WEBVTT 00:00:10.220 --> 00:00:14.300 Hebrews chapter 11. We're going to read verses 00:00:14.300 --> 00:00:21.679 20 through 22. By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:26.839 and Esau, even regarding things to come. By faith, 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:31.039 Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:34.439 of Joseph and worshipped, leaning on the top 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:39.490 of a staff. By faith, Joseph... When he was dying, 00:00:39.649 --> 00:00:42.570 made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel 00:00:42.570 --> 00:00:47.310 and gave orders concerning his bones. Let's go 00:00:47.310 --> 00:00:51.630 to the Lord in prayer. Father, we come to you 00:00:51.630 --> 00:00:56.689 this Lord's Day. Father, we ask at this time 00:00:56.689 --> 00:01:00.909 that you would be in our midst. Lord, we ask 00:01:00.909 --> 00:01:04.109 that you would bless the ministry of your word 00:01:04.109 --> 00:01:11.590 abundantly. In our weakness, come to our aid 00:01:11.590 --> 00:01:15.870 by the power of your Spirit. Work in the hearts 00:01:15.870 --> 00:01:18.750 and minds of your people to sanctify and grow 00:01:18.750 --> 00:01:23.950 and to transform more and more into the image 00:01:23.950 --> 00:01:27.189 and likeness of Christ. And Father, use your 00:01:27.189 --> 00:01:30.569 word to pierce the hearts of the unbelieving 00:01:30.569 --> 00:01:32.909 men, women, and young people that are present 00:01:32.909 --> 00:01:37.450 that they would see the great faithfulness of... 00:01:37.790 --> 00:01:42.209 Such a great God, Lord, that repentance and faith 00:01:42.209 --> 00:01:45.069 would be worked into their hearts and that they 00:01:45.069 --> 00:01:48.670 would freely and willingly come to the Lord Jesus 00:01:48.670 --> 00:01:52.209 Christ. Father, we ask these things in the name 00:01:52.209 --> 00:01:57.750 of the Lord Jesus. Amen. You may be seated. In 00:01:57.750 --> 00:02:05.530 Hebrews chapter 11, verses 20 through 22, we 00:02:05.530 --> 00:02:13.060 find... Abraham's immediate lineage. And we find 00:02:13.060 --> 00:02:18.620 three of the patriarchs on their deathbed, Isaac 00:02:18.620 --> 00:02:25.419 nearing his death. And we find that these three 00:02:25.419 --> 00:02:32.400 patriarchs have a steadfast faith in the promises 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:37.629 of God that would be accomplished beyond... their 00:02:37.629 --> 00:02:42.870 own lifetime. That God himself would bring about 00:02:42.870 --> 00:02:46.310 and accomplish his promises and his purposes 00:02:46.310 --> 00:02:54.909 even after they were long gone. We find in these 00:02:54.909 --> 00:03:00.629 texts ultimately what is most important to the 00:03:00.629 --> 00:03:05.610 patriarchs. But we'll also see what is ultimately 00:03:06.330 --> 00:03:10.530 the most important thing for any believer on 00:03:10.530 --> 00:03:15.469 their deathbed. Now, I want to ask you a question 00:03:15.469 --> 00:03:20.050 that we'll answer eventually, and that is, what 00:03:20.050 --> 00:03:28.550 is the most important thing in your life? What 00:03:28.550 --> 00:03:33.189 is that thing or those things that are the most 00:03:33.189 --> 00:03:38.090 important? the most significant realities in 00:03:38.090 --> 00:03:42.009 your life. Now, let me ask you another question. 00:03:42.129 --> 00:03:48.050 On your deathbed, what will be that which is 00:03:48.050 --> 00:03:54.009 most important? What will be the most significant 00:03:54.009 --> 00:04:00.629 realities in your life? Now, those are all with 00:04:00.629 --> 00:04:03.969 reference to you and your consideration. And 00:04:03.969 --> 00:04:08.889 what you see to personally be important and significant 00:04:08.889 --> 00:04:13.370 in your life now. And on your deathbed. But there's 00:04:13.370 --> 00:04:15.330 also something we have to ask and we have to 00:04:15.330 --> 00:04:19.470 consider as well. And that is what is in reality 00:04:19.470 --> 00:04:25.389 actually the most important thing when we come 00:04:25.389 --> 00:04:30.970 to the end of our life? Is it our own faith or 00:04:30.970 --> 00:04:35.889 faithfulness? Or is it something else? Is there 00:04:35.889 --> 00:04:39.129 something even more significant than our own 00:04:39.129 --> 00:04:42.529 personal faith that we have in Christ? Something 00:04:42.529 --> 00:04:46.410 that transcends even that? Because ultimately, 00:04:46.550 --> 00:04:48.829 brothers and sisters, a day will come when every 00:04:48.829 --> 00:04:52.389 single one of us is passive, totally and completely, 00:04:52.610 --> 00:04:55.230 and that we will die and it will be out of our 00:04:55.230 --> 00:04:58.670 hands. So there must be some transcendent reality 00:04:58.670 --> 00:05:04.670 which is even more important. That is more significant 00:05:04.670 --> 00:05:12.610 than even our capacity to exercise faith as a 00:05:12.610 --> 00:05:16.730 human being. There must be something more ultimate 00:05:16.730 --> 00:05:21.029 than that. The first thing we're going to consider 00:05:21.029 --> 00:05:25.889 in this text is the faith of Isaac. We'll then 00:05:25.889 --> 00:05:30.189 consider the faith of Jacob and Joseph. come 00:05:30.189 --> 00:05:33.790 in at the end with several applications for us 00:05:33.790 --> 00:05:38.449 as New Covenant believers. So first, the faith 00:05:38.449 --> 00:05:44.670 of Isaac. We see this in verse 20. By faith, 00:05:44.670 --> 00:05:49.610 Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding 00:05:49.610 --> 00:05:56.730 things to come. Now, this is a reference or an 00:05:56.730 --> 00:06:00.779 allusion to... Genesis chapter 27, and we'll 00:06:00.779 --> 00:06:06.100 go ahead and turn there. Genesis chapter 27 and 00:06:06.100 --> 00:06:12.100 28. If you've been raised in church, likely you 00:06:12.100 --> 00:06:18.920 know this story of Isaac and Jacob and Esau and 00:06:18.920 --> 00:06:26.300 Rebekah. You know of the deception which took 00:06:26.300 --> 00:06:32.230 place. between Jacob and his mother and how they 00:06:32.230 --> 00:06:35.290 were going to pull the wool over their aging 00:06:35.290 --> 00:06:40.949 father's eyes. He was blind. He couldn't see. 00:06:41.050 --> 00:06:45.310 They deceived Esau. But we also find in this 00:06:45.310 --> 00:06:49.550 story that providence overrules all of those 00:06:49.550 --> 00:06:54.610 things. We find that God's purposes are, in fact, 00:06:54.649 --> 00:06:59.329 brought about. Isaac is one of the patriarchs 00:06:59.329 --> 00:07:03.689 that we know the least about. We don't know that 00:07:03.689 --> 00:07:07.329 much about Isaac in comparison to, say, Abraham 00:07:07.329 --> 00:07:10.610 or even Jacob. We have a much more extensive 00:07:10.610 --> 00:07:15.829 account of Jacob's life, and we have a very extensive 00:07:15.829 --> 00:07:19.389 account of Joseph's life that is referenced in 00:07:19.389 --> 00:07:24.350 verse 22, but we don't know that much about Isaac. 00:07:25.259 --> 00:07:28.579 John MacArthur actually calls Isaac, he says, 00:07:28.660 --> 00:07:32.459 if Jonah was the reluctant prophet, then Isaac 00:07:32.459 --> 00:07:36.759 is the reluctant patriarch. Because it seems 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:40.480 as though he's a fairly materialistic man in 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:43.399 the account of his life, especially towards the 00:07:43.399 --> 00:07:46.540 end. What did he want at the end of his days, 00:07:46.779 --> 00:07:50.199 even? He wanted his belly to be full. He wanted 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:55.220 good food. He was... Playing favorites with his 00:07:55.220 --> 00:07:59.620 children, brothers and sisters. He clearly liked 00:07:59.620 --> 00:08:05.899 Esau more than he liked Jacob. He was going to 00:08:05.899 --> 00:08:08.360 give the blessing. He intended to give the blessing 00:08:08.360 --> 00:08:15.720 to Esau. But providence overruled it. Now, in 00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:20.660 Hebrews chapter 11, we see two things that show 00:08:20.660 --> 00:08:24.139 us. the faith of this patriarch, that evidence 00:08:24.139 --> 00:08:28.639 or prove or demonstrate or show the faith of 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:34.220 Isaac. We see that he blesses his two sons, and 00:08:34.220 --> 00:08:36.659 then it goes on and says, even with regards to 00:08:36.659 --> 00:08:40.840 things concerning the future. In Genesis chapter 00:08:40.840 --> 00:08:46.460 27, we read of the deception and the manipulation 00:08:46.460 --> 00:08:50.970 by Jacob and his mother regarding... The stealing 00:08:50.970 --> 00:08:58.350 or the procuring of the blessing. But we also 00:08:58.350 --> 00:09:05.169 read that Jacob is the one that is blessed. Listen 00:09:05.169 --> 00:09:10.529 to this in Genesis chapter 27. Then his father 00:09:10.529 --> 00:09:13.009 said to him, please come close and kiss me, my 00:09:13.009 --> 00:09:16.929 son. So he came close and kissed him. And when 00:09:16.929 --> 00:09:19.870 he smelled the smell of his garments. He blessed 00:09:19.870 --> 00:09:25.230 him and said, See, the smell of my son is like 00:09:25.230 --> 00:09:27.529 the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed. 00:09:27.870 --> 00:09:31.470 Now may God give you the dew of heaven and of 00:09:31.470 --> 00:09:33.830 the fatness of the earth and an abundance of 00:09:33.830 --> 00:09:37.649 grain and new wine. May people serve you and 00:09:37.649 --> 00:09:41.029 nations bow down to you. Be master of your brothers 00:09:41.029 --> 00:09:44.830 and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed 00:09:44.830 --> 00:09:47.809 be those who curse you and blessed be those. 00:09:48.220 --> 00:09:51.379 who blessed you. Notice in this, it's forward 00:09:51.379 --> 00:09:55.179 looking. He's discussing, he's blessing with 00:09:55.179 --> 00:09:58.960 regards to the future and what is to come in 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:02.379 the life of his offspring, in the life of his 00:10:02.379 --> 00:10:07.120 children. Then what happens? Esau discovers this 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:11.720 and he's upset. And Jacob concludes that, and 00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:15.580 Isaac concludes that Jacob is in fact the one 00:10:15.580 --> 00:10:20.220 that will be blessed. And Isaac accepts this. 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:24.159 He accepts the fact that it is the younger and 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:27.940 not the older that is going to be blessed of 00:10:27.940 --> 00:10:30.899 God. And the way we know that is by the beginning 00:10:30.899 --> 00:10:35.720 part of Genesis chapter 28. So Isaac called Jacob 00:10:35.720 --> 00:10:39.539 and blessed him and charged him and said to him, 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:42.639 You shall not take a wife from the daughters 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:47.440 of Canaan. Arise, go to Paddan the ram. to the 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:50.700 house of Bethuel, your mother's father, and from 00:10:50.700 --> 00:10:53.419 there take yourself a wife from the daughters 00:10:53.419 --> 00:10:57.940 of Laban, your mother's brother. May God Almighty 00:10:57.940 --> 00:11:01.899 bless you and make you fruitful and multiply 00:11:01.899 --> 00:11:06.059 you that you may become a company of peoples. 00:11:07.059 --> 00:11:09.840 May He also give you the blessing of Abraham 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:13.259 to you and to your descendants with you that 00:11:13.259 --> 00:11:15.820 you may possess the land of your sojournings. 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:21.120 which God gave to Abraham. You see, he believes 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:24.500 the blessing that God had given to Abraham, and 00:11:24.500 --> 00:11:29.000 now he's blessing his son with it. And he's dying. 00:11:30.220 --> 00:11:33.240 That means that there's nothing he personally 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:38.179 can do to bring about its fulfillment. The fulfillment 00:11:38.179 --> 00:11:41.179 and the accomplishment of the blessing that he 00:11:41.179 --> 00:11:45.230 just proclaimed and declared over Jacob. has 00:11:45.230 --> 00:11:47.350 nothing to do with his own ability to bring it 00:11:47.350 --> 00:11:52.110 about. So if he's blessing Jacob and he believes 00:11:52.110 --> 00:11:54.250 that these things will come about and these things 00:11:54.250 --> 00:11:57.549 will take place in the future in Jacob's life, 00:11:57.649 --> 00:12:02.230 who's he looking to to accomplish these realities? 00:12:02.909 --> 00:12:07.870 To bless these realities? God, brothers and sisters. 00:12:08.889 --> 00:12:14.159 He is believing that God himself The transcendent 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:18.639 God who is faithful will in fact bring about 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:25.139 these future realities which depend on God and 00:12:25.139 --> 00:12:31.639 his faithfulness. So we see that the death or 00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:36.820 the near death, the deathbed experience of these 00:12:36.820 --> 00:12:40.139 patriarchs is meant to heighten the reality. 00:12:41.289 --> 00:12:43.450 That they are believing and they are looking 00:12:43.450 --> 00:12:49.110 to realities beyond their own lives. Things which 00:12:49.110 --> 00:12:52.590 are unseen. Things which can only be observed 00:12:52.590 --> 00:13:00.070 and seen by faith. Faith is confidence and assurance 00:13:00.070 --> 00:13:04.350 of those unseen future realities which are wholly 00:13:04.350 --> 00:13:10.610 and completely dependent upon God for truth. 00:13:10.490 --> 00:13:14.490 their fulfillment. Brothers and sisters, they 00:13:14.490 --> 00:13:19.090 are those future realities which hinge completely 00:13:19.090 --> 00:13:26.509 and totally on the power of God to perform and 00:13:26.509 --> 00:13:31.230 accomplish them. So this is the faith of Isaac. 00:13:31.750 --> 00:13:35.289 But this brings us secondly to the faith of Jacob 00:13:35.289 --> 00:13:42.539 in verse 21. We read this in verse 21. By faith, 00:13:42.539 --> 00:13:48.980 Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons 00:13:48.980 --> 00:13:53.659 of Joseph and worshipped, leaning on the top 00:13:53.659 --> 00:13:59.740 of his staff. Now, once again, we all know the 00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:06.750 story of Jacob or Israel fairly well. We know 00:14:06.750 --> 00:14:10.549 the events of his life. We know the ins and outs 00:14:10.549 --> 00:14:15.309 of his personality. We know his character. But 00:14:15.309 --> 00:14:18.250 we also see this transformation progressively 00:14:18.250 --> 00:14:23.210 take place over Jacob's life. This is a clear 00:14:23.210 --> 00:14:29.070 reference to Genesis chapter 48, the account 00:14:29.070 --> 00:14:37.000 of Jacob's passing. Genesis 48. may be titled 00:14:37.000 --> 00:14:43.620 Israel's Last Days. Now, what evidence do we 00:14:43.620 --> 00:14:50.919 have in Hebrews chapter 11? What proof do we 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:55.019 have that this patriarch was living by faith? 00:14:55.139 --> 00:14:58.940 How do we see this in the text in the event that 00:14:58.940 --> 00:15:03.879 it is putting forth? Well, we see it in two ways. 00:15:04.669 --> 00:15:09.570 The blessing of Joseph's two sons, first of all. 00:15:09.870 --> 00:15:14.450 Now, in Genesis 48, we'll read the account, starting 00:15:14.450 --> 00:15:17.289 in verse 1. Now, it came about after these things 00:15:17.289 --> 00:15:21.570 that Joseph was told, behold, your father is 00:15:21.570 --> 00:15:25.850 sick. So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, 00:15:26.009 --> 00:15:30.629 with him. When he was told, Jacob, behold, your 00:15:30.629 --> 00:15:34.039 son Joseph has come to you. Israel collected 00:15:34.039 --> 00:15:38.200 his strength and sat up in the bed. So clearly, 00:15:38.259 --> 00:15:41.139 this is the event the author of Hebrews is referring 00:15:41.139 --> 00:15:47.580 to. Then Jacob said to Joseph, God Almighty appeared 00:15:47.580 --> 00:15:51.259 to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed 00:15:51.259 --> 00:15:54.519 me. And he said to me, Behold, I will make you 00:15:54.519 --> 00:15:57.799 fruitful and numerous and I will make you a company 00:15:57.799 --> 00:16:01.700 of peoples. and will give you this land to your 00:16:01.700 --> 00:16:05.279 descendants after you for an everlasting possession. 00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:09.360 There's the promise, brothers and sisters. The 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:11.799 promise that we see so intertwined throughout 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:14.440 the book of Genesis and throughout the Old Testament 00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:18.019 narrative. In verse 5, Now your two sons who 00:16:18.019 --> 00:16:20.700 were born to you in the land of Egypt before 00:16:20.700 --> 00:16:26.200 I came to you in Egypt are mine. Ephraim and 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:30.820 Manasseh shall be mine as Reuben and Simeon are. 00:16:31.340 --> 00:16:35.559 Meaning they will be identified with me. They 00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:38.379 will be identified with Israel and not with Egypt. 00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:41.879 They will be identified with deliverance and 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:44.559 salvation and redemption as part of the people 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:48.259 of God and not with bondage and slavery and Egypt. 00:16:49.580 --> 00:16:52.460 But your offspring that you have been born after 00:16:52.460 --> 00:16:56.049 them shall be yours. They shall be called by 00:16:56.049 --> 00:16:59.549 the names of their brothers in their inheritance. 00:17:00.190 --> 00:17:04.269 Now, as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel 00:17:04.269 --> 00:17:07.269 died to my sorrow in the land of Canaan on the 00:17:07.269 --> 00:17:09.670 journey, when there was still some distance to 00:17:09.670 --> 00:17:13.730 go, to Ephrath. And I buried her there on the 00:17:13.730 --> 00:17:18.630 way to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem. When Israel 00:17:18.630 --> 00:17:24.190 saw Joseph's sons, he said, Who are these? But 00:17:24.190 --> 00:17:28.630 you have to recall, Jacob is blind as well. He 00:17:28.630 --> 00:17:34.730 cannot see well. Just like Isaac, he cannot see 00:17:34.730 --> 00:17:39.630 in his old age. Joseph said to his father, They 00:17:39.630 --> 00:17:44.029 are my sons whom God has given to me here. So 00:17:44.029 --> 00:17:47.529 he said, Bring them to me, please, that I may 00:17:47.529 --> 00:17:50.349 bless them. And here's the blessing again, brothers 00:17:50.349 --> 00:17:54.099 and sisters. Now the eyes of Israel were so dim 00:17:54.099 --> 00:17:59.000 from age that he could not see. Then Joseph brought 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:02.279 them close and he kissed them and embraced them. 00:18:03.339 --> 00:18:07.259 Israel said to Joseph, I never expected to see 00:18:07.259 --> 00:18:11.680 your face. And behold, God has let me see your 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:15.059 children as well. He's recounting the faithfulness 00:18:15.059 --> 00:18:19.819 of God in his life. Then Joseph took them from 00:18:19.819 --> 00:18:22.930 his knees. and bowed with his face to the ground. 00:18:23.150 --> 00:18:26.670 Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right 00:18:26.670 --> 00:18:31.369 hand toward Israel's left, and Manasseh with 00:18:31.369 --> 00:18:35.549 his left hand toward Israel's right, and brought 00:18:35.549 --> 00:18:42.269 them close to him. But Israel stretched out his 00:18:42.269 --> 00:18:46.609 right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, 00:18:46.730 --> 00:18:51.589 who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's 00:18:51.589 --> 00:18:55.869 head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was 00:18:55.869 --> 00:19:00.509 the firstborn. So, he's going against convention. 00:19:01.789 --> 00:19:04.309 He's going against that which is traditionally 00:19:04.309 --> 00:19:08.970 done throughout the life of Israel and in that 00:19:08.970 --> 00:19:13.250 culture, which was what? The firstborn has inheritance 00:19:13.250 --> 00:19:18.250 rights. The oldest of the boys will be blessed. 00:19:18.700 --> 00:19:23.000 But here we find Jacob in his old age in an explicit 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:29.640 act of faith, trusting in God's choice, trusting 00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:34.279 in God's sovereign purposes to choose as he will. 00:19:34.380 --> 00:19:37.319 So what does he do? He takes his hands and he 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:43.400 crosses his arms. And he blesses the one that 00:19:43.400 --> 00:19:51.819 God chooses. He explicitly acts in faith. Then 00:19:51.819 --> 00:19:54.599 we read, He blessed Joseph and said, The God 00:19:54.599 --> 00:19:57.440 before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, 00:19:57.480 --> 00:20:00.220 the God who has been my shepherd all my life 00:20:00.220 --> 00:20:04.539 to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from 00:20:04.539 --> 00:20:09.339 all evil, bless the lads. And may my name live 00:20:09.339 --> 00:20:12.000 on in them, and the names of my fathers Abraham 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:14.900 and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude. 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:19.680 In the midst of the earth. So it's the blessing. 00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:22.200 He's bestowing the blessing on the future generation. 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:27.480 As he's dying. Yet again we find a dying patriarch. 00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:30.559 Brothers and sisters. Looking to the future. 00:20:30.700 --> 00:20:34.880 For God to fulfill something. He's going out. 00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:39.880 And the boys are coming in. He's going out. So 00:20:39.880 --> 00:20:42.180 who's going to take care of the promise? Who's 00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:43.799 going to fulfill it? Who's going to bring it 00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:48.190 about? Who is he looking to to accomplish the 00:20:48.190 --> 00:20:53.170 blessing that he just bestowed? God Almighty. 00:20:54.750 --> 00:21:00.630 Now, his faith is also evidence, not just in 00:21:00.630 --> 00:21:04.089 his explicit act of faith, but it's evidence 00:21:04.089 --> 00:21:10.809 in the fact that he worships as he is dying. 00:21:11.470 --> 00:21:16.849 I love this scene. And the reason I love this 00:21:16.849 --> 00:21:20.829 scene is because this is how I want to die, brothers 00:21:20.829 --> 00:21:26.109 and sisters. I want to die joyful, content, and 00:21:26.109 --> 00:21:30.269 grateful, and peaceful, and worshiping God, ready 00:21:30.269 --> 00:21:34.950 to go and be with Him. I love this scene because 00:21:34.950 --> 00:21:41.029 here we find an old man. We have an old man who's 00:21:41.029 --> 00:21:44.339 not angry, who's not bitter, who's not... harsh, 00:21:44.359 --> 00:21:46.960 who's not mean, but we find an old man who's 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:49.019 blind. He can't see in front of him. He can't 00:21:49.019 --> 00:21:51.180 see the boys that are in front of him. And now 00:21:51.180 --> 00:21:54.160 we have an old man who's blind and old and aging 00:21:54.160 --> 00:21:58.880 and he's dying. He knows he's about to die. But 00:21:58.880 --> 00:22:03.099 brothers and sisters, he is happy in the Lord. 00:22:05.380 --> 00:22:09.759 He is at peace with God. And how is that possible? 00:22:10.220 --> 00:22:13.880 Because He's believing in these future glorious 00:22:13.880 --> 00:22:17.259 promises that God has given to him and he believes 00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:22.140 that God will bring about. I want to die like 00:22:22.140 --> 00:22:27.319 Jacob, worshiping the one true living God that 00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:29.960 has given me glorious promises in Christ. Do 00:22:29.960 --> 00:22:34.400 you want to die like Jacob? The only way to do 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:36.680 that, brothers and sisters, is to have the faith 00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:41.299 that Jacob has. The faith that looks to the promises 00:22:41.299 --> 00:22:44.700 of God, that rests in the promises of God, that 00:22:44.700 --> 00:22:47.559 is passive in receiving Christ, and the faith 00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:52.279 that works and obeys and worships. That's the 00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:55.299 only way you're going to die like this man. As 00:22:55.299 --> 00:22:58.720 if you have the faith of this man. I want you 00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:03.619 to die like Jacob. I want every single member 00:23:03.619 --> 00:23:06.640 of Grace Fellowship Church to die worshiping 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:09.339 the God that made them and the God that saved 00:23:09.339 --> 00:23:14.059 them. I don't want you to die angry and bitter 00:23:14.059 --> 00:23:18.420 and mean and resentful or unhappy and regretful 00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:23.799 about how you lived your life. Press on and look 00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:26.259 to the promises, brothers and sisters. We are 00:23:26.259 --> 00:23:31.309 all nearing that day. Every single one of us 00:23:31.309 --> 00:23:34.450 is inching a little bit at a time, day by day. 00:23:34.569 --> 00:23:37.049 We're getting closer and closer, nearer and nearer 00:23:37.049 --> 00:23:44.490 to the day where it's the last act. That day 00:23:44.490 --> 00:23:49.029 is approaching. And I want to die. I want to 00:23:49.029 --> 00:23:55.450 go out worshiping God like Jacob went out worshiping 00:23:55.450 --> 00:24:02.799 God, believing what he had said. So faith, we 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:13.099 see, as in Jacob, faith is resting on the transcendent 00:24:13.099 --> 00:24:16.960 faithfulness of the living God and the promises 00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:24.619 that he has made. And this faith enables the 00:24:24.619 --> 00:24:28.359 believer, by stirring up the graces of God that 00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:34.359 we have been given, To be joyful, peaceful, content, 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:38.400 and happy in the Lord in the face of the most 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:44.700 difficult trials in our life. Even death. That's 00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:49.920 what the author wants to convey. Now, we also 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:54.160 see the faith of Joseph in this text. And of 00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:59.019 all the three, I think that Joseph has the strongest. 00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:06.539 the most vibrant faith of all of them, not speaking 00:25:06.539 --> 00:25:12.960 of Abraham necessarily. I believe that Joseph's 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:19.220 faith, it's not simply a confidence, it's not 00:25:19.220 --> 00:25:22.460 simply a conviction, which we need that, that's 00:25:22.460 --> 00:25:26.220 how Hebrews defines it, but we find that Joseph's 00:25:26.220 --> 00:25:30.779 faith actually starts becoming anticipation and 00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:34.380 expectation in his life for these realities to 00:25:34.380 --> 00:25:41.059 actually come about. Meaning, he is living now, 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:46.259 expecting and anticipating those realities in 00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:49.640 his life as if they were right in front of him. 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:53.859 That they are just as real, more real than that 00:25:53.859 --> 00:25:55.920 which we can see and that which we can touch 00:25:55.920 --> 00:26:01.400 physically or naturally. In this life. We all 00:26:01.400 --> 00:26:05.420 know the story of Joseph. The famous one. Joseph 00:26:05.420 --> 00:26:10.640 and the coat of many colors. We know his. Difficult. 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:15.880 Providences that God. Brought him through. But 00:26:15.880 --> 00:26:21.640 we also know. The exaltation of Joseph. Likely 00:26:21.640 --> 00:26:27.299 he is still in. At his death. He died. Likely 00:26:27.299 --> 00:26:34.619 a. Powerful, wealthy, influential man. Possibly 00:26:34.619 --> 00:26:37.660 the second in command to all of Egypt still. 00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:43.420 There's no reason not to think that. Yet, here's 00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:47.099 this man with all this power, with all this wealth, 00:26:47.220 --> 00:26:55.099 who rules over an entire nation. Yet, what do 00:26:55.099 --> 00:27:00.640 we find in Joseph? He doesn't identify with that 00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:05.180 nation in his death. He doesn't identify with 00:27:05.180 --> 00:27:10.200 Egypt. Listen to what it says in verse 22. By 00:27:10.200 --> 00:27:14.059 faith, Joseph, when he was dying, made mention 00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:18.079 of the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave 00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:24.160 orders concerning his bones. So here's Moses. 00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:29.980 Here's Joseph. And he is thinking about that 00:27:29.980 --> 00:27:34.440 which is to come. He's thinking about those things 00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:38.559 which are yet to be fulfilled and yet to be realized. 00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:43.160 And once again, there's a clear reference to 00:27:43.160 --> 00:27:46.559 his deathbed. This is a reference to Genesis 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:55.000 chapter 50, where we find the account of Joseph's 00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:59.730 death. We read this in verses 22 -26 of Genesis 00:27:59.730 --> 00:28:05.369 chapter 50. Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and 00:28:05.369 --> 00:28:08.890 his father's household, and Joseph lived 110 00:28:08.890 --> 00:28:13.710 years. Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim's 00:28:13.710 --> 00:28:17.829 sons, also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, 00:28:17.829 --> 00:28:22.569 were born on Joseph's knees. Joseph said to his 00:28:22.569 --> 00:28:26.910 brothers, I am about to die. But God will surely 00:28:26.910 --> 00:28:30.569 take care of you and bring you up from this land 00:28:30.569 --> 00:28:35.250 to the land which he has promised on oath to 00:28:35.250 --> 00:28:40.049 Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Then Joseph 00:28:40.049 --> 00:28:44.730 made the sons of Israel swear. He made them take 00:28:44.730 --> 00:28:49.609 an oath, saying, God will surely take care of 00:28:49.609 --> 00:28:53.329 you, and you shall carry my bones up from here. 00:28:54.440 --> 00:28:59.940 So Joseph died at the age of 110 years and he 00:28:59.940 --> 00:29:02.920 was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt. 00:29:03.660 --> 00:29:08.500 Brothers and sisters, do you see Joseph's confident 00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:13.119 assertion with regards to the exodus of the sons 00:29:13.119 --> 00:29:20.000 of Israel? He is confidently asserting, you will 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:23.849 not be here forever. What's he saying to his 00:29:23.849 --> 00:29:27.970 brothers? Listen, you're not going to remain 00:29:27.970 --> 00:29:33.630 in Egypt indefinitely. A redemption is coming. 00:29:33.869 --> 00:29:38.890 A deliverance is on its way. God will be faithful 00:29:38.890 --> 00:29:42.309 to his covenant that he has made to Abraham. 00:29:42.569 --> 00:29:47.950 God will give you what? The promised land. And 00:29:47.950 --> 00:29:53.890 then he demonstrates this. By pledging his bones 00:29:53.890 --> 00:30:00.670 as a testimony to the covenant faithfulness of 00:30:00.670 --> 00:30:06.349 God. Now, the interesting thing about this is 00:30:06.349 --> 00:30:13.609 that Moses did, in fact, in Exodus chapter 13, 00:30:13.710 --> 00:30:22.799 take Joseph's bones out of Egypt. Also, Joshua 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:28.839 does in fact bury his bones in the promised land 00:30:28.839 --> 00:30:36.559 in Shechem in Genesis, in Joshua 24, 32. So how 00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:41.500 in the world do we have dying old man Joseph 00:30:41.500 --> 00:30:44.859 getting ready to pass on who can confidently 00:30:44.859 --> 00:30:48.819 and expectantly anticipate what is going to happen 00:30:48.819 --> 00:30:53.250 in the future? Because God has made promises 00:30:53.250 --> 00:30:59.009 to his people. Because God has said, I will accomplish 00:30:59.009 --> 00:31:02.029 this in the future. I will bring this about. 00:31:02.230 --> 00:31:06.410 I will do this thing. And he believed it. He 00:31:06.410 --> 00:31:14.130 was trusting it. It was faith. He knew that they 00:31:14.130 --> 00:31:21.950 would take the promised land. Faith anticipates 00:31:21.950 --> 00:31:28.289 and expects divine fulfillment of all God's promises, 00:31:28.490 --> 00:31:33.549 brothers and sisters. It doesn't just accept 00:31:33.549 --> 00:31:37.990 the fact that things may or may not happen. Faith 00:31:37.990 --> 00:31:41.789 is not wishy -washy. It is not wishful thinking. 00:31:43.210 --> 00:31:47.210 Faith, brothers and sisters, when vibrant and 00:31:47.210 --> 00:31:51.119 strong and assured and full of conviction, actually 00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:56.920 anticipates and expects God to bring about everything 00:31:56.920 --> 00:32:01.960 He has ever promised to His people. How do we 00:32:01.960 --> 00:32:05.460 apply this to you and I as New Covenant believers, 00:32:05.579 --> 00:32:10.240 brothers and sisters? Well, New Covenant believers 00:32:10.240 --> 00:32:13.880 ought to live and die for realities that outlive 00:32:13.880 --> 00:32:19.119 themselves. Don't we see this in each of the 00:32:19.119 --> 00:32:24.299 patriarchs? They lived and they died for realities 00:32:24.299 --> 00:32:31.680 that outlived their own lives. Are there those 00:32:31.680 --> 00:32:34.140 realities that remain for New Covenant Christians? 00:32:35.799 --> 00:32:41.539 Are there still things yet to come for New Covenant 00:32:41.539 --> 00:32:46.170 believers? Are there still those things which 00:32:46.170 --> 00:32:52.529 depend wholly and completely on the transcendent 00:32:52.529 --> 00:32:55.970 faithfulness of God to accomplish them and bring 00:32:55.970 --> 00:33:01.789 them about and bring them to take place? Absolutely. 00:33:03.089 --> 00:33:05.950 There's a whole bunch of promises that are not 00:33:05.950 --> 00:33:09.210 fully and finally realized in the life of the 00:33:09.210 --> 00:33:12.769 believer, in the life of the church, and in the 00:33:12.769 --> 00:33:20.670 world. We could think about that which is yet 00:33:20.670 --> 00:33:26.250 to come. That which is beyond my own life. Will 00:33:26.250 --> 00:33:30.529 Christ build his church long after I'm dead? 00:33:31.589 --> 00:33:35.410 Yes, he will, brothers and sisters. Will Christ 00:33:35.410 --> 00:33:40.349 build his church long after you are dead? Yes, 00:33:40.450 --> 00:33:43.730 he will, brothers and sisters. Will Christ... 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:47.220 Usher me into the presence of God upon my death? 00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:50.480 Yes, he will, brothers and sisters. Will Christ 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:54.420 usher you into the presence of God upon your 00:33:54.420 --> 00:33:58.559 death? Yes, he will, brothers and sisters. Will 00:33:58.559 --> 00:34:02.500 Jesus Christ return in glory and power one day? 00:34:03.240 --> 00:34:08.920 Yes, he will. That is not realized yet. Those 00:34:08.920 --> 00:34:14.769 are things yet to come. Will Christ bring about 00:34:14.769 --> 00:34:18.150 the resurrection and give believers glorified 00:34:18.150 --> 00:34:22.809 bodies? Will the beatific vision take place? 00:34:24.030 --> 00:34:27.010 Yes, it will, brothers and sisters. Will the 00:34:27.010 --> 00:34:32.050 great tribunal of Christ where men and angels 00:34:32.050 --> 00:34:36.039 stand before the throne of God take place? Yes, 00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:38.920 it will, brothers and sisters. Will the wicked 00:34:38.920 --> 00:34:42.360 be judged and punished in the future and time 00:34:42.360 --> 00:34:45.460 to come and in the future history of the world? 00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:50.000 Yes. Will all things be renewed? Will the new 00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:52.860 heavens and the new earth come about by the sovereign 00:34:52.860 --> 00:34:56.079 transcendent faithfulness and power of God? Those 00:34:56.079 --> 00:35:00.079 are things yet to come, brothers and sisters. 00:35:01.260 --> 00:35:04.059 Those are promises that are not fully and completely 00:35:04.059 --> 00:35:09.619 and finally realized yet. There are eternal realities 00:35:09.619 --> 00:35:13.099 that we ought to live for, and we ought to die 00:35:13.099 --> 00:35:20.320 for, things which do in fact outlive us. The 00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:27.079 possession of faith in these realities is the 00:35:27.079 --> 00:35:34.949 only means of dying well. For anyone. If you 00:35:34.949 --> 00:35:41.409 want to die well. Then that means possessing 00:35:41.409 --> 00:35:45.670 a faith. Which is assured and confident. And 00:35:45.670 --> 00:35:49.869 expectant and anticipatory. Of those glorious 00:35:49.869 --> 00:35:54.070 promises. That God has given to us. It means 00:35:54.070 --> 00:35:57.929 facing death head on. Looking at the promises 00:35:57.929 --> 00:36:01.670 that God has given us. With a vibrant. Faith. 00:36:02.510 --> 00:36:06.929 Turn to Philippians chapter 3. In Philippians 00:36:06.929 --> 00:36:12.809 3, we read this great text by the Apostle Paul. 00:36:15.070 --> 00:36:17.590 And here's what we read. I'll start reading in 00:36:17.590 --> 00:36:26.449 verse 7. But whatever things were gained to me, 00:36:27.789 --> 00:36:30.710 those things I have counted as loss for the sake 00:36:30.710 --> 00:36:34.550 of Christ. More than that, I count all things 00:36:34.550 --> 00:36:37.849 to be loss in view of the surpassing value of 00:36:37.849 --> 00:36:41.550 knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have 00:36:41.550 --> 00:36:43.869 suffered the loss of all things, and count them 00:36:43.869 --> 00:36:47.789 but rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, and may 00:36:47.789 --> 00:36:50.949 be found in him, not having a righteousness of 00:36:50.949 --> 00:36:54.210 my own derived from the law, but that which is 00:36:54.210 --> 00:36:56.869 through faith in Christ. The righteousness which 00:36:56.869 --> 00:37:01.170 comes from God. On the basis of faith. That I 00:37:01.170 --> 00:37:04.190 may know him. And the power of his resurrection. 00:37:04.449 --> 00:37:08.610 And the fellowship of his sufferings. Being conformed 00:37:08.610 --> 00:37:13.670 to his death. In order. That I may attain to 00:37:13.670 --> 00:37:16.809 the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have 00:37:16.809 --> 00:37:19.969 already obtained it. Or have already become perfect. 00:37:20.269 --> 00:37:23.849 But I press on so that I may lay hold. of that 00:37:23.849 --> 00:37:28.809 for which I also was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 00:37:29.789 --> 00:37:32.269 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid 00:37:32.269 --> 00:37:34.769 hold of it yet, but one thing I do, forgetting 00:37:34.769 --> 00:37:38.090 what lies behind and reaching forward to what 00:37:38.090 --> 00:37:41.590 lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the 00:37:41.590 --> 00:37:45.769 prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 00:37:48.210 --> 00:37:51.650 Brothers and sisters, if we want... to die well, 00:37:51.949 --> 00:37:55.110 then this needs to be our attitude in life. That 00:37:55.110 --> 00:38:00.989 of Paul. Pressing on in faith with the resurrection 00:38:00.989 --> 00:38:05.090 and future things in front of us. Ahead of us, 00:38:05.090 --> 00:38:08.670 brothers and sisters. If we want to have a Philippians 00:38:08.670 --> 00:38:12.170 1 perspective on Christ, where Paul says, for 00:38:12.170 --> 00:38:18.000 to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. then 00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:21.639 we need to have a Philippians 3 perspective on 00:38:21.639 --> 00:38:26.340 knowing Jesus Christ in this life. To be a people 00:38:26.340 --> 00:38:32.300 that even if they have nothing at all, they have 00:38:32.300 --> 00:38:36.699 everything because they have Jesus Christ. And 00:38:36.699 --> 00:38:39.960 to know that if they have Christ, they have everything. 00:38:41.199 --> 00:38:44.980 To be a people who considers everything to be 00:38:44.980 --> 00:38:50.110 nothing in light. Of having Christ. And pursuing 00:38:50.110 --> 00:38:55.329 him. Because he has pursued us. Laying hold of 00:38:55.329 --> 00:38:57.949 him. Because brothers and sisters. He has laid 00:38:57.949 --> 00:39:01.969 hold of us. Seeking to apprehend. The person 00:39:01.969 --> 00:39:05.530 of. The work of Jesus Christ. And to be conformed 00:39:05.530 --> 00:39:07.849 to his image and likeness. Why? Because he has 00:39:07.849 --> 00:39:12.130 already apprehended us. By saving us from our 00:39:12.130 --> 00:39:19.230 sins. Live by faith now. Live fully for Christ 00:39:19.230 --> 00:39:23.690 in this life. So that when you come to the grave, 00:39:23.989 --> 00:39:29.670 you can worship like Jacob. Because you have 00:39:29.670 --> 00:39:33.449 a vibrant faith in the God that you're going 00:39:33.449 --> 00:39:38.889 to meet. You already know in your life. You've 00:39:38.889 --> 00:39:41.170 walked with him how many years? He's been the 00:39:41.170 --> 00:39:43.480 shepherd of your life how many years? He will 00:39:43.480 --> 00:39:47.539 not forsake you, brothers and sisters. And this 00:39:47.539 --> 00:39:51.940 is the only way that a believer can leave a legacy 00:39:51.940 --> 00:40:00.780 of faith. What is the greatest legacy that a 00:40:00.780 --> 00:40:07.099 person can leave for future generations? A godly 00:40:07.099 --> 00:40:11.869 life. What does God recall? What does God remember? 00:40:12.090 --> 00:40:14.469 What does God commend in the life of the old 00:40:14.469 --> 00:40:17.269 covenant saints? Does he commend their wealth? 00:40:19.610 --> 00:40:26.050 Does he commend their businesses? Does he commend 00:40:26.050 --> 00:40:29.849 the accomplishments they brought about in society 00:40:29.849 --> 00:40:34.090 or culture? No, brothers and sisters, he commends 00:40:34.090 --> 00:40:41.150 faith. Hebrews 11. shows us and teaches us what 00:40:41.150 --> 00:40:45.909 God himself commends, what God himself remembers. 00:40:47.230 --> 00:40:52.670 If we want to leave a legacy like Jacob, Joseph, 00:40:52.909 --> 00:40:57.530 like Isaac, and brothers and sisters, it means 00:40:57.530 --> 00:41:03.849 leaving a legacy of faith. Now, is that what 00:41:03.849 --> 00:41:09.719 is most important in your life? The legacy that 00:41:09.719 --> 00:41:13.300 you leave or the faith that you possess at the 00:41:13.300 --> 00:41:17.900 end of your life? Is that the most important 00:41:17.900 --> 00:41:24.539 thing for a person on their deathbed? What is 00:41:24.539 --> 00:41:30.400 the ultimate thing when you come and you face 00:41:30.400 --> 00:41:35.099 the grave? The ultimate thing. When you come 00:41:35.099 --> 00:41:37.840 and you face the grave, it is the transcendent 00:41:37.840 --> 00:41:40.820 faithfulness of God to bring about and accomplish 00:41:40.820 --> 00:41:45.659 His promises in the life of His people. God's 00:41:45.659 --> 00:41:48.179 faithfulness is the ultimate thing, brothers 00:41:48.179 --> 00:41:53.820 and sisters. Not even your faith. When we die, 00:41:54.179 --> 00:42:00.480 the promises of the gospel remain. When you die, 00:42:00.739 --> 00:42:07.170 the gospel does not expire. When we pass on from 00:42:07.170 --> 00:42:10.070 this life, brothers and sisters, Christ is risen. 00:42:10.710 --> 00:42:14.469 He raised that he would never die again. He conquered 00:42:14.469 --> 00:42:19.110 the grave. Brothers and sisters, the gospel of 00:42:19.110 --> 00:42:24.110 Jesus Christ has secured and guaranteed the accomplishment 00:42:24.110 --> 00:42:29.289 of every single promise that God has ever made 00:42:29.289 --> 00:42:32.289 to his people. So when we come to the grave, 00:42:32.389 --> 00:42:37.599 when you come to the grave, You can do so boldly 00:42:37.599 --> 00:42:42.719 and worshipful how? By looking by faith to the 00:42:42.719 --> 00:42:49.059 work, to the person of Jesus Christ. By looking 00:42:49.059 --> 00:42:52.519 at the cross and recognizing my sins are forgiven. 00:42:53.739 --> 00:42:58.480 There is no condemnation for me. By looking to 00:42:58.480 --> 00:43:01.139 Christ and his righteous life and knowing and 00:43:01.139 --> 00:43:04.730 finding out. That I am justified. I am made righteous 00:43:04.730 --> 00:43:07.829 in the sight of God. He will receive me. He has 00:43:07.829 --> 00:43:10.869 received me. He will always receive me because 00:43:10.869 --> 00:43:15.909 of Christ. He will glorify me because it is the 00:43:15.909 --> 00:43:18.449 promised fruit of sanctification in this life. 00:43:18.530 --> 00:43:21.530 And He will complete all of His promises to His 00:43:21.530 --> 00:43:24.869 people. He will renew all things because Christ 00:43:24.869 --> 00:43:30.869 died. He will accomplish every single promise. 00:43:31.369 --> 00:43:36.230 that He has ever made to His people. Even though 00:43:36.230 --> 00:43:42.250 we die, the promises and the faithfulness of 00:43:42.250 --> 00:43:49.190 God do not die. 2 Corinthians 1, 19 -20 says 00:43:49.190 --> 00:43:54.750 this, For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was 00:43:54.750 --> 00:43:58.309 preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus 00:43:58.309 --> 00:44:02.360 and Timothy, Was not yes and no but yes in him. 00:44:03.440 --> 00:44:08.760 For as many as are the promises of God. In him 00:44:08.760 --> 00:44:14.380 they are yes. Therefore also through him is our 00:44:14.380 --> 00:44:20.539 amen. To the glory of God through us. All the 00:44:20.539 --> 00:44:28.159 promises of God. Are yes and amen. In the person 00:44:28.159 --> 00:44:34.239 and work of Jesus Christ. So what is the ultimate 00:44:34.239 --> 00:44:40.400 thing? Are you in Christ because of the grace 00:44:40.400 --> 00:44:47.659 of God? Do you possess God -given faith as a 00:44:47.659 --> 00:44:50.719 result of the gracious and merciful work of the 00:44:50.719 --> 00:44:50.980 gospel?