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well good evening welcome back to the house of the Lord I'd ask you to turn your Bibles please to Psalm 20 to begin worship this evening Psalm 20 Psalm 22 the chief musician a psalm of David may the Lord answer you in the day of trouble may the name of the God of Jacob defend you may he send you help from the sanctuary and strengthen you out of Zion may he remember all your offerings and accept your sacrifice Sayla may he grant you according to your heart's desire and fulfill all your purpose we will rejoice in your salvation and in the name of our God we will set up our banners may the Lord fulfill all your petitions now I know that the Lord saves his anointed he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God they have bowed down and fallen that we have risen and stand upright save the Lord may the King answer us when we call amen well please turn with me in your hymn books to respond in worship to with him 166 166 I'll ask you to stand please [Music] [Applause] [Music] amen you may be seated now let's go to God in prayer and ask his blessing to be upon our worship here this evening let's pray our gracious in our loving Heavenly Father we praise you this day father for the greatness of your salvation that you have given to us in the person of your son the Lord Jesus Christ and that is the purpose for which we meet here this night to bring praises and honor and glory to you the God who has saved us from our sins we know Lord that we are wretched we were worthy to be to be damned to hell forever and ever but it was because of your great love that you that you sought after us and you you you removed from us that those stony hearts and gave to us cleansed fleshly hearts that that would that would beat for you and how we pray Lord that you would be pleased to bless this worship service here this evening we delight ourselves the fact that we get to come back in and and come into your house once again to lift our voices and to sing praises to you Father we we know that you are worthy of all worship when we consider that the the expanse of the of the the the creation around us truly all these things be speak of a great God a God who sends the rain and after the rain sends the sunshine to dry up the rain and truly we praise you for your goodness your kindness to us father we praise you for the fact that you have adopted us as your children how we praise you Lord that we are your children that show of the high king of heaven and Lord we just rejoice in the fact that you call us your children did you care for us as your children as well and we know Lord that there's not detail of our lives that you do not for our date and for that we give you our praise and our worship this evening Lord how we praise you that you are God who does love to forgive we pray that you would be pleased to forgive us afresh this night for the sins that we have committed sins of omission sins of commission we know large you to be a gracious God and so we we praise you for that graciousness for that forgiveness that we have in Christ Jesus and we pray though that you would be pleased to hear us now as we seek your blessing to be upon this meeting time here this evening for other be different we do we do pray that the Spirit of the Living God would fall fresh upon this place and fall upon each heart and and mind that as we as we sing praises to you as we worship you and by reading your word and sitting under the word how we pray lo that you would be pleased to Tabernacle here this evening with us bless our pastor strengthen him Lord and body strengthen him in mind in spirit as well to stand here and declare your whole truth we thank you Lord that you've given to us elders and teachers pastors those to instruct at congregations in the Word of God we pray a rich blessing to be a pompous pastor Butler upon upon pastor Fisher in in in Vernon upon Pastor Mike Carr Patrick in in in Surrey how we praise You Father that you bless these men with that with that calling and we pray though that you would be pleased to give to them all they stand in need of this night to bring forth your word father we do pray that we would hear from you this day and we pray we praise you for the word of God for these sixty-six books that we can lay open in our laps and have no fear of those around us coming in amongst us in and disrupting our meeting we praise you Father for the for the for the peace that we do enjoy in this nation of ours and we pray Lord that you would be gracious that you be kind to us as a as a nation that you would give to continue to give to us a peace to be able to meet in the way in which we meet when we consider other parts of the world as we consider this morning there are many places in this world where where there is the threat of violence and there really is genuine violence against your people but we praise you Lord that the Lord Jesus Christ is head of his church and and he has continued to see that church move forward me to March onward and we know the gates of Hell will not prevail against that that church that that is growing and is expanding and will continue until until your enemies are our major footstool so we praise you that we are part of that church Universal and cause us this night Lord to to rejoice in these things we do pray we do pray for those who are amongst us known to us who are sick who are ill this evening not able to be with us we do pray law that you administer to each of them on their sick beds cause them Lord to be rejoicing in you this night we know Lord that we as we continue in this Laura world certainly our bodies are our weekly we we are affected with the with with with with the nature that that we've been that we have the human nature that is affected by sin we pray that you would cause cause those who are who are who do experience the special difficulty we pray they would know a touch of your grace this this night and this day for the for this day and for the week ahead we pray your rich blessing to be upon each and every one of them and known to you father we pray that they would they would revel in the fact that their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life and they are headed for eternity where they will sit around the throne singing praises to that to that one who saved them who saved their their their never dying soul so let me praise you that this is the hope of all who are in Christ Jesus and we pray Lord that you would bless these things too to each of our thoughts and minds and cause us Lord each and every day to to to live as unto you help us to live out the gospel as it were as we hear the word of God preached here we pray they would have an effect upon our lives that we would be sanctified and that we would put on the Lord Jesus Christ each and every day so they'd live so we might live in this world amongst those who do not know you and that we would be a light a gospel light that to those who are who are perishing we do pray so Laurie just ask your blessing upon our time together bless us in worship we desire to lift up our voices and sing and praise you this night and it's in Jesus precious name we pray amen well please turn with me in your hymn books to the second hem 223 223 and again I'll ask you to stand please [Music] amen you may be seated and turn with me your Bibles to Genesis chapter 13 Genesis 13 if you remember back in Genesis chapter 12 Abram really doesn't come out of the chapter well he's certainly he that's the wonder of the Bible is we see the the nitty-gritty that the good and the bad and certainly in the life of Abraham things didn't fare well for Abraham in Chapter 12 but chapter 13 it really is a change he begins by worshiping God in the first four verses and then really we see it's a walk of faith after that and so therefore I would hope that we would be encouraged ourselves here in 2019 it's a walk of faith each and every day and yeah we may falter yeah we may stumble yeah there may be some transgressions along the way but we have a forgiving God a God who is gracious a God who is merciful and a God who desires that we would be a people who had walked by faith so I say that ahead of time so that we might kind of enter into the chapter as we as we read it and then I won't comment at the at the end so this is a Genesis chapter 13 beginning verse 1 we'll read the whole chapter then Abram went up from Egypt he and his wife and all that he had and locked with him to the south Abram was very rich in livestock in silver and in gold and he went on his journey from the south as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Bethel and AI to the place of the altar which he had made there at first and there Abraham called on the name of the Lord lot also who went with Abram had flocks and herds and tents now the land was not able to support them that they might dwell together for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abrams livestock and the herdsmen herdsmen of Lots livestock the Canaanites and the perizzites then dwelt in the land so Abram said the lot please let there be no strife between you and me and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen for we are brethren is not the whole land before you please separate from me if you take the left then I will go to the right or if you go to the right then I will go to the left and locked lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan that it was well watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah like the garden of the Lord like the land of Egypt as you go towards or then lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan and lot journeyed East and they separated from each other Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan and lot dwell in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom but the manna Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord and the Lord said to Abram after lot had separated from him lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are northward southward eastward and westward for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever and I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth so that if a man could number the dust of the earth then your descendants also could be numbered arise walk in the land through its length and its width before I give it to you then Abram moved his tent and went and dwelt in the terebinth trees of my memory which are in Hebron and built an altar there to the Lord amen let's pray our gracious and our loving Heavenly Father we we desire to - - to see the life of Abraham here as a as a life of or a walk of faith and Lord we desire - to have that same walk of faith we pray Lord that we would not walk with our eyes upon this earth but rather that we that our walks in the Christian life and in 2019 would be walks of faith trusting you believing you each and every day even when difficulties lie ahead even when difficulties lie within yet father we would walk with you and we would seek you and lay our lay our prayers and petitions before you and seek your face and father we know you to be a gracious God a God who does answer our prayers and all we can pray is that you would answer according to your good and perfect will and cause our hearts and our minds to accept that you embrace that which you have for each one of us so Lord we do pray that in this in this journey in this lower world that you would help us that you would cause us to to have minds that would accept the things that you have laid out for us and we do pray Lord that in our walk of faith we would be encouraged but also ultimately that you would be honored you horrified in the way in which we would conduct ourselves in this lore war people in this lower world prepare us for that for that eternal home father and we know it is sometimes through difficulty it is sometimes through through things that we perhaps don't wish upon ourselves yet father in all those things you you have promised to never leave us and never forsake us and and see us safely through into Emmanuel's land so well we look forward to that when I created you would help us now and in this next hour as we listen to the preaching that father you would use it to sanctify our lives according to your word and cause it Lord to be a blessing so that we might have it in order to in order to direct our lives in in the days ahead we do thank you from for the for the preciousness of your word and we pray though that your spirit might descend and enliven and quicken that word to each one of us we do pray in Jesus precious name Amen well please turn with me in your Bibles to the lost to him which is 32 B 32 B Alaska stand please [Music] we could turn with me in your Bibles to Hebrews 10 figured it would be a good idea to finish that chapter at Hebrews chapter 10 our focus this evening will be verses 32 to 39 but I do want to begin reading in chapter 10 at verse 19 Hebrews chapter 10 beginning in verse 19 therefore brethren having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh and having a high priest over the house of God let us draw near 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 confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful and let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the Day approaching for if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries anyone who has rejected Moses law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses of how much worse punishment do you suppose will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot counted the blood of the Covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing and insulted the spirit of grace for we know Him who said vengeance is mine I will repay says the Lord and again the Lord will judge his people it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God but recall the former days in which after you were illuminated you endured a great struggle with sufferings partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated for you had compassion on me and my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods knowing that you have better and in and in in in and in in during possession for yourselves in heaven therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward for you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise for yet a little while and he who is coming will come and will not tarry now the just shall live by faith but if anyone draws back my soul has no pleasure in him but we are not of those who draw back to perdition but of those who believe to the saving of the soul amen - let us pray father in heaven we thank you again for the Word of God we thank you for this section in the book of Hebrews and the the great encouragement and an emphasis upon endurance and perseverance and the Christian faith god I pray that we as people the people of God in this in this particular church would receive these things we would take them to heart that we would be challenged that we would be exhorted that we would be encouraged God we confess at times we grow weary and at times we have these need for reminders of what you've done in the past and our responsibility now in the present and God we just pray that your Holy Spirit would gird us up with strengthen us in this way for new believers god I pray that this would be an encouragement for them and for older believers those who have been at it for some time I pray that it would just stir each one up to love and good works and to faithfulness before our Holy and our gracious God do forgive us now for our sins and please fill us with your Holy Spirit and guide us according to your blessed Providence that we may glorify and honor you in this world and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen remember that this section is the practical application of all that has gone before the Apostle here in verse 19 says therefore he starts to flesh out the life of the Christian the way that they are to respond and here specifically in chapter 10 there is this encouragement and exhortation for the people of God to use the resources that they have been given there's this warning concerning apostasy tucked in the middle in verses 26 to 31 and then he comes back to this emphasis on inker on endurance and perseverance in verses 30 37 - I'm sorry 32 to 39 I just told my wife I need to beef these up that's not as strong and I don't see as clearly as I thought so from 32 to 39 he read exhort Sri encourages to perseverance and then in chapter 11 the great hall of faith he displays the persons that have gone before and shows that the things they did were by faith chapter 12 he then points the people of God to Jesus as a constant prod for us to go forward if we are not going forward if we are stagnant in our faith likely we will be to fall back to fall into the apostasy that we are warned about in verses 26 to 31 so a bulk of this practical section beginning here in 1019 and continuing through chapter 12 or at least halfway into chapter 12 is all about the people of God persevering enduring do not give up do not grow sluggish do not grow complacent do not be lazy in this particular context do not kowtow to the pressures around you but rather continue to run with endurance the race that is set before you looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith as we look at this particular section the basic theme is the past as a present reminder the Apostle points them back to their history and to the things that they had gone through not to show them initially how strong and mighty they were and how they need to get back to that point but rather to highlight the faithfulness of God this is not new ground for them to suffer these pressures to suffer these issues to engage with these hardships they found this at the very beginning of their Christian faith and God was their God was faithful to sustain them and to give them the grace to persevere and here now that that's the reminder that same God that was present at the beginning is present with you now and as purpose to be so in the future so let's look first at the reminder of former days in verses 32 to 34 and then secondly the exhortation to persevere in verses 35 to 39 notice what he says there in verse 32 this is an imperative it is a command it is something the people of God are supposed to do recall the former days recall the former days think back to God's faithfulness in your life think back to how God has sustained you in the past think back to his presence among you in the min the midst of trial and suffering and affliction do not forget the proven faithfulness of God for the present he goes on to highlight these former days in which after you you were illuminated and this illumination or enlightenment recalls the reception of the Christian gospel their conversion their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and it is intriguing that often times when people come to the Savior the immediate effect is some sort of trial in their lives it is some sort of hardship or difficulty in their lives that's not always the case certainly there have been those who have been born again and it goes for a time until the heat hit some affliction or some difficult faith but think back to King David when David is anointed by Samuel in first key First Samuel chapter 16 what immediately happens when the Spirit comes upon him his life has changed and not for the better David is then hunted by Saul he is persecuted by Philistines he has trouble all around think about our Lord Jesus Christ he is baptized the Spirit of God comes upon him and then in chapter 4 verse 1 in Matthew's Gospel the spirit drives Jesus out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil for 40 days in Acts chapter 14 the Apostle Paul is preaching and he says we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of heaven this is the common lot of the people of God if you are wondering why bad things are happening to you that's really an inaccurate thing to wonder the idea is it isn't that I can't believe that bad things are happening to such a great guy like that like me the the reality is why do any good things happen to the sorts of people that we actually are I've told you before CS Lewis wrote that little book like the problem of pain John Gurda wrote the problem of pleasure the issue isn't the problem of pain in a world filled with sinners pain is a legitimate sort of corollary the problem is is that sinners actually get to enjoy good things that is what is problematic but in the Christian life there will be tribulation our Lord promised that our Lord exhorted his disciples in the upper room concerning that and here the Apostle tells them recall the former days in which after you were illuminated you endured a great struggle with sufferings the Apostle calls on them to remember their attitude when they were first converted in the perseverance that they engaged in at that particular time Calvin says the remembrance then of past warfare if it had been carried on faithfully and diligently under the banner of Christ is at length useful to us not as a pretext for sloth as though we had already served our time Lords it's not the case that the Lord I've already served I've already had a hard duty I've already had this suffering I should be able to do skate now I should be able to just sort into heaven or skip my way in Calvin says no it's not supposed to be a pretext for sloth as though we had already served our time but to render us more active in finishing the remaining part of our course in other words he wants them to remember the faithfulness of God that they knew at that time when they had been illuminated and when they had endured a great struggle with sufferings he then indicates the sort of sufferings that they had suffered in the next - in the next phrase notice what he says partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated that's an amazing statement these persons that had received the gospel had been made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations it shouldn't take us much to consider in terms of what this means it means what we see in the book of Acts remember unbelieving Israel the Jewish leaders and the people of Israel that denied and rejected Jesus Christ made life difficult for the people of God we saw that in the reading this morning the Apostles are arrested the Apostles are beaten the Apostles will ultimately be executed for the cause of god and truth and the believers likewise suffered these sorts of things and if we ask the question why does God do this that's a question that I don't doubt has arisen in the hearts perhaps of some here why does God do this why is it that we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of heaven why was it necessary for these Hebrew Christians to have gone through the things that they go through or the sorts of things that you and I have endured of the things that you and I have persevered through we ask the question why well I think the Bible affords us an excellent and excellent answer and I think John Owen has sort of summarized it well he says it is usual with God thus to deal with his people in all ages he no sooner calls persons to himself but he leads them into the wilderness he no sooner plants them but he shakes them with storms that they may be more firmly rooted he goes on to say he does it one utterly to take off their expectations from this world or anything there in other words we don't want to be too attached to this world so God in His mercy and grace brings these afflictions so that we don't count this as our eternal home he says secondly for the trial of their faith remember Abraham take your son your only son the son that you love take them up on Mount Moriah and sacrifice you three for the glory and propagation of the gospel such that when we are going through these sorts of things we don't whine or grumble or complain and persons around us say how in the world can you maintain composure and stability in the midst of everything collapsing around you because it's for the glory of God it's for the exaltation of Jesus Christ it is to bring honor to his great name he says fourthly for the exercise of all graces if we were not tried or afflicted all the graces God has supplied would not be exorcised he says fifthly to breed us up into the military discipline of Christ as he is the captain of our salvation he finally finally says they who pass through their first trials are Christ's veterans on new attempts that's an excellent sort of compendium or summary statement as to why the people of God go through these these sorts of things go to other portions of Scripture second Corinthians chapter one why do you and I go through hardship and affliction in that context it's to encourage and to comfort other persons that go through those things as well in other words those veterans who've been tried and proven by God are able then to speak to the younger among us and to encourage them to faithfulness and diligence in the light of the various afflictions and trials that people suffer so these Hebrew Christians had been made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations and as well they had partnered with those who were so persecuted and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated they didn't abandon them they didn't jump ship from them go back to Philippians chapter 1 for just a moment Philippians chapter 1 I think there's an illustration of this in the life and Ministry of the Apostle Paul Philippians chapter 1 at verse 12 he says I want you to know brethren that the things which happen to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel if I were to ask you where was Paul when he wrote Philippians you might say well he was in a hotel and he was you know didn't have Wi-Fi and he had some time on his hands and he couldn't play Angry Birds and he just thought he penned this epistle Paul was in jail this is one of the prison epistles Philippians is a prison epistle the Apostle had been in jail on two occasions but in this instance is that the first time says I want you to know brethren that the things which happen to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel see why he says that persons would say well Paul's in prison this must stop the kingdom of God Paul the great apostle to the Gentiles is in prison that means there's no more progress so we can do this or be tempted to do this when there is a man or men that we think are very successful in terms of gospel ministry we begin to put them on pedestals and we begin to think that the kingdom of God depends upon them Paul says that's not the way it is Jesus is building his church says the things that have happened to me it actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel now for Paul concretely it meant this verse 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard and to all the rest that my chains are in Christ so if Paul is chained and the guards are asking him what's he in for he's not saying well you know I've been framed I was you know shortchanged in the courtroom I have these people that just don't like me I'm here because of Jesus I'm here because of the Nazarene I'm here because of the god man who took on our humanity who lived and died and rose again on our behalf so in terms of the palace guard they've got the gospel verse 14 he says and most of the Brethren and the Lord having become confident by my chains are much more bold to speak the word without fear a whiff of persecution is a good thing in the life and context of the Church of Jesus Christ that helps us to shake off slothfulness and to be diligent with reference to our service to God now notice in verse 15 some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife and some also from goodwill the former preach Christ from selfish ambition not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my chains there were those who didn't like Paul there were those who did at risk fat Paul there were those who held Paul in contempt and Paul understood that and knew that he was a spectacle as far as they were concerned he was somebody that they had in fact abandoned but there were those who supported him he goes on in verse 17 but the latter out of love knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel and I love verse 18 what then only that in every way whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached and in this I rejoice yes and will rejoice comparing this with Galatians want Paul condemns anybody that twists or distorts the gospel anybody changes the gospel anybody twists it but he adds a nuance or tries to supplement or try to take away from it Paul says may the wrath and fury and judgment of God be upon their heads in this context Paul knew there were people out there preaching that didn't like Paul perhaps they were doing it to spite Paul but nevertheless they were preaching the truth and as far as Paul was concerned he didn't care about their motivation if they were upset with Paul or they wanted to sort of needle Paul Paul was concerned with the gospel being propagated even if it was from man who had contempt for Paul but this happens brethren had happened in 2nd Timothy with reference to the Apostle as well turn to 2nd Timothy chapter 1 just making the point there are those who suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ and there are those who abandon those who suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ these Hebrew Christians recalling their their the days the former days when they were illuminated they endured reproach and tribulations on their own part but they also partnered with others they didn't abandon those who had need of them notice in 2nd Timothy chapter 1 at verse 13 hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus that good thing which was committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us here's an exhortation for Timothy to faithfulness and to perseverance now he gives examples of those who are ashamed of the gospel who are ashamed of Paul look back for just a moment to verse 8 Paul says therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God he then exhort stimm ëthey to faithfulness and perseverance and to hold fast and to keep by the holy spirit are that good thing which is committed to you keep now he gives these examples in a negative sense in verses 15 and following this you know that all those in Asia have turned away from me among who marked by jealous and her Majin ease the Lord grant mercy to the household of Vanessa for us for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain but when he arrived in Rome he sought me out and very zealous Lee and found me the Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that day and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus so these Hebrew Krish were like onesa forest they were not like fie jealous and her marginese but rather they stood by not only when they themselves suffered persecution but they stood by others as they suffered persecution also other words they remembered the prisoners in other words they had compassion on the prisoners they were concerned for their fellow Saints that were under pressure and then he gives specific examples of that notice the manifestation of their conduct verse 33 partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations partly while you became companions of those who were so treated and then he says first for you have had or you had compassion on me in my chains now there's a reading that says on the prisoners there's no funnel mat fundamental difference the idea is whether it was Paul or whether it's Christian prisoners at large they had compassion now compassion doesn't simply mean a sympathy toward them but a compassion that we find in the New Testament is a compassion that is filled with good words it's not only to remember them but it's also to pray for them it's also to assist them and aid them and help them typically prison system back then wasn't three hots and a cot if you're going to eat your friends brought you food and some Christians demonstrated faithfulness to their brothers and sisters by bringing them food you continue on in the book of Philippians Paul commends the church and specifically a path for Titus for having brought gifts to Paul again that wasn't a good Wi-Fi connection it wasn't you know slippers for his feet that cold Sal but it was rather food it was the sort of thing that would have kept him alive and so he commends the church in Philippi for having sent a path from having sent upon Titus to alleviate his need for food so he says you have had compassion on me in my chains and then notice joyfully accepting the plundering of your goods they joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods now that's a kind of an interesting statement does that mean that the feds come in and they start carding line for everything often you got a big smile on your face and you say take it take it I don't know that that's necessarily what it means this could have been state-sponsored but it was most likely mob violence directed against the people of God I think the joyfully accept that isn't praising and applauding while your stuff is heading out the door but it's that resolute composure under these trials knowing that God Most High is over this that God most high is sovereign and that God Most High has orchestrated even that for my good and for his glory and then notice what he goes on to say knowing that you have a better and enduring possession for yourselves in heaven so all of this is recall the former days all of this is how you lived in the past this should serve to fortify you in the present and prepare you for the future Dale Ralph Davis in his commentary one of the commentaries on the former prophets says we stand in the present but dwell on the past in order that we can be steadfast for the future I think that's the thrust of many of the Psalms in the Psalter it is to recall what God has done in the past especially the songs described to Asaph Asaph was a sorrowful fellow Asaph was a melancholic man Asaph certainly knew suffering and hardship and pain but Asaph continually rehearses the faithfulness of God and oftentimes throughout the Psalter the psalmist points back to the Exodus while there may note may not be the sort of manifestation or demonstration of God's power in the present we know the Exodus and we know what he did in terms of bringing out the children of Israel from that Egyptian bondage that would stabilize and steady the soul in the present when those sorts of manifestations of God were not occurring and that's the emphasis of the Apostle in this instance but one of the ways or one of the means by which they were able to enter into the lives of to their own suffering the way that they were enter into the suffering of others the way that they could joyfully accept the plundering of their goods is because they had this heavenly orientation notice that that's exactly what he says at the end of verse 34 knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven turn to 11 chapter 11 verse 2024 chapter 11 verse 24 by faith Moses when he became of age refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin notice esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt for he looked to the reward such a recurring emphasis in this epistle you need to consider heaven you need to ponder glory you need to realize that our citizenship is there were simply pilgrims in this particular land look at chapter 12 at verse 1 therefore we also since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him see that future orientation same sort of thing in chapter 10 you joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods knowing that you have this eternal possession in your future Moses was able to suffer reproach for Christ with the people of Christ because he esteemed the greater riches in the future same with the Lord Jesus who for the joy that was set before him the glory of God and the salvation of manifold souls who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God so back in our text in chapter 10 verse 34 knowing that you have a better and enduring possession for yourselves in heaven he's calling them to recover that he's calling them to revive that he's calling for them to stir that back up in their hearts if when they were first illuminated or enlightened if when they were first born again they suffered these various hardships they were able to do so by considering God by considering that future inheritance the emphasis of the Apostle is to do that right now do not recant do not go back do not leave the Lord Jesus Christ this passage is parallel with what we see in second Corinthians 4:17 2:18 for our light affliction which is but for a moment that doesn't make sense to us when we're in it does it we walk by faith brethren not by sight and I realized that some people go through years seasons extended prolonged times of hardship affliction and suffering it may not seem like a momentary light affliction that's why Paul wrote it because he wants us to ponder the the specific issues that dot the map here versus Eternity to come when we've been there ten thousand years bright shining as the Sun we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun and we're certainly not going to be thinking back to you know 1998 when somebody said such and such about me and that's not gonna be on the horizon or we're not gonna think back even to that season wherein we suffered great affliction except maybe to praise God for having brought us through it so this momentary light affliction doesn't seem like it at the time but that's why we need to come to taks like this to inform our minds and hearts for our light affliction which is but for a moment is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporary but the things which are not seen are eternal so you see we have these emphases in Scripture because they're contrary to the way that we typically function we get into a mess and that consumes us we get into a trial and everything collapses around us we have some hardship and we forget everything the Bible ever said that's why in so many instances this theme is replete how many times in the Old Testament does God tell his people do not fear is it just because God wants to tell them do not fear or is it because the default mechanism in the heart of man is to fear why do you think we have to be reminded and encouraged to look beyond the affliction to that exceeding weight of glory because it is contrary to what we typically do we need these emphases we need to be preached to we need to read we need to listen to sermons on we need to have this fortification in our hearts and notice what he says you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven it endures what we face now is momentary light affliction in the sovereign Providence of God it isn't typically the case that somebody is born again and then they face constant non-stop misery until the day they die unless you know they died 15 minutes later and they you know have a rough spot there but but God in His grace for the most part that the son looks like it might be shining right my brother prayed that way the rain comes and the Sun comes that that's pretty much the way the the ebb and the flow of the Christian life is I have yet to meet somebody that has said ever since I confessed faith in Christ my life has been a zero it has been a goose egg it has been nothing but hardship trial and affliction now sometimes we say that in a hyperbolic manner but then we need to recount that yeah we had a good steak last week we you know we got to smile and laugh at the grandkids way yeah and there's something right there's something that that isn't affliction that with reference to the eternal weight of glory it's enduring so whatever we face now it is a momentary light affliction it is vanishing it is going away it's not going to be our lot and eternity to suffer reproach to suffer tribulation to be called upon to partner with those who do know it is going to give away to a place where there is enduring bliss blessing and the presence of God Almighty to continually chair the believers soul that's a reminder of former days now notice the exhortation to persevere in verses 35 to 39 verse there five therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward see he he calls them to remember the past and now he tells them to continue faithfully in the present brethren this to me seems to be one of the areas that we need to visit a lot I think that there is a tendency or a temptation in us to throw up our hands and say I don't want to keep going forward because this is tough you know the idea of not sinning how well does that work for us where we're called to be holy as God is holy we're called in Matthew 5:48 to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect so we wake up on Thursday morning would say we want we don't want to sin we want to be holy we want to be perfect that lasts how long in your experience not typically a long time if you make it you know - if you wake up at six and you make it to 601 in that frame that's probably an accomplishment that could be discouraging can't it we're told to put on the Lord Jesus Christ at and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts and yet we find this principle in us Lisa V Romans 7 where we're not putting on the Lord Jesus as we are and we are not putting to death the deeds of the body as we ought and it can be discouraging everybody's looking puzzled that doesn't discourage you you called to be holy and you're not that's a big fat discouragement in my life but nevertheless this is the sorts of things or these are the sorts of things we need constant reminder of and he tells them therefore do not cast away your confidence do not cast away your hope do not cast away your soul ultimately but rather you go forward because it has great reward the book of Hebrews is punctuated throughout by reward we've already seen it with Moses you see it with Jesus you see it encouraged upon or by the Apostle encouraging the people of God there is great reward it's just back to 11 ponder the emphasis in in the Moses section Moses our verse 23 of chapter 11 by faith Moses when he was born was hidden three months by his parents because they saw he was a beautiful child and they were not afraid of the king's command by faith Moses when he became of age refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin notice brothers and sisters I don't want to discourage you further if you're already in that sort of morass but there is a an appeal to sin when we sin it's because there's something desirable in us we don't sin because we hate it we want nothing to do with it there's something there enticing something there that sort of gets its its its its hand around our throat and draws us in and and the text acknowledges that they did that there's a pleasure associated with sin but we need to recall that it's a passing pleasure and then Moses esteeming the reproach of Christ interesting choice of terms the reproach of Christ that's what Moses was enduring during that era during that age Christ the reproach of Jesus Christ greater riches what God holds out is far more excellent than the treasures in Egypt for he looked to the reward verse 27 by faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible you see we walk by faith and not by sight we have these momentary light affliction but there is the succeeding weight of glory in our future we need to consider and ponder that reward see Christianity isn't moong Curry it's not suffering for suffering sake you know the monks did things like put ashes in their soup would you ever do that kids mom serves you a nice heaping steaming hot bowl of good soup and and you put ashes in there cuz you're not really supposed to enjoy it my wife's probably saying that's what you would do if you're not supposed to enjoy it or they'd wear hair shirts because we shouldn't have any comfort I mean after all we're sinners and hair shirts you know not not cashmere but hair that afflicts you and then some would you know sit on these big tall poles just soft for suffering sake that's not Christianity that's not what Moses did Moses was looking forward to the reward it's more like this suffer now with the people of God and enjoy the blessing of heaven or have the passing pleasures of sin in Egypt and end up in hell it seems a simple option doesn't it it seems a simple transaction and it's something that the people of God need to ponder we need to consider our heavenly state we need to think through the implications of glory we need to consider the reality that one day we shall see him as he is notice in verse 36 after the exhortation given in verse 35 do not cast away your confidence which has great reward verse 36 gives the reasons why first of all they need to persevere need to endure you have need of endurance this is for every Christian it's every Christians need to endure or to persevere to not give up to not throw up their arms to not act like a child having a tantrum at Walmart saying now I don't want to do it you've been called to do it God graciously supplies the resources for you to do it now get up and do it that is our mandate and then it goes on to speak concerning the will of God for you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God it's not intriguing the will of God includes suffering the will of God includes trial the will of God includes affliction the will of God includes hardship I've said it many many times before Romans 8:28 we know that God causes all things to work for for good to those who love him to those who are the called according to his purpose he wouldn't need to tell us that for good things would he we know that God causes you no job promotions to work for good for course that's a no-brainer we know that God causes obedient children to work for good do you see the sign on the church on the corner children I forget what it was still something about children is the way of sanctification for PETA's actually good a good sign on that particular church the bottom line is what reference to this particular issue we need to understand that with reference to the will of God there is suffering there is hardship there is affliction and he has purposed it according to Paul in Romans 8:28 for our good all things work for our good look at 1st Peter chapter 4 to see this very clearly by another apostle 1st Peter chapter 4 basically how to deal with persecution how to engage when you are being persecuted verse 17 for the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God and if it begins with us first what will be the end of those who do not do not obey the gospel of God now if the righteous one is scarcely saved where will the ungodly and the sinner appear therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to him and doing good as to a faithful creator a brethren that's a tough statement in some sense it's not tough if you're a reformed it's not tough if you're Calvinists is not tough if you understand theology and doctrine it's not tough in that sort of a context it is tough when you're laying on your sick bed it is tough when you've been hit by a car it is tough when you've contracted some you know disease it is tough when your family collapses around you it is tough to remember this but we need to commit our souls to him in doing good as to a faithful creator because hardship and affliction and trial and car crashes and the dissolution of family and diseases and all those sorts of things are under the sovereignty of God it's one thing to acknowledge this is a five-point Calvinist it's another thing to submit to that Providence when it doesn't necessarily go our way and that's the emphasis of the Apostles in the New Testament in a context where the people of God were suffering in a way that you and I aren't they had the unbelieving Jews initially persecuting the church I mentioned before that the Roman Empire didn't mess with the church at the first because they saw the churches subset of Judaism Judaism was tolerated in the Empire for the most part the Empire left Judaism alone therefore Christianity pretty much got a pass but the unbelieving Jews certainly persecuted the Christians and as time went on specifically under Nero we see more an antipathy from the state against the people of God against Christianity and you see that throughout history but in this New Testament context much of the documentation is like orders for the battlefield because it was precisely that they were in a spiritual battle that had physical ramifications and the Apostles were their guides encouragers eggs orders and helpers to keep them going back to Hebrews chapter 10 for you have need of endurance so that after you've done the will of God you may receive the promise deniz interlacing that theme of reward and promise all along the way it's not suffering for suffering sake there's no nobility or virtue in just suffering that's not what Scripture teaches there is this mindset out there that if I suffer and I'm miserable then that's true piety and true holiness and true godliness no it isn't its faithful steadfastness and perseverance in the midst of that with a disposition of joy not because you're in the midst of suffering but because of what God has for you in the future and then notice finally in this section he appeals to Scripture in verses 37 and 38 there is this appeal to scripture now the emphasis will look at the particular text in just a moment but the emphasis is on faith it's on faith look at for yet a little while and he was coming will come and will not tarry now the just shall live by faith but if anyone draws back my soul has no pleasure in him now in terms of faith we look at this context and I've already mentioned on several occasions perseverance endurance steadfastness going forward how do we do that by faith in the Son of God who loved us and who gave himself for us in other words we don't just persevere and we don't just endure devoid from the courage and gospel we don't do it apart from the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and who gave himself for me brethren Christian perseverance is Christian perseverance there are Stoics and Spartans that can endure and and persevere through a whole lot of misery look at the US Navy SEALs I mean their training alone shows a degree of steadfastness and perseverance that I don't typically see in the church but that doesn't mean they're godly that doesn't mean they're righteous that doesn't mean they're it doesn't mean that some of them aren't but you get the point Christian perseverance is Christian perseverance we draw strength by faith in the Son of God who loved us and who gave himself for us John Owen makes the observation now this is a bit of sort of Owen the way that Owen writes is a bit difficult I think for modern readers but if you get the content of what he is saying it is profound it is absolutely spot-on he says unto this end he commends unto them the necessary use of confidence and patience as those graces which would carry them through their difficulties and support them under them but these graces are not the route whereon constancy and perseverance do grow they are all branches of it they do not give strength unto the soul to do and suffer according to the mind of God but they are the way whereby it doth exercise its strength which it hath from another grace he says it is faith from whence alone all these things do sprang so what's the answer for Christian perseverance and Christian endurance reach your Bible attend church pray to God Almighty say with that man lord I believe help thou my unbelief the way of perseverance is not your stronger and more powerful and more mighty than your fellows but because you have faith in a God who is stronger and more powerful and mighty than any fellows there could ever be it is faith in Christ that is the primary means by which we fulfill what God has given to us and then the two tax it's what's called a conflation he takes two tax brings them together to present one idea it's Isaiah 26 28 21 and a back ik two three and four and essentially what these two text together does is it communicates a contrast between the righteous person who lives by faith and the wicked person who shrinks back from doing the will of God I think you'll appreciate the connection in light of the context notice what he says for yet a little while and he who is coming will come and will not tarry now the just shall live by faith but if anyone draws back my soul has no pleasure in him the drawing back conditioned by the context means those who commit apostasy the drawing back are those described in verses 26 to 31 who when it gets tough give in who when it gets hard give up who when it becomes challenging say no more and so the Apostle here collects these two verses and highlights or emphasizes this particular lesson the just shall live by faith isn't that Habakkuk passage isn't that invoked by the apostle on several occasions in the New Testament typically in the context of justification but it has its use in sanctification because we just cry stone ischl II were justified freely by His grace but it doesn't mean we stop believing we continue to believe for the life of sanctification and that's the emphasis of the Apostle in this instance essentially we could sort of translate Habakkuk to this way the justified by faith shall live by his steadfast trust in the promises of God Almighty so this is where he sort of brings this exhortation to bear and then as I said he amplifies it and displays that are rather develops it in Hebrews chapter 11 there is the closest of connections between chapters 10 and 11 sometimes that number 11 there throws us off sometimes we put a disjunctive sort of a break in between chapters that are supposed to go together sort of a salt and pepper thing it just goes together you don't use one without the other you shouldn't read chapter 10 without chapter 11 you should see them in their continuity and the emphasis of the apostle to underscore all that he has said in terms of the people of God enduring and persevering and not giving up their confidence based on what faith in the Living Christ and then he points back to all of the heroes of the faith and history and says this is essentially how they lived this is how the patriarchs did it we've been going through Genesis and are in our Wednesday night studies how does Abraham do the sorts of things that Abraham does it's by faith how does Isaac do the things that Isaac does by faith how does Jacob do the things that Jacob does by faith how does Moses do the things that you get the point that's what he does he goes from the patriarchs he goes to Moses he goes to the ma pre monarchy he goes to the monarchy and he emphasizes the faith of God's people to endure fact he sort of caps encapsulates at all at the end of chapter 11 notice what he says in verse 32 what more shall I say for the time would fail me to tell of gideon and barrack and samson and jeff thought also of david and samuel in the prophets who through faith subdued kingdoms worked righteousness obtained promises stopped the mouths of lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong became valiant in battle turned to flight there the armies of the aliens women received their dead raised to life again others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection still others had trial of mockings and scourgings yes end of chains and imprisonment they were stoned they were sawn in two were tempted were slain with the sword they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins being destitute afflicted tormented whom the world was not worthy they wandered in deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth and all these having obtained a good testimony through faith did not receive the promise God having provided something better for us that they should not be made perfect apart from us you see the emphasis in the sack shet you're not gonna persevere and endure because you're mighty you're gonna endure and persevere because Jesus is mighty and you need to get your faith on him for the present battle you need to recall what happened in the past when you had these sufferings when you had these hardships who was there to deliver you who saw you through as you look back at your life let's say you've been a Christian for years and you've gone through some difficulties and smart chips how did you get to this point because of your grit and determination most of you would say well I hope all of you it's hey wasn't my grit and determination it certainly wasn't my grit and determination if these walls could talk boy they tell you this guy collapsed over in that corner one time I didn't think it was gonna get up how do I get up it wasn't my grit and determination my wife will tell you didn't have that kind of grit and determination it's God its Christ it's the power of the Christian gospel and then he applies this specifically to his hearers in verse 39 we are not of those who draw back to perdition we're not the apostates of 26 to 31 we are not those people we may have remaining corruption we may not live according to the light that we have we may falter we may fumble we may sin we may do this out of the other but we are not those persons those apostasy that draw back unto perdition he says rather we are those who believe to the saving of the soul the saving of the soul is connected with the belief of the truth and not to our perseverance and endurance so while he gives this warning while he surrounds it with exhortation he has confidence in his audience that they are not apostates that they by grace will go forward that they will evidence and demonstrate that they have in fact had faith in the Son of God who loved them and who gave himself for them now in terms of some concluding thoughts the first thing is based on the first section in our passage the necessity of remembering the past the necessity of remembering the past now you might think that brings us into conflict with Philippians chapter 3 Paul says I forget the things that are passed and I reach forward to the things that are that are ahead I don't think that's what the the way we ought to understand that we forget the past in terms of our sin in terms of our you know so-called religious accomplishments whatever it was that kept us from Christ Paul Paul wouldn't say don't recall the the past when God vindicated you when God delivered you when God brought victory to you in the midst of great suffering so we need to recall where we've been in order to study us in the present to equip us for the future so I really want to encourage all of us I want to encouraged the young people the children I love it when you know the young people they want to get baptized they want to make that confession of faith I get to meet with somebody else God willing next Saturday to talk about baptism that's a thrill and a joy to see kids that that have grown up and and and then they own the Savior you know you hear this all over all the other kids are leaving the churches in mass and and and I'm not saying no kids have ever left our church but it is encouraging when kids don't leave and when kids do confess and when kids do get baptized kids means anybody under 53 and when they want to go forward with our Lord God Most High so I want to encourage you that Christianity is everything it's not a Sunday sort of thing it's not you know just a few moments of each day Christianity is all encompassing Christianity is an orientation Christianity is is all-consuming and and it's glorious because Christ is glorious he's altogether lovely in chief among 10,000 and God willing you'll sign up by grace in your early dates and God willing by grace you will persevere to the very end I think it was Wesley that said our people died well now there are exceptions sometimes you have a Robert Robinson or you have a a William Cooper you have a Salomon you have these guys that don't necessarily know who / might have died well but he certainly had some issues while he was alive for the most part the people of God died well that's because our God is faithful to see us to the very end and that is the recurring emphasis of Holy Scripture we need to recall how God has faithfully sustained us John Owen again but the Apostle would have them so called to mind as to consider with all what support meant they had under their sufferings what satisfaction in them what deliverance from them that they might not despond upon the approach of the like evils and trials on the same account this makes sense doesn't it something happens to you tomorrow and I don't want this to be a self-fulfilling prophecy everybody goes out and has a miserable day tomorrow but let's just say something happens like that again I'm not a prophet of the son of the Prophet I have no ability for performative speech but but let's just say that do you lose it do you just freak out you throw up your hands you go you know what I had something happen like this similar back in the back in the day and you know God was there and he sustained me and he upheld me they saw me through not to promote or produce complacency or laziness or sloth but to produce a resoluteness to persevere knowing that it's God's fight and he will keep you in it by His grace that's what Owen is saying if I could sort of read between the lines he goes on to say if we remember our sufferings only as unto what is evil and afflictive in them what we lose what we endure and undergo such a remembrance will weaken and dispirit us as unto our future trials or as if all we do is look back at the misery associated with it we look back at the the terribleness of it it's not going to help us but if we are at this state if we have gone through those trials it is because God is faithful and that is what we are to ponder and then finally I would suggest all of us need to consider our future in heaven I find this to be a challenge I don't know if you're like me but I find it to be a challenge the Bible calls us to this the Bible tells us to think about that that reward but we we are here on earth aren't we we have the news we have commitment we have jobs we have responsibilities we have relationships and they're not bad it's good stuff I mean the news typically is bad but all that other stuff is good but it but it's very easy to sort of be tied to the earth and I'm not suggesting we shouldn't think about jobs we shouldn't think about you know thinking about heaven while you've got your arm near machinery probably isn't wise you should think about machinery keeping your arm at a safe distance you know think about the glories of heaven no no maybe maybe that's a time where you should really be tied to the earth at that particular moment but it is a difficult challenge to consider and ponder how glorious it's going to be and the Bible tells us that we have no conception we have sort of no framework to quantify what it's going to be like we can't begin to enter into the reality of a place where we will see him as he is our altogether lovely a chief among 10,000 we will see him with our eyes we can't even begin to ponder a place where we won't sin will stand before the throne of God day and night worshipping and praising and glorifying and that forever and adver brethren that is hard to conceptualize on this side of it but scripture invites us to ponder and consider those things for the encouragement of our heart and for the perseverance in our lives we need to think in terms of the great and glorious things that God has for his people the presence of affliction oftentimes enters the consideration of better times we need to overrule that the presence of affliction must be managed with the consideration that it's temporary and that heaven is eternal second Corinthians and the consideration of heaven is ultimately the believers dooty and great joy John Owen again says in the times of suffering and in the approaches of them it is the duty of believers to look on the glory of heaven under the notion of a refreshing all sufficient reward he says it so easily and it's so easy to read and it's so easy to exhort on man I know when the afflictions and the trials come it's so tough to gain that orientation perhaps we need to spend more time in Hebrews chapter 10 he goes on to say the glory of heaven is an abundant recompense for all we shall undergo in our way towards it in other words whatever we suffer whatever hardship we have God is going to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask our thing when it comes to that future glory well let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for this section in Hebrews 10 and for the emphasis on perseverance and I pray for each and every one of us here that you would grant us growth and grace growth and faith help us to see Christ that great captain of our salvation as the one in whom we have everlasting life and may that faith by grace cause us to press on to endure to go forward I pray for the young people and the children here god it is a delight when they confess the Savior it is a delight when they are baptized and added to the church I pray that each of them would take seriously the demands of the discipleship and that by your grace they would go forward in the fear of God for the long haul and for all of us older folks I pray that we too would not lose heart that we would not end like a Solomon but we would be faithful to the end because you are faithful and you uphold and you sustain us I pray that you would go with us now watching over us in this week granting us the grace to bring honor and praise unto you and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen you