[0:00] I'd like you to turn with you this evening as we wait for the Lord's blessing to the letter to the Hebrews and chapter 11. Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 11, and reading at verse 11.
[0:21] By faith, Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age. Since she considered him faithful who had promised.
[0:34] Therefore, from one man and him as good as dead were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the sea shore.
[0:52] We're very familiar with Abraham's faith. We find it in scripture itself, frequently mentioned, that believers even today are spiritually descendants of Abraham.
[1:10] That Abraham is the father of the faithful, of those who believe and place their trust in Christ. And that, of course, is itself a major biblical emphasis that runs from the Old Testament into the New.
[1:26] But we're maybe not as familiar with Sarah's faith and even less familiar with the place that Sarah's faith had in fulfilling the promise that God gave to Abraham.
[1:42] Because the promise that God gave to Abraham, that he would be the father of many nations. That from him would come a seed, a posterity that would be blessed by the Lord and be a blessing to others.
[1:59] That would not be fulfilled by God except through Sarah's contribution as well as Abraham's.
[2:11] Which is why you find combined in these two verses, Sarah and Abraham, in this reference to faith on the part of each of those individuals.
[2:22] Some people suggest that the two verses really ought to be taken as a reference to Abraham. And that the reference to Sarah is really a kind of parenthesis or just something that's said in passing.
[2:38] So that we should really take that it was by faith Abraham had these descendants according to God's promise through his wife Sarah.
[2:50] But it is Abraham's faith that's specially mentioned. Because verse 12 is obviously in the masculine, therefore from one, one man and him as good as dead.
[3:00] And because that's tied on so closely to verse 11, there are some interpreters that say, well, we should understand that the main reference in verse 11 is also to Abraham.
[3:12] But it doesn't really do justice to the way that you find the text set out, which unquestionably refers to Sarah and to the faith that Sarah herself had and exercised.
[3:27] And it's perfectly possible, as I hope we'll see this evening, to take Sarah's faith as alongside Abraham's faith. And that together, by faith, they actually came to fulfill God's own promise.
[3:45] Or God fulfilled his promise through them, through Sarah as much as through Abraham. In the birth of Isaac, the child of promise, from whom then proceeded the line that came from that.
[4:02] So let's look firstly at Sarah's faith and its result for her. And secondly, at Sarah's faith and its result for Abraham.
[4:13] Or Sarah's faith in relation to God's promise to Abraham. Sarah's faith and its result for herself. By faith, Sarah herself received power or received strength to conceive even when she was past age.
[4:34] Just take these words, first of all. By faith, she received strength. Now it's important that you would take that phrase as it stands in itself.
[4:47] Because sometimes we're apt to think that we need strengthening for faith. That we need strength in order then to exercise faith.
[4:57] That we need strength from God in order then to do things following that by faith and in faith. But this text teaches us, as does the whole of scripture, that we receive strength through exercising faith.
[5:16] Not in order to have faith or to take the kind of steps that we might think we should take before we exercise faith. By faith, Sarah received strength.
[5:30] And that is something that we need to remember even in relation to some of the duties that fall to us as believers in Christ.
[5:42] Because we are apt to think in regard to that as well. And some of the responsibilities, some of the duties, some of the privileges that we have. Such as coming to take communion.
[5:54] Coming to the Lord's table. People still have a mind that says, well if only I had the strength to believe. Then I would go forward.
[6:07] If only I got strength from God. So that I would then believe more fully in the promises. Or believe more fully in what I know in myself.
[6:17] Or want to see in myself. Or want to find in God. And in his relationship with me. Then I would be in a position to go forward. And to take communion.
[6:28] We receive the strength to do what is required. By going forward in faith. By exercising that faith as Sarah did.
[6:42] To receive strength. You see Sarah didn't say, I wish I had strength from God to believe his promise. Sarah believed in the promise.
[6:54] And through the believing. Through the faith that she had. She received the strength to conceive seed. Now this of course had in it an element of the miraculous.
[7:08] Sarah was past childbearing age. It ceased to be. As the Genesis passage puts it in its own language. It ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
[7:22] She was past the stage of being able ordinarily to bear children as one normally does. So there was an element of the miraculous in what happened.
[7:34] When she came to have a child, Isaac. God had intervened in her circumstances. And through his power. But by her faith.
[7:45] She received the strength from him. To conceive seed. And it's interesting and important that it was she who conceived.
[7:57] She received the strength to conceive seed. Sometimes we may not quite take with us the very precise definitions of the Bible.
[8:12] Or even of some of our catechisms or the confession of faith. The language of which sometimes is very important. Though it is not of course on the same level as scripture.
[8:23] She conceived. She by faith received strength to conceive. Just in passing you could say that it's related to it in a way.
[8:37] When our Lord came into the world. He was conceived by Mary in her virgin womb.
[8:50] He was not conceived by the Holy Spirit. Though it was by the power of the Holy Spirit. But he was conceived by Mary of her substance.
[9:05] As the confession so wonderfully puts it. And although there's so much mystery in that. It is still important. That we actually give the human part of it.
[9:18] Its own place. Because that is how God worked. And if you take this particular instance of Mary. And in relation to Sarah conceiving.
[9:31] By faith through the power that God gave. It would appear that these miraculous conceptions. That you find like Sarah's in the Old Testament.
[9:44] Were themselves preparatory. They were themselves leading up to. If you like. That most miraculous of all conceptions. When Mary conceived.
[9:56] By the power of the Holy Spirit. The humanity of our Lord. But she received strength. By faith.
[10:08] And when we're looking for strength. We mustn't look for it out with faith. Out with putting our trust in God. Out with the actions.
[10:19] Because this chapter really is very much about the actions of believers. But the faith that they had and exercised. Was a faith that showed itself in what they did.
[10:33] And in many ways. The verses that you find all the way through the chapter. Are really about the doings of these people. Demonstrating that faith. Produces.
[10:44] The kind of actions and works that you find. In this list of people. So she received strength. To conceive seed. Now that means that.
[10:56] More than just to bring a child into the world. Because the word that's used here. Is a word that has to do with establishing something.
[11:08] And when you think of the way that the Bible so frequently uses the word seed. What Sarah was given to strength. To conceive or to establish.
[11:20] Was a seed in terms of a posterity. A people. Now remember the promise. Was given specifically to Abraham. That he would be the father of a seed.
[11:32] Which no one could number. The father of so many people that would come from him. Not just in physical terms. But spiritually too. That would be innumerable.
[11:43] And you have to dovetail that into. The way Sarah here by faith. Received strength. To conceive or to establish that seed. For herself.
[11:55] But for Abraham too. As the promise was given. To him. And that's why you find. That verse 12. Begins with therefore. In verse 11.
[12:06] You've got Sarah. The strength that she got. To conceive or to establish seed. And then immediately comes back to Abraham. And therefore. From one man. And him as good as dead.
[12:18] Were born descendants. As many as the stars. Of the sky. As many as the stars of heaven. And as the innumerable grains of sand. By the seashore.
[12:30] So she received strength. And she received strength. And maybe you're looking for strength tonight. Maybe you're thinking that. The thing for which you need the strength.
[12:43] Is by other than just simply trusting to the Lord. Well here is your example. To show you that Sarah. By trusting in the Lord.
[12:53] By believing his word. By placing herself. In confidence. In his word. She received. That strength.
[13:04] Abraham received strength too. We'll come back to that in a minute. But you see. There's an emphasis on faith. By faith. She received the strength.
[13:15] Faith. And that too is important. The word faith itself. Because faith essentially. Is resting upon God. Leaning your weight upon God. Coming to trust his word.
[13:25] To accept his word. Yes. To believe his word. But coming to place yourself. On the basis of the truthfulness of that word. You're placing yourself into his hands.
[13:36] You're saying of him. I can safely deposit myself. Into the hands of this God. I can put myself at the disposal of this God. I can safely go forwards.
[13:47] Expecting that God will be true to his word. That he will look after me. That he will give me according to his promise. That he will never let me down or fail me. And the fact that it emphasizes faith.
[14:02] Means. That we. Have responsibilities. Which we cannot shirk. Now I know. And you know ultimately. That faith.
[14:14] Itself comes. From God. As a gift of his grace. But it is not God who believes. It is not God. The Holy Spirit. Who believes for us.
[14:24] It is not anyone else who is required. To believe for you. And for me. Sarah believed. Abraham believed. Noah believed.
[14:36] You and I. Are to be the believing party. We must believe. And it is so interesting. The way the Bible. So often emphasizes. Our believing.
[14:48] Alongside of. Something that God. Specifically does. And God. Sometimes alone. Can do. For example. In first Peter. In chapter one there. You have an emphasis.
[14:59] On. How. These people. Who were. Suffering so much. The people. That Peter. Was writing to. They were. Being. Kept. For. An inheritance.
[15:10] That God. Had kept. For them. As they were. Going through. This world. Though they were. Experiencing. All of these trials. And these difficulties. As believers. In exercising.
[15:20] Their believing. And their faith. They were. Being. Kept. By God. Through. The power. Of God. They were. Being. Kept. For that.
[15:31] Reserved. Inheritance. For them. But then. There's something else. There. We haven't. Mentioned it. But it's important. You. Who are. Kept. By the power. Of God.
[15:42] Through. Faith. Through. Faith. God. Was not. Keeping. Them. Apart.
[15:52] From. Separate. From. Their. Faith. And. Neither. Must. You. And. I. Believe. That. God. Is. Simply. Going. To. Keep. Us. Or.
[16:03] To. Bless. Us. Without. Our. Requirements. And. Our. Responsibilities. Being. Fulfilled. On. Our. Part. Whether. It's. Faith. Or. Any. Other. Aspect.
[16:13] Of. What. We. Are. Responsible. For. For. God. Works. Through. These. Things. Not. Without. Them. Faith. And. In. In. The. The. Same. Way.
[16:23] Tonight. The. Fact. That. We. Trust. In. The. Lord. Is. Itself. A. Means. By. Which. We. Receive. The. Strength. Or. The. Power. Of. God.
[16:34] Even. In. Our. Keeping. From. Day. To. Day. We. Are. Kept. We're. Not. Kept. Because. Of. The. Quality. Of. Our. Faith. We're. Faith.
[16:51] Unto. That. Inheritance. We. Are. Kept. By. His. Power. Through. Faith. Unto. That. Inheritance. But.
[17:01] You. Might. Have. A. Question. Well. How. Is. It. That. Sarah. Is. Commended. For. Her. Faith. When. We. Read. In. Genesis. 18. As. We've. Read. That. She.
[17:12] Disbelieved. When. She. Heard. As. She. Listened. The. Words. That. Were. Given. By. These. Three. Mysterious. Figures. Who. Came. To. To. Abraham. And.
[17:23] Spoke. To. Him. Again. Reiterating. The. Promise. Of. God. That. Sarah. Would. Have. A. Child. Where. Is. Sarah. Your. Wife. She. Will. Have. A. Child. Sarah. Laugh.
[17:36] And. Then. They. Said. Why. Did. Sarah. Laugh. Now. God. Obviously. Was. Present. In. These. Figures. In.
[17:47] These. Personages. That. Were. There. Because. They. Spoke. As. Only. God. Can. Speak. And. In. Fact. We. Find. It. There. Said.
[17:57] The. Lord. Said. When. They. Spoke. To. Abraham. But. But. Sarah. Laugh. And. Then. She. Denied. That. She. Was. Afraid. And.
[18:08] The. Response. To. That. Was. No. But. You. Did. Laugh. How. Is. She. Here. An. Example. Of. Faith. And. That. By. Faith. She. Received.
[18:18] Strength. To. Conceive. To. Establish. A. Seed. When. It. Says. In. Genesis. She. Laugh. That. She. Didn't. Take. In.
[18:28] Firstly. The. Word. Of. Promise. From. God. Well. It's. Surely. A. Case. Of. Sarah.
[18:39] Actually. Coming. To. Accept. And. To. Believe. What. She. To. Begin. With. Found. Difficult. To. Believe. The.
[18:50] Bible. Doesn't. Tell. Us. That. Abraham. Was. Perfect. Nor. That. Sarah. Was. Perfect. And.
[19:00] In. Fact. When. You. Come. To. See. And. Compare. These. Passages. It. Appears. That. Sarah. To. Begin. With. Kind. Of. Dismissed. What. She. He. He. He. He. About.
[19:10] Receiving. About. Being. A. A. To. Bring. A. Child. Into. The. World. That. She. Would. Have. A. Child. But. Then. She. Thought. About. It. Further. And.
[19:21] This. Version. Hebrews. Reminds. Us. That. It. Was. After. The. Reflection. And. Thinking. About. It. And. Then. Coming. To. Accept. It. And. Believing. The. Word. Of. God. That.
[19:33] She. Then. Received. Strength. To. Conceive. That. Seed. And. In. Isaac. And. Then. Gave. Birth. To. Isaac. Now. That. Tells. Us. Something. Important. Doesn't.
[19:45] Mean. That. It's. Easy. To. Believe. And. That. We. Don't. Find. Context. Where. Faith. Is. Severely. Tested. Just. Because.
[19:55] God. Has. Given. Us. Faith. Doesn't. Mean. That. That. Faith. Is. Always. Going. To. Be. In. Full. Bloom. Or. He.
[20:07] Could. Walk. On. Water. At. The. Invitation. Of. Christ. And. He. Did. So. But. He. Began. To. Sink. When. He. Took. Account. Of. Everything. Round.
[20:18] Him. The. Wind. The. Waves. The. Tempest. And. Peter. Sank. At. Another. Time. When. He. Was.
[20:28] Challenged. As. To. Being. A. Disciple. Of. Christ. Three. Times. He. Denied. The. Lord. And. Isn't. It. Encouraging.
[20:39] For. Us. That. The. Bible. Has. Given. Us. The. Blemishes. Of. These. Great. People. Of. God. So.
[20:51] That. We. Would. Be. Encouraged. When. We. Look. At. Our. Own. And. You know. It's. Very. Often. The. Case. As. As. Jesus. Actually. Demonstrated.
[21:01] To. Peter. That. After. A. Failure. After. Something. Where. We've. Not. Believed. As. We. Should. Where. We've. Not.
[21:11] Acted. In. Faith. As. We. Should. Where. We've. Not. Acted. On. The. Word. Of. God. As. We. Should. After. Reflection. On. That. And. Coming. Back. To. Accept. That. Word. Of. God. And. To.
[21:21] Accept. That. We. Were. Wrong. And. That. We. Did. Wrong. And. That. We. Needed. That. Correction. It's. Then. That. Faith. Very. Often. Is. Strengthened. More. Than. Ever. God.
[21:32] Understands. Our. Failure. Doesn't. Mean. That. He. Gives. Us. Any. Excuse. For. It. It. Doesn't. Mean. That. He. Ever. Suggests. To. Us. That. Our. Failure.
[21:42] And. Our. Lapses. Us.
[21:53] In. Leading. Us. In. Sanctifying. Us. And. Again. And. Again. Picking. Us. Up. When. We. Fallen. Actually. Gives. Us. To. Be. Strengthened.
[22:04] And. To. Have. Our. Faith. Strengthened. The. More. We. Appreciate. And. Experience. As. He. Does. That. For. Us. It's. There's. A. Great. Passage.
[22:15] As. You know. In. In. Hosea. Chapter. Gone. Away. From. Him. And. Having. Failed. Him.
[22:25] And. Having. Taken. Other. Gods. In. His. Place. And. He's. Reminding. Them. Of. What. He. Did. To. Them. At. The. Beginning. How. He. Found. Them. And. How. He. Brought. Them. To. Know. Himself. And. How. He. Rescued. Them.
[22:36] And. Hosea. Uses. A. Marvelous. Picture. There. Of. God. Speaking. As it were. To. The. People. When. Israel. Was. A. Child. I. Loved. Him. I.
[22:46] Took. Him. By. The. Hands. I. Taught. Him. How. To. Walk. And. That's. A. Picture. Of. God. And. For. You. Tonight.
[22:57] If. Your. Faith. Is. A. Struggling. Faith. As. Sometimes. My. Faith. Is. A. Struggling. Faith. Faith. And. Most. People. Is. A. Struggling. Faith. At. Times. There.
[23:07] Is. A. Picture. For. You. That. Says. That. Is. The. God. For. The. Struggling. Faith. The. God. Whose. Hands. Are. Stretched. Out. As. A. Father. Or. A. Mother. Teaching. A. Child. To. Walk.
[23:18] And. There. Are. Two. Things. In. That. Why. Does. A. Mother. Or. A. Father. Reach. Out. With. Their. Hands. When. A. Child. Is. Tottering. On. His. First. Steps. Well. For. Two. Reasons. Firstly. To.
[23:28] Give. Support. If. They. Fall. So. That. They. Won't. Hurt. Themselves. And. Secondly. To. Encourage. Them. To. Take. More. Steps. And. More. Steps.
[23:38] And. To. Live. Learned. It. Properly. And. That. Is. What. God. Is. For. The. Believer. Too. That. Is. What. God. Was. For. Sarah. By. Faith.
[23:49] She. Received. Strength. To. Conceive. She. Received. Strength. After. Firstly. Disbelieving. The. Word. But. She. Reflected. On. It. And. Thought.
[23:59] Of. It. And. Came. To. Believe. And. To. Accept. And. To. Act. Accordingly. And. God. Appreciated. That. We. Can. Use. That. Word. Of. God. He. Delights.
[24:09] In. The. Faith. Of. His. People. And. You. See. There's. Something. Else. Here. As. Well. She. Received. That. Strength. Of. Power. To.
[24:19] Conceive. Or. To. Establish. A. Seed. Even. When. She. Was. Past. Eight. Since. She. Considered. Him. Faithful. Who. Had. Promised. Isn't. It. Interesting. She.
[24:30] Received. Strength. From. God. And. Yet. It. Doesn't. Say. She. Considered. Him. All. Powerful. It. Says.
[24:41] She. Considered. Him. Faithful. And. That. Too. Is. Significant. And. It's. A. Beautiful. Compliment.
[24:52] As. Well. Along. With. The. Emphasis. On. Power. And. Strength. Because. That. Is. How. God. Reveals.
[25:02] Himself. Not. Just. As. A. God. Who. Is. Almighty. For. The. Fulfillment. Of. His. Promises. Yes. There. Is. That. And. You're. Thankful. For. That. And. You're. Thankful.
[25:12] That. The. Power. That. Keeps. You. Is. The. Power. That. Fulfils. What. He's. Promised. And. Will. It.
[25:24] For. You. In. Heaven. As. A. Believer. In. Christ. But. It's. Not. Just. Power. It's. Not. Bare. Power. It's. Power.
[25:35] Accompanied. With. Faithfulness. It's. As. True. To. Say. That. The. Fulfillment. Of. God's. Promises. Is.
[25:46] Certain. On. The. Basis. Of. His. Faithfulness. As. It. Is. On. The. Basis. Of. His. You.
[25:56] Can. Be. Just. Assured. That. Because. Of. His. Faithfulness. God. Will. Be. True. To. His. Promises. As. It. Is. To. Say. God. Will. Be. True. To. His. Promises. Because.
[26:07] He. Has. The. Power. Fulfill. Them. You. Are. Thankful. For. Both. That. The. God. You. Believe. In. The. God. You. Trust. In. Is.
[26:18] The. God. Who. Is. Both. Faithful. And. Powerful. To. Look. After. You. And. To. Do. For. You. What. Only. He. Can. Do. And.
[26:29] That's. Where. We. Learn. Patience. You. See. Sarah. And. Indeed. Abraham. Had. Complied. With. It. Had.
[26:39] Thought. At. One. Time. That. Maybe. The. Best. Way. To. Have. God's. Plan. For. Them. Fulfilled. Was. By. Abraham. Taking. Hagar. Her. Servant. Girl. And.
[26:51] Having. A. Child. By. Her. And. Indeed. As. We. Read. Abraham. Came. To. Plead. Before. God. Oh.
[27:01] That. Ishmael. Might. Live. Before. You. The. Child. That. Hagar. Had. Born. Him. And. Brought. Into. The. World. No.
[27:13] Said. God. But. Sarah. Shall. Have. A. Son. Isaac. Will. Be. His. Name. And. I. Will. Fulfill. My. Promises.
[27:24] In. Him. You. See. Our. Own. Plan. Seems. Good. To. Ourselves. Instead. Of. Waiting. For. The. Lord. To. Fulfill.
[27:34] His. And. Reveal. His. And. Take. Us. On. Through. His. And. Give. Us. The. Mind. To. Accept. His. Sometimes. We.
[27:44] Are. Impatient. We. Want. The. Result. At. Once. We. Live. In. A. World. That's. Used. To. That. And. The. Young. Folks. In. Here. Tonight.
[27:54] If. I. Can. Say. To. Them. Don't. Fall. Into. The. Trap. Of. Thinking. That. Your. Sanctification. Your. Increase.
[28:04] In. Holiness. Of. Life. Is. Going. Through. The. Experiences.
[28:16] That. God. Has. For. His. People. In. This. World. Faith. Needs. To. Be. Tested. And. It's. Only. As. Faith. Is. Tested.
[28:26] And. Overcomes. The. Testing. Not. Only. That. But. It's. Only. As. Faith. Meets. With. Testing. And. Sometimes. The. Person. Who. Is. That. Believing. Person. Fails.
[28:37] As. Sarah. Did. Momentarily. In. Our. Own. Experience. Is. Through. All. Of. These. Things. That. We. Come. To. Be. Strengthened. As. Well. And.
[28:48] It's. Because. He. Is. Faithful. That. We. Trust. That. Everything. He. Has. Said. He. Will. Indeed. Accomplish. So. Sarah's. Faith. And. Its. Result. For. Ourself. I've. Given.
[28:59] More. Time. To. That. Because. That. Us. In. This. World. Not.
[29:09] Just. Going. To. The. Lord's. Table. But. Other. Things. In. Which. We. Are. Called. To. Be. In. His. Service. Whether. It's. At. Home. Or. Away. From. Home. Whether. It's. In. The. Ministry. Whether. It's. In. A. Place.
[29:19] Of. Work. Whatever. It is. You. Need. Strength. For. It. And. The. Strength. That. You. Need. For. It. Can. Only. Come. From. God. But. It. Will. Come. As. You. Put. Your. Trust. In. Him. As.
[29:29] You. Live. By. Faith. As. You. Put. All. Of. That. In. Him. And. Know. That. He. Is. Faithful. As.
[29:39] The. One. Who. Has. Promised. Well. Say. As. Faith. And. God's. Promise. To. Abraham. As.
[29:53] Many. As. Abraham. Was. Not. Past. Fathering. Children. Sarah. Was.
[30:03] Beyond. The. Age. Of. Bearing. Children. Abraham. Was. Not. Beyond. The. Age. Of. Fathering. And. He. Fathered. Children. After. Sarah. Was. Dead. Why. Does.
[30:13] It. Then. Say. That. Him. As. Good. As. Dead. Well. Because. Of. Sarah's. Situation. He. Was. As. Good. As. Dead. As. As. Far.
[30:24] As. Having. A. Child. By. Sarah. Was. Concerned. And. That. Is. Where. God. Miraculously. Intervened. And. Through. Sarah's. Faith. As. Well. As. Abraham's. Faith.
[30:35] She. Received. Strength. To. Provide. Seed. To. Fulfill. God's. Promise. To. Abraham. But. God. God. Gave.
[30:46] There's. An. Interesting. Line. Of. Teaching. In. This. As. Well. I'm. Not. Going. To. Go. Into. It. But. Just. Leave. It. With. You. To. Maybe. Discuss. Further. Because. God's. Method. In. This. Is.
[30:57] A. Method. That. Really. You. Can. Trace. From. Here. Into. The. New. Testament. When. When. Sarah. And. Abraham. Came. To.
[31:07] Have. This. Child. Isaac. He. Was. Produced. By. God. If. You. Like. Out. Of. The. Deadness. Of. Sarah's. Womb. The. Barrenness. Of.
[31:17] Her. Womb. And. That. Is. Effectually. The. Same. Thing. In. Principle. As. Resurrection. Or. Creation. And. When. Abraham. Came. To.
[31:27] Mount. Moriah. To. Offer. Up. Isaac. As. God. Had. Commanded. Him. Abraham. In. A. Sense. Had. Been. In. That. Situation.
[31:38] Before. And. When. You. Read. In. This. Chapter. In. Hebrews. That. Abraham. Did. In. Fact.
[31:48] Offer. Up. Isaac. In. Obedience. To. God. And. He. Who. Had. Received. The. Promises. Was. On. The. Act. Of. Offering. Up. His. Only. Son. Of. Whom. It. Was. Said. Through. Isaac. Shall. Your. Offspring. Be. Named. He.
[31:59] Considered. That. God. Was. Able. To. Raise. Him. From. The. Dead. From. Which. Figuratively. Speaking. He. Did. Receive. Him. Back. He. Was. Persuaded. Fully. In.
[32:09] His. Mind. That. If. He. According. To. God's. Promise. Offered. Up. Isaac. As. A. Sacrifice. God. Was. Able. Fully. To. Restore. Him. Back. Alive.
[32:20] Was. No. Surprise. To. Abraham. Because. That's. Where. He. Had. Got. Him. In. The. First. Place. He. Had. Got. Him. Out. Of. The.
[32:31] Deadness. Of. Sarah's. womb. Alive. Child. And. Out. Of. The. Deadness. That. Was. Associated. With. Sacrificing. Isaac. Abraham.
[32:42] Had. No. Doubts. What. God. Was. Able. To. Do. Because. He. Had. Done. It. Before. He. Had. Given. Him. A. Son. Against. All. Human. Expectations. But.
[32:53] You see. You take. That. Further. As. Well. And. You can. See. That. It. Leads. In fact. Ultimately. To. The. Resurrection. Of. Christ. Himself. In.
[33:05] The. Last. Chapter. Of. This. Epistle. You find. That. May. The. God. Of. Peace. Who. Brought. Again. The. Blood.
[33:15] Of. May. Equip. You. With. Every. Good. Thing. To. Do. His. Will. There's. That. Theme. And. That. Strand. Of. Resurrection. And.
[33:27] Interestingly. I'll leave you. You can. Just. Compare. This. Passage. That. We. Read. In. Romans. With. What. We're. Saying. Just. Now. It's. Really. Significant. How. Paul. In. Writing. To.
[33:37] Romans. In. Chapter. Four. Described. Abraham. Just. Listen. To. What. He. Said. He. Said. To. Him. That. He. Would. Be. The. Father. Of.
[33:47] Many. Nations. In. The. Presence. Of. The. God. In. Whom. He. Believed. Who. Gives. Life. To. The. Dead. And. Calls. Into. Existence. The.
[33:58] Things. That. Do. Not. Exist. That. Is. A. Description. Of. Should.
[34:08] Become. The. Father. Of. Many. Nations. As. He. Had. Been. Told. So. Shall. Your. Offspring. Be. He. Did. Not. Weaken. In. Faith. When. He. Considered. His. Own. Body. Which.
[34:18] Was. As. Good. As. Dead. Since. He. Was. About. A. Hundred. Years. Old. Or. When. He. Considered. The. Barrenness. Of. Sarah's. Womb. No. Distrust. Made. Him. Waver. Concerning. The. Promise. Of. God. But.
[34:29] He. Grew. Strong. In. His. Faith. Or. You. Could. Say. He. Was. Strengthened. In. His. Faith. As. He. Gave. Glory. To. God. Fully. Convinced. That. God. Was. Able.
[34:39] To. Do. What. He. Had. Promised. Now. That's. A. Very. Significant. Description. Because. It. God.
[34:56] Giving. Them. A. Child. Isaac. By. Faith. Sarah. Received. Strength. And. By. Faith. Abraham.
[35:07] Too. Was. Strengthened. In. His. Faith. As. He. Hoped. And. Waited. For. The. Child. To. Arrive. What. Does. It. Tell. Us. It.
[35:18] Tell. Us. It. Tells. Us. That. Not. Only. Are. We. Strengthened. Through. Faith. But. That. The. More. We. Exercise. Faith. The. More. We. Are.
[35:28] Strengthened. The. More. We. Are. Strengthened. To. Be. And. To. Do. What. We. Should. Be. In. The. Service. Of. God. He.
[35:39] Was. Strengthened. In. His. Faith. That. Is. Why. Among. Other. Things. The. Lord. Has. Given. Us. The. Lord. Supper. It.
[35:51] Is. Not. So. That. We. Will. Be. Strengthened. In. Faith. By. Staying. Away. And. Then. Coming. Once. We. Received. The. Strength. It.
[36:02] Is. So. That. By. Going. If. That. Is. Where. We. Should. Be. We. Will. Be. Strengthened. By. Going. Strengthened. By. Taking. The. Communion. Strengthened.
[36:15] Together. As. Sarah. And. Abraham. Were. By. Faith. In. Doing. What. He. Requires. This. Do. In.
[36:26] Remembrance. Of. Me. How. Shall. We. Do. It. We. Shall. Do. It. In. Faith. Trusting. In. God. In. His. Faithfulness. And.
[36:37] In. Doing. It. In. Faith. We. Have. Every. Right. To. Believe. That. Our. Faith. Will. Be. Strengthened. Let's. Pray. Lord.
[36:53] Our. Gracious. God. We. Give. Thanks. That. You. Bring. Us. To. Realize. That. We. Ourselves. Are. We. Can. Need. Your. Strength. Faith. And.
[37:03] To. Realize. That. We. Are. Two. Amongst. Those. People. Who. Descend. From. Abraham. As. The. Children. Of. Faith. And. We. Thank. You. Lord. That. Your.
[37:14] Word. Teaches. Us. That. These. Same. Promises. That. Were. Given. To. Abraham. Regarding. A. Final. Homeland. And. A. City. That. Has. Foundations. That.
[37:24] He. Look. Forward. To. And. We. Thank. You. That. That. Faith. Which.
[37:34] They. Exercised. Is. The. Same. In. Substance. As. The. Faith. That. You. Give. To. Your. People. Today. Oh. Lord. Grant. That. You. Would.
[37:45] Strengthen. Our. Faith. And. Increase. Our. Faith. That. As. We. Obediently. Comply. With. Your. Commands. So. We. Might. Know. In. Complying. That.
[37:55] Our. Faith. Is. Also. Strengthened. So. Bless. To. Us. Your. Word. And. Forgive. Our. Sin. For. Jesus. Sake. Amen.