Our reading today from God's word is in the book of Hebrews chapter 10. Chapter 10, we'll be starting at verse 31, going through verse 39. So let's listen to the words of the living God. For our Lord God is holy. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings. Partly while you were made a spectacle, both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated. For you had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Therefore, do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. for yet a little while, and he who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith, but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back to partition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. You may be seated. Amen. Let's bow together yet again in prayer. Our Heavenly Father, as we draw nigh unto you this day, In the text that is open before us even, in chapter 10, verse 19, you call for us to come unto the holiest of all, but to come boldly. But only because we come by a new and living way that is by the body and the blood of Jesus Christ alone. We have, Father, no righteousness that is our very own. You tell us in Your Word that our righteousness is as filthy rags. And yet, O Lord, by Your grace, You call us to Yourself and save us and unite us to Jesus Christ, so that we, Father, are seen in Him, having imputed our sins to Him, satisfied there at the cross in Him, and His righteousness imputed to us so that we are seen in Him. And so, Father, as we come to you now, we ask that you would be pleased to declare through your word the glories of heaven, the glories of your great grace. But that, Father, you would also lead us on the way everlasting, that you would show us, Father, the things of which we must flee. warning us, Father, what we should beware of, and giving us that sense of urgency that Christ is coming again. And so, Lord, as we have the pages of Holy Writ open before us, would you watch over your Word to perform it? You tell us, Father, how, like the rain that comes down from the skies and the snow that comes down from heaven, does not return there without watering the earth and making it bare and sprout and furnishing seed for the sower and bread for the eater. You promised, Father, your word is like that. So your word will not return unto you empty or void without bringing forth from your mouth And so, Lord, without accomplishing what you desire, what you have decreed, therefore, Lord, as we draw nigh unto you and open the pages of Scripture together, as it is preached, may your Spirit take this word, Father, and cause it as this living word to transform our being, to bring forth the rich fruits of heaven, It would cause us, Lord, to be more and more conformed to the image of Christ. You tell us, Lord, that whoever speaks, they speak, as it were, Your utterances. Whoever serves, we do it, Father, in the strength which You supply. And so, Father, You do it this way, that in all things You might be the one who receives all the glory in Jesus Christ. And so unto Him, unto Him belongs all glory and dominion, now and forevermore. In Jesus' name, amen. Well, beloved, as we come to this section at the end of chapter 10 of Hebrews, we've entitled the sermon, Faith, Tried and True. When we begin with verse 31, it's rather startling, isn't it? It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. You will recall last week that we were dealing with verses 26 and the like that led up to that and even overlapped some of the things that we're saying today. But first of all, we must be reminded that there is accountability to God for gospel fruit, accountability to God for gospel fruit. I'm reminded of Jesus telling numerous parables along this line, but you recall out of Matthew 25, for example, his parable of the pounds, it's called, or talents. Now a talent was a weight, a weight of a precious metal usually, either gold or silver. And so when you think of a talent, let's say 100 pounds of gold, We can only begin to calculate today how much that would be worth, since it's sold by the ounce. And it says there that Christ says that he likens those recalled by the gospel and those who respond. Those he's done a work of grace in will most certainly bring forth the fruits thereof. And he said it's like when he gave one talent, here's the gospel of the kingdom. The others he gave two and he gave five and as he went away and the talents were given to these stewards, these servants to use for him, for his glory, he returns to call them to account. and one that had five talents, 500 pounds of gold. What did you do with that? He said, I invested it, Lord. I invested this, and here you have now, instead of 500 pounds, 1,000 pounds of gold. Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord. He's got the one man with two talents and he says, what have you done? I invested it for you, Lord. And so like a good steward, he invested it and he doubled it as well. And so he who received two talents had four talents or 400 pounds to give back to his master. Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord. The one that had the gospel message. The one talent. He says, what have you done? He said, I saw this and I was, I knew you're a hard man and I'm afraid of losing it and so I buried it. Did nothing with it. It brought forth no interest, nothing. And so he banned the man, doomed him into eternal torment. You say, well, that's difficult. Yes. You see, this man, when he heard the gospel, the gospel sounded like a joyful and wonderful thing, perhaps. But it brought forth no reality, no fruit in his life. And so when we look at accountability before our Lord, Jesus used that as one aspect. of what accountability to him is like. But notice the commonality there between the two faithful servants. What did they do with their talents? What did they invest it for? They invested those talents or the money that it might bring forth a profit, not for them, but for their master. And they invested it that it might bring forth because they were looking to serve him and to glorify him. Notice both of them, one had two talents, one had five. One ended up with four or 400 pounds, the other one ended up with 1,000 pounds, but notice they both got the same reward. Well done, now good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord. You see, it is the one who believes and brings forth the fruit of God's grace. He brings forth through them. And so as we go on into the text, there is accountability. Jesus says there is a day when he would judge the living and the dead. And so those who fall away from the faith, as our text is dealing with here in verse 26, let me reread it. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. For a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which will devour the adversaries, anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he, that is Christ, was sanctified, a common thing, and insulted the spirit of grace? In other words, sinning willfully doesn't mean if you're saved you have sinless perfection. It's not what it's getting at. It's talking about that turning away, that sin that's been developed in the book of Hebrews. Why is it spoken of in such drastic terms? Quite simply this. In Philippians chapter 1 verse 6, many of you know the verse, we know it says that he, that is to say God, who has begun a good work in you or in us will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus. That's when Christ comes again. And so we know those who genuinely are regenerate, those who are indwelt by the Spirit, those whom God has drawn to himself effectually, that they most certainly, he will most certainly complete the work in them unto the day that Christ returns a glorification. Remember, John wrote in very similar terms, you have it in your bulletin, I believe, or you did last week. Let's see, I don't remember. Last week, 1 John chapter 2, you remember it? In 1 John chapter 2, the Lord talks about those who are apostates, and he says there, verse 19, they went out from us, but they were not of us. If they had been of us, they would have continued with us, but they went out that it might be made manifest that none of them were of us. In other words, the fact that they apostatized, the fact that they turned away, the fact that they melted back or wilted, whatever you want to say, is evidence of the fact they never were regenerate. They weren't in Christ to begin with. And furthermore, as we see here in the text of Hebrews chapter 10, notice the gravity of the whole thing. Why? We see it's Christ and his blood. The Spirit of Grace, they're trampled, defiled, blasphemed. Oh beloved, the gospel of Christ is not to be trifled with. And so, in these things, verses 30 and 31 then, it says, by these things, true believers, in other words, In hearing this, in hearing the warning, those who are true believers, unlike those that are merely acquainted with the gospel, one who is awakened by the Spirit unto life will be dramatically awakened. This is a means whereby God awakens and awaits faithfully for Christ's return. And so as we look, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. Think of 2 Peter chapter 3, all of you know that. Those who are awaiting Christ know this day of accountability. It says, the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. And it talks about the heavens being consumed with fire and the elements melting with fervent heat. But the next two verses, 11 and 12, talk about where it says, you know, what manner of people ought we to be in godliness, looking for and striving toward the coming of the day of God in which, and then it goes on and it describes all of this destruction. And then in verse 14 of the same text, It says, be diligent to be found by Him in peace. You see, the effect that it has on a believer is to give us that sense of urgency and to remind us He's coming again and therefore we have this sense of purpose and excitement. So rather than falling away, you see, it gives us fresh nerve, dramatically awakens us out of our slumber. He's coming again. I must be about my Lord's business. I must invest for my master. That's what your life and mine that is redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, your life and mine that is filled with the Holy Spirit, your life and mine who has been effectually called to the to the Savior and to the Father and have the spirit of adoption within crying Abba Father. That means you and I. In reading these things, these warnings, these reminders, you see, it's not like the unbeliever for the unbeliever. It's a reminder of condemnation and judgment for the unbeliever. But it's a reminder for the believer of the. Well, the blessed rewards that await us. Rewards by grace, by the way. The Lord is pleased. to reward his own gifts of grace that he gives unto us. From grace to grace, from beginning to end. And so, when we think of triumph in these times and we think of all that lays before here, I'm reminded of what Revelation 11 verse 18 talks about. It talks about the final trumpet. Remember, he comes and the last trumpet is blown. You remember reading that, right? 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Thessalonians 4, and there in Revelation 11, verse 18, it describes the same thing. The seventh trumpet, the last trumpet is blown, and it says, in the blowing of this trumpet, all the mysteries of God he's given to the prophets are concluded, are fulfilled. And it says, all those in the graves will rise forth. Now listen. And all of those who are his redeemed, be they prophets or disciples, small and great, will receive the reward. Well done, good and faithful servant. But for those who are not in him, everlasting fiery torment. And so, beloved, as we see this as a reminder, it is that we're accountable before God. What have you done with my investment? But secondly, in verses 32 to 34, I see, be faithful in the struggles and tribulations. Now, he points them to the past and reminds them of what they'd undergone. Now, remember, this is the book of Hebrews, and if you know anything about church history, that those who were the first persecutors of the believers weren't the Romans, they were the Jews. And here is he writes to Hebrews who are converted to Jesus Christ. Remember what would happen, you know, they would frequently be the way they treated Paul. Remember, Paul was treated like a Judas. He was supposed to be the one persecuting and rooting out these Christians, getting rid of them. Instead, he turns and becomes a leader among them. By God, Christ's gracious call. You see the way they treated him? They went from city to city to city to city, persecuting him and raising crowds against him and getting them to beat him. And they even stoned him outside of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch and left him for dead. God raises him back up, brushes him off, and puts him back in the race. And as you look at everything that occurs, you see they started a persecution around Jerusalem. And the Christians were scattered We talked this morning in Sunday School of God's Providence, and talking about using the sinful acts of men for His glory. And here they're raising a persecution after they killed Stephen by stoning him to death. What do they do? As they go, God just uses it to spread the word. And so as they go, they spread the word to Antioch. They spread the word to Turkey. They spread the word to Cyprus. And the word just spreads out, fans out. And so they were faithful. These people evidently had faced that kind of struggle, that kind of persecution. Let me remind you here in verse 32, look at it again with me, but recall the former days in which after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings. You know what it means by illuminated? In Luke chapter 1, remember it says there that God is the one who delivers us from darkness unto light. You remember that, don't you? And you think of the preaching of the gospel, and remember Jesus Christ, where Paul is relating this, you know, before the crowds in Jerusalem in Acts 26, 18, I think it is, and there he talks about it, he says, the Lord, he's restating what the Lord had told him, and he said, I am sending you now unto the Gentiles to preach the gospel, and that you might turn them from darkness unto light, and from the power of the devil unto the power of God. That's what the gospel's about. They were illuminated, these people, after you were illuminated. All of you know this in 2 Corinthians 4, don't you? Where it talks about at one time, we were blinded by the God of this age, but unable to see, the gospel veiled to those who are perishing. And he says, but there was a preaching of the gospel by Paul. And in verse 6, a marvelous verse there, 2 Corinthians 4, what does it say? It says, the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, let there be light. He's the one who's shown in your hearts to give you the light of the glory of God in the face of Christ. You see, it's God who must sovereignly cause the lights to come on. Our minds, our understanding is darkened by sin. We're enslaved to sin, the scripture tells us. And so, when you were enlightened, when I was enlightened, it was God who caused it to be so. Remember 2 Timothy 2, verses 25 and 26, where it talks about, you know, be patient with those in opposition. Isn't that ever tough for you? Is it just me? As they're opposing you, as they're arguing with you, as they're giving their cult-like response to you, or whatever the case may be, it's hard to be patient. But he says, be patient with those in opposition. if, perhaps, God would grant them repentance. Now listen to what happens. They come to a knowledge of the truth, and they come to their senses, having escaped the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. You see, what happens is God is the one who causes them to come out of that stupor, out of the bondage of deception and darkness, and gives us a light. He does it with all of us. We could go on and on, couldn't we? But you know what he's talking about after we were enlightened. In other words, true believers, regenerate people, are true believers. The Spirit of God awakens us from death into life, causes us to be a new creation. As true believers indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we are they that, it says, the struggles begin. Did you find that to be true when you were saved? You know, when the Lord awakens us from death into life, you think, it's going to be great. And it is, but that doesn't mean there won't be trials. There won't be difficulties. And you go to tell all your friends, and all your friends were just excited. I'm talking about unbelieving friends. They were so excited that you were excited about it, weren't they? Or maybe you got the cold shoulder, or maybe they scoffed at you. Maybe one or two listened. But you see, the persecution can arise and often does. And it says that's when the trial began. Remember Galatians 5, the flesh lusts against the spirit, spirit against the flesh, that kind of thing. John 15, Jesus says, you know, don't be surprised if the world hates you. It hated me first and it hates you. You know why? Because you are no longer of the world. That's why. In this world, you have tribulation, but be a good cheer. 1633, I have overcome the world. In your bulletin, you do have 1 Peter chapter 4. And in these verses, it says, Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you also may be glad with exceeding joy." Identifying with Christ. Marvel not the world hate you. Fellowship in the sufferings of Christ. It says here, after your regeneration, the struggles began. And furthermore, it says here in verse 33, there were sufferings, there were public shame, public mockery, public condemnations, tribulation, persecution. And you were loyal to those who were also being persecuted for Christ's sake. Why? Because we are now in Christ, one spirit, united to Christ, the body of Christ. What do we have? Because God, supernaturally by the Spirit, causes it to be so in Him that we have a unity of the Spirit, a bond of the Spirit, and the peace of God that is within us and unites us so that we are drawn to identify with our brothers and sisters in Christ. That's what happens to those who truly know him. Shame. It talks about here, they were publicly shamed. Remember when Adam and Eve fell, you read it in Genesis chapter three. What happened? As soon as they fell into sin and God comes into the garden calling for them, what do they do? They run and hide. They've tried to cover their nakedness with leaves and stuff. And God calls them, and they say, well, we were naked, and they were ashamed. And He says, who told you you were naked? And He goes through the whole thing. But the whole point is, their shame that they felt was real. What's the real shame we ought to have? It's the shame where we've dishonored God, like they did. But you see, the shame that it's describing here of the ungodly, casting insults, derision, scoffing, mockery, whatever it may be, and calling us whatever they care to call us. For the cause of Christ, that's false shame. Don't be ashamed. That's the idea. Remember what Romans 1 says, you all know the verse, verse 16, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation. To everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, Are we ashamed of the gospel? That's where he says, and makes it clear by implication here, don't be ashamed. For that we boast, but not in ourselves. Once again, we boast in him. And therefore, the mob. What's too frequently the thing that we fear most? Read at your leisure this afternoon, Matthew 10, verses 22 through 33. And it talks about those who can be the most painful scoffers, persecutors, opponents when we become Christians, when we stand for Christ, when we stand against sin, whatever the case may be, for righteousness' sake, for Christ's name's sake, it's our families. Jesus said, that fathers were turned against children and children against the fathers. It says, those of our own household would be the worst persecutors of the believers. It's sad but true. And Christ said, anyone who loves father or mother, brother or sister, son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Who is the first love above all? It must be. Christ. That's hard. That's why it's all of grace. His spirit must cause it to be so, but more and more and more like first Peter one, eight describes us as he having not seen yet. We love the love of Christ constrains us. And so beloved, that's what this is describing. that even though we might have, and think of it in modern terms, the relationships may be family and friends alright, but they might also be professional. Think of those who oppose you because they're in your profession, whatever it may be, because of your belief in Christ. How many of those in professions have faced that? Many. or even religious persecution. You know, today you can be persecuted, you can be ostracized, here's a good one, you can be cancelled, right? That would go along with what we're talking about on the internet. It only takes a bunch of keystrokes and you are big zero in a lot of people's minds. And so we're looking at this, beloved, this has a very modern feel to it also. Don't think it's just in the past. It's not. This is saying until Christ comes. And so the whole idea here of hostility and rejection. And so he says here, for Christ's sake, there'll be the hostility, there'll be the rejection. Is your ego easily wounded? Jesus talked about those who would not be publicly declaring him because they feared the face of man more than God, and were pleasers of men rather than pleasers of God. Here is what's happening as he's talking about these situations are precisely the things that divide and show the true from the false. And he goes on in verse 34 to talk about chains, imprisonment in other words, and confiscation of property, taking the property away. You know, laws can be designed, custom designed to perform this and call it legal. I shouldn't give anybody, well, they already have the ideas, I'm sure. How about this? This church was established in 1907. And for the children here, no, I've not been pastor since 1907. But think of all those years and you know what, 116, whatever it is, and they say, okay, you've had tax-free status, now we're going to charge taxes, and by the way, it's retroactive, so you owe us 116 years back taxes. Like that. Confiscate. It can be easy. Today, it's easy. Today, you do things that can be digital, right? If the government wants to or anybody wants to, these things can be done digitally. And so persecution can come along where it's taken away, the taking away of property. Jesus, I spoke of it in Matthew 16, 6, excuse me, in the Sermon on the Mount, in verses 19 and 20 or whatever it is. He says, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth cannot eat it and rust cannot corrupt it. In other words, it's secure. Don't lay up your treasures on earth where all of those things can destroy it. And that's where he says, you know, where your treasure is, heaven or earth, there's where your heart is. You know, this stuff actually happened in, let me just read you something out of Eusebius. Some of you know about him as an early church historian. And he gave an account of Dionysius reporting what happened in Alexandria in the second century. Well, really, late second, early third century. So let's say in the 200s, all right? This is what happened, and I'm reading. There were brutal assaults and tortures of the followers of Christ. Incident after incident occurred. Then all with one impulse rushed to the houses of the pious, the Christians, and they dragged forth whomever anyone knew as a neighbor and despoiled them and plundered them. They took for themselves the more valuable property, but the poor articles of those made of wood they scattered about and burned in the streets, so that the city appeared as though it were taken by an enemy. But the brethren withdrew and went away and took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, like those to whom Paul bore witness." Speaking of this text, as many would have claimed that Paul wrote Hebrews at that time. And so when you hear of it, you say, wow, it did happen. I'm glad that was so long ago. Let's come to the 16th century in England, not in Egypt. And you have a preacher by the name of John Hooper. And here he had all of his earthly possessions taken and he was facing execution. And he writes from prison. Now listen to these words. It's very short, but listen to these words. The loss of goods is great. but the loss of God's grace and favor is greater. There is neither felicity nor adversity of this world that can appear to be great if it be weighed with the joys or pains of the world to come." That's what he says was the attitude of these people that were the despoiling, the taking away of everything for the name of Christ. You see, it must have an attitude of a heavenly kingdom ruling over an earthly government. Christ is king. Let me give an illustration of this and illustrate scripture by it. In Pergamos, you have this recorded in Revelation chapter 2. In Pergamos, or also translated Pergamum sometimes, a city, it says, a city where Satan dwells, where Satan's throne is. And they've excavated the Pergamum and the marketplace and it's well preserved where you've got these these little boutiques that go all the way around this large marketplace and and they've got you know these little cubicles you might say where everyone was able to buy and sell and you had an entrance and over the entrance It talks about glory unto Caesar, and that once you entered in this one door, that was the way in and the way out, through that one way, the doorway I should say, there was the altar to Caesar. And before you could buy or sell, you had to put incense on that altar to Caesar, or you could not buy or sell. You know what it says on the altar? Caesar is Lord. All of you know Romans chapter 10, verse 9. It says, if we confess with our mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead, we shall be saved. Does that have a little more poignancy to it now that you understand the background? You know how many Christians died a martyr's death in times past because they said, Not Caesar. Christ is Lord. Lord of His Church. Christ head of the Church. And many paid with blood to prove it so. It says here, like Galatians 3-4 would say, Your initial courage, your initial sacrifice, he says, was all of that in vain? That's the point. If you now, all of this having done, you turn away from Jesus Christ, it was for naught. That means you weren't in Christ, that means the Spirit of God is not in you. Remember the promise, we went through the promises already, but to remind you of a couple. Remember what Jesus said, those that I have and have heard my voice, they come to me, I have them in my hand, and I am in the Father, we are one, and no one can take them out of our hand. Remember furthermore. The promise of the Spirit. Numerous places, Ephesians 1, Ephesians 4, it says we have the Holy Spirit. We have the seal of the Holy Spirit who sealed us under the day of redemption. A seal meant you're absolutely authentic. A seal meant that you are owned. A seal meant it's official and cannot be broken. The Holy Spirit within. The seal under the day of redemption. Thirdly, Don't throw your conviction away. Verses 35 through 37. Christ is coming. He's coming. First of all, it is the idea of conviction. You know what conviction is, don't you? It's the idea of a faith steadfastness, a deep, settled certainty, a certitude that means this gospel, this Christ, all of this is real and unshakable and steadfast. Don't throw that conviction away, is what it says here. The sons and daughters, that's who we are. Be faithful to the Father. You know, I never finished the idea about Pergamos. Can I come back to that? I'd sidetracked myself. You know what the Germans did when they were excavating Pergamum? They found this big U-shaped, horseshoe-shaped place which was called the Throne of Caesar. They had two places in Pergamos that were made to Caesar, temples unto Caesar. to worship him as a god. And there was this big one they called the Throne of Caesar. And so they dismantled it stone by stone, labeled them, numbered them so they could reassemble them, and took them to the Museum of Berlin and reassembled them. It's there now. They're in the process of trying to get it back to Turkey. But do you know who patterned his rule after that? Many of you have seen old black and white footage, World War II era, of a big U-shaped, horseshoe-shaped platform that was assembled in Nuremberg. And you've seen the pictures of hundreds of thousands of people surrounding there with torches and marching and banners red with a swastika on them. And there was a guy. On that horseshoe-shaped platform, this is where they got the idea. Adolf Hitler preaching. And he was on the throne of Satan. You see, beloved, we've clarified opposition. The throne of God in heaven. Anything short of that is trading low. Well, anyway, we need to hustle through this and look at the rest of verses 35 to 37. As he describes, as he says, do not cast away your confidence, your conviction. You have need of endurance that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise for yet a little while and he who is coming will come and will not tarry. He will come. And so, need of endurance. If you were to read Psalm 106 verse 13 and Psalm 78 verse 18, it describes the children of Israel in the wilderness. They endured, they kept going, but how did they endure? They kicking stones and crying and complaining and discontent. And it says they went astray in their heart and they disbelieved God. And they went through all of these things. You see, they're enduring, all right, but not the way that glorifies God, not a way of faith, you see. So here we see a picture how not to go through it. Yes, I'm going through suffering, woe is me, complain, murmur and accuse and discontent and disbelieve. In other words, not just dour, I'm going to go through it, no matter what, stubbornly, stoically. Instead, it is to go through glorifying Him and trusting Him and keeping our eye on the one who is the torch that leads to the wilderness. Another illustration of how not to do it. When they came to arrest Jesus in Garden of Gethsemane, remember this? There was Peter, John 18 describes it, I think it's verse 10. And there's Peter, and as soon as they tried to arrest Christ, there's Malchus, you know, the servant of the high priest. And here's Peter, he's got a sword, and he hacks off an ear of Malchus. And the Lord Christ says, shall I not drink the cup that's given to me to drink? And so he takes the ear and he puts it back on Malchus's head and heals him. You ever wonder what happened to Malchus? I do. But see, that too is not the way to persevere. Peter thought the way to persevere was through combat. We're going to fight. That's how we're going to do it, in persecution and trial and tribulation. And when he couldn't fight it that way, he waffled, weakened, and denied Christ. But he learned. Like 2 Corinthians 10, 3 to 5, you all know it. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but they're powerful to the tearing down of strongholds. Or you think of Ephesians 6, you all know this. What was the sword in Ephesians 6? What is it, verse 17 or whatever it is? The sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. It says, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. In other words, beloved, as we go into this, it's not to fight in the carnal means either. And furthermore, it's to do so in recognition and love and prayer for our persecutors. In Romans chapter 12, I'll let you read it yourselves. I forget the verses. The last verse is one of them, and then three verses before it or something like that. I can see it on the page, but I can't remember the numbers. It says there, do not return evil for evil. Those who would persecute, those who would oppress, those who would scoff, those who would do all these evil things to us, do not return evil for evil, it says. And it goes further and it says, do not be overcome. That word overcome is the word Nike, you know, the tennis shoe named after that, conquered, in other words. Don't be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. And in your text you have there what Jesus says. Matthew chapter 5, verses 44 and 45. He describes what we are to do. And by the way, he did it. The preceding verse, by the way, is, you have heard it said, you know, that you should love your enemy or love your neighbor, but hate your enemy. They changed it. That's kind of redone. And Jesus says, but I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your father in heaven who makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, sins reign on the just and the unjust, you see. Now there's a battle. that's raged first within, isn't it? What is our first impulse? To return evil for evil. Jesus says, be good, be kind, pray for your persecutors. Did He not do that very thing from the cross? The ones who pierced His hands and His feet, plucked out His beard and beat Him to within an inch of His life, and nailed him to a cross and scoffed at him as he was hanging there dying. Cast lots for his raiment. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And so, beloved, this is what we are to do, the Bible says. as they take the goods. I remember reading, I have a poem here, a little thing, it was written by Spurgeon. Just four lines, he said, the dearest idol I have known, whatever that idol be, help me to tear it from thy throne and worship only thee. That is the way we look at it. This is the process that God leads through, through persecution. And when Christ draws nearer, it will be exacerbated. Let me just look briefly at the last two verses. 38 and 39, faith of the justified does not shrink back. The faith of the justified ones does not shrink back. The just shall live by faith. But if anyone, in properly translated, shrinks back, or shrinks down, actually, my soul has no pleasure in him. But we're of those who draw back, not of those who draw back to perdition, but those who believe to the saving of the soul. Faith and the kingdom. The very first verse of the next chapter. Now, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, listen to the rest of it, and the conviction of the things not seen. as they're taking everything seen away, as they're persecuting and scoffing at and everything we see, the mob, to set our eyes in firm, steadfast faith at the right hand of the Father, and say, there's my anchor within the veil. I hold in faith to Him. And so that kingdom, a pearl-of-great-price type of faith, That treasure hidden in the field, remember that? Sell all you have to buy that treasure. Are the virgins five or watching for the Lord and ready when He came and the other five sound asleep? Not like the sleepy, but those waiting. Or the one who put his hand to the plow, not taking it off and turning back. Or the one who started building the tower. Jesus said, don't be like the one who starts to build and then quits halfway through. Don't be like the soil that wilts when the sun comes, or the fruit that comes out when the plant that wilts when the sun comes out. But be the fruitful plant of God. Well, what's at stake here? What's happening? It says, don't shrink back. The word that's used here, in case you're wondering, is hupostelo. The hupostelo is the idea of shrinking. Here's what it literally means. Don't cower. Don't cower in fear. That's what it's getting at. How are we to face fear? That's a natural emotion that is built up into us and when we see that we're about to be opposed in a powerful way and we think we may be killed or whatever the case may be, harmed, we do not have any fear. Pray God that it's so. But that's not the courageous person in the ultimate sense. We are to take that fear that may be real and actively, consciously, deliberately, biblically apply the truth, the promises of God by faith to it, and combat fear with his truth, his promise, and faith. That is a biblical design. So it's not the absence of the emotion. But that's what takes place. Christ warned us, he says, don't fear the one who's able to cast, you know, to kill the body, but fear the one who's able to cast both body and soul into hell. And then he goes on to say, look, not a sparrow falls from the sky apart from the Father, will of the Father. And he says, the very hairs of our head are numbered. We are worth much more than many sparrows. In other words, God sovereignly has ordained and is working in all of us for his glory, and we by faith are to bow in submission to him and say, God, by life or by death, may I glorify you. That's tough, but that's real. Do not fully and finally fall backwards. Does this mean you'll never stumble? Let me give you two examples. Paul's first missionary journey, remember, there was Barnabas who went along with him. They went together. Barnabas was really the senior man, and Paul was an apostle, but was junior, was young in the faith, and brilliant and everything, but still. And they took Barnabas' nephew along with him. Remember this? And so they go, and they go to Cyprus and everything, but when they hit Turkey, then they found all the opposition, you know, on the southern coast of Asia Minor or Turkey, and that's when they ran into opposition. That's when they got far from home, and that's where John Mark turned away, turned back, and went home. Got out of the fight. left the missionary journey. Second missionary journey, Barnabas and Paul. Barnabas, I want to take John Mark with me again. Paul, nothing doing. He's a traitor. He turned back. Uh-uh, not taking him. So there's quite a little tiff between them. And so Paul ends up with Silas, and Barnabas takes John Mark. You read much later in time. Paul writes and says, send John Mark to me, for he's useful to me. You read in literature that's historical, archaeological about John Mark and how he's given credit for doing so much of all North Africa, of the gospel going there, where guys like Augustine ministered. You see, it wasn't fully and finally falling away. What does Barnabas mean, that name? Son of encouragement. Remember what we saw here in verses 23 and following. Encourage one another unto love and good deeds. We see the example of the very thing here. God's grace. rescuing one who turned away. And then, of course, the example that I can just mention, and you all know it. Remember Peter and Malchus' ear? Peter followed after that, and they took Jesus, you know, first to Annas' courtyard, and then finally to Caiaphas. And it was there that three times he denied the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, it was later on, after the resurrection. By the Sea of Galilee, Jesus is sitting by the fire and talks to Peter. Peter, do you love me? And he goes through these different words for love. You know, Peter no longer, remember, he said, I love you. I'll never turn from you. And he did. But it wasn't full and final. No longer boasting, but humbly, believingly, saying, the Lord says, do you love me, agapao, agape, that's a profound, deep love that will not turn away. Peter will not use that word. He says, Lord, I phileo, I'm your friend, Philadelphia friend. And Jesus says, feed my sheep. And he does it three times, and he uses that word the second time, agapapo. And again, Peter says, phileo. I'm not willing to say I'm like that anymore. And finally, Jesus says, do you? OK. Are you my friend, phileo? Yes. You know all things. Then tend to my sheep. And so when you look at Christ restoring him, of Barnabas encouraging John Mark, and you say, Pastor, you know, I've been tempted and I've been wayward and I've been one of those that's being described in this text. It's not over. Not if you're hearing this call. But it is time to have done with lesser things and be the one. Be the ones this text is talking about. I am convinced of better things of you, the faith that accompanies salvation. May God grant us the grace for it. Amen. Let's pray together. The Lord, you, O Lord, are our light and our salvation. Whom shall we fear? The Lord is the defense of my life. Whom shall I dread?" We think of that, O Lord, in the beginning of that Psalm 27, and in the end of it, we think of what was written by your Spirit, through the psalmist. I would have despaired if I did not believe that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, yes, take courage, wait for the Lord. So it is, O Lord, that we pray to you that you might so impress upon our mind 2 Corinthians 5-7. We walk by faith, not by sight. And how much that connects to Hebrews 11-1 that was quoted in the sermon. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. And so we pray to you, O Lord, that you would strengthen us, strengthen us in the faith that we might not forget, but remember what we have heard, what we have read. We know that your gospel is the power to salvation, and it is revealed from faith to faith. The righteous shall live by faith, not by sight. So we pray that you might grant growth in grace, but if any of us have not known you, may that today Be the day that you grant the light in the heart as you did at the beginning of creation, as was also quoted in the sermon, 2 Corinthians 4, 6. Awaken the mind and the heart for faith and to faith in Christ. We ask this, O Lord, today in Jesus' name, amen. Now receive the charge of the Lord and the benediction. Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord and as much as you know. Your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.