An Obedient Faith

Communion:

Communion is a sacred sacrament that we get to partake of together. Where we are reminded of the goodness and glory of God. That He would not leave mankind in the wallows of their sin, but send His beloved Son to redeem and ransom those who would believe. God would send His son to die for our sins, our iniquities.

Isaiah 53:5 NKJV

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

When we have an opportunity to take communion together we are remembering how much God loves us!

Communion was ordained by Jesus the night before His crucification.

Luke 22:19 NKJV

19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Communion is for the church to partake together, to remember Him. What are we remembering? The price Jesus endured for the forgiveness of sins. The bread representing His body which was wounded, bruised, chastised, wiped, and beaten for us. The cup represents the blood His blood.

This is part of what John remembers in:

1 John 1:3–7 NKJV

3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

The purpose of communion is to nourish our souls. Christ means for us to eat in faith and to ultimately find our nourishment and satisfaction in life with Christ Himself.

[Communion]

[Bread]

[Cup]

Hebrews 11:30-31: An Obedient Faith

Introduction:

As we have been studying through Hebrews 11 we are aware that faith and fear are not mutually exclusive. Meaning they often coexist together, side by side. The issue isn’t whether or not you have fear, but whether faith overcomes your fear.

Throughout scripture we are given many examples of this and this morning we are going to see two: the fall of Jericho and the risky actions of Rahab. In both cases obedience has victory over the obstacles. Proving their faith in God by submitting to Him. These examples that are set before us this morning are to commend the quality of an obedient faith. If we are to truly trust God the fear in our lives will be crushed.

Jericho: Joshua led God’s people to trust God in the face of an otherwise impregnable enemy.

Rahab: She trusted God in the face of tremendous risk to both herself and her family.

In both of these stories, faith triumphs over fear.

Saving Faith is Impressive:

Hebrews 11:30 NKJV

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.

This verse highlights our first point this morning. As in the previous two verses, the situation confronting Joshua and the children of Israel was improbable, if not humanly impossible, which makes what happened there all the more impressive:

Background:

I found it fascinating that our author has been giving us example of faith in increments of forty years.

vv. 23-26) The first forty years of Moses’ life.

v. 27) The second forty years covering Moses’ time in Midian being a shepherd.

vv. 28-29) Commences the third and final, forty years of Moses’ life starting with the passover and the crossing of the Red Sea.

v. 30) There is a noticeable forty year time span between those events (passover and red sea crossing) and the fall of Jericho.

For us this morning the number forty isn’t what we should be focusing on, but the number does seem to imply testing. Jesus in the wilderness etc…

But rather we should note that the forty years between the Red Sea event and the fall of Jericho was a time of infamous unfaithfulness on the part of the nation of Israel.

Their unfaithfulness would lead them to wander through the wilderness for forty years killing off the older generation. Praise God, this was not the end of the story, for a new generation arose, which did believe God.

Joshua led the children of apostate parents to a most wonderful obedience. In a sense this is one of the most encouraging aspects of the story.

Joshua 6:1 NKJV

1 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in.

Word had spread that Israel, the people of God, were a people to be reckoned with. Having some military victories and they were considered a threat. God had promised this city to Joshua:

Joshua 6:2 NKJV

2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.

No this was quite a promise, and Joshua took God at His word. Yet how this victory was to come about would be incredible.

Basically, the Lord promised that Jericho, a city surrounded by walls that were thick enough that two chariots could ride side by side on top, was going to be toppled by a marching band with a trumpet blowing priests and a lot of shouting!

Nothing sounds more foolish than for grown men to march round a strong fortress for seven days on end, led by seven priests blowing ram’s horns.

Try to picture the enormity of this walk of faith. God told Joshua that the people were to march around the city once a day for six days. Soldiers would lead the way, followed by seven priest with the ram horn. They would be followed by those carrying the Ark of the Covenant, who would in turn be followed by the people. More soldiers were placed in the rear. The people were to do so in absolute silence. That’s it.

On the seventh, day they were to march around the city seven times. At some point, the priests would give a loud blast on the horn, at which time the people were to shout loudly, whereupon the Lord would topple the walls. The fighting men would go into the city and conquer it.

I think it is accurate to surmise that the children of Israel may have had some fears about such an endeavor.

Family, we sometimes find ourselves confronted with such fears, particularly with the fear of man. No one likes to be ridiculed; we like certainty and when we are confronted with God’s Word exhorting us to strange means to a promised end, we may be tempted to hesitate.

How likely does it seem, humanly speaking, that the Great Commission will succeed in the face of our culture? Yet we preserve because we are commanded to do so and encouraged by Christ’s certain presence with us.

Before we leave this, let’s be resolved to receive God’s Word and to believe it as we give Him all the glory. The reason that I titled this verse “saving faith is impressive” is because God truly is impressive. And for each of us God is doing a work that is truly impressive.

Because God is the only being capable of doing the impossible.

Saving Faith is Inclusive:

Hebrews 11:31 NKJV

31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

As our author comes to the end of the historical biographies of faith, it is significant with whom he concludes with. Keep in mind that he is writing to Hebrews, and yet he concludes with a gentile woman, a true outcast. And this should be really good news for all of us.

There arose a daily prayer among the Hebrews that went like this, “Lord, I thank you that I am neither a Gentile nor a woman.” Of course, to be a prostitute was looked upon, rightly, as a terrible profession. So mentioning Rehab at this point would have raised some eyebrows.

When the Hebrew spies came to assess Jericho before the invasion, they found lodging in the home of Rahab.

Joshua 2 reveals that Rahab received and showed hospitality to them by faith. She said to the men:

Joshua 2:9–11 NKJV

9 and said to the men: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

This is a women who heard the news of what God was doing and humbled herself to it and would be willing submit to the God of the Hebrews. Willing to risk it all for Him. What a contrast between Pharoah and this prostitute. Both heard were confronted with God, Pharoah experiencing the plagues and Rehab only heard of what God was doing.

This highlights once again the different responses to the gospel. To some, it brings life, and to others, it brings death:

2 Corinthians 2:14–17 NKJV

14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

Rahab was clearly included in God’s plan of redemption. The spies made a deal with her too. Rahab knew full well that Jericho was ripe for judgement and that judgement was just around the corner. She believed in God’s Word. And in return for keeping them safe and keeping their secret, she pleaded that the spies spare her life and those of her family member.

She needed to put a scarlet rope outsider her window to identify her home. Which she did immediately. By displaying it publicly, she had chosen who she was siding with. And began to identify with her new people.

Rehab lacked the religious identity and moral integrity of so many of the heroes of this chapter. She put her faith in God and was delivered.

Rehab’s behavior was countercultural. The gospel works this way too.

Baptism:

This morning we get to celebrate men and women who have commited themselves to live for our God and king. These individuals have placed their hope and faith in Jesus Christ, and this morning they are going to share with you that hope.

I do not know your background or where you are this morning. But what I do know is that God is good. Rehab was excepted into the family of God… And if you trust in God’s promises, you too can be adopted into the family of God.

We are bombarded daily with this idea or notion that Christianity is irrational, however considering God’s track recorded there isn’t anything more rational.

Gospel:

God the Righteous Creator

God the Creator

God the Holy and Righteous One

Man the Sinner

What Went Wrong (Adam and Eve)

Not Just them but Us

Romans 3:23 NKJV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Isaiah 59:2 NKJV

2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.

Romans 6:23a (NKJV)

23 For the wages of sin is death,

Jesus Christ the Savior

Fully God and Man

Cross and Resurrection

Response—Faith and Repentance

Faith:

Repentance:

Both of this come through believing and confessing Jesus is Lord.

The Kingdom

This morning would you like to give your life to Christ and ask Him to be the Lord of your life?

Baby Dedication:

The bible teaches us the importance of dedication our children to the Lord.

Psalm 127:3–5 NKJV

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. 5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Matthew 19:13–15 NKJV

13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

They are declaring their intention before our church. It is our job to come alongside and help when appropriate, and to consistently pray for the children and parents that God might be glorified through them.

I would like to ask you both a very serious question: Are you willing to aim your children toward Jesus Christ consistently? Leading by example as well as by what you say? And allowing the Lord to lead your family?

Prayer: Lord be humbly come before you and ask that you would save baby Michael and Hagen. We also praise your great name for allowing Jayda-Lynn to see your wonderful salvation at such a young age. We pray they would be obedient to their callings and would glorify you in all that they do. Father we pray for John and Stephanie that they might be given grace and mercy as they raise these beautiful kids for your glory. Give them strength, wisdom, guidance, and your love today and everyday here to eternity. Praise you God and to you alone be the glory.