You turn again in your Bibles
to the chapters we read. In a sense, I've got two texts
I want to point you to. First, let's read there. Subject of our message is found
in chapter 10 and verse 38. well known verse quoted in the
New Testament three times we opened our meeting by reading
Habakkuk chapter 2 and 1 to 4 from where this is quoted where Paul
well where the author of the Hebrews quotes it and where Paul
in Romans and also in Galatians quotes this verse 38 reads now
the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul
shall have no pleasure in him Really the first phrase of that,
now the just shall live by faith. In chapter 12 and verse two,
that's before us what faith points to. Looking unto Jesus, the offer
and finisher of 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. The just shall live by
faith. We've seen earlier in the chapter
in Hebrews 10 in the reading we read, let us draw near to
God with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed
with pure water, let us hold fast the profession of faith
without wavering. And in verse 38, for the just
shall live by faith. We considered last week the preaching
of righteousness in the great congregation from Psalm 40. The psalm is quoted in this very
chapter in the earlier part of the chapter in which the work
of Jesus Christ in offering himself up in offering up his body as
an offering for sin once for all is set before us and the
first and psalm 40 is quoted then said I know I come in the
volume of the book it is written of me to do thy will oh God Both
when he said, Sacrifice and offering unburnt offerings, and offering
for sin thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which
are offered by the law, then said he, Lo, I come to do thy
will, O God. He takes away the first covenant,
that he may establish the second, by the which will we are sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest, then, if daily
ministering and offering, oftentimes the same sacrifices which can
never take away sins, but this man, After he had offered one
sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God,
from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified. And on this ground, on the ground
of the offering of Jesus Christ, once for all for his people,
for those whom he has perfected forever, those who are sanctified,
those who are separated under him, those whom God the Father
gave him as an elect people as a chosen people before the foundation
of the world gave this company to his son and this company was
saved by the sacrifice of his son in shedding his own blood
for them in washing their sins away by his own blood and by
so doing he sanctified them he set them apart he set them apart
as a holy people separated unto God separated unto the service
of God and this truth forms the ground for which the writer of
the hebrews goes on to set before us this is the ground of faith
this is what faith has set before us and because of this we have
we have boldness brethren to enter into the holiness how by
the blood of jesus by a new and living way which he have consecrated
for us through the veil that is to say his flesh who is set
before us as a high priest over the house of God and on this
ground we're exalted to draw near with a true heart and full
assurance of faith for the just shall live by faith this is set
for the gaze of faith and God's people the just those who are
made just live by faith faith is what they live by. Faith is
what brings them to life. Faith is that by which they live.
Faith is that by which they continue to live. Faith is that by which
they walk before God. Faith is that principle by which
their whole lives are governed. Their entire life as those who
are born again by the Spirit, as those who are brought to God,
is a life of faith. It is entirely about faith. It
has nothing to do with works, it has nothing to do with the
flesh, it has nothing to do with their own strength. This is a
life of faith. And throughout chapter 11, having
set before us this truth that the just live by faith, Paul,
the author of Hebrews here, I say Paul, we don't know that it's
Paul that wrote it, but, and you think it could be, but the
author of the Hebrews here sets before us that the just live
by faith, and he gives us an exposition of what faith is,
and he sets before us all these examples of faith. Abel, Noah,
Abraham, and so on. And he leads right through, right
into chapter 12, and verse 2, as I've said, where he says,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. And he
comes back to that which he has set before us earlier in chapter
10. Comes back to that which is, what faith is set upon. upon jesus and that which he
did who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross
despising the shame his faith is central to the gospel we will
not know god we will not know the gospel we cannot live except
we have faith the first thing i want to say about faith is
that by nature we don't have faith we're not just The just
are lived by faith, we're not just and we don't have faith. We're unjust, we're unrighteous,
we're sinners by nature, we're dead by nature and we live by
anything but faith. We don't have faith. Now many
people speak of having faith, they speak of faith, they speak
of putting their faith in things. Many religious speak of faith.
Many will take the word of God and they will say, no, we're
not saved by works, we're saved by Jesus, he died upon the cross,
we're saved by believing in him, we're saved by faith, we believe
in him and we're saved and we're justified by faith. They read
these passages, they read Romans, they read that it says we're
not justified by works, we're justified by faith, they consent
to that, they say, yes, we're saved by faith. And many speak
of putting their faith in Christ, putting their faith in Jesus,
believing on Jesus. But they make faith something
which is common to all, something which we have as it were by by
nature as though we're born with faith and all it is is a case
of putting our faith in the right thing. Some people trust in these
things, some people trust in other things, some people trust
in the might of man, some people trust in riches, some people
trust in the wisdom of man, Some people trust in the nations,
in the strength of man, in the power of man. Some people trust
in this thing and in that thing. Some people trust in this philosophy.
Some people trust in this religion. Some people trust in their own
strength. But it's all a case of them having faith and putting
their faith in something. Many religious hear the gospel,
hear something of the truth of Jesus Christ, and they speak
of putting their faith in Christ, of accepting him, of believing
him, of putting their faith in Jesus Christ as though they've
got faith as though once their faith was rested on something
else and now they simply have to hear of Christ and now put
their faith in Christ. But the fact is, is that by nature
we don't have faith. We don't have faith at all. We
can't simply put our faith in Christ because we don't have
faith to put in Christ. We have to have a right view
of man by nature. Man is dead in trespasses and
sins. He doesn't simply have some faith
that he can simply direct towards Jesus, which was once put in
some other place, and it's simply putting his faith in the right
thing. He doesn't have faith at all. Men might have some sort
of thing that they call a natural faith, that they trust in certain
things, they rest in certain things. But the faith which the
Bible speaks of, when the scriptures speak of faith, this is far more
than just a natural trust in something, or a natural consent
in something to be right. And therefore any kind of simply
consenting that Jesus died for sinners and I'm going to follow
this concept I have of who Jesus is in the scriptures, or trust
or put in some sort of natural trust in God, this simply isn't
faith. Men may think of it as faith, but this is not the faith
of God's elect, it is not the faith which the scriptures speak
of. when the scriptures speak of being justified by faith,
when the scriptures speak of the just living by faith, when
the scriptures speak of believing upon the name of Jesus, there
is much more here than simply a natural trust, a natural consent
into certain things. The fact is that the faith of
which the scriptures speak, we do not have. The faith of which
the scriptures speak is a faith which is founded upon having
a spiritual insight into those things on which we were previously
blind. It's to see those things which
by nature we cannot see. It's to come to know God who
by nature we could not see, we could not know. It's to turn
from the power and dominion of sin which held us captive to
be delivered from it, to walk after God, to seek unto God who
by nature we did not see. It is to have a trust in God
who by nature we could not trust. It is to have a union and a fellowship
with God and with his spirit, which by nature we could not
have. For by nature we are dead. So we cannot simply put our faith
in God. We must have faith, we must be
given faith. This faith is something which
God gives to his people. He gives it to those who never
had it. He gives it to those who were
dead. The scriptures say that we cannot be saved without faith.
We cannot be saved by works, and this is true. But we cannot
work up faith. We cannot create faith. We cannot
go and get faith. No amount of our efforts, no
amount of our strength will bring faith to ourselves. We can turn
ourselves to the word of God, we can read it, we can study
it, but we can't produce faith. God must give faith. God must
quicken a dead sinner unto life. God must bring us to faith. It's
the work of God from start to finish. As Ephesians tells us,
we are dead in trespasses and sins. Dead. Dead. Not just somewhat darkened. Not just going on the wrong path.
Not just not seeing things quite right. Not just needing a bit
more knowledge. but dead. And until dead sinners
are brought to life, until the spirit comes in power under the
gospel and quickens them unto life, and gives them faith which
they never had, they remain dead. For Paul writes in Ephesians,
you have he quickened, brought to life, who were dead in trespasses
and sins, where in time past ye walked according to the course
of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air.
spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience among
whom also we all had our conversations in times past in the lusts of
our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind
and were by nature the children of wrath even as others we're
all by nature the children of wrath even as others and until
God quickens us and until he gives us faith we're dead But
God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved
us, Us, who's us? All those whom he brings to faith.
That great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead
in sins, have quickened us together with Christ. By grace ye are
saved, and have raised us up together and made us sit together
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. that in the ages to come
he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus for by grace are ye saved through
faith and that faith is not of yourselves is the gift of God
faith is given we don't have it we don't seek after God we're
dead by nature there is none that seek after God We've said
it before many times, Romans 3 tells us, there is none righteous,
no not one. There is none that understandeth.
There is none that seeketh after God. They're all gone out of
the way. They are together become unprofitable.
There is none that doeth good, no not one. Not me, not you,
no one. There is none that doeth good.
We're all children of wrath, we're all as others. And if we're
ever brought to know the saving grace of God, if we're ever brought
to know Jesus Christ as our saviour, if we're ever given faith to
believe on him, it's because God went before us. It's because
God chose us in Christ before the foundations of the world.
It's because Christ laid down his life for us. It's because
the spirit in time comes by the gospel and he preaches a message
of grace and a message of salvation. and he quickens us from darkness,
and he brings us to light, and he makes us live, and he breathes
life into us, and he gives us faith. Romans 5 tells us that when Adam
sinned, when Adam transgressed, sin entered, and death by sin,
and death passed upon all men, and sin passed upon all men,
and we're all sinners, and until God brings us to life, will remain
dead, dead sinners. If we got faith, if we have faith,
if we believe on Christ, if we live by faith, then we will confess,
as it says in Ephesians, that that was not of ourselves. It
wasn't because we worked it up. It wasn't because we sought it
out. It's because God gave it to us. It's the gift of God. Various places it speaks of faith
in this way. 1 Peter 1 tells us, Simon Peter's
servant and apostle of Jesus Christ writes to them that have
obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness
of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. You've either obtained
it or you haven't. You don't have it by nature but
God gives it. God gives it because faith is
his doing and his working. For Christ Jesus It's the author
and the finisher of faith. That's chapter 12 of Hebrews
in verse 2. And our passage tells us, looking
unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. If you've got faith,
if you're looking unto Jesus, it's because he gave it to you.
Have you got faith? Have you got faith? Have you
been brought to life? Are you dead in your sins? Or
have you been brought to look unto Jesus? Have you got faith? Are you yet in your sins? Are
you blind? What do you see? Are you deaf? What do you hear? Do you confess
the Jesus? If so, is he the Jesus of the
Scriptures? Do you have a faith in a false Jesus and a false
gospel? Or has God brought you to see the Jesus Christ of the
Scriptures, who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross and despised the shame is now set down at the right
hand of the throne of God. Let us not be found on that day
when God comes to judge the quick and the dead. Let us not be found
amongst that company that come under him, full of their own
faith, full of their own works. We say under him, Lord, Lord,
have we not done this in thy name and have we not done that
in thy name? they thought they had faith they thought they believed
they thought they were one of his there was all of their doing
and they deceived themselves and unto them he shall say depart
from me ye that work iniquity i never knew you let's not be
found amongst that people but may god have given us faith May
God have given us grace. May we be found of those who
have obtained like precious faith. For this is the faith we need,
the faith of God's elect. You need it. I need it. God must give it. I can't give
it. No preacher can give it. Preacher
can come with the gospel. Faith comes by hearing and hearing
by the word of God. You'll only be brought to faith
if you hear the gospel. But many hear the gospel and
are not brought to faith. God must quicken you by that
gospel. God must give you faith to believe it, to hear it, to
see it. Has he? Do you have the faith for God
to act? For the just shall live by faith, not by works, not by
strength, not by the will of the flesh, not by the will of
man, but of God. by whom they are born again from
the dead who gives them grace who gives them faith and brings
them to believe and brings them to cry out to him who is their
savior the just shall live by faith
in chapter 11 of hebrews we see this exposition of faith we see
these many examples of faith given before us just what is
faith i said that faith believes Faith trusts, faith looks to
God. Faith brings his people into
union with him. Faith isn't simply a mental assent
to the scriptures. Faith isn't a natural trust,
but faith is that which springs from the work of God in the heart.
Faith is that which springs from the work of the spirit, which
truly gives eyes to see the Lord Jesus Christ as he is. which
truly gives ears to hear his voice, which unites the soul
unto him, which brings in this union. For faith is the substance
of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith lets
us see those things which we cannot see. Man walks by sight,
he likes proof, he likes to have things that he can see and touch
and feel and hear. And everything has to be proven,
everything has to be rational, everything has to be obvious. But the just shall live by faith.
And faith is the substance of things hoped for. They may not
be known now in that sense. We may not be able to go out
and take them with our physical hands now. But they're hoped
for. God promises to his people an
inheritance to come. He promises to them an eternal
inheritance. promised to bring them into that
heavenly place and to a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth
righteousness. And he's true to his promise
and this will come. Christ died that he might bring
his people unto himself and he brings a great company and he
will bring them to himself and they will dwell around the throne
of the Lamb of God forever. But we live in a world of darkness
and a world of sin. we pass through as pilgrims and
as strangers seeking this heavenly country. We don't have it now,
we hope for it now. And faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith sees
with the spiritual sight but it's not seen with the natural.
For by it the elders obtained a good report through faith we
understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God that
things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
God created the heavens and the earth, God created this world
in six days, he created man, he put man upon this earth, he
brought all things into being and he sustains all things. Man and the wisdom of man contends
and rails against it and says it cannot be. But faith believes. Faith understands that the worlds
were framed by the word of God. Science falsely so calls, scoffs
against it, but faith believes. Faith believes in God. Faith believes that God is the
creator. Faith believes that God brought
man upon this earth. Faith believes everything that
God has to say of man in his word. Faith believes everything
that God has to say of himself in his word. Faith believes the
truth. Faith believes the gospel. Faith
believes God. Faith believes. What is faith? It believes God. It believes
that God is. It believes that God has done
what he has done. It believes what God says of
man. It believes that man fell. It believes that man is a sinner.
It believes that man is dead in trespasses and sins. It believes
that God's wrath is upon man. It believes that God is angry
with the wicked. It believes that the wicked will
be cast into outer judgment forever. It believes that God is just
to judge the wicked and to cast him out forever. It believes
and assents and trusts and knows that God is right and it would
be right to do this to every one of us. It believes it. It
believes it. But it also believes, save in
faith, the faithful God select believes what God has done in
the gospel. to bring in a salvation for those
who deserved it not, to spare them from that wrath which they
deserve. This is what Abel believed. By
faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,
by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying
of his gifts and by it he being dead yet speaketh. Was Abel righteous? I spoke last week of righteousness,
of the righteousness of God, of Him, of the Lord Jesus Christ,
who in the great congregation preacheth righteousness. Is any
man righteous? Is Abel righteous? We just read
Romans 3. It's very clear in Romans. Paul sets
before us in the first three chapters of Romans, proves that
man's a sinner. and he says in chapter 3 in verse
10 verse 9 he has proved by jews and gentiles that they are all
under sin as it is written there is none righteous no not one
there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after
god yet it says that abel received witness obtained witness that
he was righteous how so was he righteous no he wasn't righteous
Abel was a child of wrath, just as others. Abel was a sinner,
just as Cain was a sinner. Abel was as unrighteous as any
other. Abel sought not God, just as any other. But God gave Abel
faith, and God quickened Abel unto life. And God gave Abel
faith to look outside from himself, and to look unto one who would
come, and one who would offer up his life in his place. Abel
was given faith to offer up a sacrifice of a lamb, knowing that this
pointed to the lamb of God who would come, he would be offered
up in his place and by whom he would be made righteous and by
this he obtained witness that not only would he be made righteous
but in God's eyes through faith he was righteous. 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. Without faith it is impossible
to please God like I say Abel was just as others he was unrighteous
he was a sinner He was guilty. And without faith, he could not
please God. And without faith, Enoch could
not please God. But Enoch was translated, he
was delivered from death. And he received testimony that
he pleased God. How did he please God? Again,
like Abel, because he had faith. But without faith, it is impossible
to please God. But faith pleases God. Faith believes God, it believes
that he's the creator, it believes who God is, it believes his gospel,
it pleases God. Faith knows that he that cometh
unto God must believe that he is. Faith believes that God is
and faith believes that God is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him. Faith causes those who sought
him not to diligently seek him. Faith is patient. Faith gives
those who would seek God the patience to wait on God, to seek
him, to seek him, to seek him, to call unto him, to call unto
him, to call unto him, and if he does not hear, to call unto
him, and if he does not hear, to call again unto him, and to
not to give up, and not to turn aside, and not to doubt, but
faith perseveres, and faith calls, for as prophet of prophecy of
Habakkuk which we read spoke of the vision and as it's quoted
here at the end of chapter 10 for yet a little while and he
that shall come will come and will not tarry for as it says
ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of
God ye might receive the promise for yet a little while and he
that shall come will come and will not tarry now the just shall
live by faith God has promised, and faith is patient. Faith gives that patience which
we don't have, which our flesh doesn't have, for the flesh is
very impatient. but faith is that patience that
waits and that looks beyond all that the flesh sees all that
natural thinking a natural sight would say would bring in doubt
and faith looks beyond it all and it waits and it waits for
that which is impossible that which is incredible that which
cannot be it believes and it waits and it diligently seeks
for god is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him what
does it look for What does faith look for? In these examples given
in Hebrews 11 we see certain common ground. We see that all
of these believe God. All of these sought Him. All
of these waited on God. All of these rested in God. All
of these look past all natural reason, all natural wisdom. They look beyond everything which
would say otherwise. Every contention and caveling
of man who would say it cannot be, it won't happen. It looked
beyond all these things, it looked beyond all natural reason, and
it waited and it rested. So they believed God, they believed
his gospel, they waited and rested in him, and what did they look
to? What did they look for? There's a common theme that runs
through every example, and this theme is they looked for righteousness,
they looked for salvation, and they looked for inheritance to
come. Abel obtained witness that he was
righteous, he looked for righteousness. Enoch pleased God and he was
delivered, he looked for an inheritance. By faith Noah being warned of
God of things not seen as yet, God said he'd send a storm. When Noah lived the earth had
never seen rain, what Noah was being told would come about and
it came about hundreds of years after he had been told it would
come about he was told to build an ark it's a long time in the
making and he endured a long long time of people laughing
and scorning and saying what on earth are you doing Noah and
he would tell them what God had told them and they'd say that's
ridiculous what are you talking about he'd been told of something
that had never been seen what he'd been told came about it
rained and it rained and it rained like it had never rained so it
was something that had never been seen but he looked for it
and in so doing he was moved with fear prepared enough to
save him off his house by the witch he condemned the world
and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith he looked for
righteousness and look for that salvation and that inheritance
he was brought through from the old world into the new world
he was delivered from that which was against him and brought into
a new world and as such he was a picture of the coming of christ
that ark which is his people's in whom he delivers his people
from the wrath of god upon all that is in this world all that
is of sin all that is natural all that is dead brings him into
a new world and a new inheritance. By faith Abraham when he was
called to go out into a place which he should after receive
for an inheritance, again he looked for an inheritance, he
obeyed, he went out not knowing whither he went. He sojourned
in the land of promise as in a strange country dwelling in
tabernacles. What did he look for? He looked
for a city which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Sarah promised a child against
all natural reason believed she believed he judged him faithfully
were promised therefore sprang there even of one even as 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 all of these
looked for righteousness and they looked for an inheritance
to come they suffered here they endured here They believed the
promise made to them by God. They suffered and endured, and
they rested in that promise. Against all natural reason, they
looked and they waited, and they looked for that righteousness
which God would bring, and that promise of an inheritance, and
of a new earth, and a new heavens, which he would bring in. And
these all died in faith, not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and
embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims
on the earth. This is the walk of faith. If
you've got faith, friends, this is the faith of God select. Our
faith is no different to the faith of Abel, no different to
the faith of Enoch, no different to the faith of Noah, no different
to the faith of Abraham, of Jacob, of Isaac, of Jacob, of Joseph,
of Moses. of Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson,
Jephthah, David, Samuel, all the prophets. It's the same faith. It's the same faith which can
look past everything that the human reason speaks against and
look beyond, look for righteousness. It's the same faith which against
all natural reason will rest in God and rest in his salvation. It's the same faith which looks
to the same place, to the same God, to the same Saviour. You
have these examples, they go through. All these examples.
See this tremendous example of Rahab. Right there at the end. But the walls of Jericho fell
down and she took in the spies. It's a strange example in a way. She hid them from the others.
Some would look upon what Rahab did and think, well, was she
not going against the law, was she not So in the falsehood,
in a way it looks like that but frankly hers was the work of
faith. It wasn't in the letter, it wasn't
in the flesh but she knew that these were sent to God and she
heard the word of God speaking unto her and she believed and
she believed that this was her salvation, lied in this people
who could deliver us from the condemnation that God would send
upon this wicked nation. She believed. All of these believed
and looked for righteousness and the inheritance which would
come. And they looked, and they looked 2,000 years ahead. They
looked for righteousness and where would righteousness come?
Where would it come? They died never having seen the
one whom they looked for. Abel offered up a lamb and knew
what it meant, he knew there would be a lamb sent and he looked
and he looked down through history, Abraham offered up Isaac, accounting
that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, from whence
also he received him in a figure, in a figure of what? In the figure
of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the just one, the just who
lives by faith, the just would bring in faith, the just who
would bring in righteousness, the just who would save all the
household of faith, the just who would give faith, the just
who would lead by faith, the just who would perfect faith,
the just who is the author and finisher of faith. It is a great
company here, a great company of people, a great cloud of witnesses,
Cloud of witnesses set before us, set before us as examples
of faith. Set before us the point to what
faith is. That faith believes God, that
faith looks for righteousness, that faith looks for the inheritance,
that faith trusts God, that faith rests in God, that faith is patient,
that faith doesn't doubt, that faith doesn't put its hand to
things. You'll notice Abraham is quoted,
but we know that Abraham at one point put his hand to things.
He knew God's promise, he believes God's promise but he put his
hand to things, that's not quoted here. Sarah's quoted as believing
in the promise here. But nevertheless, God was merciful
to Abraham's doubting and ultimately Abraham had that faith which
God gave. And Abraham truly did believe
that God would bring about his promise. And that promise came
not through Hagar, not in Ishmael, but through Sarah, even though
she was dead, naturally speaking, and through Isaac. though God
said slay Isaac upon the altar, ultimately Abraham was brought,
though he doubted, though the flesh warred against it, the
spirit was stronger and he rose up and when God told him to offer
up Isaac, he rose up and he looked and he knew that God was able
to offer up, to raise up Isaac from the dead and he knew what
that meant, he knew whom that pointed to, he knew that herein
lied righteousness, there lied salvation, So wherefore, seeing
we also, are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,
such as Abraham, such as Abel, such as Moses, let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and
let us with patience run the race that is set before us. How do we run this race? We've
got no strength. We've not got strength in our
legs to run a race. How can we run a race the same
way they run a race? How can we be patient the same
way they were patient? How can we rest the same way
they rested? How can we believe the same way they believed? In
some natural faith, no. With the faith of God's elect,
that faith which God gives, that faith of which he's the author,
that faith which looks unto Jesus, the author and finisher of 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. Here's your example
of faith, friends. Learn from Mabel, learn from
Isaac, learn from Jacob, learn from Abraham, learn from Moses,
learn from David, Gideon. Wonderful examples of God's work
of faith in his people. But here's the example of faith. Here's the just who lived by
faith. Here's the just. The just shall
live by faith for everyone who like Abel, who are unjust, who
are dead guilty sinners, who yet God brings unto life, whom
God makes just, whom God imputes righteousness, whom God brings
salvation through the blood of his Son. Everyone who is just
shall live by faith. there is one who was just, there
is one who never sinned, there is one who is called the just
one, there is one who was the just, who as Habakkuk says, the
just shall live by his faith, Jesus lived by faith, Jesus is
the author and finisher of faith, Jesus is the one who brings in
faith, He's the one to whom we look. He's the one who lived
by faith. He's the one who gives faith.
It's his faith whom he gives, which he gives to his people.
Oh what an example of faith Christ is. What an example of faith
Christ is. Our faith looks, what does our
faith looks for? Believes God, believes his gospel,
rests in God, trusts God, It accounts that God is able to
raise from the dead. It looks for righteousness. It
looks for an inheritance to come. What did the faith of Jesus Christ
look for? What did it believe? What did
it trust? He believed God. He knew that
God was the creator. He believed God. He sought him. He walked before him. He rested
in him. He was patient. He trusted him. He looked unto God for righteousness.
He accounted that God would be able to raise him from the dead
when he laid down his life for his own. He knew that God would
bring in that inheritance which he promised to him. Jesus trusted. The faith of God, the faith of
Jesus Christ is set before us in so many places through the
scripture. We read Psalm 40 last week, we've read Psalm 22. What
utterances of the faith of Christ. My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me? And then he says of putting his
trust in God. He says of putting his trust
in God. He trusted. The people knew he trusted. Those
who mocked him knew that he trusted. He knew that he was one who spake
often of his father. all the time he said I do not
mine own will but the will of my father it was one who was
wrapped up in his father he spoke not of himself but of his father
all his speech speech was not of himself he didn't go before
others and speak his own thoughts his own wisdom but he spoke of
his father he was wrapped up in his father he lived with his
father his life was a life of communion with his father he
was all about his father he said in psalm 22 he said I will declare
thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation
will I praise thee ye that fear the Lord praise him my praise
shall be of thee in the great congregation and the people mocked
him when he was offered up and nailed to that tree and they
said he trusted in God can he not save himself oh let him come
down let him call angels let him save himself but he didn't
why didn't he Why didn't he? Because he did trust in God.
Because he did live by faith. And he knew that God was able
to raise him from the dead. And he knew that in laying down
his life for his people, he would bring in righteousness for that
people. He knew that when God laid upon his own son the sins
of his own, that God would judge them and would crush them, would
crush him for those sins. But why did he do this? because
he knew that in so doing he would save them and he would bring
in righteousness he would bring in their righteousness and he
would bring them to faith in him he's the author of faith
and the finisher of faith the author these were translated
author and finisher these are but one translation of the greek
it's a much richer word the word author here can mean captain,
chief, forerunner Jesus is the author, the captain, the one
who led by faith, the one who walked by faith, the just one
who went by faith and he's the object of the end, the finisher,
yes he finishes, he perfects our faith but he's the end of
our faith, he's what our faith looks on, what our faith rests
in, he's the captain of faith. How is he the author and the
finisher of faith? Because he's God, he's the creator,
he's the one that brought in the heavens and the earth, He's
the one that created man upon this earth. And he's the one
that quickens mankind, his own. He's the one that quickens all
those whom God gave him unto life. Not in the first Adam,
but in the last Adam. He's a quickening spirit. And
he will bring all his people unto life. And bringing them
unto life, he gives them faith. And he gives them that faith
which points to him. Points to him. He led by faith. And we look to him, walked by
faith. His righteousness that he brings
in through his death, what's it called in Romans 10? It's
the righteousness of faith. His obedience through his life,
what's it called? It's the obedience of faith.
His was a life of faith. It's all of faith, not of works.
He fulfilled the law, he kept the law, he was perfect in every
jot and every tittle. But his was not the works of
the law, it was the life of faith. he fulfilled the law because
he brought in the righteousness of faith by which the law is
fulfilled he brought in the righteousness of God the very righteousness
of God for his people his life was a life of faith and in the
end that life of faith came to that point having lived through
his lifetime it came to that final point that final test of
faith where he would need to look into that abyss where he
would need to look into the darkness of Golgotha where he went to
Gethsemane and he looked at that cup which he would drink and
he looked for that which he must do something which the law never
demanded of him to lay down his life for others the law demanded
his obedience and he rendered obedience throughout his lifetime
as he walked as the just one As he wore up by faith he lived
perfectly, but here he was faced with something which the gospel
and which the covenant, that new covenant which he had made
with his father demanded of him. It had nothing to do with law,
nothing to do with works, but everything to do with faith.
For this which he would do was something that law never demanded,
to lay down his life for those that deserved it not. Something
which none demanded, but that faith which he would bring for
his people. Faith demanded it. His love for
his own demanded it. The new covenant demanded it.
He would do this because he would justify his own. And in so doing,
he would make them just and bring in the righteousness of God for
them. And why did he do it? Why did he get to this point
where he would endure the cross and despise the shame? Why did
he do it? Why did he suffer the agonies
of the tree? Why did he suffer the agonies
of his father judging him? Why? What did his faith look
for? For the joy set before him, the
joy set before him. Faith looks, faith believes,
faith rests, he looked to God, he believed God, he knew his
father would honour that covenant, he knew his father was able to
raise him from the dead. He knew his father would lay
upon him the sins of his people. He knew his father would judge
those sins. He knew his father would take
those sins away. He knew his father would blot
out every sin. He knew his father would bring
in righteousness by that offering. He knew the blood would be accepted. and he knew that the joy set
before him would be honoured, for he looked for righteousness
and he knew that righteousness would come, he looked for an
inheritance and he knew that inheritance was his, he rested
in the promise and he knew that promise would be fulfilled, there
was joy set before him, this joy is set before us as it sets
before him, we look to him who suffered, we look to him who
for joy endured the cross, despise the shame we look to him and
it's the same faith which he had which will bring us through
the days of suffering the same faith which he had which will
bring us through the mocking and the scorning of all men against
us he had everyone rejecting everyone scoff at him everyone
despised him faith brought him through the joy set before him
brought him through faith will bring us through the joy set
before us will bring us through promise of righteousness brought
him through, the promise of righteousness will bring us through, the promise
of an inheritance before him brought him through, the promise
of an inheritance before us will bring us through. He endured,
he endured, that's my last point friends, he endured. don't ever
doubt that he endured faith endures faith is patient let us run with
patience the race that is set before us he have need of patience
for yet a little while and he that shall come will come will
not tarry it seems a long time patience seems to go on forever
it seems a long wait abraham had to wait many years noah had
to wait many years they endured but faith is patient and faith
endures and Christ endures when they nailed him to the tree and
when God laid upon him the sin of his own when he made in darkness
and filth and when God turned his back upon him he suffered
in the darkness for three hours and don't doubt it friends that
three hours was an eternity to the son of God upon that tree
He endured three hours of the outpouring of God's wrath upon
him. Three hours of being cast out,
three hours of being bruised, and every minute of that hour,
every second of that hour seemed like an eternity. When you're
in pain, when you're brought to suffer pain, when you know
the agonies of pain, whatever pain it may be, you will know
something of how just a few minutes seem to be hours. seem to be
hours and you might endure agony for a few minutes until somebody
gives you a painkiller and the pain recedes and it seemed to
go on for hours, don't doubt that when he was in darkness
upon that cross he endured it for hours, it was eternity upon
that cross and why did he endure it? Because he loved his own
with an everlasting love. he loved them with an everlasting
love and he had that faith that joy that joy was set before him
he knew that in so doing that god would be faithful to the
promise and that at the end every sin would be blotted out that
when he drank that cup to the dregs all sin would be done away
with and righteousness of God would be brought in, and that
people would be counted righteous in Him, perfect, saved, pure,
justified, sanctified, holy, delivered, redeemed, ransomed,
saved, brought in to the inheritance of the world to come. And friends,
the just shall live by faith, God gives faith, may God give
me, may he give you, may he be pleased to give all his people
the faith of God's elect, that they might be able to look unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, look unto him, the
author and finisher of faith, before the joy that was set before
him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down
at the right hand of the throne of God. God praise his name.
Amen.