Turn in your Bibles to Hebrews
11. As we've looked at Galatians
or are looking at Galatians, I hope you've all seen there's
a contrast developing. A contrast between faith through
grace and with works. A contrast between men's reliance
on their own activities and their own wisdom with men relying completely
on the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, for all our salvation. Last week we looked at the life
and story of Abraham, especially, particularly of his Christian
walk, if you like, his faith and the promises of God that
were delivered to him by God and were, as he went on, fulfilled
by God. And as we saw in Galatians 3.6,
this faith of Abraham is the same faith that the saints are
encouraged to have. Our God saves in one way and
one way alone. There might be many different
characteristics of our lives, but his methods are still the
same. And so we're encouraged to believe
even as Abraham had believed. It's a belief, a faith in God,
that Paul was sent to restore Peter to in Galatians. It's a
faith in God that Paul wrote to the Galatians to encourage
them to return to. It's a faith in God that has
been characteristic of the lives of every believer throughout
eternity, throughout time, throughout the Gospel age. It's a faith
in God that the Lord, the Holy Spirit, has written to us to
encourage us to embrace. And so my mind was set on Hebrews
11 throughout the week because of where we've been and what
we've been looking at. And Hebrews 11 gives us a great example of
many of the saints and many of the characteristics of this faith.
And so I guess as we read, my prayer and my hope has been that
the Lord will direct each one of us to not only look at these
characteristics in light of the lives of His saints as recorded
in these scriptures, but to see similarities with our own experiences. Because this book has been written
to every child of God personally. These are illustrations intended
for us personally. They are also illustrations intended
for this church collectively. And so it's good to read scripture
and it's good to let scripture wash over us. The writer of Hebrews
has been alluding to this same contrast between works and grace. He's writing to Jews, converted
Jews that are confused, that have been drawn back into the
old traditional system that they came from, confused in regard
to what to do with that system and how that system works in
conjunction with Christianity, this new Christianity. And what
the writer of Hebrews is doing is showing them that the traditions
of their fathers were not a way of salvation. They're not a way
to complement salvation as such. You can't add works with grace. What he's writing to do is to
reveal to them that the traditions of their fathers, the sacrificial
system, the giving of the law, the priesthood, etc, etc, were
all illustrations of what Christ had done, really
done, on behalf of his people. He alone is the only way of salvation. So let's read Hebrews from 11
on and see where the Lord takes us. As I said, I wish that we
would just be able to let scripture flow over us. I will make some
comments, but only again to indicate how these things play out personally
in our lives now. So let's begin. Hebrews 11.1.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen, for by it the elders obtained a good report. Brothers and sisters, What we've
seen with Peter's circumstances in Galatians is that he took
note of external characteristics. He looked away from faith in
his Saviour and he looked to the external activities of men
and he saw, or he thought he saw, a greater righteousness
in those external characteristics. We have security in one place.
and it's by God's activity, a supernatural activity in each of our own hearts. We can't look at ourselves. We
can't look at our activities. We can't look at our feelings
or our experiences. There is one evidence that we
have within ourselves and it's God's confirmation to us of our
salvation and it's by giving us a faith that rests wholly
and solely in the finished work of His Son. It's a faith that
trusts that His Son is able to do what He has promised. And
that, brothers and sisters, is the substance that we have at
this time in this life and in this world of things to come. Through faith we understand that
the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so the things which
are seen were not made of things which do appear. This creation
that we look at here is an illustration of a greater creation, of the
new creation within the saints of God. It's not a work of men's
activities. It's not a work of evolving the
It's a work of God, a supernatural work of God. By faith Abel offered unto God
a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which, by this faith,
he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of
his gifts, and by it, by this faith, He being dead yet speaks."
The Scriptures speak to us through the lives of these saints. By
faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was
not found because God had translated him. For before his translation
he had this testimony that he pleased God. But without faith
it is impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him." How often do we hear that our activities
are what please God, that He's more pleased or less pleased
by the things we do, by our prayer life, by our zeal, by our Bible
reading, by our ministry, our mission. Verse 6. tells us how we please
God. Because the hand of faith grasps
the perfection, it receives the perfection of Christ, which is
the only thing acceptable to our Father in Heaven. We trust that God is, and we
trust that He's the rewarder of them that diligently seek
Him. We diligently seek Him by faith,
by faith in a word, in a promise that comes from the mouth of
our Saviour. And the reward that he speaks
of is the fulfilment of those promises. By faith knower, being warned
of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared
an ark under the saving of his house by which he condemned the
world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith,
not by his activities. By faith, Abraham, when he was
called to go out into a place which he should after receive
for an inheritance, obeyed. And he went out not knowing whither
he went. By faith he sojourned in the
land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles
with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. And why? For he looked for a
city which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God." We've
all had experience in institutions, religious institutions, And some
seem great and some seem sound and they have great numbers of
people, great activities and great ministries. They have no
foundation. What the saints seek is a foundation
beyond this world. We seek a foundation, we seek
a city whose foundation is a person, is our saviour. the Lord Jesus
Christ. Through faith also Sarah herself
received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a
child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful
who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of
one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky
in multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable."
There's the reward, the fulfilment of that promise to some degree. These all died in faith not having
received the promises, but having seen them afar off and were,
and this This is some of the characteristics of true saving
faith. They were persuaded of them.
They believed that what God had said was true. They embraced them. They were
led by faith, by the work of God in them, to embrace these
promises as their own and confess that they were strangers and
pilgrims on the earth for they that say such things declare
plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful
of that country from whence they came out, they might have had
opportunity to return. But now they're saved. Now God has worked in their heart.
Now He's given and growing faith in them. They desire a better
country. That is, and heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed
to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was
tried, offered up Isaac, and he that had received the promises
offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said that
in Isaac shall thy seed be called. He had no idea how God would
fulfil that promise. He was put in a difficult and
painful situation, an impossible situation. But he was given faith and he
trusted on the Word of God, a promise from God. And he accounted that
God, verse 19, was able to raise him up even from the dead. from whence also he received
him in a figure. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob
and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he
was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph and worshipped,
leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he died,
made mention of the departing of the children of Israel and
gave commandment concerning his bones. By faith, Moses, when
he was born, was hid three months of his parents because they saw
that he was, and what a wonderful description of the saints, a
proper child. And they were not afraid of the
King's commandment. By faith, Moses, when he was
come to use, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Now in Pharaoh and his daughter
we have a picture, a historical picture, but we also have a spiritual
picture. Pharaoh stands for us as a representation of Satan
and his daughter stands for us as a representation of some of
the false churches that we have around. So we can look at this
illustration in Moses and to some degree see a personal application
to it. Choosing rather to suffer affliction
with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for
a season. Esteeming the reproach of Christ,
greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect
under the recompense of the reward. When our church formed, one of
the accusations made against some of us was that all they
do is talk about Jesus all the time. That was meant as an insult, but it was a compliment to us.
It was a compliment in regard to our church and where our focus
is. It was a compliment in regard
to the work that God had done in us and God was doing in us. But it was reproach for Christ.
And what's this reward? Verse 27, By faith he forsook
Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as
seeing him Him, a person who is invisible. It's hard for us to grasp, but
one thing that struck me last week as we spoke of Abraham and
I've been speaking to Angus through the week is when God comes and
calls these people and we read God called him out of this country
or God did that, the reality is God in that calling has revealed
the Gospel. He somehow communicated to the
individual the substitution of Christ on his behalf. And from
Abel onwards, these saints have been looking not to a theory,
but to a person, to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. By faith he forsook Egypt, not
fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured, as seeing him
who is invisible. Through faith he kept the Passover
and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn
should touch them. By faith they passed through
the Red Sea, as by dry land, which the Egyptians are saying
to do, were drowned." Again, see the contrast, by faith. The Egyptians didn't have this
faith and they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho
fell down after they were accomplished about seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab perished,
not with them that believed not. Again, the difference is the
faith that God has given and grown in each of His people. when she had received the spies
with peace. And what shall I more say? For
the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and
of Samson, and of Japheth, and David also, and Samuel, and of
the prophets, who through faith And again, look for the similarities
of our own life. Through faith subdued kingdoms. Think of Satan's kingdom. Think of the kingdoms of this
world, the pagans that harass us. Think of the kingdoms of
false religious institutes that persecute the saints. By faith
we subdue those kingdoms, don't we? We wrought righteousness. How
else can we possibly wrought righteousness but through the
preaching of the Gospel? We obtain promises. We've read
about this. Stop the mowers of lions. Satan
is described as a lion who seeks to devour the saints. quenched the violence of fire.
Think of our consciences. Escaped the edge of the sword,
out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in flight, turned
to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead, raised
to life again. Do any of us have unbelieving
family? The only way of salvation, the
only way we can contribute to that is to pray for them and
to preach the Gospel to them. It's a miracle, but we can trust
our Lord. And others were tortured, not
accepting deliverance, and why? That they might obtain a better
resurrection. And others had trials of cruel
mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sworn
asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with a sword, and
they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute,
afflicted, and tormented. And that's the way the world
treats the saints in Hasdun. of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and
in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth." It's probably
a good description of this church. It's good to think about the
implication of the word remnant. We are pilgrims in this world,
brothers and sisters, and we come, we are gathered here by
our Saviour, that we might be refreshed in
our pilgrimage, that we might have our eyes lifted from ourselves
and our circumstances to see what lies beyond this world,
to be encouraged again, to see the wonders of our Saviour. And
these all, having obtained a good report through faith, receive
not the promise, God having provided something better for us that
they without us should not be made perfect. There is a time
coming, a time of relief, a time of relief from this world and
of relief from the wickedness of our own flesh. This is where
our hope lies. And it's a good picture and it's
good to consider the affliction of the saints. But it's also good to remember
that these afflictions have come from the hand of a sovereign
God. The world can respond the way
it does. Our flesh responds the way it
does. Satan responds the way he does. But every activity, every circumstance
of our lives comes first through the hand of a sovereign God.
Read the first few chapters of Job. There is a purpose, a divine
purpose. The saints are promised another
promise from the Word of God, that all things will work together
for our good. So as we read chapter 12, let's
just look for that purpose. Wherefore seeing we also are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight, everything that would distract us, every affliction, every worry, every
concern. They are real concerns. But with
them comes the sin which does so easily beset us, and that's
the sin of unbelief. And let us run with patience
the race that is set before us. And how do we do that? Verse
2, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set
down at the right hand of the throne of God. Our Saviour sits
victoriously and we know, we are told in Ephesians that we
sit with Him and in Him victoriously. For consider him that endured
such contradiction of sinners." It's a great word for unbelief.
We read in Hebrews, in Galatians 3 just recently, Galatians 2 I think at the end
of it, that by turning to the law, people declare that Christ
is dead in vain. It's a contradiction of the truth. Unbelief is a contradiction of
the finished work of our Saviour. Endured such contradiction of
sinners against himself, lest ye be weary and faint in your
minds. Be transformed by the renewing
of your minds, we're told in Romans 12. The saints are given the mind
of Christ and we think differently. We consider the things of this
world, the things of this book, differently. The carnal mind
is an enmity against God, but the spiritual mind embraces and
is given to understand these precious truths. You have not resisted unto blood,
striving against sin, and have forgotten the exhortation which
speaketh unto you as children. My son, despise not thou the
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him."
These things, as I said, come from the hand of our loving Father. For whom the Lord loveth, he
chastises, and scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God
deals with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the Father
chasteneth not? But if you be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers." See, there's another promise. We're
promised to be chastised of our father. It's a reflection of
his love for us. If you are without chastisement,
we're of all upper takers, then are you bastards and not sons.
Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh. This is no new
principle to us, is it? Which corrected us and we gave
them reverence. shall we not much rather be in
subjection unto the Father of spirits and live? For they verily, our fathers,
our fleshly fathers, verily for a few days chastened us after
their own pleasure, after their own wisdom. But he, our faithful
heavenly Father, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers
of His holiness. I ask you a question. How do
we partake of the holiness of God? Do we earn it? Do we choose it? Do we somehow
manufacture it by law keeping? There's only one way, brothers
and sisters, that we partake of the holiness of God and it's
by grace through faith. What is this chastening about
by our loving Father? What is this exercising that
He's doing? Is it exercising us in our morality? It's not what the Passion says. It's an exercise in faith, because
by faith we grasp the holiness of God. Now no chastity for the present
seems to be joyous, but grievous. That's pretty well all our testimonies
in one way or another, at one time or another. Nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth
the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby. How do we receive righteousness?
What do we read about Abraham? it was accounted to him, faith
was accounted to him for righteousness. Wherefore lift up the hands which
hang down on the feeble knees and make straight paths for your
feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but
let it rather be healed. Again, it's a spiritual connotation. The way is the way of grace. Christ is the way, the truth
and the life. Don't let these difficulties
of your circumstances of your life, the afflictions, the trials
and tribulations, don't let them draw you away from Christ. And as much as we are drawn away
at times, as we've seen in Galatians with Peter, Our Saviour is a
God who loves His people beyond their failings and restores them.
And it's by His Gospel that He heals our backslidings. Follow peace with all men and
holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. How often
have we heard that referred to an exercise in morality. The only way to grasp holiness
is by the hand of faith, not by our activities, not by our
wisdom, not by law keeping, not by morality. Looking diligently, lest any
man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring
up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. lest there be
any fornicator or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of
meat sold his birthright. For you know how that afterward,
when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected,
for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully
with tears." We know, brothers and sisters, that repentance,
just as faith, is a gift of God. But look at all those distractions, the illustrations of what we've
been seeing in Galatians, looking to the carnal relief, looking
to the strength of men, looking to our own salvation and looking
away from the only salvation. And here we have I guess a return
or a restoration to our context in a sense, because there's only
two mountains to come to. For you are not the saints, those
who have been given faith. You are not come unto the mount
that might be touched and that burned with fire unto the blackness
and darkness and tempest. and the sound of a trumpet, and
that voice of words, which voice they that heard entreated that
the words should not be spoken to them any more. For they could not endure that
which was commanded, and if so much as a beast touched the mountain,
it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart, And so terrible
was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake."
This is a great description of the law. It was never ever intended
by God as a way to become holy and fit for heaven. It was never
a way of acceptance for men before God. You can read it there in Exodus
19. It was given to reveal the sinfulness
of man. It was given to turn men to the
only one and true Saviour. And that's why it says there,
and if so much as a beast touched the mountain, there's only one
result when we turn to the law. The soul that sins must die. But the saints have come to a
different mountain and there's an experience of that mountain
on this city that we experience each week
when our saviour gathers us together. And there's great importance
in regard to what goes on here. So many of the trials of our
lives and the difficulties of our lives are planned by Satan to interrupt
what goes on here. And yes, we can look at it as
a small cave and a dwelling of a minute group of people, insignificant
in the great plan of this world. But there is something very important
that goes on here and someone very important who is present
here. We are come unto the Mount Sion
and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to an innumerable company of angels. Do you realise we
are now in the presence of an innumerable company of angels? To the General Assembly and Church
of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge
of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect." That contrast that we've been
seeing is in regard to how men are made perfect, isn't it? And we've seen it since Cain
and Abel, the religions, two religions. One has man through
his wisdom and activities supposedly making himself perfect, because
you can only enter Heaven, you can only enter the presence of
God by being perfect. And the other is the way of Abel,
being made perfect. by our great Saviour. And the foundation of this city
is in that Saviour, verse 24, and to Jesus, the mediator of
the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh
better things than that of Abel. Abel was an illustration. His
sacrifice was an illustration. Christ is the anti-type of that
illustration. He is the truth. He is the way
and He is the only source of our life. And that's why it's very important,
verse 25, see that you refuse, not him that speaketh. For if
they escaped, If they escape not, who refused him that spake
on earth? That's at the mountain in Mount
Sinai. Much more shall we not escape
if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven. Whose voice
then shook the earth, but now he hath promised, saying, Yet
once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word yet once more signifieth
the removing of those things that are shaken as of things
that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom,
faith, it's through faith that we receive this kingdom by grace. receiving a kingdom which cannot
be moved. Let us have grace." It's not
by our strength. We need grace. Grace whereby
we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. This is serious business. I think
Angus said at one stage, if what goes on here isn't about serious
eternal life and death matters, then we're better off being somewhere
else. Church is where God reveals himself in the lives of his people.
It's where he walks actively amongst his people, applying
his promises and his truths, where he refreshes the souls
of his people, where he strengthens those feeble knees, where he
knits us together that our own experiences might in some way
impart comfort to others, where his people taste of the
good things to come. What are we going to be doing
in Heaven? We sing praises to our God, we'll
be worshipping Him and we'll be fellowshipping with others
that know His salvation. There are many distractions in
this world and many trials and difficulties and afflictions
in our own lives that come between what's going on. But there is
a time coming when all those things will be gone. Even our
flesh will be gone and we'll have a new body like Christ and
we'll have no interruptions. This, what goes on here when
God gathers His people together, is a snippet of the wonders that
we're to expect from Heaven. So with that let's look at chapter
13. Let brotherly love continue.
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds,
as bound with them, and them which suffer adversity as being
yourselves also in the body. Marriage is honourable in all,
and the bed undefiled." Now I've heard sermons preached on this
and it's mentioned. and there is a sense where it
is a reference to marriage. But there is a greater wedding
feast that we are attending, and in our union, in the saints'
union with their Saviour, they are undefiled. This is the Gospel
that we declare. But whoremongers and adulterers,
and that's what they are, those that preach a different message,
They turn men away from their Saviour and they turn men back
to themselves and back to other men and men's activities and
men's thoughts. It's a spiritual reference to
spiritual adultery. And because they're not in Christ,
God will judge. Let your conversation be without
covetousness and be content with such things as you have." Now
that's a difficult word to say to people when they're suffering.
But by God's grace, may He turn all our hearts in the midst of
our greatest sufferings to remember this wonderful thing, that in
the midst of our lowest point, the Lord The Lord will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee. And it is by this that we can
boldly say, The Lord is my Helper, and I will not fear what men
shall do unto me. Remember them which have the
rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose
faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." Now
there is a point, there is a sense, and I've heard this preached
a number of times, that this is a reference to their activities,
their moral activities. So take heed of what they say,
but only if they have a good moral outworking in their lives. Now we'll look at the next verse. These are men that God has given
as underling shepherds to our souls. They speak the Word of
God, the truth of the Gospel. And the end of that conversation
is the Gospel, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today
and forever. That's the doctrine they declare.
That's where our hope and our security is. It's in the other
doctrine. It goes on, be not carried about
with diverse and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the
heart be established with men's activities. No, with grace. Not with meats
which have not profited them that have been occupied with
them. That's a reference again to religious activities. activities
by which men have some form of security, temporal security.
But we have an altar where they have no right to eat which serve
the tabernacle. Those that turn to the law, to
men's activities and men's strength, men's securities, they have no
right to eat at our altar. For the bodies of those beasts
whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest
for sin are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also that
he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered without
the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto
him without the camp bearing his reproach. Brothers and sisters,
if you think back to why we're here and the process, there was
a time where we didn't really know where we would be. And I
can't speak absolutely for every one of you. I can just speak
for myself. And there was a gravity that
was impressed upon me. And finally the Lord had opened
my eyes to see the Gospel, the truth of the Gospel, And to see
that contrast between religion and the Gospel. And there was
a time that came where I couldn't stand the way our Saviour, my
Saviour, was blasphemed in those institutions. It repulsed me. And I didn't know where I was
going to be. I didn't know where I was going. But I knew that
I couldn't be there any longer. And although I left that camp
of religion, it was my Saviour drawing me to
Himself. And I might have been in the
wilderness for a time, but I wasn't alone in the wilderness. I was without the camp, and I
did bear reproach for that. But again, what a great treasure
that reproach was. What a great treasure, what a
great reward union with Christ is. And all these things of this
world and all the things that meant so much just fall away
and they continually just grow more and more dull. Wherefore Jesus also, that he
might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without
the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto
him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here we have
no continuing city." There's nothing that we're comfortable
with here, not really. If we're the Lord's he'll make
us uncomfortable. He made us uncomfortable in those
institutions. The things of our life seem to
grow more and more uncomfortable as we go on, but there's so much
more ahead of us. We seek one to come. By Him,
therefore, it must be His work of gracing us. By Him, therefore,
let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. So many sacrifices offered in
the false religious institutes throughout the world, ministry,
zeal, ties, sacrifices of our own commitment,
of our own time. There is one sacrifice that is
acceptable to God. Those other sacrifices are to
manipulate God, to earn wages from God, to earn some position
of salvation or some merit towards salvation. But by Christ's work
in us, the sacrifice that we offer, it's the fruit of our
lips giving thanks to His name. Those other sacrifices are sacrifices
which hopefully for individuals might bring some salvation. The sacrifice of the saints is
for a salvation that is finished in a saviour who is faithful,
who continues faithfully and is secure But to do good and communicate,
forget not, for such sacrifices, God is well pleased. There is
a time and a place for good works. We're told in Ephesians 2 that
it's God's activity. He works these things. It is
an outworking of faith. But it's God's business and God's
activity. Obey them that have rule over
you and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls. And any faithful preacher will
be declaring the salvation of the Lord's people in the Lord
alone. As they that must give account,
that they may do it with joy and not with grief. So apply
this to church again. We have a pastor. God's laid
our souls upon his heart. Listen to what he says. Embrace
what he says. By grace embrace the Gospel. And why? It's not unprofitable
to him. If you look back there in verse
17, it's unprofitable for us. It is a good thing. We saw it
in Song of Solomon. It is a wonderful thing, a necessary
thing for the life of Christians to be present in Church. Something
amazing goes on here. God's activities, God's ministry towards His people
through that Gospel. Pray for us for we trust that
we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly,
but I beseech you the rather to do this that I may be restored
to you the sooner." And then we have this prayer. At the heart
of the contrast we've seen in Galatians is how do we get right
with God? How do we please God? Is it our
activities? Is it something necessary, some
obligation on men? Or is it all Christ's work? Do we work or do we trust? And at the heart of it all, at
the heart of it all, is whose activity really is salvation? Men's or God's? Look at this
prayer, it's just beautiful. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead
our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, when he was raised,
it says in Romans 1 verse 4, I think, that it was a confirmation. It was a confirmation that Christ
had fulfilled the work, that God had accepted his sacrifice. that he was satisfied, that the
saint's sins had been left in the ground, that they were in
him beloved and acceptable and holy and spotless and blameless.
Now they got a peace that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood
of the everlasting covenant. We talk a lot about this covenant
and we should talk a lot about it, but it's an agreement and
it's an obligation of our Saviour to provide every single necessity
for the saving of His people. And it was sealed by His blood
and it was sure, it was ratified. So every aspect of Christian
life every single aspect of Christian life has been provided for in
Him. May He, through the blood of
the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work
to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in
His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen. And we read in Hebrews
11.6, how do we please God? He is the author and finisher
of our faith, and He does work that faith within us, and it's
faith that grasps that perfect sacrifice. a faith that grasps
everlasting righteousness, eternal redemption, and a union with our Saviour
that's unbreakable. And I beseech you, brethren,
suffer the word of exaltation. Again, nothing that comes to
us hasn't come from the hand of God. We need exaltation. For I have written a letter unto
you in few words. Know ye that our brother Timothy
is set at liberty, with whom, if he come shortly, I will see
you. Salute all men that have rule
over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you." And
what a way to finish. Where does salvation lie? Grace
be with you all. Amen. Let's try.