WEBVTT

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 Let's begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise. We're going to sing in Psalm 18, the Sing Psalms version.

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 Psalm 18 on page 20 of the psalm book. We're singing from verse 21 down to verse 30.

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 Psalm 18 at verse 21, page 20 of the psalm books.

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 Tune is Duke Street.

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 For I have kept the ways of God from him. I have not turned away. I have not strayed from his decrees, whose statutes ever with me stay.

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 We'll sing from verse 21 to 30 to God's praise.

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 I have not turned away. I have not strayed from his decrees.

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 This, the Jews ever with me stay.

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 The Lord my God.

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 The Lord my God.

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 Since in his sight my hands were thee.

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 The Lord my God.

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 The Lord my God.

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 The Lord my God.

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 The Lord my God.

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 The Lord my God.

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 The Lord my God.

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 The Lord my God.

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 I will stand on you, but with a good value I should.

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 You saved the humble and the mean, but bring the proud of their height.

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 You, Lord, will keep my power, and all that hurts my darkness, change to life.

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 Well, from God I can advance, and it's such good and right and all.

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 And with the aid my God will hear, I can be more than any more.

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 For perfect is the way of God, no choice than within His Word.

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 To all who could bear trust in Him, I should have met you, Jesus, Lord.

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 Amen.

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 Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.

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 Let us pray.

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 Lord, our gracious God, as we continue our worship of you on this yearday, we are thankful

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 to be able to draw near to you, to be able to call upon your name, to be able to sing praise

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 to you, to be able to open your Word and to have it at our very fingertips and to have

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 it in our ears ringing this evening.

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 For you speak to us powerfully and mightily through your Word.

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 We thank you that it points us towards you and all your goodness to us through your Son,

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 the power that you have over all creation, that all things were made through Him and by Him and for Him.

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 And we thank you too, Lord, that your Word reminds us that you are the constant one,

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 the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, that we see our own lives and we see the world in

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 which we live with all the many questions that we may have and others may have, and yet ignoring

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 the answers that are found in your truth, ignoring the answers that would show us our life through your

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 lens and by your light. And yet we as a people are so guilty and so often of just walking in the

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 darkness. But we thank you that your Word is light. And we thank you that the Psalm that we have sung

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 reminds us of that, that you, Lord, will keep my lamp aflame. God turns my darkness into light.

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 We thank you that that was the testimony of the Psalmist very long ago. But we thank you too,

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 Lord, that these words remind us as your people that you are the one who sustains us, that you are

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 the one who keeps us. You are the one who keeps faith with his people. You are with faithful people.

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 You keep faith, the Psalmist said. And we thank you, Lord, for a people of faith. No matter how we feel

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 our faith is, whether we feel strong in our faith or whether we feel weak, we thank you that faith is

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 not about ourselves, but the one in whom our faith is placed. And that we have a great high priest,

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 that we have one who we come to and look to this evening, who is greater than all, who is above us

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 and whose ways are far above our ways, whose thoughts are far above our thoughts. And yet the one who we can

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 come and come into relationship with the one who we can know as our Lord and as our God.

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 And so we pray that as we come to your word anew this evening, that you will speak to us through it,

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 that you will minister to all our hearts by it, that your word will continue to sustain us,

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 to nourish us, to keep us, and to build us up in our faith, to strengthen us day by day.

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 And no matter what comes our way, for as we turn to it this evening in the book of Hebrews,

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 we are reminded of a people who were in many ways challenged, in many ways that they were being

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 pulled in different directions, just as we are today. Yet their faith was to be secure and grounded

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 and to be of full assurance for their faith was in Christ. And we pray, Lord, for your church and for

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 your people, not just here, but far and wide as so many churches lose their faith in your word. So

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 many churches change to suit the ways of this world, change the word to suit the tickling of the ears of

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 the people around us. But we pray, Lord, that your word will be ever faithfully preached here and

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 to all ends of the earth, that as you have your people, as you have your preachers, as you have

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 all who will be witnesses for you to all ends of the earth, that your word will be kept pure,

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 that your word will be according to what you have taught us in your scriptures, that we will not

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 deviate from it or turn away from it in any way, but that we will remain faithful to it.

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 And we thank you for how you have done that down through all the generations. We know that attacks

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 on your word are nothing new. There is nothing new under the sun, as your word tells us. And though

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 people will turn away, we thank you that you are a slug God who calls, calls a people to repentance,

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 calls a people to turn to you and to be saved. And we pray that as the gospel goes out today,

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 that will go out in your power and by your spirit, that will accomplish great things,

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 that as it is heard everywhere, Lord, that your word will perish into the hearts of people,

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 that it will perish into the darkness of this world, that it will shed your light of the gospel

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 of the glory of God in your son Christ Jesus. That at this time of year, Lord, when we

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 see so much of a Christmas season around us, we pray to see Christ. We pray to see and know more

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 of him and to hear more of him and that people would know more of him, the Savior who was born

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 for this world. So we pray, Lord, that you will hear your praying people, that you will draw near to

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 us and all your people this night, that you will shelter them, that you will keep them, that you will

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 uphold them and strengthen them. And we thank you that we can commit each other into your care

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 and into your keeping, that all that we seek to do in your name, as we seek to live our lives,

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 as we seek to walk with you, as we seek to serve you with all our hearts, that we can know your great

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 presence with us, that we can know your strength for each and every day. And we thank you that that

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 is true for whatever our circumstances, for whatever is going on in our lives, be it the time of

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 excitement and joy at Christmas time for so many, as we see family and friends visiting and coming and

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 going over these days. We pray your blessing on our homes and our families, all who travel, all who are

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 gathered together, Lord, to know your peace and to know your blessing, to know your goodness upon us.

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 But we know too, Lord, that for some and maybe even for many, there is much sorrow and sadness.

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 There are many things that trouble us. There are many things that will make us ponder and wonder

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 about the world in which we live, the lives that we live, all the things that go on either around us

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 in our own families or our communities or even in our own hearts. We know that there are many troubles

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 that we have to face up to many challenges. And yet we thank you that faith is the key there as well,

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 to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author, the perfecter of our faith. And so we pray, Lord,

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 that you will strengthen the weak knees, that you will uphold the feeble arms, that you will give

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 grace, O Lord, as it is needed for every situation, in homes and families and hospitals,

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 in homes for the old age and our community as a whole, Lord. May we know your grace and your mercy

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 upon us. We do particularly pray for those for whom this is a time of great pain and grief and the loss

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 of loved ones, be it recently or in the past, Lord. We know that times of year such as this,

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 Christmas Day and New Year's Day, it brings with it much emotion. And so we look to you as the God of all

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 comfort, the God of all grace, to surround and to uphold and to uplift people, Lord, who are feeling down,

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 to help them in their great need, to know your comfort, to know your presence. We commit those who are unwell

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 at this time as well, be it at home or in hospital. We commit them to your care, be it here around us

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 or in other parts of our country or throughout the world, Lord. We know there are so many different

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 needs around us, but we thank you that we can cast our cares upon you, for you care for us. You have

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 loved us with an everlasting love, a steadfast love, an unchanging love. And so we pray for these promises

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 to be very precious to many at this time, to know your nearness, to know your peace guarding minds and

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 hearts. We pray for your gospel, for the word of God as it goes out, that you will bless it, that you

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 will be the power behind it, to bring sinners to repentance, to build up your people, to keep us praying,

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 to keep us looking to you as we come to the end of another year and as we look, God willing,

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 to a new year, that we will go forward in your strength, that we will go forward with our faith

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 and confidence and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who is with us, the one who is near. So,

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 Lord, may you bless us and continue with us. Bless your word as we turn to read it now. Watch over us,

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 we pray. Guard us and go before us in the week ahead, Lord. Keep us close to you and remain,

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 O Lord, close to us as we ask all things with the forgiveness of all our sins, confessing them

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 anew before you this night. Our sins there are many, but we thank you that your mercy is more.

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 So, Lord, hear our prayers and go before us now as we ask all in Jesus' name. Amen.

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 We'll turn to sing again in God's praise. We're singing in Psalm 86 in the Scottish Psalter. Psalm 86,

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 page 341. We're going to sing from verse 8 down to verse 11. Psalm 86 at verse 8.

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 Lord, there is none among the gods that may with thee compare. Like the works which thou hast done,

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 not any work is there. All nations whom thou made shall come and worship reverently before thy face,

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 and they, O Lord, thy name shall glorify. We're going to sing from verse 8 to 11 on the tune is

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 of the Lord. We're going to sing from verse 8 to 11 on the tune is

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 of the Lord. We're going to sing from verse 8 to 11 on the tune is

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 of the Lord. We're going to sing from verse 9 to 11 on the tune is

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 Choir to thee, and my God, I God thyself alone.

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 Give me thy way, and yet thy truth, O Lord, then walk with I.

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 Unite my heart, that I thy way, make thee continually.

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 Let's turn to read God's word together.

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 Now we're reading in the book of Hebrews.

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 I'm taking our reading in chapter 10 at verse 19.

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 Hebrews chapter 10 at verse 19.

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 We're going to read down into chapter 11 and down to verse 6 in chapter 11.

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 Hebrews chapter 10 at verse 19.

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 You'll find this around page 1210.

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 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,

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 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,

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 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart,

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 in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience,

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 and our bodies washed with pure water.

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 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope, without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

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 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

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 not neglecting them to meet together, as is the habit of some,

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 but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

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 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth,

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 there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

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 but a fearful expectation of judgment,

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 and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

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 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy

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 on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

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 How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God,

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 and who has profaned the blood of the covenant,

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 by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace.

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 For we know him who said,

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 Vengeance is mine, I will repay.

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 And again, the Lord will judge his people.

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 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

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 But recall the former days,

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 when after you were enlightened,

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 you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,

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 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction,

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 and sometimes being partners with those so treated.

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 For you had compassion on those in prison,

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 and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property,

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 since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession,

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 and an abiding one.

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 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence,

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 which has a great reward,

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 for you have need of endurance,

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 so that when you have done the will of God,

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 you may receive what is promised.

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 For yet a little while,

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 and the coming one will come,

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 and will not delay.

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 But my righteous one

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 shall live by faith,

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 and if he shrinks back,

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 my soul has no pleasure in him.

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 But we are not of those

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 who shrink back and are destroyed,

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 but of those who have faith,

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 and preserve their souls.

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 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,

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 the conviction of things not seen.

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 For by it the people of old

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 received their commendation.

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 By faith we understand

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 that the universe was created

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 by the word of God,

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 so that what is seen

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 was not made out of things that are visible.

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 By faith Abel offered to God

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 a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain,

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 through which he was commended as righteous.

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 God commending him

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 by accepting his gifts,

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 and through his faith,

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 though he died,

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 he still speaks.

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 By faith Enoch was taken up

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 so that he should not see death,

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 and he was not found

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 because God had taken him.

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 Now before he was taken,

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 he was commended as having pleased God.

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 And without faith,

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 it is impossible to please him.

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 For whoever would draw near to God

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 must believe that he exists,

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 and that he rewards those who seek him.

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 And so on.

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 And may God bless

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 that reading from his word.

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 But before we turn back to that passage,

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 we'll sing again to God's praise,

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 this time in Psalm 62

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 in the Scottish Psalter.

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 Psalm 62.

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 I'm going to sing from verse 5 to verse 8.

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 Page 294 of the psalm books.

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 Psalm 62 at verse 5.

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 My soul wait thou with patience

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 upon my God alone.

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 On him dependeth all my hope and expectation.

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 He only my salvation is,

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 and my strong rock is he.

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 He only is my sure defense.

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 I shall not move it be.

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 We'll sing from verse 5

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 down to verse 8

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 to God's praise in the Tunis St. Lawrence.

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 my soul wait thou with patience

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 upon thy God alone.

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 On Him the end of all my hope and expectation.

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 He only my salvation is and my strong rocket's team.

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 He only is my sure defense, I shall not do with thee.

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 In God my glory place it is and my salvation sure.

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 In God the rocket's of my strength, my refuge most secure.

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 He made the place your confidence in Him continually.

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 Faithful in glory, and your heart, God is the refuge high.

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 Amen.

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 We can turn back together this evening to look at Hebrews chapter 11 in particular.

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 although as you see as you read through from verse 19 down into chapter 11 there is a theme of continuation there before us as we will see.

00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:18.380
 We're going to look together this evening at a small word that stands out in the midst of this passage that we've read

00:25:18.380 --> 00:25:27.980
 and think about this word as we approach the end of another year and think about our lives and our outlook on life and our hopes

00:25:27.980 --> 00:25:36.160
 may be going forward as a people. The word that we're going to look at is a word that many songs have been written about

00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:44.519
 both in a Christian context and also in a worldly context too. It's a word that is often discussed.

00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:53.420
 The people of the world will tell us that we need this in differing circumstances but the foundation of it is what is important

00:25:53.420 --> 00:25:57.440
 and what is ultimately usually different when people discuss it.

00:25:57.980 --> 00:26:09.299
 But the word that we're looking at ultimately without being rooted in God and his word and his truth is of no use.

00:26:10.299 --> 00:26:19.460
 And what is that word? I'm sure you've maybe guessed already what it is just reading through from verse 19 and into chapter 11

00:26:19.460 --> 00:26:23.799
 which is this great passage that speaks about the word that we're going to think about.

00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:37.700
 The word is faith. Faith. It's just a small word and yet it's a powerful word. It's an important word. It's a key word for us.

00:26:38.659 --> 00:26:49.879
 Who or what is our faith in? How do you define faith? How would you think what is faith? How would you define that for yourself this evening?

00:26:49.880 --> 00:26:56.540
 Some people will talk about faith in just a very general sense or a very vague sense.

00:26:56.660 --> 00:27:01.560
 People's faith can be different depending who they are or where they are.

00:27:02.440 --> 00:27:08.000
 You might look it up in the dictionary and look for a definition of what faith is there and what will it tell you.

00:27:08.540 --> 00:27:16.120
 Some definitions say this. It's a complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

00:27:16.119 --> 00:27:24.299
 And there's an element of truth in that but it's not the whole truth because that leaves it very open-ended.

00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:31.719
 If it's just left us in someone or something then our faith is not clearly defined.

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:39.319
 But what the Bible speaks about when it speaks about faith is very clearly defined.

00:27:39.319 --> 00:27:48.519
 It's very clear to us and especially as we read in this passage it's very clear to us what faith is.

00:27:49.519 --> 00:27:54.519
 Because the Bible gives us a focus for our faith.

00:27:55.480 --> 00:28:04.659
 And it's not just a vague sense of faith being in someone or something but in the Lord our God.

00:28:04.660 --> 00:28:10.220
 So there's a clear definition for us.

00:28:11.300 --> 00:28:18.720
 And as we read here in both Hebrews chapter 10 from verse 19 speaks about the full assurance of faith.

00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:27.840
 And then going into chapter 11 it's that great passage that tells us about these great examples from the Old Testament

00:28:27.840 --> 00:28:31.019
 who by faith did so much.

00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:34.079
 We see what faith is.

00:28:34.200 --> 00:28:40.119
 But it begins with this in verse 1 where it kind of defines faith for us.

00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:44.960
 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for.

00:28:45.619 --> 00:28:49.700
 The conviction of things not seen.

00:28:50.420 --> 00:28:54.420
 Or the evidence of things not seen.

00:28:55.619 --> 00:28:57.700
 It is not blind.

00:28:57.700 --> 00:29:01.000
 It has clear focus.

00:29:01.019 --> 00:29:05.240
 And that's what the writer of the Hebrews is doing as he writes.

00:29:05.460 --> 00:29:12.839
 He speaks so much throughout this book about faith in different circumstances and in different ways.

00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:19.319
 If you go back to chapter 6 verse 11 and 12 there he speaks about faith.

00:29:19.319 --> 00:29:20.319
 And it says,

00:29:20.319 --> 00:29:20.720
 And it says,

00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:27.740
 We desire each one of you to show the same earnestness, to have full assurance of hope until the end,

00:29:28.279 --> 00:29:37.279
 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:44.099
 So he's there almost leading us into where we are now in chapter 10 and 11.

00:29:44.099 --> 00:29:51.099
 So that you may not be sluggish.

00:29:51.099 --> 00:29:53.039
 But what he says just before that is interesting.

00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:55.679
 So that you may not be sluggish.

00:29:55.680 --> 00:30:02.259
 Now it's a time of year when we're all in danger of feeling sluggish.

00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:08.519
 Maybe even you're coming to church this evening you're feeling sluggish because you've eaten so much today.

00:30:09.180 --> 00:30:18.900
 And over the course of the week there'll be times when we feel sluggish because we've tucked into too much of the wrong things so often.

00:30:18.900 --> 00:30:22.800
 And that's what the writer to the Hebrews is saying too.

00:30:22.980 --> 00:30:30.220
 If we are feeding or overindulging in the wrong things we are going to become sluggish.

00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:35.759
 If we are listening to the wrong voices, if we are listening to the wrong truths,

00:30:35.860 --> 00:30:42.180
 if we are listening to the wrong definition of what faith is we are going to become sluggish.

00:30:43.620 --> 00:30:48.360
 And there's always a danger as Christians of becoming sluggish.

00:30:48.900 --> 00:30:57.880
 But he's saying but to be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

00:30:59.000 --> 00:31:00.900
 To keep ourselves focused.

00:31:01.220 --> 00:31:04.420
 To keep ourselves on the right track.

00:31:05.380 --> 00:31:09.100
 And that's what chapter 10 is doing in Hebrews.

00:31:09.780 --> 00:31:14.960
 It speaks about having confidence in the finished work of the Lord.

00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:22.799
 It speaks about having confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior of those who believes.

00:31:23.600 --> 00:31:30.779
 And in having this confidence, this full assurance of faith, we are able to draw near to God.

00:31:31.319 --> 00:31:33.640
 We are able to come into his presence.

00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:38.740
 To hold fast our confession as he speaks about in chapter 10.

00:31:38.740 --> 00:31:44.079
 And to consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.

00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:51.039
 There's all these encouragements which is moving on from being sluggish to being exercised,

00:31:51.140 --> 00:31:54.920
 to being healthy, to growing together in the Lord.

00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:58.900
 And it's all got this foundation of faith.

00:31:58.900 --> 00:32:06.840
 So the writer to the Hebrews is writing to a people who are feeling shaken in many ways.

00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:12.240
 Their faith is being shaken by other things that they're being taught and hearing.

00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:16.460
 Other people trying to pull them back to what they were in the past.

00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:24.019
 Relying on the old ways of the sacrificial system or the Old Testament ways of the priesthood.

00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:31.360
 Instead of having confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus as it says in verse 19.

00:32:32.700 --> 00:32:35.000
 Confidence in the right things.

00:32:35.860 --> 00:32:37.840
 Confidence in the Lord.

00:32:39.180 --> 00:32:42.360
 And then they were being reminded at the end of chapter 10 how

00:32:42.359 --> 00:32:45.779
 though they may lose all their earthly possessions.

00:32:46.059 --> 00:32:51.519
 Though they may lose so many things that they feel are so important in life

00:32:51.519 --> 00:32:53.619
 and which we can feel are so important.

00:32:54.299 --> 00:32:56.019
 They're not lasting possessions.

00:32:56.619 --> 00:33:01.819
 That's what the writer to the Hebrews is telling them there in verse 34.

00:33:02.819 --> 00:33:07.379
 That they have a better possession and an abiding one.

00:33:07.380 --> 00:33:12.780
 Therefore do not throw away your confidence which has great reward.

00:33:13.820 --> 00:33:14.620
 Confidence.

00:33:15.340 --> 00:33:17.980
 Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:33:18.120 --> 00:33:20.700
 The relationship with God.

00:33:21.480 --> 00:33:23.000
 And that's what faith is.

00:33:23.900 --> 00:33:26.000
 It's a relationship with God.

00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:28.760
 A very personal relationship.

00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:31.800
 And that's what we are to seek to have.

00:33:32.800 --> 00:33:35.180
 Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:33:35.180 --> 00:33:37.039
 Confidence in him.

00:33:37.120 --> 00:33:39.019
 Just like Paul wrote to the Romans.

00:33:39.420 --> 00:33:40.500
 That great chapter.

00:33:40.620 --> 00:33:41.340
 Chapter 8.

00:33:42.560 --> 00:33:46.340
 He speaks about all the different challenges in this world.

00:33:47.019 --> 00:33:48.720
 But he says in verse 35.

00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:52.880
 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

00:33:53.080 --> 00:33:54.000
 There's a question.

00:33:54.840 --> 00:33:56.240
 But there's also an answer.

00:33:56.980 --> 00:33:57.940
 In verse 39.

00:33:57.940 --> 00:34:04.600
 Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

00:34:04.599 --> 00:34:10.360
 Nothing can take this abiding possession away from us.

00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:13.960
 Who have faith in him.

00:34:15.079 --> 00:34:18.179
 And that's what leads us into chapter 11.

00:34:18.319 --> 00:34:25.239
 As you see, verse 39 concludes with a response as to how we are to live.

00:34:25.659 --> 00:34:28.659
 We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed.

00:34:29.159 --> 00:34:33.880
 But of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

00:34:33.880 --> 00:34:40.059
 Again, it's just this confidence, this faith in the Lord Jesus.

00:34:41.119 --> 00:34:43.240
 That is what is needed.

00:34:43.880 --> 00:34:47.640
 And that's what the writer expands on in chapter 11.

00:34:47.760 --> 00:34:52.240
 And we want to just focus on for a few moments this evening.

00:34:52.420 --> 00:34:54.300
 Thinking about this word faith.

00:34:54.300 --> 00:34:59.120
 First of all, we want to ask, what is faith?

00:35:00.539 --> 00:35:05.180
 And secondly, we want to see, what is our life without faith?

00:35:05.680 --> 00:35:06.900
 What would it be like?

00:35:08.600 --> 00:35:11.320
 And then thirdly, by faith.

00:35:12.019 --> 00:35:13.320
 What is life like?

00:35:13.440 --> 00:35:17.620
 What are our lives to look like living by faith?

00:35:17.619 --> 00:35:22.219
 So the first thing is, what is faith?

00:35:23.480 --> 00:35:27.400
 Well, faith is not something we do ourselves.

00:35:28.739 --> 00:35:32.039
 When we read in the letter to the Ephesians,

00:35:32.500 --> 00:35:39.599
 we have that great reminder that we are saved by grace through faith.

00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:47.500
 Faith is what God gives to his people.

00:35:47.900 --> 00:35:50.099
 It is a gift from God.

00:35:51.059 --> 00:35:54.239
 Therefore, behind that, there is substance.

00:35:55.059 --> 00:35:56.920
 If it is a gift from God,

00:35:57.460 --> 00:36:02.299
 that is what the writer to the Hebrews here expands on.

00:36:02.300 --> 00:36:05.260
 When you think of what it says in verse 6,

00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:07.220
 the middle of verse 6,

00:36:07.300 --> 00:36:12.460
 for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists

00:36:12.460 --> 00:36:15.640
 and that he rewards those who seek him.

00:36:15.640 --> 00:36:19.740
 You must believe that he exists.

00:36:20.760 --> 00:36:21.600
 Do you?

00:36:22.960 --> 00:36:25.460
 There's a simple question in that.

00:36:25.940 --> 00:36:28.380
 Do you believe that God exists?

00:36:28.380 --> 00:36:31.380
 If you do, you're probably,

00:36:31.700 --> 00:36:33.820
 we're now in the minority in this world,

00:36:34.599 --> 00:36:38.380
 believing in the God of the scriptures that we have before us.

00:36:39.059 --> 00:36:40.200
 But it says,

00:36:40.800 --> 00:36:44.180
 you must believe that he exists.

00:36:45.360 --> 00:36:47.240
 And in believing that he exists,

00:36:47.360 --> 00:36:50.420
 you realize faith is not then just a blind leap.

00:36:51.460 --> 00:36:55.420
 There are those who feel like to live by faith is the life of a fool.

00:36:55.420 --> 00:37:00.900
 It's foolish to believe in this nonsense that the Bible teaches.

00:37:02.940 --> 00:37:04.579
 But as we've looked at recently,

00:37:04.720 --> 00:37:08.860
 it's the fool who says in his heart that there is no God.

00:37:09.760 --> 00:37:10.659
 There is the fool.

00:37:11.159 --> 00:37:13.980
 And that's what the Bible is showing to us.

00:37:15.039 --> 00:37:18.820
 Verse 26 of chapter 10 makes it so clear for us.

00:37:18.880 --> 00:37:20.500
 For if you go on sinning deliberately

00:37:20.500 --> 00:37:22.920
 after receiving the knowledge of the truth,

00:37:22.920 --> 00:37:25.940
 there is no longer remains a sacrifice for sin,

00:37:26.039 --> 00:37:29.039
 but a fearful expectation of judgment.

00:37:31.519 --> 00:37:36.480
 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,

00:37:36.539 --> 00:37:39.420
 it says in verse 31 of chapter 10.

00:37:39.860 --> 00:37:41.960
 And yet there's no fear of God.

00:37:44.059 --> 00:37:46.920
 But if we believe that God exists,

00:37:47.079 --> 00:37:50.519
 then we realize that he is the God who is able to judge.

00:37:50.519 --> 00:37:54.780
 And the only way away from that judgment is by faith

00:37:54.780 --> 00:37:59.519
 in the Lord Jesus Christ who came to save us from that judgment.

00:38:01.300 --> 00:38:05.420
 So faith is not just a leap in the dark.

00:38:06.000 --> 00:38:09.320
 Faith is not just a crutch that people lean on.

00:38:09.800 --> 00:38:12.340
 Faith is not just something that we look to

00:38:12.340 --> 00:38:14.599
 when there is nowhere else to turn.

00:38:15.300 --> 00:38:17.539
 Faith is a sign of strength,

00:38:17.539 --> 00:38:18.840
 a sign of courage,

00:38:19.619 --> 00:38:21.000
 recognizing our weakness,

00:38:21.259 --> 00:38:23.079
 recognizing our inability,

00:38:23.480 --> 00:38:26.739
 but looking to God who is able to save.

00:38:29.059 --> 00:38:31.000
 The shorter catechism for us

00:38:31.000 --> 00:38:35.300
 gives a great answer to what the Christian faith is.

00:38:36.279 --> 00:38:38.679
 In question 86, the question is asked,

00:38:39.079 --> 00:38:41.380
 what is faith in Jesus Christ?

00:38:41.380 --> 00:38:44.800
 And the answer, it's not a long answer,

00:38:44.900 --> 00:38:48.039
 but it's worth remembering and recalling often,

00:38:48.240 --> 00:38:52.039
 because we can so often overcomplicate what faith is.

00:38:52.660 --> 00:38:53.840
 But here, listen to this,

00:38:53.980 --> 00:38:57.660
 faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace

00:38:57.660 --> 00:39:03.320
 whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation

00:39:03.320 --> 00:39:06.980
 as he is offered to us in the gospel.

00:39:06.980 --> 00:39:29.800
 The gospel has so much to give,

00:39:30.860 --> 00:39:33.679
 because it offers to us salvation.

00:39:33.679 --> 00:39:39.919
 Faith is so much more than just blindly walking around.

00:39:41.359 --> 00:39:43.339
 Faith is so much more than saying,

00:39:43.779 --> 00:39:46.599
 oh, well, if God is going to save me, he'll do it.

00:39:47.980 --> 00:39:49.839
 Faith asks questions.

00:39:51.179 --> 00:39:54.039
 Faith is offered to us in the gospel.

00:39:55.039 --> 00:39:58.419
 And faith is what we need to receive and rest upon

00:39:58.419 --> 00:40:00.139
 for our salvation.

00:40:00.139 --> 00:40:06.579
 Faith is leaning on God and all his promises.

00:40:06.759 --> 00:40:08.019
 As one person put it,

00:40:08.539 --> 00:40:10.400
 faith is when God says,

00:40:10.779 --> 00:40:11.819
 I will lead you.

00:40:12.299 --> 00:40:13.559
 Faith responds,

00:40:14.179 --> 00:40:15.219
 I will follow.

00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:17.480
 I will go.

00:40:19.299 --> 00:40:22.339
 And this should be the attitude for ourselves,

00:40:22.460 --> 00:40:23.460
 for every Christian,

00:40:23.859 --> 00:40:25.940
 for everyone who is seeking the Lord.

00:40:25.940 --> 00:40:29.340
 It is to hear the offer of the gospel,

00:40:29.800 --> 00:40:32.300
 that Christ died for our sins,

00:40:32.960 --> 00:40:35.840
 that we are to believe in him,

00:40:36.639 --> 00:40:39.400
 that we must believe in God,

00:40:39.480 --> 00:40:40.720
 that he exists,

00:40:41.579 --> 00:40:44.980
 and that he rewards those who seek him.

00:40:47.159 --> 00:40:50.079
 So faith has a substance.

00:40:51.179 --> 00:40:53.059
 Faith, we see before us,

00:40:53.059 --> 00:40:55.880
 as the substance of the word of God.

00:40:57.480 --> 00:40:59.460
 Faith has conviction.

00:40:59.719 --> 00:41:01.079
 It has evidence.

00:41:02.579 --> 00:41:04.159
 When we look around us,

00:41:04.239 --> 00:41:07.299
 we see the world that God has created.

00:41:07.460 --> 00:41:10.460
 We see that we are made in his image.

00:41:12.059 --> 00:41:15.000
 We see it being defined to us here

00:41:15.000 --> 00:41:16.420
 in this great passage.

00:41:16.420 --> 00:41:21.360
 Faith is the assurance of things hoped for,

00:41:21.720 --> 00:41:24.900
 the convictions of things not seen.

00:41:26.000 --> 00:41:28.460
 Now, this context of chapter 11

00:41:28.460 --> 00:41:31.240
 is so much looking to the Old Testament,

00:41:32.420 --> 00:41:34.480
 looking to many of the characters

00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:35.680
 from the Old Testament,

00:41:36.119 --> 00:41:37.519
 and what they were looking at,

00:41:37.559 --> 00:41:38.920
 it was by faith,

00:41:39.300 --> 00:41:41.059
 not seeing what was ahead,

00:41:41.420 --> 00:41:43.320
 that they went forward in faith,

00:41:43.539 --> 00:41:44.760
 trusting God.

00:41:44.760 --> 00:41:49.100
 It was seeing what the natural eye could not see,

00:41:49.880 --> 00:41:51.460
 but looking forward,

00:41:52.020 --> 00:41:52.840
 looking ahead.

00:41:55.080 --> 00:41:56.460
 And faith needs that.

00:41:56.640 --> 00:41:58.320
 Faith, if we had all the answers,

00:41:58.420 --> 00:41:59.360
 is not faith.

00:42:00.560 --> 00:42:02.700
 Faith is confidence and assurance

00:42:02.700 --> 00:42:04.700
 in the things that we hope for,

00:42:04.760 --> 00:42:06.580
 the things that the Bible says

00:42:06.580 --> 00:42:07.840
 are still to come.

00:42:09.100 --> 00:42:10.400
 It's a conviction of things

00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:12.420
 that we don't see just yet,

00:42:12.420 --> 00:42:13.780
 but we will one day.

00:42:15.480 --> 00:42:17.320
 Faith is what keeps us looking.

00:42:18.880 --> 00:42:20.639
 When you think of Thomas,

00:42:21.260 --> 00:42:23.300
 one of the disciples in the New Testament,

00:42:23.460 --> 00:42:24.760
 after the Lord had risen,

00:42:25.840 --> 00:42:27.860
 and they had met and seen the Lord,

00:42:27.940 --> 00:42:29.800
 but Thomas wasn't there that day.

00:42:30.220 --> 00:42:32.460
 But a week later, he was.

00:42:33.639 --> 00:42:35.599
 And he saw the Lord.

00:42:35.599 --> 00:42:37.440
 And he said,

00:42:37.599 --> 00:42:39.639
 my Lord and my God.

00:42:40.880 --> 00:42:41.900
 Because he'd said,

00:42:42.099 --> 00:42:44.860
 unless I see his hands and his side,

00:42:44.940 --> 00:42:46.219
 I will not believe.

00:42:48.119 --> 00:42:50.339
 But what did Jesus say to him?

00:42:51.079 --> 00:42:51.500
 He said,

00:42:51.559 --> 00:42:54.159
 you believe because you have seen.

00:42:55.460 --> 00:42:56.960
 Blessed are those

00:42:56.960 --> 00:42:58.699
 who have not seen,

00:42:59.139 --> 00:43:00.420
 yet have believed.

00:43:00.420 --> 00:43:02.820
 They are those

00:43:02.820 --> 00:43:04.320
 who look to him

00:43:04.320 --> 00:43:05.680
 by faith.

00:43:06.639 --> 00:43:07.720
 We have not seen

00:43:07.720 --> 00:43:09.260
 what Thomas has seen.

00:43:10.180 --> 00:43:11.380
 But we believe.

00:43:14.079 --> 00:43:15.320
 We believe.

00:43:16.400 --> 00:43:17.820
 We believe in all

00:43:17.820 --> 00:43:19.559
 that the Scriptures reveal to us.

00:43:19.860 --> 00:43:20.820
 Even as you go through

00:43:20.820 --> 00:43:22.680
 the book of Hebrews itself,

00:43:22.800 --> 00:43:23.519
 in chapter 2,

00:43:23.619 --> 00:43:25.500
 it speaks about the world to come.

00:43:26.460 --> 00:43:27.480
 In chapter 4,

00:43:27.480 --> 00:43:29.440
 it speaks about eternal,

00:43:29.920 --> 00:43:31.240
 the Sabbath rest.

00:43:31.860 --> 00:43:32.599
 In chapter 9,

00:43:32.679 --> 00:43:33.179
 it speaks about

00:43:33.179 --> 00:43:34.539
 the internal inheritance.

00:43:35.280 --> 00:43:36.340
 There's so much

00:43:36.340 --> 00:43:37.260
 that it speaks of

00:43:37.260 --> 00:43:38.599
 that is yet to come.

00:43:39.880 --> 00:43:41.179
 And how is it seen?

00:43:42.159 --> 00:43:43.240
 By faith.

00:43:44.920 --> 00:43:46.119
 By faith.

00:43:47.179 --> 00:43:48.079
 That is how

00:43:48.079 --> 00:43:49.599
 we are to live.

00:43:51.699 --> 00:43:52.920
 This chapter

00:43:52.920 --> 00:43:54.000
 goes on to show us

00:43:54.000 --> 00:43:55.039
 so many examples

00:43:55.039 --> 00:43:55.659
 of those

00:43:55.659 --> 00:43:57.199
 who lived by faith

00:43:57.199 --> 00:43:58.139
 when everything else

00:43:58.139 --> 00:43:58.819
 around them

00:43:58.819 --> 00:43:59.719
 seemed lost

00:43:59.719 --> 00:44:00.899
 or absurd

00:44:00.899 --> 00:44:01.919
 or impossible.

00:44:02.960 --> 00:44:04.399
 Faith took them forward.

00:44:05.960 --> 00:44:06.839
 And as we come

00:44:06.839 --> 00:44:07.879
 to the end

00:44:07.879 --> 00:44:08.779
 of another year,

00:44:08.839 --> 00:44:09.579
 as we go on,

00:44:09.619 --> 00:44:10.099
 God willing,

00:44:10.199 --> 00:44:11.079
 into a new year,

00:44:11.419 --> 00:44:12.639
 are we going forward

00:44:12.639 --> 00:44:13.599
 in faith?

00:44:14.500 --> 00:44:15.619
 Into the uncertainty,

00:44:15.879 --> 00:44:17.039
 into the unseen,

00:44:17.599 --> 00:44:19.579
 but trusting God,

00:44:20.579 --> 00:44:21.359
 going on

00:44:21.359 --> 00:44:22.619
 by faith.

00:44:22.619 --> 00:44:26.299
 chapter 12,

00:44:26.420 --> 00:44:27.319
 which follows on.

00:44:27.679 --> 00:44:28.039
 Again,

00:44:28.099 --> 00:44:28.980
 it just highlights

00:44:28.980 --> 00:44:30.099
 the importance

00:44:30.099 --> 00:44:31.619
 of living by faith.

00:44:32.420 --> 00:44:33.500
 Chapter 12,

00:44:33.559 --> 00:44:34.199
 verse 1 says,

00:44:34.339 --> 00:44:34.619
 Therefore,

00:44:34.819 --> 00:44:35.799
 since we are surrounded

00:44:35.799 --> 00:44:36.659
 by so great

00:44:36.659 --> 00:44:38.059
 a cloud of witnesses

00:44:38.059 --> 00:44:40.440
 that's expanded on

00:44:40.440 --> 00:44:41.380
 in chapter 11,

00:44:41.960 --> 00:44:42.359
 it says,

00:44:42.460 --> 00:44:43.380
 Let us lay aside

00:44:43.380 --> 00:44:44.139
 every weight

00:44:44.139 --> 00:44:44.659
 and sin

00:44:44.659 --> 00:44:45.359
 which clings

00:44:45.359 --> 00:44:46.980
 so closely

00:44:46.980 --> 00:44:47.819
 and let us run

00:44:47.819 --> 00:44:48.619
 with endurance

00:44:48.619 --> 00:44:50.159
 the race set before us,

00:44:50.159 --> 00:44:51.859
 looking to Jesus,

00:44:52.079 --> 00:44:52.739
 the founder

00:44:52.739 --> 00:44:54.339
 and perfecter

00:44:54.339 --> 00:44:55.619
 of our faith,

00:44:56.659 --> 00:44:56.980
 who,

00:44:57.139 --> 00:44:57.719
 for the joy

00:44:57.719 --> 00:44:59.000
 that was set before him,

00:44:59.399 --> 00:45:00.559
 endured the cross,

00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:02.059
 despising the shame,

00:45:02.599 --> 00:45:03.199
 and is seated

00:45:03.199 --> 00:45:04.440
 at the right hand

00:45:04.440 --> 00:45:05.960
 of the throne

00:45:05.960 --> 00:45:07.119
 of God.

00:45:08.139 --> 00:45:09.920
 Looking to Jesus,

00:45:10.079 --> 00:45:10.839
 the founder

00:45:10.839 --> 00:45:12.659
 and perfecter

00:45:12.659 --> 00:45:14.599
 of our faith.

00:45:16.099 --> 00:45:17.799
 The word of God

00:45:17.800 --> 00:45:20.960
 is what gives us faith.

00:45:22.100 --> 00:45:23.080
 It's the substance.

00:45:23.720 --> 00:45:24.740
 It's the evidence

00:45:24.740 --> 00:45:25.519
 for us.

00:45:26.700 --> 00:45:28.000
 Faith is the assurance

00:45:28.000 --> 00:45:29.519
 that God

00:45:29.519 --> 00:45:30.840
 will do exactly

00:45:30.840 --> 00:45:32.539
 what he has promised

00:45:32.539 --> 00:45:33.400
 to do.

00:45:36.600 --> 00:45:38.120
 Do you have faith?

00:45:40.300 --> 00:45:41.560
 Do you have faith

00:45:41.560 --> 00:45:42.900
 in the word of God?

00:45:43.760 --> 00:45:44.900
 Faith in God?

00:45:44.900 --> 00:45:47.000
 Faith in the Son,

00:45:47.160 --> 00:45:47.960
 Christ Jesus.

00:45:48.200 --> 00:45:50.099
 Faith in the Holy Spirit

00:45:50.099 --> 00:45:50.960
 to work.

00:45:53.360 --> 00:45:53.820
 Faith

00:45:53.820 --> 00:45:55.360
 is the assurance

00:45:55.360 --> 00:45:56.619
 of things hoped for,

00:45:57.099 --> 00:45:57.780
 the conviction

00:45:57.780 --> 00:45:58.740
 of things

00:45:58.740 --> 00:46:00.119
 not seen.

00:46:01.900 --> 00:46:02.539
 Secondly,

00:46:02.680 --> 00:46:03.139
 we see

00:46:03.139 --> 00:46:04.340
 the challenge

00:46:04.340 --> 00:46:04.840
 to us.

00:46:04.900 --> 00:46:05.840
 What is life like

00:46:05.840 --> 00:46:07.139
 without faith?

00:46:08.200 --> 00:46:09.539
 What are the consequences

00:46:09.539 --> 00:46:10.680
 of being

00:46:10.680 --> 00:46:12.200
 without faith?

00:46:13.180 --> 00:46:13.400
 Well,

00:46:13.460 --> 00:46:14.720
 in verse 4 and 5,

00:46:14.719 --> 00:46:15.419
 we are told

00:46:15.419 --> 00:46:16.839
 that by their faith,

00:46:16.980 --> 00:46:17.699
 both Abel

00:46:17.699 --> 00:46:19.059
 and Enoch

00:46:19.059 --> 00:46:20.839
 pleased God.

00:46:22.139 --> 00:46:23.819
 They pleased God.

00:46:24.719 --> 00:46:25.639
 That was

00:46:25.639 --> 00:46:27.719
 their priority.

00:46:30.659 --> 00:46:31.919
 He had pleased

00:46:31.919 --> 00:46:32.739
 God.

00:46:33.519 --> 00:46:34.059
 But then look at

00:46:34.059 --> 00:46:34.480
 what it says

00:46:34.480 --> 00:46:35.759
 in verse 6.

00:46:36.939 --> 00:46:38.219
 Without faith,

00:46:38.879 --> 00:46:40.139
 it is impossible

00:46:40.139 --> 00:46:41.779
 to please

00:46:41.779 --> 00:46:42.339
 him.

00:46:42.340 --> 00:46:45.039
 without faith,

00:46:45.039 --> 00:46:46.579
 it is impossible

00:46:46.579 --> 00:46:48.320
 to please

00:46:48.320 --> 00:46:48.740
 him.

00:46:50.880 --> 00:46:52.140
 Faith cannot,

00:46:53.160 --> 00:46:53.940
 without faith,

00:46:54.019 --> 00:46:54.640
 we cannot

00:46:54.640 --> 00:46:56.400
 please God.

00:46:57.500 --> 00:46:58.559
 And we surely

00:46:58.559 --> 00:46:59.700
 know that ourselves

00:46:59.700 --> 00:47:00.200
 already,

00:47:00.320 --> 00:47:00.880
 for there have been

00:47:00.880 --> 00:47:02.000
 days when we

00:47:02.000 --> 00:47:02.559
 were without

00:47:02.559 --> 00:47:03.160
 faith.

00:47:03.940 --> 00:47:04.500
 And without

00:47:04.500 --> 00:47:05.059
 faith,

00:47:05.440 --> 00:47:06.160
 we were so

00:47:06.160 --> 00:47:07.400
 against God

00:47:07.400 --> 00:47:08.160
 that there was

00:47:08.160 --> 00:47:08.860
 no way to

00:47:08.860 --> 00:47:09.500
 please him.

00:47:09.500 --> 00:47:11.239
 we were

00:47:11.239 --> 00:47:12.320
 shunning God.

00:47:12.840 --> 00:47:13.559
 We were living

00:47:13.559 --> 00:47:14.300
 in darkness.

00:47:15.239 --> 00:47:16.179
 Without faith,

00:47:16.239 --> 00:47:16.579
 we are only

00:47:16.579 --> 00:47:17.300
 trying to

00:47:17.300 --> 00:47:17.960
 please

00:47:17.960 --> 00:47:19.119
 ourselves

00:47:19.119 --> 00:47:20.239
 or others.

00:47:21.179 --> 00:47:22.039
 We're living

00:47:22.039 --> 00:47:23.480
 selfish lives.

00:47:24.179 --> 00:47:24.760
 We're living

00:47:24.760 --> 00:47:25.619
 lives looking

00:47:25.619 --> 00:47:26.159
 in the wrong

00:47:26.159 --> 00:47:26.579
 place,

00:47:26.760 --> 00:47:27.260
 trusting

00:47:27.260 --> 00:47:28.360
 in the wrong

00:47:28.360 --> 00:47:28.860
 things,

00:47:28.980 --> 00:47:29.900
 just trying

00:47:29.900 --> 00:47:30.739
 to please

00:47:30.739 --> 00:47:31.420
 everybody.

00:47:32.280 --> 00:47:33.159
 And that's

00:47:33.159 --> 00:47:34.159
 impossible.

00:47:34.159 --> 00:47:36.239
 it won't

00:47:36.239 --> 00:47:36.599
 be long

00:47:36.599 --> 00:47:37.059
 until we

00:47:37.059 --> 00:47:37.199
 will be

00:47:37.199 --> 00:47:37.519
 coming

00:47:37.519 --> 00:47:38.139
 into another

00:47:38.139 --> 00:47:38.739
 election.

00:47:40.839 --> 00:47:41.679
 An election

00:47:41.679 --> 00:47:42.279
 time is a

00:47:42.279 --> 00:47:42.679
 time when

00:47:42.679 --> 00:47:43.079
 you hear

00:47:43.079 --> 00:47:43.819
 politicians

00:47:43.819 --> 00:47:44.599
 or would-be

00:47:44.599 --> 00:47:45.319
 politicians

00:47:45.319 --> 00:47:46.279
 speaking about

00:47:46.279 --> 00:47:46.879
 everything that

00:47:46.879 --> 00:47:47.239
 they're going

00:47:47.239 --> 00:47:47.819
 to do

00:47:47.819 --> 00:47:49.359
 to please

00:47:49.359 --> 00:47:50.019
 a people.

00:47:51.159 --> 00:47:51.579
 And they'll

00:47:51.579 --> 00:47:52.199
 tell one

00:47:52.199 --> 00:47:52.599
 group that

00:47:52.599 --> 00:47:52.879
 they're going

00:47:52.879 --> 00:47:53.199
 to do

00:47:53.199 --> 00:47:53.739
 this to

00:47:53.739 --> 00:47:54.119
 win their

00:47:54.119 --> 00:47:54.559
 votes.

00:47:55.099 --> 00:47:55.440
 And then

00:47:55.440 --> 00:47:55.719
 they maybe

00:47:55.719 --> 00:47:56.279
 contradict

00:47:56.279 --> 00:47:56.940
 themselves

00:47:56.940 --> 00:47:57.440
 to another

00:47:57.440 --> 00:47:58.319
 group by

00:47:58.319 --> 00:47:58.739
 saying they're

00:47:58.739 --> 00:47:59.099
 going to do

00:47:59.099 --> 00:47:59.500
 something that's

00:47:59.500 --> 00:48:00.019
 completely

00:48:00.019 --> 00:48:00.559
 different.

00:48:00.559 --> 00:48:02.880
 And in a

00:48:02.880 --> 00:48:03.639
 day such as

00:48:03.639 --> 00:48:04.279
 we live in,

00:48:04.619 --> 00:48:05.199
 when a modern

00:48:05.199 --> 00:48:05.719
 age of

00:48:05.719 --> 00:48:06.279
 technology,

00:48:06.380 --> 00:48:06.840
 when everything's

00:48:06.840 --> 00:48:07.440
 recorded,

00:48:07.619 --> 00:48:08.039
 when everything

00:48:08.039 --> 00:48:09.259
 can be brought

00:48:09.259 --> 00:48:09.699
 together,

00:48:09.779 --> 00:48:11.159
 we see they're

00:48:11.159 --> 00:48:12.039
 contradicting

00:48:12.039 --> 00:48:12.579
 themselves.

00:48:12.699 --> 00:48:13.019
 And it's

00:48:13.019 --> 00:48:14.519
 impossible to

00:48:14.519 --> 00:48:15.619
 please everyone.

00:48:16.539 --> 00:48:17.119
 But they just

00:48:17.119 --> 00:48:17.920
 want to try

00:48:17.920 --> 00:48:18.840
 and win

00:48:18.840 --> 00:48:19.420
 votes.

00:48:19.579 --> 00:48:19.960
 They want to

00:48:19.960 --> 00:48:21.059
 try and get

00:48:21.059 --> 00:48:21.980
 into parliament.

00:48:25.279 --> 00:48:25.860
 Now is

00:48:25.860 --> 00:48:26.380
 God,

00:48:26.980 --> 00:48:27.920
 when he speaks

00:48:27.920 --> 00:48:28.639
 to us,

00:48:29.199 --> 00:48:29.840
 is he trying

00:48:29.840 --> 00:48:30.460
 to win

00:48:30.460 --> 00:48:31.679
 our vote?

00:48:32.679 --> 00:48:33.340
 Is he trying

00:48:33.340 --> 00:48:34.240
 to please

00:48:34.240 --> 00:48:35.199
 everybody?

00:48:36.179 --> 00:48:36.519
 No.

00:48:37.539 --> 00:48:38.539
 Because God

00:48:38.539 --> 00:48:39.340
 makes it quite

00:48:39.340 --> 00:48:40.539
 clear how

00:48:40.539 --> 00:48:41.119
 we are to

00:48:41.119 --> 00:48:41.480
 live.

00:48:41.920 --> 00:48:42.460
 And if we

00:48:42.460 --> 00:48:43.360
 live by faith,

00:48:43.420 --> 00:48:43.760
 we're not

00:48:43.760 --> 00:48:44.099
 going to

00:48:44.099 --> 00:48:44.720
 please

00:48:44.720 --> 00:48:45.679
 everybody.

00:48:47.119 --> 00:48:47.800
 But our

00:48:47.800 --> 00:48:48.400
 aim should

00:48:48.400 --> 00:48:49.300
 always be

00:48:49.300 --> 00:48:50.500
 to please

00:48:50.500 --> 00:48:51.059
 God.

00:48:52.679 --> 00:48:53.400
 And the

00:48:53.400 --> 00:48:53.900
 only way to

00:48:53.900 --> 00:48:54.920
 please God

00:48:54.920 --> 00:48:56.000
 is through

00:48:56.000 --> 00:48:56.760
 faith.

00:48:59.440 --> 00:49:00.039
 Because

00:49:00.039 --> 00:49:00.400
 without

00:49:00.400 --> 00:49:01.019
 faith,

00:49:01.420 --> 00:49:02.159
 we cannot

00:49:02.159 --> 00:49:03.320
 please him.

00:49:04.940 --> 00:49:05.639
 And it

00:49:05.639 --> 00:49:06.159
 may be

00:49:06.159 --> 00:49:06.539
 that we

00:49:06.539 --> 00:49:06.900
 are a bit

00:49:06.900 --> 00:49:07.320
 like the

00:49:07.320 --> 00:49:07.920
 politician.

00:49:09.019 --> 00:49:09.800
 We're saying

00:49:09.800 --> 00:49:10.500
 one thing

00:49:10.500 --> 00:49:11.239
 to God.

00:49:12.539 --> 00:49:13.199
 We're saying,

00:49:13.320 --> 00:49:13.400
 yes,

00:49:13.460 --> 00:49:13.599
 Lord,

00:49:13.659 --> 00:49:14.400
 I believe.

00:49:14.659 --> 00:49:15.139
 I believe

00:49:15.139 --> 00:49:15.480
 that you

00:49:15.480 --> 00:49:16.019
 exist.

00:49:17.739 --> 00:49:18.320
 We're saying,

00:49:18.380 --> 00:49:18.639
 maybe I

00:49:18.639 --> 00:49:19.880
 believe that

00:49:19.880 --> 00:49:20.320
 you're my

00:49:20.320 --> 00:49:20.759
 savior.

00:49:20.760 --> 00:49:20.900
 fear.

00:49:23.160 --> 00:49:23.880
 But only

00:49:23.880 --> 00:49:24.260
 for a

00:49:24.260 --> 00:49:24.660
 moment,

00:49:25.180 --> 00:49:25.840
 until someone

00:49:25.840 --> 00:49:26.620
 asks us a

00:49:26.620 --> 00:49:27.020
 question,

00:49:27.140 --> 00:49:27.400
 or until

00:49:27.400 --> 00:49:27.700
 someone

00:49:27.700 --> 00:49:28.440
 challenges us.

00:49:28.640 --> 00:49:29.060
 I don't

00:49:29.060 --> 00:49:29.880
 believe that.

00:49:29.960 --> 00:49:30.220
 I don't

00:49:30.220 --> 00:49:30.800
 believe the

00:49:30.800 --> 00:49:31.320
 word of

00:49:31.320 --> 00:49:31.740
 God.

00:49:32.240 --> 00:49:32.800
 Because we're

00:49:32.800 --> 00:49:33.480
 being pulled

00:49:33.480 --> 00:49:34.380
 in different

00:49:34.380 --> 00:49:34.920
 directions.

00:49:35.100 --> 00:49:35.420
 We're trying

00:49:35.420 --> 00:49:36.180
 to keep

00:49:36.180 --> 00:49:36.820
 everybody

00:49:36.820 --> 00:49:37.420
 happy.

00:49:39.260 --> 00:49:40.020
 But it's

00:49:40.020 --> 00:49:40.740
 the impossible

00:49:40.740 --> 00:49:41.820
 task.

00:49:43.180 --> 00:49:43.480
 It's

00:49:43.480 --> 00:49:44.480
 impossible to

00:49:44.480 --> 00:49:45.480
 please God

00:49:45.480 --> 00:49:46.280
 without

00:49:46.280 --> 00:49:47.139
 faith.

00:49:50.599 --> 00:49:51.280
 And these

00:49:51.280 --> 00:49:52.159
 two words

00:49:52.159 --> 00:49:53.960
 underscore for

00:49:53.960 --> 00:49:54.500
 us just

00:49:54.500 --> 00:49:55.639
 that when

00:49:55.639 --> 00:49:56.380
 it says in

00:49:56.380 --> 00:49:57.199
 verse 6,

00:49:57.360 --> 00:49:58.000
 without faith,

00:49:58.079 --> 00:49:58.320
 it is

00:49:58.320 --> 00:49:59.659
 impossible

00:49:59.659 --> 00:50:01.780
 to please

00:50:01.780 --> 00:50:01.980
 him.

00:50:02.860 --> 00:50:03.300
 And the

00:50:03.300 --> 00:50:03.860
 other word

00:50:03.860 --> 00:50:04.760
 is must.

00:50:05.880 --> 00:50:06.420
 For whoever

00:50:06.420 --> 00:50:06.940
 would draw

00:50:06.940 --> 00:50:07.420
 near to

00:50:07.420 --> 00:50:08.460
 God must

00:50:08.460 --> 00:50:09.719
 believe that

00:50:09.719 --> 00:50:10.639
 he exists

00:50:10.639 --> 00:50:11.800
 and rewards

00:50:11.800 --> 00:50:12.719
 those who

00:50:12.719 --> 00:50:13.400
 seek him.

00:50:15.019 --> 00:50:15.460
 Faith

00:50:15.460 --> 00:50:15.920
 is not

00:50:15.920 --> 00:50:16.260
 just

00:50:16.260 --> 00:50:17.000
 something

00:50:17.000 --> 00:50:19.320
 nice that

00:50:19.320 --> 00:50:19.740
 you can put

00:50:19.740 --> 00:50:20.639
 into practice

00:50:20.639 --> 00:50:21.240
 now and

00:50:21.240 --> 00:50:21.659
 again.

00:50:23.519 --> 00:50:24.260
 Faith is

00:50:24.260 --> 00:50:24.880
 a life

00:50:24.880 --> 00:50:26.539
 lived for

00:50:26.539 --> 00:50:27.760
 God to

00:50:27.760 --> 00:50:28.760
 please him

00:50:28.760 --> 00:50:29.619
 alone.

00:50:30.740 --> 00:50:31.240
 Faith is

00:50:31.240 --> 00:50:31.960
 not something

00:50:31.960 --> 00:50:32.539
 that is

00:50:32.539 --> 00:50:33.400
 divided that

00:50:33.400 --> 00:50:33.740
 says,

00:50:34.159 --> 00:50:35.059
 I believe

00:50:35.059 --> 00:50:35.760
 that God

00:50:35.760 --> 00:50:37.099
 made the

00:50:37.099 --> 00:50:37.840
 heavens and

00:50:37.840 --> 00:50:38.360
 the earth.

00:50:39.900 --> 00:50:40.920
 I believe

00:50:40.920 --> 00:50:41.519
 that he

00:50:41.519 --> 00:50:42.579
 exists in

00:50:42.579 --> 00:50:43.119
 one hand,

00:50:43.619 --> 00:50:44.119
 but then

00:50:44.119 --> 00:50:44.519
 you're led

00:50:44.519 --> 00:50:45.039
 down another

00:50:45.039 --> 00:50:45.659
 path when

00:50:45.659 --> 00:50:46.059
 somebody

00:50:46.059 --> 00:50:46.460
 else is,

00:50:46.539 --> 00:50:46.759
 oh, I

00:50:46.759 --> 00:50:47.000
 don't

00:50:47.000 --> 00:50:47.320
 really

00:50:47.320 --> 00:50:47.860
 believe

00:50:47.860 --> 00:50:48.320
 that.

00:50:50.779 --> 00:50:51.500
 Faith is

00:50:51.500 --> 00:50:52.059
 something that

00:50:52.059 --> 00:50:52.980
 is challenged

00:50:52.980 --> 00:50:54.779
 constantly.

00:50:54.920 --> 00:50:55.320
 That's what

00:50:55.320 --> 00:50:55.920
 was happening

00:50:55.920 --> 00:50:57.360
 in the days

00:50:57.360 --> 00:50:58.340
 of the writer

00:50:58.340 --> 00:50:59.159
 to the Hebrews.

00:50:59.880 --> 00:51:00.440
 The people

00:51:00.440 --> 00:51:00.860
 were being

00:51:00.860 --> 00:51:01.279
 challenged,

00:51:01.400 --> 00:51:01.980
 their faith

00:51:01.980 --> 00:51:02.800
 was being

00:51:02.800 --> 00:51:03.579
 shaken in

00:51:03.579 --> 00:51:04.340
 many ways,

00:51:04.840 --> 00:51:05.599
 but they

00:51:05.599 --> 00:51:06.079
 were to have

00:51:06.079 --> 00:51:07.199
 confidence in

00:51:07.199 --> 00:51:07.739
 what was to

00:51:07.739 --> 00:51:08.579
 abide and

00:51:08.579 --> 00:51:09.300
 to last.

00:51:09.300 --> 00:51:09.360
 trust.

00:51:10.620 --> 00:51:11.039
 And that

00:51:11.039 --> 00:51:11.940
 is trusting

00:51:11.940 --> 00:51:12.780
 in the

00:51:12.780 --> 00:51:13.600
 Lord Jesus.

00:51:15.320 --> 00:51:16.100
 I've told

00:51:16.100 --> 00:51:16.840
 this story

00:51:16.840 --> 00:51:17.539
 before, I

00:51:17.539 --> 00:51:17.880
 think, but

00:51:17.880 --> 00:51:18.280
 it's worth

00:51:18.280 --> 00:51:19.060
 telling again

00:51:19.060 --> 00:51:20.460
 about the

00:51:20.460 --> 00:51:21.140
 tightrope

00:51:21.140 --> 00:51:22.160
 walker called

00:51:22.160 --> 00:51:22.900
 Blondin.

00:51:23.900 --> 00:51:24.660
 He was one

00:51:24.660 --> 00:51:25.000
 who would

00:51:25.000 --> 00:51:25.800
 walk across

00:51:25.800 --> 00:51:26.600
 a tightrope

00:51:26.600 --> 00:51:27.300
 suspended

00:51:27.300 --> 00:51:28.800
 across Niagara

00:51:28.800 --> 00:51:29.640
 Falls.

00:51:29.639 --> 00:51:31.599
 and he

00:51:31.599 --> 00:51:32.319
 would dance

00:51:32.319 --> 00:51:32.639
 on the

00:51:32.639 --> 00:51:33.159
 wire, he

00:51:33.159 --> 00:51:33.579
 would run

00:51:33.579 --> 00:51:33.879
 on the

00:51:33.879 --> 00:51:34.420
 wire going

00:51:34.420 --> 00:51:35.299
 across back

00:51:35.299 --> 00:51:35.799
 and forth,

00:51:35.879 --> 00:51:36.599
 no problem,

00:51:36.960 --> 00:51:37.259
 and it

00:51:37.259 --> 00:51:38.259
 attracted great

00:51:38.259 --> 00:51:39.059
 crowds that

00:51:39.059 --> 00:51:39.739
 cheered him

00:51:39.739 --> 00:51:40.000
 on.

00:51:41.379 --> 00:51:42.379
 One time he

00:51:42.379 --> 00:51:42.799
 was going

00:51:42.799 --> 00:51:43.359
 back and

00:51:43.359 --> 00:51:43.799
 forth with

00:51:43.799 --> 00:51:44.480
 a wheelbarrow

00:51:44.480 --> 00:51:45.000
 full of

00:51:45.000 --> 00:51:46.500
 bricks, no

00:51:46.500 --> 00:51:47.639
 problem again,

00:51:48.279 --> 00:51:48.619
 and the

00:51:48.619 --> 00:51:49.279
 crowd was

00:51:49.279 --> 00:51:49.739
 cheering.

00:51:50.980 --> 00:51:51.480
 And then he

00:51:51.480 --> 00:51:52.440
 shouted out

00:51:52.440 --> 00:51:52.759
 to the

00:51:52.759 --> 00:51:53.219
 crowd,

00:51:54.460 --> 00:51:55.279
 who believes

00:51:55.279 --> 00:51:55.699
 that I could

00:51:55.699 --> 00:51:56.500
 push a man

00:51:56.500 --> 00:51:57.799
 across that

00:51:57.799 --> 00:51:58.480
 wire in a

00:51:58.480 --> 00:51:59.059
 wheelbarrow?

00:51:59.639 --> 00:52:00.379
 And all the

00:52:00.379 --> 00:52:00.960
 hands went

00:52:00.960 --> 00:52:01.400
 up shouting,

00:52:01.519 --> 00:52:02.159
 yes, we

00:52:02.159 --> 00:52:03.359
 believe that

00:52:03.359 --> 00:52:04.039
 you could do

00:52:04.039 --> 00:52:04.400
 it.

00:52:05.420 --> 00:52:05.980
 And his

00:52:05.980 --> 00:52:06.739
 response was

00:52:06.739 --> 00:52:07.079
 to say,

00:52:07.219 --> 00:52:08.839
 great, now

00:52:08.839 --> 00:52:09.779
 who would

00:52:09.779 --> 00:52:10.259
 like to

00:52:10.259 --> 00:52:10.759
 volunteer?

00:52:12.159 --> 00:52:12.819
 And suddenly

00:52:12.819 --> 00:52:13.739
 all the

00:52:13.739 --> 00:52:14.379
 hands went

00:52:14.379 --> 00:52:14.739
 down.

00:52:16.159 --> 00:52:16.480
 They were

00:52:16.480 --> 00:52:16.900
 saying on

00:52:16.900 --> 00:52:17.539
 one hand,

00:52:17.879 --> 00:52:18.739
 they believed

00:52:18.739 --> 00:52:19.219
 that he could

00:52:19.219 --> 00:52:19.619
 do it,

00:52:19.940 --> 00:52:20.480
 they'd seen

00:52:20.480 --> 00:52:20.960
 him do it

00:52:20.960 --> 00:52:21.460
 in so many

00:52:21.460 --> 00:52:22.219
 different ways,

00:52:22.319 --> 00:52:22.759
 but when it

00:52:22.759 --> 00:52:23.239
 came to

00:52:23.239 --> 00:52:24.279
 actually themselves

00:52:24.279 --> 00:52:25.319
 being in

00:52:25.319 --> 00:52:26.099
 that wheelbarrow,

00:52:26.299 --> 00:52:26.839
 they weren't

00:52:26.839 --> 00:52:27.819
 willing to

00:52:27.819 --> 00:52:28.159
 commit.

00:52:29.639 --> 00:52:29.900
 They had

00:52:29.900 --> 00:52:30.739
 no faith.

00:52:33.319 --> 00:52:34.099
 And that's

00:52:34.099 --> 00:52:34.799
 the challenge

00:52:34.799 --> 00:52:35.420
 to each

00:52:35.420 --> 00:52:35.779
 and every

00:52:35.779 --> 00:52:36.179
 one of

00:52:36.179 --> 00:52:36.579
 us.

00:52:38.079 --> 00:52:38.619
 Without

00:52:38.619 --> 00:52:39.920
 faith, it

00:52:39.920 --> 00:52:40.579
 is impossible

00:52:40.579 --> 00:52:41.559
 to please

00:52:41.559 --> 00:52:42.019
 God.

00:52:43.099 --> 00:52:43.519
 So are we

00:52:43.519 --> 00:52:44.019
 just merely

00:52:44.019 --> 00:52:44.719
 giving a

00:52:44.719 --> 00:52:45.759
 token gesture

00:52:45.759 --> 00:52:46.839
 of faith

00:52:46.839 --> 00:52:47.460
 to God?

00:52:48.779 --> 00:52:49.339
 Are we

00:52:49.339 --> 00:52:50.079
 giving him

00:52:50.079 --> 00:52:50.940
 just a

00:52:50.940 --> 00:52:52.119
 small part

00:52:52.119 --> 00:52:52.559
 of our

00:52:52.559 --> 00:52:53.679
 life and

00:52:53.679 --> 00:52:53.819
 saying,

00:52:53.900 --> 00:52:54.339
 yes, Lord,

00:52:54.340 --> 00:52:55.120
 I believe?

00:52:56.539 --> 00:52:57.160
 But when

00:52:57.160 --> 00:52:57.600
 it comes

00:52:57.600 --> 00:52:57.960
 to the

00:52:57.960 --> 00:52:58.519
 challenge,

00:52:58.820 --> 00:52:59.200
 do you

00:52:59.200 --> 00:52:59.740
 believe?

00:53:00.700 --> 00:53:01.059
 Will you

00:53:01.059 --> 00:53:01.680
 stand up

00:53:01.680 --> 00:53:02.100
 for your

00:53:02.100 --> 00:53:02.559
 faith?

00:53:03.700 --> 00:53:04.079
 Will you

00:53:04.079 --> 00:53:04.440
 commit

00:53:04.440 --> 00:53:04.940
 yourself

00:53:04.940 --> 00:53:05.940
 fully to

00:53:05.940 --> 00:53:06.460
 the Lord?

00:53:06.860 --> 00:53:07.440
 Your hand

00:53:07.440 --> 00:53:08.200
 goes down

00:53:08.200 --> 00:53:09.320
 and you

00:53:09.320 --> 00:53:09.600
 say, oh,

00:53:09.620 --> 00:53:10.059
 I'm not

00:53:10.059 --> 00:53:10.620
 sure I

00:53:10.620 --> 00:53:11.300
 can fully

00:53:11.300 --> 00:53:11.680
 commit.

00:53:13.300 --> 00:53:14.100
 Well, your

00:53:14.100 --> 00:53:14.640
 faith is

00:53:14.640 --> 00:53:15.600
 not complete.

00:53:17.940 --> 00:53:18.519
 Without

00:53:18.519 --> 00:53:20.120
 faith, you

00:53:20.120 --> 00:53:20.519
 cannot

00:53:20.519 --> 00:53:21.280
 please

00:53:21.280 --> 00:53:22.040
 God.

00:53:23.400 --> 00:53:24.100
 Martin

00:53:24.100 --> 00:53:24.940
 Luther once

00:53:24.940 --> 00:53:25.300
 said,

00:53:25.800 --> 00:53:26.260
 God, our

00:53:26.260 --> 00:53:26.720
 Father,

00:53:26.840 --> 00:53:27.120
 have made

00:53:27.120 --> 00:53:28.019
 all things

00:53:28.019 --> 00:53:28.800
 depend on

00:53:28.800 --> 00:53:29.880
 faith, so

00:53:29.880 --> 00:53:30.380
 that whoever

00:53:30.380 --> 00:53:31.440
 has faith

00:53:31.440 --> 00:53:32.160
 will have

00:53:32.160 --> 00:53:32.700
 everything,

00:53:33.420 --> 00:53:33.980
 and whoever

00:53:33.980 --> 00:53:34.880
 does not

00:53:34.880 --> 00:53:35.600
 have faith

00:53:35.600 --> 00:53:36.700
 will have

00:53:36.700 --> 00:53:37.360
 nothing.

00:53:41.060 --> 00:53:41.820
 Without

00:53:41.820 --> 00:53:43.320
 faith, you

00:53:43.320 --> 00:53:43.760
 cannot

00:53:43.760 --> 00:53:45.019
 please God.

00:53:45.760 --> 00:53:46.220
 Without

00:53:46.220 --> 00:53:47.540
 faith, you

00:53:47.540 --> 00:53:48.320
 face the

00:53:48.320 --> 00:53:49.600
 challenge of

00:53:49.600 --> 00:53:50.440
 that judgment

00:53:50.440 --> 00:53:51.159
 that is so

00:53:51.159 --> 00:53:51.760
 vivid and

00:53:51.760 --> 00:53:52.539
 so clear

00:53:52.539 --> 00:53:53.380
 in verse

00:53:53.380 --> 00:53:54.780
 26 downwards

00:53:54.780 --> 00:53:55.820
 in chapter

00:53:55.820 --> 00:53:56.380
 10.

00:53:57.119 --> 00:53:57.679
 It is a

00:53:57.679 --> 00:53:58.980
 fearful thing

00:53:58.980 --> 00:54:00.059
 to fall

00:54:00.059 --> 00:54:00.639
 into the

00:54:00.639 --> 00:54:01.800
 hands of

00:54:01.800 --> 00:54:02.320
 the living

00:54:02.320 --> 00:54:02.860
 God.

00:54:03.079 --> 00:54:03.679
 It is a

00:54:03.679 --> 00:54:04.720
 fearful thing

00:54:04.720 --> 00:54:05.760
 to be before

00:54:05.760 --> 00:54:06.559
 him without

00:54:06.559 --> 00:54:07.220
 faith.

00:54:09.679 --> 00:54:10.780
 We need

00:54:10.780 --> 00:54:11.360
 faith.

00:54:12.920 --> 00:54:13.579
 And faith

00:54:13.579 --> 00:54:14.139
 is offered

00:54:14.139 --> 00:54:15.179
 to us in

00:54:15.179 --> 00:54:15.820
 the gospel

00:54:15.820 --> 00:54:17.720
 through Jesus

00:54:17.720 --> 00:54:18.619
 Christ,

00:54:19.039 --> 00:54:19.780
 our Lord.

00:54:20.440 --> 00:54:21.760
 And so

00:54:21.760 --> 00:54:22.440
 finally, we

00:54:22.440 --> 00:54:22.900
 just want

00:54:22.900 --> 00:54:23.440
 to see

00:54:23.440 --> 00:54:24.579
 what it

00:54:24.579 --> 00:54:25.360
 is to

00:54:25.360 --> 00:54:26.539
 live by

00:54:26.539 --> 00:54:27.139
 faith.

00:54:27.920 --> 00:54:28.760
 What does

00:54:28.760 --> 00:54:29.900
 it mean to

00:54:29.900 --> 00:54:30.960
 live by

00:54:30.960 --> 00:54:31.440
 faith?

00:54:31.519 --> 00:54:31.760
 Well, look

00:54:31.760 --> 00:54:32.159
 at verse

00:54:32.159 --> 00:54:32.659
 2.

00:54:33.940 --> 00:54:34.760
 For by it

00:54:34.760 --> 00:54:35.460
 the people

00:54:35.460 --> 00:54:36.039
 of old

00:54:36.039 --> 00:54:36.960
 received

00:54:36.960 --> 00:54:37.720
 their

00:54:37.720 --> 00:54:38.740
 commendation.

00:54:39.860 --> 00:54:40.619
 By faith

00:54:40.619 --> 00:54:41.720
 we understand

00:54:41.720 --> 00:54:42.619
 that the

00:54:42.619 --> 00:54:43.260
 universe was

00:54:43.260 --> 00:54:44.079
 created by

00:54:44.079 --> 00:54:44.579
 the word

00:54:44.579 --> 00:54:45.139
 of God,

00:54:45.720 --> 00:54:46.059
 so that

00:54:46.059 --> 00:54:46.420
 what is

00:54:46.420 --> 00:54:47.019
 seen was

00:54:47.019 --> 00:54:47.579
 not made

00:54:47.579 --> 00:54:47.920
 out of

00:54:47.920 --> 00:54:49.079
 things that

00:54:49.079 --> 00:54:49.739
 are visible.

00:54:50.819 --> 00:54:51.699
 By faith

00:54:51.699 --> 00:54:53.480
 they received

00:54:53.480 --> 00:54:54.380
 their

00:54:54.380 --> 00:54:55.279
 commendation.

00:54:57.119 --> 00:54:58.159
 The world

00:54:58.159 --> 00:54:59.440
 often ridicules

00:54:59.440 --> 00:55:00.880
 or despises

00:55:00.880 --> 00:55:01.519
 the person

00:55:01.519 --> 00:55:02.059
 who lives

00:55:02.059 --> 00:55:02.840
 by faith,

00:55:03.400 --> 00:55:04.900
 but that's

00:55:04.900 --> 00:55:05.460
 not what

00:55:05.460 --> 00:55:06.119
 counts.

00:55:07.599 --> 00:55:08.539
 We don't

00:55:08.539 --> 00:55:09.179
 live for

00:55:09.179 --> 00:55:09.500
 them,

00:55:10.299 --> 00:55:11.360
 we live

00:55:11.360 --> 00:55:12.679
 for God,

00:55:13.279 --> 00:55:14.659
 to receive

00:55:14.659 --> 00:55:15.920
 commendation

00:55:15.920 --> 00:55:17.059
 from him,

00:55:17.760 --> 00:55:18.559
 to hear

00:55:18.559 --> 00:55:19.619
 those words,

00:55:20.280 --> 00:55:20.980
 well done,

00:55:21.599 --> 00:55:22.579
 good and

00:55:22.579 --> 00:55:23.320
 faithful

00:55:23.320 --> 00:55:24.360
 servant,

00:55:25.079 --> 00:55:25.639
 to be

00:55:25.639 --> 00:55:26.200
 faithful

00:55:26.200 --> 00:55:27.400
 to him.

00:55:28.240 --> 00:55:28.680
 And if

00:55:28.680 --> 00:55:28.940
 you have

00:55:28.940 --> 00:55:29.760
 trusted in

00:55:29.760 --> 00:55:30.500
 Christ as

00:55:30.500 --> 00:55:30.960
 saviour,

00:55:31.639 --> 00:55:32.079
 you are to

00:55:32.079 --> 00:55:32.619
 live each

00:55:32.619 --> 00:55:33.480
 day seeking

00:55:33.480 --> 00:55:34.400
 not the

00:55:34.400 --> 00:55:35.159
 approval of

00:55:35.159 --> 00:55:35.680
 those who

00:55:35.680 --> 00:55:36.180
 are around

00:55:36.180 --> 00:55:36.380
 you,

00:55:36.440 --> 00:55:36.940
 although we

00:55:36.940 --> 00:55:37.320
 don't want

00:55:37.320 --> 00:55:37.599
 to be

00:55:37.599 --> 00:55:38.039
 deliberately

00:55:38.039 --> 00:55:38.720
 offending

00:55:38.720 --> 00:55:39.720
 or upsetting

00:55:39.720 --> 00:55:40.159
 people,

00:55:40.260 --> 00:55:40.500
 but we

00:55:40.500 --> 00:55:40.880
 want to

00:55:40.880 --> 00:55:41.820
 please God

00:55:41.820 --> 00:55:42.480
 always,

00:55:42.480 --> 00:55:43.880
 and to

00:55:43.880 --> 00:55:44.800
 seek his

00:55:44.800 --> 00:55:45.960
 approval.

00:55:48.019 --> 00:55:48.519
 And what

00:55:48.519 --> 00:55:48.800
 does it

00:55:48.800 --> 00:55:49.400
 look like

00:55:49.400 --> 00:55:50.240
 to live

00:55:50.240 --> 00:55:51.639
 by faith?

00:55:52.840 --> 00:55:53.139
 Well,

00:55:53.179 --> 00:55:53.420
 what you

00:55:53.420 --> 00:55:53.780
 look at

00:55:53.780 --> 00:55:54.219
 is what

00:55:54.219 --> 00:55:55.360
 follows in

00:55:55.360 --> 00:55:55.840
 the rest

00:55:55.840 --> 00:55:56.320
 of this

00:55:56.320 --> 00:55:56.820
 chapter.

00:55:57.659 --> 00:55:58.300
 When you

00:55:58.300 --> 00:55:58.740
 see all

00:55:58.740 --> 00:55:59.159
 the great

00:55:59.159 --> 00:56:00.059
 examples of

00:56:00.059 --> 00:56:00.440
 those in

00:56:00.440 --> 00:56:00.840
 the Old

00:56:00.840 --> 00:56:02.079
 Testament who

00:56:02.079 --> 00:56:02.719
 lived by

00:56:02.719 --> 00:56:03.119
 faith,

00:56:03.179 --> 00:56:03.659
 whose names

00:56:03.659 --> 00:56:04.300
 are mentioned,

00:56:04.460 --> 00:56:04.719
 Noah,

00:56:05.199 --> 00:56:05.639
 Abraham,

00:56:05.880 --> 00:56:06.240
 Sarah,

00:56:06.500 --> 00:56:06.960
 Rahab,

00:56:07.300 --> 00:56:07.740
 Gideon,

00:56:07.940 --> 00:56:08.460
 Samson,

00:56:09.420 --> 00:56:09.940
 you look at

00:56:09.940 --> 00:56:10.679
 their experience,

00:56:10.900 --> 00:56:11.219
 you look at

00:56:11.219 --> 00:56:12.119
 their situations,

00:56:12.119 --> 00:56:13.359
 everyone so

00:56:13.359 --> 00:56:13.960
 different,

00:56:14.460 --> 00:56:15.259
 everyone with

00:56:15.259 --> 00:56:15.719
 so many

00:56:15.719 --> 00:56:16.179
 challenges,

00:56:16.299 --> 00:56:16.900
 even some

00:56:16.900 --> 00:56:17.539
 you're thinking,

00:56:17.920 --> 00:56:18.579
 how did they

00:56:18.579 --> 00:56:19.679
 make it onto

00:56:19.679 --> 00:56:20.739
 this list in

00:56:20.739 --> 00:56:21.839
 Hebrews 11?

00:56:24.319 --> 00:56:25.579
 By faith.

00:56:27.579 --> 00:56:28.779
 By faith.

00:56:30.319 --> 00:56:30.699
 And you

00:56:30.699 --> 00:56:30.920
 see,

00:56:31.019 --> 00:56:31.559
 that's the

00:56:31.559 --> 00:56:32.159
 key for

00:56:32.159 --> 00:56:32.539
 us.

00:56:33.699 --> 00:56:34.380
 So often

00:56:34.380 --> 00:56:35.519
 we think

00:56:35.519 --> 00:56:36.480
 it's the

00:56:36.480 --> 00:56:37.679
 size of

00:56:37.679 --> 00:56:38.319
 our faith,

00:56:38.420 --> 00:56:38.639
 it's how

00:56:38.639 --> 00:56:39.380
 great our

00:56:39.380 --> 00:56:40.440
 faith is,

00:56:40.519 --> 00:56:40.859
 but it's

00:56:40.859 --> 00:56:41.339
 not.

00:56:42.119 --> 00:56:44.019
 even when

00:56:44.019 --> 00:56:44.579
 our faith

00:56:44.579 --> 00:56:45.480
 seems weak

00:56:45.480 --> 00:56:46.239
 and small,

00:56:46.539 --> 00:56:47.359
 that doesn't

00:56:47.359 --> 00:56:47.799
 matter.

00:56:49.059 --> 00:56:49.799
 It's about

00:56:49.799 --> 00:56:50.420
 who our

00:56:50.420 --> 00:56:51.519
 faith is

00:56:51.519 --> 00:56:51.839
 in.

00:56:53.299 --> 00:56:53.699
 Is our

00:56:53.699 --> 00:56:54.940
 faith in

00:56:54.940 --> 00:56:55.319
 the Lord

00:56:55.319 --> 00:56:56.480
 Jesus Christ?

00:56:57.940 --> 00:56:58.679
 What does

00:56:58.679 --> 00:56:59.559
 faith look

00:56:59.559 --> 00:57:00.219
 like to

00:57:00.219 --> 00:57:00.519
 you?

00:57:01.699 --> 00:57:02.079
 What does

00:57:02.079 --> 00:57:02.699
 faith look

00:57:02.699 --> 00:57:02.859
 like?

00:57:02.920 --> 00:57:03.259
 Maybe you

00:57:03.259 --> 00:57:03.719
 see it in

00:57:03.719 --> 00:57:04.359
 other people

00:57:04.359 --> 00:57:05.099
 around you,

00:57:05.400 --> 00:57:05.920
 and you've

00:57:05.920 --> 00:57:06.400
 said maybe

00:57:06.400 --> 00:57:06.900
 to yourself,

00:57:06.980 --> 00:57:07.559
 I wish I

00:57:07.559 --> 00:57:08.460
 had the

00:57:08.460 --> 00:57:09.139
 faith that

00:57:09.139 --> 00:57:09.819
 that person

00:57:09.820 --> 00:57:10.360
 has.

00:57:11.039 --> 00:57:11.380
 Well,

00:57:11.559 --> 00:57:12.760
 what strength

00:57:12.760 --> 00:57:13.480
 of faith

00:57:13.480 --> 00:57:14.260
 that person

00:57:14.260 --> 00:57:14.780
 has.

00:57:15.320 --> 00:57:15.860
 And we

00:57:15.860 --> 00:57:16.500
 see it,

00:57:16.860 --> 00:57:17.700
 we see it

00:57:17.700 --> 00:57:18.280
 in people

00:57:18.280 --> 00:57:18.580
 who are

00:57:18.580 --> 00:57:19.400
 going through

00:57:19.400 --> 00:57:20.760
 trials that

00:57:20.760 --> 00:57:21.740
 without faith

00:57:21.740 --> 00:57:22.260
 you wonder

00:57:22.260 --> 00:57:23.180
 how could

00:57:23.180 --> 00:57:23.900
 they possibly

00:57:23.900 --> 00:57:24.559
 go through.

00:57:25.840 --> 00:57:26.260
 But that

00:57:26.260 --> 00:57:27.019
 person wouldn't

00:57:27.019 --> 00:57:28.000
 tell you the

00:57:28.000 --> 00:57:28.740
 strength is

00:57:28.740 --> 00:57:29.640
 theirs or

00:57:29.640 --> 00:57:30.559
 from themselves.

00:57:31.700 --> 00:57:32.360
 They would

00:57:32.360 --> 00:57:32.820
 say it's

00:57:32.820 --> 00:57:33.620
 from God

00:57:33.620 --> 00:57:34.320
 and by

00:57:34.320 --> 00:57:35.180
 his grace.

00:57:35.179 --> 00:57:38.619
 the strength

00:57:38.619 --> 00:57:39.239
 that God

00:57:39.239 --> 00:57:40.799
 gives because

00:57:40.799 --> 00:57:41.500
 his grace

00:57:41.500 --> 00:57:42.299
 is sufficient

00:57:42.299 --> 00:57:42.960
 for all

00:57:42.960 --> 00:57:43.559
 things.

00:57:44.299 --> 00:57:44.879
 And he

00:57:44.879 --> 00:57:45.739
 gives grace

00:57:45.739 --> 00:57:46.839
 to those

00:57:46.839 --> 00:57:47.259
 who have

00:57:47.259 --> 00:57:47.839
 faith,

00:57:48.839 --> 00:57:49.379
 those who

00:57:49.379 --> 00:57:50.699
 believe in

00:57:50.699 --> 00:57:51.059
 him.

00:57:55.059 --> 00:57:56.139
 Just like

00:57:56.139 --> 00:57:56.619
 we are

00:57:56.619 --> 00:57:57.319
 reminded in

00:57:57.319 --> 00:57:57.879
 the shorter

00:57:57.879 --> 00:57:58.539
 catechism,

00:57:59.059 --> 00:58:00.079
 we receive

00:58:00.079 --> 00:58:00.940
 and rest

00:58:00.940 --> 00:58:01.859
 upon him

00:58:01.859 --> 00:58:02.879
 alone.

00:58:02.880 --> 00:58:04.320
 that is

00:58:04.320 --> 00:58:05.039
 what faith

00:58:05.039 --> 00:58:05.480
 is,

00:58:06.260 --> 00:58:06.840
 receiving

00:58:06.840 --> 00:58:07.660
 and resting

00:58:07.660 --> 00:58:08.760
 on him

00:58:08.760 --> 00:58:09.180
 alone.

00:58:10.180 --> 00:58:10.660
 Like we were

00:58:10.660 --> 00:58:11.660
 hearing this

00:58:11.660 --> 00:58:12.260
 morning in

00:58:12.260 --> 00:58:12.860
 this service,

00:58:12.980 --> 00:58:13.380
 it's about

00:58:13.380 --> 00:58:14.599
 pondering and

00:58:14.599 --> 00:58:15.119
 laying up

00:58:15.119 --> 00:58:15.840
 these things

00:58:15.840 --> 00:58:16.200
 in our

00:58:16.200 --> 00:58:16.519
 hearts,

00:58:16.640 --> 00:58:17.579
 seeking a

00:58:17.579 --> 00:58:17.980
 greater

00:58:17.980 --> 00:58:19.039
 understanding

00:58:19.039 --> 00:58:19.519
 of the

00:58:19.519 --> 00:58:20.240
 Lord Jesus

00:58:20.240 --> 00:58:21.000
 Christ.

00:58:22.440 --> 00:58:22.860
 That is

00:58:22.860 --> 00:58:23.380
 where our

00:58:23.380 --> 00:58:24.300
 faith grows.

00:58:24.740 --> 00:58:25.140
 That is

00:58:25.140 --> 00:58:25.619
 where our

00:58:25.619 --> 00:58:26.119
 strength

00:58:26.119 --> 00:58:27.240
 comes from.

00:58:28.160 --> 00:58:28.400
 And the

00:58:28.400 --> 00:58:29.160
 examples that

00:58:29.160 --> 00:58:29.640
 you have in

00:58:29.640 --> 00:58:30.500
 Hebrews 11,

00:58:30.840 --> 00:58:31.440
 if you look

00:58:31.440 --> 00:58:31.840
 at them,

00:58:31.920 --> 00:58:32.380
 you see

00:58:32.380 --> 00:58:33.360
 so many

00:58:33.360 --> 00:58:33.660
 of them

00:58:33.660 --> 00:58:34.539
 had mistakes

00:58:34.539 --> 00:58:34.880
 in their

00:58:34.880 --> 00:58:35.240
 lives,

00:58:35.320 --> 00:58:35.480
 they had

00:58:35.480 --> 00:58:35.940
 faults,

00:58:36.039 --> 00:58:36.240
 they had

00:58:36.240 --> 00:58:36.640
 sin,

00:58:37.000 --> 00:58:37.420
 just like

00:58:37.420 --> 00:58:37.920
 all of

00:58:37.920 --> 00:58:38.400
 us.

00:58:39.720 --> 00:58:40.079
 And yet

00:58:40.079 --> 00:58:41.000
 by faith

00:58:41.000 --> 00:58:41.920
 they are

00:58:41.920 --> 00:58:42.260
 there.

00:58:43.579 --> 00:58:43.780
 And you

00:58:43.780 --> 00:58:44.019
 look at

00:58:44.019 --> 00:58:44.360
 the New

00:58:44.360 --> 00:58:44.800
 Testament

00:58:44.800 --> 00:58:45.140
 and you

00:58:45.140 --> 00:58:46.140
 see what

00:58:46.140 --> 00:58:46.960
 faith looks

00:58:46.960 --> 00:58:47.200
 like,

00:58:47.260 --> 00:58:47.599
 you see

00:58:47.599 --> 00:58:48.280
 examples

00:58:48.280 --> 00:58:49.200
 of faith

00:58:49.200 --> 00:58:50.180
 going on

00:58:50.180 --> 00:58:50.700
 through the

00:58:50.700 --> 00:58:51.420
 New Testament

00:58:51.420 --> 00:58:51.880
 and the

00:58:51.880 --> 00:58:52.500
 Gospel of

00:58:52.500 --> 00:58:52.940
 Mark.

00:58:53.420 --> 00:58:53.920
 Just to

00:58:53.920 --> 00:58:54.500
 highlight a

00:58:54.500 --> 00:58:55.200
 couple there,

00:58:55.300 --> 00:58:55.840
 you see

00:58:55.840 --> 00:58:57.420
 one was in

00:58:57.420 --> 00:58:58.099
 Mark chapter

00:58:58.099 --> 00:58:58.700
 2,

00:58:59.340 --> 00:59:00.300
 verse 5,

00:59:00.400 --> 00:59:00.619
 when

00:59:00.619 --> 00:59:02.480
 Jesus was

00:59:02.480 --> 00:59:03.219
 there gathered

00:59:03.219 --> 00:59:03.559
 in the

00:59:03.559 --> 00:59:04.299
 house with

00:59:04.299 --> 00:59:05.099
 many people

00:59:05.099 --> 00:59:06.179
 crammering in

00:59:06.179 --> 00:59:06.839
 to see

00:59:06.839 --> 00:59:07.420
 Jesus and

00:59:07.420 --> 00:59:07.859
 to hear

00:59:07.859 --> 00:59:08.039
 him.

00:59:08.480 --> 00:59:09.219
 And their

00:59:09.219 --> 00:59:10.500
 friends brought

00:59:10.500 --> 00:59:11.359
 this paralytic

00:59:11.359 --> 00:59:12.159
 to Jesus.

00:59:13.099 --> 00:59:13.359
 They would

00:59:13.359 --> 00:59:14.019
 not give

00:59:14.019 --> 00:59:14.380
 up, they

00:59:14.380 --> 00:59:14.719
 would not

00:59:14.719 --> 00:59:15.299
 turn away,

00:59:15.440 --> 00:59:16.199
 they dug

00:59:16.199 --> 00:59:16.639
 their way

00:59:16.639 --> 00:59:17.339
 down through

00:59:17.339 --> 00:59:17.859
 the roof,

00:59:18.359 --> 00:59:18.799
 brought him

00:59:18.799 --> 00:59:19.420
 in before

00:59:19.420 --> 00:59:19.960
 Jesus.

00:59:21.519 --> 00:59:22.099
 And what

00:59:22.099 --> 00:59:22.639
 did Jesus

00:59:22.639 --> 00:59:23.179
 say?

00:59:23.179 --> 00:59:24.899
 when Jesus

00:59:24.899 --> 00:59:25.899
 saw their

00:59:25.899 --> 00:59:27.319
 faith, he

00:59:27.319 --> 00:59:28.039
 said to

00:59:28.039 --> 00:59:28.799
 the paralytic,

00:59:29.159 --> 00:59:30.339
 son, your

00:59:30.339 --> 00:59:31.899
 sins are

00:59:31.899 --> 00:59:32.460
 forgiven.

00:59:34.039 --> 00:59:34.659
 When he

00:59:34.659 --> 00:59:36.059
 saw their

00:59:36.059 --> 00:59:37.879
 faith, what

00:59:37.879 --> 00:59:38.460
 did it look

00:59:38.460 --> 00:59:38.879
 like?

00:59:39.679 --> 00:59:40.859
 An absolute

00:59:40.859 --> 00:59:42.960
 dependence on

00:59:42.960 --> 00:59:43.359
 him.

00:59:44.739 --> 00:59:45.339
 They knew

00:59:45.339 --> 00:59:45.799
 that there was

00:59:45.799 --> 00:59:46.739
 no one else

00:59:46.739 --> 00:59:47.899
 who could help

00:59:47.899 --> 00:59:48.619
 but him.

00:59:50.019 --> 00:59:50.919
 The same is

00:59:50.919 --> 00:59:51.559
 true in another

00:59:51.559 --> 00:59:52.279
 account in

00:59:52.279 --> 00:59:52.920
 Mark chapter

00:59:52.920 --> 00:59:54.340
 5 verse

00:59:54.340 --> 00:59:55.239
 33 with

00:59:55.239 --> 00:59:55.699
 the woman

00:59:55.699 --> 00:59:56.420
 with the

00:59:56.420 --> 00:59:57.000
 issue of

00:59:57.000 --> 00:59:57.420
 blood.

00:59:58.559 --> 00:59:59.000
 When she

00:59:59.000 --> 00:59:59.719
 came to

00:59:59.719 --> 01:00:00.960
 Jesus, she

01:00:00.960 --> 01:00:02.059
 came by

01:00:02.059 --> 01:00:02.779
 faith.

01:00:03.340 --> 01:00:03.779
 If I could

01:00:03.779 --> 01:00:04.539
 just touch

01:00:04.539 --> 01:00:05.179
 the hem

01:00:05.179 --> 01:00:05.920
 of his

01:00:05.920 --> 01:00:07.139
 garments, he

01:00:07.139 --> 01:00:07.779
 could make

01:00:07.779 --> 01:00:08.340
 me well.

01:00:11.420 --> 01:00:12.039
 And then

01:00:12.039 --> 01:00:12.900
 Jesus says,

01:00:13.119 --> 01:00:13.840
 who touched

01:00:13.840 --> 01:00:14.059
 me?

01:00:14.299 --> 01:00:14.940
 The crowd

01:00:14.940 --> 01:00:15.360
 is looking

01:00:15.360 --> 01:00:15.659
 around and

01:00:15.659 --> 01:00:15.920
 say, what

01:00:15.920 --> 01:00:16.139
 do you

01:00:16.139 --> 01:00:16.539
 mean who

01:00:16.539 --> 01:00:16.960
 touched

01:00:16.960 --> 01:00:17.199
 you?

01:00:17.519 --> 01:00:17.799
 There's a

01:00:17.799 --> 01:00:18.739
 crowd here,

01:00:18.779 --> 01:00:19.099
 it could be

01:00:19.099 --> 01:00:20.279
 anybody, but

01:00:20.279 --> 01:00:21.000
 he knew that

01:00:21.000 --> 01:00:21.539
 power and

01:00:21.539 --> 01:00:21.800
 had gone

01:00:21.800 --> 01:00:22.340
 out from

01:00:22.340 --> 01:00:22.539
 him.

01:00:23.000 --> 01:00:23.440
 And the

01:00:23.440 --> 01:00:23.980
 woman, it

01:00:23.980 --> 01:00:24.460
 says in

01:00:24.460 --> 01:00:25.159
 verse 33,

01:00:25.320 --> 01:00:25.659
 the woman

01:00:25.659 --> 01:00:26.380
 knowing what

01:00:26.380 --> 01:00:26.940
 had happened

01:00:26.940 --> 01:00:28.300
 to her, came

01:00:28.300 --> 01:00:29.400
 in fear and

01:00:29.400 --> 01:00:30.719
 trembling and

01:00:30.719 --> 01:00:31.440
 fell down

01:00:31.440 --> 01:00:32.360
 before him and

01:00:32.360 --> 01:00:33.679
 told him the

01:00:33.679 --> 01:00:34.779
 whole truth.

01:00:35.579 --> 01:00:36.360
 And he said

01:00:36.360 --> 01:00:37.159
 to her,

01:00:37.699 --> 01:00:39.079
 daughter, your

01:00:39.079 --> 01:00:40.099
 faith has

01:00:40.099 --> 01:00:40.779
 made you

01:00:40.779 --> 01:00:41.139
 well.

01:00:41.920 --> 01:00:42.519
 Go in

01:00:42.519 --> 01:00:43.880
 peace and

01:00:43.880 --> 01:00:44.619
 be healed

01:00:44.619 --> 01:00:45.119
 of your

01:00:45.119 --> 01:00:45.719
 disease.

01:00:46.460 --> 01:00:47.340
 She came

01:00:47.340 --> 01:00:49.119
 in fear and

01:00:49.119 --> 01:00:49.820
 trembling,

01:00:50.380 --> 01:00:51.460
 falling before

01:00:51.460 --> 01:00:51.920
 him.

01:00:52.420 --> 01:00:52.860
 And what

01:00:52.860 --> 01:00:53.440
 did Jesus

01:00:53.440 --> 01:00:54.079
 saw?

01:00:54.639 --> 01:00:55.260
 He saw

01:00:55.260 --> 01:00:56.039
 faith.

01:00:57.760 --> 01:00:58.740
 Your faith

01:00:58.740 --> 01:00:59.900
 has made

01:00:59.900 --> 01:01:00.519
 you well.

01:01:01.099 --> 01:01:01.720
 Go in

01:01:01.720 --> 01:01:02.260
 peace.

01:01:03.179 --> 01:01:03.980
 Both these

01:01:03.980 --> 01:01:04.920
 situations,

01:01:05.720 --> 01:01:05.980
 they were

01:01:05.980 --> 01:01:07.039
 people who

01:01:07.039 --> 01:01:07.840
 were helpless,

01:01:08.980 --> 01:01:09.820
 just like we

01:01:09.820 --> 01:01:10.519
 all are.

01:01:11.599 --> 01:01:12.119
 And what you

01:01:12.119 --> 01:01:13.639
 see in both

01:01:13.639 --> 01:01:14.220
 of these

01:01:14.220 --> 01:01:15.460
 related situations

01:01:16.000 --> 01:01:17.159
 is it becomes

01:01:17.159 --> 01:01:18.019
 about a

01:01:18.019 --> 01:01:18.800
 relationship.

01:01:18.800 --> 01:01:18.960
 relationship.

01:01:20.519 --> 01:01:20.940
 In Mark

01:01:20.940 --> 01:01:22.180
 2, Jesus

01:01:22.180 --> 01:01:23.000
 says to the

01:01:23.000 --> 01:01:24.539
 paralytic son,

01:01:25.320 --> 01:01:25.920
 your sins

01:01:25.920 --> 01:01:26.700
 are forgiven.

01:01:27.780 --> 01:01:28.360
 In Mark

01:01:28.360 --> 01:01:29.320
 chapter 5, he

01:01:29.320 --> 01:01:29.940
 says to the

01:01:29.940 --> 01:01:31.400
 woman, daughter,

01:01:32.019 --> 01:01:33.180
 your faith has

01:01:33.180 --> 01:01:33.700
 made you

01:01:33.700 --> 01:01:34.039
 well.

01:01:35.000 --> 01:01:35.780
 There is this

01:01:35.780 --> 01:01:36.519
 wonderful

01:01:36.519 --> 01:01:37.860
 relationship.

01:01:40.080 --> 01:01:40.539
 They are

01:01:40.539 --> 01:01:41.760
 brought by

01:01:41.760 --> 01:01:43.640
 faith to

01:01:43.640 --> 01:01:44.220
 know the

01:01:44.220 --> 01:01:45.060
 Lord Jesus

01:01:45.059 --> 01:01:46.380
 in this

01:01:46.380 --> 01:01:48.119
 personal way.

01:01:50.239 --> 01:01:50.579
 And so

01:01:50.579 --> 01:01:51.739
 where is

01:01:51.739 --> 01:01:52.679
 your faith

01:01:52.679 --> 01:01:53.440
 today?

01:01:54.519 --> 01:01:55.380
 Do you

01:01:55.380 --> 01:01:56.679
 have faith?

01:01:57.519 --> 01:01:58.199
 Is it

01:01:58.199 --> 01:01:59.559
 faith in a

01:01:59.559 --> 01:02:00.799
 general sense?

01:02:01.799 --> 01:02:02.880
 Or is it

01:02:02.880 --> 01:02:04.199
 saving faith

01:02:04.199 --> 01:02:05.719
 that you find

01:02:05.719 --> 01:02:06.980
 in Jesus

01:02:06.980 --> 01:02:07.679
 Christ?

01:02:07.679 --> 01:02:09.679
 do you

01:02:09.679 --> 01:02:10.399
 have faith

01:02:10.399 --> 01:02:11.019
 to go

01:02:11.019 --> 01:02:11.339
 on?

01:02:13.019 --> 01:02:13.719
 Your faith

01:02:13.719 --> 01:02:14.179
 may be

01:02:14.179 --> 01:02:15.819
 small, but

01:02:15.819 --> 01:02:16.139
 it's not

01:02:16.139 --> 01:02:16.519
 about the

01:02:16.519 --> 01:02:17.099
 size.

01:02:17.960 --> 01:02:18.759
 It's about

01:02:18.759 --> 01:02:20.079
 who it

01:02:20.079 --> 01:02:20.619
 is in.

01:02:22.019 --> 01:02:22.379
 And if

01:02:22.379 --> 01:02:22.759
 it's in

01:02:22.759 --> 01:02:24.899
 Christ, his

01:02:24.899 --> 01:02:25.779
 grace is

01:02:25.779 --> 01:02:27.199
 sufficient for

01:02:27.199 --> 01:02:28.179
 all things.

01:02:29.399 --> 01:02:30.199
 Faith in

01:02:30.199 --> 01:02:31.259
 Jesus Christ

01:02:31.259 --> 01:02:32.539
 means we

01:02:32.539 --> 01:02:33.179
 have all we

01:02:33.179 --> 01:02:33.699
 need for

01:02:33.699 --> 01:02:35.179
 now and

01:02:35.179 --> 01:02:36.159
 for eternity.

01:02:36.159 --> 01:02:37.679
 and that

01:02:37.679 --> 01:02:38.719
 is our

01:02:38.719 --> 01:02:39.279
 hope.

01:02:40.399 --> 01:02:40.719
 There's a

01:02:40.719 --> 01:02:41.879
 hymn, I

01:02:41.879 --> 01:02:42.420
 forget the

01:02:42.420 --> 01:02:42.779
 name of

01:02:42.779 --> 01:02:43.019
 the hymn,

01:02:43.119 --> 01:02:43.719
 but the

01:02:43.719 --> 01:02:44.480
 last verse

01:02:44.480 --> 01:02:44.799
 of it

01:02:44.799 --> 01:02:45.559
 says this,

01:02:45.719 --> 01:02:45.980
 and it's

01:02:45.980 --> 01:02:46.960
 looking by

01:02:46.960 --> 01:02:47.980
 faith ahead

01:02:47.980 --> 01:02:48.839
 to eternity.

01:02:49.500 --> 01:02:49.659
 My

01:02:49.659 --> 01:02:50.500
 knowledge of

01:02:50.500 --> 01:02:51.239
 that life

01:02:51.239 --> 01:02:51.980
 is small,

01:02:52.599 --> 01:02:53.139
 the eye

01:02:53.139 --> 01:02:53.920
 of faith

01:02:53.920 --> 01:02:54.679
 is dim,

01:02:55.420 --> 01:02:56.239
 but it's

01:02:56.239 --> 01:02:57.480
 enough that

01:02:57.480 --> 01:02:58.440
 Christ knows

01:02:58.440 --> 01:02:59.859
 all, and

01:02:59.859 --> 01:03:00.539
 I shall

01:03:00.539 --> 01:03:01.739
 be with

01:03:01.739 --> 01:03:02.079
 him.

01:03:03.559 --> 01:03:04.079
 There is

01:03:04.079 --> 01:03:05.679
 faith, no

01:03:05.679 --> 01:03:06.199
 matter how

01:03:06.199 --> 01:03:07.059
 small it

01:03:07.059 --> 01:03:07.519
 seems, no

01:03:07.519 --> 01:03:08.259
 matter how

01:03:08.259 --> 01:03:09.019
 dim it

01:03:09.019 --> 01:03:09.659
 seems.

01:03:10.399 --> 01:03:10.960
 It's not

01:03:10.960 --> 01:03:12.259
 what our

01:03:12.259 --> 01:03:12.819
 faith is

01:03:12.819 --> 01:03:14.199
 in, or

01:03:14.199 --> 01:03:15.059
 our faith

01:03:15.059 --> 01:03:16.739
 at all, but

01:03:16.739 --> 01:03:17.960
 who our

01:03:17.960 --> 01:03:18.539
 faith is

01:03:18.539 --> 01:03:18.799
 in.

01:03:19.619 --> 01:03:20.799
 Faith is

01:03:20.799 --> 01:03:21.719
 the assurance

01:03:21.719 --> 01:03:23.259
 of things

01:03:23.259 --> 01:03:24.079
 hoped for,

01:03:24.539 --> 01:03:25.460
 the convictions

01:03:25.460 --> 01:03:27.259
 of things

01:03:27.259 --> 01:03:28.379
 not seen.

01:03:29.379 --> 01:03:30.599
 Faith is

01:03:30.599 --> 01:03:31.399
 about looking

01:03:31.399 --> 01:03:32.500
 to Christ,

01:03:33.079 --> 01:03:33.819
 the author

01:03:33.820 --> 01:03:34.660
 and

01:03:34.660 --> 01:03:35.539
 perfecter

01:03:35.539 --> 01:03:36.660
 of our

01:03:36.660 --> 01:03:37.180
 faith.

01:03:37.700 --> 01:03:38.240
 May God

01:03:38.240 --> 01:03:38.900
 bless these

01:03:38.900 --> 01:03:39.760
 few thoughts

01:03:39.760 --> 01:03:40.820
 to us.

01:03:41.840 --> 01:03:42.320
 We're going

01:03:42.320 --> 01:03:43.820
 to conclude

01:03:43.820 --> 01:03:44.500
 by singing

01:03:44.500 --> 01:03:45.480
 to God's

01:03:45.480 --> 01:03:45.960
 praise

01:03:45.960 --> 01:03:48.580
 in Psalm

01:03:48.580 --> 01:03:50.039
 46a.

01:03:53.460 --> 01:03:54.460
 We'll sing

01:03:54.460 --> 01:03:55.039
 from verse

01:03:55.039 --> 01:03:56.440
 8 to

01:03:56.440 --> 01:03:57.519
 verse 11

01:03:57.519 --> 01:03:58.019
 to the end

01:03:58.019 --> 01:03:58.280
 of the

01:03:58.280 --> 01:03:58.559
 psalm.

01:03:58.660 --> 01:04:00.140
 Psalm 46a,

01:04:00.820 --> 01:04:02.539
 page 60

01:04:02.539 --> 01:04:02.960
 of the

01:04:02.960 --> 01:04:03.279
 psalm

01:04:03.279 --> 01:04:03.500
 book,

01:04:04.440 --> 01:04:05.480
 verse 8

01:04:05.480 --> 01:04:06.159
 to verse

01:04:06.159 --> 01:04:06.719
 11.

01:04:08.119 --> 01:04:08.659
 The tune

01:04:08.659 --> 01:04:09.539
 is Stroud

01:04:09.539 --> 01:04:09.920
 Water.

01:04:10.460 --> 01:04:11.039
 Come see

01:04:11.039 --> 01:04:11.679
 the works

01:04:11.679 --> 01:04:12.179
 the Lord

01:04:12.179 --> 01:04:12.699
 has done,

01:04:12.779 --> 01:04:13.400
 the judgments

01:04:13.400 --> 01:04:14.559
 he commands,

01:04:15.139 --> 01:04:16.099
 the desolations

01:04:16.099 --> 01:04:16.960
 he has brought

01:04:16.960 --> 01:04:17.639
 to pass

01:04:17.639 --> 01:04:18.759
 in many

01:04:18.759 --> 01:04:19.139
 lands.

01:04:19.259 --> 01:04:19.659
 Then verse

01:04:19.659 --> 01:04:20.139
 10,

01:04:20.659 --> 01:04:21.400
 be still

01:04:21.400 --> 01:04:22.179
 and know

01:04:22.179 --> 01:04:22.860
 that I am

01:04:22.860 --> 01:04:23.199
 God,

01:04:23.259 --> 01:04:23.659
 on earth

01:04:23.659 --> 01:04:24.320
 exalted

01:04:24.320 --> 01:04:24.779
 high,

01:04:25.320 --> 01:04:25.880
 and all

01:04:25.880 --> 01:04:26.500
 the nations

01:04:26.500 --> 01:04:27.059
 of the

01:04:27.059 --> 01:04:27.619
 world my

01:04:27.619 --> 01:04:28.759
 name will

01:04:28.759 --> 01:04:29.559
 glorify.

01:04:29.699 --> 01:04:30.000
 We'll sing

01:04:30.000 --> 01:04:30.440
 from verse

01:04:30.440 --> 01:04:31.079
 8 to

01:04:31.079 --> 01:04:32.079
 11 to

01:04:32.079 --> 01:04:32.539
 God's

01:04:32.539 --> 01:04:32.980
 praise.

01:04:33.260 --> 01:04:34.000
 Amen.

01:04:36.579 --> 01:04:37.659
 Amen.

01:04:37.659 --> 01:05:00.679
 He the words the Lord has done, the judgment he brought, the desolations he has brought

01:05:00.679 --> 01:05:07.940
 to pass in many lands.

01:05:07.940 --> 01:05:28.299
 A very land for the earth, he makes all complex things, he shatters through,

01:05:28.300 --> 01:05:40.440
 and spirit, and cheer, and grace is reign of peace.

01:05:40.440 --> 01:05:56.519
 Be still and know that I am God, on earth, they're exalted high,

01:05:56.519 --> 01:06:12.519
 and all the nations of the world, my name will glorify.

01:06:12.519 --> 01:06:28.519
 The Lord Almighty is with us, to strengthen us sustain.

01:06:28.519 --> 01:06:44.599
 For Jacob's law, our strong, the best, and fortress will remain.

01:06:44.599 --> 01:06:45.599
 Amen.

01:06:46.980 --> 01:06:49.900
 After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my right.

01:06:50.000 --> 01:06:51.659
 We'll close with a benediction.

01:06:52.159 --> 01:06:59.000
 Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit rest upon and

01:06:59.000 --> 01:07:00.599
 abide with you all now and forevermore.

01:07:01.799 --> 01:07:02.219
 Amen.

01:07:02.219 --> 01:07:02.299
 Amen.

01:07:02.299 --> 01:07:04.299
 Amen.

01:07:04.299 --> 01:07:06.299
 Amen.

01:07:06.299 --> 01:07:08.299
 Amen.

01:07:08.299 --> 01:07:10.299
 Amen.

01:07:10.299 --> 01:07:11.299
 Amen.

01:07:11.299 --> 01:07:12.299
 Amen.

01:07:12.299 --> 01:07:13.299
 Amen.

01:07:13.299 --> 01:07:14.299
 Amen.

01:07:14.300 --> 01:07:19.800
 Amen.