Acceptance (Hebrews 11)
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Hebrews 11
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…
It is special to the Hebrews, chapter 11.
I want to read the first ten verses, and four other scriptures in connection with it.
Now faith is the substance of things untaught, the evidence of things unseen,
for by its gilders obtained a good report.
Through faith we understand that the world was framed by the Word of God,
so that things which are seen were not made things which do appear.
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,
by which he obtained witness that he was righteous.
God testified to his gifts, and by it he meant dead, yet spake of them.
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death,
and was not bound, because God had translated him.
For before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
But without faith it is impossible to please him,
for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them, and that diligently seek him.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet,
moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house,
by which he condemned the world,
and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place
which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed.
And he went out, not knowing where he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of Prometh,
as in a strange country, dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob,
the heirs with him of the same promise.
For he looked for a city which hath foundations,
whose builder and maker is God.
If this will do the Ephesians,
anyone read one verse in chapter 5, verse 2,
Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us,
an offering and a sacrifice for God, for a sweet smelling savour.
14th chapter of John's Gospel, verse 21.
He that hath my commandments and keepeth them,
he that loveth me.
And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father,
and I will love him, and will manifest myself
to him, verse 23. And Jesus answered and said unto him,
If a man love me, he will keep my words,
and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him,
and make our oath with him. The last chapter of Peter's second epistle,
verse 4.
And saying, where is the promise of his coming?
For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue
as they were from the beginning of the creation.
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were
abode, and the earth standing over the water
and in the water, whereby the world that then was being
overflowed with water perished.
But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word, are kept in store,
reserved under fire against the day of judgment,
and for the ears of ungodly men. Verse 10. But the day of the Lord will come
as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall cancel away
the great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat. The earth also and the works that are
therein shall be burned up, seeing then that all these things shall
be dissolved, for what manner of persons ought we to be
in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening
unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire
shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat. Finally, second of Colossians, chapter 14,
the most wonderful chapter of the word of God.
We'll commence reading in verse 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out
of darkness has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in earth and metals,
that the excellency of the power may be of God,
and not of us. We are troubled on every side,
yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted,
but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed,
always bearing about in the body the time of the Lord Jesus, that the life
also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
For we will live, always live unto death, for he who has saved,
that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest
in our mortal flesh.
So then, death worketh in us, but life in you.
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believe,
and therefore have I spoken. We also believe,
and therefore speak. Now let me betray the love of the Lord Jesus to raise
up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace
might through the thanksgiving of many redound the glory of God.
For which cause? We think not. The door out of man is perished, yet the
inward man is renewed day by day. For our life's affliction,
which is but for a moment, worketh for us the found law exceeding,
and eternal weight of glory while we look,
not at the things which I have seen, but at the things which I have not seen.
For the things which I have seen are temporal,
but the things which I have seen are eternal.
I want to say a few words
about the four men that one is read of in the 11th chapter of the Epistle to the
Hebrews,
in the light of the four scriptures from the New Testament that one has read.
There is a divine sequence, obviously, in the order of presentation in the 11th
chapter of Hebrews.
Firstly, and very simply, because of necessity,
one would speak of Abel.
For without the truth that comes to us in the light of New Testament writing,
there can be nothing for God,
and nothing for us in the light of eternal blessing,
unless the truth of the offering of Abel
is apprehended by faith in the soul. I do not want to preach the gospel,
but of necessity one must verify it.
By faith, Abel offered up as far a more excellent sacrifice
as it can.
It is well known that all the offerings to God in the book of Genesis
are burnt offerings,
not sin offerings.
And in the truth of the burnt offering, we have the highest presentation in
Scripture, in sight, of the death of Jesus.
I might have read part of the fourth chapter of Genesis, but that's time for this.
We read therein that Abel took up the first step of Islam,
and the fact thereof, that he offered it to God.
We read therein that God had respect unto his offering.
And the literal meaning of the words is this, that Abel
could lift up his face to God in favour and acceptance.
In this act of God, I am called to say that the truth of acceptance
is the highest aspect of our blessing in the sight of God.
I read that little verse just in connection with Abel
from the fifth chapter of Ephesians.
A little verse, almost out of keeping with the rest of that chapter,
but I'll pass it to you.
All the tears to the heart just really are in the words of Christ and of Joseph.
Here we can plumb and dive into the depths of the unfathomable love of God.
The Christ that loved us, and has given himself for us a sacrifice,
and an offering of a sweet and savoury meal to God.
And on the ground of that precious death in which God eternally glorified,
he was glorifying his precious life.
He allowed us to say in truth, I have glorified these on the earth.
But he was glorified again at that death,
and in perfect obedience, and unswavering devotion,
the Son of God moved onward in obedience to the will of God,
and died on his precious life on the cross of Calvary.
And on the ground of that precious death, in which God has been eternally glorified,
as to the matter of sin and my sins,
I can bask in the fullness of the favour and the acceptance of God.
We read in the first chapter of Ephesians that we have been taken into favour.
As near, as he is near, as dear as he is dear, I could not be nearer to God,
for in the person of his beloved Son, I am as near as him.
This is the simple but profound truth that we see brought before us in Old Testament time,
in the offering of Abel.
And of necessity I say again, I must apprehend that truth in Christ as a soul,
if I am in any measure to stand in acceptance before God.
The first movement of faith is this,
I am brought into right relationships with God by faith on the finished work of Christ,
to offer himself without a spot to God.
Lift unflammable, love divine,
heal each soul over the soul,
God give us grace that blunders,
Christ has loved us.
The angels of eternity will echo with the song of the redeemed,
unto him that loveth us.
Here is the awakening of my approach to God,
that has come down from heaven,
here is the awakening of my approach to God,
that has come down from heaven,
down the avenue of the boundless love of Christ,
that led him to lay down his precious life in death,
that I might be brought into acceptance before God.
The faith goes on.
Faith will never move away from that truth,
but faith can move on.
Faith moves on.
If I have apprehended in any measure in the soul,
the meaning of acceptance with God,
be sure of this,
be sure of this,
there will be a masterful and solemn answer to it,
in my life here in the world.
I wanted to guess that in Enoch, Noah and Abraham,
we have perhaps in very simple crystallized form,
some of the underlying principles
that mark the ministry of John, Peter and Paul.
I believe it was Mr. Sturney who said,
that John's ministry with Enoch expanded.
I think there is a measure of truth,
in this little statement.
I want just to emphasize,
one or two little things about Enoch,
we do not read very much of him,
in scripture,
and what we read of him is profound.
He pleased God,
he pleased God.
We may look upon such a simple statement,
with perhaps the thought that,
there is something greater than this.
But you know the essential of God very often,
the simplest thoughts of the word of God,
are the most profound.
Think of it dear friends,
the essential of God,
these bodies of ours in which once,
the wretched works of sin and misery,
were manifestly expounded,
in those very same persons,
they can be manifested with which God is pleased.
That's the work of faith,
and the Holy Spirit of God.
And it's a great truth,
we can live to the favour of God.
You know I didn't intend to speak about Cain,
but one feels,
perhaps it is necessary,
to mention by way of warning,
something of this miserable murderer,
and his way, Cain.
He stands out in stark contrast,
to the way of faith.
They never coalesce,
they never mix,
in the way of Cain,
in the way of faith,
the essential of God.
Let us not compromise these two truths,
the way of Cain,
and the way of faith,
never mix.
Read the fourth chapter of Genesis,
and there he is simply denigrated,
by the hand of the Spirit of God.
The movement of Cain,
when he went out from the presence of God,
that's the first thing that marks him,
after his murderous deed,
he went out from the presence of God,
and he set up a city and a system,
that spoke in every way,
of man and Cain,
and nothing of God.
You remember he built the city,
and called it after his son,
Enoch, which means Jewish.
You follow through with him,
some measure of his descendants,
and you find commence,
and mark him within the way of Cain,
not the way of Abel,
that these things commence.
Commerce,
arts and crafts,
self-making pleasure,
they were commence,
by the descendants of Cain,
not of Abel.
We see them all around us.
We see them,
amongst the sons of God.
They have no right to be there.
Commerce,
music,
arts,
everything that is pleasurable,
to the first man that crucified Christ,
and was put away in the death of Christ.
They commence by their origin,
in the city,
and system,
of which Cain was the originator,
a man who went out from the presence of God.
God gave us Christ,
to keep away from.
But there's a bright note at the end of the fourth chapter of Genesis,
there is introduced a lie of faith,
he's not mentioned in Hebrews,
but we read it said.
And the last quote of the fourth chapter of Genesis is this,
then,
men,
began to call,
on the name of the Lord.
A simple lie of faith,
which kept them completely aware,
and had nothing to do with Cain.
They sought not to revenge the death of Abel.
They sought not to interfere with the politics,
in the way of Cain.
They went on in simple faith,
which called upon God,
and we might say,
with which God was pleased.
And of that line, comes Enoch.
Of that line, comes Enoch.
By faith, Enoch was translated,
and he should not sit there.
And there was not found,
which was God had translated him,
or before his translation,
he had this testimony,
and he pleased God.
I want to turn away from Enoch,
for a moment.
I want to talk about somebody else,
who pleased God.
Who comes to mind,
when you think of a person,
who pleased God?
Jesus.
Or think of the majesty,
or think of the depth,
or the profundity of the statement,
of one here, a perfect man,
who could say,
I do always those things,
which please the Father.
Pleasing God, the High Court,
there is no bias in service.
He pleased God.
I do always those things,
which please the Father.
And where is pleasing the Father,
or pleasing God?
By its source, its power.
It is in communion.
In communion.
If one in any nature is to move onward
through this world, pleasing to God,
it is incumbent upon me
to move
in communion with God.
It doesn't say so in
Hebrews 11,
but we read in Genesis,
to walk with God.
Do I walk with God?
Do I move through this world
daily,
hourly,
with a conscious sense in myself
that God is there?
Perhaps sometimes we do well
to sit down simply
and ponder motives,
actions,
service,
in the presence of God.
All that is true and right,
according to the will of God,
will lay upon these eyes of you,
and nowhere else.
O dear saints of God, let us carry the presence of God
in communion.
How often we read
in Luke's Gospel
of that holy dependent man
that he was found
in prayer.
Some have tried to count it up,
I believe it's about 11 times.
That holy dependent man
is found in prayer
in Luke's Gospel.
What need had he to pray
in himself because of this person?
None, he was called.
But as a holy dependent man,
he found
recourse to the presence
of God
in prayer.
And coming out of that august presence,
he moved through this world
in the power
of communion.
Every step,
every word,
every motive.
And each motive, you know, very often,
dear saints of God, in which we don't know
where to turn.
Our motives
are reformed in the presence
of God.
Is that happened in this life of mine?
Because of the fact that I am in right relations
with God,
that I am now here as a child of God
moving on the principle of faith.
Have I reformed
first and foremost
this simple desire, I want to live here
as a figure of God?
This should be paramount
in our ambition.
There might be many
other things.
I speak freely
to my
generation.
Let us see that our
ambitions, our desires
for this present life
are formed in the presence
of God.
Oh, this is vital.
Many of the pitfalls,
the failures,
the unhappiness,
and the
embarrassing situations
that the devil would drop us
into would be
avoided if we knew
more and more what it was to see
in the presence of God.
I read that in a verse
in John's Gospel.
There perhaps is no other writer in the New Testament
who so real
and livingly puts me in the presence of
divine persons as John.
There is an
unmistakable mark
of majesty in his presentation
of the Gospel.
There is a warmth
and a depth in his ministry.
One cannot but re-read it
and not be marked
with a thought,
I have to do with God, find him in the presence of God
in the ministry
of John.
Let all have pleasure
out of the words that one read
from the 14th chapter of his Gospel.
Here is a text of my affection
and love for Christ
if we can speak of it
in such a manner
if a man loved me
he would keep my word
if a man loved me
he would keep my word
are the words
of the saints
or the commandments of Jesus
cherished in their flesh?
Read them
prayerfully
calmly
the signs of Jesus
I don't want to be
blinded to separationists
I want to speak just about
one statement of Jesus
which he said
in prayer
to his Father
concerning you
and I
they are not
of the world
they are not
the words of
God Jesus Christ
to attain
to that high standard
Do I love him?
Here is a text of my affection
and love for Christ
if a man loved me
he would keep my stand
he would keep my word
but look, look at the reward
all the rewards of affection
for Jesus
therefore that my
Father loved me
he said
that looking upon his disciples
the Father himself
loved you
why?
because
he had affection for me
there can be no greater reward
for love for Jesus than this
I am charmed with the blessedness
of the love of the Father
but here we have another reward
if a man loved me
he would keep my word
and my Father would love him
and make our world
with him
communion
with divine persons
all are consoled in all this power
all are new born
in the magnificent
look at this
the Father and the Son
coming like their
hope in me
here is communion
here is the source
of power in this world
here is where I tap
divine sustenance
for testimony in this world
the presence of the Father
and the Son
here is the
reward for pleasing
God
for charity
in carrying out
the sayings of Jesus
God give us
grace to put
them paramount in our desires
but may we know
what it is first and foremost
that by faith
to walk here
here in communion with God
pleasing
to God
that's enough
by faith know of being born of God
of things not seen as yet known
through the fear
prepare now for the station of his host
as I have said
here we have perhaps some
of the
weighty features of the
ministry
there is expression that I want to emphasize
in regard to Noah's list
he had a communication from God
concerning the judgment of the dead world
a very weighty matter
the judgment of this world
Noah believed God
and he moved
on the ground of that divine
communication
and the remarkable thing is
that it says he condemned the world
he condemned it
that's what Hebrew says of Noah
God condemned
the world
God condemned the judgment of the world
he called his servant
Moses
and he had this effect
Noah condemned the world
have you and I condemned this world?
we have
in the third chapter
of the second epistle of Peter
one of the most weighty
and profound
communications
regarding the physical creation
I think it would be right
to say the most
awe-inspiring
communication
concerning this present world
is going to be burned up
the world
is going to end
with a great noise
going to be exhaled
the mind cannot envision
a greater
physical happening
in the creation of God
and it's God
who will do it
but God will know
that his prophet
has foretold
of this coming event
and in the third chapter
of second Peter we read of it
that Peter writes of it
not that we might just
collect mental knowledge
of the workings of God
which are yet to take place
in this great sphere
if that is the only way
that I approach the word of God
I am losing that
Peter one feels writes of the chapter
of his second epistle
that it might have a profound effect
upon the heart, mind and life
of those to whom he wrote
when Noah received the communication
which he believed by faith
it had a remarkable effect upon him
he condemned the world
dear saints of God
there are many many more reasons
why you and I should condemn this world
I'm speaking here
first and foremost
on this reason
because God has condemned it
and it's coming, Peter judge
there is perhaps a reason
far nearer to your affections and mine
than this
this world
is the sphere
where Christ is hated
don't wiggle down
that expression dear saints of God
this world hates Jesus
that surely is good enough reason
for you and I
to come to this judgement of this world
in the presence of God
and from thence
God give us to know the truth
of looking upon this world
as a barren place
where Jesus died
but it's coming Peter judge
I see the time is going
I don't want to lengthen out this
Peter says in verse 11
see then that all these things
shall be so
what manner of persons
in all holy
conversation
there is great rounds
and a great need amongst the saints
of God
youthfulness often is marked by naivety
but if being brought to God
being acceptable to God
and being the recipient
of divine communication
there is an urgent need
if one's life in this world
to be marked by soulness
holiness
sanctification
and truth
these are simple practical
necessities
of the Christian life
and that is spirit
what manner
of persons ought we to be
in all holy
conversation
the world watches us
God watches us
the world hates us
God loves us
and will shortly
take us over the sea
to be with himself
then this world
will come into judgment
in the meantime God give us
grace in his presence
and true conviction of heart and conscience
to come to a true judgment
of this world
the said one's cause
and one's life
in relation to the things of God
but what about Abraham
I think it's quite simple
to say that indeed
the history of Abraham
in the Old Testament
one can see many of the fundamental
truths of the ministry of the apostle Paul
that's crystal clear
justifications like those
fundamental, necessary and clear
the life of Abraham
a man of faith
but righteous in the sight of God
imputed unto him
because of what he did in faith
his interconnection with Abraham
or in the little talk, I did read of it
in the 11th of Hebrews
that a remarkable thing is said of such
for this reason
God is not ashamed to be called
their God
that's peculiar language
God is not ashamed to own me
why? because of the works of Jesus?
no
not in the 11th of Hebrews
God denies to own me
because of the efficacy of that precious
blood shed on Calvary
but in the 11th of Hebrews
God was not ashamed
to be called the God of Abraham
why? because he was a pilgrim
and a stranger
chapter 2nd Corinthians
it's a new testament
a pilgrim
and a stranger
it's a most encouraging chapter
it's a most profound chapter
you've probably noticed that it commences
and it ends with this little
most necessary exhortation
we thank God
in the name of God
are you thanking? what does it mean?
being weakhearted
there's no need to be weakhearted
there's no need to be despondent
this chapter
opens and closes with Paul
saying this
we thank God
here is a chapter that will formulate
endurance in the soul
here are truths
that will quicken the footsteps
heavenward
you won't read a bit in Genesis
but you'll read a bit in Stephen's Apology
as it is so called
that the God of Glory appeared
under Abraham
when he called him out of Mesopotamia
the God of Glory
this is why they say
there is a remarkable likeness between
the history of Abraham
and the ministry of the Apostle Paul
it's a ministry that originates
and connects men to the Glory of God
oh is that not something
worth going in for?
is that not something worth having in the soul?
some truth as to the Glory of God
and where I find it now
shining in the face of Jesus Christ
it's been said before
that that seventh chapter of Acts
commences with the thought
of the God of Glory
and it ends with the blessed truth
that there is a man in the God of Glory
Peter it says of him that he looked upward
the heavens were opened
and it says he saw
the Glory of God
something that no man would have seen before
the brightest shining testimony
on earth at that moment was found
in Stephen
he stood in the gain of a more excellent ministry
he had more excellent knowledge
and he manifested
a more excellent power
you have perhaps noticed
in the New Testament
the references to the word
excellent
they are incredible
for it means the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord
in this chapter
2nd Corinthians chapter 4
that the excellency of the power
of God
and not of us
1st Corinthians chapter 12
behold I show unto you
a more excellent way
and what's chapter 13
he speaks of divine power
and they are all seen in Stephen
he had an excellency
of knowledge he looked upward
and saw the Glory of God
and Jesus
the glory of God
in the New Testament
the Glory of God
and Jesus
look at the effect
that had on Stephen
it transformed him
no one
ever claimed in that moment
likeness to Jesus
think of how that illustration
fit in with this chapter
the likeness of Jesus
what were the words of Stephen
with all the darkness to
to them shall be
there is power
there is divine
power with the phenomenon of death
that makes a man of the life on him
to plead for their forgiveness
that's power
and it comes from
the knowledge
of the Glory of God
and Jesus being there
in the third Philippians
it's very clear in this chapter
Paul speaks of himself individually
he says
for this he has suffered
the loss of all things
that's friendship in this world
there's a truth
built in
preparedness of heart
which I know all have done
compared with the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord
it's not hard
it's not difficult
if one's soul
in any measure had when in his body
faced the Glory of God
shone in the face of Jesus Christ
there would be a marked change in this life of mine
the God of Glory
had been unwavering
and out he went
the Glory of God had faded
and out he went
not knowing where he went
why?
because the God of Glory had agreed on forgiveness
and he had answered to it
in faith
in his soul
and he became a stranger
and become a new testament
of God's clear speech
of God who commanded
the light to shine
and shine in the lower house
what more
to give the knowledge
of the Glory of God shining
in the face of Jesus Christ
I say again there is no truth
that scripture once gave
so calculated to move my soul
away from this world
into a path which is pleasing to God
preparedness of heart
that I know all have
and the way my soul
can apprehend the truth
the Glory of God shines in the face
of Jesus Christ
how does he speak?
oh think of the difficulties
that he encountered
think of the way
he speaks
and Beloved Saint
I say again
he had real power in the soul
he was not a faithful
one in mind
that spoke these words in the 2nd Corinthians
he was a mind that had power in the soul
true conviction about
his conscience
and this is what is needed
we have this treasure
in earth
and this is how it is
and what a treasure it is
the first mention of the treasure
in the New Testament
where the treasure is there
in the heart of the altar
it is perfectly obvious
where Paul's heart and treasure was
which at the right hand of God
all bound up in the bust
of Christ Jesus in law
this is where his heart and treasure was
but the excellency
of the Father
may be of God
and not of us
and then think of this little
collation
of circumstances
to which he went
I am not going to add to them
I believe they are more explicit
in the New Translation
but I shall read them again
we are troubled on every side
we are not distressed
we are not distressed
we are perplexed
but not in despair
persecuted
something we don't know much about
Paul was persecuted
Paul was persecuted
Paul and his followers amount to his persecution
physical suffering
but not forsaken
in the sight of God and of the house of heaven
so was Paul
so were many an offering
but not destroyed
and then on this verse 10
here we have
thanks for the secret
the basis
for the manifestation
of the people of Christ
in this world
always being in my body
the dying of Jesus
a peculiar expression
I understand the word here
the dying of Christ
it's a word from which
we get our English word
of course
I say it briefly
Paul moved through this world
and he literally as it were
always in my body
the dying of Jesus
out of this world
he carried it with him daily …