Our reading today from God's Word is in the book of Hebrews, chapter 11, verse 35. We will be going through chapter 12, verse 3. Hebrews 11, verse 35. Let us listen to the words of men and women of faith of God. Women received their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise. God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him, who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Amen. You may be seated. Let us pray once again. Our Father, As your word has been read, we pray now that it would be what we have just sung, that you would be our vision, that we might see clearly, that you might remove any veil or blinder that lies over us. that we might have a better understanding of the word that is to be preached to us, that word that is life itself. Man does not live on bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. And so we praise you for it, that we that it might be as the shelter of our soul as we sung. You, O God, are our shelter and our shield, and so we pray now that you would be our guide, both guiding the one preaching and giving us ears, eyes, and hearts to believe that your word is yes and amen in Christ Jesus, So we pray in Jesus' name, amen. The title of the sermon this morning, Surrounded by So Great a Cloud of Witnesses. As we've gone through this text partially last week and now return to complete chapter 11 by God's grace, I'm reminded of, as we look at these things that are recounted to us, that speak of persecution, of trials, even martyrdom. I'm reminded of a book that was done centuries ago now. It was a Puritan work. And it's a shortened title today. It had a much longer title that was really descriptive in days past. But no doubt you're familiar with it, and it's called Fox's Book of Martyrs. And the reason that was put together was that in times of prosperity and peace, in times when the church is at ease, we are tempted to take it for granted. We are tempted to forget that it is only by God's sovereign decree in his hand, his invisible hand of providence, that we are spared such trials. None of us know if we shall ever face some of the things that are mentioned here, many of the things. Nevertheless, the principle stands true. And that is to say that we, whether by life or by death, are to live, think, speak for the glory of God, no matter what the costs. And so I'd like for us to look at this as we complete this chapter that seeks to complete our understanding of how we are part Of all of the redeemed from the time, as it mentions, first of all, Abel, to our present day and beyond, that we are one in Christ Jesus. One Savior, one salvation, one heavenly destiny, all of us enjoying the fulfillment of the covenant promises of God. him. And so let us look first of all at the verses beginning in verse 35 or 36. I'm entitled this part faith that perseveres through persecution. Faith that perseveres through persecution. We looked at the Martyrdom mentioned in verse 35, and those who received back the dead. And it speaks of women who received back the dead. And it said of those who refused deliverance, seeking a better resurrection. What does that mean? Well, let me suggest unto you what the scripture would tell us about those who would deny Jesus Christ. Let me put you back in the times of Rome. And there came a time during the persecution under, especially under Domitian, the Emperor Domitian, which was incidentally the time when John wrote from the Isle of Patmos the Book of Revelation. And it was during that time that Christians were, you would block off the marketplace that was a square, a rectangle, and an entrance, and you had there by the entrance an altar. And by that altar, you would have incense that was to be lit for the health of Caesar. But more than that, it was to worship him as a god. And those who refused to do so were not allowed to buy or sell at first. But then the persecution began where Christians were hunted down, arrested, tortured, and ultimately executed. And the opportunity was given sometimes for one to recant and say, okay, I'll give the incense. It's a small thing, right? Just incense. Who's going to know? Can I do it in private? Sure. You do the incense, you're not tortured and killed. Everybody wins. No, you do not. Let me give you the account of a man, whether he was a bishop or a pastor in Smyrna. His name was Polycarp. He was an older man when he was arrested. And they came to arrest him and to take him to the Coliseum where he would be burned at the stake. And when he was brought before the rulers of the city of Smyrna there at that, really, arena or theater, He was given another opportunity. They said, look, you're an elderly man. Just give the incense here before everyone here at the arena. Just burn the incense and you'll be spared this horrible death of being burned alive until you die. That was a temptation. And of course, Polycarp, as you probably guessed, or some that don't already know the account, said, 86 years have I served my Lord, and he has never done me any ill. How can I deny my Lord? You see, to deny the Lord Jesus Christ would be evidence, like it says in 1 John 2, 19. They went out from us because they were not of us. You see, it's not that one loses their salvation, but that denial of Christ would be the demonstration, the manifestation, the evidence that one never knew him, preacher or not. He said, why do you wait? The stake is there. Let us be on with it. And so they were going to drive nails into his hands and feet to burn him at the stake. And he said, you do not need to do that. I will stand fast. And he did. And they lit the fires. He ultimately had to stab him with spears to kill him. You see, beloved, eternity is standing before him and me and you. A better resurrection, the resurrection in the glory of God, in the image of Christ, the resurrection unto everlasting life, not a resurrection unto the second death that Revelation 20 describes. A better resurrection. But furthermore, there is the idea of mockings here in verse 36. Think of what mocking is. You say, well, that doesn't sound so bad. You know what mocking is? It's a lot of things mixed together in one bag, isn't it? You know, mocking is where you have the hostility, the hatred of people, but set in the paradigm of an arrogant condescension. And so one is brought before others in this arrogant way, ridiculed a person. especially publicly. Why? To tear down this person psychologically and emotionally. Make them think they're worthless and inferior, intellectually and physically. That they're an outcast. They're of a lower class. That they're evil. They're like a disease, a danger. They're a fool, etc. And so they enlist the crowd to join in and to multiply the damage upon the individual, to pressure them, to persuade them to conform. And he says, many of you have endured these kinds of things earlier in chapter 10. Remember that? Furthermore, it talks about flogging. You think of this as the next step up from the ridicule, the public, for all the public to see stripped down and in shame, you know, beaten. And by the way, they weren't even just whips or rods, usually, at least by the Romans. By the time you get to the Romans, they were like Jesus Christ, the cat of nine tails. where they would have broken glass, or even things that were like shards of steel that were sharpened, or put in a hook form, or bone, or other things that were done where you had these nine straps that each time it lashed across the back, or the front, or the legs, or wherever, it would tear flesh with it. The flogging. tied up, helpless, and vulnerable, increasing the pain and lasting damage. It was permanent many times. Fear was set in the hearts of all of those who observed it so that you would have corporate hate and corporate violence against a believer. And to put the fear of the persecutors in the Christians. And it mentions also chains and imprisonment. Have you ever been chained or handcuffed? And you think of chains, you know, where one is like a slave or reduced down to an animal level. You have them on feet and on hands, perhaps clanging everywhere you go to control you, to limit the use of your hands and your feet, to depersonalize you. Chained and then finally prison. You think of prison where one has complete loss of freedom. Absolute control by others. Every detail of life. No privacy. Isolation, perhaps. Immersed in the darkest evil and the violent, dangerous criminals around you. A psychological deconstruction so that they can reconstruct you. To break the spirit, the mind, and the body. This is what's described here, and this is what's recounted here in the book of Hebrews, of those who would be faithful to the Lord. But he goes on and he brings it up another notch, and as each one goes higher or worse, and you see there in verse 37, three types of execution, really stoning Stoning was usually that which was done by a group. It was the rage of the group. Remember reading in Acts chapter 7 how Stephen or Stephanos is preaching to the Sanhedrin. And as he preaches about their sin and how they're the ones who were killers of the prophets, when he mentions Jesus Christ and they lunge at him and it says they're gnashing their teeth at him. And they drag him outside the city and they begin to stone him to death. We've described it before. They're big, heavy stones. Don't think of the little pea gravel things, but think of the heavy, jagged stones that cause real damage and break bones. And it's accursed. That's what it meant to be stoned. You're accursed by God when the Jews did it. And so before everyone, they say, oh, he died a cursed death, painful, incremental death. But you see, Christians, Stephen, we'll go back to him, remember how he died. And James, the one who was the writer of the book of James, the half-brother of Jesus Christ, who was the bishop or pastor of the church at Jerusalem, and it says when they were stoning him to death, and the same thing with Stephen, it says James hurried back to get up, threw himself up on his knees, and to pray, just like Stephen did. And he prayed for his persecutors as he died. But did you see how God strengthened the soul of Stephen as he was being stoned to death? God, it's like he pulled back the curtain, you know, apocalypse or the revelation. That's what it literally means, pulling back the curtain to heaven. And he saw the Lord Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of the Father on high. And he said, look, I see the Son of Man standing at the right hand of power on high. And it angered him all the more. But you see how God strengthened him by his grace to face that which he was facing. Psalm 2, I mentioned this before, how Isaiah in numerous accounts is the one probably referred to here. A slow, torturous death. Savage, indeed. And the sword. More efficient execution, but nevertheless, death and execution. All of these things, it is being willing to see, look at Christ and the heavenly kingdom as of much more value than anything else, including life and comfort, this life has to offer. And so there it goes on. And it speaks of those who were in skins, it says in verse 37, and furthermore in the verse, it says they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented. Why skins? Because they did not have access to the normal clothing. They had to make do with whatever they could find. They were destitute. Let me read you something out of chapter 10, verse 34. Maybe this will help shine light on it. 1034, for you had compassion on me and my chains and joyfully accepted, listen, the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Just imagine they come and they swarm in on you and they take everything that you have and alienate you from your property. They confiscate the property and you have nothing. That's the idea. And so these were homeless. It said they joyfully accepted the plundering. Why? How? Since you know you had a better, more abiding, that is to say eternal possession. That's the faith that one must have of looking through things through a biblical lens, not being a glutton for punishment, that's not what this is about at all, but it's all about brought to the point where one must deny Christ, one must turn away from the things of God, one must cease worshiping him, one must turn away from his truth of the scriptures or something, a prayer, or any number of other things. And the answer should be no. But it says they had no shelter. They were homeless, a brutal environment, in dens and caves, finding it wherever they could find it. In other words, they were reduced to primitive existence to bear survival. But in verse 38, I want you to note this portion of Scripture. I've been accused of defiling my Bible because I underline things. If you have that conviction, that's right, if you have that conviction, fine. Then brand this part into your mind, if that's what you need to do. And so in verse 38, it says, of whom the world was not worthy. An unbelieving world has declared and treated these believers and does today as worthless. Subhumans even, whose existence is rejected and is considered meaningless. But God's value upon them far excels all the world of unbelievers put together. The world not worthy of whom God, or with whom God is well pleased. Remember back in verse 6, it's been a long time since we read that, but it says there in verse 6, the key to it, back to the theme of the chapter. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. But you see here, our faith pleases Him. And furthermore, the heavenly treasure is eternal. Not earthly, not passing away. You read over in 1 John 2, verse 17. It speaks of these things, love not the world, neither the things of the world. And it goes through all the things of the world. But it says this world is passing away and the things that are in it. Matthew 6, remember Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount. He says, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Invest, in other words, in the heavenly treasures. Those are the things that people of this world don't understand. They think they're intangible. I can't put my hands on them or see them. That's right. We have something more certain, more valuable, the promises of God. And that's what faith is anchored into in Christ, the heavenly treasure. And thirdly, allow me to give an illustration of that very thing. You go over to the book of Revelation, since we're in it, on Tuesday evenings, illustrations come to mind. Two churches, one of them I've already mentioned, at least the man that was there, Polycarp, he was there a little later than when that was written, of course. In Revelation 2, it talks about the church at Smyrna. And even then, in the 90s, Smyrna was being persecuted. It talks about that these are those suffering tribulation and trial and persecution and temptation. He says, they're being cast into prison. And he says, even put to death. And he says, be faithful in the death. I'll give you the crown of life. But he said something else. They say you are poor, but I say you're rich. Contrast that with the church in Revelation 3, and it's the church at Laodicea. The church at Laodicea, it was a wealthy city, and these were people that said, we are wealthy, and listen to this phrase, and have need of nothing. You have need of nothing. And God says, I counsel you to buy of me treasures. At last, you don't realize you're poor, blind, and naked. You see, beloved, that's what it really is about. By faith, where is our treasure laid? Do we treasure more the declaration by our Lord in the future? Well done, thou good and faithful servant, are all the things of this world. life itself, which is most valuable. That brings me to my second point. In verses 39 through verse 1 of chapter 12, a great cloud of witnesses. In verse 39, it says, all these having obtained a good testimony, through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect, that is to say, complete, apart from us." Not complete. It says, these have all borne witness through faith Faith in Christ, first of all, in Christ alone, all their hopes were wrapped up in Jesus Christ, his person, his work. We went through this a couple of weeks ago in detail. and all the gospel in the person of Christ, fully God and fully man, the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form, Colossians 2.9. He's the one who went to the cross as a substitutionary atonement, and our sin imputed, accredited to Him, fully satisfying the wrath, the penalty, the justice of God in our place, and His righteousness accredited to us, so that God sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ forevermore. His blood and righteousness. There's the number one. There is Christ, the only hope, the Redeemer and Lord. But secondly, what does it mean bearing witness by their faith? It is the idea that their faith, this was the evidence of the inner life of Christ. Their trust in Him was true. The evidence, the fruit, that God the Holy Spirit actually was abiding within. And this is how enabled to stand true, nevertheless, no matter what the costs. The Holy Spirit dwelling within our bodies, a temple. They bore witness to that fact by their faith. They did not receive what was promised, by the way, through works. I want to make that clear. We need to get that clear here. In other words, as they were perhaps sawn in two, or as they were imprisoned, or as they were scoffed, or as they were those who were put to death no matter how, the works do not save us. I've got something I want to read to you. It's so well said, and I'm not going to try to compete with the London Baptist Confession of Faith. Same thing in the Westminster Confession. Let me put it this way. What is happening? We were talking about this Thursday in our study. The connection between good works and faith. And we say, no matter how many good works a person does, no matter how many works that are done, you see, they are not seen as good unless they're in Jesus Christ. That is to say, an ungodly person, they can do noble things, they can do civil good, as is described in common grace, but they cannot do that which is recognized before God as glorifying under his name, because they're not seen as righteous unless we are, through faith, in union with Christ. And God sees us in everything we do, as believers, as in Christ. And so let me read this. It summarized it so well. It says, the ability to do good works is not at all of ourselves, but wholly of the Spirit of Christ. He's the one who enables. Furthermore, it says that we are to do all that we do to manifest or to show our thankfulness, our gratitude for the grace that we received. Thirdly, that everything we do is done for the glory of God. And so, The way it puts it here, it says, our obedience, even if we were to attain the highest level of obedience, if you and I catching us on our best day, could be on our best behavior and doing everything with the best motivation and everything else, it's still mixed with sin. Jesus said, even if you do everything that I've commanded to you to do, he says, you're still just an unprofitable servant. Why? Because even if we were able to do perfectly what he commanded, aren't we just doing what we ought to do? We're not earning favor with God, that's the point. We can't earn salvation. And so the whole point is, and I'll end with this part that says it so well, It says, the persons of believers are accepted through Christ, but our good works are accepted only in Him. And so when we're looking at this, the things we're describing here as seem so extraordinary to us, and rightfully so, you see it is not that we are earning extra favor with God. It is that we are doing that which our nature as regenerated people in union with Jesus Christ ought to do. And so, beloved, a cloud of witnesses. It describes here the By the way, if you want to read more on this, read chapters 8 and 10. In chapter 8 it talks about, you know, not falling away. It says the old covenant, Israel fell away. It says they didn't keep the covenant because it was there to lead us to the new covenant. But the new covenant, what's different? It says God writes his law upon our hearts and upon our minds. And we all know him and everyone in this covenant, the new covenant, it's by God's spirit and through faith and that we are declared forgiven forevermore, but that he is the one who's written by his spirit upon our hearts and our minds and keeps us. And so we are one people through faith. this new covenant thing. Jesus Christ is called Son of David, Son of Abraham in the New Testament, in the book of Hebrews indeed. It says over in Romans chapter 1, one of my favorite parts of scripture, where it talks about it says, Jesus Christ of the flesh, born of the seed of David. And it goes on to say, declared, openly declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. He was raised by the Spirit of holiness. You know what that means? That means the resurrection was the open demonstration and proof that Jesus Christ was Son of God, Son of David, and sinless. And what does that matter? Well, whose righteousness is put to our account? Christ's. If he wasn't sinless, then it would be for naught. But you see, it's because he is Son of David, he is King, Messiah, And you see, he's also called son of Abraham. Over in Ephesians 2, I'm going to ask you to turn there with me. In Ephesians chapter 2, it talks about the covenant promises of God. It begins in Genesis 3.15, by the way, and goes all the way through the New Testament. And we even find the book of Hebrews ending in that last chapter, chapter 13, verse 20, where it talks about the everlasting or eternal covenant. But let's look here in chapter 2. Let me just read. what it says in verses 11 through 13. Ephesians 2, 11 to 13. Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh, are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision made in the flesh. In other words, you Gentiles were called, you know, something that's unclean, in other words. You don't have the covenant sign. They do. And so verse 12, that at that time you were without Christ Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, now listen to this, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. God made his covenant promises and who is the one who's the focus, the center of it all? John said it in his prayer, Jesus Christ. Second Corinthians chapter one, verse 20, all the promises of God are yes and amen in Jesus Christ. And so as we see here, verse 13, but now in Christ Jesus, you, that is you Gentiles, those who were not Jewish, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ, verse 16, that he might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, that is in Christ's body, therefore putting to death, not having a truce, putting to death the enmity. Verse 18, for through him, we both have access by one spirit to the father, now 19 and following. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers, foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. having been built on the foundation of the Apostles, New Covenant, and prophets, Jesus Christ being the cornerstone. He's the one in whom both Old and New Covenant saints are saved, as Hebrews 11 would evidence. And so, It says in verse 21, in whom the whole building, being built together grows into a holy temple of the Lord. In him, in whom, excuse me, you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. You see, the unity, the oneness, we don't have time to develop it further, I wish we did. But you see there in chapter 3, it's also in your sermon notes, where it talks about the whole family of God in heaven and on earth. If you were to look at in chapter 12, when we get there in verses 12 of Hebrews, verses 22 to 24, it speaks about the heavenly Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. The festal gathering and church of the firstborn to the spirits of just men made perfect. to myriads of angels and to Jesus Christ and the blood of the new covenant that speaks better than that of Abel. There is our home. It says in Hebrews 13, 14, we have here on earth no lasting city. There is home. Who's there? All of the saints like in Hebrews 11. All throughout the old and in this new covenant era. all in one city. You say, that's a lot to claim. Okay. Write this reference down. It's a very narrow reference. You ready? Revelation 21. You got a whole chapter. But I'll let you narrow it down. And it talks about the city again. And it talks about the heavenly Jerusalem descending to earth on a new creation earth. And it says it's prepared like a bride prepared for the bridegroom. Now listen to what it talks about. This is the 12 foundation stones named after the apostles, New Covenant era. And that the gates into the city, the entrance also named for the tribes of Israel, Old Covenant era. One city, one bright groom, one people. And so as we look at what this says, it says, all of those who've gone before all these believers in chapter 11, it says they're incomplete without you and me. I don't know when the last convert will take place, but whenever the Lord saves the last person he's going to save on this earth, it'll be complete. You know, in Hebrews chapter 9, maybe you remember this. In verse 26, it talks about Jesus Christ as the High Priest, and it says, He has appeared to put away sin in these last days. Remember the book as it opened up in Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1 to 3, and there in verses 1 and 2, it says, God spoke in many ways in times and times past, but He has spoken to us in these last days in a Son. And so, beloved, what this gives us is a sense of urgency, but in a sense of identity. That we are one. No matter what ethnic group they belong to, what era they belong to, there is one way of salvation from Genesis to Revelation. That's faith in Jesus Christ. You say, wow, they knew his name then? Yes. How could that be? I can see the doubt on some of your faces. His name, Jesus, in English, Yeshua. Jehovah or Yahweh is salvation. Isn't that what it teaches from Genesis 3.15 on? He's the one who came to save. Well, finally, let me quickly deal in six minutes with my final point, verses 1 to 3 of chapter 12, looking unto Jesus. What does that mean, looking unto Jesus? I remember I've heard that preached from the mountaintops almost with great enthusiasm and everything, but they never told me what it meant, just looking unto Jesus. All right. Let's see if we can figure out what looking unto Jesus means quickly. Well, first of all, it is by faith, is it not? That should be obvious to us. It is that we look by faith unto Jesus Christ. We've already been told that he is the one, as the book of Hebrews has explained, is the author or the founder, the apostle of our faith is the way it's put, the author and finisher or completer of our faith here in this chapter. that he was made perfect through suffering. In other words, God finished everything in preparing Jesus Christ for the cross, fully God and fully man. And so going to the cross, it says, remember 9, 14 and 15, that Jesus Christ, as he went to the cross, that he was both the sacrifice and the priest offering himself as sacrifice through the eternal spirit under God, the father. And so, beloved, he died once for all time, it says, and fully satisfied for all things. By faith we look to him, the perfecter of our faith and author. the one who fulfills the new covenant, indeed, the everlasting covenant. And so we look to Christ, His blood and righteousness alone, His merits and forgiveness of God and the acceptance before God and the blessing of God and the salvation of God, all of it in Christ through faith alone. His person, His work in our place, our covenant representative. and substitutionary atonement. In other words, as we've already stated, it was not the poverty or the prison or the pain that can earn the gift of salvation. It is a gift of God by His grace. Furthermore, it was not, as was listed here, the endangerment or the exile or the execution that can merit an unmerited favor or blessing with God. Grace. Only Christ merited it. And so, beloved, it is Christ and his kingdom in the gospel. First of all, we look to. Let me ask you something. I've something, you know, when you go through a sermon, I've heard a lot of people say, boy, do you ever get tired of preaching down to people? If that's what you think I'm doing, you got it all wrong. I'm just sharing with you, declaring to you what God says in the text. But believe me, he sliced and diced me first. And as you look at this and you think, what is faith to us? What is Christ to us? And think of it in these terms. This is the way I came to think of it. It helps me. Is Christ this little compartment of your life? His kingdom, His righteousness, and all of that, is it a compartment of your life? And all the other circle is everything and everyone else? Or is Christ the circle and everything in it? And everything we interact with, other people and other things, is viewed through the lens of Christ. For Him, by Him, through Him, to Him. See, that's the way, looking unto Christ. He's not a hobby. He's a life. Furthermore, looking unto Christ, as you think of this, persevering, you see. It says, setting aside the sin that so easily besets us. Sin ensnares. I remember Paul writing in Philippians 3, Those things which were precious to me, I count as skubala, that is to say, the off-scouring of us, that I might know Him in the fellowship of His sufferings and of His resurrection. It says to run with endurance the race that is set before you. You see that there in verse 1? In verse 2, it follows up on it. Run with endurance. It's a race. What kind of a race is it? It's an endurance race. It's not a sprint. That's what it is. And it talks here about running the race with endurance. Let me read you something out of 2 Timothy 4, if you don't mind. In 2 Timothy 4, verses 7 and 8, it says, the apostle, let me start with 6, the apostle Paul, His last epistle, written from prison, expecting execution any day, any moment, says, I'm already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day. And not to me only, but also to all who love His appearing." See, there is a desire to finish the race well. And furthermore, It speaks here, it says, Christ, looking unto Christ, you see what He endured. It says, He despised the shame, but looking at the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame for our salvation. The joy that was set before Him. Divine joy. Yes, even now. Oh, but divine joy forever. Remember James, I had trouble, I wrestled with this for years in James chapter 1, verses 2 and following, when he said, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into different temptations. What? Knowing this, that the trying of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, complete, lacking nothing. If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, for he who wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. Joy. Richard Wurmbrandt, a man who endured much persecution in, where was it, Romania? And as he was persecuted, I shared this with the class on Thursday. As he was persecuted, he and his wife were separated when they were arrested. And they were, of course, communist at that time. This was after World War II in the 50s and so on. And they were separated, sent to different prison camps. And they were each told in the prison camp, your husband's dead. Your wife's dead. And so they would torture them and they would bind them up with their feet up in the air, they would. And the man, Richard Wurmbrandt, they would come with these hard sticks and they would beat the bottoms of their feet. And it was so bad that later on and years later he couldn't walk right because his bones were broken so many times. And every time he was praying, they would come do that and beat him. And so one day the prison guard walked through and he looked in the peephole and he saw Wurmbrandt praying and crying. He said, what are you praying for? We've already taken your wife from you and we've tortured you and beat you. What do you find to pray about now? He says, I'm praying for you. You see, beloved, He said in times of prison we would find joy that was unspeakable. Think of Paul and Silas and in Philippi when they were beaten and they were in the jail and everybody's listening as they're singing after they'd been beaten to a pulp. The joy of the Lord, it's supernatural, not natural. Finally, Look unto him and everything it says. There in verse 2, he's at the right hand of the Father on high. Why do we look to Jesus? Because he is sovereign. Remember in chapter 1 that he is the king at the right hand of the Father on high. The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool. But before that, he says, God, thy God has anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy companions and so forth. He is the one under whom all judgment has been committed. I don't have time to read it. Would you please just read these verses in Ephesians 1, verses 20 to 23, for you, for the Lord, for me, as a personal favor. And it talks about Jesus Christ who's seated above all principalities, and powers, and thrones, and dominions, and given a name above every name, both in this age and the age to come. And he's head over all things to the church. In other words, nothing can touch us except our King, our Savior, our Lord says it shall be. And all of it work together for good. That's why. Beloved, look to him in prayer. Chapters two and four, remember, we saw Jesus Christ as our great high priest. And it says, come to him for help in time of need. Beloved, as we come to him in prayer, we recognize that he and he alone is a source of our strength. And furthermore, look to him for his glory. We don't do it to be glorified or to receive. We endure by faith for His glory. Jesus gave the parable of the men. He had these talents, you know, this weight of a hundred pounds, say, of silver or gold. And so the master entrusted, you know, one, two, and five to three different servants. And the servant that was the one who hoarded it and kept to it to himself for fear. This was the one that got no reward from the master, but the one who had two and he doubled it, invested it, used it for the master. And listen, five, the same thing, he doubled it and made 10. And listen to what he said. we have doubled it for you. It's a stewardship, haven't done it for me, we did it for you. Well done, thou good and faithful servant. That's looking to Christ in faith for Him. And finally, In verse three, it says, Jesus Christ endured such hostility for us. That's what we look to as an example. And it says he endured all this hostility from sinners. Here's the holy one, the sovereign one, the everlasting I am incarnate, that he endured it for us. Well, that's interesting. It reminds me of Matthew 10, the way of a disciple. It says, a disciple is not above his master. If they hated the master, they'll hate you. And so we walk the disciple's pathway by faith. He goes on to say, don't be weary and discouraged. You ever tempted to be that? You look at these people that are beaten or persecuted or in prison or whatever the case may be, and it is faith that would keep us from being discouraged and weary. But he says, don't be. Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. You and I, beloved, are part of a great cloud of witnesses. What the future holds for you or me, I do not know except this. All of those who have this Lord Christ as their own and are walking in faith in him and him alone and his righteousness alone, I guarantee you The glory of God and the blessings everlasting are yours in Him. Don't be weary. Don't be depressed. Don't lack joy. Don't be afraid. But walk in the footsteps of the Master, in the strength of the Lord, and in the power of His might. May God give us the grace for it. Amen. Let's pray together. Our righteous father, the world has not known you. I pray you would give us a heart that is burdened, that is anguished for the lost. That as we speak of our faith and of this great company of witnesses, Father, that you would give us a vision for others that you would send us to. That we would open our mouths fearlessly and that we would declare the glories of the gospel to them. That you would use us as your mouthpiece, as heralds of the glories of the kingdom. and that we would point to Christ causing them to look unto the author and finisher of our faith. Known unto you are all your works from the beginning of the world. We know that you work all things according to the counsel of your will and that you have declared the end from the beginning. And that you call us, O Lord, and have ordained that we should be they, Lord, who should bear fruit everlasting. Our hope and our inheritance is one that shall not pass away. The world through which we pass now is fading even as we walk through it. Won't you cause our hearts to hunger and thirst after righteousness and to desire you and your kingdom and righteousness above all. Father, may we press on for that which is laid before us. Forgetting those things which are behind, may we press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. May you grant us courage. May we be reminded of the words of your Scriptures that say, be strong and of a good courage. May that be us. Bless each one here, Father. May the love of Christ abound within and among us. In Jesus' name, Amen. I receive the benediction of the Lord. Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.