Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church,
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee, would
like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. I would like to bring a message
to you today from Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews 11 and we will begin
by reading verses 5 and 6. 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." The title of this message is, How Can a Sinner
Please God? What an important question. How
can a sinner please God? It says Enoch pleased God. And just a minute, we're gonna
go over to Genesis chapter five. That's where the story of Enoch
is recorded. It's only four verses long. It's
a very short account of this man, Enoch. But in those four
verses, we learn that Enoch walked with God on this earth for 365
years. here on the earth, the 365 years,
it says he begat sons and daughters. He was a man who walked with
God and then all of the sudden he was not. For God took him,
it says. This was a man who lived life
on this earth just like every other man. Just like every other
man, he had responsibilities the same as you and I both have. He had sons and daughters, just
like we have, and everything that goes along with having sons
and daughters. They all had needs, just like our children have.
They all needed shelter, they needed food, they needed clothing,
and they looked to their father, just like our children do. Enoch
had problems. He had troubles, just like we
have. Any man or woman who lives long
enough on this earth will experience trouble and problem and heartache. He had worries. He had fears,
just like we have. This was a regular man. That's
what I want us to enter into first. This was a regular man.
He had a regular life in this regular world. But one day he
was walking down a dirt and a gravel road and all of a sudden his
sandals stepped foot into glory. God translated him. He had no
idea it was coming. He was going about his business and he took a step into glory.
Translated means transferred, transported. It means he changed
sides. That's what it means. Now, what
happened to Enoch was recorded in God's word to witness to you
and I how God deals with his people. That's the whole reason
this account was recorded. It's about our salvation. It's
about how God deals with us concerning the things of salvation. At God's
appointed time, he takes each one of his people.
He just takes them. He takes them to himself. Now,
I want us to break down these two verses that we just read
into seven statements. seven individual statements through
these statements we're going to see how God will deal with
us if we belong to him if God the Father has given us to God
his son this is how he will deal with each one of us okay here
are the seven divided statements starts in verse five the first
one is this by faith That's the first one, by faith. The second
one is, Enoch was translated that he should not see death.
The third one is, and was not found because God had translated
him. The fourth one is, for before
his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God. The fifth one is, but without
faith, it is impossible to please him. The sixth one is, for he
that cometh to God must believe that he is. And the seventh one
is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
him. All right, here's where we begin,
by faith. That's where this starts, by
faith. There are many people who believe that the saints in
the Old Testament were justified before God through the commandments
and the sacrifices and the ceremonies of this law, the law of the Old
Testament. But then when Christ came, many
believe this, when Christ came, he put all that away and Saints
are justified by faith as though that there are two different
means that God has had of justifying his people. The Old Testament
was by obeying the law and the New Testament is by faith. That's
not so. That's not so. Many, many people
believe that, but that is not so. It has always been and it
will always be by faith. by faith, by faith in the blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Always. It has always been that
way. Now, Genesis chapter 1 through
Genesis chapter 3, they are about the story of creation and the
fall of man. That's what those chapters tell
us. God created all things. He created man and man fell.
That's what's recorded there. Genesis chapter 4 is the story
of Cain and Abel, and that's where Hebrews 11 starts. That's
the first account in all of these stories in Hebrews 11. This is
a wonderful chapter, story after story after story. Verse 4 is
about Cain and Abel, the first account after the fall. Genesis
5 is about Enoch. And then Hebrews 11 verse 5 is
about Enoch. Genesis chapter 6 is about Noah. The next story in Hebrews 11
verse 7 is about Noah. So it's following these stories.
Genesis 1 tells about it. Hebrews 11 is expounding on it. Story after story. So we're starting
with the beginning. And in the beginning he said
it was by faith. That's important for us to say,
by faith. It always has been by faith. It always will be by faith. God's people are saved by believing
on the Lord Jesus Christ. Never was it by doing the deeds
of the law. Never was it according to our
obedience of the commandments of the law. It was always by
faith, always. Now, somebody will say, no, the
Old Testament was about Jehovah. Well, that's who Jesus Christ
is. Jehovah. He said before Abraham was, I
am Jehovah said, I am. He's Jehovah. So salvation has
always been, and it always will be by faith. Now here's the second
statement. Verse 5 here in Hebrews 11 says
Enoch was translated that he should not see death. Now Enoch
should have seen death. He should have. Enoch truly was
just like every other man on this earth. Enoch was a sinner. He was a sinner. If you have
your Bible, turn with me over to Genesis chapter 6. The story
of Enoch is in chapter 5, but let me show you something first
here in Genesis chapter 6. It says in verse 5, God saw that
the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination
of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that
he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart. Enoch was a part of that wickedness,
unfortunately. Enoch was a part of the wickedness
of man's sinful flesh. That's what he was, sinful flesh. Every soul had sinned. It says
in verse 5 right there, every imagination, every heart, All
right, chapter five, where Enoch is. Chapter five, verse 21. It
says, Enoch lived 60 and five years and begat Methuselah. And
Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah 300 years and
begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were
360 and five years. And Enoch walked with God. Enoch walked with God. Now, what
does that mean that Enoch walked with God? What does that mean? Does it mean that he wasn't a
sinner after all? As it turns out, Enoch actually
was not a sinner. No, that's not what it means.
All have sinned. All have sinned. Every man's
heart was only evil continually. That's what we just read. Well,
then does it mean that he finally got control of his sin? He was
a sinner, but he finally got control of it, and he was more
worthy than other people in God's eyes because he got control of
his sin. No, that's not what it means at all. Here's what
it means to say Enoch walked with God. There's a small book
at the end of the Old Testament called Amos, the book of Amos,
and if you look at amos chapter 3 verse 3 tells us can two walk
together except they be agreed can two walk together except
they be agreed if two are going to walk together this is what
god's word says if two are going to walk together they must be
in agreement They must be in agreement. Enoch agreed with
God. Enoch agreed with God. How can sinful man please God? Well, Enoch agreed with God. God said, Enoch, you're a sinner. Enoch agreed. He agreed. God said, by nature, Enoch, you
are ungodly. That's what God said to Enoch.
Every imagination of every heart. Enoch, by nature, you are ungodly. Enoch agreed. He agreed. Lord, I agree. God said, Enoch,
you came forth. dead in trespasses and sins. Enoch agreed. What about us? Do we agree? Enoch walked with God. Enoch sided with God. Now back over in Hebrews 11,
back in our text, verse 5 says, by faith Enoch was translated
that he should not see death and was not found because God
had translated him. God had translated him. God did
something to Enoch. Enoch didn't do anything. He
didn't do anything. The only thing that Enoch could
do was sin, be a sinner. That's all he could do. But God
did something for Enoch. Enoch didn't decide to be translated. God did not ask him, Enoch, would
you like to be translated today? Enoch didn't even know what was
going to happen, but God. And that's how it works. That's
how God deals with all of his people. But God, God changed
him. God converted him. Why would God do that for such
an unimportant, unworthy, ungodly sinner? There's not much at all
written about Enoch. His name is mentioned a couple
of times in the scripture. Why would God do that for such
an unimportant, unworthy sinner? Well, the end of verse five says,
he pleased God. He pleased God. Before his translation,
he had this testimony that he pleased God. How can a sinful
man please God? Verse six says, without faith,
it is impossible to please him. We have to start there. Without
faith, it's impossible to please him. Impossible. Over in Luke chapter 3, it says
in verse 21, Now when all the people were baptized, it came
to pass that Jesus also being baptized and praying, the heaven
was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like
a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven which said,
Thou art my beloved Son, in thee am well pleased in thee I am
well pleased pleasing God has something to do with faith and
it has something to do with in the Son of God in Christ if we
put those two together God will be pleased. Faith in Christ. Faith in Christ. That's where faith is. It is
in Christ. True faith is in Christ. True faith looks to Christ. It looks to Christ. It trusts
Christ. It believes Christ. It waits
on Christ. waits on him for his help. Not
in theory, in practice. In practice. If a sinner truly
has God-given faith, then all of his standing before God, all
of his hope will be in Christ. All of it. He'll plead the blood
that's in Christ. That's faith. He'll plead the
righteousness that is in Christ. What are your good deeds that
makes you worthy to earn heaven? Everything he has done. I don't
plead my own righteousness, I plead his. Without true faith in Christ,
it's impossible to please God. That is a huge statement from
God's Word. Without faith in Christ, It is
impossible to please God. Impossible. Here's why. Verse 6 says, back in Hebrews
11, without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is. Must believe that he is. He is
what? Must believe he is what? The
answer is everything he says he is. Everything he has declared
himself to be in his word. He said, I am. I am. Right now,
I am. Not I was. I am. Faith says he is. He is. In Genesis 35 verse 11, he said,
I am God almighty. Faith says he is God almighty. God almighty. In Leviticus 11,
he said, I am the Lord. Lord means sovereign. It means
ruler. It means controller. I'm the
controller. everything is a puppet on my
string true faith says he is he is he's the controller he's
the sovereign in leviticus 18 he said i am the lord your god
your god not just god i'm your god faith says he is he's my
god He is my God. He rules and reigns over me. I am in His hands. He said I'm
holy. He said I'm just. He said I'm
the first. He said I'm the last. He said
I'm the only Savior. Faith says He is. He is all those things. Everything
he says he is, he is. There's no other Savior beside
him. I'm not a Savior. He and I do
not have a good thing going. We're not in a cooperation. It's
not him and me. He's the only Savior. There's only one Savior. He said,
I'm the bread of life. He said, I'm the light of the
world. He said, I'm the door. He said, I'm the good shepherd.
He said, I am the resurrection. I'm the life. Faith says he is. He is. Hebrews 11 verse six says,
but without faith, it is impossible to please him for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is. And here's the final statement.
Here's the final point in these two verses. The end of verse
six says, he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Diligently seek him. True faith,
true faith does not seek what it can get out of him. True faith seeks him. And I fear
that's what many people do today. And I fear, I don't want that
for myself. I fear that for all sinful flesh, usually men and
women seek what they can get out of Him. Men and women seek
Him because they just want heaven. True faith says He is heaven. He is heaven. True faith seeks
him. Seeks him. There's a song. I love it. It says, all that
thrills my soul is the Lord Jesus. That's all that thrills my soul.
He is more than life to me. He's more than life to me. Golden
streets and mansions mean nothing. Everybody talks about and thinks
about and sings songs about these golden streets and mansions.
Build my mansion next to Jesus. Can't wait to get my mansion.
That means nothing. Once a sinner gets a hold of
Him to be the true pearl of great price, to a sinner who is truly seeking
Him, nothing else matters. The heart of true faith says,
I need him. I need him. I have to have him. He said,
you seek me and you'll find me. You seek me and you'll find me
when you search for me with all your heart. All your heart. What does a center find when
he finds Christ? You seek me, you'll find me.
What does a sinner find when he finds Christ? I'll tell you
what he finds. He finds mercy. Do you need mercy? Some people in this world need
mercy. Some people truly need mercy.
There are a few people who know that they're sinners like Enoch.
There are a few people in this world who know they don't deserve
God's translation. There are a few people who know
that they just need mercy. Is that you? It's me. It's me. I need mercy. If a sinner
finds Christ, he will find mercy. He will find forgiveness. Do you need forgiveness? Are you at a place where the
Lord has revealed to your heart that you can't right your wrongs?
It's too far. And you and I both are too unworthy.
Do you need favor with God, peace with God? A sinner who finds
Christ, that's what he'll find. He said, whoever diligently seeks
me is the recipient of faith. That's what faith does. But he
said, whoever diligently seeks me will not seek me in vain. Whoever seeks me is the recipient
of faith. and they will not seek me in
vain. If you seek Christ by faith, faith in him alone, you will
find him. If you find him, it means, and
this is important, if you find him, it means he found you first. He found Enoch first. It means God gave you the faith
to go seeking. If you truly have a heart that
says, I need to seek him. And if you find him, it means
he found you first. And if you find him, it also
means in him, you please God. If you find Christ, and if I
find Christ, if God gives us faith to seek him. And then God reveals to us that
we found him. And then God reveals to us that
we're in him. And that means we please God. It means we have been translated,
transported into Christ. And in Christ, a sinner pleases
God. That's where Enoch was. He was
in Christ. In Christ, God is well-pleased. It's the only way, it's the only
place a sinner can be. How can a sinner please God?
In Christ, by faith in Christ. By faith in Christ. If a sinner
is in Him, that sinner will not see death. Enoch didn't see death. We will lay these bodies down,
but the soul will live. The spirit, all who are in Christ,
all who by faith look to Christ, will not see death, just like
Enoch, spiritual death, eternal death. Because by faith, whosoever
liveth and believeth in him shall never die. That's what the Lord
himself said. He told Martha, Never die." And
then he said, "'Believest thou this?' Do we believe this?" I
pray so. Till next week, may the Lord
bless His word to our hearts. You have been listening to a
message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport Sovereign Grace
Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like a copy of this
message, or to hear other messages of sovereign grace, log on to
our website at ksgctn.org. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock a.m., worship at 1045 a.m., and 6 o'clock p.m.,
Wednesday evening at 730 p.m. Please tune in next week for
another message of God's free and sovereign grace.