|
“Hall of Faith” (Mess.#6) “The Reward of Faith” (Sarah)
Text: Heb.11: 11-16 Intro.: We looked last week at the “Obedience of Faith,” and noted that Abraham had a faith that was revealed in obedience. Now the apostle mentions Sarah’s faith. Note what a blessing it is when a husband and wife are both partners in faith! (Bible ex. - Lk.1: 6, “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless”). We find that Sarah has a faith that enabled her to bear a child when she was ninety years old!! God is always ready to honor anyone who places their faith in His promises. He rewarded Sarah for her faith. He will reward you for yours too! Let’s see some of the ways God blessed Sarah for her faith and see what we can learn about the “reward of faith.”
A) Blessed with a Son: (v.11) 1) Gen.18: 10-14 cf. 21: 1-3 2) Note: This is not the full account as given in Gen. 18. The N.T. mentions nothing of the sins of O.T. saints! 3) In Adam (O.T.) all die; In Christ (N.T.) all are made alive (1 Cor.15: 22, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive”). 4) O.T. is “the book of the generations of Adam” (Gen.5: 1) and ends in a curse (Mal.4: 6, “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse”). 5) The N.T. is “the book of the generation of Jesus Christ” (Mt.1: 1) and ends in grace (Rev.22: 21, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen”). The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (Jn.1: 17)! 6) The Impediments to her faith - Barrenness, old age, unbelief. 7) The Effect of her faith - She received strength to conceive. 8) The Constancy of her faith - She trusted God until her baby was delivered. 9) The Foundation of her faith - God’s integrity! 10) The Blessing of her faith - A Son!! This was the greatest reward she could have received! It was a reproach to a woman not to have children. God will reward your faith with the thing you desire most too!!
B) Blessed with a Seed: (v.12) 1) From a human perspective it was impossible for Abraham and Sarah to have a child! Abraham was one hundred years old, Sarah was ninety! 2) Ro.4: 19-22 describes Abraham’s faith! 3) Not only was their faith rewarded with a son, but also with a seed!! “...sprang there even of one, . . . so many . . . ” 4) Note: “Stars . . . ” - Refers to the Heavenly. “Sand . . . ” - Refers to the Earthly. 5) The Natural and the Spiritual Israel! 6) Truly God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think!! 7) If you will “please” God by faith - He will reward you abundantly!
C) Blessed with Sight: (v.13) 1) “...seen them afar off . . . ” - The eyesight of faith!! 2) “These all died in faith . . . ” - Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah! 3) “Not having received the promises” - The promise O.T. saints did not receive was the promise of redemption. They saw the fulfillment of the promise of redemption coming, even though they didn’t understand how God was going to accomplish it (1 Pet.1: 9-12, “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into”). 4) The present spiritual happiness of the Christian consists more in promises and expectant anticipation than in actual possession! 5) “Persuaded” - An assured confidence in what God has promised! (Ro.2: 20 -21, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform”). 6) “Embraced” - Not with a cold and formal reception, but with a warm and hearty reception! 7) The promises of God are first “viewed,” then “rested” upon as reliable, and then “delighted” in by the believer. 8) Have you “seen” the promises of God by faith, have you been “persuaded” of them, Have you “embraced” them? 9) We have also been blessed with sight! (Jn.3: 3, “ . . . Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”).
D) Blessed with Seeking: (vs.14-15) 1) Note the optimism and expectancy of faith. They were seeking a heavenly country, not an earthly Canaan! 2) O.T. saints who confessed they were “strangers” and “pilgrims” were saying more than that they had not yet entered into their promised inheritance. It showed they were earnestly pressing toward it! 3) The reality of their faith is revealed by: A) Their death (v.13a) C) Their separated pilgrim walk (v.13c) B) Unwavering trust (v.13b) D) Their actions (v.15) 4) We too should be “seeking” for things above (Col.3: 1-3). 5) Abraham and Sarah no doubt faced the temptation to go back to their former country - Just as Jews were being tempted to go back to Judaism (They were still offering sacrifices and judgment had not fallen). And just as Satan tempts you to go back to the world which God has not yet judged. We must continue to seek after “heavenly” things, not the things of this world (1 Jn.2: 15-17, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever”). 6) What are you seeking after?
E) Blessed with Sion: (v.16) “. . . he hath prepared for them a city.” 1) “But now they desire . . . ” - “To yearn for something.” Do you yearn for heaven? 2) Best evidence that we are truly yearning for Heaven is to have a heart that’s “weaned” from this world! Would you want to go on living if your car, newspaper, T.V., magazines, videos, and movies were taken away? What are you doing now in your Christian life that you will be able to continue doing in Heaven? 3) This “prepared place” is the heavenly New Jerusalem. What a wonderful reward of faith! 4) This is truly the ultimate reward - They had lived as pilgrims and strangers, no place to call home, but now they would finally have a permanent, eternal dwelling place. 5) This can be yours too – By faith!! 6) Are you excited about the prospect of being with Christ forever?
Conclusion: We have also been blessed! Blessed with a Son - The Lord Jesus Christ! Blessed with a Seed - We are the Spiritual seed of Abraham! Blessed with Sight - We, by faith, have also been persuaded and embraced the promises of God, AMEN! Blessed by Seeking - We too are pilgrims and strangers seeking after heavenly things and a heavenly home Blessed with Sion - We shall be blessed with an eternal home as they were!
The Reward of faith - Are you pleasing God by your faith, so that you might receive the rewards God has for you? Truly He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him! (Heb.11: 6)
|