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you you you morning everyone welcome to free grace baptist church just a couple announcements this morning exciting announcements that um we have several people applying for church membership noel bellau mack and stephanie cross and clemens hall so we can we can look forward to that and in regards to that now um noel mack and clemens they also need to be baptized so on december 5th we will have those three baptisms lord willing and and then welcome them all into the membership so we can praise god for his his grace towards uh towards saving grace towards them personally of course and also grace towards us as a church having more added to our number so thank the lord for that second announcement is that this week friday evening there's going to be a young adults games night of some sort details are going to be emailed out tomorrow or possibly early this week with um with what exactly that's gonna um ages what that's all gonna entail but uh you can young adults young um uh and and late teens you can look forward to doing something together on friday i think i highly encourage you to get together we've had quite a few new people coming in the last um you know six months whatever it may be and just a good good way to come together and get to get to know each other and and hang out together so um so for our call to worship now we uh you can turn your bibles to psalm 98 psalm 98 psalm 98 a psalm o sing to the lord a new song for he has done marvelous things his right hand and his holy arm have gained him the victory the lord has made known his salvation his righteousness he has revealed in the sight of the nations he has remembered his mercy and his faithfulness to the house of israel all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our god shout joyfully to the lord all the earth break forth in song rejoice and sing praises sing to the lord with the harp with the harp and the sound of a psalm with trumpets and the sound of a horn shout joyfully before the lord the king let the sea roar in all its fullness the world and those who dwell in it let the rivers clap their hands let the hills be joyful together before the lord for he is coming to judge the earth with righteousness he shall judge the world and the peoples with equity amen on that note let us turn in our hymnals for our first hymn to psalm 22 d d is in delta psalm 22 d please stand and sing together ah [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] r [Music] on [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] right [Music] [Music] [Music] it oh [Music] all right let us pray oh lord what a joy it is to come together to gather in your house on your day a day of rest for the people of god lord we are so thankful that we can set aside the cares and the concerns and the and the the busyness of this world and come to gather together with your people to worship you and to serve you lord we do thank you for this and we do praise you and lord we come this morning and we acknowledge your holiness we acknowledge that you are the high king of heaven and that you are king of kings lord of lords as and and we just we are humbled lord that we can call you our father that we can come to you and we can pray to you and that you hear us you hear our prayers and lord we know that that this is all possible by the work of your son the lord jesus that we can be accepted in your sight having not having our own righteousness which is from the law but a righteousness which is through faith in christ that righteousness that comes from you that that our savior the lord jesus earned in his perfect life on this earth so lord we come before you this morning knowing that that we can come boldly to the throne of grace not not in arrogance but we can come boldly knowing that we are accepted in the beloved so lord this morning as we worship you here we do pray that your spirit to be uh would be among us that your spirit would be here to aid our pastor in in preaching or that you would fill him with the power from on high to rightly rightly proclaim thus saith the lord as he preaches as he preaches the word to us this morning lord we do pray that you build him up and that you strengthen him and that as he proclaims the word that it would be a means for the edification of your people here that our faith would be built up and that we would be encouraged that we would be be ready to go and face another another week in as we live in the world and and and face the various trials and things that we come upon in our daily lives lord we pray that it would be his his the message of the gospel would be proclaimed and that would then that that gospel which is the power of god unto salvation would would convict the hearts of those who among us here who who do not know the the lord jesus as as savior who have not who's not turned from their sin and trusted in him and him alone for salvation knowing that on the day when they stand before you that they have no merit of their own they have nothing to to say look lord i did this or i did that but that they can and and that they would realize that christ has done it all and that through faith the work of christ can be imputed to them and that they can they can be reconciled with you through what the lord jesus has done so lord we pray that today would be the day that that that any here among us who do not know you that that the light would dawn in their hearts that the that they would that that they would see christ as as savior the christ is the one who says come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and i will give you rest and and that and that they would flee to christ and that they would be saved today lord we do we do pray your blessing on the other churches that we that we know and dearly lord we think of the church in in surrey we pray for pastor mike we pray for these same things for him as well or that he would be filled with the spirit this morning as he preaches your word and as and and that his his that he would be a blessing that this message his message would be a blessing for the brethren there and that they would be that they would be built up and encouraged in their faith and and that sinners there would be saved as well we pray for the continued work there as they as they continue to proclaim the gospel and not part of the part of the world we pray for continued growth not only just in in numerically as as others are many are added to the church there but we also just pray for the growth of the believers there is a many of them coming to know the and learning and being enthralled and and excited about the doctrines of grace as we find them in the scriptures and and we just thank you that that you're you're working there in that and that you were your people there being edified and built up in their in their faith lord we do think of the group in vernon as well we pray for them this morning as they come and gather together um to worship you together as a group there we just pray that you would bless them that that they would be there would be much fellowship there there would be much unity we thank you for the unity and fellowship that that we do enjoy as a group there we do pray that you would bless them as they listen to uh to a message online and just that it would be a means of encouragement and strengthening to them and lord we do we do look forward to the day of seeing a biblically established biblically ordered church um in in armstrong or vernon area and we just pray that that you would give wisdom as we as we seek to follow your will and your your leading in this whole endeavor we just pray for patience we pray for guidance and we just ask that you would would continue to do this work and we're excited about what you are doing there and we just look forward to to that day so we do pray your blessing on there we also ask for the the church in in dryden ontario the the the group they're gathering together we thank you for the good news they have been able to find a building to meet in now or they can they can meet um in in in more comfortable circumstances and we just pray your blessing on them there we pray for those who are sort of heading up the group there just that you give wisdom and and much guidance there we do pray for unity lord that there would be a unity among those brethren there and that they would that there would be a desire to to work together to see a a church established there if it is your your will we pray for for the man um dan there who has who has aspirations for the ministry and and looking to to get some theological instruction in that regard as well we just pray your blessing on him that that you would that you would equip him if that is your will as potentially to to lead the and shepherd the flock there we don't want to get ahead of ourselves lord but yet we are encouraged by what you are doing there so we thank you for that and we pray your blessing on on that group there lord we do pray for the for the the your church as a whole all around this world again this morning we have we have heard of so much persecution and so much suffering that the that your people undergo at the hands of the of of wicked people so lord we do ask that that we do pray for our persecut persecuted brethren around this world that you would strengthen them that you would encourage them you would protect them lord that you would that you would bring an end to to the suffering that so many seem to be just consistently dealing with so we just we do know that all your that your your purposes and your plans you are sovereign that there is nothing that that happens outside of your of your decree so lord we are greatly encouraged by that and and and we just pray that you would help them to to know these things as well and to trust in that and to and that they in the midst of suffering in the midst of these various trials that they would be able to to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory like peter says so lord we do we do also pray for the the the nation of myanmar again lord we we just hearing these reports from the the the the group and the work that is going on there that we know of and or we just pray that you would continue to bless them continue to to protect them as they find themselves in the middle of such such fierce fighting going on and such horrible wickedness yet lord you have you have you have protected them miraculously thus far and we do pray that you continue to protect them we ask that you would continue to to bless the those who are in in charge and leading and taking care of all these children that are in this compound lord we ask that that you would that they would be bold to proclaim the gospel to teach the gospel to to not only to those who they come in contact with on the outside as far as the army generals and others but but also to these children or these poor children who have been rescued from from this wicked the wickedness that is that is prevailing in that land there they have been they have been brought out of that and brought into this little compound lord but that but that they would also be the gospel would be the the means to rescue them from the from the the the kingdom of darkness and the bring them into the kingdom of your life of the son of your love in in in through salvation lord so we do pray we do pray for that in that land father we do we do pray for them for our nation as well lord we we thank you that we enjoy peace and we enjoy stability but yet lord we see so much wickedness going on in our own land as well and and we do pray for um revival we pray that that that the church would grow in the time of of chaos in the time of turmoil and the time of of of oppression and and various mandates and things lord that that that through all this that you would you would use to grow your church and that there would be a there would be a revival and that there would be a repentance a turning from the wickedness that that that is that is um celebrated and triumphed in our in our land unspeakable things like abortion and and euthanasia and and all types of sexual perversion lord we just we just long and we we cry out to you lord for that you would grant revival we pray for uh mass repentance among our nations we pray for those who are in authority that you would that you would would turn their hearts and and bring them to repentance lord we know there's none outside of your reaches that you there's none too hard for you to save and and so lord we do we do cry out to you for that and if that is not your will or we pray that you would that you would um in state rulers who who do have a desire to rule after your your law and after the the what we find in in your word of of right morality and right ethics and right way to to rule a country so lord we do we do pray for that and we just we but yet lord we ask that as we as as your children in this lower world as we go about our lives that are that we would set our minds on things above not on things of of this earth lord if we look around and things that are going on around here it can be so it can be frustrating it can be it can be a means of causing great anxiety and great discouragement and and anger and and all these things that would that would hinder us from having knowing that joy so lord i pray that you would help us to set our minds on things above to to prepare our minds for action to gird up the loins of our mind as peter says and to and and to set our our our our minds on the on the hope of glory that we have the and and of the things above that we are saved that we have been called out of darkness out of the out of this evil world and and called into into the marvelous light of of salvation through your son the lord jesus the lord i do pray that you would bless this congregation here and each one individually lord we all struggle with our various various needs and various struggles that we have and we just pray for those who are suffering physically we pray that you would strengthen them we think of the elderly among us who and some who are suffering in various ways we just lift them up before you and ask that you would would strengthen encourage like grant healing and just that and that they would know your nearness and and and your care over them and lord we do pray for for for all of us here again lord we all suffer in so many different ways and yet lord we know that you are a god who who who cares intimately for each one of your children so we we are so thankful for that lord and we pray that you would help us to know that the trust in you in all things and that you would and that you would build through this you would build up our faith we do thank you lord for our church we thank you for the unity here we ask that you continue to bless us bless us and our children lord we do pray for our children as well as as um as was mentioned this morning that that just being just being raised in a in a christian home or just going to church does not make someone a christian but it is only through through regeneration and faith that that one is is uh becomes a christian so we do pray that that you would work in the hearts of our children that as parents we would be we would be diligent to proclaim the gospel day in and day out to the gospel of the lord jesus christ not not a gospel of works of of morality of of of being of being ethically morally upright children but a gospel of of of of the the work of the lord jesus and the gospel of and the call of to repent and believe in him so lord i pray i pray your blessing on on on our families and our children that you would you would bless us lord but we do ask now that as we continue on in worship you hear our prayer our hear our prayers hear our receive our praises lord we we our hearts and and that you would fill our hearts with love for you and with praise for you and adoration and that as we sing and as we worship you lord that our hearts would be would be filled with a love for our savior and that you would receive our praises and that you bless us again and bless pastor butler as he as he as he hopes to deliver the word in in a few minutes and we pray this all in the name of the lord jesus amen our next hymn is number 541 541 we'll sing it to a different tune but you can stand and sing that together please [Music] is [Music] is [Music] is [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] follows him [Music] oh [Music] for our new testament scripture reading you can turn to the book of first thessalonians first thessalonians chapter one short chapter we'll read the entire chapter first thessalonians chapter one paul sylvanus and timothy to the church of the thessalonians in god the father and the lord jesus christ grace to you and peace from god our father and the lord jesus christ we give thanks to god always always for you all making mention of you in our prayers remembering without ceasing your work of faith labor of love and patience of hope in our lord jesus christ in the sight of our god and father knowing beloved brethren your election by god for our gospel did not come to you in word only but also in power and in the holy spirit and in much assurance as as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake and you became followers of us and of the lord having received the word in much affliction with joy of the holy spirit so that you became examples to all in macedonia and acaa who believe for from you the word of the lord has sounded forth not only in macedonia and acca but also in every place your faith toward god has gone out so that we do not need to say anything for they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you and how you turned to god from idols to serve the living and true god and to whom for his and to wait for his son from heaven whom he raised from the dead even jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come amen well as paul begins here with us another glorious introduction to this epistle um as we as we look through there we can see that paul obviously read a lot of calvin when he uh when he wrote this um but but um obviously we know that's not true calvin read kelvin red paul which is why when we when we identify as calvinists we are not um it's not because we have some sort of an infatuation with calvinists because we agree with what kelvin what kelvin sort of put into into a doctrinal statement of about the doctrines of grace and and paul really highlights that here in this introduction here that you know thanking them that god chose them that they were um you know for their knowing their their election by god and that the gospel didn't come in in word only but it was in the power of the holy spirit that regeneration that that we we talk about as calvinists that is necessary for salvation when we take into consideration what the bible teaches about the about the depravity of man that man is not able to to save himself so and then he and then he can he concludes this chapter here again with that that jesus was the one who who delivers us from the wrath to come so just a a really in this introduction here just really highlighting the sovereignty of god in the doctrines of grace as a means to just encourage them and stir up their faith and just really really um be just that the the um the and can it be that that this happened to me that this that they would they would really feel that that this um that god has saved them not not of what they did but because god chose them and that and that god as a god of of of infinite love chose out of that infinite love um us as his as his people so to be greatly encouraged by that yes you know as as calvinists yes we can we can agree with paul yeah you turn from uh to god from idols to serve the living and true god but yet we we we know that that was because god chose us so we always make sure that we keep those that proper distinctions and proper um understanding of of that and and that we always and that we don't go one way or the other either as well i think we're all very familiar with what can happen when you when you don't have that proper balance there well let us uh let us pray father we do thank you for your word we thank you for this this introduction here from paul and and again a reminder of the sovereignty of god and in our salvation lord we and that is so humbling and it is so it is so encouraging and so it fills our heart with love lord that and and a wonder that you that you did call us you did choose us you and you were the one who orchestrated our salvation yes lord we know that that we are we are called to repent we are called to believe and that when we do so lord we can we can know that it was because you have regenerated by the power of your holy spirit regenerated our hearts and lord we are we are just greatly encouraged by these by these truths that we find in your word and we are humbled by them so lord we do we do pray that you bless this this short portion that we have read now and we just ask you bless us as we as we continue in worship we pray this in christ's name amen so our final hymn then before the preaching number 243 in 243 and please stand again oh [Music] is [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] foreign [Music] is [Music] i is [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] uh [Music] is [Music] please turn with me in your bibles to hebrews chapter 13 taking a a brief break from our exposition in the book of john i'll read hebrews chapter 13 and then our focus this morning will be on verse 3. so hebrews chapter 3 beginning in verse 1. let brotherly love continue do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also marriage is honorable among all and the bad undefiled but fornicators and adulterers god will judge let your conduct be without covetousness be content with such things as you have for he himself has said i will never leave you nor forsake you so we may boldly say the lord is my helper i will not fear what can man do to me remember those who rule over you who have spoken the word of god to you whose faith follow considering the outcome of their conduct jesus christ is the same yesterday today and forever do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines for it is good that the heart be established by grace not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them we have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat for the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned outside the camp therefore jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered outside the gate therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp bearing his reproach for here we have no continuing city but we seek the one to come therefore by him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to god that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name but do not forget to do good and to share for with such sacrifices god is well pleased obey those who rule over you and be submissive for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account let them do so with joy and not with grief for that would be unprofitable for you pray for us for we are confident that we have a good conscience in all things desiring to live honorably but i especially urge you to do this that i may be restored to you the sooner now may the god of peace who brought up our lord jesus from the dead that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete in every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through jesus christ to whom be glory for ever and ever amen and i appeal to you brethren bear with the word of exhortation for i have written to you in few words know that our brother timothy has been set free with whom i shall see you if he comes shortly greet all those who rule over you and all the saints those from italy greet you grace be with you all amen let us pray our god and our father we thank you for this opportunity to gather together on the lord's day it's a blessed privilege to gather in god's house on his day with his people and we pray that as we come to the father through the son and the power of the holy spirit you would be enthroned upon our praises and glorified in our gathering together forgive us now for all of our sins as we come to holy scripture we know that it casts a darkening influence over our minds and our hearts but we know that blood of jesus christ your son cleanses us from all sin and we rejoice in that as well father for those who've come here this morning that are still dead in their trespasses and sins may they see that christ is altogether lovely and chief among ten thousand and may they by grace believe on him for salvation and lord fill us now with your spirit and guide us and lead us and direct us such that we may indeed apply what is written by the apostle in this section of holy scripture and we ask this through jesus christ our lord amen well last week was the international day of prayer for the persecuted church so last sunday november 7th i knew that then but i wanted to finish up or tie up john chapter 3. as well in our church we have tried to make it more than just one day out of the year we try not always successfully but for the most part we try at our prayer meetings whether it be wednesday night or sunday morning to take seriously the admonition to pray for the persecuted church and the rationale for that is found here in hebrews chapter 3 at verse 3. notice what the apostle says i hold the pauline authorship of the epistle to the hebrews so if i refer to paul that's what i mean notice what he says in verse 3 remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also so we'll look at that particular passage in just a moment but we need to appreciate the larger context the doctrinal section of the book of hebrews has concluded the primary emphasis of the apostle is to stress the superiority the supremacy the preeminence and glory of our lord jesus christ he does that by showing his supremacy over moses his supremacy over joshua his supremacy over the angels over the old testament prophets he shows his supremacy by being the god-man that blessed savior the second person of the trinity who took on our humanity came into this sin curse world lived for us died for us and was raised again for us so he sets that forth and now he comes to make practical application to the people of god who have been conquered by sovereign grace in other words we're saved by grace through faith in christ it's not of ourselves it's not of works it's not because we're righteous or good but it's solely alone according to what god has done but once we're saved there are certain responsibilities certain things that are incumbent upon us as god's people and one of those responsibilities is that we don't be narcissists that we lift up our eyes at some point in the week and consider the greater needs with reference to the kingdom of god very often at the throne of grace we can tip our hand if we go to god's throne and all we ever pray for is ourselves again i think that tips our hand we need to be others minded in the context of christ church and i think that's the emphasis we find here in hebrews 13 at verse 3. but in terms of the larger context we see general exhortations in verses 1 to 6 and then we see instruction on community relationships with leaders guarding against heresy suffering for christ and the believer's sacrifice in verses 7 to 17. the author then makes a request for prayer in verses 18 and 19 and then indicates his prayer for them in verses 20 and 21. he then makes a final appeal in salutation in verses 22 to 25. so again he's come to finish the epistle he makes it very practical for the saints of christ and then he bids them farewell in the name of our blessed savior so i want to look first at the context of the command verse 3 and then secondly the content of the command verse 3. notice the context as i said general exhortations verse one is a call to love notice let brotherly love continue and then there are two expressions of that love following in verses two and three love with reference to those who are strangers and then love with reference to those who are sufferers so we are to express love vis-a-vis toward the stranger and as well toward the sufferer and then he moves from love specifically and then hospitality and compassion to fidelity in verse four marital fidelity the seventh commandment is binding today you cannot be promiscuous you cannot be a an adulterer you cannot be a fornicator you cannot be in the language of the old king james a whoremonger and think that somehow it's going to work out okay for you now that is condemned by the apostle under the inspiration and power of the holy spirit and then in verses five and six he exhorts the people of god to contentedness contentment there is a sense where oftentimes the people of god express discontentedness and so we are called to contentedness and the way he does that is by reminding us of the goodness and the graciousness of the god who provides profusely for us now notice verse 3 again remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also we move to the content there is first a duty to remember secondly the objects we are to remember and then thirdly the reason we are to remember so that's where we're going after a lengthy uh introduction notice in the first place this duty he says remember this is a command it's something that you must do you don't have the option to not do this you can't say well you know it wasn't my ministry to remember others i just didn't feel led to remember others that is unacceptable behavior in the christian church again not saved because we're good we're saved by grace in order that we may serve others in order that we may be concerned about others so he he gives this command remember this means remember to care for them remember with a view to taking action remember for good to remember in a way which will benefit the person concerned in some way or other so paul's not saying remember that somewhere out there somebody is suffering it's not just the cognition it's not just the recognition it's not just the oh yeah i think that somewhere someone might be suffering for the cause of jesus christ no it's remember that to be sure cognitively but remember it in such a way as to try and alleviate it remember it in such a way as to try to do something about it remember it in such a way so that you respond in a way that is consistent with your calling as god's people the verb is used by the thief on the cross when he says remember me when you come into your kingdom certainly the thief didn't mean that when jesus gets to his kingdom oh yeah there was a fellow sufferer on the cross i'm glad that i've remembered him no he says remember me with a view to doing something about it remember me in such a way and manner that when you arrive in your heavenly kingdom you will receive me unto yourself the verb is used in galatians chapter 2 verse 10 the apostle says they deserve desired only that we should remember the poor the very thing which i also was eager to do again not just cognition oh yeah there's poor people out there no remember them in such a way as you take your wallet out and you give them money or you go buy them something or you uh seek to deprive yourself of something and give it over to them so the remember that's in view in hebrews chapter 13 at verse 3 calls us to action calls us to act calls us to function in a responsible manner as god's people and fellow citizens in christ's kingdom now before we move on to the objects we are to remember notice what the text says remember the prisoners as if chained with them as if chained with them now this morning probably all of us got up we got out of our beds we wandered into our bathrooms we did our whatever thing we needed to do we then ventured into our kitchens we turned on our coffee makers we got a nice hot cup of joe we perhaps found the heater and we went and stood next to it well brethren if we had woken up this morning in a prison cell if we had woken up this morning without coffee if we had awoken this morning without a heater we would certainly be conscious of that wouldn't we we would certainly be mindful of that wouldn't we that's why i think the apostle says remember the prisoners as if chained with them because the tendency is to forget that we have all the blessings we have all the provisions we have all the good gifts we have the hot joe we have the warm heater we have the blankets we have the books we have the cars we have a heated facility we have many benefits so what's the tendency it is to forget those who don't have that and that's why the apostle underscores this duty to remember as if chained with them imagine for a moment you're in their predicament imagine for a moment that you're in a jail cell out in the middle of out in the middle of a of a hot middle eastern summer day and and think about the persons that are experiencing that john owen in his commentary makes the observation the fact that it has to be told us to remember them is somewhat unfortunate isn't it we should not have to be told to do this but alas we are told to do this because the tendency is there for us to forget them owen says it seems those that are at liberty are apt to forget christ's prisoners that they had need to be enjoying to be mindful of them in other words the apostle had to remind them the apostle had to administer command the apostle had to do so with such a standard as if chained with them to call you back from all of your health all of your wealth all of your prosperity to the suffering faced by christ people on the face of the earth owen goes on to say usually more fail and neglect of their duty towards sufferers and so far from their profession then do so for fail under and on account of their sufferings in other words he says those suffering for the cause of christ don't have this tendency like those not suffering for the cause of christ they're more mindful they're more con conscientious they're more appreciative of the fact that there are suffering people on the face of the earth who've done the crime of choosing by grace as we're reminded in the reading in first thessalonians to side with jesus see that is criminal activity today if you look at our society i'm not talking about the ones we read about this morning and we will talk about them nigeria and india and china and the various sorts of things where where god's people are persecuted it's happening here brethren you actually think in the western world the woke really hate dr seuss it is the bible it is god's word it is the worldview produced by the scriptures of the old and the new testaments that they're at war with in other words there is an antithesis between the light and the dark and this goes all the way back to the garden of eden announced by god most high and it's something that the people of god throughout the ages have experienced so the duty to remember is clear notice secondly the objects we are to remember notice remember the prisoners and then he goes on to define them further those who are mistreated go back to hebrews chapter 10 for just a moment this would not have been a surprising concept for these christians that the apostle is writing to in the first century notice in hebrews chapter 10 at verse 32 but recall the former days in which after you were illuminated you endured a great struggle with sufferings again brethren think about this crime the crime is is that you look to christ in faith the crime is is that you're justified freely by god's grace yet that means you receive the forgiveness of sins and that means you receive a righteousness given to you by a gracious god and it's received by faith alone and then by god's grace you live in light of that and therein you've become a threat to those who are not converted you have become a threat an enemy to those who are still dead in their trespasses and sins you have to appreciate the reality that there are unseen forces operative in this world you have to appreciate the reality that the devil is a murderer from the beginning that there is no truth in him he only speaks lies and deception but he moves the hearts of his minions to engage in a rejection of christ's people back to our texts attacks notice you recall the former days in which or 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 joyful uh you you had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven so here in hebrew hebrews 13 3 when he says remember the prisoners those who are mistreated didn't have to scratch their heads and say what are you talking about what do you mean of course they understood look at the passage in chapter 13 relative to timothy verse 23 know that our brother timothy has been set free i don't think he's talking about his conversion to christ i don't think he's talking about his you know break from his wife i think he's talking about timothy like his his mentor paul ended up in the pokey as well and now timothy had been set free again read the book of acts read the new testament documents did the children of god did the believers in christ go out and preach and see revival yes to some degree on the day of pentecost there were 3 000 added to the church but they met with great opposition they met with great resistance they met with the whip they met with the chain they met with the the the the the crucifixion they met with being hanged they met with a whole host of issues not least of which was imprisonment the apostle paul knew what it was to be in prison so the original original audience would have known who this is but in terms of the objects we are to remember i mentioned this goes back to the garden of eden after the garden of eden after adam and eve rather take the forbidden fruit eve takes it hands it to adam he eats and rejects his creator they want that you know satanic lie they shall be as gods you go to you go to genesis chapter three and what happens you see a complete inversion of the created order god made man to love and lead his wife and they were to exercise dominion over the creatures and then this cunning serpent comes along and turns the whole thing on its head now you've got the serpent talking to the woman who gives the fruit to her husband it is an inversion of the created order that's what sin brings it brings chaos it brings destruction it brings pain misery and death but on the heels of that god makes the first gospel promise in genesis chapter 3. it is the promise of jesus in genesis 3 15 god says i will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel you see that it's a promise of the savior the savior or deliverer would be born of a woman the savior or deliverer would be one who accomplishes victory through his own suffering and death that's the emphasis in the text but something that goes unnoticed is what happens in redemptive history god says i will put enmity between you and the woman that enmity began then and continues now though christ has dealt the death blow to this to the uh to the devil himself there is nevertheless that enmity christ speaks to it says they're going to hate you just like they hated me the the the the master or those who follow the master are treated like the master this is symptomatic of a sin cursed world we live in a world that is in rebellion against god almighty and as edward says they can't get to god so what do they do they come after us they come after his representatives they come after those who shine his lights in a crooked and perverse generation and hold forth the word of truth again brethren when we read these prayer letters on sunday morning and on wednesday night what's their crime blasphemous texts you know what blasphemous texts mean believe on the lord jesus christ and you shall be saved you know what a blasphemous text is first thessalonians chapter 1 and its application to islam you were turned from your useless idols to serve the true and living god imagine voicing that in saudi arabia and making the application to islam as being a useless idol you think they'll have truck with you there you think you'll have freedom of speech there you think you'll get to express yourself there i remember back in the 80s way back then in the 1980s i was stationed in the in england and those who got temporary duty assignment to saudi arabia were given a list of objects they could not bring with them and the bible was on that list then do you think it's gotten any better do you think it's gotten more uh easier to be to be a christian in these states that are opposed to our blessed yahweh and his christ so you've got this antithesis and then you see the old testament examples you see it with joseph the patriarch how do his brothers deal with them you think you've got family problems you think you've got issues you think you've got hardships this is the point of genesis chapter 11. i'm sorry hebrews chapter 11. that hall of faith surveys the various persons that have populated the kingdom of god on earth and shows the various trials and difficulties the hardship situations they face and nevertheless by faith were able to persevere joseph's brothers sat and had a baloney sandwich while joseph was in the pit screaming for their help joseph's brothers were wretches they were operating according to the kingdom of darkness you've got michael the prophet first kings chapter 22 what was his crime he tells ahab the truth that when you go into battle ahab you're going to lose and so he gets a slap in the face he gets thrown into a prison cell and he's ordered to eat bread and water for the rest of his life jeremiah the prophet jeremiah the prophet we'll get into other characters as we move to the exposition jeremiah the weeping prophet what do you get for your remorse what do you get for your lamentation over israel what do you get for actually telling the truth if you're a prophet in israel well you get jail you get prison and if you're lucky and i say that you know uh uh as a in the in the manner of man if you're lucky eben melech will come along and actually try to help you out a non-israelite will come to render service and aid to you the new testament examples it's a beatitude isn't it it's a beatitude pronouncement of blessing upon you when you are reviled when you are persecuted when men send say all manner of of evil against you what for my name say in other words when you identify with jesus and when you have solidarity with jesus and then you suffer with jesus he says blessed are you not in the papist sort of way as if our suffering somehow commends us more to god that's not it our suffering that we find in the scripture is simply because we have that identification we have that solidarity with the redeemer and we are called upon to do likewise with reference to his life and his issues the book of acts acts chapter five what do we find there the religious leadership at the time tells the disciples tells the apostles forbids them you cannot speak this man's name in this city do they say okay well yeah you're right we should never do that no this is the context where they say we must obey god rather than men brethren insofar as the magistrate doesn't tell us to sin we do exactly what they say but when they cross that line and tell us to sin or tell us to not preach christ and him crucified that's when we invoke the higher power that's when we say i must obey god rather than men it's a very simple principle that the church operated accordingly for 21 20 centuries now when we go back or go through the book of acts continuing on there you see the apostle paul not just his sufferings but one of his sermons that he preached in acts 14 in verse 22 with reference to the first missionary journey he says through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of god again watch the crime belief in the lord jesus christ the acknowledgement not of a pantheon not of a polytheistic god system but of the one true and living god do you know what's intriguing that in the roman empire the christians were atheists the christians were branded as atheists because they rejected the pantheon to subscribe to one true and living god was faulty that was criminal that would bring down the charges of the empire upon your head you see you could confess zeus you could confess hermes you could confess you know mars the whole whack of them and nobody would ever say anything other but they understood quickly that a confession of christ as king brought upon you great state persecution in other words when you confess christ as king you are also confessing all these other things ain't they are in the language of the puritans dung hill deities they are nothing they are a fabrication of the mind they are vanity and so when you you confess faith in jesus there was going to be hardship there was going to be persecution paul embodies the principle in second timothy chapter three he tells us very clearly all who desire to live godly in christ jesus will what will enjoy health wealth and prosperity no they will suffer persecution now turn to first peter chapter four peter as well acknowledges the reality that there will be suffering in this world if you are a christian but i want us to see what peter is talking about in this particular context because i think at times persons can misidentify their suffering oh i'm suffering for jesus no you're suffering because you're just not pleasant you're suffering just because you're a malinger or lazy at work the apostle peter gives us a grid by which we deal with suffering in the church notice in the first place he tells us to expect it verse 12 beloved first peter 4 beloved do not think it's strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you what's he saying god put enmity between the seat of the woman and the uh and the the serpent there's going to be this antithesis there's going to be the ahabs ordering the the exclusions of the exclusion of the micaiahs there's going to be the whole host of israel throwing jeremiah down into a pit you're going to have these issues jesus says in john 16 33 in this world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer for i've overcome the world john 15 he tells the disciples that if they hated me they're going to hate you it's just the way that it is so this idea that wow i can't believe we're actually suffering now i get that sentiment to one degree but in the theological sense no in the biblical sense no it's going to happen you side with christ and all of his enemies are going to hate you notice in verse 13. so you expect it verse 12 and then in verses 13 and 14 you're to exalt in it exalt here is e-x-u-l-d not exalt it but exalt that means to rejoice in it this is another way to alliterate i've got four e's here so you've gotta expect it verse 12 and then exalt in it verses 13 and 14. notice but rejoice rejoice to the extent that you partake of christ's sufferings that when his glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy if you are reproached for the name of christ blessed are you for the spirit of glory and of god rests upon you on their party is blasphemed but on your party is glorified what do you think peter has in his mind sounds a lot like the beatitudes doesn't it sounds a lot like matthew 5 10 to 12. sounds a lot like what he heard his master say in terms of blessing for those who suffer shame for his name and then notice the third e you're to evaluate its cause evaluate its cause look at verses 15 to 18. he says but let none of you suffer as a murderer a thief an evil doer or as a busy body in other people's matters here's the illustration a guy at work doesn't do his work he spends the whole time talking about the temple and then his counterparts say you know you're really annoying you're a real pain and then he comes to the prayer meeting he says i'm suffering for jesus i'm suffering for the cause no you're rightly being ridiculed by your fellows because you're lazy and not doing your job i i'm sorry i don't want to trigger anybody or make anybody unhappy but this is what peter says evaluate its cause maybe you're just a jerk and that's the way people treat jerks that could be a reality as well so notice what he says verse 15 let none of you suffer as a murderer a thief an evil doer or as a busy body in other people's matters yet if anyone suffers as a christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorify god in this matter 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 obey the gospel of god that's a sermon an observation a point in and of itself there is a sense brethren where the things that we experience it's not because we're just innocent participants now it could be the case that when the wicked prevail everybody suffers as a result but when the church forgets the doctrine of the trinity when the church can't define justification by faith alone when the church doesn't remember the prisoners when the church doesn't seek to alleviate the the hardships of those in her midst when the church is aberrant in terms of her theology when the church preaches justification by works you ought to expect some degree of judgment you ought to expect some degree of chastisement and at that point we cry with the prophet habakkuk in wrath remember mercy lord god but the fourth e is a entrust yourself to god notice what he says so verse verse 18. now if the righteous one is scarcely saved where will the ungodly and the sinner appear now notice in verse 19 therefore let those who suffer i'm going to skip that next part for just a minute let those who suffer commit their souls to him and doing good as to a faithful creator in other words entrust yourself to him when you've got issues when you've got challenges when you've got hardships and you've got burdens what do you do you entrust yourself to a faithful creator first peter chapter five what does the apostle tell us that we're supposed to do with our burdens internalize them build up an ulcer chew your fingers down to the nub get to the point where you're so stricken with paralysis you can't even get up out of your bed no cast your burden upon him why because he cares for you brethren if you don't exercise that privilege you're chipping yourself you're cheating yourself god takes the burden from us he doesn't necessarily deliver us from it but he certainly is a sympathetic heir when we're in the midst of it but then notice there couched in the middle of that verse therefore let those who suffer notice according to the will of god according to the will of god oh i can't believe this is happening oh god is in control of it see romans 8 28 means nothing if it doesn't mean everything right we would never be odd or dazzled or impressed by god causes all things to work for good if we only understood it to be good things right oh god worked this in my life for great things i i got a great raise i my raise is actually you know a little bit higher than inflation so i might be able to buy milk this week i i i we don't have to say oh you know god delivered me from this wreck no it's the bad things that are in view god causes all things bad things to work for good to those who love him to those who are the called according to his purpose even sitting in a prison cell even going through what the apostle paul went through even going what through my uh my care the prophet went through it jeremiah the prophet see god is not abandoning his people in the midst of their distress rather god is the orchestrator of their distress such that they will express that dependence upon him cast their burdens upon him and try and prove him as their faithful god that's what peter tells us now go back to hebrews hebrews chapter 13. so we've got the duty to remember we've got the objects we're supposed to remember and then we've got third the reason we are to remember notice in hebrews 13 3 duty remember the prisoners as if trained with them those who are mistreated that's the objects and then notice what he says since you yourselves are in the body also it's beautiful isn't it we're not an island unto ourselves i'm always a bit sort of wary of the christian who functions at least in his own mind very well without the church thank you very much brethren the new testament doesn't envisage maverick christianity it doesn't envisage independent christians it doesn't envisage persons saying well i'm just going to go it on my own because the church is filled with hypocrites you know what i say to that amen where else would we want the hypocrites then in the place where they're going to hear the gospel repent from their sins and find forgiveness from god most high that's got to be the lamest excuse to not enter a church it's like saying i'm not going to go to the hospital there's sick people there that's precisely why you go to the hospital because there's sick people there there's doctors there there's remedy there there's treatment there that's what happens in the church that's what the means of grace are ordained for and when it comes to hypocrisy hypocrisy isn't the guy you don't see in his closet crying out o wretched man that i am who shall deliver me from this body of death you don't see the man agonizing in light of first john 1 9 confessing his sins fetching out forgiveness that's not hypocrisy that's biblical christianity but back to that whole idea of independence i can do it all on my own no you can't you need the church solidarity there is connection there is community there is all the stuff that god affords for his people for their safety you know as well as i do i'm not the big mighty hunter i'm not the guy who's been out in the plains of africa watching the hunt but i know this much that the predator tries to isolate the weak one from the herd why does he do that because the predator's smart and the predator wants to eat and he understands that if he isolates the weak then he's able to take the head off actually they attack him from the other side in order to them and then eat them well do you think the devil has a kind of a similar approach what is proverbs what does solomon tell us he says that a a man who seeks his uh uh seeks his own desire rages against all wisdom there is a sense wherein if we are not fans of the church we need to repent we need to forsake that sin it may be we may need to find another church one that doesn't have as many hypocrites but this idea of a church-less christianity is simply not scriptural again if you're saved out in thule greenland and there's no church there that's a different story but you're not in tule greenland brethren you're in chilliwack british columbia there are plenty of churches i get it this church isn't everybody's cup of tea that doesn't offend me it doesn't make me cry it doesn't make me just sit in my office and oh i can't believe it find another church find a herd that you can attach to such that you won't be isolated an easel easy prey for that predator now back to the text notice he tells us you yourselves are in the body also the apostle tells us in romans 12 we're supposed to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep one of the blessings of prayer meeting isn't it when you hear brother sister express a blessing the mates today announce that she is pregnant with their fifth child we rejoice in that that is a blessed thing that is a wonderful thing but there are times and instances where we have news that isn't so happy so what do we do at that point we we weep with them we express grief with them we enter in because we are in the body the apostle tells us in first corinthians 12 he develops this body imagery with the specific intent to show the operation of spiritual gifts in other words your gift isn't for you again that may just blow your mind your gift is for the body your gift is for others god doesn't give you a gift so you can sit in your bedroom and say wow i'm wonderful no he gives you the gift so that you bring it to the church so that you encourage the brethren and you do what god has gifted you to do but in that particular context in first corinthians chapter 12 he tells us if one member suffers all the members suffer with it or if one member is honored all the members rejoice with it see see the rationale or the reason for the command you yourselves are in the body also we need to ponder what our brothers and sisters face in other parts of the world again nigeria china north korea we don't even really know what goes on there i mean it's so closed airtight you've got the middle east and again they're not friendly to the people of christ they're not friendly to believers in jesus they're not friendly to those who proclaim the gospel of free and sovereign grace they don't say oh yeah you go ahead and have a street corner and you just do your thing they're not like us they don't just let us come over there and do our thing we need to be mindful that our brothers and sisters suffer in other parts of the world they're separated from family we just read this morning and one of our brothers mentioned this morning about a girl being kidnapped thankfully the the the kidnapping was thwarted the kidnapping the the the the report was that somebody had a gun shot up in the air you just don't do that here but i guess in nigeria it's perfectly acceptable well the report of that gun the persons that were kidnapping and it was emanuel a guy in south surrey church his sister well thankfully a couple hours later she was released but that's commonplace you've heard of boko haram you've heard of leah who we pray for frequently she was abducted at 14 by boko haram all of those other captives were finally released except for leah why because she engaged in that most wretched crime she's a confessor of faith in jesus she's had two babies in captivity for muslim men two babies from muslim men in captivity why because she's a believer that's why she is suffering not because she's a criminal a busy body a busy body a murderer a thief no it's for the foul and wicked crime of confessing faith in jesus under in nigeria with boko haram around and then you've got the the suffering of deprivation and temporal goods again brethren it's not wicked to get up in the morning and go to your coffee maker that's not evil that's not bad whatever they're telling us today that that's not bad if you work hard and you're able to buy coffee it's not bad you know when there's actual scarcity in the world's resources then i'll accept we need to do without but leftist policy and mismanagement is no reason to do without but there are those doing without because of their faith in jesus christ as well to undergo the infliction of physical harm i just referred sort of you know incidentally i remember prayer letters we're going you know we've been here for a while you know praying for you know voice of the martyrs concerns guys and cells in middle east and 40 degree days and these aren't cells that have insulation and an air conditioner i mean i can imagine in canada or in america i'm not going in that cell it doesn't have ac what are you kidding me okay we'll put ac we don't want to offend you we don't want to make you fear feel bad i mean come on there are brethren out there that are suffering great distress why because they confess faith in jesus they have suffered imprisonment and then of course they have died as martyrs for the cause one book by his blood suggests that the 20th century saw far more martyrs than all of the centuries before it combined we don't think that way do we we don't think that there's actually people right now in this world either in prison or they've lost a business or they've lost a family or they're going to lose their lives we don't think that way that's why hebrews 13 3 is a necessary sermon every few years or so remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated why because you yourselves are in the body also you're with them they're with you there's solidarity that we possess together and then real practically not only identify with them but to express that solidarity the members of the church should understand that there is one body ephesians chapter 6. i'm sorry ephesians chapter 4 verse 6 along with first corinthians chapter 12 this one body aspect as well the members of the church should enter into the joys and difficulties of their brethren now certainly that's at the local level certainly that's at 9 30 on sunday morning when we gather for prayer certainly that's operative when one brother shares a joy the other brother shares a distress we enter in at that local level but there ought to be an appreciation that our church isn't it our church doesn't exhaust the kingdom of jesus on the face of the earth we need to lift up our eyes as jesus told the to told his disciples the fields are white unto harvest in other words this naval gazing approach by the church in the west simply has to stop we've got to be quit being myopic and start being others minded in terms of our approach to global christianity and then the members of the church should be concerned with the church as a whole should have a few texts here they're not specifically remember to pray for the brother who's in prison texts but they are texts under the category that we as christians in a small ish church in in chilliwack british columbia should be concerned with the larger whole we should be concerned with the kingdom of jesus christ and again these aren't passages and if you go study them in their original contacts you're going to say well it doesn't mean there that you're supposed to remember the prisoner i know that but it does mean you're supposed to remember that christ's kingdom on earth is not simply represented here there are a whole lot of other churches there are a whole lot of other missionary agencies there are a whole lot of other christians there are a whole lot of other people that are facing the onslaught of godless government or a false religionist who are after them for their crime of confessing faith in jesus the prophet isaiah chapter 62 prophet isaiah is lamenting in fact you could turn there go back with me see some of these passages that emphasize a larger concern than just ourselves or perhaps our local church notice in the prophet isaiah verse 62 at verse 6. i have set watchmen on your walls o jerusalem they shall never hold their peace day or night you who make mention of the lord do not keep silent now notice verse 17 give him no rest until he establishes until he makes jerusalem a praise in the earth that's old covenant language for being concerned for the church that's old covenant language for being concerned with the advancement of the church this is old covenant language suggesting that we are to give god no rest that we are to implore him we are to entreat him we are to be like that importunity widow in luke's gospel remember that woman she went to that judge that judge who neither feared god nor did she care you know one way about this woman but she kept coming to him she was incessant or as we say important so he she keeps coming to him and she says you know give me my verdict so the judge who jesus rightly identifies didn't fear god nor did he regard man he gave in to her requests lest she weary me with this constant intercession what does jesus say does he say be like that judge does he say be like that important widow he says be like the important widow he says shall not god avenge his own elect who cried to him day and night what's jesus saying you don't just pray once throw it up there and then you know if it doesn't come true or doesn't come to pass you just say well prayer doesn't work no no incessant importunity keep praying keep asking keep knocking keep seeking keep going to the throne of grace weary god as it were speaking as a man give him no rest give him your ear or give him your tongue rather to his ear notice in the next chapter isaiah 63 and 64. look at 64 for instance verse 1 oh that you would rend the heavens that you would come down that the mountains might shake at your presence as fire burns brushwood as fire causes water to boil to make your na name known to your adversaries that the nations may tremble at your presence now in 63 and 64 the prophet on behalf of the remnant goes before god and he says we are waiting for you god we are longing for you god we are repentant over our sins as a result of your your just judgment over us but the emphasis in the heart was run the heavens in and come down we want more of god we want the nations to tremble in the presence of god turn to the prophet ezekiel again this is just a sampling you go all through the prophets and you'll see this emphasis on the greater good in terms of the people of god ezekiel chapter 6 i have shared my thoughts that it's one of the most chilling and terrifying visions in all of the bible one of the most chilling and terrifying visions in all of the bible notice in chapter nine at verse one then he called out in my hearing with a loud voice saying let those who have charged over the city draw near and uh each with a deadly weapon in his hand a slaughtering weapon and suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate with which faces north each with his battle axe in his hand one man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer's ink horn at his side they went in and stood beside the bronze altar now the glory of the god of israel had gone up from the cherub where it had been where it had been to the threshold of the temple the scene is simply that it's the withdrawal of the special presence of god from the temple why because israel was in sin because israel was covenant breaking because israel was not faithful to the terms of deuteronomy chapter 28 so they are bringing upon themselves the covenant curses and now by way of vision god is demonstrating through the prophet his withdrawal from the temple notice what it goes on to say and he called to the man verse 3 be he called to the man clothed with linen who had the writers in corn at his side and the lord said to him go through the midst of the city through the midst of jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it that's a beautiful thing isn't it go and mark out those who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are committed in the land you know what the next instruction is it's to those with the battle axes go out and kill every single one who doesn't have the mark on his head in other words those who don't sigh and cry over the abominations in the land those who are at peace with idolatry those who are at peace with blasphemy those who are at peace with sabbath breaking those who are at peace with second table violations of the law kill them destroy them remove them from the holy city and then as we read on that it just gets more terrifying because god says start or begin at my sanctuary what's the implication there were persons perhaps priests and prophets that were in old covenant israel that didn't care that god was withdrawing as it were from the temple they didn't care about gross idolatry they didn't care about blasphemy yeah that's exactly what it means and as a result yahweh says to get rid of them we've got to purge we've got to cleanse we've got to purify that's one of the reasons why the exile that's why they went to babylon it was because of them and their covenant breaking and their transgression against god in the prophet ezekiel look at chapter 22 chapter 22 again another condemnation sins of israel and then specific condemnation of israel's wicked leaders but look specifically at verse 30. so i sought for a man among them who would who would make a wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land that i should not destroy it i looked for one i looked for one particular man that would actually stand in that gap and he would as it were say no god please please don't do this please don't execute the wrath of the vengeance of the covenant please stay your holy hand what does he say i found none there were none nothing no one that was agonizing against idolatry and blasphemy and second table infraction no there is that emphasis and then you turn to the new testament what does jesus say in matthew chapter 6 in terms of our prayer to god before we pray for our food before we pray for our protection or our forgiveness and our protection god says or christ says specifically with reference to prayer pray that god's name be hallowed pray that god's kingdom come and pray that god's what god's will be done on earth as it is in heaven you see jesus tells us actually to do that you mean we need to be so concerned or at least somewhat concerned to pray for the earth yes jesus says so pray that god's will be done on earth as it is in heaven god's will is not abortion god's will is not euthanasia god's will is not disenfranchisement of persons god's will is law order six commandments and so we pray that god's will be done on earth as it is in heaven you turn to the book of acts you see the same thing the same emphasis with reference to their prayers that god would intervene in a powerful way and display his glory acts chapter 4 but then notice in acts chapter 12 specifically a prayer consistent with what we're looking at in hebrews 13. acts chapter 12 beginning in verse 1. now about that time herod the king stretched out his hand to to harass some from the church again what's their crime were they murderers were they thieves were they busy bodies no they confessed saving faith in jesus they had by grace receive forgiveness of sins they had by grace received a righteousness that would avail with god they by grace were seeking out to live faithfully with the law of god and let their conduct be worthy of the gospel but that was a threat to herod that was a threat to unbelieving jews that was a threat to the civil order at the time such that a civil magistrate stretches out his hand to harass some from the church let's see what the contours of that harassment look like then he killed james the brother of john with the sword verse two and because he saw that it pleased the jews that's a good way to govern isn't it it's a good way to rule whatever pleases the mob that's what i'm going to do no you're supposed to actually function according to law i realize that that's a revolutionary concept but you're supposed to function according to law but it says he proceeded further to seize peter also now it was during the days of unleavened bread so when he had arrested him he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him intending to bring him before the people after passover peter was therefore kept in prison but look at this constant prayer was offered to god for him by the church the geneva bible has this the prayers of the godly overturn the council of tyrants obtain angels of god break the prison unloose chains put satan to flight and preserve the church that is a wonderful comment at this point in the study notes in the geneva bible you get the point don't you this isn't hard is it in conclusion i time flew it's one of those mornings we walked into the vortex and it just flew right by a few thoughts and then we'll close look at hebrews 11. look at hebrews 11. i mentioned that in passing earlier it bears a bit more scrutiny before we close look at hebrews chapter 11 as i mentioned the hall of faith the apostle takes the people of god into the various halls of the church throughout its history he goes to the patriarchs he goes to moses he goes to israel he goes to the kings he goes to the judges he goes to those who by faith did what they did and then notice what he goes on to say verse 32 is a great place to pick up what more shall i say for the time would fail would fail me to tell of gideon and beric and samson and jephthah also of david and samuel and the prophets you know what he's doing here he's endorsing these people if you make it into the hall of faith even if you're rahab the harlot god loves you god is good with you isn't that the grand lesson in james 2 whether you're the patriarch abraham or you're the prostitute rahab salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in christ alone now notice what he says verse 33 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 the armies of the aliens there's a group of fools called health wealth and prosperity preachers and they say that to be a believer means you'll only ever be healthy and wealthy and prosperous that was actually ben franklin that's not you know what it means to be a believer in jesus christ i would imagine they love this section look at what faith does look at how these men operated according to faith men and women they operated according to faith and they did wonderful things you see the apostle doesn't stop there see the christian life isn't just triumph and victory it is ultimately because christ has overcome but with reference to us boots on the ground are we able to say oh yeah every single day is like a friday to me every single day is my best life now no it's not brethren you know that you don't even need to continue to read on in the passage but let's read on in the passage notice verse 35 women received their dead raised to life again that was supposed to go at the previous section now notice others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection still others had trial of mockings and scourgings yes and of chains and imprisonment they were stoned they were sawn in two they were uh uh were tempted were slain with the sword they wandered about in sheepskins and goat skins being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the world was not worthy they wandered in deserts and mountains and 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 it's quite a list isn't it it's got a potential a category of options that may be available to us what would you like would you like to be sonnen too brother i used to think sawing in two man you laid the person down and you saw them right here like the you know the magic act the sleight of hand act no they would hang them up by their legs and saw this way you know what he's talking about you know jewish tradition tells us he's talking about the prophet isaiah the man who wrote isaiah 53 was treated that way so this whole idea of health wealth and prosperity and the big hairdo and the big car and the big whatever it's nonsense isaiah was a godly and a faithful man and what was he greeted with at the end under the reign of manasseh by the way you had people that were mocked and scoured you had people that were chained and imprisoned you had people that were stoned the apostle paul acts chapter 14 that's why when he says through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of uh of god nobody said what are you talking about paul he was probably hunched over and limping he had just been stoned you know stone not not to death but his disciples after he was dragged out of the city thought he was dead and yet he you know steps up and the next day walks i think it was like 60 miles to derby so that he could preach think about that he's stoned and they think he's dead and the next day he's up walking and he's on his way to continue preaching so that when he says through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of god nobody's saying in the audience what do you mean there paul it's like he says in galatians chapter six from now on let nobody let nobody trouble me for i bear in my body the brand marks of jesus all he would have to do is take off his outer cloak at the church picnic before he gets in the lake to see what he meant by that he bore the brand marks of jesus in his back he understood stripes and deflection and hardship and pain why for the crime of being a believer in jesus so this is a catalog of what can happen to the people of god i have a section of practical benefits i'll skip that i just want to end with this with two thoughts here first of all the grace of god available to sufferers the grace of god available in suffering sometimes i think people read passages like this well no not sometimes all the time we read passages like this and we ask the question would i be able to do that right somebody was actually tying me up and they were about to take a saw and you know make me into i don't know if i could do that brethren honestly i mean stoned rocks hitting me i don't know if i could do that god gives grace at the time god gives grace at the time what do we see when stephen is drove driven out of the city of jerusalem lest his wicked blood pollute that holy city the mob chases him outside the city they take up stones to throw at it what happens to stephen it says he being filled with the holy spirit he gazed up into the heavens and he saw there the glory of god and jesus standing at his right hand what does that tell you it tells you in crunch time it tells you in hard pressed time the triune god is there for his people the triune god rescues the triune god delivers the triune god protects the triune god conducts his people intriguing isn't it the apostle in hebrews makes much of the fact that jesus wasn't like the the priests before him the priests before him they went in they made sacrifice and they got out jesus makes sacrifice and then what does he do he sits down it shows the finality of his sacrifice and yet when stephen looks up into heaven and he sees the glory of god jesus what standing there what's going on i think it's significant for two things one jesus showing his willingness to receive stephen unto himself after he breathes his last but as well it is jesus that is presiding over the situation see it's the sanhedrin that's in charge of the stephen debacle but it's christ who's in charge of that and it's christ who will ultimately bring them to sub uh subjection so that's a thought and then as well the ref uh the the reference in acts five go there we'll end here we could probably go a bit longer and that's not preacher talk we really could notice in acts chapter five one principle i want to bring out for somebody anybody possibly here that doesn't have faith in jesus look at acts 5. pick up at verse 40. and they agreed with him this is gamaliel gamaliel says leave him alone if this is of god you you can't fight it if it's not of god it'll fizzle out good counsel good good good counsel so verse 40 and they agreed with him and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them it was good council but they had to still get their licks in on them why because the crime they were confessors of faith in jesus we're not going to just let you go we're going to open your backs before we let you go but notice what happens they agreed agreed with him and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them they commanded that they should not speak in the name of jesus and let them go so they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name if you're not a christian here this morning you might be asking to yourself why would anybody go through this for jesus because there's a book in the bible called the song of solomon and it's about jesus and his church and the way that the church describes their jesus is with two key terms that i love they call him altogether lovely isn't that a wonderful description of our christ he's all together lovely why do we suffer for him because he's all together lovely and then the bride says that he's chief among ten thousand how can a man have his back opened leave from that particular place and rejoice why because he was counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of jesus christ our lord he is worth everything he is worth life he is worth joy temporal he is worth temporal happiness he is worth riches and prestige and power and whatever else this world may have to offer christ is worth everything so when we look at passages like these we don't say oh no this is the potential we say god give me the grace steal my soul give me the faith necessary to persevere in the midst of this but i'm happy to embrace it because of what christ has done for me he lived for me he rose died for me and he rose again and the reality is is that he did that in order to save his people from their sins if you're not a believer here today the way to salvation isn't to suffer for jesus the way for salvation is to believe in his name it is to look to him the one who is altogether lovely the one who is chief among ten thousand and the one who says come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and i will give you rest he is all that the bible says and as a result those who are inflicted with pain punishment or hardship they count themselves blessed because they suffered for his name well let us pray our father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you god in heaven that you give us instruction practical instruction for individual christian life and corporate church practice and help us never to forget the prisoners help us to never forget those who are mistreated help us to see even as if we were in chains with them and knowing that we are in the body also help us to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep and god give us grace to give you no rest until you make your name a praise through all the earth and we ask this through jesus christ our lord amen will stand with me and we'll sing 568 to conclude our worship this morning 568 doxology of praise to our triune god [Music] now may the god of peace who brought up our lord jesus from the dead that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete in every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through jesus christ to whom be glory for ever and ever amen god go with us now cause your face to shine upon us let us know that peace that does surpass all understanding and may we see you may we see the nearness of god as our good bless this day of rest encourage and strengthen our hearts and bring us together again tonight that we may worship you together as the church and we pray through christ our lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation you