WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.300 He sends heed. 00:00:13.380 --> 00:00:18.100 Well, for the next few sermons, next couple weeks, both evening, morning and evening, 00:00:18.140 --> 00:00:20.539 we're going to be looking at Hebrews 11 together. 00:00:21.379 --> 00:00:28.000 We're going to be considering what it means to have faith and to recognize the faith of many of these characters in the Old Testament. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:33.700 And so we'll be looking specifically at Hebrews 11, verses 1 through 6 today. 00:00:33.859 --> 00:00:36.299 If we don't have it on the screen, you can turn there. 00:00:37.100 --> 00:00:42.780 But as we get started, I wonder, have any of you ever heard anyone talk about the good old days? 00:00:43.380 --> 00:00:51.179 Maybe when you were a child and you'd listen to your grandparents and hear them talk about the good old days when things were cheaper and life was simpler. 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:54.060 Maybe you refer to the good old days yourself. 00:00:54.060 --> 00:01:00.000 Maybe for you, that's when you were in university and you didn't have much responsibility and you could spend a lot of time with your friends. 00:01:00.780 --> 00:01:06.260 Maybe the good old days were when you were a newlywed and it was just you and your spouse. 00:01:06.420 --> 00:01:09.420 Or maybe when you had your first child, those were the good old days. 00:01:10.599 --> 00:01:14.480 I don't know if many of you are familiar with the American version of the TV show The Office. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:16.719 That's one of my favorite shows. 00:01:16.859 --> 00:01:27.740 And on the last season of the last episode, there's a character named Andy who says something that's kind of turned into one of the more well-known quotes of the show. 00:01:27.739 --> 00:01:39.699 He has moved on from his time at this company that he worked and he was no longer with his friends anymore, but has this loss that he senses, even though he's now at his dream job. 00:01:39.939 --> 00:01:48.579 And he says, and when he looks into the camera, he says, I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them. 00:01:48.579 --> 00:01:53.480 And I think this is a sentiment that many of us experience. 00:01:53.700 --> 00:01:54.620 We may feel that often. 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:59.319 And this is actually a sentiment that's being experienced by the New Testament church here. 00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:08.560 And so this is what the author of Hebrews is really addressing because these young Christians, many of them are from a Jewish background. 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:19.620 And so they're experiencing this feeling of wishing for the good old days at times because they remember their heritage and their customs and their cultures. 00:02:20.439 --> 00:02:25.319 But now as they've been brought into faith in Christ, they're experiencing persecution. 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:27.039 They're experiencing hardship. 00:02:27.219 --> 00:02:29.199 They're being abandoned by family and friends. 00:02:29.500 --> 00:02:32.159 And so many of them are tempted to turn back. 00:02:33.340 --> 00:02:36.939 And so this is what the author of Hebrews is warning against. 00:02:36.939 --> 00:02:38.979 He's encouraging them not to turn back. 00:02:39.379 --> 00:02:41.599 But that doesn't mean not to look in the past. 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:43.460 He's saying, yes, let's look at the past. 00:02:43.560 --> 00:02:46.139 Let's consider how God has been faithful to his people. 00:02:46.500 --> 00:02:52.780 But let that, those thoughts and those memories propel us forward to the goodness of Christ. 00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:58.439 And so let's turn then to Hebrews 11, verses 1 through 6. 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:02.780 We're actually going to be skipping verse 4 and read along with me. 00:03:02.780 --> 00:03:08.900 Now, faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 00:03:09.460 --> 00:03:11.580 This is what the ancients were commended for. 00:03:12.539 --> 00:03:20.300 By faith, we understand that the universe was formed at God's command so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 00:03:21.219 --> 00:03:25.340 By faith, Enoch was taken from this life so that he did not experience death. 00:03:26.020 --> 00:03:28.580 He could not be found because God had taken him away. 00:03:28.580 --> 00:03:33.600 For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 00:03:34.540 --> 00:03:36.900 And without faith, it is impossible to please God. 00:03:37.500 --> 00:03:46.000 Because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 00:03:46.900 --> 00:03:48.240 This is the word of God. 00:03:49.080 --> 00:03:49.800 Pray with me. 00:03:49.800 --> 00:03:55.640 Lord, as we come to the study of your word, we do so humbly. 00:03:57.060 --> 00:04:01.860 And as we consider our own faith, may we reflect on how you have been faithful to us. 00:04:03.500 --> 00:04:06.520 May we be eager to hear from you this morning, we pray, Lord. 00:04:06.920 --> 00:04:07.960 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:04:11.140 --> 00:04:16.620 Now, this chapter, Hebrews 11, is often referred to as the hall of faith. 00:04:16.620 --> 00:04:20.180 We see these giant characters from the Old Testament time. 00:04:20.899 --> 00:04:24.019 Many of these characters would have been revered in Jewish tradition. 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:28.879 And people that would have now come into the church would recognize and know about these characters. 00:04:30.139 --> 00:04:36.019 And so as we go through these next few sermons together, we're going to be taking these characters one at a time. 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:37.819 I'm going to be selecting one of them. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:41.620 And we're going to be considering their life of faith and how that applies to us. 00:04:41.620 --> 00:04:45.980 And so today we're going to be looking at the life of Enoch. 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:52.680 But before we do, I want to start as the author of this book does and consider exactly what faith is. 00:04:52.780 --> 00:04:54.019 How does that impact us? 00:04:54.100 --> 00:04:56.180 How should we consider our faith? 00:04:56.660 --> 00:05:02.920 I think faith is one of the most misunderstood concepts that we have within the church. 00:05:03.079 --> 00:05:05.160 And especially those who are outside the church. 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:07.620 I think people usually fall into two camps. 00:05:07.620 --> 00:05:10.420 You have those people who really despise faith. 00:05:11.139 --> 00:05:13.340 And then you have those people who really admire faith. 00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:23.519 So I want to consider both of these groups for a few minutes to consider their reasoning and maybe how their thought could be corrected. 00:05:24.459 --> 00:05:26.699 First, those who are opposed to faith. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:32.399 There's a famous atheist writer who's since passed away, Christopher Hitchens. 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:35.959 And he once wrote, faith is the surrender of mind. 00:05:36.679 --> 00:05:38.719 It's the surrender of reason. 00:05:40.299 --> 00:05:44.699 And so people that despise faith, I think this is the reason why. 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:47.179 They think that faith is for the weak. 00:05:47.739 --> 00:05:49.139 It's for the simple-minded. 00:05:49.799 --> 00:05:55.399 You know, secular naturalism is one of these worldviews that many within the society hold to today. 00:05:55.459 --> 00:06:00.259 And it's that idea that everything can be explained by natural means. 00:06:00.259 --> 00:06:03.039 All that is around us is simply the natural world. 00:06:03.139 --> 00:06:03.959 There's nothing else. 00:06:04.779 --> 00:06:11.980 And so when they espouse this worldview, a few things that they're relying on is their reason and their sense perception. 00:06:13.099 --> 00:06:16.259 And so when they consider faith, they think, well, faith is anti-reason. 00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:19.159 Faith is anti-sense perception. 00:06:19.300 --> 00:06:20.539 And therefore, it has no value. 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:25.279 It's this old-fashioned practice that we don't need to follow anymore in our modern world. 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:34.899 Unfortunately, I think many within the church may hold a similar belief because we see faith as something that we can compartmentalize. 00:06:35.659 --> 00:06:39.779 Something that operates outside of reason and sense perception. 00:06:40.219 --> 00:06:42.359 But I don't think that's what the Bible teaches. 00:06:42.500 --> 00:06:48.239 I don't think that's how we should consider faith because faith is not the enemy of perception. 00:06:48.419 --> 00:06:49.659 It's not the enemy of reason. 00:06:49.660 --> 00:06:53.280 In fact, the three can actually live together in harmony. 00:06:54.160 --> 00:06:57.240 Because we have reason and we have our senses. 00:06:57.580 --> 00:06:59.340 And on top of that, we place our faith. 00:06:59.400 --> 00:07:02.920 And it's our faith that then can lead us to a greater reality. 00:07:04.220 --> 00:07:06.580 Because if we think about it, we have the Word of God, right? 00:07:07.180 --> 00:07:12.060 And in order to be able to open our Bibles and to read it, it takes some level of reason. 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:17.660 It takes some level of intellect to know what the Bible says, to know who Jesus is. 00:07:17.660 --> 00:07:24.480 But in addition to that, when we read the Bible, we see that the Bible includes a lot about perception. 00:07:25.460 --> 00:07:27.180 In 2 Peter 1.16, it says this, 00:07:27.580 --> 00:07:33.680 For we do not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, 00:07:33.820 --> 00:07:36.820 but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 00:07:37.280 --> 00:07:41.520 So we see that the Bible includes sense perception too. 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:49.439 And so we use our reason, we rely on these senses, and that's where our faith is placed, 00:07:49.599 --> 00:07:54.419 and then it elevates us beyond that to a greater understanding of who God is. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:58.259 And so then we have to consider, well, what is our faith in? 00:07:58.339 --> 00:07:59.899 What's the object of our faith? 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:04.259 And that's where this other camp comes into play, these people that admire faith. 00:08:04.259 --> 00:08:12.240 But a lot of times it's misguided because you must question, well, what is the basis of their faith? 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:17.120 A lot of times they consider faith nothing more than relying on self. 00:08:17.560 --> 00:08:19.439 It's nothing more than positive thinking. 00:08:19.560 --> 00:08:23.180 It's this notion that you just kind of look inwardly and believe in yourself. 00:08:23.180 --> 00:08:30.160 Our kids' primary school, their motto is believe, achieve. 00:08:31.740 --> 00:08:34.960 And while that kind of sounds inspirational, you're kind of left asking, well, believe in what? 00:08:35.539 --> 00:08:37.560 Are the kids supposed to believe in themselves? 00:08:37.720 --> 00:08:40.279 Are they okay to believe in whatever they want? 00:08:41.220 --> 00:08:46.860 The problem is that faith oftentimes in society is reduced to nothing more than just a superstition, 00:08:46.860 --> 00:08:52.139 where you just have to believe hard enough or think well enough, 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:56.000 maintain this positive outlook that good things are finally going to come to you. 00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:58.779 But that's not what we see here. 00:08:59.680 --> 00:09:02.919 That's not what the author of Hebrews is talking about when he refers to faith. 00:09:04.019 --> 00:09:05.360 And so he says in verse 1, 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:10.840 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance of what we do not see. 00:09:12.360 --> 00:09:15.240 And so the author here is making it clear that faith isn't blind. 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:20.120 Just like our eyes allow us to see the natural world around us, 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:25.879 faith is the organ by which we are able to see and sense the invisible spiritual world. 00:09:26.659 --> 00:09:29.940 And so rather than faith being something that blinds us with ignorance, 00:09:30.220 --> 00:09:33.360 it's something that actually expands and enhances our faith. 00:09:35.940 --> 00:09:42.139 And so when we think about faith, we need to recognize that it's not only simply believing in God, 00:09:42.220 --> 00:09:43.080 that he exists. 00:09:43.080 --> 00:09:43.920 Yes, that's true. 00:09:44.020 --> 00:09:50.940 But it's also believing God, that we're holding fast to God's revelation and to his character, 00:09:50.940 --> 00:09:54.879 that we know that he is good, that he is just, and that he is loving. 00:09:55.620 --> 00:09:59.480 And so this Greek verb that's used in verse 1 for assurance, 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:02.920 it literally means to stand under. 00:10:02.919 --> 00:10:09.919 Like if you were to possess a title deed, you were standing under that legal claim. 00:10:11.019 --> 00:10:17.879 And so it's talking about the fact that we have a legitimate claim to the hope that God has given us. 00:10:18.939 --> 00:10:25.779 And so it's not just standing on the edge and just kind of having these positive feelings out toward the universe. 00:10:25.779 --> 00:10:29.459 Right? It's being grounded in the hope of God. 00:10:29.559 --> 00:10:35.500 It's this unshakable conviction in the work of Christ and what he has done and is continuing to do. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:42.600 And so that's the basic framework that I want us to think about as we consider faith over these next couple weeks. 00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:49.000 And so then as we turn to look at Enoch here, as I said at the beginning, 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:55.019 this isn't just kind of a recapturing of Old Testament characters just so we can kind of reminisce about them. 00:10:55.019 --> 00:11:00.240 But we look at their faith in order that we may be encouraged in our faith, 00:11:00.299 --> 00:11:07.960 that we may be more apt to pursue Christ because of the faith of these Old Testament characters. 00:11:08.059 --> 00:11:14.220 So as we look at the life of Enoch, I want us to consider three things this morning, three elements of faith. 00:11:15.259 --> 00:11:19.259 The first is this, faith pursues communion with God. 00:11:20.259 --> 00:11:23.079 The second is faith seeks to please God. 00:11:23.080 --> 00:11:26.879 And thirdly, faith is rewarded by God. 00:11:27.920 --> 00:11:33.379 And so let's look at that first feature of faith together, that faith pursues communion with God. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:37.900 Now, we don't really know much about Enoch. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:41.240 There's not really much mentioned about him in the Old Testament. 00:11:41.660 --> 00:11:46.520 We know that he is six generations removed from Adam, the first man. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:50.480 And so actually he would have lived at the same time as Adam. 00:11:50.540 --> 00:11:51.740 Their lives would have overlapped. 00:11:51.740 --> 00:11:59.019 And so this is what the Old Testament says about Enoch if we were to turn to Genesis chapter 5, verses 21 through 24. 00:11:59.340 --> 00:12:00.000 It says this, 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:29.759 And so we see a very interesting story in Enoch because he's only one of two people in the Bible. 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:34.720 That went into God's presence without actually experiencing death. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:35.860 The other one being Elijah. 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:41.439 And we know that Elijah, there were eyewitnesses to this who saw him being taken up in this chariot of fire. 00:12:41.559 --> 00:12:42.860 Here, there's no explanation. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:46.539 It doesn't say that there's any eyewitnesses to how this happened for Enoch. 00:12:46.539 --> 00:12:52.439 But again, we know it's truth from here in Genesis and it's retelling in Hebrews. 00:12:53.259 --> 00:12:57.500 But it's really something telling about the life of Enoch that I want us to focus on today. 00:12:57.599 --> 00:13:04.620 And it's what it says in that passage we just read, that he walked faithfully with God. 00:13:04.620 --> 00:13:07.080 It says that twice in those few couple verses. 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:14.639 And so this is actually a phrase that's used also to describe his great-grandson, Enoch's great-grandson, which would be Noah. 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:16.980 If you look in Genesis 6-9, it says, 00:13:17.220 --> 00:13:22.240 Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:28.539 And so I want us just to think for a second about how wonderful a description that is. 00:13:29.820 --> 00:13:35.480 How simple yet meaningful that description is, to walk faithfully with God. 00:13:35.560 --> 00:13:38.620 I mean, is that not how we'd want our lives to be characterized? 00:13:39.299 --> 00:13:44.460 Is that not what we'd want other people to say about us, that he or she faithfully walked with God? 00:13:46.180 --> 00:13:49.560 One of the things that I really like to do for exercise is to run. 00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:52.159 And I usually run early in the morning. 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:56.319 And since we've lived here in Edinburgh, I've had to do that by myself. 00:13:57.139 --> 00:14:02.039 But when we lived back in South Carolina, I always had a group of guys who would run together. 00:14:02.139 --> 00:14:03.500 We'd meet at 5 in the morning. 00:14:04.139 --> 00:14:07.659 We'd run several times a week, usually 30, 40 miles in a week. 00:14:08.219 --> 00:14:13.159 And that was truly one of the things that I enjoyed most about my day. 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:16.759 One of the things that I remember most fondly about living in Greenville is because 00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:22.279 when I ran with these guys on a nearly daily basis, we were sharing life together. 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:25.919 Because as we ran, we'd always be talking. 00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:28.159 We'd be talking about our families and about our jobs. 00:14:28.259 --> 00:14:31.659 We'd be talking about spiritual matters or sports or politics or whatever it is. 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:35.939 And so because of our consistency, because of the amount of time we spent together, 00:14:35.939 --> 00:14:42.259 I knew these guys pretty much better than any of my other friends that I had back in Greenville. 00:14:42.259 --> 00:14:47.860 And it's all because of these miles that we log together on a weekly basis. 00:14:49.740 --> 00:14:55.919 And so when we look at this picture of Enoch, it's a similar picture here that Enoch walked faithfully with God. 00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:58.559 And it says that he did it for 300 years. 00:14:59.419 --> 00:15:02.779 And so that's a lot of miles logged with God. 00:15:02.779 --> 00:15:09.439 But I think when we think about our faith, this is one of those elements that we can easily struggle with. 00:15:10.679 --> 00:15:15.439 Because oftentimes, even within the church, we can reduce faith to mere knowledge. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:17.419 That we know the Bible. 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:19.620 We know who Jesus is. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:20.879 We know the plan of salvation. 00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:24.919 And we think that that's sufficient for our faith. 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:31.000 Maybe we take it a step further and we kind of recognize that faith is more about intellectual assent. 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:33.519 That yes, I know the Bible, but I also believe it. 00:15:33.599 --> 00:15:36.199 I agree that Jesus is the Son of God. 00:15:36.299 --> 00:15:40.159 I believe that He came to earth and died on the cross and rose again. 00:15:41.819 --> 00:15:45.839 But while these two elements are good and they're necessary, 00:15:45.839 --> 00:15:51.019 faith needs to go beyond knowledge and this intellectual assent. 00:15:51.099 --> 00:15:52.339 It says in James 2.19, 00:15:52.340 --> 00:15:54.280 You believe that there is one God. 00:15:54.700 --> 00:15:55.060 Good. 00:15:55.620 --> 00:15:57.820 Even the demons believe this and shudder. 00:15:58.460 --> 00:16:03.440 And so we need to think when we recognize what faith is that there's this third element. 00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:06.980 And this is what's being encouraged by the author of Hebrews here. 00:16:07.280 --> 00:16:13.120 When we talk about faith, when we talk about walking with God, it's this level of personal trust. 00:16:13.300 --> 00:16:19.660 It's this deep affection that involves our wills and that involves our heart. 00:16:19.659 --> 00:16:25.759 It's this sincere love that we have for Christ, that we want to be near Him, that we want to embrace Him. 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:27.559 We want to be hidden in Him. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:36.779 And so this is what we see the author of Hebrews repeats several times that he emphasizes in his letter is this drawing near to God. 00:16:36.779 --> 00:16:41.220 We see it in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 16. 00:16:41.220 --> 00:16:41.579 It says, 00:16:42.059 --> 00:16:52.480 Hebrews 10.22 says this, 00:16:52.480 --> 00:17:02.879 And so we see that faith is relational. 00:17:03.100 --> 00:17:05.059 This is how God created it. 00:17:05.120 --> 00:17:08.240 This is what His original intent was to live with us. 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:13.420 If we look back to Adam and Eve in the garden, they lived in perfect fellowship with God. 00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:20.240 And it wasn't until sin entered the world that Adam and Eve began to push back against that relationship. 00:17:20.460 --> 00:17:24.080 We know when they ate that forbidden fruit, it says that their eyes were opened. 00:17:25.380 --> 00:17:28.940 And soon after, God walked in the cool of the day through the garden. 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:30.120 And what did Adam and Eve do? 00:17:31.019 --> 00:17:31.660 They hid. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:38.440 And so how often do we resist our relationship with the Lord? 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:40.820 Yes, we're willing to confess a creed. 00:17:40.819 --> 00:17:43.819 We'll be able to profess our faith verbally. 00:17:44.819 --> 00:17:47.299 But having that relationship is often a struggle. 00:17:48.439 --> 00:17:53.200 You know, instead of spending time in the Word, maybe we're tempted to just sit on the Internet. 00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:55.279 Scroll through Instagram. 00:17:56.099 --> 00:18:02.119 Rather than actually spend time in devoted prayer, we're content just to watch Netflix. 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:09.039 Rather than creating this devotion, developing these patterns of devotion in our life, 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:15.259 we get all consumed with our work or with our family or with recreation. 00:18:16.819 --> 00:18:20.019 And the root of this resistance is really our sin. 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:22.899 Because we know that sin has separated us from God. 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:30.000 It's our sin that causes us to resist God, that causes us to feel uncomfortable in His presence. 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:35.779 But we know that it says in Colossians that though we were alienated and hostile to God, 00:18:36.920 --> 00:18:39.880 that we have been reconciled to Him through the blood of Jesus. 00:18:41.099 --> 00:18:47.000 And so I think this is important to note that Jesus didn't die just so that we will give Him our intellectual assent. 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:54.099 He died that we may be brought into relationship with Him, that we may be children of God. 00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:58.140 One of the last things that Jesus said to His disciples in that upper room, He said, 00:18:58.259 --> 00:19:04.019 I don't call you my servants, but I call you my friends. 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:10.920 And so when we look at faith, we recognize that we are welcomed into communion with God. 00:19:10.920 --> 00:19:16.560 And then that second point, faith seeks to please God. 00:19:17.060 --> 00:19:21.019 If we look back at the second part of Hebrews 11, 15, it says this, 00:19:21.080 --> 00:19:23.420 that Enoch, he had been taken up. 00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:27.240 Before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 00:19:27.740 --> 00:19:31.620 And without faith, it is impossible to please God. 00:19:32.500 --> 00:19:35.620 And so we see that our faith is to be pleasing to God. 00:19:36.100 --> 00:19:40.660 It's to bring Him joy and pleasure that we may desire to be in relationship with Him. 00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:45.620 Now, if you're married or if you're in a relationship, 00:19:45.800 --> 00:19:48.880 you may remember those first few months of getting to know someone. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:51.920 Maybe you had this initial attraction to your spouse, 00:19:52.140 --> 00:19:58.300 and maybe you made efforts to attract them, that those feelings may be reciprocated. 00:19:58.360 --> 00:20:00.620 You may try to impress them in certain ways. 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:05.340 I remember when I was in university, I played on the rugby team, 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:08.840 and Rachel would come to all my rugby games. 00:20:09.539 --> 00:20:12.299 And whenever I had occasion to score a try, you know, 00:20:12.299 --> 00:20:15.099 you kind of run back down the pitch, and you kind of glance up in the stands 00:20:15.099 --> 00:20:16.879 to see if she's looking, see how she's responding, 00:20:16.959 --> 00:20:20.439 to see if she's impressed with my feat of athleticism. 00:20:21.980 --> 00:20:25.599 Maybe you did other things to try to impress your spouse early on. 00:20:25.659 --> 00:20:27.299 Maybe it was your intellect. 00:20:28.059 --> 00:20:31.859 Maybe it was your ability to cook or your style or whatever it may be. 00:20:31.859 --> 00:20:40.299 But I can tell you after 13 years of marriage now that Rachel could really care less about being impressed by me. 00:20:41.019 --> 00:20:42.839 And that's no fault of her own. 00:20:43.399 --> 00:20:46.799 She doesn't care if I walk around the house trying to lift heavy things, 00:20:46.839 --> 00:20:49.699 or I tell her how far I've run or how many books I've read. 00:20:49.740 --> 00:20:52.159 That's not what's going to bring her pleasure. 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:59.540 What's going to bring her pleasure as her husband being in relationship together is by spending time with her, 00:20:59.960 --> 00:21:02.940 by talking with her, by caring for her. 00:21:02.940 --> 00:21:08.240 And so that's how we're going to sustain a relationship, 00:21:08.440 --> 00:21:12.940 our relationship with God, not doing things for Him, but walking with Him. 00:21:13.059 --> 00:21:16.600 That's us, and that is how our true relationship would be with Christ. 00:21:17.900 --> 00:21:20.580 And so this truth really transformed the lives. 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:23.039 If we look back to Martin Luther, 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:27.160 he, as you may know if you know anything about him, 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:29.700 when he was 21, he entered a monastery. 00:21:29.700 --> 00:21:31.640 He thought God was calling him to be a monk. 00:21:31.640 --> 00:21:34.300 And in one of his journals, he wrote this. 00:21:35.020 --> 00:21:35.259 He said, 00:21:35.380 --> 00:21:43.640 I was a good monk and kept my rules so strictly that I could say that if ever a monk could get into heaven through monastic discipline, 00:21:44.300 --> 00:21:45.300 I was that monk. 00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:51.940 But yet we see that as he strove to encounter God, 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:53.620 as he strove to please God, 00:21:53.660 --> 00:21:56.220 he actually felt more distant from Him. 00:21:56.220 --> 00:22:03.740 because he recognized that his piousness wasn't bringing any sort of sense of satisfaction or security in his life. 00:22:03.779 --> 00:22:07.960 And it wasn't until he had this light bulb moment when he was reading from Romans. 00:22:08.420 --> 00:22:11.039 Romans chapter 1, verse 17, it says this, 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:14.579 For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed, 00:22:15.420 --> 00:22:18.720 a righteousness that is by faith from first to last. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:23.460 Just as it is written, the righteous will live by faith. 00:22:23.460 --> 00:22:29.759 And so he says it was at this moment that he realized that faith is the only way to please God. 00:22:29.840 --> 00:22:33.680 It's only by our faith that we are brought into relationship with God. 00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:34.240 And he wrote it. 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:38.440 It was at this realization that he felt that he was altogether born again 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:42.559 and that he had entered paradise itself through open gates. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:47.960 And so we see that we don't earn God's pleasure based on how we act. 00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:49.839 It's not our church attendance. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:52.759 It's not our religious credentials. 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:55.700 It's not whether you honor your mother and father. 00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:59.799 It's all based on the works of Christ. 00:22:59.879 --> 00:23:04.039 It says that all of our good works apart from our faith are like filthy rags. 00:23:04.039 --> 00:23:13.839 And so we must have true faith if we're going to try to bring pleasure to God. 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:16.119 But there's that kind of opposite side of the coin. 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:20.039 If we have faith and we're not trying to please God through our actions, 00:23:20.139 --> 00:23:24.279 then we also need to recognize that we should not be attempting to please the world, 00:23:24.500 --> 00:23:26.259 to please man through our actions. 00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:29.299 Because we can't do both. 00:23:30.299 --> 00:23:31.759 D.L. Moody said this about Enoch. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:36.359 He said, I believe that Enoch was the most peculiar man who lived in that day. 00:23:37.299 --> 00:23:39.539 He was a man out of fashion of the world. 00:23:40.059 --> 00:23:42.099 He did not go with the current and the crowd. 00:23:42.920 --> 00:23:46.240 He was one of those who set his affections on things above. 00:23:46.900 --> 00:23:48.900 He lived days of heaven upon earth. 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:52.539 For the essence of heaven is to walk with God. 00:23:54.019 --> 00:23:58.579 And so this is the kind of faith that should characterize our lives as believers. 00:23:58.579 --> 00:24:03.939 Rather than trying to earn God's favor, rather than trying to seek man's approval, 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:06.379 we have this desire, we should have this desire, 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:11.299 to be in relationship with God that is pleasing to him. 00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:16.279 And so that leads us to our third feature of faith, 00:24:16.379 --> 00:24:19.119 that our faith is rewarded by God. 00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:22.099 If we look again at Hebrews 11, 6, it says this, 00:24:23.099 --> 00:24:25.619 And without faith it is impossible to please God, 00:24:26.099 --> 00:24:29.299 because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists, 00:24:29.639 --> 00:24:32.539 and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:37.139 And so two simple concepts I want us to consider in this verse. 00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:41.359 The first is that anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists. 00:24:41.459 --> 00:24:42.439 This is what we talked about. 00:24:42.539 --> 00:24:45.559 This is this level of intellectual assent. 00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:48.139 We must acknowledge that God is real. 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:51.000 That he is a true being. 00:24:51.579 --> 00:24:57.299 Because this is the building block by which we can have that relationship with God. 00:25:00.019 --> 00:25:01.279 That beats pretty loud, isn't he? 00:25:03.500 --> 00:25:07.539 This is the foundation by which we have this relationship with God. 00:25:07.619 --> 00:25:11.579 But secondly, the second part of this verse is what I want us to focus on for a few minutes here. 00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:16.199 That we must believe that he rewards those who earnestly seek after him. 00:25:17.939 --> 00:25:22.679 And so just as we finish talking about our faith being pleasing to God, 00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:24.720 the author kind of turns it around and looks at it. 00:25:24.779 --> 00:25:26.480 How does it affect us? 00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:30.399 We recognize that our faith is good for us. 00:25:30.460 --> 00:25:32.799 That we derive reward from our faith. 00:25:32.879 --> 00:25:37.199 So our faith really provides this mutual benefit for both God and us. 00:25:37.199 --> 00:25:41.139 Our faith pleases God, and it brings reward to us. 00:25:41.579 --> 00:25:49.819 I think oftentimes as a believer, we may look at our faith and maybe consider it a burden. 00:25:50.519 --> 00:25:51.980 That it's this constant struggle. 00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:53.119 We have to be obedient. 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:54.500 That we have to keep the faith. 00:25:54.659 --> 00:25:57.899 That we're called to persevere under hardship. 00:25:58.059 --> 00:26:02.480 That we think that maybe God is this tyrant that we have to continually appease. 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:05.419 But that's not what the author here is saying. 00:26:05.419 --> 00:26:06.480 He's saying the exact opposite. 00:26:06.759 --> 00:26:09.359 That our faith is for our good. 00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:16.399 And so if we look at the life of Enoch again, I mentioned that he was likely alive during the time. 00:26:16.459 --> 00:26:17.939 He was alive during the time of Adam. 00:26:17.979 --> 00:26:19.579 We don't know if they had a relationship. 00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:27.479 But he actually was taken up to be with God only 57 years after Adam would have passed away. 00:26:28.819 --> 00:26:33.899 And so Moody suggests that we should consider whether Enoch might have had a relationship with Adam. 00:26:33.900 --> 00:26:39.700 Maybe they spent time talking about the second Adam that God had promised. 00:26:40.460 --> 00:26:42.540 How evil would be defeated. 00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:50.780 Maybe he saw, maybe we can consider how Enoch would have seen Adam at his grave. 00:26:51.019 --> 00:26:55.259 That the first natural man died the first natural death. 00:26:55.259 --> 00:27:00.140 But we know that Enoch didn't experience this death himself, right? 00:27:00.700 --> 00:27:02.759 That he walked with God so closely. 00:27:02.879 --> 00:27:04.339 That one commentator, he puts it this way. 00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:09.900 He says that we should suggest, he suggests we see this picture of Enoch and God walking together. 00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:13.500 And as the day draws to an end, God says to Enoch, 00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:16.559 Well, we're closer to my house than to yours. 00:27:17.220 --> 00:27:19.500 So why don't you just come home with me? 00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:25.240 Moody said that when Enoch was taken up, he changed his place. 00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:27.380 But he didn't change his company. 00:27:29.579 --> 00:27:34.000 And so while we marvel at this truth about Enoch's life, 00:27:34.519 --> 00:27:37.880 again, the author of Hebrews is directing us forward. 00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:41.740 We see the life of Christ foreshadowed in the life of Enoch. 00:27:41.880 --> 00:27:45.980 Because Jesus, years, generations later, he came to earth. 00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:47.160 He lived a perfect life. 00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:49.480 He was in perfect fellowship with God. 00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:52.799 In a way that no man ever was, not even Enoch. 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:57.880 But instead of being taken up with Christ, taking up with God, 00:27:58.900 --> 00:28:03.119 we see that he willingly chose to suffer death. 00:28:03.220 --> 00:28:06.019 To take the punishment that he did not deserve. 00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:08.819 In order that our sins may be forgiven. 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:13.460 In order that we may enter into, that we can enter into relationship with God. 00:28:13.460 --> 00:28:19.400 And so we also see then that this life of Enoch not only points to the first coming of Christ, 00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:21.059 but also to his second coming. 00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:24.759 Because like Enoch, when Christ returns at the resurrection, 00:28:24.759 --> 00:28:28.559 we will receive that same reward that Enoch does. 00:28:29.059 --> 00:28:31.519 That we may be taken up with God. 00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:37.599 And so I don't know if many of you are familiar with the catechisms. 00:28:38.259 --> 00:28:42.660 If you're not, we use catechisms within the church to instruct Christians. 00:28:42.859 --> 00:28:46.099 They provide a summary of the principles of our faith. 00:28:46.099 --> 00:28:52.799 And so one that I thought was really appropriate for this topic was from the Westminster Catechism. 00:28:52.919 --> 00:28:54.919 It was question number 38. 00:28:55.059 --> 00:28:55.839 And the question is this. 00:28:55.939 --> 00:28:59.879 What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection? 00:29:00.819 --> 00:29:01.899 This is the answer. 00:29:01.900 --> 00:29:10.240 At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:17.259 and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity. 00:29:19.060 --> 00:29:22.440 This is the ultimate reward for our faith. 00:29:22.780 --> 00:29:25.800 Perfect communion with God forever. 00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:30.660 And the great thing about this, this is a free gift. 00:29:30.660 --> 00:29:34.140 For by grace you have been saved through faith in that not of yourselves. 00:29:34.660 --> 00:29:37.820 It is a gift of God, not by work so that no one can boast. 00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:42.640 Earlier this week when I was putting my girls to bed, 00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:46.740 Mary Catherine was trying to play some music on her tablet for them to fall asleep to. 00:29:46.820 --> 00:29:47.779 And she said it wasn't working. 00:29:47.860 --> 00:29:49.660 She said, my tablet's going haywire. 00:29:50.920 --> 00:29:54.540 And so I turned to Francie and I said, do you know what it means when something goes haywire? 00:29:55.080 --> 00:29:57.840 I said, I'll give you a pound if you can figure out what it means. 00:29:58.640 --> 00:29:59.900 And she said, I don't know. 00:30:00.660 --> 00:30:04.140 And then she whispered, daddy, can you tell me what it means when something goes haywire? 00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:08.900 And so I said, well, when something goes haywire, it means that it's not working correctly. 00:30:09.820 --> 00:30:11.100 And then she pauses a second. 00:30:11.720 --> 00:30:14.240 And then with great confidence, she did exactly what I thought she was going to do. 00:30:14.300 --> 00:30:16.840 She answered my question as if she had thought of the answer herself. 00:30:16.920 --> 00:30:20.040 Daddy, when something goes haywire, it means that something's not working correctly. 00:30:20.279 --> 00:30:21.380 Can I have my pound now? 00:30:21.380 --> 00:30:29.040 And so although I had given her the answer, she thought she was deserving of the reward. 00:30:30.280 --> 00:30:36.840 And so our relationship with the Father is not that dissimilar because it is God who calls us to himself. 00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:40.960 It's he's the one who gives us the desire and the ability to believe. 00:30:41.180 --> 00:30:45.180 He is the object of our faith and he is the one who sustains our faith. 00:30:45.180 --> 00:30:48.460 It is the work of Christ and his action. 00:30:48.860 --> 00:30:50.740 And by it, we reap the benefit. 00:30:53.100 --> 00:30:59.539 And so if you're not a believer, recognize that this gift of faith is being offered to you freely. 00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:07.180 And it is only through faith that we can be brought into relationship with the God who created you and the God who loves you. 00:31:07.180 --> 00:31:14.299 And if you are a believer, I pray that you're encouraged in your faith. 00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:18.440 That you may be inspired to walk with God. 00:31:19.420 --> 00:31:25.539 To live a life that's marked by deep, meaningful, sincere trust. 00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:33.140 That you may have faith that is pleasing to God and that ultimately brings you reward. 00:31:34.880 --> 00:31:35.620 Pray with me. 00:31:37.180 --> 00:31:42.500 Lord, we thank you that you are faithful to us. 00:31:43.620 --> 00:31:45.880 Thank you for the story of Enoch. 00:31:47.840 --> 00:31:51.680 That we can understand better what it means to live a life of faith. 00:31:52.420 --> 00:31:55.519 And so God, we desire to walk closely with you. 00:31:58.140 --> 00:32:02.580 Lord, for those of us who are far off, who feel distant from you, 00:32:02.579 --> 00:32:07.579 we pray that by your spirit you give us the ability and the desire to have faith. 00:32:07.639 --> 00:32:09.259 That we may be brought close. 00:32:09.460 --> 00:32:11.939 That we may be called children of God. 00:32:12.059 --> 00:32:12.740 This we pray. 00:32:13.159 --> 00:32:14.139 In Jesus' name. 00:32:14.679 --> 00:32:14.960 Amen. 00:32:17.899 --> 00:32:20.079 Now we're going to listen to our last song together. 00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:22.399 Do we have it there? 00:32:22.460 --> 00:32:23.539 What a friend we have in Jesus. 00:32:23.899 --> 00:32:24.079 Good. 00:32:24.139 --> 00:32:24.439 Thank you. 00:32:24.440 --> 00:32:41.039 What a friend we have in Jesus. 00:32:41.039 --> 00:32:46.680 All our sins and griefs to bear. 00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:51.440 What a privilege to carry. 00:32:52.000 --> 00:32:55.600 Everything to God in prayer. 00:32:57.120 --> 00:33:02.080 Oh, what peace we often forfeit. 00:33:02.080 --> 00:33:06.920 Oh, what needless pain we bear. 00:33:06.920 --> 00:33:11.620 All because we do not carry. 00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:16.400 Everything to God in prayer. 00:33:17.300 --> 00:33:21.600 Have we trials and temptations? 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:25.440 Is there trouble anywhere? 00:33:27.360 --> 00:33:31.440 We should never be discouraged. 00:33:32.580 --> 00:33:35.580 Take it to the Lord in prayer. 00:33:36.920 --> 00:33:41.560 Can we find a friend so faithful? 00:33:42.440 --> 00:33:46.340 Who will all our sorrows share? 00:33:47.600 --> 00:33:51.560 Jesus knows our every weakness. 00:33:52.560 --> 00:33:56.240 Take it to the Lord in prayer. 00:33:57.620 --> 00:34:02.100 Are we weak and heavy laden? 00:34:02.099 --> 00:34:07.279 Cumbered with load of care. 00:34:08.380 --> 00:34:12.480 Precious Savior, still our refuge. 00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:16.099 Take it to the Lord in prayer. 00:34:18.019 --> 00:34:22.319 Do your friends despise, forsake you? 00:34:23.099 --> 00:34:26.099 Take it to the Lord in prayer. 00:34:26.099 --> 00:34:32.319 In his arms he'll take and shield you. 00:34:32.960 --> 00:34:37.119 You will find a solace there. 00:34:37.119 --> 00:34:38.119 Amen. 00:34:38.119 --> 00:34:39.119 Amen. 00:34:43.400 --> 00:34:45.219 With me to receive our benediction, 00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:48.779 taken from 1 Thessalonians 5. 00:34:50.139 --> 00:34:52.779 May God himself, the God of peace, 00:34:52.940 --> 00:34:54.779 sanctify you through and through. 00:34:55.819 --> 00:34:58.179 May your whole spirit, soul, and body 00:34:58.179 --> 00:35:01.739 be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:35:01.739 --> 00:35:04.459 The one who calls you is faithful. 00:35:05.099 --> 00:35:06.199 And he will do it. 00:35:06.919 --> 00:35:07.199 Amen. 00:35:08.399 --> 00:35:09.199 Go in peace. 00:35:31.739 --> 00:35:49.159 God bless you. 00:35:49.659 --> 00:35:51.479 Give me another breath. 00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:51.819 Say this to this study. 00:35:53.699 --> 00:35:55.619 Okay. 00:35:55.619 --> 00:36:25.599 Thank you.