Faith That Glimpses God's Power and Mercy

1 I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. 5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 6 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. 7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 8 The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.

SERMON TEXT:

Hebrews 11:29–31 ESV

29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

INTRO & TRANSITION

If I were to ask you the question: “What do you need now more than ever…God’s POWER or God’s MERCY?”

How would you respond?

We may think we need God’s power in some incredible way…and we do. But we tend to want to define what that looks like.

Like - It’s going to take the power of God to do this thing that I need done.

We may see ourselves as in need of the Lord’s mercy more when we have had a bad day…or been sheltered in place for weeks.

The fact is:

the whole world stands in need of God’s mercy

the whole worlds sees God’s power on display every single day…in the beauty of creation - in people made in the image of almighty God

God’s power and mercy came together perfectly in Christ coming to this earth as the spotless lamb of God

the Word robed in flesh

Deity incarnate

truly God and truly Man

the Second Adam who would come to set aright what the first Adam had made wrong

FAITH IN THE GOD THAT SURPRISES WITH DELIVERANCE

Hebrews 11:29 ESV

29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

We come to verse 29 of our text this morning with an incredible reality check. “VERSE 29 COMES AFTER VERSE 28” :)

This incredible rescue immediately followed the first Passover. (In Exodus 12-13 we see…) The final plague forced Egypt’s Pharaoh to release his Hebrew slaves, but immediately he regretted that decision. Exodus 14 records that he sent forces to recapture the Israelites, who had reached the Red Sea and were trapped between impassable waters and implacable foes.

We see GOD’s POWER here in one of God’s most extraordinary and miraculous demonstrations - the parting of the Red Sea.

Or as one modern gospel songwriter put it:

They had water all around them And Pharaoh on their tracks

But from out of nowhere, God stepped in And made a highway just like that

He’s an on-time God, yes He is!

The preacher of Hebrews here brings to light what is implicit in Exodus: it took faith in the trustworthiness of God to walk across the seafloor as one would on dry land.

What held the water back? God, in his providence, keeping his covenant promise to Israel.

This is why, when the Egyptian army tried to cross, the water was released and they were drowned.

The Power of God works in favor of the people of God exercising true faith in HIM!

You can see the difference here between faith and presumption: faith goes through the sea, presumption is drowned in the sea.

Exodus 14:31 ESV

31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.

We are tempted in this age to let our faith rest in the wisdom of men..We are wise to seek council, we are wise to listen to instruction and to process it accordingly. But may I remind you that where scientism and philosophy fall woefully short...

we need a demonstration of the Spirit and of power as live out the Gospel,...

1 Corinthians 2:5 ESV

5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

When you are faced with impossible obstacles and implacable foes…will you trust the LORD?

FAITH IN THE GOD THAT SURPRISES WITH VICTORY

Hebrews 11:30 ESV

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

We transition from Moses to Joshua.

From the quest to the conquest.

We moves from the exodus to the battle of Jericho (Josh 6). Joshua does not record anything about the people’s faith - but our preacher/writer here does - he records that they obeyed the Lord’s battle plan in faith.

SIDE NOTE: You may not always see all the angles of everything in the heat of battle. But God is working and taking note of genuine faith...

The sudden fall of Jericho’s walls reminds us that the faith that pleases God takes action in response to God’s word. It takes action, even when visible circumstances make his commands seem foolish and his promises impossible.

The Lord directed Israel’s priests—sounding trumpets and bearing the ark of the covenant—and its armed forces to march around Jericho once a day for six days, and seven times on the seventh day, before shouting and again blasting trumpets (Josh. 6:1–21). Such absurdity with Jericho being such a formidable fortress, securely sealed against siege (Josh. 6:1).

Spurgeon would write:

Spurgeon Commentary: Hebrews Exposition

You could not see faith at work on those solid walls. Those huge ramparts and battlements seemed to stand fast and firm, yet they “fell down, after they had been marched around seven days.” No battering rams played upon them, but faith can do better work than battering rams or dynamite.

Joshua’s Faith - his obedient, trusting, active faith - inspired a nation…to act!

No matter where we are planted—whether it is behind a machine or a desk or in a house—if we live a life of genuine faith regarding God’s Word, we will elevate and energize others to live as they ought. Your faith can raise the level of their whole church.

The evidence that Israel believed God’s Word was that they OBEYED it!

The application here is that a life of faith is evidenced by obedience, even when it seems absurd!

2 Corinthians 10:3–4 ESV

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

What are the Jerichos we may face that might require an act of faith-fueled obedience - what appears to be folly to human logic:

Preaching the Word: Hebrews Vol 1&2—An Anchor for the Soul Obedience

• A man is filling out his income tax form and realizes that if he lists his extra hidden income, it will put him in a higher tax bracket and he will not have money to pay his taxes. He is up against a dark wall indeed. He has a choice to make—do what is logical (just like everyone else does) or be absurdly truthful, trusting God to take care of him.

• A student is doing poorly in class. He needs a B to get into grad school, and as he works on his final exam he realizes it is not going to happen. But he notices that his neighboring A student is working in such a way that he can read all his answers without being seen. What to do? Rationalize and say “God provides!” or be a fool, fixing his eyes on his own miserable dunce paper, trusting God to work things out as he sees fit?

• You have been wronged by an enemy. Now you have the chance to do him ill, and he will never know who did it. Everyone would applaud you for it if they knew you did it. And you know that you can get away with it. But you remember the words of Jesus, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43, 44). Will you join the fools’ parade and actually pray for blessing on the one who has wronged you?

Disobedience reveals our unbelief. Obedience evidences our genuine faith.

2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV

14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

OBEDIENCE SETS US UP FOR VICTORY!

FAITH IN THE GOD THAT SURPRISES WITH MERCY

Hebrews 11:31 ESV

31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

Rahab…seems like a dramatic shift in focus. Up until now, we could categorize the previous examples of faith as the “usual” suspects. But Rahab? A prostitute is not one typically described as faithful to God.

How did she trust God and why is her faith commendable, despite her occupation?

In Joshua 2, we discover how Rahab hid Israel’s spies and informed them how they could escape - her language points to her awe and wonder in the Lord. Despite her background in Canaan’s pagan religions, this Gentile woman’s faith in the living God of Israel was robust in content, informed by reports of the Lord’s prior victories…she confesses when she encountered the spies:

Joshua 2:9–11 ESV

9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. 11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.

As a result, Rahab and all her household were spared (Josh 6:22-25).

She was not motivated by courage, self-protection, or some political calculation. She was motivated by faith.

Rahab trusted in the God of Israel not only to fulfill his promise to his people but also to protect her from the destruction of Jericho.

In a time of danger, she identified herself with the people of Yahweh and believed his promises, even though she was not an Israelite. Hers is truly a faith worth emulating.

By faith, like Noah and Moses before her, Rahab saw the unseen, and that changed her whole life.

The Scripture does, of course, record the lies of saints such as Abraham (Genesis 12:10–20), but it never approves such deception. Rather, God’s Word uniformly condemns falsehood and calls us to be men and women of truth. Nevertheless, Rahab’s calculated lie was a stupendous act of true faith. GOD RECOGNIZED THE MOTIVE BEHIND THE ACT - THE MOTIVE WAS FAITH!

God’s victorious power is on display here through this incredible act of mercy.

Not only did Rahab live in Israel the rest of her life, but she married an Israelite and became an ancestor of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 1:4–6 ESV

4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,

This pagan prostitute, exercised fearless faith and received the Lord’s rescue. And God’s mercy was extended to her for generations!

We too must look beyond the fleeting pleasures of sin and the threats of rejection and persecution, setting our sights on the living God, too glorious to be seen by human eyes, and the reward he will bestow!

Do you stand in need of God’s mercy, his power, great victory?!

May I point you to the intersection of time and eternity, of heaven and earth, creator and creation…to the person ofJesus Christ!

A Historical Person

An Extraordinary Person

Truly God

Truly Man

Alive through the resurrection

Who do you say Jesus is? Maybe you’re not ready to believe his claims. What is holding you back? Once you identify those things, don’t just walk away from them. Examine them. Pursue them. Find answers to your questions. Don’t put this off. This is the most important question you’ll ever consider!

Maybe you’re ready to say, “I really do think Jesus is the Son of God. I know I’m a sinner and a rebel against God. I know I deserve death for that rebellion, and I know Jesus can save me.” If so, then you simply turn away from sin and trust Jesus, and rely on him to save you. And then you tell the world! This is who Jesus is. He is the One who saves people just like me, and just like you!

Can you see His surprising mercy? The Holy God coming down to us…to you.

Can you see His surprising offer of victory? He has overcome the world so that you might overcome YOURSELF - your own sinful, selfish desires…to live in the newness of life.

Can you see HIS power? Over Death, Hell, and the Grave...to make you new; to set you right with your Creator. This is the power of God unto salvation…the glorious GOSPEL of Jesus Christ!

We are saved by grace…THROUGH FAITH!

Let’s pray!

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