Knebworth Grace Church Live Stream

hello oh oh okay yeah okay all right yeah yeah um they can't get a signal um the Isaac's been really oh sorry sorry sorry Isaac's been really travel sick in the car all over having to stop cleaning all and everything late well good morning everybody um we're trying to make a start very soon and we we've got people coming down from hartfordshire this morning and we've just had a call to say that they've had a problem on the way so they'll probably be arriving in a little while but we'll we'll make a start more well slightly behind time but in the next minute or so so um it's good to have you with us um get the bulletin as I always say get the bulletin it's got uh three articles in related to um the subject matter of Hebrews 10 this morning and it's got the hyms in that we're going to sing so get that and we'll we'll start in uh just a moment or so um I'm not sure how late the people coming are going to be and what it means is that we'll have to make do with uh Christine starting the hymn singing just with one finger on the piano um but we'll see how we go but it's it's um it's a fair Journey Down from hartfordshire and all sorts of things can happen on the way and Something's Happened so there'll be a bit late okay so we'll start in in just a moment or so so for our opening reading um turn to Psalm 122 and 22 which is about the house of the Lord which then was the temple in Jerusalem which was the picture of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ and what is the body of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ it's his church it's the Gathering Together of his people so I'm going to read Psalm 122 I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord our feet shall stand within thy Gates oh Jerusalem Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together with the tribes go up the tribes of the Lord unto the testimony of Israel to give give thanks unto the name of the Lord for there are set Thrones of judgment the Thrones of the House of David pray for the Peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces for my brethren and companion sakes I will now say peace be within thee because of the house of the Lord Our God I will seek thy good of course it's not talking about that City in the Middle East in turmoil today it's not talking about that pile of stones called Jerusalem it's talking about the kingdom of God it's talking about the eternity of God it's talking about the paradise of God and the fellowship of God's people in his presence so let's sing our opening hym now which is number 228 the theme this morning is Faith continuing in the faith faith owes its birth to Sovereign Grace and lives beneath the throne [Music] 228 it to so Grace and lives beneath the throne where Grace maintains her dwell place and R sueme alone the precious cleansing blood of Christ is a delightful theme When Faith is lifted up the highest she sings of none but him Faith the through the cross and obedience true Cel things else but Earth and dra to keep the L in view Faith you the tree then buried in the grave and W the Tom to see him rise with part to with tears of joy now the day will Sur when he Jesus crosses shall see him ground at home let us come together in prayer let us pray our gracious God our loving Heavenly Father we thank you for all of your mercies and goodness to us as we gather together this morning to seek your face to come before your throne to lift up the Glorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ Lord we pray that as he is lifted up he will do as you have said that he will draw all men to himself we pray that every last one of your elect might be called out of the darkness of this Kingdom of Satan this world into The Marvelous Light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Lord we pray that you would be with us just a few of us here and some gathered with us on the internet but Lord we pray that you would be pleased to Grace us with your presence by your spirit that you would show us the things of Christ from your word that you would show us your truth and that you would bless us we thank you that you've given us such treasury in this your word we thank you that you've been pleased to come amongst us and shine light by your spirit into our hearts oh how we thank you for for your goodness and grace and mercy in this evil world when all all by Nature deserve nothing other than condemnation when as that flood of Noah's day was totally justified so it could be today and yet Lord you've been pleased to preserve your 144,000 Lord we pray that you would come amongst us and bless us and keep us from sin and evil and tempt Lord as as Christ prayed that uh in this world whilst we stay in this world not taken out of it you will keep us from the evil but that you will cause us always to see Christ before us and that we might run the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith what blessings we have in him and in the gospel we cannot number them we are of twoo weak Minds in order to be able to grasp how vast are the treasures that are ours in Eternal Grace in the Lord Jesus Christ Lord speak to us through your word by your spirit Lord show us your truth bless us and be with us and lead us and guide us we thank you for your Mercies in all things Lord we pray for our Brethren wherever they may be today those gathered with us here those with us on the internet others who will watch the recording later others who will download the sermon others who are meeting in different parts of the world as the globe goes round Lord we thank you for each and every one of them we thank you for that Remnant that you have here in this Fallen World and our heavenly father we pray that as you put us into contact with people in the world around us Lord we pray that you would use it that you would give us the words to speak in the moment we pray that you would be pleased to pluck some as brands from the burning as your word says Lord we we pray that some might see the light of Truth in the gospel of grace that some might be brought to sense that the world that we see and feel and touch is just passing is just fleeting but that your kingdom that unseen kingdom is that which is eternal that which is solid that which is real Heavenly Father we pray that you would put into the hearts of some even this day a desire to seek the Lord while he may be found and if you cause them to cross our paths we pray that you would give us the words to speak to give that reason for the hope that is in us so we pray that you would gather with us this morning we pray that you would show us more of your truth from your word that you would feed our souls on that manner from Heaven which is our Lord Jesus Christ and that you would bless us together and all others who gather in this way to lift up Christ we pray for our Brethren the ones and twos that we know in this country the more that we know across the ocean we pray Lord that you would bless them that you'd be with them how we thank you for the resource we have how in our Wilderness separation you have been pleased to pour out Mana from Heaven to feed us in that Wilderness separation from this world so be with us we pray bless us and lead us and guide us for jesus' sake amen amen okay the reading is Hebrews chapter 10 starting at verse 22 and we'll read to the end of the chapter so Hebrews 10 starting at verse 22 let us draw near with a True Heart in full Assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering but he is faithful that promised let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to Good Works not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exalting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching for if we if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall Devour the adversaries he that despised Moses's law died without Mercy under two or three Witnesses of how much more sor punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who ha trodden underfoot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was Sanctified an Unholy thing and have done despite the grace the spirit of Grace for we know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompense sayeth the Lord and again the Lord shall judge his people it is a fearful Thing to Fall into the hands of the Living God but call to remembrance the former days in with in which after you were illuminated you endured a great fight of afflictions partly whilst you were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilst ye became Companions of them that were so used for you had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in yourselves that you have in Heaven a better and enduring substance cast not away therefore your confidence which ha great recompense of reward for you have need of patience that after you have done the will of God you might receive the promise for yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not t now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him we are not of them who draw back unto pedition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul let's pray to God dear Lord and gracious Heavenly Father we thank you that we can join together this morning that we can come into your presence to seek to to Worship You To Worship You in in spirit and truth Lord we pray that we would not take this this time lightly but we would come in all in all seriousness Lord being humbled coming into the presence of the Living God the the Creator and upholder of all things the one in whom Lord our our next breath lies Lord we pray that we would therefore come come humbly before you this morning seeking to hear of the Lord Jesus Christ Our Savior our King Lord that we would hear of the Gospel once again that Christ died for Sinners Lord that he would be lifted up before us that we would again be reminded of his Perfection of his beauty that Lord our sins if we are trusting In Christ Alone our sins are forgotten they've been completely removed past present and future oh Lord we pray that you would stir in us again that that passion for the gospel that fire inside for the truth that our hearts would desire it would desire the truth of your word Lord that we would receive it you would you would help us by your Holy Spirit give us hearts of Flesh to to receive your word Lord to listen and to understand Lord we thank you for it we pray that you would help us this morning to understand this this passage that we've read Lord that you would that you would help us such such powerful words words that that pierce our hearts that Lord enter into our minds and cause us to really really think carefully Lord that we would be found trusting in Christ alone that we would have no confidence in ourselves whatsoever that we would count everything about us as dung and Lord as and that we would count Christ as everything Lord we pray this would be the case for for each one of us Lord and Lord we do pray again for those who are on our hearts of our our families friends who those who do not know you Lord who may have heard but Lord still sleep or eyes have not been opened Lord that you would speak to them that you would you would draw them by your irresistible Grace Lord that they would not be able to ignore the gospel they would not be able to to live their lives without knowing you without finding out about the gospel for as we as we once were ourselves in darkness living Our Lives as we want but Lord then you come and by your grace you make it impossible for for that that to continue that we have to we have to seek and find all of your grace and your mercy all of your doing that we would seek you and have that need to know you have that need to understand and to see Christ Lord we do pray this for those in our hearts this morning Lord pray also for the younger the younger generation grow up in this world in the younger years Lord where they most likely have not even heard of of the Gospel or even the Bible Lord so little knowledge yet there seems to be a need or a recognition that there is more there must be more and there there are conversations with young people about about God and who you are Lord Lord I do pray for that that generation that they would be led to the gospel Lord having heard nothing they would see the sin around them the evil that happens every day Lord that they would seek more they would seek the truth and they would be led to the gospel and would hear Lord they would they would believe and there would be Lord preachers raised to to preach the gospel Lord that you would draw them that you would do a great and powerful work and Lord you would help us to to be ready to serve you to be ready to to go where you lead us and to be ready for to give a reason for the hope that's in US Lord just to speak the simple truth of Christ that he is he is everything he is my only hope Lord we do do thank you for the great privilege we have to to meet and to hear the gospel that we can listen to messages online whenever whenever we want Lord what a blessing that is we we pray that we would not take this lightly that we would be truly thankful for this and and that we would Lord listen as often as we can that we would be fed and that we would grow in knowledge and in Grace So Lord we do pray that you would do great things in these in these dark times that you would speak to Those whom you're calling that you would raise your people up and use us Lord to to spread the gospel in this area where you've placed us so Lord we do pray that you would help us now that you would come amongst us by your Holy Spirit help us to hear what you have to say to us this morning and Lord we would leave leave here rejoicing in Christ and in him alone in Jesus name we pray amen amen our next hymn is number 616 in gadsby Precious Jesus must it be is it thy all wise decree that afflictions must attend Zion to her journey end 6166 [Music] preious Jesus must it be it th wise decree that affli attend Z to Jour end yes affli is the Lord Earth is our SP where a milon evil SW all in with death and H [Music] and sorrow sins and W will the chrisan way oppose every day bring something you Z TR to R live your faith will still the reproaches of the L great riches than this can the sons on earth oh for Faith this choice to make and endure for you s the reproaches of his [Music] Crossing all [Music] things well we come back this week to Hebrews chapter 10 and uh it's probably the last time in Hebrews chapter 10 I want to look at the second half of it uh and I've entitled it God's Eternal promise held by faith faith is the key faith is the key this is all about as it says in verse um where is it verse 20 verse 20 a New and Living Way by a New and Living Way a New and Living Way where too to the kingdom of God to the eternity of God you see it isn't really new because it's from eternity this is the Eternal Covenant of Grace he talked about it in verse 16 the Covenant that he would make with his people so it isn't new but it's just new newly re revealed as the old testament which was not fundamentally different but actually a picture a prototype a pattern of that which would be fulfill fed in the gospel when Christ came and that is done away that is put away that is ended and this New and Living Way is revealed it's the it's the way of the New Testament the New Covenant in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ yet it has always been there from the very beginning the gospel that Adam and Eve believed in the Garden of Eden when they had been sent out of the Garden of Eden and God revealed to them the truth is this very same gospel it's the gospel that Abel believed when he brought his sacrificed lamb to God not because the lamb would save him from his sins but what the lamb pointed to the seed of the woman the promised seed of the woman the Lord Jesus Christ God our God become man to put right everything that Satan in the fall had made wrong with Adam and Eve and all of his race it's a New and Living Way a New and Living Way for God's people when I say his people I mean the elect that he's chosen oh that's very narrow you say that's so narrow no it's not because it's a multitude that no man can number when John looked in Revelation in Revelation uh was it s yes seven when he looked he counted the tribes on Earth 144,000 and then he looked in heaven and there was a multitude that no man can number of Jews no of every tribe and tongue and Kindred God has his people from eternity a multitude that no man can number yet in Adam all are sinners all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God so how are they going to come by that New and Living Way into the kingdom of God wherein there is no unrighteousness where nothing that defiles can be admitted to that Kingdom answer God has made a New and Living Way to justly bring those people in without not violating his Justice to bring those people in to qualify his people it says in the scriptures he has made his people meat fitting to be the citizens of his kingdom he's qualified US to enter and not only to enter but to abide eternally in His Holy Kingdom through how through the doing and the dying of his son of the doing and dying of God himself God in flesh for it was God that purchased his people from the curse of Sin from the curse of the law from the Justice Divine Justice offended God purchased them ransomed them from that how with his own blood god with his own blood how could God shed his blood God is Spirit ah God became man God became man that he is God and man in one glorious being might die to pay the price of justice for for the sins of his people to redeem when you redeem something you buy it back from a a captive situation to redeem from the curse of sin and he is our great high priest we there is such a gulf between Fallen man and holy God the two to the two there's a Chasm that is is impossible to cross except one mediate for us and he is our mediator there is one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus he mediates with God as an unredeemed sinner as a sinner bearing your sins without the blood of Christ having paid the penalty for those sins as an unredeemed sinner it says in verse 31 of our chapter that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God I've heard in the past arrogant men on the television thinking they're such great philosophers and they're speaking about their unbelief and they're saying when I when I get there if there is a God I'm going to tell him a thing or two about the way he's messed things up oh yes really oh yes you'll discover it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God it is when Christ returns in final judgment the scriptures tell us that people will be screaming out crying out to the mountains to fall on us and hide us from Divine Justice but if God's spirit if God's spirit gives you Faith gives you that sight of the soul to see that Christ's death was for me if he does that if he puts a a New Covenant verse 16 of our chapter this is the Covenant that I will make with them after those days sayth the Lord I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them if he gives you a new nature if you're born again of the spirit of God always always a born again Christian and it's gbly dismissed as nonsense no why what Spurgeon once uh told the story of a woman who used to keep saying to him at the end of his message you keep saying You must be born again why do you keep saying You must be born again she said Madam it's because you must be born again you must be born again of the spirit of God you who are dead in your trespasses and sins the spirit of God must come and give you a new person within a person after the a after the character of Our Lord Jesus Christ a new creation your sins washed away well if that's the case verse 22 let us draw near let us draw near with a true heart and in the full Assurance of what faith the sight of the soul in the full confidence based on what we see that the natural man cannot see but that which the spirit of God opens the eyes of the soul to see in the full Assurance of Faith seeing it seeing what seeing the gospel accomplished seeing all that Christ has accomplished seeing sins put away seeing death abolished seeing the doors of that Kingdom of Heaven opened wide let us draw near where they couldn't ever go they couldn't ever go to the picture which was the holiest of all in the temple of God in Jerusalem in the Old Testament days the high priest alone could go only once a year and only with exactly the right sacrifice as specified to picture that which Christ would accomplish but when Christ died on the cross that picture of the holiest of all which is heaven itself that picture which was the holiest of all in the temple in Jerusalem which was hidden behind a thick thick Veil that Veil when he died on the cross the gospels tell us that veil was torn from top to bottom the thing that barred the way for Sinners was torn from top to bottom why because Christ our high priest not the levitical high priest Christ our high priest went in and he didn't go with something that was just a picture but an ineffectual picture he went in with that which was totally effectual in purchasing the propitiation the Turning Away of the anger of God and that was his own precious blood and so we come with confidence and assurance and certainty and a solid hope you know we we talk in in uh human language of Hope as I hope it's not going to rain this afternoon though if the weather recently has been anything to go by the chances are it probably will we we hope in that sort of will it or won't it kind of way but the Hope in the scriptures the believer's hope is a confidence it's apprehended it's grasped apprehended you grasp it you possess it you make it your own and how is it apprehended Ed by Faith by that sight of the soul and it's maintained by faith it's not of yourselves it's the gift of God maintained by faith so I've got three points going on and holding fast from verse 23 then beware of complacent presumption and then persuaded of better things concerning you so verse 23 let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised what brought you if you are a Believer and if you have a hope of Eternity a Hope Of Heaven what was it that brought you out of your natural state of this world's darkness of knowing nothing of the things of the spirit of God what was it that brought you out of that into what the scriptures call The Marvelous Light of God's kingdom answer Ephesians chapter 2 you know it well verse 8 Ephesians chapter 2 vers 8 what was it that brought you out of that state of darkness and just condemnation Into The Marvelous Light of the kingdom of God verse 8 of Ephesians chapter 2 for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of Works lest any man should boast it's the grace of God it's the undeserved favor of God it's the grace of God based entire irely on the choice of God and God Alone who in eternity chose a multitude for his own glory to save them by Grace you are saved but how do you know about it how do you grasp it how how do you apprehend it how do you live in the light and the good of it in this life until you leave this life and go to that Kingdom how is it that that happens it's by faith it's by belief of the truth it's not of yourselves even that is not of yourselves it's not that some were good people and when when they were offered the same as everybody El oh these good ones they chose to to believe and these other ones these naughty people they chose not to believe it's by it's the gift of God God the Holy Spirit comes and gives that gift of faith so that it's not anything that you do because you know what we would do as sinful people what it says in verse 9 we would boast about it we would brag about how good we've been no it's grace through faith that brings us into that situation it's the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit the New Birth the new creation it's what it says in 2 Thessalonians when Paul is writing to the Thessalonians and in Chapter 2 and verse3 he's talked about those who reject the truth but then in verse 13 of chapter 2 of uh 2 Thessalonians he says but we are bound to give thanks always to God for you Brethren beloved of the Lord how does he know that they're beloved of the Lord he says because God ha from the beginning chosen you to Salvation how does he know that they've been chosen to Salvation ah he can see that it's through the sanctification of the spirit and their evident belief of the truth those things persuaded Paul that the Thessalonians were amongst the true people of God belief apprehended gospel truth Bel Bel you know they say have you apprehended um the the the the laws of motion in physics or something like that have you apprehended have you grasped it have you sort of captured it and it's it's coming no this is apprehending the gospel their belief apprehended gospel truth and they experienced the power of God's gospel you know Paul says uh to the Romans he's not ashamed of the gospel for it's the power of God It's The Sign of the those who are truly saved is that they believe the gospel of grace they believe it and if you believe it you rest on it I believe that if I sit on that chair over there I will not go crashing on the floor I believe in that chair I believe that it will support me I I am prepared to rest my whole weight upon it because I trust it that's the sort of thing it is to believe God and Mark 16: 16 says he that believes and is baptized shall be saved saved from just condemnation saved from that which God says he must do to sin the soul that sins it shall die but in the gospel of grace Christ has already died for his people look in John chapter 3 these are these are some of the the clearest verses you you know um from verse 14 as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness and we won't go into that now I've I've explained it many times before but he says in the same way even so must the son of man that's what he called himself more than anything else on Earth so must the son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish eternally in the Judgment but should have eternal life you see you know when when you weigh the value of words can you come across a set of words any more valuable than that that whosoever believeth in him should not perish eternally but have eternal life for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believe oh it doesn't include me it's only for the elect it says whosoever believeth in me how do you know it doesn't include you until you believe it or until you reject it whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Verse 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned what if if I I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and when it comes to that day of judgment I am not condemned that's exactly what it says but he that believeth not is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God and verse 36 of the same chapter he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the son shall not see life but the wroth the anger the fury of God abideth on him he a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God faith or belief is not the work that you do that accomplishes salvation for you rather it's the evidence of the work of God's spirit within you because you are saved because you are amongst the elect multitude of God you are redeemed from the curse of the law you are quickened make Made Alive you are Pres reserved for eternity by God the gospel is as I've said the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes in Romans 3:26 it says he is the justifier don't you job asked the question how should a man be just with God God is the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus in John chapter 9 when Jesus healed the man who was born blind and and and he got into all sorts of trouble with the Jews and the Pharisees and they kicked him out of the synagogue and Jesus found him and he said to him do you believe on the Son of God and he said I don't know who he is Lord but show me who he is and Jesus said it's me speaking to you now and he believed to the saving of his soul belief is the evidence that you're Redeemed by the blood of Christ it's the evidence of Salvation you believe because you are one of God's sheep not the other way around that's exactly what Jesus said to the Pharisees he said you believe not because you are not of my sheep he didn't say you're not of my sheep because you haven't decided to believe he said you believe not because you are not of my sheep it is God who is Sovereign over all these things so going back to 2 Thessalonians and chapter 2 uh verse 14 says he said how confident he is that they're the Lords he says where unto the the the belief of the truth the gospel where unto he called you by Our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ he gets all the glory therefore Brethren Stand Fast don't move away from it stand fast hold the Traditions which you have been taught whether by word spoken directly to you or by reading our epistle hold fast and that's exactly what it says in verse 23 of Hebrews 10 hold fast the profession of our faith carry on in this life as you began with Christ did you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and know the blessings of the Assurance the full Assurance of faith of Salvation that you have a home in glory land that outshines the Sun that that is your Eternal Destiny well keep on believing that keep on Paul writes to the Galatians how did you start by The Spirit Well why are you trying to go off some way as you started carry on keep going just as you began the goal of Faith what is the goal of Faith what is the objective of Faith look at verse 36 you have need of patience that after you have done the will of God you might receive the promise you might receive the what is the promise it's the inheritance it's the Eternal inheritance in the kingdom of God Come Ye blessed of my father inherit that which the The Inheritance come into the inheritance which was prepared for you from the foundation of the world attain the prize of citizenship in God's Eternal Kingdom of bliss and without wavering have your eyes fixed on the goal if you turn over a page or so into Hebrews 12 see we Hebrews 11 is all about the the gallery of Faith people that have believed and he said we're encompassed about by this great cloud of witnesses witnessing to the truth of it and uh there's a sin of unbelief which so easily besets us but let us run with patience the race set before us how verse two looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith he's the author of our faith and he's the finisher of our faith and let us consider one another let us cons verse 24 let us consider one another let us be aware of one another as Believers as fellow believers to provoke to encourage is what that means it doesn't mean to go as with a legalistic goding and prodding as so many churches soal seem to like to do but to provoke by example lead by example provoke one another to love and good works not assem not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exalting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching we need to encourage one another as Believers by example and by practice because as the words of wisdom in the Old Testament say in Ecclesiastes 4 verse 9 it says this these are these are words of wisdom that you can apply to many situations but it certainly applies to this race of Faith running the race before us that together in fellowship with the benefits of Fellowship the blessing the warmth of Fellowship the encouragement the mutual encouragement two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor for if they fall the one will lift up his fellow but woe to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him up again if two lie together then they have heat but how can one be warm alone and if one Prevail against him two shall withstand him and a three c a threefold cord is not quickly broken very simple wise words about the need for Fellowship We need regular Fellowship we need to meet together we need to meet for worship we need to share the experiences of faith we need to ex we need to sense one another's needs for prayer between ourselves and if not physically face to face as it is for so many especially in this country in these days with so there's been such an a WID scale abandonment of the true gospel in the traditional churches of this country which was so much a pillar and ground of the truth the way that God bless this country in hundreds of years gone by but today you would say it's a complete Barren desert apart from just ones and twos in Wilderness separation from this world if we can't physically meet together which many of us really cannot then by internet conss just say hello to one another um I'm not I'm going to name her because I know she's watching now and she'll be embarrassed if I do but at the end of the service nearly every Sunday I get a little SMS text message and it's a little yellow hand shaking you know don't you it's a little yellow hand shaking and honestly it's as if you were in this room shaking my hand now do that to one another all of us just say hello doesn't need to be a great long epistle just say hello to one another visit when you can visit by email visit by a FaceTime face to face uh good friend of mine up in the north of England we regularly we regularly get together in the same room no we're not we're 300 miles apart how do we do it we use FaceTime and it's as if for half an hour we're chatting away in the same room online sermons are very good we've got a rich rich resource but we need as much contact with other believers as possible and we don't we don't make this a legalistic work as I've said so many do and enforce it with discipline and judgment no the emphasis is on Mutual encouragement what is the work that we must do the Pharisees asked Jesus he said this is the work of God that you believe on the one whom he has sent but at the same time beware of complacent presumption in verses 26-31 we have a warning against complacent presumption you see the scriptures balance two things they balance encouragement to preserve true Saints from fear that they're not the Lords they're going to be lost so there there's lots of encouragement not to give up and and and abandon the the the gospel uh because you fear being lost but that's balanced against that encouragement is balanced against warning to deter those who are mere professors of Christian faith from presuming on God's favor true Saints persevere verse 23 for he is faithful that promised true Saints persevere for God keeps his people Jesus said God will the father will keep his people no one is greater than God the Father no one can pluck the people of God out of the hands of God the Father we were told in Philippians by the Apostle Paul to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling why why it's a big big task isn't it because it's God that works in you both to Will and to do of his good pleasure and what is the will of God that of all that he has given to the Lord Jesus Christ not one should be lost but all should arrive in that Eternal kingdom of God he who began a good work in you says Philippians 1:6 he who began a good work in you will complete it the author and finisher of our faith but here is a warning in these verses against unbelief it says look in verse 26 if we sin willfully oh I know whenever I sin it's only completely accidental I never sin willfully you really deluding yourself with that idea of course we sin willfully we sin willfully all the time all of our sin is a willful Choice all of it is what's it talking about then it cannot be that it cannot be that what is it the sinning willfully that's being spoken of here must be the sin of unbelief sinning willfully is deliberately on purpose disbelieving after that we have receive the knowledge of the truth sinning willfully is disbelieving after we have received receive the knowledge of the truth like in Psalm 73 the psalmist says it I was in a dangerous position my feet had well nigh slipped I came close to disbelief I came close to walking out on God's promise the parable of the sewer casts light on this you know it's in three of the gospels Jesus taught the sewer went out to sew his seed on the ground and some fell by the wayside the track and others on ston ground and others in ground that had thorns and thistles and other on good ground the ground is the spectrum of humanity and the seed is the word of God Jesus explains it like that it's perfectly clear some like the majority of humanity it would appear is like the word of God Landing just on the hard track doesn't even get anywhere near going into the ground and before it's before it's found a way to to take root the birds of the air come down what are the birds of the air spiritually we talk we we read about satanic Powers the the the kingdom the the powers of the the the kingdom of darkness the these these these Fallen Angel spirits that are all around seeking to pluck that sown word of God it's by the foolishness of preaching it pleased God to save those who believe but Satan's purpose is to try to pluck that good word away before people believe it but then there's the Stony and the thorny ground oh yes it gets in there and it germinates and there's a little root and you see a Shute coming up and there's an initial good show of seemingly true Faith but through carelessness through neglect of Fellowship through stagnation without growth in Grace and knowledge they prove to be false it proves to be unbelief it was unbelief you remember Hebrews 3:19 that kept the Israelites out of the promised land they could not enter in why could they not enter in it says because of unbelief and they died without Mercy in verse 28 he that despised Moses law which was a gospel picture died without Mercy under two or three Witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden Under Foot the Son of God and have counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was Sanctified wherewith he claimed professed to be Sanctified an Unholy thing and a th despite to the spirit of Grace having tasted tasted only not ided tasted the goodness of God's truth to treat it with indifferent contempt is punishment is is condemnation from God but you Believers yes there's a warning there you see we go on how do we go on to that glorious kingdom of God is by faith looking unto Jesus looking unto Jesus by faith clinging on to faith standing fast in the faith Stand Fast in the profession of our faith but there are those who having made a show prove to be nothing other than just a to show or pray for our Brethren that none of us counted amongst that number but he says he's persuaded better things in chapter six which is the other chapter which gives severe warnings about unbelief in chapter 6 of this epistle in verse 9 he says he says how how serious it is to Fall Away in unbelief but verse n but beloved we are persuaded better things of you and things that accomplish salvation though we thus speak though we give you this warning we're persuaded better things and so it is in these verses here in towards the end of the chapter from from verse the 31 onwards down to verse 32 onwards down to the end look at verses 38 and 39 the just the Justified one shall live by faith shall live by their faith looking unto Jesus but If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him is what God says but we are not of them who draw back un predition unto lostness Eternal lostness but of them that believe to the saving of the soul and he's going to go on in chapter 11 the whole chapter is about Old Testament sens who lived this life in sinful flesh not looking back at an accomplished gospel but looking forward to the promis through the types given but they lived in this flesh in this sinful flesh in the face of Trials how did they live by gospel Faith they lived patiently waiting God's time to enter eternity and in spite of fleshly weakness and in spite of black slidings to which we're all prone and despite of sin even the willful sin that we do they persevered in faith they were not Stony ground Believers Stony ground professors I should say thorny ground professors the Stony ground no depth of root the thorny ground they seem to grow well but the thorns and the thistles what's that it's the cares and the things of this world seducing away from the truth of God in Christ but good Grand Believers is what they prove to be fruitful belever Believers what about you verse 32 call to remembrance the former days in which after you were illuminated you endured a great fight of afflictions how did you start on the road you heard the gospel of grace your soul was needy your soul was made aware of sin you repented of that sin and you saw in the Lord Jesus Christ there was the Glorious remedy there was the answer and you believed the Lord Jesus Christ that that was the illumination that you had from God right at the start but you had Affliction from the world because in believing that you immediately found yourself on a different wavelength to the rest of the world and the world in varying degrees a was alienated from you and the world in various degrees hated you for believing that thing what did they hate you for for trusting in gentle Jesus me M no well he was a nice man you can believe in him if you want to but I'm not going to fall out with you no I'll tell you what they hated you for because it's not of him that willth nor of him that runneth but of God that shows mercy and God in Sovereign Grace chose a people for his own glory and that's it that's what the world and especially the religious world hates of the true Christian Gospel but you evidence true Faith he says and in verse 30 4 he said well verse 33 you were made a gazing stock You by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilst you became Companions of them that were so used you had Fellowship in those sufferings with other believers and you had compassion on me he says I'm sure this is Paul that was writing in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods you you you weren't laying up treasure here on Earth but in heaven knowing in yourselves ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance cast not therefore away your confidence which hath great recompense of reward for you have need of patience that after you have done the will of God what is the will of God in believing what is the will of God this is the will of God I'll summarize it I've I've got some points in my margin you repent of your sin you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and all that he has done you forsake this world yes you live in it but you don't live of it you're not part of it you don't think like it you leave nominal religion and those who preach that nominal religion and you seek the Lord's face and you wait and you endure for when he takes you to his eternal Kingdom and in the process you resist sin and you keep going that's the will of God for his people that you might receive the promise for yet a little while yet a little while seems to go on and on and on doesn't it it's a time times and half a time you you read that in Revelation a time seems like a long time and then times seems twice as long for a long time and then half a time and it ends for a little while and he shall come and will not t now then this is quoted three times in the scripture at least might be more the just the Justified one the one made just before God shall live by faith shall live his life by faith shall live his life with with patience with patience content to wait on God content to believe nothing other than the gospel of his grace because if we do and if these Hebrews were tempted to go back to the Old Testament pictures to make Christ secondary to what they really wanted to do Galatians is so clear if you do those things Christ will be of no effect to you he will profit you nothing the go gospel unmixed alone has great recompense of reward is what it says here verse 35 the gospel alone and unmixed has great recompense of reward don't dilute it don't mix it with anything or else Christ will profit you nothing how severe was Paul's condemnation of the Galatians who were inclined to mix gospel Grace with legal works so then verse 36 you have need of patience to wait on God doing his will what's that believing his son the just shall live by faith believing his son for the promise is certain and how long should I keep on doing it keep on living by faith I am crucified with Christ said Paul in Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ I'm killed with Christ that which the Lord demands of me because of my sin is accomplished in Christ I am died with Christ I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me I live but not I but Christ lives in me don't draw back to ption to a state of being lost for eternity Go On Believing living by faith to the saving of the Soul just as those that we're going to see in the next chapter 11 numerous clear examples from the Old Testament era of those whose Faith was focused on Christ yes I know he hadn't come in the flesh then that they could see him by faith he was revealed to their souls the promised seed of the woman and resting in him they lived by faith until they were taken to That Glory until they possessed that promise amen you can [Music] do okay right we're going to sing our closing himym which is number 779 just two verses but a tune that we're not that familiar with so Sam going to play it through twice [Music] sorry sorry [Music] wa okay impant from will prove root when will Spring a tree of Love producing precious fruit the que the B face the roest o remain these May languish fruit decreas but most shall grow again happy soul to to Christ by pure and Living Faith finding him the king and priest the God and guide till God on May his sons sress not sub Christ who coner for us once will US coner to oh very good we got there good H let's pray Heavenly Father we thank you for for your mercies and goodness bless your gospel Grace and Truth to us we pray cause your word to go and accomplish the purpose for which you send it may this be a day of gospel fruit May some be called out of Darkness into your Marvelous Light we pray for Jesus sake amen amen well as I will say been good to have you with us and uh we look forward to the next time it's