sermon: Grace, Mercy, and Favor (Part Three): A Faithful Witness to God's Mercy
Mark Schindler
Given 20-Mar-21; Sermon #1588B; 45 minutes
The Grace, Mercy, and Favor series:
As I said on February 6th, when I began this series of messages with a focus on God's grace, mercy, and favor, I consider this a particularly important subject that we need to carefully consider as we go through
Passover, the days of unloven bread, and the count the feast of first fruits. And as I hope we have seen to this point, although
God does not need us, He is counting on us to do our job with an eye toward His grace. His mercy and favor and constantly at work within each of us of the elected
Jesus Christ to live in accord with him in following his sterling example of self-sacrifice. And again, what I hope to accomplish with these messages is to help us appreciate just how special we are to God and how much he is counting. On his elect to be one united body in and through Jesus Christ because the word of God, the grace of God, literally resides in each one of us. However, because our calling an election is so unique within God's purpose and because we are still carnal, it's easy to find ourselves trapped by our own foolish pride. It is for this reason that we began this series by devoting the initial split sermon to trying to help us recognize our need to follow the example of the repentant publican in Christ's parable of Luke 18, who beat his breasts and dared not even raise his eyes to God's God's presence. This needs to be our attitude, especially as we approach the Passover and more intensely consider the incredible sacrificial work. That Jesus Christ alone can do and continues to do. We must have this mindset in our God-given relationship with him rather than presenting ourselves. As the virtually chest pounding Pharisee who congratulated himself before God for his station and life that he had been given, which was above that publican behind him. Today, as we approach the Passover next Friday evening, this will again be a vital part of this message. And our self-evaluation against the
plumb line that is Jesus Christ and the mercy of God that he has not only has not only been given but we almost Must be declared by our own
faithfulness and our faithful service to him. Please again, consider these words by John Reitenbas's commentary on Luke 18, where he said, the humble publican did not delude himself into thinking he was righteous. What made the difference? It was a true evaluation and recognition of the self in relation to God and not to men. With this in mind, we will begin in 2 Corinthians. And the reality of what God has made each of us to be right now, through Jesus Christ. Paul puts it in II Corinthians 5. turning II Corinthians 5. We read in II Corinthians 5:17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. All things have passed away. Beheld all things have become new. Now all things are of God who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, that God was in Christ reconciling
the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are
ambassadors for Christ. As through God were pleading. As God through God we are pleading through us, we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God, for he made him who knew no
sin to be sin for us, that he might become the righteousness of God in him. chapter 6, verse 1. We then as workers together with him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain, for he says in an acceptable time, I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. And then down to verse 16. And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God as God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord God. Therefore, chapter 7, verse 1. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God. Now considering these things we just read. I'd like to follow up on something that I mentioned in the last message and said we would get into in this message regarding mercy as it appeared in the
days of Noah. I hope we will see a more complete picture of God's meticulous work from the beginning to the end and how he mercifully brings mere men of
faith right into it by His grace to become part of the witness testimonial to all who follow, part of the growing testimonial of his righteous mercy. That is making our entrance into the family of God, a distinct possibility. Through faithful use of His grace, dwelling in us, we become in line with Him as preachers of righteousness in word and deed, just as Noah was in a time that had become at the absolute antithesis of the grace of God. We're going to see just how far God is going to make sure we understand the extent of his carefully executed work through His perfect mercy that is only truly complete and the ultimate sacrifice of God Himself and Jesus Christ. It is only by this perfect,
merciful self-sacrifice that God is fulfilling his own intention. To bring men to
repentance, salvation, and knowledge of the truth, as we read in II Peter 3:9 and I Timothy 2:4. So please turn with me now in a 2, Peter 3. II Peter 3 I'll be picking this up in verse 8. II Peter 3 and verse 8. But beloved, do not forget this one thing that with the Lord one day is 1000 years and 1000 years is a day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promises. Some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come
as a thief in the night in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt in ferment fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are in the in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness? Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God. Because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, the elements will melt with fervent heat nevertheless. We According to his promise, look for the new heavens and new earth in which righteous righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by him in
peace without spot and blameless. I wanted to start here because it gives us a quick look at God's
patience. And diligent work, as well as what he expects from those who, who know these things by His grace. I'd also like you to hold on to the word peace. It appears in verse 14. Be diligent that you may be fond of him in peace without spot and blameless. The amplified Bible translates this verse as so beloved, since you are expecting these things, be eager to be found by him at his coming without spot or blemish and at peace, and serene confidence, free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts. At this point, I'd like you to turn back to one a couple of one chapter. To Peter 2 Peter. And verse chapter 2. We will be reading verses 1 through 5. 2II Peter 2. But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be
false teachers among you. Who will secretly bring in destructive
heresies, even denying the Lord who brought them and bring them, bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways because of whom the way of truth was not, was bla will be blasphemed. By
covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words. For a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to
hell and delivered them into the chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment, and did not spare the ancient world but save Noah. One of 8 people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly. In a few minutes we are going to go back to Genesis 6 and the days of Noah. But I wanted to ask to make sure that we realized what we will see there. Was not unique From the beginning to the end of our battle with
Satan. In a few minutes, we are going to look back at Genesis 6, but we will see God's perfect mercy is always going to be involved and will be reflected in those who are called and use the God-given gifts to the best of their ability and faith. So before we turn there, please turn with me. To Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10 And we will pick it up Verse 36. Hebrews 10:36. You have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise for yet a little while, and he who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall
live by faith, but if one draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him. But we will, we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. And the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith, able, offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Through which he obtained a witness that he was righteous. God testifying of his gifts and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith, Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death and was found and was not found because God had taken him. For before he was taken, he had this testimony that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith, Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world. And became the heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Brethren, it's impossible for us to please God unless we become part of this great cloud of witnesses patiently trusting God, carrying out our responsibilities with the same self-sacrifice as those who have gone before us, and especially Jesus Christ. It says there by faith Abel offered. Brethren, I'm afraid that most of the, most often, we do not spend as much time thinking about what Abel did. As we do about what Cain did to him. But brethren, God shows us that a faithful servant. And using his God-given gifts becomes part of God's declaration. Of his perfect judgment tempered by his mercy for everyone else down the road, he becomes a preacher of righteousness. Please turn with me back to Genesis 4. Verses 1 to 10. Genesis 4 Verse one, And Adam Adam knew his wife. He knew Eve, his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain and said, I have acquired a man from the Lord. Then she bore again this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the first born of his flock, and of the finest, and the Lord respected Abel. And his offering, but he did not respect Cain and his offering, and Cain was very angry and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry and why are you, why is your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door, and it's desire is for you, but you should rule over it. Now Cain talked with Abel, his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel, your brother? He said, I do not know, am I my brother's keeper? And he said, God said, What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. I think it would be safe to assume that both Cain and Abel had been taught by Adam from Adam's eyewitness account about Satan's lies and what sin did to the relation, their relationship with God. But just as surely Adam taught them about God's promised salvation. By his mercy through the seed of men as recorded in Genesis 3:15. Was the only hope for all men. But only Abel took the future sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ seriously enough and followed the very pattern God Himself had set in Genesis 3:21 and faithfully offered the best animal he could in faithful anticipation of what that animal sacrifice truly represented. Although probably unsure just how this would come to pass, he nonetheless stepped out in faithful obedience to God. However, it's good for us to keep in mind that in a world that is enmity against God, God allowed Abel's faithful obedience to cost him his life. He became the first named witness of God and the cost of faithful obedience in a world driven by carnal nature. Was ultimately deaf Reverend Cain allowed sin. In by his own faithlessness, Satan makes his second recorded attempt to destroy God's plan as he inspires a venge-filled Cain to kill his brother. A self-sacrifice becomes another part of God's permanent record and ultimately points to what sin always will do as well as God's mercy, tempered judgment, and the cost involved in sacrificial service. The next one mentioned back in Hebrews is Enoch, of whom we know very little except for two very important points. The first is within the days prior to the flood, only he and Noah are referred to as walking with God. God makes sure that we know both had the same intimate relationship with him. The other point is that Enoch was taken by God and moved someplace else. And I think it would be not out of line to consider that this was done to keep him from suffering the same fate as Abel in a time that was getting slowly but surely overwhelmed by the fury of Satan. God had something else in mind for this righteous man and his faithful work within another part of God's carefully planned and executed purpose. Enoch undoubtedly had a bull's eye on his back, so to speak. And God took him out of the firing range. We cannot be sure what God's reason was, but I'd like to propose my thoughts to you concerning this because I think it may be another interesting facet of God's long and patient strategy of tempering his judgment with mercy. As I said, this is pure speculation on my part. But I hope it may be some food for thought as we consider with great anticipation, God's long range work and his merciful intent to patiently bring all men eventually to repentance. It also shows how much he expects from those he calls along the way to use the gifts he gives. As each generation passed, men were moving farther and farther away from God, so that by the time of Noah and a bit more than 120 years before the flood, Genesis 6:5 records that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and every, every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continuously. It was so bad that God determined to bring a judgment down on billions existing in those days where every imagination of their thoughts of men were evil continuously. With an eye to continue moving his plan forward, he gave Noah the tools he needed by His grace to build the ark as God patiently continued to move his plan forward toward the promise of the merciful redemption he had in the gar had given in the garden. Brother and hopefully we are going to appreciate more during this Passover season. Just how much God's mercy is a part of His plan and purpose to patiently bring all men to repentance, salvation, and knowledge of the truth through Jesus Christ. God is driving home the point through all the generations of men, just how vile sin is and just what it costs. When we allow Satan to gain a foothold because we drift away from him. With this in mind, let's look at Enoch and a few circumstantial, but perhaps key facts we can glean from what God's word tells us. The first is that if we do the math, we know the flood took place about 1,656 years after Adam was created. By the, by and large, we see that 900+ years was a common lifespan, even though Noah's father Lee was the only one notable exception besides Enoch. Layma's lifespan was only 777 years. We can also surmise a few other notable relevant pieces here. Well in advance of the flood, God could apparently see. Hardly any evidence in the hearts of men of anything but evil thinking continuously. So the question is, how was Noah given the tools he needed to keep his head on straight? When apparently Satan was on a rampage, trying to destroy God's plan, infecting men with his own contemptuous spirit. Men had drifted so far from God that Satan and his demons were embedded in the minds and men. The minds of men and wickedness was everywhere you looked. Noah's grandfather Methuselah, whose name means javelin, an instrument of war, was very likely no help in teaching his grandson to walk with God. One dictionary of biblical names I've read, even said his name actually means he has sent his death. Methuselah, the oldest man in the Bible, died the year of the flood and perhaps even in the flood. And although Noah's father Lamec is considered by a number of commentators to be a religious man who gave Noah the background he needed, Lee's name also indicates a possible nefarious connection. One dictionary wrote his name meant overthrower. And the other man made, he made low. Lemme too died 5 years before the flood, and obviously, he had not influenced any of Noah's siblings to righteousness. We know they too all died either prior to or in the flood. Cause all life was wiped out, except it was on the ark. But brethren, somebody was there who could teach Noah what he had learned directly from Adam. About sin and its consequences as well as the promise of salvation through the seed of men. There was somebody there who could know of faithful Abel and what he had done in faith. It is evident that God gave Noah directions that he expected to be faithfully executed just as Noah did. But who was there that God had put in place to use the gifts that he had been given in order to help Noah stay focused so he would be ready to carry out his own faithful service before God as God preserved the line of men in spite of ourselves. Please hold your finger there in Genesis. And turn with me back to Jude. Returning to the book of June, right there before Revelation. And in verse one, 21 Dude, a bond servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called sanctified by God, the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ, mercy, peace, and
love be multiplied to you. Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you, exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men who turn the grace of God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Although Jude was addressing a current circumstance of his day, this is something that would be happening to some degree at all times because of Satan's spirit and the contempt for God's plan. Down to verse 11 We read Woe to them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the era of Balaam for profit and perished in the rebellion of Cora. These are spots on your love feast while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds, late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots, raging waves of the sea. Foaming up their own shame, wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness and darkness forever. Now Enoch, the 7th from Abem, Adam prophesized about these men, also saying, Behold, the Lord comes with 10,000 of his saints to execute judgment on all to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way. And of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against them. Now please turn with me back to the book of Acts. Returning to Acts chapter 3. Acts chapter 3. And we will be picking this up in verse 18. Acts 3 and 18. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets that the Christ would suffer. He is thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out so that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before. Whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things which God has spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets since the world began. Brethren This irrevocable truth of Jesus Christ's sacrificial offering as the promised seed of men had been taught by his prophets to God's people from the beginning. This is what Enoch taught in word and deed, just as Abel faithfully proclaimed in his sacrificial offering and his death that bears witness to us to this day. Brother and God calls things what they are. Both Noah's father and grandfather seem to be part of the problem. Rather than part of the solution. On the other hand, God made sure that we see Noah and Enoch together faithfully did their respective jobs by the grace of God and pointed to the solution. Remember what I asked you earlier to keep that word peace from II Peter 3:14 in mind, where it said as we read in the reading the Amplified Version, so beloved, since you are expecting these things, be eager to be founded by him. At his coming without spot or blemish and at peace, and serene confidence, fear from free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts. Noah's name means rest. And I think we can be assured that God made certain that Noah had been given the gifts necessary to have a mind and a heart unblemished by Satan's violent, agitating passions and conflicts of the day, serenely confident in God's promise to continue his salvation, the salvation process, even as Satan's violent attempts to destroy it raged all around him. And I believe It was Enoch. Whose name means teacher. Helped Noah along the way. Adam died at 930 years old. And Enoch was born when Adam was 622 years old. Then taken away by God when he was only 365 years later. 57 years after Adam died, Enoch was taken away. So 248 of those 365 years were lived while Adam was still there as a living eyewitness who could describe Satan's modus operandi. As well as what sin destroyed. But more importantly, Adam was the only human living witness of the sure promise God had made directly in his presence. Through faith in what he had been given from Adam and by God's grace, Enoch walked with God. But you can imagine how quickly the world Enoch lived in deteriorated, once the only eyewitness to Satan's deceit and God's promise of salvation through a descendant of man was out of the picture because he died. 57 years is not too short a time for Satan to eat away at the truth and suck men into the same evil way Jude described Dector in Jude 4. For there are certain men cropped in unawares, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ. It was not too short a period of time for Satan to drive men to the acts of violent behavior against those who were trying to faithfully hold on to the truth. And the salvation for all men that would come through Jesus Christ. Some may die, some of those people may die like Abel, while others are pulled out of harm's way so they can give, use their gifts to fulfill God's purpose. Plan and purpose for them as they continue to walk by faith. By the grace of God, and if we ascribe the typical 900+ years of life, Enoch could very well have been that bridge of vital information gap from Adam to Noah. As a matter of fact, he could have been one of the only ones who would faithfully encourage Noah when God gave him instructions for building the ark. Enoch's long life span was a distinct possibility. When you stop to consider the longevity of Enoch's father Jared at 962 years and his son Methuselah at 989 years. It's not Unusual to say that Enoch could have very well been alive. Shortly before Noah began the work on the ark. As I said, this is all my speculation, but I think it's, it fits God's pattern of working through those he is gifted to use those gifts and prepare others in the next part of his carefully designed plan as God continues to patiently work in judgment, tempered by His mercy. Brethren, God is making sure we know and know that we know what sin does. What his solution is and the incredible expense involved, especially, and especially brethren, keep this in mind, to the Father and the Word, who gave up all his rights and privileges to become the ultimate and priceless
sacrifice for our sins. He is also making sure that we see an example in these men of faith regarding what he expects from all whom he has given responsibilities throughout his patient work to accomplish his purpose, to bring all men to become holy as he is holy by his patient judgment, tempered by his mercy that never fails as we read in Psalm 100. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Be thankful to him and bless his name, for the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures to all generations. Please consider how God looked at Noah with favor because he did what he had been prepared to do in faith. As we read in a correct translation. Of Genesis 6 verses 8-9 from the amplified Bible. Many have said this and this just sets no apart is perfect in it in race or perfect in a whole bunch of other things. But I think the Amplified has a pretty good here. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This is the history of the generations of Noah. Noah was a just and righteous man, blameless in in during his evil generation. Noah walked in habitual fellowship with God. By faithfully living and learning God's way of life in whatever way God gives, we too become part of God's living witness of faith in the hope that is before us through the merciful and complete work of Jesus Christ. However, within this brethren, we need to understand God is driving home a point as only he can do. What happened before will happen again. Satan is on a furious rampage to stop what is in truth unstoppable. Because God will accomplish what He has set out to do. I'd like us to read Genesis 6. I told you to hold your finger there. I did not. Genesis 6 and verses 1 through 5. Genesis 6:15 now came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful, and they took wives of themselves of all whom they chose, and the Lord said, my spirit. You'll not strive with man forever. For he is indeed flesh, yet his day shall be 120 years. There were
giants on the earth in those days, or nephilim is their translation. And also afterward, the sons of God came into the daughters of men and they bore children to themselves. They were mighty men, the nephilim, who were old men of renown. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of their thoughts of his heart was only evil continuously. Further in this section of Genesis 6 has been the subject of much speculation over the years. But as Jesus Christ's own words tell us, angels were not created to have same sexual relationships as men. Even though we can see that it certainly seems to be clear from the biblical reference to angels that we see in Job 16-21 and 38:7 that these probably were angels referred to as the sons of God. But keep this in mind, God creates kind after kind with an angels cannot cross over that line even in disobedience to God. However, as men take themselves out from under God's protection by blatantly disobeying his laws, they put themselves at risk of demonic influence, even in some cases, demonic possession as we clearly see in the Gospels. With this in mind Here is a very clear and important warning we can glean from the scripture to be cautiously applied for us living in these last days. It's from Richard Reitenba's sermon on the, on the days of Noah. And although given back in 2008, it is a look into today and what lies immediately ahead. Because God is continuing to make sure that all men will ultimately understand that everything depends on Jesus Christ. Richard said, His Satan's plan was never on the physical level. It was always on the spiritual level. The corruption was always spiritual. He would corrupt all the humanity, how however many billions of them there were by taking control of their families. It's the easiest way that I can explain, Richard continues. How this happened It would be to use the terms demon possession or heavy demonic influence. The idea is that Satan sent his minions to possess or at least control the men and live through them, and they, the demons, became the heads of the households through the men. They would take women The men and the real men would have children by these women, however many they wanted. However, these men had the minds of Satan, the devil, or his demons, and they began to change the values of people. They corrupted every good value and instilled wicked self-centered ones instead. They tore down traditional values and instilled progressive and liberating ones in their place. They taught their children that they could do whatever they chose to do so that the next generation of children came to be known as Nephilim. The fallen ones or the mighty ones. The one term describes their fallen values. The other one describes their strength. They were as much the sons of demons in their attitudes and methods as any human beings could be. Remember to be in this, to be the son of a child or something means to have the same characteristic of that something. Who knows, Richard concludes this may be the inspiration and beginning of the term sons of Belial. I do not know. Brethren It was Satan's demonic attitudes and methods that were driving men who had been who had removed themselves far from God, that they left themselves wide open to having every thought they had to be evil continuously. It was the same demonic spirit that would eventually drive those Jesus Christ spoke to as recorded in John 8:43 to 47, to crucify him because they love not the truth, to live it. Jesus Christ said, why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to my words. You are of your Father, the devil, and the desires of your heart you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the Father of it. But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? And if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe me? He who is of God hears God's words. Therefore, you do not hear because you are not of God. Therefore It is the same demonic influence, brethren, that will produce the end time nephilim and a society as in the days of Noah, so driven by the spirit of Satan and his demons that every imagination from the heart of men will be evil continuously. The only exception will be those who are faithfully learning and living the word of God through Jesus Christ. Brethren, this is why we need To take God's warning to us through the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10 through 19, very seriously. And continue to be as faithfully moving forward as Abel, Enoch, Noah, and all the rest of who've used God's gift to do their work, trusting completely in his perfect judgment, tempered by His mercy through Jesus Christ in a world that we are at war with Satan and his demons. Satan and his demons influences are very real, and there is a war going on that we can only win by staying as close to Christ as possible. Demons may not be able to procreate with men. But they can still be a driving force to evil continuously if we fail to stay on the path right behind Christ, trusting the only perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As we conclude today, One week before we renew our covenant agreement. To faithfully stay the course within the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ. I'd like to read Hebrews 11:39 through 122 as it's written in the Philips translation. It's written there in Hebrews 11:39. All these, the faithful that have gone before us, want a glowing testimony to their faith, but they did not then and there receive the fulfillment of the promise. God has something better planned for our day, and it was not his plan that they should reach perfection without us. Surrounded then. As we are by these er ranks of witnesses, let us strip off everything that hindered us, as well as the sin which dogs our feet and let us run the race that we have to run with patience, our eyes fixed on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith, for he himself endured a cross and thought nothing of its shame because of the
joy he knew would follow his suffering, and he is now seated. At the right hand of God's holy God's throne. Think constantly of him enduring all that sinful men could say against him, and you will not lose your own purpose and your courage. Brethren All the faithful witnesses, preachers of righteousness of God in His judgment, tempered by His mercy and the ultimate sacrificial service of Jesus Christ are there. We too are then part of that beacon of peace, rest, and hope, pointing to God's mercy through Jesus Christ. If, if. And this is a big if, brethren, if we use the gifts God has given to faithfully do our jobs so that God's mercy and glory is always before those yet to come under the singular sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ.