[0:00] Well, take your Bibles and turn to Genesis chapter 5.! of a new part of the story.
[0:32] And so Genesis 5 ends the first part of the book of Genesis, and now it begins another one. So Genesis 5, and we'll read the first 24 verses.
[0:44] This is the written account of Adam's line. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them.
[0:57] And when they were created, he called them man. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, his own image.
[1:08] And he named him Seth. After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. And altogether, Adam lived 930 years.
[1:19] And then he died. When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. And after he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters.
[1:33] And altogether, Seth lived 912 years. And then he died. When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan.
[1:43] And after he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. And altogether, Enosh lived 905 years.
[1:54] And then he died. When Kenan had lived 70 years and became the father of Mahalalel. And after he became the father of Mahalalel.
[2:06] Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. And altogether, Kenan lived 910 years. And then he died. When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared.
[2:22] And after he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Mahalalel lived 895 years.
[2:34] And then he died. When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. And after he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.
[2:51] Altogether, Jared lived 962 years. And then he died. And when Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.
[3:03] And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. And altogether, Enoch lived 365 years.
[3:19] Enoch walked with God. And then he was no more because God took him away. Let's hear the preaching of God's word. Well, I greet you in the name.
[3:36] The greatest name. The name of God himself. The name in which you were baptized. The name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[3:50] Well, we're studying four graces of the Christian life. Graces that this glorious God works in the lives of all his people.
[4:00] And yet that we are to make every effort to grow in as well. We've seen the grace of humility, that great emptier. And now we've come and are studying faith, the great receiver.
[4:13] And we're seeing just why these graces are elevated in the word of God. Why they're so important. Why they're precious.
[4:24] And they're precious because of what they do. And faith receives Christ and everything in Christ. And then we've been looking closer at that. And what all faith does that makes it so precious.
[4:37] And we've seen that faith unites us to Christ. It purifies our hearts. It overcomes the world. It sees the unseen.
[4:49] And now this morning, it pleases the Lord. Faith is important. Faith is precious. Because it pleases the Lord.
[5:00] And I want to begin with three general truths about pleasing the Lord. Then we'll come to faith itself. Three truths about pleasing the Lord. Number one, God is a God to be pleased.
[5:13] Children, have you found that certain things you do please your parents? And you can tell it by their faces. Their eyes light up.
[5:24] Their smile goes on. What comes out of their mouth? They praise you. They commend you for what you've done. They may even reward you with something. What you did pleased them.
[5:37] Now, you've also found that certain things that you do displease them. And again, you see it in their eyes. And you see it in their frown.
[5:47] And you hear it from their words. And there may even be some punishments tacked on, depending on how badly you displease them.
[5:58] Well, according to the Bible, God, your maker, is a being who also can be pleased. As well as a being who can be displeased.
[6:11] And that's to say that there are things that bring this God pleasure. And there are things that bring him displeasure. And as his creatures, it's our duty to please him.
[6:26] There's over 100 verses in our Bibles about pleasing God. This is no unimportant topic. It's the issue that confronts everyone that is born into this world.
[6:39] Who will you please? Yourself? Or your God? God. Now, the Lord Jesus, that perfect God man, saw the issue clearly. He says in John 530, I seek not to please myself, but to please him who sent me.
[6:56] That's what Jesus sought after. And it's also what he accomplished. As he tells us in John chapter 8 and verse 29, I always do what pleases him.
[7:08] No one else in all of human history could say that. In truth, I always do what pleases him. No, we have rather displeased him by pleasing ourselves.
[7:24] And that's why God sent his one and only son to be born. As a real man into this world, that he might please God perfectly. By his perfect obedience to his commandments.
[7:36] And that by being that perfect, obedient son, he might thereby qualify to stand in as our substitute and to be sacrificed.
[7:50] To bear the punishment and wrath of God for displeasing him. And that's what he did. For all who will repent and trust in him.
[8:01] He suffered God's wrath in our place. That it might be turned away from us. And that we might be forgiven. Accepted.
[8:12] Found well pleasing in God's sight. And have fellowship with him. A loving friendship. In which it is now possible for us to please him.
[8:22] So living in living and dying. The perfect man, Jesus Christ. Shows us how we are meant to live. To always do what pleases him.
[8:33] That's a simple summary. Of our duty to God. Not my will. Not my pleasure. But yours be done. So pleasing God is at the very heart of what it means to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
[8:50] Christ. The Christian is to be on a diligent search to find this. I'm sorry. I've jumped pages here. To be like Jesus is to do what pleases God.
[9:02] All right. That's the first truth. The second general truth. Pleasing God is to be the new goal of our lives. Second Corinthians 5 9. So we make it our goal to please him.
[9:14] Whether we're at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. That each of us may give an account for the things we've done in the body. Whether good or bad.
[9:27] Do you believe that? If so, you will make it your goal to please the Lord. Now our goal used to be to do what pleased ourselves. That was our number one concern.
[9:39] From morning to night. It was our priority pursuit. In our BC life. Before Christ life. But then we. We were saved.
[9:50] And we got a new master. We got a new heart. And we have now a new goal. It's a new aim. A new ambition in life.
[10:01] It gets you up in the morning. And keeps you going all day long. It's to please him. Who saved us from eternal torments. By his own blood on the cross. Now that's a goal to be pursued.
[10:16] And it stretches over the whole of our lives. It touches everything we do. All day. Every day. We pursue it.
[10:29] We make it our goal. To please him. You see that's something you must do Christian. You must make it your goal. To please him. Second Corinthians 5. 9.
[10:39] And that means as I rise each new day. I say to myself. I have nothing more important to do today. Than to please the Lord. In everything I do.
[10:50] Other things will have to wait. This can't. This is why he saved me. This is why I'm a new man. That I might fulfill this goal. For all humanity.
[11:01] To be like Jesus. And to do those things that please. The Lord. And we have spent enough time in the past. Doing what pleased us. It's high time to please the Lord. I challenge you to make that your.
[11:13] Conscious goal every morning. That you rise this week. This new goal stretches. As I said. Over all of our life. We pursue it. But we're also to pray for it.
[11:24] Paul writes to the Colossian believers. In chapter 1 verses 9 and 10. And he tells the believers in Colossae. Not only that he prays for them.
[11:35] But he tells them what he prays for them. That they might learn how to pray for themselves. And for other believers. He says. I keep asking God to fill you. With the knowledge of his will.
[11:46] Through all spiritual wisdom. And understanding. And then he tells them. Not only what he prays. But why he prays it. And we pray this for you. In order that you may live a life.
[11:59] Worthy of the Lord. And may please him in every way. That's why I'm praying for you. And that's why I'm praying. That you will know his will and pleasure.
[12:09] Why? So that you may please him. In every way. Do you pray that way? God help me. To please you today.
[12:21] In every way. In all I do. David prayed that way. He ends Psalm 19. Lord. Let the words of my mouth.
[12:33] And the meditation of my heart. Be pleasing in your sight. Oh Lord my rock. And my redeemer. You see. We pursue this new goal.
[12:43] We pray for it. And. And pleasing the Lord for the believer. Is not an unattainable goal. It is true of those who are.
[12:57] Still in their sin nature. Those who are controlled by the flesh. Cannot please God. Romans 8.8 says. But it's not true for the Christian. That we cannot please God.
[13:09] It's not an unattainable goal. A new heart. And it's because of the resources. That have been given us in Christ. A new heart. That wants to please. Christ.
[13:20] The Holy Spirit. Now living and working. Within us. A supernatural energy. To will. And to do. What pleases him. Philippians 2.13.
[13:32] And Jesus Christ. Constantly interceding for us. On the throne. Before the Father. Making us. In our works. Acceptable to him. As our confession of faith says.
[13:46] He takes pleasure. In our sincere efforts. To please him. As he views them now. In his son. And rewards them. Even though accompanied. By many weaknesses. And imperfections.
[13:58] For to be accepted. In the beloved. Is to have. Our works. Done in faith. To him. Now also. Accepted. In the beloved Jesus. And so the Bible.
[14:09] Talks about this. Not as an unattainable goal. But as something. That is being attained. Proverbs 16.7. When a man's ways. Are pleasing the Lord. He makes even his enemies.
[14:20] To be at. Peace with him. Proverbs 15.26. The Lord detests. The thoughts of the wicked. But those. Of the pure. Are pleasing to him.
[14:32] It's not an unattainable goal. In Christ. So that's the second thing. We have a new goal. And thirdly. If our new goal. Is to please the Lord. Then. It is our delightful duty. To find out.
[14:43] What pleases the Lord. And that's what we read. In Ephesians chapter 5. And verse 10. Find out. What pleases. The Lord.
[14:54] So. The Christian. Is on a diligent search. To find. This out. Now. Where would you look. To find out.
[15:04] What pleases the Lord. What if I told you. That a book. Has been written. And written. By the Lord himself. For this very purpose. To tell you.
[15:17] What. Pleases him. That he. In this book. Opens up his heart. Lays it bare. Before you. And says. Child. This is what pleases me. Would you buy it.
[15:30] Would you read it. Would you pour over it. Every day of your life. Would. Would you memorize. Parts of it. Would you. Meditate on it. Day and night. And make. That the one book.
[15:42] That you know. Better than anything else. In this life. Because you want to find out. What pleases. The Lord. Would you.
[15:54] Would you keep it. Front and center. Would you hide it. In your heart. So that it's always there. This pleases the Lord. This doesn't. This pleases the Lord. This pleases the Lord. Would you find out.
[16:06] And keep it. Before you. Well the Bible. Of course. Is that book. Isn't it. And that's what. We're all about here. And I would ask you. Are. Would you attend.
[16:17] Preaching. That. That explains it. And. Opens it up. And applies it to you. To show you. What. Is pleasing to the Lord. Listen to what Paul says.
[16:29] To the believers. At Thessalonica. The church there. Chapter 4. And verse 1. Of this first letter. Finally brothers. We instructed. You how to live. In order to please God.
[16:39] As in fact. You are living. Now. We ask you. And we urge you. In the Lord Jesus. To do this.
[16:50] More. And more. That's why we need to be. Constantly reading it. That's why we need to be. Constantly sitting under the. Preaching. Of it. With the spirit of God.
[17:02] Present. To teach it. Why? Because we need to know. What pleases the Lord. And then be urged. To do it. More. And more.
[17:13] Do you know that. You can please the Lord. More. Than you are. Right now. That's what Paul says. You are living this way. That pleases the Lord. But we are urging you.
[17:24] To do it more and more. So this world. Is constantly. Bombarding you. On how to please yourself. Isn't it? From all sorts of.
[17:37] Places in the world. Comes this voice. Do what's best. For you. John. Please yourself. And you've got a flesh. With inside. A voice with inside. That amens.
[17:48] Everything that the world's saying. You've got a devil. At your elbow. That's urging you on. To please yourself. And not God. So how. Are you. Countering.
[17:58] That steady. Drumbeat. That you live. In the atmosphere of. There's only one way. It's to find out. And to keep.
[18:09] Before you. To hide. In your heart. What pleases. The Lord. And to be. Urged. To do so. More.
[18:20] And more. Well. It's not only. Our duty. Then. To find out. What pleases the Lord. I said. It's our delightful. Duty. Our delightful. Duty. This has always been.
[18:30] The delightful pursuit. Of people in love. You notice that. The more in love. The more they make it. Their goal. To please the other. And the more energetic.
[18:41] They are. About finding out. What pleases. The loved one. So. Wilbur. Had a favorite cologne. For 25 years.
[18:53] And then he found out. That his beloved. Liked some. Other. Cologne. Wilbur. Splashing. A new cologne. Why? Because he loves her.
[19:04] And wants to please her. And when he found out. What pleases her. He switched. Wilbur's a. Potato and steak. Kind of guy.
[19:15] Until he found out. That his beloved. Likes. Raw fish. Wrapped. In seaweed. No less. So what's Wilbur to do?
[19:27] Find a new girlfriend? No. He needs to find. A new restaurant. And that's what he does. If he loves her. You see. And wants to please her. He finds a restaurant. That will serve sushi.
[19:39] And steak. Love. Pursues. The pleasure. Of the loved one. In fact. Love. Finds pleasure.
[19:51] In. The pleasure. Of the loved one. And that's why I say. This is a delightful. Duty. One way. One way.
[20:01] Of coming to the Bible. Is to come to it. Is to find out. What the lover. Of my soul. Is pleased with. I challenge you. To do that.
[20:11] In your daily reading. Of his word. This week. Just to remind yourself. As you're. Coming through. And finding your place. I am now. Coming to find out. What the lover. Of my soul. Is pleased with.
[20:23] It'll change the way. You read the Bible. Because. It matters to us. Since we want. More than anything else.
[20:34] To please him. Who gave himself. For us. And we want to avoid. Like the plague. Anything that displeases. Him. Who gave himself. For us.
[20:44] So with this in mind. We. We now come. To Hebrews chapter 11. Turn there. If you will. And as we're turning. Remember. We're on a hunt. To find out. What pleases the Lord.
[20:56] And here. We find God. So eager. To tell us. That faith. Pleases him. He actually. Makes this point. At the end. Of chapter 10. And he hammers. At home. Throughout chapter.
[21:06] 11. And on. Into chapter 12. So. What's the situation? Let me just. Remind you. These. Jewish.
[21:17] Christians. Had been. Looking forward. To the coming. Of the Messiah. As their Old Testament. Scriptures. It said. And then. Messiah. Came. God.
[21:27] Came. In the person. Of Jesus. Of Nazareth. And fulfilled. Those prophecies. Of Messiah. And now. Sent out. His preachers. Into the world. And told them.
[21:37] To believe. On the Lord. Jesus Christ. And to be saved. And they had done that. They had trusted. In the Lord. Jesus. As their Lord. And Savior. And you know. What happened? They got persecuted.
[21:48] Because of it. They got ostracized. Socially distanced. And put out. Of families. And synagogues. And businesses.
[22:01] And they suffered dearly. For their faith. In Jesus Christ. And much like. Us. With the pandemic. They started out well.
[22:14] Unmoved. In the face. Of suffering. But it's another thing. When it just goes on. And on. Isn't it? And. The novelty wears off. Staying at home.
[22:25] Wearing a mask. Wherever you go. Social distancing. We get tired of it. So. They did too. As the persecution. Just wore on. And on.
[22:36] And on. And things were getting worse. Rather than better. The daily grind. Of persecution. Left them spiritually fatigued. And worn out.
[22:47] I say spiritually. Fatigued. To the place. Where they were in danger. Of giving up the faith. Turning back. To a Christless Judaism. In order to end.
[22:58] Their suffering. And their persecution. And so the book of Hebrews. Is fired off to them. This is. This is something they need. It's urging them. To keep the faith. To go on believing.
[23:09] To persevere living. By faith. Since only those. Who persevere in faith. To the end. Will be saved. As Jesus says. In Matthew chapter 24. So.
[23:20] Chapter 10. Verse 35 to 39. Notice what he says. So. So don't throw away your faith. Your confidence. That's what faith is. It's confidence in God. Don't throw it away. It will be richly rewarded.
[23:35] You need to persevere. So that when you've done the will of God. You will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while. He who is coming. Will come. And will not delay.
[23:46] But my righteous one. Will live. By faith. You'll find that 22 times. In the next chapter. My righteous one. Will live. By faith.
[23:56] Just those two words. By faith. Faith. Now notice what he says. And if he shrinks back. That is if he shrinks back. From a life of faith in Jesus.
[24:08] Goes back to his old way. I will not be pleased. With him. But. We are not of those who shrink back.
[24:21] And are destroyed. But we are of those who believe. And it's in the present tense. Who go on believing. And are saved. Can you see.
[24:33] Abandoning the faith. Does not please God. Real faith. Does. Persevering faith. Does. And though this faith.
[24:45] Is a grace. That God works in us. Yet faith. Pleases the Lord. So much. That it draws forth. His praise. His commendation. And yes. Even his rewards. So chapter 11.
[24:57] Begins. Now faith. Is being sure. Of what we hope for. And being certain. Of what. We do not see. And this. That is faith. Is what the ancients.
[25:08] Those old guys. At the beginning of your Bible. In the Old Testament. This is what they were commended for. For faith. Children.
[25:19] Just as. Mom and dad. When they're pleased with you. Commend you for it. They praise you for it. God does that. With his children. Children. And this is why. They're. They're found in Hebrews chapter 11.
[25:30] God is. Praising his children. For their faith. He's commending. Them. As examples. To us. And so we come. That's true of all of them.
[25:41] But especially so in Enoch. Verse 5 and 6. By faith. Enoch. Was taken from this life. So he did not experience death. He could not be found. Because God had taken him away.
[25:52] For before he was taken. He commended. He was commended. As one who pleased God. And without faith. It is impossible. To please God. Because anyone who comes to him.
[26:04] Must believe. That he exists. And that he rewards. Those who earnestly seek him. By faith. Enoch pleased God. Faith is precious.
[26:16] Because it pleases the Lord. Now what do we know about Enoch? Well the Bible tells us very little. We read in Jude. That he was the seventh. From Adam. And if you were careful.
[26:27] In counting the genealogy. In Genesis 5. You saw that he was the seventh. From Adam. Just as Jude tells us. Nearly at the end of the Bible. But the more important thing.
[26:37] Or interesting thing. Is that Adam lived so long. That he was still alive. When Enoch lived. Which means Enoch. Could have gone over to his house. And said Mr. Adam. Would you tell me again.
[26:48] What this world was like. Before sin. And the curse. He could talk to him about that. Enoch. Enoch. The seventh.
[27:01] From Adam. Genealogy found in chapter 5. That was read. It follows this formula. Where. It tells how many years. The man lived.
[27:13] Before the birth of his firstborn son. And then. After. That firstborn son. How many total years. How many more years he lived.
[27:23] And then the total is given. And then it says he died. And that formula is followed. From Adam. Right on down to Enoch. For seven generations. At least. Or for eight generations.
[27:34] But. When we come. To Enoch. We notice two important changes. After the birth of Enoch's firstborn son. Methuselah. Instead of telling us. How many years he lived.
[27:45] It says. Enoch walked with God. For 300 years. Everybody else. It says. He lived. 300 years. Not Enoch.
[27:56] It says. He walked with God. 300 years. And then it repeats. Enoch walked with God. And then he was no more. Because God. Took him.
[28:07] Away. So unlike the others. This is the second thing. That's different. He never died. But was just. Transplanted. To heaven. So others were said.
[28:19] To have lived. So many years. Enoch is said. To have walked with God. So many years. And that's because. To Enoch. Living. Was.
[28:29] Walking with God. You know how Paul puts it. For to me. To live. Is what? It's Christ. And to Enoch. To live.
[28:40] Is. Walking with God. Now when. It says Enoch. Was walking with God. Don't. Don't. Don't think of. Of power walking. Don't think of.
[28:52] The young lady. With her hundred and fifty dollar. Tennis shoes on. Has the. The. The watch. Ticking the pace. And. And has.
[29:05] Her arms. Swinging. Like a tin soldier. Her earbuds in. And she's not stopping. For anything. Until her. Forty five minute. Power walk. Is over.
[29:16] Don't think of that. When it says. Enoch walked with God. Rather. Think of a. Of a husband and wife. Madly in love. Out for an evening stroll. And they're walking together.
[29:26] Hand in hand. And they're just enjoying. Being with each other. And there's. Tons of conversation. About their day. About the challenges of it.
[29:39] The joys of it. The delights. The concerns. Yes. Even plans for the futures. Their fears. It's an open heart to heart. Exchange.
[29:50] It's a walk and talk. Of love. And that's what. Enoch did. For three hundred years. With the living God. He walked.
[30:02] He lived. With God. And so. His troubles. Confronted him. He told.
[30:13] God about. Lord. I'm up against this thing. What do I do? I don't know what to do. When. When.
[30:25] He. He. He felt his need. And his inadequacies. He. He asked the Lord. For help. Lord. I need more patience. My wife. My kids.
[30:35] My workmates. Help me. And. And when. When God gave the help. Thank you. Lord. Thank you. I knew it was you. I knew it. You.
[30:45] You don't disappoint. Those who seek you. And he. And he. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. Joys. Are.
[30:55] Experienced. He. Praises. God. From whom. All blessings. That one. Came from you. Too. Didn't it. Lord. I knew it. I knew it. Thank you. You're good. You're good. He's walking with God.
[31:08] Refusing to live without God. But rather walking and talking with God. Is life a walk. With God. For you. Is that the way you live.
[31:19] Your life. let me just say this if you're walking with god you're going to have to walk by faith and not by sight faith we're going to look now at faith's role in walking with god you see because god is spirit and does not have a body like men therefore if we're going to walk with him we're going to need to have faith faith that is sure about what's unseen and so we're going to need to be real sure that god is with me even though i can't see him that i'm never alone you never walk alone but he's always with you and it's that way every day all day for the believer are you aware of that that you'll only be aware of it by faith like moses in verse 27 he saw him who is invisible like david says in psalm 16 7 or verse 9 i've set the lord verse 8 i've set the lord always before me because he's at my right hand i will not be moved he sees him there he's there how does he see him he sees him who is invisible by faith so if you're going to walk with god you're going to have to walk by faith and it takes faith to believe that that when you talk there's someone on the other end of your prayers and that he's actually listening with attentiveness with a sympathetic heart and with the wisdom and power to answer in the very best way you're going to need faith if you're going to talk with god you're going to need to believe that he exists you need to be sure about that and then you're going to need to be sure that that he rewards those who seek him that he never goes back on his promises that you can expect from him you ask according to his will and pleasure you can expect to see him do what he says no one seeks him in vain and then you need faith to believe that he is there and is not silent that he is speaking and he is speaking to us in this book that takes faith to believe that what the bible says god is saying god is saying god is speaking to right here not some voice here there right here god is speaking if you're going to walk and talk with god you're going to need faith and enoch had faith and you're going to need faith as well enoch walked by god with faith now the old testament summary of enoch's life then is he walked with god we saw it twice and in genesis 5 but when we come to the new testament summary of his life here in hebrews chapter 11 we notice a different wording of the summary of his life verse 5 of hebrews 11 by faith enoch was taken from this life so that he did not experience death he could not be found because god had taken him away for before he was taken here it is he was commended as one who walked with god no it doesn't say that what does it say it says as one who please god well so which is it do we have a a contradiction in the bible is it is it that he walked with god or that he pleased god well there's no contradiction at all these things are complementary they fit together perfectly and what god is telling us is that to walk with god is to please god and what makes a walk with god pleasing to god is faith because without faith or success it is impossible to please god so what can we know about enoch well we
[35:23] know he walked with god 300 years and we know that that walk was pleasing to god he pleased the lord and we know that he it was pleasing to the lord because he walked by faith not by sight faith is sure it's certain of him that we do not see faith takes him at his word faith has an eye toward god in everything we do we live for him for his honor for his praise for his pleasure we do what he says because he says it because he wants it done we live with him in fellowship with him drawing from him receiving from him trusting in him a life of faith is a god-centered life that's always taking him into account it's not life without god in all his thoughts there's no room for god that's the way the world lives but not that not the believer now god's in the picture and faith keeps him there and faith faith's call is to fix your eyes on jesus to make sure you lock on to him and don't go far in your day without making sure that he's in the picture in your thoughts the reason why you're doing what you're doing a life of faith is a god-centered life that takes him into account and such a life honors god and therefore it's pleasing to god god says i will honor those who honor me and enoch so honored god with a life of walking by faith that god says there will be no special no no no ordinary honor for you you you so honored me i'm going to so honor you and he just said to him one day well you're coming home with me today and he just transplanted him to heaven without ever dying just showing how how how pleased he is with a life of of faith walking with god by faith so our faith places a high honor on god's truth and on his faithfulness it says with noah god's word can be counted on he never fails even if you've never heard of something happening you can count on it if god says it says noah faith says with abraham god's power can be trusted with things that are impossible with men i can still trust god faith says with joseph god's wisdom and love can be trusted through the darkest valleys to the bitter end he keeps his promise faith says with moses to have god as my god is worth more than all the gold and the pleasures and the status found in egypt i'd rather have jesus than and his unseen rewards and anything this world can offer me and faith says with jesus the greatest example as well as the object of faith that enduring the cross is worth all the joys that god has promised your faith that scraps your plans to fulfill his that refuses your pleasures of sin in order to please him that honors him and that pleases him so to visit hebrews chapter 11 is to find out what pleases the lord that's what we're that's what we're finding out as we turn to hebrews 11 and not only from enoch of whom it says that he pleases the lord but all the others that's why they're here that's why they're commended that's why they're
[39:24] they're held up before us because they did what they did by faith and faith pleases the lord but without faith it's impossible to please the lord do you believe that it's a staggering statement if you think about it without faith it's impossible to please the lord so hear me there's nothing you do in your life nothing but that you need faith to do it in a way that is pleasing to the lord because without faith it's impossible so take worship for example the first two boys in the planet we find them at worship and god was pleased with the worship of abel but not pleased with the worship of cain why what made the difference now some commentators will tell you well it's clear abel made a blood sacrifice of an animal and cain only offered grain offerings no no what they offered was not the issue god ordained both grain offerings and animal offerings rather god's explanation on the event here in hebrews 11 looks right past the difference in what they offered to how they offered it you notice that verse 4 chapter 11 hebrews by faith abel offered god a better sacrifice than cain did by faith he was commended as a righteous man when god spoke well of his offerings and by faith he still speaks even though he's dead according to god the difference in the worship was the presence of faith or the absence there it was faith that made abel's offering a sweet smelling a well pleasing aroma to god isn't that a beautiful way the old testament talks of sacrifices and worship that is pleasing to god it's like an aroma and god's aha that brings me pleasure like it gets the juices rolling when you smell the neighbor's steak frying over in his grill that's how god takes true worship that's done in faith you see even so today many are worshiping god they're gathered even with the virus and all they're gathering but only worship that is that is pleasing to god is worship that is done in faith where where the worshiper has faith in god's one and only savior jesus christ and trusting in him and his sacrifice as the only thing that makes them acceptable and therefore makes their worship acceptable in his sight it's only acceptable through jesus and that's where their faith is and that's pleasing worship to the lord and they worship god in the way he wants to be worshipped you see their worship is done with god in mind well i can't just worship him any way i want to how does he want to be worshipped you see the god centeredness of true worship i'm asking him my eye is on him in worship they're in they're in attendance these who worship with faith not because it's just the way they were raised it's the thing oh it's sunday again i guess it's time that we go to church there's no faith in that no no they they come because god has commanded his worship they come because god will meet us here and god deserves to be worshipped you see god is in the equation of those who worship by faith and so they're here because of god and they give their offerings in faith to the lord as abel did recognizing
[43:25] he's the one who's given me everything that i have i give nothing to him but what he's first given me and i recognize god in my offering you see and and they sing in faith to the lord who is good and great and greatly to be praised and they they pray with faith they don't just oh somebody's praying up here we should be done no no i'm praying with him i'm i'm i'm seeing that there is an unseen god listening right now to his prayer and mine as i piggyback it on him and his prayer and when we sing i sing for joy for what the lord has done promised you see god is in it god is in it faith in god is in the worship that is pleasing to him now you and i can't see this faith difference in others but god does and that's the only kind of worship that he accepts and is pleased with proverbs 15 8 says god detests the sacrifice of the wicked but the prayer of the upright pleases him you see the upright the righteous and the righteous are those who walk by faith and they worship by faith there's nothing we do that's pleasing in god's sight if faith in him is not involved so kids why do you obey your parents well they're bigger than us and they would punish me if i didn't and and where's god in all of that what is without faith it's impossible for your obedience to please the lord what does colossians 3 verse 20 say children obey your parents in everything for this is pleasing to the lord oh i'm going to obey my parents because that's what pleases the lord now you're you're obeying by faith you see now now god's in the picture you're seeing behind the authority of mom and dad to to the one who put them there at the top of the chain of command god himself he wants this done then i will obey and honor my parents because it's pleasing to the lord you know men there's and women there's a way to work kids as well there's a way to work that's pleasing to the lord there's a way to work that's not pleasing to the lord and again the difference maker is faith isn't it it's that godward look of faith so colossians 3 23 says whatever you do work at it with all your heart as working for the lord there's faith faith that brings god into the picture i'm i'm here at this this eight hour job i'm here for the lord and i'm working for him not for men the text goes on to say faith you see makes the difference because without faith it's impossible to please the lord what a bummer to to work eight hours in a in a hot place a difficult place with difficult people and in the end it doesn't please the lord anyway because i didn't work with as unto the lord i didn't have a thought of god that i was there to work for him no we work for the lord you see without faith it's impossible to please the lord but hear me when you do what you do for the lord because he says so because he wants it done and for his sake everything you do is pleasing to him the smallest thing you're helping your little sister with something god's pleased if you're doing it because you know this is pleasing to the lord he wants he wants me to love others a cup of cold water and his thing oh he sees it he won't overlook anything that's done by faith but rewards it commends it is pleased with it
[47:25] faith in jesus is the mightest touch that turns all that we do for jesus into gold the gold of god's smile his pleasure in what we've done and it's faith in jesus that is the mightest touch what what must he be worth what must his sacrifice be worth that faith christ word makes whatever we do pleasing to the lord as we do it for him well it's a privilege then isn't it to walk with god every day all day to do what we do by faith walking with him pleasing to him if you're without christ without saving faith you can't walk with god and nothing you do can please him you say then why should i come to worship because not to come is a worse sin than coming without faith in jesus can two walk together unless they be agreed amos three three if you're going north and i'm going south we can't walk together unless we come to agreement and if you're walking in the darkness of your sin and going your way and god is the god of light who who's walking in the light you can't walk with god you're gonna have to stop turn around repent and renounce your way and put faith in jesus christ and come and walk with god to walk in the truth to walk in newness of life that jesus gives then you can walk with god do you know he's inviting you he says come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and i will give you rest but put your neck in the yoke with me come on let's walk a while no let's walk 300 years let's walk your whole life and what will you learn you'll learn from me and what will you find out about me as you walk with me jesus says you will find that i am gentle and i am humble in heart and you will find that walking with me is rest and you'll find out that the life you thought was life was unrest now you've come home when you've come home to me you could begin your walk of faith this morning he's ready if you are and brothers and sisters i wonder if we've ever been struck with just the wonder of the fact that this god that we sang about this morning that is so great and glorious that that anything that we would do what are we just a little speck of dust here on this earth that anything we do would would catch his eye for one thing that he would take notice of us but that he would actually take pleasure in us is that not condescending love is that not amazing that what you do tomorrow today all week long you could be an ingredient in the pleasure of this god psalm 149 says that that the people of god ought to be singing with joy in the assembly we've done that this morning but it goes on to say that we ought to be singing on our beds and if you do that why what what is so good that that we we sing when we're together and we even sing when we're alone at night on our beds with our thoughts as we lie down because the lord takes delight in his people isn't that a wonderful thought he
[51:26] takes pleasure no no husband ever loved a wife like jesus loves his people he takes pleasure read the song of solomon it's not a one-way love it's both each delighting in the other that's jesus and his people he delights in us he's delighting in you oh if he delights in us we ought to delight in him shouldn't we and we sing that we cry out for that in our closing hymn our response to god this morning is that oh i would delight lord i would delight in thee and then we cry for stronger faith and we renew this goal that is ours to love and please him more so stand and sing with me as our response now may the god of peace who threw the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our lord jesus that great shepherd of the sheep may he equip you with everything good for doing his will and may he work in us what is pleasing to him through jesus christ to whom be glory forever and ever amen amen you