebrew Christians to remember the only way the 00:04:17.420 --> 00:04:22.180 men of old have ever gained approval from God. 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:30.199 is by and through faith. And so he goes on and 00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:36.019 gives us an abundant list of examples. He walks 00:04:36.019 --> 00:04:40.740 through those before the flood, those after the 00:04:40.740 --> 00:04:43.519 flood, and then he goes on and he talks about 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:47.939 those during the time of the judges, those who 00:04:47.939 --> 00:04:51.459 were alive during the time of the prophets. and 00:04:51.459 --> 00:04:59.259 other Old Testament saints. Today, we come to 00:04:59.259 --> 00:05:05.339 Sarah and the example of faith that Sarah gives 00:05:05.339 --> 00:05:09.139 to us. We're going to consider Sarah's faith 00:05:09.139 --> 00:05:13.259 in three parts. We're going to consider the surprising 00:05:13.259 --> 00:05:18.579 faith of Sarah, and we'll see this. We see this 00:05:18.579 --> 00:05:24.670 in verse 11. where it says, by faith, even Sarah 00:05:24.670 --> 00:05:29.990 herself received ability to conceive. Then we'll 00:05:29.990 --> 00:05:34.050 consider the impossibility of the situation her 00:05:34.050 --> 00:05:38.769 faith was confronted with. There were certain 00:05:38.769 --> 00:05:43.870 problems with regards to the fulfillment of the 00:05:43.870 --> 00:05:48.310 promise that God had made to Abraham and Sarah. 00:05:49.129 --> 00:05:55.250 She was over the age of 90. And Abraham was 100 00:05:55.250 --> 00:05:59.949 years old. They weren't supposed to have children 00:05:59.949 --> 00:06:02.990 at that age. They weren't supposed to be able 00:06:02.990 --> 00:06:07.610 to have children at that age. So there were circumstances 00:06:07.610 --> 00:06:15.170 that were in direct contradiction to what God 00:06:15.170 --> 00:06:20.160 had promised to them. There were circumstances 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:25.300 and situations which were actually opposing what 00:06:25.300 --> 00:06:30.779 God had promised to them. So we'll see the impossibility 00:06:30.779 --> 00:06:35.480 of the situation. But then we'll also see and 00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:40.139 we'll consider what Sarah's faith was resting 00:06:40.139 --> 00:06:48.639 on. We read at the end of verse 11. since she 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:56.939 considered him faithful who had promised. Her 00:06:56.939 --> 00:07:03.379 faith was resting on God himself. Her faith was 00:07:03.379 --> 00:07:09.079 resting, we see, at first it seems like the promise 00:07:09.079 --> 00:07:13.370 and the fulfillment of the promise. But then 00:07:13.370 --> 00:07:16.449 we see that her mind moved beyond the promise 00:07:16.449 --> 00:07:19.149 and the fulfillment of the promise to the character 00:07:19.149 --> 00:07:22.750 and the being of God himself and his own power 00:07:22.750 --> 00:07:27.490 and his own ability to fulfill the promise that 00:07:27.490 --> 00:07:32.050 he had made in spite of contradicting circumstances 00:07:32.050 --> 00:07:38.290 to the promise. Now, notice in verse 12 that 00:07:38.290 --> 00:07:43.370 we also see the fulfillment of the promise. God 00:07:43.370 --> 00:07:49.610 brought about what he promised. He made good 00:07:49.610 --> 00:07:56.610 on his word. And what Sarah believed came to 00:07:56.610 --> 00:08:01.769 pass in the birth of the son of promise, Isaac. 00:08:01.870 --> 00:08:07.449 And ultimately in the Lord Jesus Christ further 00:08:07.449 --> 00:08:11.029 down the road. So beginning with the surprising 00:08:11.029 --> 00:08:18.389 faith. Now, when we think about this idea of 00:08:18.389 --> 00:08:25.870 Sarah's faith being surprising, why is it surprising 00:08:25.870 --> 00:08:32.149 or unlikely that the author of Hebrews would 00:08:32.149 --> 00:08:39.250 include Sarah as an example of faith for New 00:08:39.250 --> 00:08:43.669 Covenant believers? Was there any circumstances 00:08:43.669 --> 00:08:47.809 in Sarah's life? Was there a scenario which would 00:08:47.809 --> 00:08:51.970 actually make you think that she's not a good 00:08:51.970 --> 00:08:56.610 example of what faith looks like in a life of 00:08:56.610 --> 00:08:59.950 a believer? Well, it's surprising that she's 00:08:59.950 --> 00:09:03.730 included in some ways, but it's really not in 00:09:03.730 --> 00:09:12.389 other ways. We see the text says, Sarah herself. 00:09:13.950 --> 00:09:16.870 There's something emphatic about this, and it's 00:09:16.870 --> 00:09:21.309 meant to imply something. We wouldn't think that 00:09:21.309 --> 00:09:26.389 Sarah would be included, but she is. And here's 00:09:26.389 --> 00:09:31.710 why. Because of her clear unbelief and dismissive 00:09:31.710 --> 00:09:36.250 attitude with regards to what God had promised 00:09:36.250 --> 00:09:42.840 to her and Abraham. You recall the circumstances 00:09:42.840 --> 00:09:48.440 in Genesis chapter 18? The angel of the Lord 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:52.259 appears to Abraham. Three men. They show up. 00:09:53.419 --> 00:09:58.080 Abraham hosts them. He feeds them. They sit and 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:03.519 they talk. And they reiterate the promise to 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:09.500 Abraham. And Sarah hears the promise. And what 00:10:09.500 --> 00:10:15.500 is her response to the promise upon hearing it? 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:20.379 We read this in Genesis chapter 18, starting 00:10:20.379 --> 00:10:28.120 in verse 11. Now, Abraham and Sarah were old, 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:33.100 advanced in age. Sarah was past childbearing. 00:10:33.899 --> 00:10:38.990 Sarah laughed to herself. Saying, after I have 00:10:38.990 --> 00:10:43.230 become old, shall I have pleasure? My Lord being 00:10:43.230 --> 00:10:50.129 old also. Meaning, shall she enjoy the lifting 00:10:50.129 --> 00:10:52.970 of shame upon her from that culture and that 00:10:52.970 --> 00:10:59.190 society by bearing a child in her old age? She 00:10:59.190 --> 00:11:06.450 laughs introspectively in unbelief. She dismisses 00:11:06.450 --> 00:11:12.750 the possibility of the promise of God coming 00:11:12.750 --> 00:11:19.669 to pass in her life. Clearly, she has a bout 00:11:19.669 --> 00:11:24.669 of unbelief and doubt in her life. And not a 00:11:24.669 --> 00:11:29.809 little one. A severe one. So much so that the 00:11:29.809 --> 00:11:35.220 Bible records it. The angel of the Lord rebukes 00:11:35.220 --> 00:11:39.539 her for this unbelief. So it's one thing for 00:11:39.539 --> 00:11:41.960 us to recognize the reality that we struggle 00:11:41.960 --> 00:11:45.679 with something. It's another thing to encourage 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:49.139 and say it's good and open and honest to wrestle 00:11:49.139 --> 00:11:52.080 and doubt and struggle with God and whether He 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:57.700 will fulfill His promises. There's never any 00:11:57.700 --> 00:12:05.179 good reason. that is godly and holy, that is 00:12:05.179 --> 00:12:11.220 of the Lord, to doubt God and His Word for one 00:12:11.220 --> 00:12:18.360 single second. Never. There's never any good 00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:24.039 reason, brothers and sisters. Is God ever able 00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:31.860 to contradict Himself? Is God ever not? Faithful 00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:38.399 to his word. Is God ever a liar? Never, brothers 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:44.860 and sisters. Now, we do see the reality of her 00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:49.399 renewed faith. And the fact that she does exercise 00:12:49.399 --> 00:12:55.059 her faith. So, the author knows that she has 00:12:55.059 --> 00:12:58.919 this bout of unbelief. And it wasn't just there. 00:12:59.019 --> 00:13:02.870 It was periodic. I believe, throughout her life 00:13:02.870 --> 00:13:07.070 and her walk with the Lord. But she does renew 00:13:07.070 --> 00:13:12.769 it. And all of this in spite of the fact that 00:13:12.769 --> 00:13:15.330 God had clearly promised to her that she would 00:13:15.330 --> 00:13:21.870 have a child. In Genesis chapter 21, we see a 00:13:21.870 --> 00:13:26.470 new kind of laughter in the experience and life 00:13:26.470 --> 00:13:33.250 of Sarah. In Genesis 21, we read this, Then the 00:13:33.250 --> 00:13:38.370 Lord took note of Sarah as he had said, and the 00:13:38.370 --> 00:13:44.090 Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. So Sarah 00:13:44.090 --> 00:13:47.990 conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old 00:13:47.990 --> 00:13:51.429 age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken 00:13:51.429 --> 00:13:55.669 to him. Abraham called the name of his son who 00:13:55.669 --> 00:14:00.139 was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him. Then 00:14:00.139 --> 00:14:03.559 Isaac circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:06.259 days old as God had commanded him. Now Abraham 00:14:06.259 --> 00:14:09.399 was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born 00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:14.500 to him. Sarah said, God has made my laughter 00:14:14.500 --> 00:14:18.419 for me. Everyone who hears will laugh with me. 00:14:18.659 --> 00:14:21.720 And she said, Who would have said to Abraham 00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:25.240 that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have born 00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:30.669 him. a son in his old age. It's a new kind of 00:14:30.669 --> 00:14:34.149 laughter this time, isn't it? It's one of joy 00:14:34.149 --> 00:14:40.389 and faith. Gratitude and thanksgiving to the 00:14:40.389 --> 00:14:44.470 Lord because he is faithful to his promise in 00:14:44.470 --> 00:14:49.450 her life. So she went from... Doubting and unbelief 00:14:49.450 --> 00:14:52.789 and dismissing God's word to renewing her faith 00:14:52.789 --> 00:14:55.970 and trusting in the Lord and believing His promise 00:14:55.970 --> 00:14:59.049 and rejoicing in the reality that God was in 00:14:59.049 --> 00:15:05.169 fact faithful to His word. She renewed it. Praise 00:15:05.169 --> 00:15:09.210 God. This is why she's included in Hebrews, brothers 00:15:09.210 --> 00:15:12.850 and sisters. Because we can all relate to her 00:15:12.850 --> 00:15:20.580 to such a high degree. Now, Her faith played 00:15:20.580 --> 00:15:26.399 a significant role in her life. Her faith was 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:32.120 the means of Sarah's participation in the promise 00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:38.700 itself. And we could say this, in one way, she 00:15:38.700 --> 00:15:44.700 didn't get a pass simply because her husband 00:15:44.700 --> 00:15:52.429 was Abraham. The father of faith. If she personally. 00:15:52.809 --> 00:15:59.750 Wanted to enjoy. The blessing of God. If she 00:15:59.750 --> 00:16:06.590 personally. Wanted to participate. In the covenant 00:16:06.590 --> 00:16:14.669 promise of God. She had to believe. Personal 00:16:14.669 --> 00:16:20.700 faith. was necessary for her participation in 00:16:20.700 --> 00:16:27.159 redemption which God had promised to her. True 00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:33.200 believers, brothers and sisters, may have severe 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:40.399 bouts with unbelief and doubt. We live in a fallen 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:43.679 world. We have a remnant of sin that remains 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:47.360 within us. To some degree, our faith is always 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:52.419 mixed, brothers and sisters. And we have the 00:16:52.419 --> 00:16:57.279 principle of faith that is habitating in us, 00:16:57.279 --> 00:16:59.820 that resides within us, but that doesn't mean 00:16:59.820 --> 00:17:08.380 that we're always exercising our faith. Unbelief 00:17:08.380 --> 00:17:13.740 can be a prevalent part of a believer's life. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:17.799 It's just the reality of it. And higher degrees 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:25.980 or lesser degrees. But here's what we find. True 00:17:25.980 --> 00:17:33.700 faith always wins the day. True faith will always 00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:39.759 be renewed and exercised again in the life of 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:47.829 a true believer. True faith will be exercised 00:17:47.829 --> 00:17:52.829 in the life of God's people, though they will 00:17:52.829 --> 00:17:57.569 struggle in their lives at times. And the remarkable 00:17:57.569 --> 00:18:03.829 thing is, God will receive that faith. God will 00:18:03.829 --> 00:18:09.349 recognize that faith if it is true, sincere, 00:18:09.569 --> 00:18:15.299 saving. justifying faith that a person exercises. 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:22.619 This kind of faith was not just required of Sarah 00:18:22.619 --> 00:18:30.180 for her participation in redemption. True faith 00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:37.539 is always required of those who would enjoy and 00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:42.859 experience and participate And the grand and 00:18:42.859 --> 00:18:46.579 glorious blessings that God has given to us in 00:18:46.579 --> 00:18:52.500 the gospel of Jesus Christ. Nobody in this room, 00:18:52.640 --> 00:19:00.720 not a single soul, gets a pass. Because my mom 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:03.440 or my dad or my brother or my sister or my pastor 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:06.519 or my friend, they believe, or I was raised in 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:10.680 church, you don't get passes. You personally, 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:15.140 individually must believe upon the name of the 00:19:15.140 --> 00:19:20.500 Lord Jesus Christ. Every single individual that 00:19:20.500 --> 00:19:25.000 will ever set foot or will ever appear before 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:28.599 the throne of God in His holy presence, every 00:19:28.599 --> 00:19:31.099 individual that will walk the new heavens and 00:19:31.099 --> 00:19:33.319 the new earth, every individual that has their 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:37.319 sins forgiven, they will believe upon the name 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:41.619 of the Lord Jesus. And that faith will be effective 00:19:41.619 --> 00:19:45.740 and operative in their life like it was Sarah's. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:50.079 That faith will be effective and operative in 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:53.500 their life like it was Noah. Like it was all 00:19:53.500 --> 00:19:57.880 of the old covenant saints. You must believe. 00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:05.680 You must turn from your sin. You must look upon 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:09.400 Christ by faith and with repentance. You must 00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:13.380 see your sin and grieve over your sin and forsake 00:20:13.380 --> 00:20:16.619 your sin. You must give yourself to the Lord 00:20:16.619 --> 00:20:19.519 Jesus Christ. You must become a new creature 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:25.240 in Christ. You must have a new ruling principle 00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:27.819 within you where you are transformed from the 00:20:27.819 --> 00:20:31.809 inside out. If you are to receive the divine 00:20:31.809 --> 00:20:37.589 promised blessings of the gospel. Nobody else's 00:20:37.589 --> 00:20:43.529 faith will do it for you. It must be yours. And 00:20:43.529 --> 00:20:51.549 yours alone. Now, we see the surprising faith 00:20:51.549 --> 00:20:56.430 of Sarah clearly in this text. But what about 00:20:56.430 --> 00:21:01.170 the impossibility? of the situation which her 00:21:01.170 --> 00:21:05.450 faith was confronted with. This is the second 00:21:05.450 --> 00:21:12.089 thing. We've already mentioned how there were 00:21:12.089 --> 00:21:15.049 circumstances that were in direct contradiction 00:21:15.049 --> 00:21:20.910 to what God had promised. And if you think about 00:21:20.910 --> 00:21:25.769 it, brothers and sisters, that is always going 00:21:25.769 --> 00:21:28.880 to be the case. with regards to the promises 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:34.240 of God in this world. As long as there is sin 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:38.279 in this world, there will be enmity and hostility 00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:43.680 towards the gospel. To some degree, people will 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:47.500 always be broken and dysfunctional because of 00:21:47.500 --> 00:21:51.500 the fall. It's just the reality of it until the 00:21:51.500 --> 00:21:55.200 Lord Jesus returns. circumstances and situations 00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:59.099 will always contradict and oppose the realities 00:21:59.099 --> 00:22:03.099 which God has promised in the Gospel. But does 00:22:03.099 --> 00:22:06.859 that mean that those promises won't come to pass? 00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:11.579 Does that mean that that which God has promised 00:22:11.579 --> 00:22:16.240 concerning Jesus Christ will not be fulfilled? 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:21.640 Does that mean that God won't be good to His 00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:26.259 Word? So what were the impossibilities in the 00:22:26.259 --> 00:22:33.279 circumstances for Sarah? Well, we see in the 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:40.759 text, we read this in verse 11. By faith, even 00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:44.640 Sarah herself received ability to conceive even 00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:50.500 beyond the proper time of life. Then we read 00:22:50.500 --> 00:22:53.559 in verse 12, listen to this. The author had to 00:22:53.559 --> 00:22:57.759 mention Abraham and his deficiencies. Therefore, 00:22:58.039 --> 00:23:02.579 there was born even of one man, and him as good 00:23:02.579 --> 00:23:08.420 as dead at that. Meaning, their powers of procreation 00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:15.000 were non -existent. The Bible makes no qualms 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:19.940 about calling them as good as dead in this capacity. 00:23:20.890 --> 00:23:25.309 In this way, if we were to look at Romans chapter 00:23:25.309 --> 00:23:32.789 4, listen to what Paul says about Sarah's womb. 00:23:35.470 --> 00:23:41.750 Romans chapter 4, verses 18 through 19, we read 00:23:41.750 --> 00:23:48.329 this. And hope against hope, he believed, speaking 00:23:48.329 --> 00:23:53.220 of Abraham. He believed. So that he might become 00:23:53.220 --> 00:23:58.019 a father of many nations. According to that which 00:23:58.019 --> 00:24:02.400 had been spoken, so shall your descendants be. 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:07.339 Without becoming weak in faith, he contemplated 00:24:07.339 --> 00:24:13.779 his own body. Speaking of Abraham. Now, as good 00:24:13.779 --> 00:24:19.390 as dead. Since he was about 100 years old. And 00:24:19.390 --> 00:24:23.390 listen to what it says about Sarah's womb. And 00:24:23.390 --> 00:24:30.490 the deadness of Sarah's womb. The deadness of 00:24:30.490 --> 00:24:38.170 Sarah's womb. There was no life, power, ability, 00:24:38.490 --> 00:24:44.950 vitality, or strength for her to physically and 00:24:44.950 --> 00:24:52.940 naturally produce or bear Yet, God promised that 00:24:52.940 --> 00:24:59.640 she would bear a child. Do you see the conflict? 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:07.920 Do you see the opposing voices? Do you see the 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:12.000 difficulty? Do you see the impossibility, humanly 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:15.619 speaking, for Sarah? And Abraham. And the world 00:25:15.619 --> 00:25:18.140 they were living in. God has said this will be 00:25:18.140 --> 00:25:24.940 true of us. Yet. We are incapable of it. It is 00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:28.359 literally. Physically. Naturally. Humanly impossible. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:40.019 For this to come. To pass. Yet. We find. Divine. 00:25:40.500 --> 00:25:46.789 Aid. We find divine and supernatural intervention 00:25:46.789 --> 00:25:53.950 by the living God who promised. What do we read 00:25:53.950 --> 00:26:01.750 in verse 11? By faith, even Sarah herself received 00:26:01.750 --> 00:26:10.789 ability to conceive. And we know the same is 00:26:10.789 --> 00:26:19.599 true of Father Abraham. She received the ability, 00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:23.880 the strength, the power, the vitality to bear 00:26:23.880 --> 00:26:28.859 a child. The question comes, where in the world 00:26:28.859 --> 00:26:36.240 did this come from? What happened? How is this 00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:39.480 possible? What does it mean that she received? 00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:45.779 ability to conceive. Well, let me read a quote 00:26:45.779 --> 00:26:50.400 from John Owen. He says this, quote, This was 00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:57.259 not a mere miraculous generation. Meaning, it's 00:26:57.259 --> 00:27:03.059 not miraculous conception. It wasn't a miracle. 00:27:04.039 --> 00:27:07.539 In the sense that God interjects and contradicts 00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:10.480 and works opposed to the means that he has appointed 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:12.900 in this world. No, he works through the means. 00:27:13.980 --> 00:27:17.299 And we'll see. Listen to what else Owen says. 00:27:18.220 --> 00:27:21.880 This was not a mere miraculous generation, but 00:27:21.880 --> 00:27:26.960 she received a general restoration of her nature 00:27:26.960 --> 00:27:31.400 for the production of a child. This was also 00:27:31.400 --> 00:27:39.200 true of Abraham. The sovereign power of God restored 00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:46.839 her nature and her ability to bring about the 00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:54.420 promise that God had made. She learned that God 00:27:54.420 --> 00:28:01.160 specializes in providing that which we are deficient 00:28:01.160 --> 00:28:07.380 in. God specializes, brothers and sisters, in 00:28:07.380 --> 00:28:12.480 giving and providing that which we don't possess. 00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:17.880 God specializes, brothers and sisters, in providing 00:28:17.880 --> 00:28:21.279 and giving what even our very natures cannot 00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:27.230 do. Don't we see this in the Gospel? That God 00:28:27.230 --> 00:28:30.789 provides everything that is necessary for the 00:28:30.789 --> 00:28:33.490 salvation of sinners in the person and the work 00:28:33.490 --> 00:28:37.609 of the Lord Jesus Christ. He provides atonement. 00:28:37.690 --> 00:28:41.589 He provides righteousness. He provides the Lamb. 00:28:41.809 --> 00:28:45.930 He provides the propitiation. He provides everything 00:28:45.930 --> 00:28:52.670 in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus 00:28:52.670 --> 00:28:58.349 Christ. The same is true of Abraham. God gave 00:28:58.349 --> 00:29:03.029 him a general restoration. Sarah's been barren 00:29:03.029 --> 00:29:09.329 all her life. And God renews her nature, supernaturally 00:29:09.329 --> 00:29:13.769 and divinely. Abraham is 100 years old. And do 00:29:13.769 --> 00:29:17.130 you know, he goes on to have many more children 00:29:17.130 --> 00:29:23.869 with Keturah following Sarah's death. was the 00:29:23.869 --> 00:29:29.170 recipient of the exact same power of God. God 00:29:29.170 --> 00:29:36.529 intervened to bring about his purposes. This 00:29:36.529 --> 00:29:42.789 is why it must be of faith. There is a necessity 00:29:42.789 --> 00:29:47.789 of faith in such circumstances. Because there 00:29:47.789 --> 00:29:53.180 is no other way of explaining How it's possible 00:29:53.180 --> 00:29:58.500 that she had children in her old age when she 00:29:58.500 --> 00:30:03.740 was barren. And as the Bible says, her womb was 00:30:03.740 --> 00:30:11.059 dead. It had to be explained by faith. Listen 00:30:11.059 --> 00:30:16.240 to another quote by a commentator. It says this. 00:30:16.740 --> 00:30:19.980 The apostle does not state the authority for 00:30:19.980 --> 00:30:27.109 his assertion. that the strength or the ability 00:30:27.109 --> 00:30:31.170 to conceive of Sarah, the strength of Sarah, 00:30:31.349 --> 00:30:35.750 was derived from her faith. So the commentator 00:30:35.750 --> 00:30:39.269 is saying this. The author of Hebrews is not 00:30:39.269 --> 00:30:41.529 saying that his authority for this statement 00:30:41.529 --> 00:30:45.589 is that her strength and ability to conceive 00:30:45.589 --> 00:30:49.609 a child was derived or came from her faith. That's 00:30:49.609 --> 00:30:52.890 not what the author of Hebrews is saying. Listen 00:30:52.890 --> 00:30:56.289 to what he goes on to say. The argument is that 00:30:56.289 --> 00:31:02.630 here was a case where all human probability was 00:31:02.630 --> 00:31:06.690 against what was promised and where, therefore, 00:31:06.930 --> 00:31:13.849 there must have been simple trust in God. Nothing 00:31:13.849 --> 00:31:19.390 but faith could have led her to believe that 00:31:19.390 --> 00:31:24.680 in her old age, She could have come to bear a 00:31:24.680 --> 00:31:31.660 son. Only faith, brothers and sisters. That was 00:31:31.660 --> 00:31:36.480 the only explanation. The same is true for you 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:41.460 and I when we look at the gospel and we look 00:31:41.460 --> 00:31:46.579 at redemption and what God has promised with 00:31:46.579 --> 00:31:51.970 regards to the gospel and redemption. Faith is 00:31:51.970 --> 00:31:58.769 the only explanation for the realities of the 00:31:58.769 --> 00:32:04.630 gospel and for the accomplishment of those realities. 00:32:05.150 --> 00:32:10.690 Only faith, brothers and sisters, can explain 00:32:10.690 --> 00:32:18.349 how a person is made new. Only faith can explain 00:32:19.160 --> 00:32:22.160 How the Spirit of God works in the hearts and 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:28.019 minds of men. Only faith can explain why the 00:32:28.019 --> 00:32:33.839 world is the way that it is. Only faith can explain 00:32:33.839 --> 00:32:36.859 what is taking place. Do you know why? Because 00:32:36.859 --> 00:32:41.779 only the Word of God tells us. We have natural 00:32:41.779 --> 00:32:45.319 law. We have reason. We have logic. But hear 00:32:45.319 --> 00:32:51.029 me out. It only tells you so much. We need special, 00:32:51.170 --> 00:32:56.049 particular revelation. And that is in the Word 00:32:56.049 --> 00:33:04.990 of God. It alone explains why things are the 00:33:04.990 --> 00:33:10.029 way that they are. It alone explains what is 00:33:10.029 --> 00:33:13.029 going to take place in the future with regards 00:33:13.029 --> 00:33:16.029 to the return of Jesus Christ. and the salvation 00:33:16.029 --> 00:33:19.190 of sinners in this world throughout this age. 00:33:21.069 --> 00:33:27.289 Faith alone is our eyes with regards to the gospel 00:33:27.289 --> 00:33:32.450 and the promises of the gospel. The only way 00:33:32.450 --> 00:33:37.609 to see and understand what God is doing in and 00:33:37.609 --> 00:33:40.869 through the gospel of Jesus Christ in your own 00:33:40.869 --> 00:33:44.500 life, in the life of others, It's through the 00:33:44.500 --> 00:33:54.519 lens of faith. That's it. You can't view it through 00:33:54.519 --> 00:34:01.839 a carnal lens, a worldly lens. You can't view 00:34:01.839 --> 00:34:04.839 it through the arm of the flesh or human ability. 00:34:06.220 --> 00:34:12.360 You cannot explain it. Only by faith can you 00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:18.920 see. and understand these realities. This is 00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:25.000 why so many in the unbelieving world are so confused 00:34:25.000 --> 00:34:32.420 about what it means to be a Christian. This is 00:34:32.420 --> 00:34:35.519 why the unbelieving world thinks that the Christian 00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:38.500 church is backwards for believing the things 00:34:38.500 --> 00:34:42.139 of the Bible. Because they're looking through 00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:48.500 a lens of what? Carnality and nature, not faith. 00:34:49.940 --> 00:34:54.099 But this is also why the Christian will always 00:34:54.099 --> 00:35:00.960 be distinct in this world. If you are a professing 00:35:00.960 --> 00:35:06.019 believer in Jesus Christ, you do see things differently 00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:11.400 than the unbelieving world around you. You do. 00:35:11.880 --> 00:35:15.659 Because you are indwelt by the Spirit of God. 00:35:16.760 --> 00:35:21.260 You have been given a new ruling nature. You 00:35:21.260 --> 00:35:24.300 are not the same as you used to be. You are very 00:35:24.300 --> 00:35:27.760 literally a new person, brothers and sisters. 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:32.780 You can't help but see things differently. And 00:35:32.780 --> 00:35:37.639 God, in His grace, has given you faith as a divine 00:35:37.639 --> 00:35:41.159 gift. Not something you generated or worked up, 00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:44.460 but it is a gracious gift of God. And you can't 00:35:44.460 --> 00:35:48.659 get rid of it. You wake up with the graces of 00:35:48.659 --> 00:35:52.099 God in your soul. You wake up with the Spirit 00:35:52.099 --> 00:35:55.420 of God dwelling within you. You can't shake it. 00:35:55.480 --> 00:36:01.059 You will view the world differently than the 00:36:01.059 --> 00:36:05.300 unbelieving world around you. And this will always 00:36:05.300 --> 00:36:12.449 be the case. Inevitably, we also have to consider 00:36:12.449 --> 00:36:17.050 a last thing. And that is what Sarah's faith 00:36:17.050 --> 00:36:25.809 was resting on. We read in verse 11, Since she 00:36:25.809 --> 00:36:33.230 considered him faithful who had promised. Her 00:36:33.230 --> 00:36:38.949 faith was resting on the promise and its fulfillment. 00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:45.920 And further, the character and the being of God 00:36:45.920 --> 00:36:52.079 himself. Notice something in the text that is 00:36:52.079 --> 00:36:55.880 making a distinction between the promise and 00:36:55.880 --> 00:37:00.420 the one who has made the promise. We read in 00:37:00.420 --> 00:37:06.440 verse 11, Since she considered him faithful who 00:37:06.440 --> 00:37:11.670 had promised. there's a distinction taking place 00:37:11.670 --> 00:37:16.469 between the promise itself and the promiser, 00:37:16.570 --> 00:37:20.789 the one that would perform it and carry it out 00:37:20.789 --> 00:37:27.570 and bring it to pass. At first, it seems that 00:37:27.570 --> 00:37:32.789 her faith was resting simply on the fulfillment 00:37:32.789 --> 00:37:38.139 of the promise in her life. The fact that she 00:37:38.139 --> 00:37:42.920 would bear a child. And we saw the result of 00:37:42.920 --> 00:37:45.579 this when we read from Genesis chapter 18, didn't 00:37:45.579 --> 00:37:50.699 we? It led her down a rabbit trail of unbelief. 00:37:52.780 --> 00:37:58.039 It led her down a rabbit trail of dismay and 00:37:58.039 --> 00:38:06.179 doubt in her life. But eventually we see. That 00:38:06.179 --> 00:38:10.139 her mind moved beyond the circumstances and the 00:38:10.139 --> 00:38:14.559 impossibilities and the blessing in a sense itself 00:38:14.559 --> 00:38:22.219 to the being and character of God. And this is 00:38:22.219 --> 00:38:28.559 when her faith prevails. This is when her faith 00:38:28.559 --> 00:38:33.739 conquers her fears. This is when her faith comes 00:38:33.739 --> 00:38:36.769 to conquer her doubts. This is when her faith 00:38:36.769 --> 00:38:39.969 comes to conquer the unbelief and the dismay 00:38:39.969 --> 00:38:43.650 that is in her heart when her faith squarely 00:38:43.650 --> 00:38:46.610 rests upon the good and sovereign and powerful 00:38:46.610 --> 00:38:52.730 character of the living God. Once she does this, 00:38:52.889 --> 00:38:57.849 all the difficulties and the circumstances are 00:38:57.849 --> 00:39:04.869 reconciled and overcome. And she gains. And she 00:39:04.869 --> 00:39:09.769 enjoys an assurance and a confidence with regards 00:39:09.769 --> 00:39:14.170 and an expectation with regards to the fulfillment 00:39:14.170 --> 00:39:21.329 of that which God has promised. Because she had 00:39:21.329 --> 00:39:28.050 duly or rightly apprehended the character and 00:39:28.050 --> 00:39:34.690 nature of God. This led to her eager expectation 00:39:34.690 --> 00:39:39.550 and reception of the promise itself in spite 00:39:39.550 --> 00:39:46.489 of contradictory circumstances. Why is this? 00:39:49.690 --> 00:39:53.750 Because when a person gives themselves, when 00:39:53.750 --> 00:39:59.929 they consider God and who He really truly is, 00:40:00.170 --> 00:40:05.380 as He is revealed in the Word of God, you start 00:40:05.380 --> 00:40:11.000 to see that if there's difficulties, if there's 00:40:11.000 --> 00:40:16.679 obstacles, if there's obstructions, that he is 00:40:16.679 --> 00:40:25.280 powerful to remove or to do away with that which 00:40:25.280 --> 00:40:32.260 is contradicting to what he has promised. She 00:40:32.260 --> 00:40:37.920 realizes. That God is sovereign and almighty 00:40:37.920 --> 00:40:42.199 and powerful. That there is nothing that can 00:40:42.199 --> 00:40:49.380 keep his hand from his ordained purposes. She 00:40:49.380 --> 00:40:57.320 realizes that he is God. He can do as he pleases. 00:40:57.840 --> 00:41:03.019 If he has made a promise. He will perform that 00:41:03.019 --> 00:41:06.840 which He has promised in His Word. He will accomplish 00:41:06.840 --> 00:41:13.619 it because He is faithful. Throughout Scripture, 00:41:13.800 --> 00:41:17.739 don't we see time and time again, brothers and 00:41:17.739 --> 00:41:22.400 sisters, that God brings about His purposes in 00:41:22.400 --> 00:41:25.659 and through circumstances where human ability, 00:41:25.980 --> 00:41:28.760 human reasoning, human probability, and human 00:41:28.760 --> 00:41:36.280 power are... Don't we see that over and over 00:41:36.280 --> 00:41:38.719 and over throughout the history of redemption? 00:41:40.559 --> 00:41:43.679 Wasn't it when the people were walled up at the 00:41:43.679 --> 00:41:48.340 Red Sea and Pharaoh and his chariots and his 00:41:48.340 --> 00:41:52.780 army are coming for them that God, through one 00:41:52.780 --> 00:41:58.679 man, parts the sea? It was seemingly impossible. 00:42:01.360 --> 00:42:05.380 Doesn't it seem improbable that one man, Moses, 00:42:05.559 --> 00:42:12.139 would deliver an entire nation speaking on behalf 00:42:12.139 --> 00:42:17.719 of God? That God would provide for millions of 00:42:17.719 --> 00:42:24.579 people in a desert? Food and water. Not in normal 00:42:24.579 --> 00:42:30.469 means, but from the sky and from a rock. Brothers 00:42:30.469 --> 00:42:33.010 and sisters, don't we see this time and time 00:42:33.010 --> 00:42:40.750 again? Where God works in and through seemingly 00:42:40.750 --> 00:42:45.570 impossible situations to bring about his redemptive 00:42:45.570 --> 00:42:51.969 purposes, we do. It's not accidental. Why in 00:42:51.969 --> 00:42:58.340 the world would this be the case? Why does God 00:42:58.340 --> 00:43:02.119 choose to work through that and to bring about 00:43:02.119 --> 00:43:04.659 His purposes in such a way that it's in the midst 00:43:04.659 --> 00:43:07.239 of contradicting circumstances to what He's promised? 00:43:08.199 --> 00:43:12.659 To prove and to demonstrate and to manifest His 00:43:12.659 --> 00:43:18.539 character, glory, and power, and to teach that 00:43:18.539 --> 00:43:28.000 salvation is of the Lord, not of men. He is able 00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:32.960 and he is powerful. It's to prove and test and 00:43:32.960 --> 00:43:39.260 to display his glorious character and power and 00:43:39.260 --> 00:43:45.079 to show the salvation is of God and not of men. 00:43:48.320 --> 00:43:56.150 Because of the remnant of sin in you and I. we 00:43:56.150 --> 00:44:04.889 have a tendency to lean and trust in the wrong 00:44:04.889 --> 00:44:12.750 things. Every single person in this room. If 00:44:12.750 --> 00:44:15.690 you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have 00:44:15.690 --> 00:44:20.570 a tendency to trust in the nature of men and 00:44:20.570 --> 00:44:24.150 that which is of this world, that which is carnal. 00:44:24.699 --> 00:44:31.039 That which is fleshly. And it brings all kinds 00:44:31.039 --> 00:44:36.900 of heart troubles in our lives. So many of the 00:44:36.900 --> 00:44:41.320 maladies in our hearts, the troubles and sorrows 00:44:41.320 --> 00:44:45.119 and difficulties in our hearts, are because we're 00:44:45.119 --> 00:44:50.519 believing the wrong things in our hearts. We're 00:44:50.519 --> 00:44:55.679 trusting the wrong things. We have too much respect 00:44:55.679 --> 00:44:58.760 in our hearts, and we're clinging too tightly 00:44:58.760 --> 00:45:04.579 with our hearts to the wrong things. It brings 00:45:04.579 --> 00:45:08.699 turmoil into our hearts and our minds. We could 00:45:08.699 --> 00:45:13.260 read Isaiah 22 or Isaiah chapter 31, where the 00:45:13.260 --> 00:45:15.599 prophet speaks and says, don't trust in horses 00:45:15.599 --> 00:45:20.139 and chariots, but in the Lord. And then he goes 00:45:20.139 --> 00:45:24.949 on and says, the Egyptians are men. and not God. 00:45:25.349 --> 00:45:27.829 And then it goes on and says, their horses are 00:45:27.829 --> 00:45:33.030 flesh and not spirit. Brothers and sisters, the 00:45:33.030 --> 00:45:37.349 Lord and His character and His person and His 00:45:37.349 --> 00:45:41.530 promises are the only fit object for your faith 00:45:41.530 --> 00:45:45.070 that increases and strengthens the assurance 00:45:45.070 --> 00:45:50.469 in your heart that He will bring about His purposes. 00:45:52.170 --> 00:45:58.269 Rest your faith upon Him. Rightly understanding 00:45:58.269 --> 00:46:05.070 God leads to all kinds of happiness of heart. 00:46:06.510 --> 00:46:12.369 If you will rest your faith and lean upon Him, 00:46:12.530 --> 00:46:16.889 brothers and sisters, you will grow in grace, 00:46:16.909 --> 00:46:22.360 in holiness, in godliness. And you will experience 00:46:22.360 --> 00:46:26.340 true happiness in your hearts and in your lives. 00:46:27.000 --> 00:46:34.940 Because happiness is not circumstantial. Happiness 00:46:34.940 --> 00:46:40.280 has to do with holiness and trusting in the Lord. 00:46:42.360 --> 00:46:48.139 Trust the right things. Look to the right things. 00:46:49.039 --> 00:46:52.539 And let that increase and strengthen the assurance 00:46:52.539 --> 00:46:56.059 and confidence in your heart with regards to 00:46:56.059 --> 00:47:01.380 God and the performance of His Word. The wrong 00:47:01.380 --> 00:47:06.739 question for us to ask with regards to the Gospel 00:47:06.739 --> 00:47:13.880 is, is this possible? That's the wrong question, 00:47:13.920 --> 00:47:20.389 brothers and sisters. The wrong question. Is 00:47:20.389 --> 00:47:22.469 to look at an unbelieving friend or neighbor 00:47:22.469 --> 00:47:27.329 and say. Is it possible for them to be saved? 00:47:28.849 --> 00:47:32.769 To look to the future of the world. And the return 00:47:32.769 --> 00:47:36.710 of Christ in the air. And the renewal of all 00:47:36.710 --> 00:47:40.670 things. The wrong question is to say and to ask. 00:47:40.769 --> 00:47:45.750 Is it possible? The right question. Is this. 00:47:46.889 --> 00:47:55.230 Is God. Yes, he is abundantly faithful to accomplish 00:47:55.230 --> 00:48:00.010 every single one of his purposes.