Grace Fellowship Baptist Church

In John 8:56, Jesus told the caviling Jews, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." This, I believe teaches us that Abraham saw a lot more about Christ than we may think. It would be, in this the most difficult trial of Abraham's life, that God would show Abraham much more about that Man whom he rejoiced to see!

These all died in faith, not having received the promises. Who were these? Abraham, Sara, Isaac, Jacob, and all of the OT saints listed in Hebrews 11. In this text, we are able to see into Abraham's and these other OT saints faith, and we are able to see that they ultimately looked afar off to the promise of the Seed (or that Man) that God promised would come to save them from their sins, and from this present evil world.

In Judges 5, we read Deborah's song after Barak's victory over Sisera. In this song, we read of Deborah's thanks to the LORD, because it was the LORD who had gotten Barak the victory. It is a lesson for us that we ought to be a people of thanksgiving to the LORD for all that He does for us in our lives! The LORD is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving!

After God saves a sinner, it is critical for that former sinner, now saint of God to be under the authority, protection, care, and under-shepherding of a local New Testament church. The local New Testament Church is the means that God has provided to feed, nurture, and care for His people. Jesus said, I will build by church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

You will often hear naysayers. who will criticize the church and Christianity saying there is too much hypocrisy in them. But there has always been hypocrites in the church and among professing Christians, it's not something new, today we see that it existed in Jesus day. In this text, Jesus rebuked the hypocrisy of the most learned among the people, the scribes of Israel. They were supposed to be shepherds to the people, but they were not.

With Deborah, Barak went forth to the battle. He would not go to battle without her. And the honor of this victory would go to a woman, but not Deborah, but to Jael.

Although Sara struggled to believe the promise of God, in the end, she believed and trusted in the faithfulness of God to give her strength and the ability to have a son with Abraham her husband, when he was 100 years old and she was 90 years old.

After no one dared to ask Jesus any more questions, Jesus then asked them as question. References Isaiah 11: 1-2, Psalm 110:1, Jeremiah 23:5-6

Abraham's great faith in his God. He is the father of our faith and we are to walk in the steps of Abraham and emulate him in our Christian lives.

By faith is written at least 16 times in this 11th chapter of Hebrews. We must be very careful that we glorify not these Old Testament saints, but God, who deserves all of the glory and honor in granting each of them that faith which we so admire. Faith is the gift of God to all whom God saves! Salvation is of the LORD! And yet, once God has graciously given to us faith, now it's ours, and God expects us to live by it. The just shall live by faith.

One of the most important things we do as Christians is pray! This doesn't mean we are constantly on our knees in prayer, but rather, that we continue in prayer throughout each day to our heavenly Father.

Jesus was asked, What is the first or greatest commandment of all, from the Old Testament law. This scribe had heard Jesus speaking and then asked Jesus what was the first and great commandment. Jesus said, the Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. After he heard Jesus' answer, he said that Jesus had spoken or answered well.

Deborah was a major judge, there is a lot written of her and Barack, and Barak was also considered a judge. He is recorded in Hebrews 11:32. The children of Israel continued their decline into sin after each judge and deliverer died.

Not very much is written about Shamgar, who was a judge in Israel. But he was as much a deliverer in Israel than any other of the judges.

This series is designed to give Christians and church members an understanding of the church as written from the Word of God.

Noah's faith is now put on display. Don't lose sight of the fact that Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD, and that Noah's faith was given to him by God. But now that it was Noah's faith, he must used it and exercise it toward God. We must never lose sight of the fact that we are to live in this world by faith. "The just shall live by faith."

This Man who confronted Jacob at the Ford of Jabbok was the God Man, and none other but the pre-incarnate Christ. He came to Jacob when Jacob was alone and wrestled with him, confronted him, and would not allow him to cross into Canaan until Jacob was weakened and brought into a place of having no strength to trust in himself, but rather in God and God alone.

David's last words.

In this passage, the Sadducees questioned Jesus about the resurrection of the dead, which they did not believe. Jesus proceeded to reprove them and then to teach them that they did not know the scriptures.

Once again, the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, descending into sin and walking in the ways of the Canaanites. So when they cried to the LORD, He raised up Ehud, the left-handed judge, who delivered Israel from the tyranny of Eglon and the Moabites. Sometimes deliverance comes from unusual people.

The Vow of a Nazarite was voluntary vow of separation for either a man or a woman in Old Covenant Israel. The Nazarite was a wonderful thing for a believer in Israel to undertake. A Nazarite was one who was an uncommon believer, who vowed to follow God in a greater and deeper way. They were standard bearers and shining lights in Israel. Their lives were to be distinct for God, and they were to point others to God from their lives. The three notable Nazarites in the Bible were Samson, Samuel, and John Baptist, but they were called to be Nazarites from the womb. All of their mothers were barren, not able to have children until they gave birth to Nazarites.

If you are a Christian, you are united to God through faith in Jesus Christ. In John 17:20-23, Jesus prayed for every believer that would believe in Him in future times, and His prayer was that you, Christian would be one with He and His Father. If this is true of you, shouldn't it be that you have a very special private and secret relationship with God?

The Pharisee and Herodians tempted Jesus with a question. They were trying to get Him with a "gotcha" question. But it didn't work. The fact is, the Pharisees and the Herodians did not care at all for each other, but here, they united together against Christ. In their question, they tried to catch Jesus teaching the people to openly resist Caesar and Rome. But brethren, we are not to be resisters of the government, because God has appointed the government authorities over us. Now if the government tries to get us to disobey the laws of God, that is when we are to not obey the government. But otherwise, we are to be good citizens at the command of God.

Enoch, who was the seventh from Adam was a preachers of righteousness. His message from God to the antediluvians of his day are written in Jude 14-15. Abel's faith led to his bloody death, Enoch's faith that he would not die at all! Why did God take up Enoch out of this world? He walked with God, and had this testimony that he pleased God. This is the same testimony that we should desire for ourselves and in our own Christian lives!

Many in the church today, lack assurance. Many religions in the world teach a works based salvation. Christianity is the only "religion" in the world in which God provided all that is needed for salvation and reconciliation to God, all that is left for us is to believe what God has done. Assurance: What is this great truth and what is this great love. God's love is not earned, it is freely given. Christian, your God loves you with an everlasting love.

Abel offering unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. When we read Genesis 4, we read that God accepted Abel's person and then his offering. In contrast, God rejected Cain and also his offering. So don't focus only on their offerings and think to yourself that Abel had correct offering and Cain didn't. Although I do believe Abel brought "a more excellent offering," I would tell you that if Cain would have gone back and brought the identical offering that Abel brought, God would have rejected Cain, again! And that is because he brought his offering with a wicked heart.

This is the story of Othniel the son of Kenaz. He was the first of the judges in Israel. Israel continued to do evil in the sight of the LORD, therefore God delivered them into the hands of their enemies, (the King of Mesopotamia). They were worshiping Baal and Ashteroth. They had forsaken the LORD.

This present world in which we live is continuing to descend into wickedness. We cry for God's judgment to take place on this wicked world. For your sake Lord, we are killed all the day long, therefore we are accounted as sheep to the slaughter.

A parable is a story that is intended to teach a spiritual truth. This is the parable of the wicked farmers. This is a continuation from the previous chapter in which the Pharisees were challenging Jesus' authority. Now he tells this parable about them, and how they were treating Him.

There is so much anger in the world. We've seen this anger in calloused killings that are taking place in our society.

The question of authority.

In the book of Judges, we see the repeated cycle of sin in the people of Israel. When they sinned and were overwhelmed by their enemies and cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up Judges to deliver them . But when the Judge was dead, they returned to their sins.

Many do not know who Jesus was and is. We must understand that He is fully God and fully Man.

The creation is declaring and teaching us every day that the world and all that we see in the world was intricately created by the wisdom and skill of the God of the Bible. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament declares His handiwork. We understand and believe these things in the creation "through faith."

Paul wrote to Timothy that in the latter days, some would depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. To depart the faith of Christ is to renounce or defect from Christ. Many in Israel, were falling away and renouncing their faith in God in apostasy.

In the last two verses of Hebrews 10, we read, the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him. Now in Hebrews 11, the writer continues to encourage Hebrew believers of the first century (and us) to continue in the faith of Christ, looking forward in hope to the promise of eternal life in heaven.

In the cursed fig tree the Lord Jesus taught His apostles how to trust God by faith in their prayers. Prayer is a work, one of great difficulty at times. We are to labor fervently in our prayers. The apostles asked the Lord Jesus, "Teach us to pray." Jesus cursed the fig tree, and then referred to moving mountains, but Jesus wasn't teaching His disciples that they could literally move a mountain, but He was a saying, when you have an insurmountable problem before you, bring that problem to Me, saith Jesus! Come in faith, and I will move that mountain. But don't forget, in regard to your prayer, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."

"For you have need of patience (or endurance and perseverance), that, after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the promise." It wasn't that these first century Hebrew Christians were destitute of patience, they showed it, (Hebrews 10:32), but at this point, they simply needed fresh grace from God and a fresh infusion of patience.

It may seem that false accusers are getting away with their sin, but there will be a day of reckoning. There may be times in your life when friends, family, or even some in the church may falsely accuse you of something. In those times, we must trust God and not take vengeance against them. We must leave these situations to the Lord.

I can't help think that the writer of Hebrews was weeping when he wrote this to his Hebrew brethren. These "professed" believers were on the precipice of falling away into the irrecoverable sin of apostasy. When we speak of God's vengeance against sinners, this should bring great sadness to our souls.

The book of Hebrews is full of warnings, specifically written to Hebrew believers of the first century, who were being persecuted and compelled by Judaizers to return to the dead Old Covenant system. But this is a timeless warning, which is relevant to us today. The sin of apostasy (or of falling away from Christ and renouncing our profession of faith in Christ) is rampant in our day, in America, There is very little to no persecution and fear for those who are Christians in America. But what there is, is far worse, there is ease, comfort, prosperity, and love of the world. These sins plague the church today. It is as if Satan has said, I won't persecute American Christians, I'll just draw them into the world! I will just allure them back to me and back into the world. And in doing so, I will make them adversaries against Christ.

Jesus entered Jerusalem for the final time in His public ministry. This has been historically called Palm Sunday. In this passage, Jesus fulfills what is written in Zechariah 9:9: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." As He rides into Jerusalem, the people should Hosanna, which means "Save Now." The problem, they were looking for salvation from Romans occupation and not salvation from their sins and the captivity of Satan.

Jezreel, which initially, in Hosea 1:4 became synonymous with bloodshed, was name of Hosea and Gomer's first child. Jezreel means, God will scatter and God will sow our plant. Hosea and Gomer's second and third children were named Lo-ruhamah (a daughter), her name means, I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, and then their son, Lo-ammi, which means, you are not my people, and I will not be your God. Thus, God scattered Israel in His wrath to the nations of the world, said of them, ye are not my people. But then in Hosea 1:10-11, God promises to gather and united Judah and Israel once again as one, and this would include the Gentiles.

Do we trust the Lord in the midst of our struggles. David teaches us in this Psalm how to pray and trust God amid his enemies.

Our hearts are sprinkled within which cleanses our filthy and guilty consciences, our bodies, or our outward actions are sanctified or washed with pure water. We are cleansed from all our sins by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, and we are washed by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. The last to "Let us" commands from the writer, are Hold fast to our profession of faith in Christ, and "Let us' consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works.

How do you deal with your sins? Do you say, O, no big deal, I sinned, I will just ask for forgiveness. Do we cast our sins aside and say, well, God doesn't remember my sins. Or, are we grieved over our sins, and we certainly should be as Christians.

Often times, very devout Christians will come to the Lord's table with trepidation and fear of taking it, this, when they have had a difficult week, struggling with sin, Satan and the world. Thus, they may think, since I have had such a difficult time this week, I should refrain. But if we are in Christ, and partakers of the New Covenant, we are not coming in an unworthy manner, but we are worthy, and that, because of Christ and His blood, which was shed for us. The one caveat, if we are harboring sin, or our hearts are cold and we are in a bad place, perhaps we should refrain until we have made our hearts right.

In Hebrews 10:22, because of the work of Jesus our Great High Priest, now the writer encourages us to "Draw near to God" with true hearts, and in full assurance of faith. Are we taking advantage of our free and unrestricted access to God? Are we drawing near to God with true, truthful, sincere, and single hearts? Is our confidence in Christ such that we are assured of our access to God through Christ? Is our assurance based on the work of Jesus who is our Great High Priest?

David expresses confidence in God in his distress. First, In this Psalm we see David's appeal for help. Second: Confrontations that David had with those who were faithless. Third, the affirmation of God's favor. And last, a call to righteousness.

This is not an arrogant or earthly boldness, but it is a confidence that we have in Christ, secured for us by Jesus our Great High Priest! The Lord Jesus has opened the way for us into the presence of God through the veil of His flesh, (or His perfect humanity).

Having completed the doctrinal part of Hebrews, and after the writer has made his argument that Jesus is a Mediator of a better covenant filled with better promises, and that Jesus is a better high priest than Aaron or any Levite high priest; and Jesus is also a better sacrifice than all of the animal sacrifices offered in the time of the Old Covenant. And now Jesus is our great high priest, who is in heaven now, interceding for us in the presence of God. When man sinned in Eden, Adam and Eve were driven from nearness to God and from His immediate presence, and it was God who made a way, "opened the way" for sinners to be saved, and to once again be near to God, and to draw near to God. Thus, the writer encourages Hebrew believers of the first century to draw near to God.