WEBVTT 00:00:10.089 --> 00:00:16.129 Hebrews chapter 11. We will read verses 17 through 00:00:16.129 --> 00:00:22.550 19. Verse 11, 17 through 19. By faith, Abraham, 00:00:23.030 --> 00:00:28.510 when he was tested, offered up Isaac. And he 00:00:28.510 --> 00:00:31.289 who had received the promises was offering up 00:00:31.289 --> 00:00:35.649 his only begotten son. It was he to whom it was 00:00:35.649 --> 00:00:40.240 said, In Isaac. your descendants shall be called. 00:00:40.780 --> 00:00:45.539 He considered that God is able to raise people 00:00:45.539 --> 00:00:49.740 even from the dead, from which he also received 00:00:49.740 --> 00:00:53.619 him back as a type. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. 00:00:55.619 --> 00:01:01.219 Father, we come to you this Lord's Day. Father, 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:04.859 we do. We come with open hearts and faith forward. 00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:09.760 And we ask that... The ancient words that you 00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:15.760 have given to us would impart their truth. Father, 00:01:15.819 --> 00:01:17.739 we ask that the Spirit of God would accompany 00:01:17.739 --> 00:01:22.299 and bless the ministry of the Word of God mightily 00:01:22.299 --> 00:01:26.959 at this time. Lord, work in our hearts to sanctify 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:31.280 us and build us up. And Lord, we ask that you 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:34.500 would pierce the hearts of unbelieving men and 00:01:34.500 --> 00:01:40.109 show them their desperate need. For faith. We 00:01:40.109 --> 00:01:43.950 ask these things in Christ's name. Amen. You 00:01:43.950 --> 00:01:49.469 may be seated. I am no prophet. And I am not 00:01:49.469 --> 00:01:55.370 the son of a prophet. And I know something for 00:01:55.370 --> 00:02:02.109 sure. That is true of every single one of us. 00:02:02.189 --> 00:02:06.590 And something that will be true. Of every single 00:02:06.590 --> 00:02:09.669 one of us. And I don't have to be a prophet. 00:02:09.949 --> 00:02:13.889 To know these things. Because they are so abundantly 00:02:13.889 --> 00:02:19.430 clear. In God's holy word. So what is it that 00:02:19.430 --> 00:02:24.930 I know? With such certainty. It is that every 00:02:24.930 --> 00:02:31.169 single believer. In Jesus Christ. Has and will. 00:02:32.469 --> 00:02:40.060 Experience. trials in their lives. Every single 00:02:40.060 --> 00:02:47.180 believer will have their faith tested and tried 00:02:47.180 --> 00:02:53.300 and refined and purified in this life through 00:02:53.300 --> 00:03:01.159 divine design. By ordained difficulties, struggles, 00:03:01.259 --> 00:03:06.319 and trials in this life. It is the common lot 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:13.740 of God's people in this world to endure fiery 00:03:13.740 --> 00:03:22.280 ordeals with purpose and by design. Our forefather 00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:26.319 in the faith, Abraham, he was not exempt from 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:31.860 this. In our text today we find what is likely 00:03:31.860 --> 00:03:37.800 the exemplary act of faith in the Old Testament. 00:03:38.599 --> 00:03:46.000 That legendary scene on Mount Moriah where Abraham 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:51.819 brings his son to offer him up as a sacrifice 00:03:51.819 --> 00:03:58.580 to God. He wasn't offering up Ishmael. He was 00:03:58.580 --> 00:04:04.159 offering up... the son of promise. Today we're 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:09.340 going to consider the testing of Abraham's faith. 00:04:09.979 --> 00:04:16.600 We're going to examine his faith as it was tested. 00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:21.079 We're going to consider the difficulties which 00:04:21.079 --> 00:04:24.920 were introduced to his faith. We can imagine 00:04:24.920 --> 00:04:30.310 the hardship, the heartaches. that were introduced 00:04:30.310 --> 00:04:34.949 into Abraham's life as a result of this trial 00:04:34.949 --> 00:04:40.350 that came upon him. And then lastly, we will 00:04:40.350 --> 00:04:47.269 consider what Abraham concluded by faith in this 00:04:47.269 --> 00:04:51.569 trial. Beginning with the first, the testing 00:04:51.569 --> 00:04:56.870 of Abraham's faith. We read this in verse 17. 00:04:58.889 --> 00:05:03.649 By faith, Abraham. And then here it is. When 00:05:03.649 --> 00:05:11.730 he was tested. In Genesis chapter 22, the narrative 00:05:11.730 --> 00:05:17.069 of these events, it's clear. God tested Abraham. 00:05:17.810 --> 00:05:22.829 These were unique circumstances ordained and 00:05:22.829 --> 00:05:27.730 intended and brought about and required by God. 00:05:29.100 --> 00:05:34.600 with purpose in the life of the patriarch. It's 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:40.000 uniquely and distinctly identified as a test, 00:05:40.339 --> 00:05:46.279 as a trial. Now, in some older translations of 00:05:46.279 --> 00:05:52.180 the Bible, the word trial is actually stated 00:05:52.180 --> 00:05:57.029 as temptations. Now, we have certain ideas about 00:05:57.029 --> 00:06:01.689 what temptations are. They're when sin or things 00:06:01.689 --> 00:06:06.829 outside of us appeal to or lure us to sin. They 00:06:06.829 --> 00:06:12.230 draw out the sinful desires within us. But the 00:06:12.230 --> 00:06:16.230 way it's used here, and this biblical concept 00:06:16.230 --> 00:06:21.290 of trial and testing, it's not talking about 00:06:21.290 --> 00:06:26.360 temptation. where God is tempting you to sin. 00:06:26.939 --> 00:06:32.079 No, it's the James chapter 1 sense in which the 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:35.660 author is speaking. James chapter 1 says this, 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:40.759 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:47.819 various trials, knowing that the testing of your 00:06:47.819 --> 00:06:52.610 faith produces endurance. Then we read in verse 00:06:52.610 --> 00:06:55.949 4, And let endurance have its perfect result, 00:06:56.110 --> 00:07:00.750 so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking 00:07:00.750 --> 00:07:05.410 in nothing. It's speaking about growing believers 00:07:05.410 --> 00:07:13.310 in spiritual maturity. And that trials refine 00:07:13.310 --> 00:07:19.639 and test their faith, their character. It brings 00:07:19.639 --> 00:07:23.439 about certain results. It produces certain things 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:27.279 in our lives. And they are ordained by God's 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:31.779 sovereign hand. That's the sense in which Abraham 00:07:31.779 --> 00:07:38.459 is tested in Genesis chapter 22 and Hebrews chapter 00:07:38.459 --> 00:07:43.560 11 where it's speaking of that trial. This is, 00:07:43.620 --> 00:07:49.199 we could say, I believe, the trial of... His 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:55.259 faith. He's gone through. Tests. And trials. 00:07:55.779 --> 00:08:00.100 Throughout his walk with the Lord. But this is. 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:10.899 The. Trial. Of his life. This is the. Test. Of 00:08:10.899 --> 00:08:14.620 whether or not. His faith is sincere. And genuine 00:08:14.620 --> 00:08:19.250 and true. Whether or not. he will trust and obey 00:08:19.250 --> 00:08:23.089 God, even when he can't make sense of things 00:08:23.089 --> 00:08:29.069 in human terms. This is the test of Abraham's 00:08:29.069 --> 00:08:33.409 life. There are many other examples in the Bible 00:08:33.409 --> 00:08:39.309 of testing or of trials that are ordained by 00:08:39.309 --> 00:08:45.570 God. We could think of Joseph. Joseph went through 00:08:45.570 --> 00:08:49.889 many, many trials in his life, did he not, brothers 00:08:49.889 --> 00:08:55.049 and sisters? A significant portion of his life 00:08:55.049 --> 00:09:00.350 was trial and testing. And what were those trials 00:09:00.350 --> 00:09:05.269 and those tests, what were those fiery ordeals 00:09:05.269 --> 00:09:09.470 doing in Joseph's life? They were bringing about 00:09:09.470 --> 00:09:16.620 God's purposes. They were preparing the man for 00:09:16.620 --> 00:09:20.740 what God had in store for him to deliver his 00:09:20.740 --> 00:09:24.240 people and to bring his people into Egypt so 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:26.940 that a greater deliverance could take place so 00:09:26.940 --> 00:09:30.340 that God could bring them out of Egypt and call 00:09:30.340 --> 00:09:36.340 them as his own. We read in Psalm 105, verse 00:09:36.340 --> 00:09:45.269 19, regarding Joseph. Starting in verse 17, he 00:09:45.269 --> 00:09:49.210 sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold 00:09:49.210 --> 00:09:53.610 as a slave. They afflicted his feet with fetters, 00:09:53.730 --> 00:10:00.809 chains. He himself was laid in irons until the 00:10:00.809 --> 00:10:05.929 time that his word came to pass. The word of 00:10:05.929 --> 00:10:11.649 the Lord tested him all throughout his life. 00:10:12.299 --> 00:10:16.840 God was bringing Joseph through a test, a trial 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:23.879 to purify and refine the man and his faith. We 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:28.240 could think about Israel in the wilderness and 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:32.840 their wilderness wanderings. We read in Deuteronomy 00:10:32.840 --> 00:10:39.879 chapter 8. We read this in verse 2. You shall 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:43.289 remember. All the way which the Lord your God 00:10:43.289 --> 00:10:46.950 has led you in the wilderness. These 40 years. 00:10:47.870 --> 00:10:52.889 That he might humble you. Testing you. To know 00:10:52.889 --> 00:10:56.870 what was in your heart. Whether you would keep 00:10:56.870 --> 00:11:02.590 his commandments or not. He was proving. Refining. 00:11:03.690 --> 00:11:08.909 Israel as a son. He was bringing them through 00:11:08.909 --> 00:11:12.929 difficulties and hardships to show them their 00:11:12.929 --> 00:11:16.269 inadequacies, their weaknesses, their deficiencies, 00:11:16.309 --> 00:11:19.710 their unbelief, their sin, their waywardness, 00:11:19.730 --> 00:11:24.350 their hardness of heart, so that God would be 00:11:24.350 --> 00:11:27.850 magnified because He is faithful to them in spite 00:11:27.850 --> 00:11:32.509 of these realities. That God did, in fact, bring 00:11:32.509 --> 00:11:38.399 them into the promised land. And then we also 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:42.120 have that famous occurrence of King Hezekiah. 00:11:43.100 --> 00:11:45.919 If you recall, at the end of Hezekiah's life, 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:51.360 he thinks that near what he thought was the end 00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:58.559 of Hezekiah's life, he became mortally ill. And 00:11:58.559 --> 00:12:03.659 the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 32 -31 that these 00:12:03.659 --> 00:12:08.620 things were tests. From the Lord. That it was 00:12:08.620 --> 00:12:15.159 God trying the man. It was God proving and trying 00:12:15.159 --> 00:12:21.620 his faith. There's all kinds of examples. The 00:12:21.620 --> 00:12:28.340 author of Hebrews chapter 11. Has a specific 00:12:28.340 --> 00:12:31.759 purpose in mind when he's writing these things. 00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:37.840 He's not just randomly writing things down. He's 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:41.259 writing Hebrews chapter 11 and these events in 00:12:41.259 --> 00:12:44.659 particular in verses 17 through 19 regarding 00:12:44.659 --> 00:12:51.299 Abraham's trial to encourage and strengthen the 00:12:51.299 --> 00:12:54.580 Hebrew Christians who were themselves undergoing 00:12:54.580 --> 00:13:00.340 trials in their lives. who themselves were undergoing 00:13:00.340 --> 00:13:04.500 the fiery ordeal in their lives. Their faith 00:13:04.500 --> 00:13:07.600 was being tried by the hand of God through the 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:10.659 difficulties and struggles and the trying circumstances 00:13:10.659 --> 00:13:15.519 of their lives. He's writing these things to 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:18.179 show them that even their forefathers' faith 00:13:18.179 --> 00:13:23.320 was tested and their faith would be tested. Our 00:13:23.320 --> 00:13:27.340 faith, brothers and sisters, yours and mine as 00:13:27.340 --> 00:13:29.940 New Covenant believers, just like the Hebrew 00:13:29.940 --> 00:13:32.840 Christians the author was writing to, our faith 00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:42.500 will be tested and tried in this life. It is 00:13:42.500 --> 00:13:48.879 biblically naive and ignorant to think that our 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:55.220 faith will not be tested and tried. the normative, 00:13:55.259 --> 00:13:59.159 one of the normative realities in the Christian 00:13:59.159 --> 00:14:07.379 life is trials, hardships, heartaches that have 00:14:07.379 --> 00:14:12.539 been brought on by whatever it might be. Maybe 00:14:12.539 --> 00:14:17.019 the trial has to do with relationships. Maybe 00:14:17.019 --> 00:14:20.259 the trial has to do with health or physical. 00:14:20.830 --> 00:14:24.610 or family, or marriage, or sin, or struggle, 00:14:24.649 --> 00:14:26.870 or difficulties, or trials, or whatever it might 00:14:26.870 --> 00:14:31.230 be. Brothers and sisters, believers in Jesus 00:14:31.230 --> 00:14:35.330 Christ will have their faith tested and tried 00:14:35.330 --> 00:14:42.389 in this life. They are a normal part of the New 00:14:42.389 --> 00:14:47.509 Covenant Christian's life. James 1 teaches us 00:14:47.509 --> 00:14:53.700 this. Have you ever considered that the difficulties 00:14:53.700 --> 00:14:58.779 and trials in your life are not random and purposeless? 00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:05.919 Have you ever considered that the heartache you 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:11.919 are wrestling through this very day has an intended 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:20.490 goal? Have you ever considered That the sufferings 00:15:20.490 --> 00:15:25.190 you have endured in this life are not purposeless? 00:15:26.649 --> 00:15:31.090 But that God actually has a divine purpose and 00:15:31.090 --> 00:15:35.429 a divine aim and a divine design behind all of 00:15:35.429 --> 00:15:40.129 them? We see this all throughout the Scriptures, 00:15:40.330 --> 00:15:44.190 brothers and sisters. Part of the Christians... 00:15:46.300 --> 00:15:49.759 sanctification and understanding and walk and 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:53.700 growth is learning to reorient their thinking 00:15:53.700 --> 00:15:59.980 regarding difficulties in their lives. We don't 00:15:59.980 --> 00:16:03.480 just come upon, or we should probably say difficulties 00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:09.580 don't just come upon us, and we respond and react 00:16:09.580 --> 00:16:12.039 as though they're meaningless and purposeless 00:16:12.039 --> 00:16:17.639 and aimless. Well, this is hard. This is difficult. 00:16:17.779 --> 00:16:20.240 This is trying. Oh, I don't like this. This is 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:23.039 not fun. I hate this. This makes me mad. I'm 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:26.600 angry. I'm all kinds of things. No, brothers 00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:32.159 and sisters. The Bible says that these are trials 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:37.419 that are ordained by the living God in the life 00:16:37.419 --> 00:16:40.440 of His children to produce and bring about greater 00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:45.590 and further conformity to Jesus Christ. There 00:16:45.590 --> 00:16:52.529 is purpose in your hardships in this life. In 00:16:52.529 --> 00:17:02.230 fact, the presence of tests and trials is indicative 00:17:02.230 --> 00:17:07.910 of God's fatherly love and care in your life. 00:17:08.990 --> 00:17:16.819 Because He wants you to be more like He wants 00:17:16.819 --> 00:17:21.259 more of that pleasing aroma which comes from 00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:24.900 our spiritual sacrifices of worship. He wants 00:17:24.900 --> 00:17:29.819 what is ultimately best for us as his people. 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:35.000 And he knows that it is not best for us to stay 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:40.119 bogged down in our sin and iniquity and transgressions. 00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:47.740 So he refines. He purifies. He brings us through 00:17:47.740 --> 00:17:52.079 hardships with the intended goal of making us 00:17:52.079 --> 00:18:00.819 more like the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, we have 00:18:00.819 --> 00:18:07.140 to examine Abraham's faith in this trial. The 00:18:07.140 --> 00:18:16.109 text says in verse 17, faith, Abraham offered 00:18:16.109 --> 00:18:22.950 up Isaac. So, first thing we see with regards 00:18:22.950 --> 00:18:26.890 to Abraham's faith is that it was operative and 00:18:26.890 --> 00:18:33.769 active in the trial. Right? By faith, Abraham 00:18:33.769 --> 00:18:40.910 offered up Isaac and this is a trial. Therefore, 00:18:41.009 --> 00:18:45.859 his faith is operative, it's active, it's working. 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:49.779 What is the motivating principle, the orienting 00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:54.140 principle, the governing principle of Abraham's 00:18:54.140 --> 00:18:59.180 thinking, life, and actions in the midst of this 00:18:59.180 --> 00:19:05.039 trial? It's faith. By faith he offered up Isaac. 00:19:05.559 --> 00:19:10.329 It's that which governed his thinking. It's that 00:19:10.329 --> 00:19:15.509 which animated his actions. It was the undergirding 00:19:15.509 --> 00:19:19.250 principle which was the basis for his acting 00:19:19.250 --> 00:19:25.589 in the trial. It wasn't carnality or the flesh 00:19:25.589 --> 00:19:30.309 or natural reasoning which we'll see further 00:19:30.309 --> 00:19:36.630 down. Brothers and sisters, it was faith. Now, 00:19:36.630 --> 00:19:42.940 we also can surmise that his faith was increasing 00:19:42.940 --> 00:19:49.539 and growing in strength prior to the trial and 00:19:49.539 --> 00:19:55.859 in the trial. In Romans chapter 4, we'll go ahead 00:19:55.859 --> 00:20:00.839 and read this quickly. Romans 4, verses 18 through 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:09.059 21, we read this. In hope against hope, he believed, 00:20:09.099 --> 00:20:12.880 speaking of Abraham, so that he might become 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:18.420 a father of many nations. According to that which 00:20:18.420 --> 00:20:21.339 had been spoken, so shall your descendants be. 00:20:23.779 --> 00:20:28.079 Without becoming weak in faith, he contemplated 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:30.759 his own body, now as good as dead since he was 00:20:30.759 --> 00:20:35.160 about 100 years old, and the deadness of Sarah's 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:39.789 womb. Yet, with respect to the promise of God, 00:20:40.009 --> 00:20:46.009 he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong 00:20:46.009 --> 00:20:51.170 in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully 00:20:51.170 --> 00:20:55.329 assured that what God had promised, he was able 00:20:55.329 --> 00:21:00.930 also to perform. Now, this occurrence that it's 00:21:00.930 --> 00:21:03.970 referencing in Romans chapter 4 has to do with 00:21:03.970 --> 00:21:07.660 the birth of the son of promise, Isaac. And the 00:21:07.660 --> 00:21:10.220 instance that we're speaking of in Hebrews chapter 00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:14.519 11 verses 17 through 19 has to do with the offering 00:21:14.519 --> 00:21:22.400 of Isaac. Likely, Isaac was around 15 to 17 years 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:25.720 old, possibly older, when Abraham was going to 00:21:25.720 --> 00:21:29.099 sacrifice him. So Abraham's faith at the time 00:21:29.099 --> 00:21:31.559 of Isaac's birth was growing and strengthened. 00:21:31.940 --> 00:21:34.480 It was fully assured that God would do everything 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:38.859 that he promised. And we must assume that his 00:21:38.859 --> 00:21:43.420 faith continued to grow in strength as he aged. 00:21:44.180 --> 00:21:48.940 As God continued to be faithful to him. That 00:21:48.940 --> 00:21:53.140 prior to the entrance into this trial, he was 00:21:53.140 --> 00:21:57.660 having and enjoying a vibrant faith and assurance. 00:21:57.779 --> 00:22:02.220 And in it, it was strengthened and increased 00:22:02.220 --> 00:22:09.660 all the more. His faith in this was obedient 00:22:09.660 --> 00:22:15.220 faith to the command of God. And it was accompanied 00:22:15.220 --> 00:22:21.019 by works as James chapter 2 speaks of them. Meaning 00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:27.900 faith and works always present together. So we 00:22:27.900 --> 00:22:32.400 know in this text that God commands Abraham to 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:39.170 offer up Isaac. And what does the text say? By 00:22:39.170 --> 00:22:47.369 faith, Abraham offered up Isaac. He had every 00:22:47.369 --> 00:22:56.470 intention. He had every fiber of his will in 00:22:56.470 --> 00:23:02.329 action to perform this deed. His hand was raised. 00:23:02.430 --> 00:23:06.309 He was following through. He was going to kill 00:23:06.309 --> 00:23:12.369 his son. Brothers and sisters, he was obedient. 00:23:13.569 --> 00:23:22.450 His faith obeyed the command of God. But we also 00:23:22.450 --> 00:23:27.369 see that in this trial his faith is exemplary. 00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:34.940 And that it reveals God's purpose in this trial. 00:23:36.220 --> 00:23:40.880 Why is Abraham included in Hebrews chapter 11? 00:23:42.059 --> 00:23:46.880 For new covenant believers to look at. And so 00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:52.559 that we can learn from our forefather. And so 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:55.099 that we can understand that trials will come 00:23:55.099 --> 00:24:00.180 upon us and test our faith. And that like Abraham, 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:04.279 by the grace of God and the strength of the Holy 00:24:04.279 --> 00:24:08.500 Spirit and God -given graces such as faith, we 00:24:08.500 --> 00:24:13.680 can persevere and endure in and through trials 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:20.420 in this life. He's given to us as help for us, 00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:26.059 as a witness for us, brothers and sisters. So 00:24:26.059 --> 00:24:30.410 what is the purpose? of this trial in Abraham's 00:24:30.410 --> 00:24:34.609 life. And we'll see that it's the same as the 00:24:34.609 --> 00:24:38.430 purpose for trials in our lives. Well, the purpose 00:24:38.430 --> 00:24:42.450 in Abraham's life was faith. It was to bring 00:24:42.450 --> 00:24:49.769 out faith. It was to reveal, to strengthen, and 00:24:49.769 --> 00:24:57.109 to confirm his faith that God had given to him. 00:24:56.990 --> 00:25:02.170 So what is the purpose of faith in your life, 00:25:02.230 --> 00:25:07.049 in my life, as New Covenant believers? Well, 00:25:07.109 --> 00:25:10.650 generally speaking, we don't know everything 00:25:10.650 --> 00:25:16.990 that God is doing in our hardships. God is sovereign, 00:25:17.170 --> 00:25:20.230 He is infinite, and He is eternal. His ways are 00:25:20.230 --> 00:25:24.910 far above us. We don't know everything that God 00:25:24.910 --> 00:25:28.759 is doing through... the trials of our life. He 00:25:28.759 --> 00:25:31.039 could be doing a million different things at 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:34.980 one time in our life and in other people's lives 00:25:34.980 --> 00:25:37.579 through our difficulties and struggles and through 00:25:37.579 --> 00:25:41.339 our trials. But the Bible does give us some pretty 00:25:41.339 --> 00:25:46.779 clear teaching as to what God does in and through 00:25:46.779 --> 00:25:52.259 trials. We know from the Scriptures that trials 00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:57.099 are intended to produce endurance. And perseverance. 00:25:57.099 --> 00:26:02.680 We saw that in James chapter 1. We know. From 00:26:02.680 --> 00:26:06.500 Deuteronomy chapter 8. The trials are meant to 00:26:06.500 --> 00:26:12.160 humble us. And to drive us into reliance upon 00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:17.799 the Lord. To show us who we are. And as we reflect 00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:22.299 on the character of God. They are meant to grow 00:26:22.299 --> 00:26:26.920 and strengthen. Our character. As believers, 00:26:27.099 --> 00:26:30.819 we can see this in Romans chapter 5, where there's 00:26:30.819 --> 00:26:34.039 almost this chain of events that takes place 00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:37.339 for those who have come to know and come to be 00:26:37.339 --> 00:26:42.680 at peace with God. We know from the Scriptures 00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:48.680 that they are to manifest and purify and refine 00:26:48.680 --> 00:26:54.140 our faith, brothers and sisters. We read in 1 00:26:54.140 --> 00:27:02.269 Peter. Chapter 1, starting in verse 6. In this 00:27:02.269 --> 00:27:06.690 you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little 00:27:06.690 --> 00:27:10.230 while, if necessary, you have been distressed 00:27:10.230 --> 00:27:15.470 by various trials, testings, as we're discussing 00:27:15.470 --> 00:27:21.930 them. So that the proof of your faith, being 00:27:21.930 --> 00:27:25.349 more precious than gold, which is perishable, 00:27:25.900 --> 00:27:31.619 even though tested by fire, may be found to result 00:27:31.619 --> 00:27:35.279 in praise and glory and honor at the revelation 00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:41.019 of Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, what is 00:27:41.019 --> 00:27:44.819 the purpose of trials in our life according to 00:27:44.819 --> 00:27:50.599 1 Peter? It is to refine and purify faith in 00:27:50.599 --> 00:27:56.319 our lives. It is to prepare us. For that great 00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:59.960 day when Jesus Christ will return so that our 00:27:59.960 --> 00:28:03.880 faith shines brighter. So that we are more eager. 00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:08.180 We are more excited. We anticipate more and more 00:28:08.180 --> 00:28:11.640 His coming. And when He comes, He finds strong, 00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:15.920 vibrant faith in His people. And He is glorified 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:21.920 and magnified then. God is working through the 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:25.410 circumstances of the lives of His people. To 00:28:25.410 --> 00:28:33.549 bring about these ends. Trials glorify God. By 00:28:33.549 --> 00:28:37.549 creating a holy people that look more like the 00:28:37.549 --> 00:28:42.009 Lord Jesus Christ and worship God more. And worship 00:28:42.009 --> 00:28:46.509 God better. Who obey Him more and obey Him better. 00:28:48.509 --> 00:28:54.480 Trials work in these ways in our lives. The trials 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:59.019 we experience are not all that different, though 00:28:59.019 --> 00:29:04.380 they are, than Abraham's trial. We think, well, 00:29:04.420 --> 00:29:11.140 God would never require that I sacrifice my son 00:29:11.140 --> 00:29:18.180 to him, or my daughter to him, my beloved child 00:29:18.180 --> 00:29:24.119 to him. God would never require. His people. 00:29:25.200 --> 00:29:28.839 To offer themselves as sacrifices and their loved 00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:36.220 ones as sacrifices to him. But how is it that 00:29:36.220 --> 00:29:42.539 our trials are like Abraham's? Well, he loved 00:29:42.539 --> 00:29:48.039 his son. He loved Isaac, brothers and sisters. 00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:56.559 His heart's affection was set. On that boy. He 00:29:56.559 --> 00:30:00.380 was close to his heart. Surely his heart strings. 00:30:01.619 --> 00:30:05.819 Were attached. To the son of promise. Which he 00:30:05.819 --> 00:30:10.440 and his wife. Had had in their old age. Almost. 00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:15.160 But not. Miraculously. Are there not things in 00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:19.460 our lives. That God requires of us. That we love. 00:30:20.329 --> 00:30:23.250 Are there not necessary and essential and good 00:30:23.250 --> 00:30:27.349 things in your life which God requires of you 00:30:27.349 --> 00:30:32.490 at times? Does God not require those who are 00:30:32.490 --> 00:30:37.269 closest to us at times? Are there not things 00:30:37.269 --> 00:30:41.750 that our heart's affections are set upon so dearly 00:30:41.750 --> 00:30:47.750 as Abraham's were with that boy? Brothers and 00:30:47.750 --> 00:30:51.410 sisters. Our trials are not that different than 00:30:51.410 --> 00:30:56.450 Abraham's. God is accomplishing the same thing 00:30:56.450 --> 00:31:00.869 in our life that he accomplished in Abraham's 00:31:00.869 --> 00:31:05.609 life. And what is that? The Lord is working in 00:31:05.609 --> 00:31:12.880 us to loosen the heart strings within us. From 00:31:12.880 --> 00:31:15.640 the things of this world so that we more freely 00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:20.420 offer up to him those spiritual sacrifices and 00:31:20.420 --> 00:31:24.380 offerings which are so abundantly pleasing to 00:31:24.380 --> 00:31:29.220 him. Romans chapter 12 verse 1 says this. For 00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:31.759 those of you who might think that God would never 00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:36.220 require that of me. God would never require that 00:31:36.220 --> 00:31:39.079 He give me a life, that I give Him a sacrifice, 00:31:39.400 --> 00:31:41.460 that I give Him that which is dearest to myself. 00:31:41.839 --> 00:31:44.960 Romans chapter 12, Therefore I urge you, brethren, 00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:50.700 by the mercies of God, to present your bodies 00:31:50.700 --> 00:31:56.680 as living and holy sacrifices acceptable to God, 00:31:56.799 --> 00:32:03.279 which is your spiritual service of worship. God 00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:08.960 requires you, believer, to sacrifice yourself 00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:15.960 every single day. That you give yourself wholly, 00:32:16.180 --> 00:32:20.000 fully, and completely to Him, not holding anything 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:27.539 back. That you give yourself to Him because Jesus 00:32:27.539 --> 00:32:33.430 Christ has been given to us in the Gospel. We 00:32:33.430 --> 00:32:36.190 are no longer our own, brothers and sisters. 00:32:36.410 --> 00:32:41.690 You are not your own man. You are not your own 00:32:41.690 --> 00:32:45.589 woman. You do not belong to yourself. If you 00:32:45.589 --> 00:32:51.849 are in Christ, you belong to Him. Fully and completely. 00:32:53.210 --> 00:32:56.089 Your desires, your longing, your heart, your 00:32:56.089 --> 00:32:59.670 mind, your money, your property, your well -being, 00:32:59.789 --> 00:33:06.650 everything is His. And he requires all of it 00:33:06.650 --> 00:33:13.589 from his people. We worship and we serve the 00:33:13.589 --> 00:33:18.369 same God that Abraham served brothers and sisters. 00:33:19.410 --> 00:33:25.069 God through trials is working to loose the strings 00:33:25.069 --> 00:33:30.549 in our heart that are tied so tightly to the 00:33:30.549 --> 00:33:35.119 things of this world. So that we more freely 00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:44.420 serve and worship him in this life. Now, trials 00:33:44.420 --> 00:33:51.519 like this that Abraham went through. Obviously, 00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:55.299 it's going to introduce certain difficulties 00:33:55.299 --> 00:34:00.410 into his thinking, isn't it? It's going to bring 00:34:00.410 --> 00:34:03.329 hardship into his life and his heart, isn't it, 00:34:03.329 --> 00:34:08.269 brothers and sisters? Think about the conflict 00:34:08.269 --> 00:34:13.929 that this would introduce into Abraham's faith. 00:34:14.570 --> 00:34:21.989 We read this in verse 17. When he was tested, 00:34:22.170 --> 00:34:28.730 offered up Isaac, and he, meaning Abraham, who 00:34:28.730 --> 00:34:31.469 had received the promises, was offering up his 00:34:31.469 --> 00:34:37.030 only begotten son. It was he to whom it was said, 00:34:37.170 --> 00:34:46.409 In Isaac your descendants shall be called. There's 00:34:46.409 --> 00:34:50.230 an apparent conflict, or we could even say there's 00:34:50.230 --> 00:34:54.469 an apparent contradiction that is introduced 00:34:54.469 --> 00:34:59.289 into Abraham's faith. Can you guys see the conflict 00:34:59.289 --> 00:35:03.849 in the text? Can you see the contradiction in 00:35:03.849 --> 00:35:10.929 the text? God is requiring that Abraham offer 00:35:10.929 --> 00:35:18.510 up the very means of his own salvation. His own 00:35:18.510 --> 00:35:23.329 future. The command of God to offer up Isaac 00:35:23.329 --> 00:35:28.579 seemingly is in conflict with the promise of 00:35:28.579 --> 00:35:35.239 God that would come about through Isaac. Now, 00:35:35.239 --> 00:35:44.719 imagine Abraham, who waited so long for his son. 00:35:46.820 --> 00:35:50.780 Imagine Abraham who welcomed his son with joy, 00:35:50.900 --> 00:35:55.199 and we know that his wife rejoiced at the birth 00:35:55.199 --> 00:36:01.039 of Isaac. She laughed in faith with joy when 00:36:01.039 --> 00:36:07.699 he was born, praising God. And now God commands 00:36:07.699 --> 00:36:17.079 that he offer up the son of promise. This conflict 00:36:17.079 --> 00:36:21.780 was between what God had openly and clearly commanded 00:36:21.780 --> 00:36:26.380 and required of him and that which God had promised. 00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:31.679 would come about through Isaac, the son of promise. 00:36:33.480 --> 00:36:37.179 Surely, this brought about great inner turmoil, 00:36:37.420 --> 00:36:43.880 conflict, and heartache in his life, which really 00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:50.219 is the heart of this trial. The providential 00:36:50.219 --> 00:36:54.260 circumstances in Abraham's life brought him to 00:36:54.260 --> 00:37:02.789 a point where he had to reckon with God. They 00:37:02.789 --> 00:37:07.530 brought him to a point where he was forced to 00:37:07.530 --> 00:37:16.070 decide, will I trust and obey God, even though 00:37:16.070 --> 00:37:21.750 I can't understand this, humanly speaking? Or 00:37:21.750 --> 00:37:26.590 will I disobey? And disregard the command of 00:37:26.590 --> 00:37:33.469 God. He's brought to a point. And we see that 00:37:33.469 --> 00:37:39.769 he does in fact obey. That he obeys and he trusts 00:37:39.769 --> 00:37:50.269 the Lord. How is this possible? He made his way 00:37:50.269 --> 00:37:56.239 through the trial. He has sustained. How is it 00:37:56.239 --> 00:38:03.699 possible that this man was able to obey and trust 00:38:03.699 --> 00:38:09.639 God? Well, this leads us to the last thing. What 00:38:09.639 --> 00:38:19.300 Abraham concluded by faith in this trial. Abraham 00:38:19.300 --> 00:38:25.900 reasoned, I believe, In other words, he thought 00:38:25.900 --> 00:38:33.199 according to faith. He had a wholly consecrated 00:38:33.199 --> 00:38:39.059 rationale by faith, we could say. We read this 00:38:39.059 --> 00:38:44.460 in verse 19. He considered that God is able to 00:38:44.460 --> 00:38:49.099 raise people even from the dead, from which he 00:38:49.099 --> 00:38:56.800 also received him back as a... What did Abraham 00:38:56.800 --> 00:39:01.099 conclude? And how did he end up at this conclusion? 00:39:01.940 --> 00:39:08.900 Well, surely it went something like this. God 00:39:08.900 --> 00:39:16.739 has promised descendants through Isaac. He has 00:39:16.739 --> 00:39:20.679 clearly and openly and personally proclaimed 00:39:20.679 --> 00:39:25.199 and declared this. God has promised descendants 00:39:25.199 --> 00:39:31.380 through Isaac. God has been faithful. God is 00:39:31.380 --> 00:39:36.119 good. He has proven and demonstrated his faithfulness 00:39:36.119 --> 00:39:44.880 to me time and time again. God commands that 00:39:44.880 --> 00:39:50.420 I sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise. Therefore, 00:39:50.480 --> 00:40:00.280 God must preserve his promise somehow. When Isaac 00:40:00.280 --> 00:40:06.840 dies, God can raise him from the dead. That's 00:40:06.840 --> 00:40:12.239 sanctified reasoning, brothers and sisters. That 00:40:12.239 --> 00:40:19.579 is thinking in accordance with faith. Not in 00:40:19.579 --> 00:40:26.940 accordance with the flesh. Or human reason. Or 00:40:26.940 --> 00:40:33.860 carnal logic. Or merely in human ways. This kind 00:40:33.860 --> 00:40:39.360 of thinking requires faith. So his conclusion 00:40:39.360 --> 00:40:45.900 is correct as well. He concludes right because 00:40:45.900 --> 00:40:52.170 the text says this. It says that he. It says. 00:40:54.030 --> 00:41:00.349 That he even. That God is that. I'm sorry. Starting 00:41:00.349 --> 00:41:04.469 in verse 19. He considered that God is able to 00:41:04.469 --> 00:41:09.230 raise people even from the dead. From which. 00:41:10.409 --> 00:41:18.720 He also received him back as a type. Now. Isaac 00:41:18.720 --> 00:41:22.760 didn't actually die, brothers and sisters. He 00:41:22.760 --> 00:41:28.159 was spared, correct? So how is it that Isaac 00:41:28.159 --> 00:41:34.400 was received back by Abraham? Because he was 00:41:34.400 --> 00:41:38.980 as good as dead. Abraham was going to kill him. 00:41:40.199 --> 00:41:44.179 And he's received back, and the author of Hebrews 00:41:44.179 --> 00:41:48.199 puts it this way. He was received back. In the 00:41:48.199 --> 00:41:53.679 likeness of resurrection. Almost in a figurative 00:41:53.679 --> 00:42:00.599 sense. Meaning, Isaac was raised. It was as though 00:42:00.599 --> 00:42:07.139 he was raised. So Abraham's conclusion that he 00:42:07.139 --> 00:42:10.980 draws by faith is correct. Because the author 00:42:10.980 --> 00:42:13.880 of Hebrews confirms that he's raised from the 00:42:13.880 --> 00:42:18.730 dead, figuratively speaking. Reasoning by faith 00:42:18.730 --> 00:42:23.570 is what brought him through, brothers and sisters. 00:42:24.130 --> 00:42:29.949 His conclusion is confirmed. Abraham's faith, 00:42:30.150 --> 00:42:35.889 obedience, and perseverance in this trial, brothers 00:42:35.889 --> 00:42:42.820 and sisters, was built on... God and his sovereign 00:42:42.820 --> 00:42:48.659 power to raise men from the dead. His obedience, 00:42:48.739 --> 00:42:53.000 his perseverance, his faithfulness, his preservation 00:42:53.000 --> 00:42:57.360 through it was built on the hope of resurrection. 00:42:59.239 --> 00:43:04.500 Faith which operates, which is active and effective, 00:43:04.760 --> 00:43:08.679 brothers and sisters. Faith which is obedient 00:43:08.679 --> 00:43:14.380 and... persevering and self -denying and sacrificial, 00:43:14.480 --> 00:43:21.920 is faith that is built on the hope of the resurrection 00:43:21.920 --> 00:43:27.539 and the power of God. It is faith which is Godward 00:43:27.539 --> 00:43:30.699 looking, Christward looking in the gospel, and 00:43:30.699 --> 00:43:35.360 forward looking to the resurrection that is to 00:43:35.360 --> 00:43:38.800 come. This kind of faith is the only kind of 00:43:38.800 --> 00:43:43.960 faith. That brings men and women through trials 00:43:43.960 --> 00:43:49.780 by the grace of God so that they will glorify 00:43:49.780 --> 00:43:56.119 Christ when they are found by Him. This kind 00:43:56.119 --> 00:44:00.480 of faith is what enables the believer to live 00:44:00.480 --> 00:44:06.219 fully and freely in this life here and now, brothers 00:44:06.219 --> 00:44:12.010 and sisters. Abraham looked... forward. He looked 00:44:12.010 --> 00:44:16.730 to God, recognizing that God can raise men from 00:44:16.730 --> 00:44:20.929 the dead. Recognizing that God would accomplish 00:44:20.929 --> 00:44:24.369 and bring about and fulfill His redemptive purposes 00:44:24.369 --> 00:44:28.650 by His power and faithfulness. Brothers and sisters, 00:44:28.710 --> 00:44:33.030 he's looking to Christ. We can look to God and 00:44:33.030 --> 00:44:36.050 we can look to Christ and we can witness the 00:44:36.050 --> 00:44:39.980 resurrection, the death, And the life. The resurrection 00:44:39.980 --> 00:44:45.579 of Christ. And how much more. That to bolster. 00:44:46.059 --> 00:44:52.940 Our faith. In this life. Look to the Lord Jesus. 00:44:53.059 --> 00:44:57.119 In his death. And his resurrection. In trials. 00:44:58.300 --> 00:45:03.179 Look to God. In his sovereign power. In hardships. 00:45:03.820 --> 00:45:07.239 There are times brothers and sisters. In trials. 00:45:07.769 --> 00:45:14.369 When we can't pray well. Because our mind is 00:45:14.369 --> 00:45:18.510 so scattered. There are times in trials, brothers 00:45:18.510 --> 00:45:21.030 and sisters, when we can't study the Word of 00:45:21.030 --> 00:45:24.389 God because our heart is so grieving and so bothered. 00:45:24.510 --> 00:45:27.590 I know you've been there. There are times, brothers 00:45:27.590 --> 00:45:32.070 and sisters, when we can't focus. But brothers 00:45:32.070 --> 00:45:35.530 and sisters, in and through the hardest of trials, 00:45:35.690 --> 00:45:40.679 you know what you can do? You can rest in the 00:45:40.679 --> 00:45:47.760 good, faithful, sovereign character of God. You 00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:51.199 can trust in the resurrection, the death, the 00:45:51.199 --> 00:45:54.119 life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus 00:45:54.119 --> 00:45:57.099 Christ and know that if He rose from the grave, 00:45:57.219 --> 00:46:01.039 ultimately everything for me is going to turn 00:46:01.039 --> 00:46:08.429 out okay. We can trust in Him. So in the midst 00:46:08.429 --> 00:46:14.570 of trials, look to the Lord in His good and faithful 00:46:14.570 --> 00:46:15.809 character.