Future-Looking Faith
Pastor Chad A. Miller
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 20:40
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· 22 viewsWe can look forward to the future with great hope as we remind ourselves of God’s great faithfulness in the past!
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REFLECTION TEXT: John 16.33
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
SERMON TEXT: Hebrews 11:20-22
20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.
21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
INTRO / TRANSITION
It’s remarkable. Some people can see the worst in every situation. I remember seeing a “demotivational” poster one time that said, “In every cloud there’s a silver lining…but lightning kills many people every year.”
Here we are in a situation, a circumstance, a historic moment that we will never forget…with long lasting impact. Things look dark; it’s difficult to use words like “pandemic” and “economic shut down” with a smile or with genuine optimism. It’s difficult for some to stare death in the face and think only of good and blessing others…but that’s where our text takes us this morning.
We catch these glimpses of ISAAC, JACOB, and JOSEPH as they are at death’s door. And remarkably, we see their focus is on the Lord, His Goodness, His Promise and Others to be blessed!
In the moments we have together this morning, I’d like for us to catch a few other glimpses of these men and their families to better color our understanding of just how divine this faith was…this FUTURE-LOOKING FAITH in the face of death.
1. ISAAC - A MAN WHO KNEW PRESSURE
1. ISAAC - A MAN WHO KNEW PRESSURE
We don't know much about Isaac outside a few facts we find in Genesis 21-27 (with a mention of his death at Hebron in Genesis 35).
Think back with me on what we do know:
Isaac, was the promised son of Abraham NOT Ishmael
counter-cultural pressure on him as second-born but treated as first-born
(Recently preached) God had Abraham take Isaac right to the point of sacrifice, when God provided a ram in the thicket
After Sarah died, Abraham felt a great deal of pressure to set Isaac up for success in marriage
(Gen 24) Sent his servant to Nahor to find a wife. When the servant asked the Lord for success in his mission, Rebekah, the woman who would become Isaac's wife, appeared before he had even finished praying!
Isaac & Rebekah had twin sons
full of drama
He was greatly blessed by the Lord, that he moved around quite a bit, and that like his father before him he also tried to pass off his wife as his sister when he was forced to travel to a foreign land due to a famine.
His life was relatively uneventful but he was the connecting link between the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob. Isaac was the child of promise.
We see God’s faithfulness through Isaac’s life…from his earliest childhood memories of the mountaintop sacrifice experience with his father - to his final blessings on his children. His life was characterized, in some respects, by GREAT PRESSURE - some at the hand of others, some by his own doing - but God was Faithful even in the midst of great pressure!
2. JACOB - A MAN WHO KNEW WEAKNESS
2. JACOB - A MAN WHO KNEW WEAKNESS
Before God transformed Jacob you wouldn't have wanted to buy a used car from him. And despite his many faults, God used him to bless the nations and passed the Abrahamic covenant through him. Jacob brought much suffering on himself but through chasing, he came out a great man.
His name meant Trickster.
The suffering he brought on himself was a result of him relying on his own strength and might! His own skill set!
He tricked his father (with his mom’s help - talk about family issues!) into giving him the blessing of the firstborn even though he wasn’t.
God spared him from Esau’s wrath (Genesis 28)
God blessed him with a visitation and a promise Gen 28.15
15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
He ventures down to Laban’s where he gets tricked by his own family (imagine that)!
He endures/escapes Laban’s with his new family in tact (Genesis 31).
About to meet up with Esau when he reverts to his old ways again…trying to use trickery to spare his life.
The angel of the Lord appears to him. Jacob wrestles with him - relying on his strength, his ways, his might…so the Lord takes his strength away! God touches him…to weaken him!
Song: He Touched Me,
He touched me, O He touched me
And oh my hips are filled with pain
Something wonderful happened
And now I know He touched me
And made me lame
We are reminded of the fact that Jacob failed, but “Israel” won! What a change there was! From this point on, his life would be submerged in the will of God.
When Jacob was strong, he could do nothing! But when he was lame and broken, God could use him.
He didn’t shrink back! Instead of bloodshed at meeting Esau, there was a wonderful reunion.
God didn’t need Jacob’s strength to help HIM!
GOD WAS FAITHFUL THROUGH JACOB’S FEATS OF WEAKNESS!
3. JOSEPH - A MAN WHO KNEW ADVERSITY
3. JOSEPH - A MAN WHO KNEW ADVERSITY
Genesis 30-50 cover the incredibly rich and storied life of this patriarch.
Joseph’s early life is such a sad story. Just like many children lack adequate coping skills, Joseph seemed to lack restraint in a family full of envious brothers.
There is a difference between reaping what you’ve sown and experiencing an onslaught of adversity.
- RARELY are we innocent victims. “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it...”
- There are times, however, through no fault of our own…because we are in this world - that we experience adversity. Like Jesus promised in John 16.33
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Jacob unfortunately "marked” Joseph when he favored him above the rest of his children so lavishly. (Warning to parents…favoritism never ends well.) Joseph didn’t ask for that.
He was betrayed by his brothers in Genesis 37
thrown into a pit
sold into slavery
reported dead to his father
Joseph didn’t ask for that.
He was falsely accused in Potiphar’s house when he did the right thing.
He was sent to prison.
He was forgotten in prison after he helped servants of Pharaoh.
Joseph didn’t ask for any of that.
You know the rest of the story:
He gained favor with Pharaoh
prepared Egypt for the famine
forgave his brothers
moved his family to Egypt
Then this glimpse from Hebrews 11 points us back to Gen 50.24
24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”
Even with everything made in the shade…he knew God’s people were headed for a land of promise. Things looked good…be he knew God had a better plan in view.
GOD WAS FAITHFUL TO JOSEPH EVEN THROUGH WAVE AFTER WAVE OF ADVERSITY!
It’s not a stretch to describe our current historic moment as one of
GREAT PRESSURE
GREAT WEAKNESS
GREAT ADVERSITY
TO THE PRESSURED
TO THE PRESSURED
Here is the promise of the Lord’s faithfulness to you who are pressured...
3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command.
5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
TO THE WEAK
TO THE WEAK
Here is the Lord’s promise to you who are weak…Paul, in a posture of great weakness reminds us...
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
TO THOSE IN THE THROWS OF ADVERSITY
TO THOSE IN THE THROWS OF ADVERSITY
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.
9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
HE DELIVERED US (past)
HE WILL DELIVER US NOW (present)
HE WILL DELIVER US AGAIN (future)
Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph could come to the end of their lives, even through great pressure, weakness, and adversity, with a LIVING HOPE FOR A FUTURE BLESSING!
Make no mistake, we may not recover economically any time soon…but Jesus said,
15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
OUR LIVING AND FUTURE HOPE IS NOT WRAPPED UP, TIED UP, AND TANGLED ALL UP IN THE AFFAIRS OF THIS WORLD.
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the very throne room of God!
Jesus intercedes for us…US…YOU when you’re pressured.
Your Great High Priest Knows about your great Weakness!
Your Overcoming King sees you in your adversity!
Remember that God orchestrated and allowed all these things so that HE MIGHT BE GLORIFIED...
HE IS NOT CAUGHT OFF GUARD IN OUR PRESENT MOMENT EITHER.
We are of the faith…like Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph…we will not shrink back under pressure, in weakness, or adversity. In fact, if we hit rock bottom, as children of God…the bottom is still the ROCK OF AGES!
Let’s pray.
Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans Let Me Hope
LET ME HOPE
Blessed Lord Jesus, let the faith of my soul be fixed and unalterable, one that admits neither doubt nor change.
Let me, with full purpose of heart, cling to you, Lord. I see, through your Spirit’s teaching, the Father’s hand and approval in all your work and finished salvation.
So here let me indeed be fixed, and never be of doubtful mind, but live and die in the full assurance of faith.
Let me be well pleased with what my God and Father is well pleased with, always rejoicing in hope of the glory of God!
—Robert Hawker