WEBVTT 00:00:01.332 --> 00:00:02.000 Good morning. 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:05.000 How's everyone today? 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:06.200 You sound great. 00:00:06.200 --> 00:00:08.132 It's good to have you here anyway. 00:00:08.132 --> 00:00:12.000 We've been going through a series this summer on Walk by Faith. 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:13.566 That's our theme for the year. 00:00:13.566 --> 00:00:15.599 This is our last week in that series. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:17.365 So if you stick around to the very end. 00:00:17.365 --> 00:00:20.399 I'll tell you what we're going to go into next week. 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:23.432 But it's been a great summer of focusing on that theme. 00:00:23.432 --> 00:00:34.865 We've had a number of different folks, both from within and without, who are presenting, and this morning I'm very excited to to have our speaker today who you've seen up here a number of times. 00:00:34.865 --> 00:00:39.865 You've seen him leading us in worship, you've seen him on the keys and on the guitar. 00:00:39.865 --> 00:00:42.200 But if you would., go ahead, welcome up McCoy. 00:00:56.665 --> 00:01:00.332 Well, good morning, Valley View. 00:01:00.332 --> 00:01:05.533 First want to say, wow, it's a huge honor to be speaking to you this morning. 00:01:05.533 --> 00:01:09.632 It's been a dream of mine for many years to preach here. 00:01:09.632 --> 00:01:19.599 I've been going here since 2021, when I was right out of high school, when I had no idea what I was doing with my life, and I was just going into college at Boyce. 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:36.132 And in that time, since I have went and graduated from college just this past May, and I'm starting an exciting new job at Beth Haven Christian School tomorrow, and perhaps like the most life changing thing. 00:01:37.033 --> 00:01:41.599 The most life changing thing God has done for me this year is that last month I was engaged. 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:46.066 Well, I guess two months ago now I was engaged to my lovely fiancée, Sophia. 00:01:51.266 --> 00:01:51.965 So. 00:01:51.965 --> 00:01:53.533 But I just want to be. 00:01:53.533 --> 00:01:58.266 I'm very thankful for the staff for giving me this opportunity to preach this morning, and. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:02.200 It's just an honor to share the word. 00:02:02.200 --> 00:02:03.433 It's an honor to share the word. 00:02:03.433 --> 00:02:14.000 And so if you want to open up your Bible this morning to Hebrews chapter 11, and while you're turning there, I want to tell you a little bit of a story. 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:18.199 And this story is about something that's very near and dear to my heart. 00:02:18.199 --> 00:02:19.000 Music. 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:28.233 So the year is 1962, and 1962 was a time when now I was obviously wasn't alive. 00:02:28.233 --> 00:02:34.566 I think you can probably tell that, but it was a time when rock and roll was kind of the exciting new thing. 00:02:34.566 --> 00:02:46.233 And, you know, Elvis Presley in the 50s kind of helped usher in this new era of music, and a lot of bands were looking to emulate that success in their pursuit of stardom. 00:02:46.233 --> 00:03:01.332 And so there was one particular band that was whose manager was looking every single day for new for a label to sign this band, because he believed that they had the ability to break through and become a one of the biggest bands in the world. 00:03:01.332 --> 00:03:06.866 And apparently the manager at Decca Records didn't think so because he said something crazy. 00:03:06.866 --> 00:03:12.332 He said, and I quote, guitar groups are on the way out. 00:03:13.633 --> 00:03:16.133 In 1962. 00:03:16.133 --> 00:03:17.332 Guitar groups are on the way out. 00:03:17.332 --> 00:03:23.966 If you think guitar groups are on the way out in 1962, wait till you get a load of what's happened in the 70s, the 80s and 90s and 2000. 00:03:23.966 --> 00:03:26.966 It was just getting started back then. 00:03:27.332 --> 00:03:38.332 But he also said the band was bland and had no future in show business, no future in show business, and guitar groups are on the way out. 00:03:38.332 --> 00:03:42.566 But these guys were they were like other rock bands at the time. They played guitar. 00:03:42.566 --> 00:03:43.665 They were really, really good. 00:03:43.665 --> 00:03:49.000 They were a bunch of young guys, but they had an edge. 00:03:49.000 --> 00:03:56.599 They were willing to experiment with their sound, and I guess some people in the industry didn't want to take the risk on that. 00:03:56.599 --> 00:04:03.032 They didn't want to to take the risk and maybe have people not like them for experimenting with their sound. 00:04:03.032 --> 00:04:13.599 But one label did sign them later that year, and shortly into their career, they became a massive success, selling tens of millions and of records in that day in that decade alone. 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:20.565 And that doesn't even include all of the young chaps like myself who still love their music decades later. 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:25.266 And you may know what this band does. 00:04:25.333 --> 00:04:29.333 The band is the Beatles, maybe the most famous band. 00:04:29.333 --> 00:04:32.800 Most of you probably knew that, but they're the most famous band in all of history. 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:39.233 They'd go on to pioneer a new sounds and blazed the trails for pop and rock music for decades. 00:04:39.233 --> 00:04:52.632 Complex structures, concept albums, guitar feedback and music and even a couple of new would not have existed if somebody had not taken a risk on them to allow them to pioneer a new style. 00:04:53.333 --> 00:05:02.865 You see, sometimes people that are most significant in the world are the people who are willing to go into uncharted territory and become a pioneer of something new. 00:05:03.432 --> 00:05:12.966 And we're going to talk about a man named Abraham who went into to uncharted territory and pioneered a new kind of faith that hadn't been demonstrated yet. 00:05:12.966 --> 00:05:18.766 So if you have your Bible open to Hebrews chapter 11, we'll read starting with verse eight. 00:05:18.766 --> 00:05:19.932 Here's what it says. 00:05:21.065 --> 00:05:30.466 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance, and he went out not knowing where he was going. 00:05:30.466 --> 00:05:39.399 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 00:05:39.399 --> 00:05:46.800 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 00:05:47.065 --> 00:06:07.100 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive even when she was past the age, said she considered him faithful, who had promised therefore, from one man, and him as good as dead were born descendants, as many as the stars of heaven, and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. 00:06:07.100 --> 00:06:14.533 If you remember, last week Jeff Prosser spoke, and he did an excellent job opening up the first couple of verses here and talking about the definition of faith. 00:06:14.533 --> 00:06:17.766 We learned it's the substance of things hoped for. 00:06:17.766 --> 00:06:20.432 It's the evidence of of things unseen. 00:06:20.432 --> 00:06:26.432 Now, I don't know if that's like a dictionary definition of the word, but it is a description of what faith it is. 00:06:26.432 --> 00:06:28.399 It is the substance of things hoped for. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:30.033 It is the evidence of things unseen. 00:06:30.033 --> 00:06:36.665 It's trusting in something, even when you don't have all of the necessary knowledge to accept it. 00:06:36.665 --> 00:06:44.065 And I don't think that's any more clear that definition of faith than it is with Abraham. 00:06:44.065 --> 00:06:55.733 And so the author goes on in Hebrews 11, and he talks about Abel, and he talks about Enoch, and he talks about Noah, but then he talks about Abraham, and he actually brings up two different scenarios with Abraham. 00:06:55.733 --> 00:06:59.766 Abraham is the only person that he brings up twice in this chapter. 00:06:59.766 --> 00:07:07.199 And we read about him because he's such a significant character in Scripture. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:10.132 He's brought up over and over and over again. 00:07:10.132 --> 00:07:25.632 And one really helpful tip that I suggest to you when you read the New Testament is that whenever you find a passage where they reference or quote the Old Testament, you should go back and at least skim or hopefully maybe read a little bit of what that is talking about. 00:07:25.632 --> 00:07:33.565 Now, the problem is that if you do this in the book of Hebrews, if you've noticed so far, then it will take you about three years to finish the book. 00:07:34.533 --> 00:07:39.966 Because the author of Hebrews was fond of quoting the Old Testament. 00:07:39.966 --> 00:07:42.600 In fact, I used to have a journaling Bible. 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:52.466 I hopefully still have it, but I would highlight every time in the New Testament where the the author quoted the Old Testament in blue. 00:07:52.466 --> 00:07:54.632 Now you go through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 00:07:54.632 --> 00:07:55.600 There's some blue there. 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:58.132 And then you turn to the book of Romans and it's like all blue. 00:07:58.132 --> 00:07:59.333 Everything is blue. 00:07:59.333 --> 00:08:00.833 Everything in Galatians is blue. 00:08:00.833 --> 00:08:02.932 Everything in Hebrews is blue. 00:08:02.932 --> 00:08:06.399 Because these guys were engaging in some serious plagiarism. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:12.365 I mean, like, not to accuse the authors of scripture, not. 00:08:12.365 --> 00:08:18.399 The great thing about it is, is that the Holy Spirit is really the author of Scripture, so he can't plagiarize himself, you see. 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:22.565 But that's why a lot of people think that Paul is the author of Hebrews. 00:08:22.565 --> 00:08:23.600 I won't go into that there. 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:24.833 I'll leave that to Pastor John. 00:08:24.833 --> 00:08:26.399 He's going to be explaining that next week. 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:30.533 Actually, he's going to be unpacking who the author of Hebrews is, where they're thankful for that. 00:08:32.066 --> 00:08:37.033 But yeah, the the author of Hebrews is very fond of quoting the Old Testament. 00:08:37.033 --> 00:08:40.633 But I want to go back and read from Genesis 12. 00:08:40.633 --> 00:08:42.600 So you're probably towards the end of your Bible. 00:08:42.600 --> 00:08:45.865 I want you to turn all the way back toward the beginning of your Bible. 00:08:45.865 --> 00:08:51.466 We're going to go to Genesis 12, verses one through three. 00:08:51.466 --> 00:08:54.100 You guys weren't ready for a sword drill this morning, were you? 00:08:54.100 --> 00:09:00.166 A sore drill because ever do those growing up a sword drill where you raise up your Bible? 00:09:00.166 --> 00:09:02.033 Some of you don't even have a physical Bible. 00:09:02.033 --> 00:09:03.432 That's right. I'm calling you out. 00:09:03.432 --> 00:09:05.666 Those of you, those of you who are using your phone. 00:09:05.666 --> 00:09:07.232 Some of you. 00:09:07.232 --> 00:09:09.566 I'm just kidding. That's okay. 00:09:09.566 --> 00:09:13.432 But let's read from verses one through three. 00:09:13.432 --> 00:09:30.033 Now the Lord said to Abraham, go from your country and your kindred and your father's house, to the land that I will show you, and I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great and so so that you will be a blessing. 00:09:30.033 --> 00:09:38.432 I will bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all families of the earth will be blessed. 00:09:38.432 --> 00:09:40.732 Now, mind you, we don't know anything about Abraham. 00:09:40.732 --> 00:09:43.200 Before we read about this, we know about his ancestry. 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:44.232 And that's it. 00:09:44.232 --> 00:09:45.265 We don't know who he is. 00:09:45.265 --> 00:09:46.832 We don't know where he's from, really. 00:09:46.832 --> 00:09:51.832 We just know that he was a great, great, great, great great grandson of Noah. That's it. 00:09:53.533 --> 00:09:58.832 Now, I want to I want you to understand how crazy this would have sounded to Abraham. Okay. 00:09:58.832 --> 00:10:00.765 He's being asked to travel. 00:10:00.765 --> 00:10:08.033 What in modern day would be 400 miles to a place he had never been to in his life? 00:10:08.166 --> 00:10:10.332 Now, I just want to put you to put that in perspective. 00:10:10.332 --> 00:10:14.966 400 miles is about the distance from here to Atlanta, Georgia. 00:10:14.966 --> 00:10:22.832 And fun fact, there were no cars or trucks and airplanes in the time that Abraham lived. 00:10:22.832 --> 00:10:25.533 I know this is news to many of you. 00:10:25.533 --> 00:10:31.265 I don't think Abraham was cashing in his free credit card reward points for a free southwest flight. 00:10:31.265 --> 00:10:37.666 I don't think he did that mostly because they didn't have credit cards back then and airplanes in southwest. 00:10:37.666 --> 00:10:39.399 I don't think that they were established yet. 00:10:39.399 --> 00:10:43.265 And -1800 years ago. 00:10:44.732 --> 00:10:48.600 But Abraham did something crazy. 00:10:48.633 --> 00:10:55.932 Now, if God came to you and said, I want you to travel 400 miles, I want you to travel to Atlanta on foot. 00:10:55.932 --> 00:10:58.033 You'd probably say, I must have hallucinated something. 00:10:58.033 --> 00:11:00.332 And who wants to go to Atlanta anyway? 00:11:00.332 --> 00:11:03.765 Who doesn't absolutely despise the Georgia Bulldogs? 00:11:03.765 --> 00:11:09.365 I cannot wait to watch them lose again, just like they did last year. 00:11:09.365 --> 00:11:10.932 I absolutely hate the Georgia Bulldogs. 00:11:10.932 --> 00:11:14.365 In case you haven't noticed, I have a grudge against them. 00:11:14.365 --> 00:11:15.865 I have an absolute grudge. 00:11:15.865 --> 00:11:18.633 But Abraham did it. 00:11:18.633 --> 00:11:22.633 He believed in the promise because the promise was so extraordinary. 00:11:22.633 --> 00:11:29.332 All the nations worshiping the one true God of Israel and the promise of descendants as numerous as the stars. 00:11:29.332 --> 00:11:31.365 Just a few chapters later, we get that promise. 00:11:31.365 --> 00:11:43.200 In Genesis 15 five through six it says, he, God brought Abraham outside and said, look toward heaven and number the stars if you're able to number them. 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:47.166 Then he said to him, so shall your offspring be. 00:11:47.166 --> 00:11:51.832 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. 00:11:51.832 --> 00:12:00.666 And so we see that Abraham took an extraordinary leap of faith, because he believed in an extraordinary promise from an extraordinary God. 00:12:01.332 --> 00:12:03.399 And that's what it says in our passage in Hebrews. 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:13.332 It says he obeyed God when he was called, even though he didn't know where he was going, because he was looking forward to the city whose designer and builder is God. 00:12:14.432 --> 00:12:29.100 Now, you have to understand that Abraham lived in a nation that didn't know God and worshiped other gods, and Abraham obeyed anyway, and he didn't have the benefit of reading about Moses or David or Elijah or Jesus, but he obeyed anyway. 00:12:29.100 --> 00:12:33.066 In fact, at the time, the Bible had not even begun to have been written yet. 00:12:33.066 --> 00:12:37.365 Moses didn't start writing the Bible until about 400 years after this. 00:12:37.533 --> 00:12:41.466 And so we had the benefit of opening up the Bible and reading about God's faithfulness. 00:12:41.466 --> 00:12:44.732 But Abraham lived at a time when this wasn't the case. 00:12:44.732 --> 00:12:51.633 He probably had some oral traditions about Noah and others who had been faithful before, but he didn't even argue with God. 00:12:51.633 --> 00:12:54.732 You remember the story of Moses about the burning bush. 00:12:54.732 --> 00:12:58.232 God comes to him and he says, oh, but God, I don't speak. 00:12:58.232 --> 00:13:00.232 Well, who am I to do this? 00:13:00.232 --> 00:13:03.200 Can't you choose my brother instead? 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:05.399 That's what I used to say when my parents would ask me to do something. 00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:06.633 Can't you choose my brother instead? 00:13:06.633 --> 00:13:07.966 He never does anything. 00:13:07.966 --> 00:13:09.765 He never did anything. Just one. 00:13:09.765 --> 00:13:10.966 Just want to point that out. 00:13:10.966 --> 00:13:18.932 I was always asked to do the chores and if my brother was asked, then he would somehow just wiggle his way out of it and say, I have to go to the bathroom. 00:13:18.932 --> 00:13:19.966 That was always what happened. 00:13:19.966 --> 00:13:21.166 Every single time. 00:13:21.166 --> 00:13:23.332 Every time. 00:13:25.033 --> 00:13:25.399 Yeah. 00:13:25.399 --> 00:13:35.332 So what this tells us, and this is my first point for you this morning, is that faith sometimes requires doing what no one else has done. 00:13:35.832 --> 00:13:39.466 Faith sometimes requires doing what no one else has done. 00:13:39.466 --> 00:13:42.066 You know, I read about an apologist named Bill Qureshi. 00:13:42.066 --> 00:13:43.066 Some of you may have heard of him. 00:13:43.066 --> 00:13:47.000 He's the author of the book Seeking Allah Finding Jesus. 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:50.566 He was a muslim man of Pakistani heritage. 00:13:50.566 --> 00:13:54.332 His parents were from Pakistan and his story is incredible. 00:13:54.332 --> 00:13:55.232 If you've never read it before. 00:13:55.232 --> 00:14:11.633 He was an incredible apologist, but he talked about the culture shock his family got when they moved to America, and they said that one of the saddest things for them was that none of their Christian neighbors, you know, they believe America's a Christian nation. 00:14:11.633 --> 00:14:16.133 None of their Christian neighbors invited them over for dinner when they moved in. 00:14:16.133 --> 00:14:29.000 That's because it's a common gesture in eastern culture to invite someone to the community, or to welcome somebody to the community by making food for them, but for us, we don't even know our neighbor's names. 00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:32.000 Half the time we don't care to find out. 00:14:32.200 --> 00:14:38.666 But how great of a witness would it have been if someone had invited that family over for dinner when no one else would? 00:14:38.666 --> 00:14:42.799 It would break cultural norms, but it would be worth it. 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:47.133 Sometimes breaking cultural norms to do something that's a great witness to somebody is absolutely worth. 00:14:47.133 --> 00:14:50.832 And in fact, we think about putting a Bible verse in our Instagram bio. 00:14:50.832 --> 00:14:57.566 I'm someone that does that, having a Christian bumper sticker on your car, maybe even having a cross necklace. 00:14:57.566 --> 00:15:01.732 These are good things, but what about the things that no one else will do? 00:15:01.732 --> 00:15:04.066 What about being hospitable to people? 00:15:04.066 --> 00:15:08.166 What about caring for the poor beggars in our community? 00:15:08.166 --> 00:15:12.133 Sometimes real faith requires doing what no one else will do. 00:15:12.133 --> 00:15:15.033 In fact, people might even think you're crazy. 00:15:15.033 --> 00:15:20.399 But being obedient is far more important than being liked. 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:22.365 Let's continue in the passage now. 00:15:22.365 --> 00:15:29.732 In verse 11, it says, by faith Sarah herself received power to conceive even when she was past the age. 00:15:29.732 --> 00:15:43.633 And back in Hebrews 11, now since she considered him faithful, who had promised therefore from one man, and him as good as dead were born descendants, as many as the stars of heaven, and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:51.166 So we see here there was an even more significant work accomplished by faith than even entering the Promised Land. 00:15:51.166 --> 00:15:57.533 We have Sarah conceiving and bearing a son, and she was over a hundred years old at the time. 00:15:57.533 --> 00:16:02.133 And I don't know about you, but I've never even met someone who's over 100 years old. 00:16:02.133 --> 00:16:04.832 But most of them aren't having kids. 00:16:04.832 --> 00:16:14.566 Most 100 year olds are not having kids, mostly because it's impossible, and it probably would be a little bit dangerous if they did at that age. 00:16:14.932 --> 00:16:16.899 But Sarah gets told she's going to have a son now. 00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:22.633 If somebody told you about 100 years old that you were going to have a son, you would probably laugh in their face. 00:16:22.633 --> 00:16:32.432 And interestingly enough, that's exactly what Sarah does, which is why her son was named Isaac, which means to laugh in Hebrew. 00:16:33.765 --> 00:16:37.633 And I always find it funny how Hebrews decided to name their children. 00:16:37.633 --> 00:16:46.265 They named their children like full sentences worth of things like Isaac, Isaac, and Rebecca see their son grabbing their twins heel on the way out, and they decide to name him. 00:16:46.265 --> 00:16:49.432 Heel Grabber, which is what the name Jacob means. 00:16:49.432 --> 00:16:54.533 If you know somebody named Jacob or James, their name means heel grabber. 00:16:54.765 --> 00:17:06.766 So that's just there's a fun fact there, but I love that they call him Isaac because it teaches us something about God that we know, but we don't always believe. 00:17:06.766 --> 00:17:17.665 And Jesus said it, didn't he? Remember the story of the rich young ruler where a man, a rich man, comes to Jesus and he says, good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 00:17:17.665 --> 00:17:21.066 And Jesus says, you know the commandments. 00:17:21.066 --> 00:17:22.232 He goes through the commandments. 00:17:22.232 --> 00:17:24.633 And the man says, I've kept all of these from my youth. 00:17:24.633 --> 00:17:26.465 And Jesus says, one thing you still lack. 00:17:26.465 --> 00:17:29.432 Go sell all you have and come follow me. 00:17:29.432 --> 00:17:35.833 And then he goes on, the rich young man walks away in shame because he has great possessions. 00:17:35.833 --> 00:17:37.665 He doesn't want to give them up. 00:17:37.665 --> 00:17:41.566 And Jesus says, how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:17:41.566 --> 00:17:50.333 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:17:51.633 --> 00:17:55.165 And then the people say, the disciples say, well, who can be saved? 00:17:55.165 --> 00:17:59.566 And Jesus said, with man that says, this is possible, this this is impossible. 00:17:59.566 --> 00:18:03.633 But with God all things are possible. 00:18:04.032 --> 00:18:07.465 Even something we consider laughable is possible with God. 00:18:07.465 --> 00:18:08.865 And how does it come about? 00:18:08.865 --> 00:18:09.865 How does this happen? 00:18:09.865 --> 00:18:12.732 How do we how does God accomplish these things? 00:18:12.732 --> 00:18:16.032 Well, he accomplishes it through faith. 00:18:17.266 --> 00:18:19.000 Look what verse 11 says. 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:21.799 Sarah considered him faithful, who had promised. 00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:23.633 She considered him faithful. 00:18:23.633 --> 00:18:27.400 She trusted that he was able to accomplish what he had promised. 00:18:27.400 --> 00:18:29.032 That's my second point for you this morning. 00:18:29.032 --> 00:18:32.532 God works powerfully through faith. 00:18:32.566 --> 00:18:35.432 He works powerfully through faith. 00:18:35.432 --> 00:18:39.200 Faith enabled Abraham to become the father of a multitude. 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:47.465 That's why his name was changed from Abram, which means Mighty Father to Abraham, which means father of a multitude. 00:18:47.665 --> 00:18:57.532 Two people far past the age of parenthood were able to become the starting point for God's people, and this accomplished an even more incredible promise. 00:18:57.532 --> 00:19:01.432 Now, I'm a huge fan of apologetics, the study of defending the faith. 00:19:01.432 --> 00:19:09.799 I've learned a lot from my good friend and mentor, Chad Greathouse, and what I really love about it is that you get to see proofs of the faith. 00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:16.833 You get to see how archeology and how prophecies, and how evidence for the resurrection all points to the truth of Christianity. 00:19:16.833 --> 00:19:24.133 But honestly, I think the most astonishing, fulfilled prophecy in all of Scripture happens right here in Genesis. 00:19:24.266 --> 00:19:26.432 And it's recorded in the book of Hebrews. 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:38.599 Israel, this tiny nation relative to the rest of the world, is saying that their God is going to be worshiped by the entire world. 00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:42.799 How arrogant! How do they think this is going to happen? 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:45.766 Well, God said it in Genesis to Abraham. 00:19:45.766 --> 00:19:47.465 He said, all people will be blessed through him. 00:19:47.465 --> 00:19:48.266 What does that mean? 00:19:48.266 --> 00:19:52.200 What does it mean that all people will be blessed through Abraham? 00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:58.965 Well, Abraham had a son named Isaac who had a son named Jacob, who had a son named Judah. 00:19:59.732 --> 00:20:03.965 And there was a lion from the tribe of Judah who came. 00:20:03.965 --> 00:20:07.333 And his name was Jesus of Nazareth. 00:20:08.732 --> 00:20:14.333 And so Christ came from the lion of Abraham, and brought all people from all the world to faith in him. 00:20:14.333 --> 00:20:21.833 All kinds of people now worship the God of Israel because of Jesus, who was a descendant of Abraham. 00:20:21.833 --> 00:20:22.833 And look at us. 00:20:22.833 --> 00:20:28.766 We live on almost the entire opposite side of the world from Israel. 00:20:28.766 --> 00:20:32.732 And here we are worshiping that same God of Abraham. And why? 00:20:32.732 --> 00:20:43.599 Because God worked powerfully through Abraham's faith to make him the father of a multitude, and to bring us to Jesus, who was his plan all along to bring us to salvation. 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:49.333 And it's just incredible to see how that prophecy came true. 00:20:49.333 --> 00:20:53.732 All people from all the world worship the God of Israel. 00:20:53.732 --> 00:20:57.465 You see, God can do incredible things if we just trust him. 00:20:57.465 --> 00:20:59.799 Jesus said the same when a man came to him in Mark nine. 00:20:59.799 --> 00:21:00.865 It's one of my favorite stories. 00:21:00.865 --> 00:21:05.532 He said, Lord, my, my son is being tormented by a demon. 00:21:05.532 --> 00:21:09.633 And if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. 00:21:09.633 --> 00:21:12.633 And Jesus replies, if you can. 00:21:13.066 --> 00:21:16.665 All things are possible for the one who believes. 00:21:16.665 --> 00:21:18.799 Faith is such a powerful thing. 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:21.665 It changes absolutely everything. 00:21:21.665 --> 00:21:39.165 Now look what it says in verse 11 again it says by faith Sarah herself received power to conceive even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful, who had promised she received power to conceive even when she was past the age of parenthood. 00:21:39.165 --> 00:21:40.865 And what does this teach us? 00:21:40.865 --> 00:21:44.633 It teaches us that God is the one who makes faith powerful. 00:21:44.633 --> 00:21:46.932 You may know the famous verse in Ephesians two eight through nine. 00:21:46.932 --> 00:21:49.665 It says, for you are saved by grace through faith. 00:21:49.665 --> 00:21:51.200 It is the gift of God. 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:53.865 It doesn't say you are saved by faith. 00:21:53.865 --> 00:21:54.766 It is the gift of God. 00:21:54.766 --> 00:21:57.766 You're saved by grace through faith. 00:21:58.532 --> 00:22:02.932 That's because faith in the wrong thing accomplishes nothing. Faith. 00:22:02.932 --> 00:22:15.333 If I put my faith in my car, I put it on cruise control and I decided I'm going to fall asleep, and I'm going to trust that it's going to take me wherever I want to go, then I'm going to crash, probably, or I'm going to end up in a ditch somewhere. 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:29.799 If I put my faith in Penn State football to win the national championship, and then they go on to not even make the playoffs and fire their coach in the middle of the season, then I'm going to be very disappointed, which is why I am now a new convert to Tennessee Volunteers. 00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:32.799 Football courtesy of my fiancée, Sophia. 00:22:34.633 --> 00:22:35.766 That's right, I jumped. 00:22:35.766 --> 00:22:38.766 I jumped ship, deal with it. 00:22:39.965 --> 00:22:49.232 Faith in the wrong thing accomplishes nothing, but faith in God, the perfect creator, accomplishes everything. 00:22:49.232 --> 00:22:52.766 This isn't because faith is some miraculous, meritorious thing. 00:22:52.766 --> 00:22:57.200 In fact, faith by definition, is not doing the work but trusting in God's work. 00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:58.432 Romans 4 or 5 says this. 00:22:58.432 --> 00:23:13.465 It says to the one who doesn't work, but believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness, and so do we believe that God is going to do the things that he says he's going to do. 00:23:14.333 --> 00:23:15.400 Tim Keller puts it this way. 00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:27.566 Now, I know you probably thought that since Pastor John is not speaking, that you were safe from a Tim Keller quote for just one week, and I am so sorry to tell you that I have a Tim Keller quote as well. 00:23:27.566 --> 00:23:35.400 He says this it's not the strength of your faith, but the object of your faith that actually saves you. 00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:41.732 Strong faith in a weak branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a strong branch. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:48.365 Now, this brings to mind a moment in the Gospel of Luke, where the disciples come to Jesus and say, increase our faith. 00:23:48.365 --> 00:23:50.333 Now what a great thing to ask, we think. 00:23:50.333 --> 00:23:51.965 Of course God wants to increase our faith. 00:23:51.965 --> 00:23:53.566 Shouldn't he want to do that? 00:23:53.566 --> 00:23:56.732 And the way Jesus respond to this used to trouble me. 00:23:56.732 --> 00:24:06.465 He said, if you had faith as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you. 00:24:07.465 --> 00:24:10.633 Now that always confused me because I was like, well, shouldn't God want to increase our faith? 00:24:10.633 --> 00:24:12.400 Is he not answering that prayer? 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:14.965 Well, of course God does want to increase our faith. 00:24:14.965 --> 00:24:17.400 He does want to do these things for us. 00:24:17.400 --> 00:24:20.732 But what Jesus was doing was not saying that he wasn't going to do that. 00:24:20.732 --> 00:24:28.133 He was saying that the point of what he was saying is that it's not the object. 00:24:28.133 --> 00:24:31.000 It's not the the strength of your faith that matters. 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:34.532 It's the object of your faith that matters. 00:24:34.532 --> 00:24:40.599 So place your faith in God, knowing that even if it's just a small amount of faith, Jesus says that's enough to move a mountain. 00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:44.932 That small amount of faith is enough to do something incredible. 00:24:45.066 --> 00:24:55.333 And so maybe this whole time you've been thinking about this passage and we've been reading through Hebrews 11, even like me, and you're thinking, I feel like my faith is so weak, so brittle. 00:24:56.333 --> 00:25:08.665 And what I want to tell you this morning is that even if your faith is brittle, we serve a powerful God that works powerfully through small faith, so powerfully that he raises a dead soul to life. 00:25:08.665 --> 00:25:11.566 He sanctifies and forgives sinners. 00:25:11.566 --> 00:25:14.165 He leads us to everlasting life. 00:25:14.165 --> 00:25:15.133 He makes us new. 00:25:15.133 --> 00:25:17.799 He makes us born again by faith. 00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:21.566 Abraham was called and he obeyed. 00:25:21.566 --> 00:25:26.599 Sarah conceived a child or sorry he was called and he obeyed. 00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:28.732 I have a comma in a really weird spot. 00:25:28.732 --> 00:25:30.766 It says, here's what it says on my manuscript. 00:25:30.766 --> 00:25:32.833 It says, oh, Abraham was called, and he obeyed. 00:25:32.833 --> 00:25:35.833 Sarah, comma conceived a child. 00:25:35.932 --> 00:25:37.465 Abraham did not conceive the child. 00:25:37.465 --> 00:25:39.333 Sarah conceived the child. 00:25:39.333 --> 00:25:41.333 Okay, I know it's 2026. 00:25:41.333 --> 00:25:43.566 But Abraham did not conceive any child. 00:25:43.566 --> 00:25:45.133 Sarah conceived a child. 00:25:46.532 --> 00:25:47.000 Wow. 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:50.000 I really messed that up. 00:25:51.232 --> 00:25:53.465 Abraham was called and he obeyed. 00:25:53.465 --> 00:25:58.833 Sarah conceived a child, and their descendants gave us Christ. 00:25:58.833 --> 00:26:02.133 According to Romans nine five, Is God over all? 00:26:02.133 --> 00:26:05.133 Blessed forever. Amen. 00:26:05.165 --> 00:26:09.400 Faith is the means that God uses to work powerfully in his people. 00:26:09.400 --> 00:26:15.266 It's not something we can boast or brag about, but it's something lowly and humble. 00:26:16.566 --> 00:26:17.766 It's we. 00:26:17.766 --> 00:26:24.633 And we learn from Abraham that it can accomplish great things, not because it's powerful in and of itself, because God works powerfully through it. 00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:26.032 Look what he did. 00:26:26.032 --> 00:26:30.400 Abraham left everything he was inspired to do, what no one else would do. 00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:32.133 And he brought us. 00:26:32.133 --> 00:26:38.133 God brought us his beloved son, Jesus, through the children of Abraham. 00:26:39.532 --> 00:26:48.400 Abraham left everything behind, and that is what eventually led to the birth of Jesus. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:27:00.965 And if we believe and confess that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we receive that eternal salvation the same way Abraham received it, the same way that Moses received it. 00:27:00.965 --> 00:27:03.232 David, Paul, Peter, everyone. 00:27:03.232 --> 00:27:04.133 It's all the same. 00:27:04.133 --> 00:27:08.732 It's by faith and we receive that grace through faith. 00:27:09.833 --> 00:27:12.833 Now, I want to ask you this morning, have you received grace? 00:27:12.833 --> 00:27:17.232 Do you trust Christ for your eternal salvation? 00:27:18.333 --> 00:27:20.232 I want you to think about that for a moment. 00:27:20.232 --> 00:27:23.200 Do you trust Christ for your eternal salvation? 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:26.232 Now, listen, it doesn't take some amazing act of faith. 00:27:26.232 --> 00:27:27.799 It doesn't take some amazing. I'm not. 00:27:27.799 --> 00:27:30.232 We're not asking you to walk to Atlanta on foot. 00:27:30.232 --> 00:27:31.732 We're not asking you to do that. 00:27:31.732 --> 00:27:36.333 But we're asking you to do is that you'd humble yourself knowing that you need a savior. 00:27:36.333 --> 00:27:40.766 That your sin is so heavy and you weren't meant to carry it on your own. 00:27:40.766 --> 00:27:43.432 Would you come to the foot of the cross? 00:27:43.432 --> 00:27:47.799 Would you believe and confess in Jesus as Lord, and that God raised him from the dead? 00:27:47.799 --> 00:27:52.965 Would you receive that salvation today, and you, if you have already received it? 00:27:52.965 --> 00:28:01.333 Are you prepared to make sacrifices for the sake of God's faithfulness to be shown in your life? 00:28:01.333 --> 00:28:11.365 Are you willing to take great steps, maybe steps that no one else will take so that God can be glorified so that God can accomplish his plan in you? 00:28:11.365 --> 00:28:21.865 Because that's all that's required, is that you believe trust in God because it's by grace through faith that God accomplishes everything. 00:28:22.232 --> 00:28:24.066 Let's pray. 00:28:24.066 --> 00:28:30.732 Father, we thank you that it's by faith that you do so many incredible things. 00:28:31.066 --> 00:28:40.566 And we thank you for the faithfulness of Abraham that serves as an example for us, and that you brought us Christ our Savior. 00:28:40.566 --> 00:28:45.066 And we thank you for his faithfulness all the way to the cross. 00:28:45.066 --> 00:28:47.432 And that when we place our faith in him, we receive salvation. 00:28:47.432 --> 00:28:50.865 We pray that we would work out our salvation with fear and trembling. 00:28:50.865 --> 00:28:55.232 Today and this week and forevermore, we ask us all in Jesus name. Amen.