Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Again, and again, and again have I explained the demands of the gospel, and described the blessings of it, and yet I see its demands neglected and its blessings refused. He looks to that iron safe to be quite sure that it is well secured--he cannot forget his dear gold. The obedience which faith produces must be continuous . You need not even appeal to friends for consolation. Oh, my dear friends, such carnal policy, if you practice it, will do you serious injury. What poor people God's people are--poor, many of them, in circumstances, but how many of them I might very well call poor as to spiritual things. That this woman was no mere hostess, but a real harlot, I have abundantly proved to every candid hearer while reading the chapter. "Yes," says one, "I own that it is an urgent service to make known to others what the Lord has done for me: but, somehow, I cannot discharge my conscience by fully doing as I would. Whatever you believe, carry it out. Dogs don't bark when a man goes by that they know--they bark at strangers. Here was Noah filled with such a holy fear of himself, that he took care to do what the Lord bade him, even to the most minute particular. That is his master. The minister called to see him, and said, "What are you doing John?" For ever and for ever shall the tenderness and mercy of God be thus despised? You would not have dreamed that sober Noah should be found drunk; nor that righteous Lot should commit incest; nor that David, whose heart smote him when he only cut off the lap of Saul's garment, should be guilty of murder; nor that Peter, who said, "Though all men should forsake thee, yet will not I," would have denied his Master with oaths and cursing. there hath no sorrow befallen thee but what thy noble ancestors have celebrated in cheery tones, and set to music in cheerful strains. Alas! He has invited sinners to do it. By faith he was adopted and became a son, an heir. Let the personal question go round and cause great searching of heart, for I fear that in many instances precious faith is absent. It is nothing short of Godhead's utmost stretch of might that keeps the feet of the saints, and preserves them from going back to their old unregenerate condition. Delivered on Sabbath Morning, March 1, 1857, by the, "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace." To believe in God, and to do his bidding, is a great escape from the hazards of personal weakness and folly. "I will be your God," saith he, and he oftentimes seems to speak of it as a very joyful thing to his own heart. For him the promise of the woman's seed, though it was all the Bible that he had, was quite enough. And Jacob, one of the patriarchs, was driven to go down into the land; but he could not stay there; he was always unrestful, until at last he stole a march upon Laban and came back to the proper life, the life that he had chosen--the life that God had commanded him to live--of a pilgrim and stranger in the land of promise. We shall have to speak about his fear being "moved by fear"; we shall also remember his obedience, for he "prepared an ark to the saving of his house." When God began with many of us, he found us very low down beneath the flood of evil. A dead world may satisfy a dead heart, but ever since you have known something of better things have you ever been contented with the world? They were aliens in the country which God had given them by promise. My sister, my brother, have faith in God in your hidden sorrow! He who is not firm at starting is cutting out for himself a poor pattern of life. Whose of you who have had to part from those you loved, who have had your hearts rent when loved ones have been torn away, can sympathize somewhat with Abraham's trial when he left home and family, and country, and all, to go forth into an unknown land. Even bad men will obey God when they think fit; but good men will obey when they know not what to think of it. If God had commanded Abraham to go to the utmost bounds of the green earth, to "rivers unknown to song," Abraham would have departed. You will never be able to cut down this huge upas tree except with the axe of Christ's atoning sacrifice. Said that renowned preacher, Whitefield, "As soon as I was converted, I wanted to be the means of the conversion of all that I had ever known. Perhaps you have tried to fill your soul with the daintiest provisions the world can offer; to wit--God has prospered you, and you have said, "Oh, this is well." it may even happen that she that lieth in your bosom does not yet know the Lord. It was blotted out when he nailed the handwriting of ordinances that were against thee to his cross. The bravest and the most honoured of men are those who implicitly obey the command of the King of kings. Or, if your occupation keeps you alone, yet, my brethren, there is one who is pretty sure to intrude upon our privacy, to corrupt our thoughts, to kindle strange desires in our breasts, to tantalise us with morbid fancies, and to seek our mischief. Some years ago, I preached a sermon to you from the text, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" A sense of great obligation, an apprehension of the fitness of obedience, and spiritual renewal of heart, work an obedience which becomes essential to the sanctified soul. But now they desire a better country, that is an heavenlycity." While life lasts hope lasts; and we beseech you not to lie down in sullen hopelessness. Above all things, dread the intoxicating cup in all its forms. [ d] Read full chapter Footnotes There have been days when the world poured continually a river of infamy and calumny upset them, but they stemmed the torrent, and, by continued grace, made strong in weakness, they held their own until the current turned, and they, in their success, were praised and applauded by the very men who sneered before. Men have confessed their sins, and have not been saved. "Whither away?" Will you do so, or not? I have sometimes envied those good people who are never excited with joy, and consequently seldom or never despond. Was it drunkenness? Hence faith is the essential point of holiness. No, no child of God can be, whatever he may find in this world. Take heed of your good works; get them after faith, but remember, the way to be saved is simply to believe in Jesus Christ. We have been lining our nests very softly, and counting all the eggs that are laid therein, with the greatest cheerfulness and delight; we have had much goods laid up for many years, and all of a sudden, Misfortune, like a wicked boy, has climbed the tree, and pulled down the nests, and the birds had to fly, and we have said, "Whither shall we go?" To begin with, we must look well to our faith. We desire something better. The men of that generation mocked him. If you truly believe a man, you believe all that he says. Hebrews 9:11-15: "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. JEHOVAH ROPHI is his name: "The Lord that healeth thee." There has never been a revival in the church that has not witnessed to the value of our psalmody. He also knew well the terrible joy that comes only through suffering as he lived quite afflicted (both by illness and slander). Let him feel, "God commands, and therefore he will bear me through;" and he will be strong. Trust him now and ye are saved. Christ Superior To Angels Moses And Aaron A Comment On The Epistle To The Hebrews. May God help you so to do; for Christ's sake! If any of you are prospering in this world, oh watch, for you are in imminent danger of being mindful to return to the place whence you came out. God add his blessing to this discourse, and give a blessing to your souls, for Jesus Christ' sake. They are so highly "cultured" that they prefer to be original, and map out their own way. An insatiable desire has been implanted in us by divine grace which urges us to--. Trials are the winds which root the tree of our faith. I must not dwell on this theme, delightful as it is; I want a few words with you, my friends, direct and personal, before I close. The spirit of proselyting is the spirit of Christianity, and we ought to be desirous of possessing it. To this end may the Spirit of God enable you. Revelation 3:7-13 Philadelphia: The church that was taken! They died in faith. When you have opportunity to return, if you do not return, that shall prove you are his. His image passes across the page of history rather like that of a spirit from the supernal realms than that of a mere man; he is so thorough, so childlike, and therefore so heroic. The old fable speaks of the Augean stable, foul enough to have poisoned a nation, which Hercules cleansed; but our sins were fouler than that. Hebrews 11 Hebrews 11 He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. Prayer makes us "rich towards God," and this is the best of riches; but it must be believing prayer. I will withdraw the question as directed to you, and I will ask it of myself: Have I that faith which leads me to obey my God? If Christ should make thee repent, thou hast no need to think that thou shalt be the least in the family. February 9, 1997 Much to Learn by Alistair Begg Hebrews 5:11-14 (ID: 1910) Any priestly work on earth is rendered obsolete by the permanent work of Jesus Christ on our behalf: He alone could stand in our place, for He alone victoriously endured every temptation and paid the penalty for our sin. This shall be our last removal, to dwell for ever with him we love, to dwell in the bosom of God. If you know how to pray, you can move heaven and earth. Men do not prepare an ark to escape from a flood unless they believe that there will be a flood. I am not pronouncing any judgement upon their conduct, I am merely pointing out the fact. At times you and I are assailed as to our faith in the Bible, by people who say, "How do you make that out? "Is there a heart that will not bend To thy divine control? Again, this trial of faith cometh oftentimes in matters of providence. Delay spoils all. If God had commanded him to ford the Atlantic, Abraham would have obeyed. The forlorn hope of Christendom has generally been led by men who have proved the high efficacy of grace to an eminent degree by having been saved from the deepest sins. The obedience of faith creates a form of life which may be safely copied . We should have taken off the chariot wheels at once, so that they could not follow after the children of Israel. Amen. Dogs don't bark as a man goes by that they know: they bark at strangers. Practically, it comprises two or three considerations of the highest moment. If so, thou mayest hope to be saved. Where Jesus died, there you shall live. You have confessed as occasion served before the world, you have professed as duty called before the church, you have accepted the consequences as honesty demanded before angels and men. Brethren, you desire something better than this world, do you not? Stay lo of his infinite mercy give us the willing and the obedient mind that we may not pervert the gospel to our own destruction. If then, we be right in saying that to please God is to be happy, the one important question is, how can I please God? It may be that certain of my hearers feel that they cannot attain to the matters I have mentioned, for they are as yet battling to reach the position of servants and pleaders. For help and support, please email help@spurgeon.org. I do not know to whom that dog belongs, but I'll tell you directly. You shall hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it." For instance how often have professors, when they have prospered, found opportunities to return! We shall have, then, an exposition, an argument, and a question. Now what shall be said to those who are not strangers and foreigners? ( Hebrews 11:1) A definition of faith. Commend me to firm faith for power to bear the daily cross. "Many are called, but few are chosen." this is well!" There all the inhabitants shall be united in one glorious brotherhood--the true Communism; Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, in the highest possible degree. Rahab was a sanctified woman. HYMNS FROM "OUR OWN HYMN BOOK" 649, 653, 650. We tarry here a night; we are away in the morning. That is not the faith to which the promise is given. "THE SWORD AND THE TROWEL." They desire a better country. Obedience what a blessing it would be if we were all trained to it by the Holy Spirit! Charles Spurgeon has been called "the Prince of Preachers" and "the last Puritan." His many sermons are among the best in Christian literature. "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." He climbed a hill on his road. "Yes," says another, "I believe in Christ;" and when he gets outside he will begin to talk lightly, frothy words, perhaps lascivious ones, and sin as before. These opportunities to return are meant to try your faith, and they are sent to you to prove that you are a volunteer soldier. (1-2) A summary of points previously made regarding Jesus as our High Priest. We have many opportunities to return. and if we are called to suffer for him, our weakness, in the case of most of us, is even greater: many who can labor without weariness cannot suffer without impatience. may grace be given you so that, if others play the Judas, instead of leading you to do the same, it may only bind you more fast to your Lord, and make you walk more carefully, lest you also prove a son of perdition. It is here that your strength lies. Oh, that we may, through almighty grace, be so pleasing unto the Lord that we may abide in fellowship with him! Because they are strangers, and because they will not go back to their old abode, therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God. As many of us as have believed in Christ have been called out. Picking and choosing are great enemies to submission. They learned to fear God, and to trust in him, and to rest in the old faith, and even in worldly things they prospered. Teachers should aspire to be what they would have their classes to be. Let us away from it. There is, in this chapter, a special commendation for faith in a pleasing variety of operations. But I must close with the sweetest part of the text. Yet, we repeat it again, the chief of sinners are as welcome to Christ as the best of saints. I don't want any of your thoughts." She knew that if they were found in her house she would be put to death; but though she was so weak as to do a sinful deed to preserve them, yet she was so strong that she would run the risk of being put to death to save these two men. This land in which you dwell, and all the works thereof, must be burned up. Opportunities to return--let me say just this much more about them--are often furnished by the example of others. But a man may know a thing, and yet not have faith. Perhaps, you will say, "Why does the Lord make them so plentiful? "Why," said he, the key of heaven is at his girdle; he openeth, and no man shutteth; he shutteth, and no man openeth?" What comes out of our life's course must remain with the Lord; to obey is our sole concern. Don't come here with your cant." Therefore, because our salvation is nearer than when we first believed, it is but meet that our desire to reach the better country, and to enter the heavenly city should become more and more vehement, as "we nightly pitch our roving tent a day's march nearer home." 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