Man, those are some great hymns. Thank you, ladies, for playing for us today. Now this morning, you're going to need your inserts. So be sure to get a bulletin with the insert back there. I almost forgot to bring these today. I have a very slow printer. But eventually, they printed it out, and I made it. So be sure to get one. And Blake will be introducing that in just a bit. And we'll be able to sing this together and get a little background on it, too. I'm looking forward to that. now inside your worship folder as I call it you'll have your bulletin insert and let me just make a couple announcements based on that first tonight we'll have a communion service at 6 p.m. and I'll do a little bit of teaching along the way tonight but we'll have a special communion service we'll have a a brief members meeting to follow in the fellowship hall, and followed by some snacks if you bring them. So in any case, we'll enjoy that. And if you're not a member, you can still attend our members meeting. It is open, you just won't be able to vote if we call for a vote. Otherwise, we do wanna be transparent and open as to what goes on here at the church. And so that's tonight at 6 p.m. And also note for next week during the, I call it the ministry training hour, I think. I always forget what I call it. You call it Sunday school hour, right? 9.45. Sorry, Paul, but you've done a great job. We're gonna continue that, but I'm gonna steal a few guys from you for just one session. Next week, we'll meet in the back room. for those men that want to talk about doing some teaching on Sunday night. Now I think I asked about a dozen men if they would consider participating and they all said yes. So here's your chance for us to get together and talk about that and I want to hear from you or allow you to ask any questions about that. But this is one of the things that we want to do is Build up faithful men who will be able to teach others also. I think it's critically important within the church. I'm not planning on going anywhere unless the Lord wants me and he takes me and that's fine. I'm ready to go. But in the meantime part of Really what I'm interested in doing is building up faithful men who'll be able to continue this ministry as we go on in the various ways that God might call you. And one of them is to be able to teach others also. And so I wanna encourage you to be part of that, and we'll talk about more of that. And that's next Sunday at 9.45 in the back room in the Fellowship Hall. Also, I want to mention, I want to thank Isaac for leading us with this Anchored in Truth, that Missions in July, as I've called it ever since I've been here. We emphasize missions in the month of July to think about that, and we'll have special guests from all over the world. that we're partnered with and they'll speak to us on Wednesday nights and we'll give you more information to come. That'll begin in July and Isaac's helping to coordinate that. You might want to think about giving a special offering during that time. We do emphasize missions in July and another special emphasis at Christmas time and so I really always appreciate the thought about giving more and setting aside more for mission efforts. And this will be your opportunity to do so in days to come. By the way, online, we have a way to give. They fixed that up and we're still working on some of our online options. And if you do want to give online towards missions, just be sure to indicate that it is that gift is for missions per se. All right, I have one more special announcement. I heard about a beautiful lady that has completed her high school education. And so, you know, my job is to embarrass beautiful ladies. So I want to embarrass you. Yes, with your cello. Can you set this aside, Anna, and come forward? I would like you to come on up here and for everybody to see, including your parents, if you'll come and stand with her and so forth. It is a great honor to recognize you and your achievements and what you've done. It really reminds me of this passage in Proverbs, Proverbs chapter one, and it's directed to son, but it applies to daughters as well. To listen to your father's instruction and forsake not your mother's teaching. because they are a graceful garland for your head and a pendant for your neck. And you have done that, and so that's what I want to congratulate you for. You have honored God through honoring your parents, and they have contributed to the beauty of who you are. And to represent your father's instructions, he has a book for you here. It's To Think Biblically. This is a book that's written by faculty at the Master's Seminary because we figure you're going right from high school with the level that you got straight to seminary. You can handle it. This deals with a lot of topics. Now that you're approaching adulthood here and taking this next step in your life, we would encourage you to continue in that wisdom which you have been graced with and to grow in that grace and to learn. And here's some questions and some thoughts about a lot of world issues that I found interesting. Perhaps you might find one or two that's interesting to look at and to think about as you continue to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord. And your mother has these wonderful flowers here for you to commemorate 2024, and let that represent some of the beauty of your mother's grace that has been granted to you. And might I say sisters as well, huh sisters? Yes, I know you have all worked together to certainly grow into who that you are. And this is from the church as well, just a card to recognize this day and all of your accomplishments. And we'll pray that you'll continue to walk in that grace. The church prays on a regular basis for all of the young people within the church, all the children. You know what? We're not going to stop praying. Okay? We continue to pray for you that God will bless you and that He'll keep you and that He'll keep His face to shine upon you and grant you a continued life of great flourishing and blessing as I know He will. So gather there between your mom and dad, let them lay the hands on you if you will, and I'm going to pray on behalf of the church and your family for you in particular. Let us pray. Father, we are thankful for Anna and her accomplishment. What a great accomplishment it is indeed to fulfill the requirements it is to pass this milestone in her life. We're thankful for a godly family and godly parents who have sacrificed and poured much into her life that it's demonstrated in who she has become, this beautiful woman. And we do pray for your blessings to be upon her. May she be a good example for others that will follow in her footstep, not just her own siblings, which no doubt she'll have great influence over, but whoever else that you would bring into her life in the circle of friends and fellowship and her own unique family at some point, Lord. I pray that you would bless her and use the wisdom and the grace that she has been blessed with to glorify you in all she does. I pray this in Christ's name, amen. Congratulations, Anna. God bless you. All right, well, let's stand together and take our hymn books as we focus on our Savior, our Redeemer, and the Atonement today. Turn to number 279, and we'll sing, There is a Redeemer. Jesus became wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 1 Corinthians 1.30. Jesus, God's own Son. Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, all-holy One. Thank you, O righteous Son. ♪ Forgiving us your Son ♪ ♪ And leaving your Spirit there ♪ ♪ The work on earth is done ♪ ♪ Jesus, my Redeemer ♪ ♪ Name of humble babe ♪ Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son, and leading your Spirit in the work on earth is done. I will see His face. There I'll serve my King forever in that holy place. Thank You, O my Father, for giving us Your Son. Amen. You may be seated. And let's pull out our insert for our hymn of the month. And as you can see, it's entitled, Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted. Quite the somber title. And as we'll see as we begin to sing this. It's quite somber lyrics and quite a somber tune. I think the first question we need to ask ourselves is what do these three words mean? Stricken, smitten, and afflicted. Well, stricken is defined as suffering severely from the effects of something. Smitten means to be struck sharply or heavily, especially with the hand or an implement held in the hand. Also smitten can mean persistent pain or distress. And finally, afflicted is to be caused suffering, pain, or misery. This hymn was written by Thomas Kelly. It was first published without music. Thomas wrote more than 750 hymns, including this one in 1804. Kelly planned to be a lawyer but after his conversion the Irishman decided to enter the ministry and he was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1792 but later became a dissenting minister as he was labeled by the Archbishop of Dublin who was provoked during a Sunday Afternoon Sermon that Thomas Kelly preached at St. Luke's Church, Dublin in 1794. So be careful, men, as you've said you'll preach Sunday evenings. Anyway, the hymn begins by quoting Isaiah 53-4, but then it's presented from the perspective of a bystander observing the events of the cross. The opening line is a description of the messianic suffering servant. Quote, we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. In addition to drawing from Isaiah 53, the first stanza also alludes to Mark 12, 37, which reads, David himself calls him Lord. How is he his son? As we move to verse two, we are forced to consider the depth of Christ's passion, his groaning, his betrayal, his insults, and his unmatched grief. The deepest stroke, as we read in the last line of verse two, that pierced him, however, was the stroke that divine justice gave. As we move to verse three, this is really the verse that sticks to many people when they sing this song. It reminds them that the cross displays the true nature of sin and human guilt. Sometimes we hear the cross described as a symbol of how precious we were to God. This is true. So long as we don't understand that we are not some diamond in the rough that irresistibly drew God to us, the cross certainly shows us the depth of God's love, but it's a wholly undeserved love. For the cross, verse three reminds us, displays the true nature of sin and human guilt. If we read this together, in verse three it says, ye who think of sin but lightly, nor suppose the evil great. Here may view its nature rightly, here its guilt may estimate. Mark the sacrifice appointed, see who bears the awful load. Tis the word, the Lord's anointed Son of Man and Son of God. It's as if the author of this song was looking right at us saying, you take sin lightly, but look at what was necessary to pay the price for that sin. And as we move to verse four, the author elegantly summarizes the hope of the gospel. Lamb of God, for sinners wounded, sacrificed to cancel guilt. None shall ever be confounded, or in other words, confused, so none shall ever be confused who on him their hope has built. Kelly's words challenges us urges us to think deeply on the events of Good Friday, as paraphrased by this hymn and the scriptural accounts. While we'll never fully know or appreciate what Christ went through for us, as he was beaten, as he was mocked, and crucified, scripture assures us that his sacrifice was on purpose, was with purpose, and was for our sake. Verse John 4, 9, and 10 says, in this the love of God was made manifest among us that God sent his only son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love. Not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Second Corinthians 5, 21 says, for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. What Christ accomplished for us during the week of his passion was what the prophets proclaimed but the apostles witnessed and what we rest on in our faith today. As we sing this hymn and as we go through this week and the weeks to come, may we take time to reflect upon the sacrifice of our Savior who was stricken, smitten, and afflicted for our salvation. So as we look into this hymn, I think what we'll do is we'll have the girls play through it once for us. There'll be an interlude between each verse so we can kind of think through the words that we just sung. And then at the end, instead of us going back and singing through the last line or having an ending, the girls will just play through that last line for us to finish the hymn out as we think about these words from the hymn, Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted. So girls, why don't you play it through once for us? and and Okay, here we go. Inspirited and afflicted, see Him dying on the tree. Tis the Christ my man rejected, yes, my soul takes, it takes heed. David's Son, yet David's Lord. By His Son God now has spoken, tis the true and faithful Word. was there ever grief like his, when through fear his cross disowning was the stroke that justice He who thinketh sin not lightly, nor supposeth evil praise, he may do his nature rightly. He brings good, they ask their praise. ♪ See who bears thee all alone ♪ ♪ Tis the word the Lord's anointed ♪ ♪ Son of man and Son of God ♪ a a a a None shall ever be confounded, Who on Him their hope has made. Morning church. Today we will be reading from John chapter four. Picking up where we left off, we will be starting at verse 25. And for those reading with me in the Pew Bible, it will be page 889. So, like I said, we are picking up where we left off last week, where Jesus was speaking with the woman at the well. And the conversation ended with a statement from the woman saying that, I know that Messiah is coming, he who is called Christ. When he comes, he will tell us all things. And we ended with Jesus's response, I who speak to you am he. And as we continue this moment, as the disciples arrive on the scene and they see the woman's response to these words, how she proclaims that Jesus is the one who told her everything that she ever did, we see another statement from Jesus. We see that not only is he the Messiah who will tell them all things, but we also see that he is the herald of the harvest. We see a statement from him. The statement says, the fields are white for harvest. He proclaims that it is not that they are almost ready. It's not that they are being prepared, but they are white for harvest. They are ready to be harvested. And in response to this, we will see three things. We will see a call to us to be the reapers of this harvest. The sowers have done this job. The sowers have done all that they will do. And now it is us who will be the reapers of this harvest. We see a reward who are faithful to those who are faithful to reap this harvest. And then we see an example of what harvesting looks like as Jesus goes into Samaria. So, with that said, let's read starting at verse 25. The woman said to him, I know that Messiah is coming, he who is called Christ. When he comes, he will tell us all things. Jesus said to her, I who speak to you am he. Then, just then, his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, what do you seek? Or, why are you talking with her? So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ? They went out of the town and were coming to him. Meanwhile, the disciples were urging him, saying, Rabbi, eat. But he said to them, I have food to eat that you do not know about. So the disciples said to one another, has anyone brought him food, brought him something to eat? Jesus said to them, my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, There are yet four months, then comes the harvest. Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, one sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor. Many Samaritans from the town believed in him because of the woman's testimony. He told me all that I ever did. So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them. And they stayed, he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, it is no longer because of what you said that we believe. For we have heard for ourselves and we know that this is indeed the savior of the world. After the two days, he departed for Galilee. For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown. So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they too had gone to the feast. Let's pray. Heavenly Father and Sovereign Lord, we thank you that you have prepared this harvest for us, that you have prepared the work ahead of us, that you have given us the works that we may walk into. And Lord, we thank you that you have given us your spirit to empower us in this, to strengthen us, to do your will, to accomplish what you would will, and to transform us to be more willing and more able to do what you will and to do what you have commanded us to do. Lord, we pray that you would provide us boldness to walk in your word, to walk in the commands that you have given us, to demonstrate our love for Christ by keeping these commandments, and that you would give us boldness to reap the harvest, to reach those around us, and to give them the word of Christ, the only tool that can be used to reap this harvest. Lord, we pray that we would be faithful to present Christ to all around us and that we would be faithful to believe this message and to hold it in our hearts that we would not waver and that we would be more capable and faithful ministers and doers of the word. Lord, we pray that we would have a deeper desire to reap this harvest and to support those who are doing the work to reach those who have not heard the word of Christ. And Lord, I pray that as we think on the missionaries that we support, as we think about Anchored in Truth, we praise you for the people who have answered the call to be missionaries. We thank you that you have called these people and that you have strengthened them and enabled them to go faithfully, to go knowing that they will be provided for and go knowing that the work that they do will not return in vain. Lord, we pray that we would be more faithful to support these missionaries, to do our work to support financially, to support in prayer and to support in raising up future missionaries in this church. And Lord, we pray for the offering that will be taken for this, that you would bless it and that it will go to continue these efforts and to strengthen these efforts so that they may be more effectual and more effective in their work. And Lord, finally, I pray for Pastor, I pray that you would speak the word of God through him today, that it would be clear and that it would change our hearts, that it would sanctify us in the truth. Lord, we thank you that you have given us the opportunity to gather freely and to praise your name and to give you honor and to learn about the Savior who has brought us from death to life. And it's in his name we pray. Amen. Please stand once more and take your hymn books and turn to number 261. We'll sing Lamb of God. John 136 says, When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, Look, the Lamb of God. ♪ Your only Son, no sin to run ♪ ♪ But you have sent Him from your side ♪ ♪ To walk upon this guilty side ♪ ♪ And to become the Lamb of God ♪ ♪ O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God ♪ have a Oh, sweet Lamb of God I love the Holy Lamb of God Oh, wash me in His precious blood My Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God, I am the Holy Lamb of God. Amen. Thank you, Blake, Amber, and ladies. Let's learn more about this Lamb of God, and I invite you to turn in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11. Let me review briefly where we have been in this chapter as this faith chapter begins. First, we were reminded that faith is not just a work of the flesh where you try real hard to believe. Instead, it is a divinely given assurance of a future reality. that is made known really through the revelation provided by Jesus Christ. Second, we made the point that it is impossible to please God otherwise. If you would please God, delight God, it would be by faith. Third, to be in God's presence, to draw near to him as it's expressed You have to actually believe that He exists. Our fighter verse this week from Psalm 139 mentioned the fact of God that there is no darkness to Him. So you're really not hiding from God anything that you do. And I mentioned that in many times, and perhaps you can be confronted in your own mind about this, to engage in secret sin, there is no secret sin. From God, he knows and sees all. Even darkness is light unto him. And so, by faith, we believe that he exists and we don't function as a practical atheist, if you will. Now today I want to draw your attention to a fourth point from this same section here, and it's an important one, one for us to think about, and that is simply this, this proposition, God rewards. God rewards then those who do live by faith. that please him by faith, that lives in a way that recognizes his existence, that expresses faith because of his divine grace. But God will reward. We're called to believe God. That's why it's important. We're called to believe him that really in choices that we might make in life that obedience is better than disobedience. It's going to result in a greater joy, something more enduring, something that is greater than the fleeting pleasures of sin or disobedience to God. Believing then that God would reward those who live by faith can be a very motivating factor that will help us to endure whatever hardships we might have in this life. You can flip over to one chapter, and I'll refer to this time to time. This really puts a capstone emphasis on this concept of faith that is described and then demonstrated by various examples in chapter 11. But look over to chapter 12 briefly. He concludes this whole section on faith, so therefore, since we're surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, these are those that were, remember, commended from old, the ones that are mentioned, and many, many more. then let that be this and think of this in a motivating idea to and it's described by way of analogy let lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely and then let us run with and notice endurance the race that is set before us if any kind of race that you're going to run you want to set aside those things that aren't necessary for the race and that's the imagery there this extra weight sin that clings so closely Set that aside. That's motivational. And then where is your focus? Your focus is on Christ. Look to Jesus. That is, to follow Him, the founder and the perfecter of our faith. He is the one that will bring that to conclusion. And this is how Christ lived. and cause us to follow Christ. I'll talk a little bit more about that tonight in the idea of discipleship. That's really what it means to follow Christ. Follow him, how? For the joy that was set before him." What is this joy? The joy of reward is what he's talking about. It was this that was a motivating factor. The joy that was set before him. Then he does what? Endures the cross and despise the shame. The suffering that we sang about in this song earlier. Great suffering. I mean it was suffering enough for him to take on human flesh and to cloak his deity, if you will, to a certain degree where it wasn't fully on display. That's called humility. Philippians talks about that. In any case, he endures cross that is that suffering and the shame of doing so and now he's seated at the right hand of the throne of God that is he see the reward he's in all authority and all power he has accomplished his mission and now he is there in great reward and the glory that he had before is restored once more. So he says, consider him who then endured from sinners such hostility against himself so that you wouldn't grow weary or faint-hearted. This is great motivation is what I'm saying for the believer. He truly believes in Christ. It will transcend whatever hardship that you might have to endure because there is a reward and it isn't a possibility. It is Christ who perfects. You see, that's the point. If it was me in a race, I may or may not make it. I could fall down. I could collapse. Christ will not collapse because he's already made it. You see it? He's at the right hand of authority and power. And you're in Christ. He is the one that's perfecting. This creates great joy for the Christian. who will be reminded of that in this life, no matter what you might have to face, no matter what you might have to suffer, here you have Christ has accomplished it all and promised this great reward for those who have faith in him. Believe Christ. Believe not only that God exists, But beloved, God will reward you beyond what you could possibly think or imagine. That's what awaits the believer. What a great joy. Let's break that down, but before we do, I'll just read it in its immediate context, and we'll see how time goes, because he'll put some examples of what that reward might look like in this immediate context, and hopefully I'll get to some of that. If not, We have Sunday next week too, so bear with me. Let's look at chapter 11 once again and begin as it opens and connect this together about God's reward of those who live by faith. He begins this way, Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God. What was seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous. God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith, Enoch was taken up so that he wouldn't see death and he was not found because God had taken him. Now before he was taken, he was commended as having pleased God. Without faith, it's impossible to please him. Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists. and that he rewards those who seek him. Let us pray. Father, I do pray deep within our very souls that we might be reminded once again of the incredible reward that we have in you. May we live truly by faith and recognize the reward of who you are. I pray this in Christ's name. Amen. On this subject here, reward, I think it might be helpful for us to think first about what these rewards are that are granted to those who seek Him. And remember, I said last week much about the seeking, that in reality, people don't seek God, they seek their own image of who God might be, their own imagination. God changes the very heart of man to truly find him, to truly seek him, to truly draw near to him. And so this is a message, this reward is a message for those who are redeemed. And the promise of the reward, I would categorize this way first, there is certainly, and maybe this comes up In your thoughts at the first thing, obvious, there are eternal rewards. There are those rewards of that future date. We might think of it in terms of heaven. Ultimately it is gone, but nevertheless we have this looking forward image of in this life to something better. When we get through whatever mountains or valleys or wilderness, desolation, you must cross in this life, there is finally a home place to which we are looking. If you drop down to verse 8 in this chapter here, Abraham is described in this way of looking forward to something that is better. It is by faith that he does obey, verse 8. He is called out from where he was to go somewhere else and to receive an inheritance. You get the idea of a future reward here. He doesn't even know where he's going. He doesn't know how it's all going to work out. But instead, by faith, he went to live then in the land of promise, what God had promised him. It was a foreign land. And in a temporal way, this idea here of living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who are heirs of that same promise. And it was something beyond just the temporal, but he's pointing to that which is eternal. Notice verse 10. He is looking, and see what he's motivated by, looking forward to the city that has foundations whose designer and builder is God. Right? Sure, he gets the promise, land, and something that is just temporal in this life, and that's a great thing. But beyond that, he is looking for permanency, something eternal, something far better. And then it summarizes, well, again, if you drop down to verse 16, They desire a better country that is a heavenly one. See the perspective? Looking for ultimately an eternal reward, an eternal home, an eternal place. It really helps give you a better perspective on this life and what you may amass or not have at all. In either way looking for something that is absolutely permanent and better. A heavenly one as it's described here. God is not then ashamed to call them their God. He is then prepared for them a city. You know we have this idea communicated by Christ. He says, I'm going to build a place for you. And if I go, I'm going to come again and receive you unto myself. That's what he's talking about. An absolute permanent place. Drop down to verse 24 in the same chapter here. You have Moses living in this perspective as well as it picks up on the history of him. He says he, verse 24 of chapter 11, he grew up and he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. And if you know this story, you know Pharaoh's daughter found him and he was supposed to be killed but she found him and protected him and this is in God's providence and so he gets great privilege to really be in that royal home if you will. Instead he makes a choice and he abandons those temporary privileges here and instead he chooses to be, note this, mistreated. Could you read suffering? Sacrifice? Yeah, that's the idea. With the people of God instead. Rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He makes a great choice. Does it cost him? Yes, it cost him much. Cost him great power, great privilege. He gave up What many would not, I would say most, very few, but how does he do this? He does so by faith. And here the preacher relates this, ultimately it is a pointing to and expressed most clearly through Jesus Christ as he brings him up in verse 26. He considers the reproach of Christ, that's what it is. The reason they hate you if you live for Christ And if you associate with God's truth and God's people, it's because they hate Christ. That's why, really. Do you remember what they did to Christ? They crucified him. So live for Christ and expect that in this temporal life. You're not necessarily going to get a lot of accolades. But what motivates him is Moses here. It is not what he gives up, it's what he gains. Do you see it? Verse 26. Christ is greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt. Here's the question. Do you believe that? It's a good question to ask yourself. Examine your own heart. Do you really believe that Christ The wealth of Christ is greater than all the wealth, if you will, of the most powerful nation at that time. All of their gross national product, all of their property, everything. It didn't compare to what Christ is, that eternal reward. And see, his motivation, he was looking to the reward. Beloved, God rewards those who put their faith in him through Jesus Christ. And that's the emphasis here, is to think about that and put the right perspective on our stuff, if you will, our circumstances, or whatever it might be, that Christ is far greater. I think I have time, and this might be worth looking at, Peter describes it in 1 Peter 1 and verse 3. I was going over this passage on our Wednesday nights a little bit, but this really communicates the same idea if you want to see it. about this compare and contrast and the focus on reward as a motivating factor, particularly eternal rewards. Peter opens up in verse three of chapter one of his epistle, where he blesses God. He praises God and the Father of Jesus Christ according to his great mercy. That is, he didn't give us what we deserve. Instead, note here, if you're reading along, he has caused us to be born again. This emphasizes how someone comes to life in Christ, how somebody has faith in him. It is through his divine work he causes us to be born again. All life, as I would say, begins with God. physical and spiritual and here he emphasizes that but what are you born again or made anew to here it is hope a a a living hope and the point is to look to Christ that's where our hope not necessarily a place but a person, that's the emphasis. It is through the resurrection, and he is living, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And then what are you going to get when you look at Christ? Well, here it is, the reward that is distinctive from whatever other rewards in this life that you can think about, an inheritance. An inheritance, what kind of inheritance am I going to get that is imperishable? undefiled unfading and here it is preserved it is kept in heaven firm for you that is nobody can take it from you wow what a great privilege what a great motivation to think indeed God rewards those who have faith in him and then beyond that verse 5 is you're guarded then How? Through faith. It's a means by which you're guarded for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. He's talking about the fullness of salvation. We're not just talking about having a different destination, if you will. This is the completion of it for the believer, and its fullness will be experienced at the end of time, the end of the last time, as it's mentioned here, the end of days, in the sense that you will receive, for those who have faith in Christ, glorified body, a body that will endure forever and enjoy an inheritance which is imperishable, an inheritance that will not fade away, that it will never be corrupted, if you will, or defiled. Could you imagine it not breaking down? I mean, I got a lot of stuff around the house. I had a great joy last night fixing the dishwasher for the 400th time. We just have a bad problem with it. I buy the most expensive one I can find, and it still doesn't help. It breaks down. In any case, I suppose those are the complaints of the first world. I could be washing them out in a runny water in a creek. I'll stop. But my point is, you can have all the best stuff, but guess what? It isn't going to last, is it? It's going to break down. It's perishable. Well, that's a distinctive here, the reward and the joy and the pleasure that we have in Christ. And so, that can be a motivation. Notice here, verse 6, it's in this that you're going to rejoice. the reward in Christ, the eternal reward in Christ. This you're going to rejoice even though now, and he emphasizes, for a little while if necessary you're going to be grieved by various trials. Different things and different circumstances occur in life. You're grieved. And one of the blessings of this kind of trial, whatever it might be, whether it's suffering, sacrifice, shame, or just things going haywire, so that verse seven, so that the genuineness of your faith, you know, you don't put your hope in all your stuff You put it in Christ. And then because those affections are demonstrated of where your priorities are and where your values are, it is more precious than gold that perishes though it's tested by fire and may be found to the praise of the glory and the honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Be reminded of the eternal reward in which you have an inheritance that is Reserved an inheritance that is kept and cannot be taken away All the promises that God has made Find their answer in Jesus Christ as Paul would tell the church at Corinth in 2nd Corinthians 120 all of the promises of God Find their yes in him that is Jesus Christ and And it is why we can then utter amen to His glory. I just want to mention one more thing about receiving rewards, I guess, in the eternal state. So here I invite you to jump to 1 Corinthians 3. 1 Corinthians 3. Because it does, here Paul kind of gives an explanation of what rewards you're looking for as far as work in this life that would redound to that eternal reward, because what you do actually does affect the eternal state. It isn't just that, okay, I'm going to receive all of who Christ is, But beyond that, here is motivation in this life to put things in the right perspective because those things that are done by faith, and I can't tell you precisely, you just have to look at the text here, and I'll give you my idea on it, I think it's right. But those things that are done by faith in this life have an eternal benefit. And that's what he's getting to here. Grace that is given to him. He lays this foundation in verse 10 and That foundation that he talks. I'm in first Corinthians 3 10 and that foundation verse 11 is Jesus Christ, okay, so everything's built on Christ and Now, if anyone, verse 12, now he's talking about the works done by faith. If anyone builds on the foundation with, and he uses the analogy, gold, silver, precious stones, and then he has a couple other categories, wood, hay, and straw. Think about these items used by way of analogy, talking about works that are done either by the flesh or faith. That's where he's getting to. He says this is what's going to happen at what we would call the judgment seat of Christ. The believers will stand before Him, not to see if they have any faith, but to reward for your faith. Notice here, if you build it, that each one's work, verse 13, will become manifest for the day we'll disclose it. because it'll be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work it's done. Now, notice the items that he talked about. If you throw them in the fire, what's going to last and preserve? Well, you get the picture. Gold, silver, and precious stones aren't going to be destroyed by this fire, but wood, hay, and straw will. And so that's his image. It'll test the work that you've done. Has it been done by the flesh? that won't remain. If it's done by faith, he will. That's his point. If anyone's work, though, he points out, that is built on that foundation, that is, those things that please God, by faith, he will, note this, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he's going to suffer loss, that is loss for time spent in all kinds of things that didn't account to your eternal benefit, but he's going to be saved just through this testing of fire. I think you get the imagery here that the work that you do in this life by faith is going to be downed to eternal reward. Precisely what that is, and that's where I'm not going to be dogmatic. I'll let you wrestle with that. My best way to think about it, just to tell you because some people want to know what I think for whatever reason, But I can't be too precise on it. I can tell you generally that it's going to redound to your eternal benefit. And whatever priorities and things that you do that are of the flesh, well, you're not going to bring them along, they're not going to have any eternal benefit. I would say it's an increased, I would put it this way, when I think of rewards, I would deduce it this way, it is an increased capacity to enjoy God's presence. In His presence is fullness of joy, right? But God is infinite and we are always finite. We are always growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord. Yet we'll know much, much more in His presence in that eternal state. However, I don't see us achieving infinity, right? We never can because we're always finite. And so there's always more. Each morning, each day, His mercies in that sense are new to us. glory to Him, there is more glory to be seen. I didn't think our capacity is sufficient to be able to handle it all. I do think it'll be increased when we are no longer shackled by the restraints of sin and the blindness there. But any case, I see that as, I'll just say it this way if it helps anyway, it does say a reward, from that which endures by faith in this life, precisely what it is, I would say that. And part of that idea, you can look up later from Revelation 4, where the church is represented by the elders, and what do they do? They take their rewards, which are described as crowns in Revelation, and they do what? They cast them down. You get the picture? They've gotten all of these rewards for their faith in good works, and they fall down before Christ and cast down their crowns and say, worthy are you, O Lord God, to receive glory and honor and praise, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. All right, so that's heavenly rewards, but there's also rewards of now, this state that we're in. It isn't just that which is beyond and a future date. That is certainly important and really motivational for the Christian, but beyond that, I'd argue there are great rewards to live by faith in this life right now. Okay? It isn't just the future, it's now. And back to Hebrews chapter 11. Notice he emphasizes that idea that there was accommodation given by God at verse 2. They're given accommodation. That is, a witness where God favors them in the sense of reward. They please God and it is through faith. We notice that in verse 6 Abel and Enoch are mentioned here then in this text. He picks them up right there at the beginning and notice verse 4 through 5 and I just want you to see this here. What reward are they getting? They're getting able, notice in verse four, he's getting commended as righteous and God accepts his gift. God accepts his praise. That's a great blessing. If you regard iniquity in your heart, the Lord's not gonna accept that or hear that. But all for those that would confess it. He will accept it. He will accept your worship. You say, well, I just come to worship God. No, God just doesn't accept worship from anyone. He doesn't accept worship in any way. This is why we have to be careful in our worship, that we're not worshiping ourselves. or some image that we create and say it's God. I mean this is why I would err on the side of caution in worship to be very careful that what we're communicating is a true worship of God. But what a great benefit that is and reward to have God actually receive it. He'll say the same thing about Enoch in verse 5, as he's taken up, but before he was even taken up, that is in his earthly life, the now, he was commended as having pleased God. That is a great reward to be favored by God, to please God. In a practical way, maybe that doesn't ring as clear to you, even though it's mentioned there, and maybe that is not... You say, well, what practical benefit? I'll tell you a practical benefit of being God. And it's demonstrated in verse 7. Do you see as he brings up Noah? It's one of these examples for this. He's warned by God about what? Some events that have never happened. You understand it never rained and he said it's going to flood. What? What's a flood? Things are going to go absolutely out of control. But by faith, he believed God, and notice verse seven, he does it in fear, reverent fear, if you will. That is, he actually believes that God exists, that God would do what he said he would do. And this comes about, again, by faith. And in his obedience of faith, what does he do? He does what he's told to do. constructs the ark even though this seems illogical it seems impossible it's never happened before but God said to do this and he does this and what does he get well he gets some temporal reward here in this life he saves all of his family And if you love your family, if you're going to save anybody, those that are closest to you, you can save them. What a great blessing that is, even in this life. The rest of the world is condemned. And then he becomes really the air by which righteousness would come. It all would flow through his family because he's obedient to God. His obedience brings about a life that I would call flourishing. instead of failure. Do you want to flourish in life? In this life. Don't just look to the life that will come, but right now. Follow what God says. It is all going to lead to life. Contrary to it, it's going to lead to death. And I don't care what the current political winds and social constructions might say, they're crazy. All of their plans and stuff, it's not going to lead to life, it isn't leading to flourishing, it's going to lead to death. And I won't even enumerate all that, it's too much to get into, but I think you can measure it yourself. They're not encouraging you to do things that are going to bring about blessings in your life. Go ahead and engage in all kinds of promiscuity. Engage in all kinds of inebriating substances. In various kinds of entertainment that really don't honor God. Oh, it might be fun for a fleeting moment, but it's going to bring about grief. guilt. He won't bring to that which leads to life and flourishing. And I can hear the prophet of Jeremiah weeping. Why will you die? You've hewn out cisterns for yourself that are leaking, that are empty. And God has promised you living water. that will not run out, that is not putrid and stained, but is fresh and alive. This is what God promises in this life. It's better than anything you can imagine. Follow Him, believe Him. Believe that He actually exists and says what He says for your benefit. These aren't restrictions put on you to somehow keep you from blessing. And I can think of no greater illustration than the garden, can you? Here God created the entire world in a very pristine and protected place and He gave our father and mother, the greatest gifts that they could have, the greatest joy of all. But there was, he did want to protect them from experiencing that which would kill them. And they made that fatal choice, didn't they? You see, God establishes things not for your burden, but for your blessing. Fear Him. believe him. You are probably familiar with it from Psalm 1, so I will just mention some of it. It begins with the blessed man. Blessed. You want to be blessed? Blessed man really describes someone who is in Christ. someone who is communing with God and begins with a negative, he doesn't take the counsel of the wicked. In other words, he can listen to what they say, but do so with one deaf ear at least, because you don't want to hear half of it. They might have a few good things to say, but they don't know the rest of the story. He doesn't stand in the way of sinners, that is, he watches. who he associates with. And furthermore, he doesn't sit in the seat of scoffers, those who would rebel and scoff against what God does. In other words, he doesn't join them in that association. So there's first a distance of the blessed man. That's the negative side. But on the positive side, however, his delight Is in the law of the Lord that is God's word what God said all of it He hears it and that's his desire And beyond that that's what he thinks about day and night And here the illustration is, is a beautiful illustration of what it would be like for you to shun those things which are opposed to God, evil, and embrace God and what He says. You're gonna be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water, bearing fruit in your season, and your leaf also shall not wither. You can get the picture. You'll be alive. The streams are those that are cultivated by God. It isn't just happens to be water in the proximity of it. He's talking about an orchard, that's the picture, which is carefully cultivated to which it has fresh supply of nourishment and water. what is the benefit of it so that you would flourish that's the flourishing idea and remain alive your leaf is not going to wither and sure I agree the imagery there of fruit in his season and that there are some times in which you're going to experience great an abundance of fruit. the fruit of the Spirit. There are other times that it might wane a bit, but you'll still be remaining alive, the leaf not withering here. By contrast then, the wicked aren't so. Yeah, they're a different group. They're like chaff, they're like trash, if you will, that just gets burnt up, in this case chaff, that the wind blows away. They're not going to stand in the judgment Christ. The blessed man will, he'll receive reward, but not the wicked. The Lord knows. He knows the way of the righteous. And that is talking about a personal relationship. But the wicked instead will perish. Yeah. It's destructive in this life. It's flourishing then to live by faith and be rewarded by God for obedience to him. I think I have time to briefly mention our communion with Christ. And we'll talk more a little bit as we experience communion tonight with Christ. And then I just want to finish up with an example of those particularly who receive the rewards in our text. And so I'll just briefly mention because we've talked a lot about our communion with Christ and that is our enduring reward. In this life now, and in the reward of eternal life, both, Christ is there. Don't forget that. He's made a big emphasis, he being the preacher of Hebrews, he made a big emphasis all along the way about the high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ, hasn't he? He's ascended to heaven. He is the guarantor of a better covenant. He is a steadfast anchor, if you will. And so you would say in chapter 7, I'll just read it, we've been through this before, that his priesthood is permanent. Not temporary. Okay? Now, not like all the other priests, his priesthood is permanent. That is, it not only functions now, It functions forever. And the reason you'll continue in God's presence and grace is because of the mediating work of Christ, not only now, but then as well. Verse 25 of chapter seven, he is able then to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him. Because he always lives to make intercession for them. Christ mediating on our behalf. He's coming again in judgment. Judgment for those that would rebel against him. He's coming ultimately a second time in chapter 8 it'll say, I'll just read it for you, not to deal with sin because he's already dealt with it. It's already atoned for. It's just a clean-up operation now. But instead, you know why Christ is coming? He's coming for those who eagerly wait for Him. He's coming for you. What a great reward. And we're called then to draw near to Him. with a true heart, with full assurance of faith. With our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water, let us hold fast our confession of hope without wavering because he who promised is faithful. So Christ is our enduring reward. I think I have time to just finish on this maybe, we'll see. But an example of how these rewards are worked out in life and what it might look like from our perspective in an earthly example. And here I note again and ask you to compare Abel and Enoch as they're both mentioned here. And you might wonder why these two are mentioned here. It talks about Abel having faith, and it talks about Enoch being translated or caught up. Adam is not mentioned. Did you notice he begins with Abel here, not Adam? I think that even though Adam is the federal head of mankind, He's associated with sin entering in the world. Here, Abel is the first man that was able to demonstrate, not by sight, but by faith. Read through Genesis, it talks about Adam walking with God in the cool of a garden. I think a pre-incarnate manifestation of Christ. Adam had a unique position in which he exists, but here Abel, as mentioned here in Hebrews, he demonstrates the first man who would then live by faith. His sacrifice is said to be more acceptable, verse 4. And there's a lot of ink spilled on what is going on and what is mentioned here. You can find that in Genesis chapter 4. Abel brings the firstborn of his flock and the Lord has regard for Abel's sacrifice, but in Cain's offering he didn't have regard. And some could argue here that, well, it's the type of offering that is given. Abel gave, he didn't give an animal sacrifice, he gave of his garden and Cain did and then Abel gave of the sacrifice and perhaps God told him as we would hear in Hebrews without the shedding of blood There's no remission of sin, and maybe it's the wrong symbol if you will but remember those animal sacrifices don't actually take away sin and What takes away sin is Christ. They merely point to it. Also, in the Mosaic Code, there are a number of offerings, like grain offerings. So those are acceptable to God. What's going on in here? I think the idea is more about His heart. You see, Cain demonstrates what it is to live, not by faith, but by sight. Abel demonstrates what it is to live by faith. Really, the sacrifice, the symbols that they did, those weren't something that accomplished the actual taking away from sin. It's always been a matter of the heart. You know, your confession of something, that's why we get particularly in our day, because we're not engaging in ritual sacrifice, but we might be engaging in ritual statements that we make. Your ritual statement isn't going to mean anything. What matters is your heart. And so examine your heart. As David would say in Psalm 51, he says, for you will not delight in sacrifice or I would give it. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." That's what God is always looking for. Not ritual, but a reality in the heart of faith. Abel demonstrates a man who lived by faith. who believed that God exists, and that he would reward those who seek him. And it's demonstrated by his heart, which God then commends and accepts. By contrast, another person is Enoch, as is mentioned, if you're there, in verse five. Again, you're going to find Enoch in the, you'll find him in the genealogy in Genesis chapter 5. I'm not going to read it, but you could look it up, Genesis chapter 5. Enoch is an interesting character mostly because of what's said here, that God had taken him. In other words, he left this world in kind of a different way. But it was Enoch, if you'll read in Genesis in the In the genealogy of it, here you have death mentioned, life, death, life, death, and all of a sudden change with Enoch. He walked with God, it says. He walked by faith and God took him up. This is a unique circumstance. Abel died physically. Enoch didn't die in that way. Instead, we would describe this as more of a translation, if you will. He was translated to heaven. So was Elijah. This is a rare and unique thing, but nevertheless, this happens. And so, what is he trying to do in putting these two together? I'm trying to demonstrate for you what it looks like for someone who lived by faith. Both Enoch and Abel lived by faith. Abel, we don't know precisely how long he lived, it doesn't seem like it was very long. Enoch, it states, and I'll read it for you, I think, all the days of Enoch from Genesis 5 were 365 years. He lived a long time. And by the way, in that period of time, just as a quick side, yes, they would have lived longer. Two major conditions affected the lifespan. I think one was the flood and two is the Tower of Babel, but that's a discussion for another day, that affected the gene pool as well as the environment. Nevertheless, the point here is that he lived a very long life, Enoch, and he walked with God. Abel did not. Abel lived a very short time in this life. God has a purpose for your life, whether it's long or short. We don't know the days in which we will live. Some of us a very long life. Some, tragically, and from our perspective, very short. But God controls our days, ultimately. And He has a purpose for them all. And so you live by faith, that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to live a long life, but the call is to walk with God every day, that you have breath, please Him and praise Him. It's just a call, as the psalmist would say, to teach us to number our days so that we would get a heart of wisdom Another comparison and contrast with Enoch and Abel is they're mentioned here. Abel, as I noted, experienced physical death. Enoch doesn't. And that's going to happen to all of us. We will all either experience physical death or an immediate translation or change of our body when Christ comes. I'm praying for the latter, aren't you? He could come at any moment. And those of us who live by faith understand that and believe that. And so, if we physically die, like Abel, we're just asleep, waiting for the coming of the Lord. If we're alive and remain as we are at this moment, what do we do? We live for the coming of the Lord. The Lord is at hand and He will change our bodies. See 1 Corinthians chapter 5. In either case, this is what it means to live by faith and look for that reward. Death won't destroy it, and Christ's coming will deliver us from all evil. You see, God rewards those who live by faith. It is a great motivating factor, but you have to believe. by faith that God truly rewards. And how can you see if you really believe? Well, examine your own heart to see what you really live for. Let us pray. Oh Father, I do thank you and praise you for your goodness and your grace, your mercy which is beyond our understanding, your grace that is greater than our sin. I pray that we would enjoy this life and what you've promised and all mediated through the person of Jesus Christ. And so whether we live or die, I pray that we would glorify your holy name and give us a longing heart to look forward to our blessed hope and soon appearing of Jesus Christ our Lord. I pray in his name. Amen. I generally give you a time now, which I will, to think on these things. Respond to Christ in any way He has spoken to you. If you do need to see one of the elders, we're certainly available after the service, but take a moment privately, where you are, to reflect on these. you Father, we do pray that indeed we would please you by faith and believe and truly receive the rewards that you have promised. I pray this in Christ's name. Amen. What are we doing, 425? Okay, Jerry, I stole your handbook, but I forgot to look at which page it was on. You have two there. So we're not gonna change it. We'll do this. This one really goes with the mediating work of Christ as Jerry comes to lead us here and thinking, again, about His work for us on our behalf, even right now. Let's stand together and sing as Jerry comes to lead, 425. Are you weary? Are you heavy hearted? Tell Him, Jesus, tell Him, Jesus, Jesus of our lives. Heaven to Jesus. Heaven to Jesus. Be a friend and love. You know why there's such a friend, brother. Heaven to Jesus of our lives. Are you troubled at the thought of God? of a Amen. Let's go ahead and pray and we'll be dismissed. To you, O Lord, we cry and to the Lord we plead for mercy. What profit is there in my death if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me. O Lord, be my helper. You have turned for me my mourning into dancing. You have loosened my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praises and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks forever and ever. Amen. You're dismissed.