Sight of Faith
Notes
Transcript
As we bring to closure our study of Faith I would like to look at the Sight of our Faith or rather when our Faith becomes sight.
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
We find that of all the heroes of faith mentioned not one of them lived to see the fulfillment of the promises given to them. However, as we look back upon their lives and promises we can see than each promise was fulfilled.
God has used each of the individuals as a model for us to live and commended their faith yet contrary to expectation the fulfilment didn’t come in their lifetime and they were not permitted to receive the fulness of the reward faith in this life.
Ultimately the promise was fulfilled in Jesus and like the saints of old we live by faith.
In the Old Testament the promise wouldn’t be fulfilled until the time of Jesus. For the New Testament believer our promise has already been fulfilled yet the visual, physical sight of our faith will not be fulfilled until His return.
The something better that is mentioned in verse 40 is Salvation.
I would ask you this morning how much do you value your salvation? Is it more precious to you than lands, possessions, and wealth? The Bible clearly states that our salvation is even greater than Canaan and the wealth thereof.
We receive the greater gift by being included with them through perfection made in Christ.
I. Maker of Sight
I. Maker of Sight
Faith! What is Faith? We can answer this question by saying that it is complete assurance in the power or ability to accomplish a task, or the assurance of completion. Jesus is our assurance for within Him is all power in Heaven and Earth.
1. Our sight in this present world.
1. Our sight in this present world.
Jesus is our sight in this present world. John 1:1 tells us that Jesus is the Word of God. Psalms 119: 105 says that “thy Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths.”
Is your life cloudy and dim? Are you searching for answers but can’t seem to find the correct path? Are you needing to find your way through life’s valley?
Go to Gods Word. We find direction for all of life’s questions when we exalt His Word in our life.
There is no problem we can face, no depth of human rationing, no impossible circumstance that we can not find help in the Word of God.
2. He will be our sight in eternity.
2. He will be our sight in eternity.
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
If you go downtown Atlanta in the middle of the night and look up into the cosmos. You may see a few stars and the beauty they behold. But if you go to the remote parts of the world, where there is no light pollution you can look up into the same heaven and see more stars than you ever imagined.
The problem is not that the stars have left but rather our sight has been hindered.
One day we will live in a place where the pollution of this world will no longer effect our outlook and vision but Jesus Himself will be our light and we will see from a heavenly perspective.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
There will come a day for the child of God that we will close our eyes in death. The very next time we open our eyes we will be in the splendor of heaven were Jesus is the Light.
For the first time we will see without the pollution of sin.
What a glorious day that will be.
II. Miracle of Sight
II. Miracle of Sight
I would like to take a moment and look at the miracle of sight.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
1. What are sight should be.
1. What are sight should be.
“Pray on, when rough and dark your pathway, and you can not see the light; When every spark and hope has vanished, and bright day has turned to night. Pray on, for God doth surely hear you, noting well each sad request; Pray then in faith, truly believing that He always gives what’s best. “Adam Baum
Matthew tells us that Jesus is a giver of sight. However, 2 Corinthians informs us that we walk by faith and not by sight.
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
The truth is that we should have no sight. Just as the world is completely blinded by sin the christian is deserving of darkness.
The fact that God has opened our eyes to the truth of His Word is as great a miracle as raising the lame.
Do you remember what it was like to read God’s Word before becoming a child of God? I remember reading but the words having no impact upon my life. The words were there but their was a disconnect between them and my heart.
After salvation Gods Word became live and my eyes were opened to the mysteries contained within.
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
For the child of God there is a light within that is unexplainable to the unbeliever.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
2. What our sight will be.
2. What our sight will be.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
It will be beyond what we can imagine.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
It will allow us to see Him as He is.
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
This may seem like a contradiction but we can find understanding when we look at the full context.
No man can see God in His fulness and live.
There will be a day when we are no longer confined to the limitations of this mortal body and instead we will place on immortality.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
III. Moment of sight
III. Moment of sight
There are four moments that we must look at.
1. The moment of mans fall.
1. The moment of mans fall.
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
This was the moment when mans eyes were opened to good and evil.
Prior to this moment Adam and Eve did not have the conscious ability to determine wrong from right.
2. The moment of conviction.
2. The moment of conviction.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Our eyes are opened to our lost condition and sinful state when the Holy Spirit opens our eyes.
3. The moment of salvation.
3. The moment of salvation.
The first moment of sight is a spiritual recognition of Him.
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
When we accept the Lord as our Saviour there is a spiritual opening of our eyes.
Sin will bother us in a manner never seen before.
No longer will it be just the cost of sin but there will be shame of sin that haunts the believer.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
4. The moment of glorification.
4. The moment of glorification.
The finality of our sight and faith will be when we are resurrected with Him in life.
This will be the moment when our eyes will open for the last time. There will be no more death, or night. Forever Jesus will be the light that will illuminate Heaven and all that are there.
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Do you know Jesus?
Are you ready to meet Him?
If you closed your eyes in death today are you prepared to meet your God?
Friend, it does not matter how religious you are, how good you are, if you have fed the poor and cared for the needy.
When you stand before Him you only hope will be in the blood of Calvary.
Will you make preparation today to stand before Him?
I plead with you, I beg of you, do not turn Him away.
Open your heart, confess your sins, and turn to Jesus.