Deliverance and Endurance (Part A)

Out of weakness were made strong in the list of these mentioned in verse 32 Gideon and Sampson would be outstanding characters that Sampson strength was not from going to the gym, nor was it really something.

He was born in this sense it was given to some minute is born and is stronger than ever. Most other men, Sampson was that what it was given to him. It was specifically given to him.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Hebrews chapter 11 as he begins his message called deliverance and endurance. Have your Bibles turn to Hebrews chapter 11 Hebrews chapter 11 as we go through it, you'll find many things that are foreign, but may be exciting nonetheless. If you're new to the Scriptures. I encourage you to stick with it will be overwhelmed by what you do not know receive what you do understand because it comes from the Lord concerning his word.

Well, we're going to start in verse 33. The reading of the word will take it to the end of the chapter verse 40, who through faith subdued kingdoms work righteousness, obtained promises, stop the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fires, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong came valid in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Women received their dead raised to life again.

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of markings and scourging's yes and of chains and imprisonment. They were stone, they were sawn into they were tempted or slain with the sword. They were they wandered about in sheepskins and goat skins being destitute, afflicted, tormented home the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains in dens and caves of the earth. All these, having obtained a good testimony through faith did not receive the promise. God having provided something better for us. They should not be made perfect apart from us in the previous verse from what we just read in verse 32 writer who has been listing all of these heroes of grace.

The servants of God who done things because they trusted God in spite of their shortcomings and their failures and there were many of them it is there faith that stands out to us because that is what stands out to God that is true of them is going to be true of me also covered by the blood of Christ. He died on the cross for me remove my sin to all those who would come and receive salvation by confessing Jesus Christ is risen from the dead Lord and Savior.

Verse 32. The writer had said and what more shall I say for time would fail me to tell of Gideon Barrick and Sampson Jeff.

The also of David and Samuel and the prophets, then verse 33 continuing his mention of those names above who through faith subdued kingdoms work righteousness, obtained promises, stop the mouths of lions. Now these victories.

Of course, achieved by faith. There are no victories in Christ with God that are achieved by faithlessness is faith that is the victory now who through faith subdued kingdoms of that of course would be Gideon and Barbara and David and Sampson. These men listed here, but but then also comes to mind. One such as the lash of the prophet, each at a great victory for Israel against the Syrian army when the Syrian army invaded the land read in second Kings in six chapter when the Syrians came down to him. Elisha prayed to Yahweh and said strike this people, I pray with blindness and and he struck them with blindness. According to the word of Elisha. There's a lot more to the story as it is with all Scripture references. But the point that stands out is the author the author of Hebrews is saying. Remember that there are those that accomplish great victories for God on the field of battle and I just cited Eliza, he's been referencing all the others.

Deliverance and endurance.

They go together. Yes and gotten to the endurance part were still considering the deliverance of the Lord for his servants says here in verse 33 that they worked righteousness that should stand out to all Christians, because I have found a lot of Christians seem not to be too interested in righteousness. All they are interested in salvation. They want that righteousness and I can lie when I need to lie, I can do the wrong thing when I need to do the wrong thing or situation course is not from God, and I hope I hope that there there are none present that behave that way. And if you if you're guilty of it. I hope you take steps to find it to resist that temptation that urge of the flesh.

This is a part of who were supposed to be. We are supposed to work. Righteousness is one of things are supposed to separate us from people who don't work righteousness that would be the world so they worked righteousness you think of Solomon on the throne.

We all know the story of two women disputing over the live child which one said I don't care if you cut the child would have to find the other of the mother of courses neglected letter habit. I want to keep the baby alive to move Solomon to distinguish who was lying Hutus telling the truth. He executed righteousness from the throne of God and there were those like Mordechai and Esther and so many others in Scripture we learn from when we read about their lives and again if you're new to the Bible. These names may be foreign to you. You are seeking to be right with Christ you want to live in heaven after this life. Want to get to know him and it will be through his word and it will be through such characters as this that he will begin to unfold for you is ways how he does things they obtained promises will David, of course, he finally did make it to the throne, solid hounded him for years seeking to kill him and never succeeded. Then there's Hannah who we discussed last week that the mother of of Samuel how she prayed and she obtained the promise that God had given to her to stop the mouths of lien, of course, in the list of verse 32 those names David and Sampson both sloughed lions David with his sling Sampson with his hands. There were others who stopped lions from being lions eating them. Daniel, of course, Ben and I another one is at this point that the student looks at these words and says stop the mouths of lions. There are still lions that roam where we live where we work places that we know about, read about the lie about Christ lie about the faith and whether they know it or not there are instruments of the enemy of Christ, and so may we be used to stop the mouths of lions with truth and love always.

But what goes into truth in love is righteousness is the pursuit of pleasing God, doing the right thing because of my relationship with him. Some wonder why God doesn't bless them more when they are never addressing this critical issue of righteousness.

We invest ourselves and our children to get them to do the right thing in life only, so that life would be better for them that they could serve the Lord from the beginning forward. So there are lying lions lying about that.

We must engage with the truth. I was a lying lion. I was against Christianity but the truth set me free. That is likely to case with many of you too. You may have been against Christ. Someone came along and set it right you been believing ever since.

In verse 34. He continues about the heroes of faith, the heroes of grace quenched the violence of fire escape the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valid in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens while he still saying it. This is what faith those who trust Christ of experience please. This is not the whole story. It is for one moment think that God is always going to come along and rescue us from some eminent pressing danger, but will get to that in a moment quenched the violence of fire. Fire was his violent Ananias Amisha Helen Azariah three nice Jewish boys right Shadrach me shack and Abednego that was that was the pagan names they were given the Daniel chapter 3 the story is there.

They said to the king when not going to bow down to any false gods. Our God is able to deliver us and if he does not stomach about and they were thrown into the fire. God delivered and says here in verse 34 escape the edge of the sword. Bill David is is one that escaped the edge of the sword many times not all escape gadget will get to that in verse 37 men like James the one of the apostles.

He did not escape the sword. The first apostle to be martyred out of weakness were made strong that when I like a lot. I'm weak if I've had any strength in Christ was given to me by Christ as his imparted to the saints to this very day is not mock humility to say that is true. Whenever we think were strong as when we are in danger of showing that week we are humility doesn't come natural to any of us spiritual achievement work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, but out of weakness were made strong in the list that he's mentioned in verse 32 Gideon and Sampson would be outstanding characters of that Sampson strength was not from going to the gym, nor was it really something. He was born with. In this sense it was given to I some managers born in is stronger than ever. Most other men, Sampson was that, but it was given to him. It was specifically given to him.

I am a firm believer that Sampson did not look you know your retirement every artist that is ever drew a picture of Sampson has him with these great muscles. These big and strong and I don't think that was the case at all. Otherwise they would not have been asking was the secret of your strength.

They would look at them I can tell why your so strong. Look at those arms.

Sampson's got guns but he looked like a common mention why you so strong. God became show off with it and other failed, he failed out of weakness were made strong's of God makes me strong.

I gotta be careful. It is so easy to be filled with pride when you've got a little bit of victory in Christ. But there are those that have no victories in Christ that still doesn't stop them from being prideful pride will make a devil of an archangel, and make a fool out of you and me maybe be on guard and someone you know that we were all susceptible to puffing up and thinking that were bigger than we are, became violent in the fight before. I've got one more name. I want to mention out of weakness became strong. John L. Cicero, the king of the Canaanite army fled to her tent. She drew a sheepish failure Thursday have some milk and he lied about the rest.

He was exhausted from running from bar at the judge of Israel at the time Deborah was the judge bark with the general and when he lies down she drives her tent paid through his head and kills him. His major week were made strong, became valid in the fight. Joshua one of my my favorite is Sam Willie read this about the man named Shambala superhero name haven't written across Shambala second Samuel 23 after him. One of the mighty men of David was Shambala, the Philistines had gathered together in a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils.

The food fight is important that the they hold this ground so the people fled from the Philistines. Everybody's running, but he Shambala stationed himself in the middle of the field defended and killed the Philistine so that Yahweh brought about great victory. So this is the man is that this is my bean field. You cannot have it and he fought over it and one now.

Maybe you're a Philistine you're not. There are no more Philistines. But for the sake of making my point. I think it's a critical point need to be made every generation throughout history from every pulpit at some point it must be made. Maybe you're a Philistine and you've just been offended by what I read that he killed the Philistines less what happened.

The Philistines were against God and against God's people. They had their own gods.

They were satisfied with making up their own gods. They really didn't appreciate God revealing himself to the Jews. And so they were the inveterate enemies of the Jews centuries so if you Philistine you're offended by the scripture verse you are race centered, not Christ centered now are coming closer to the point. Whatever is said of. In truth about your race is not the issue for Christian issue for us is not our race, but our kingdom. That's where we pledge allegiance to our king, the kingdom of heaven. I hate racism and you should too. It is been the cause of countless deaths and miseries over generations in every culture on earth when the Bible talks negatively about a particular people where to component that's the story.

It is always given with an opportunity to repent to change sides to come under the authority of the King. That's why when Paul said there is no longer Jew nor Gentile in Christ all this stuff is gone.

I ethnically you will be what you are, maybe you don't know it doesn't really matter. Maybe you do know doesn't mean you cannot celebrate certain ethnic holidays does mean that your citizenship, your primary citizenship is in heaven. You are the child of a king who is God the son God the father and God the Holy Spirit. There is no kingdom more race that I want to belong to except his kingdom. That is the race that I am running so I just take the time because again that you this Philistines here but what if it was insert your ethnic group there and he stood against the you fill in the blank. Would you be offended. I think it's due. The design is anyone that shortsighted that they think when they get to heaven is going to be an Irish section German section of you know that this is the Asian town, do they root is anyone here that shortsighted Christ. There will be people from every tongue, every kindred, every people in heaven still no longer will no longer belong to anyone but the king will all be in it together, world without end without suffering without fighting without clicks and divisions.

Churches should not have clicked the other people in a church that you may get along well or better with one than another. That's fine, but we don't really know the block others out lab spent a lot of time on that with a long way to go, turned to flight the armies of the aliens of these were the outerspace Martians that were landing in Israel.

Everybody knows that. Of course these were the foreign forces that were coming against the people of God, Isaiah and Hezekiah are are is a great example.

The Assyrian army had had taken out the northern kingdom because of the idolatry and now they were coming to the southern kingdom that was struggling with idolatry to but it was not as full-blown as brazen in the South yet and and God raised up the man Isaiah and and and King Hezekiah and and Isaiah greatly influenced and supported Hezekiah one of the good kings and in Israel and Judah and the Isaiah succeeded with his influence but Jeremiah, who would come 100 years later he couldn't sway the kings the kings were so based so depraved, Jehoiada, Kim, and Zedekiah. They were so messed up, the great prophet Jeremiah could not sway them to righteousness, and he suffered for but this time, Isaiah succeeded in you. You know the story.

The Assyrians came. Isaiah prophesied that God would deal with them because of Hezekiah's prayer and then in Isaiah 3736 and the angel of the Lord went out and killed in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000 people arose early in the morning there were the dead corpses all dad says the Scripture Isaiah 37, six, and so turned to flight the invading forces the armies of the aliens and we again are translates into New Testament may, with truth we turn away the lies that are launched again against our Lord. Verse 35 women received their dead raised again to life. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. Well, of course, Elijah and Elisha both prophets used by God to revive those that had died with this first clause verse 35 women received their dead raised again.

It really should be in verse 34.

Reason is because it is a turning point in this lasts mention of deliverance through the next list of events that are the righteous confront and in in our lives. This is an abrupt will be and when I read it. One moment an abrupt. Such a change from deliverance to endurance is the Christian life. Not as intense in this country. As a rule right now, but in other countries, it is had Jezebel won the last election it would have ramped up against us. You will know them by their fruit and I don't know how much time we have left before we are finally encircled and pounced upon the forces of evil hearted work to bring about this to come in and destroy the church to persecute the church.

So here this this change is now significant. So we move from women received their dead verse 35 raised again to life and all the glory and beauty that accompany those moments to this. Others were tortured. That's pretty intense when Saul of Tarsus, who was a Pharisee under the rabbinical teachings of the Jews after in the days of of of Christ and just after Christ. He hated Christians he hated the church and he set out to destroy it and to persecute and when he was saved and God said to another servant Ananias I want you to go to him. We pick it up in acts 916 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my namesake every combat soldier wonders how they going to do if there a time when the battlefield comes, will they cower. Will they turn and run or will they fight and be brave. I think every Christian should have that thought. As far as facing persecution goes, how will I perform will I deny my Lord, I will set my heart to never do such.

I know that this is what he will strengthen me to do. He will strengthen me to be strong in the face of opposition.

So he says. Others were tortured, having mentioned again the blessings the victories of Joshua Ray have all the names of the preceded this and now he gets to those cavalry did not come they went to heaven heaven didn't go to them in terms of delivering them from the moment of torture that word in the Greek torture tomb Pat Izzo. You won't hear that likely again today. It means it is essentially a trauma and a disconnect with the circular device that they had made especially for torturing than they would stretch out the victim on this circular device as you would stretch the skin over a drum. You know making that skin tonsil when you beat the drum. It would make the noise they would stretch out the victim and while they were fully stretched on this, the oldest drum.

The shape item they would then beat them to death. Roger will whips whatever instrument of cruelty was the choice moment move you've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio